The Care of Nets. All insect nets are 

 easily ripped and should be kept away 

 from barbed wire and thorny trees. Keep 

 the nets dry; moisture rots the fabric mak- 

 ing it more easily torn and in addition 

 ruins all insects caught in the net when it 

 is wet. 



Other types of collecting equipment such 

 as beating nets, aspirators, traps, etc., are 

 described later in this manual. 



Aquatic Collecting 



The early stages of many groups of in- 

 sects as well as adults of others live in the 

 water. Special collecting equipment and 

 different methods must be employed for 

 collecting these forms. The beginning col- 

 lector shoidd devote as much attention to 

 water insects as he does to land collecting. 



Fig. 6. Aquatic net. 



The Aquatic Net. Water insects may be 

 collected by a heavy dip net swept thru 

 the water at various levels and thru the 

 mud and debris at the bottom. The frame 

 must be strong to withstand this severe 

 use and one of coppered steel spring wire 

 J" in diameter has proven most effective. 

 The diameter of the net ring should be 

 10 or 12 inches. It is preferable that the 

 end of the handle and ferrule should be 



made of brass so that no water can reach 

 the wood and thus cause binding and 

 swelling. The rigid frame is easily re- 

 moved by pushing back the ferrule. (Fig. 

 6.) 



The bag should be made from extra 

 heavy scrim with a canvas top. Grommets 

 or slits should be placed on the canvas rim 

 so that the water will drain quickly from 

 the top portion when the net is removed 

 from the water. 



The net bag need not be deep, as aquat- 

 ic insects are usually quite helpless out of 

 their natural environment. A broadly 

 rounded net bag 18" deep is the proper 

 depth for a frame 12" in diameter. All 

 aquatic insects can be picked up with for- 

 ceps and dropped into the vials or jars of 

 75% alcohol. If you use your fingers to 

 pick out aquatic insects be sure to watch 

 out for species which bite. Data labels 

 written in pencil should always be placed 

 in each vial. 



All-Purpose Net. For collectors who will 

 wish to look for specimens in a variety of 

 habitats, an all-purpose net such as that il- 

 lustrated here (Fig. 7) will be ideal. It 

 may be obtained with a selection of three 

 bags having zippers for easy removal and 

 quick changing. These are aerial, sweep- 

 ing and aquatic respectively. The handle 

 is tapered so that the weight is more ade- 

 quately distributed and balanced, further- 

 more, the tapered handle prevents binding 

 when used in aquatic collecting and the 

 ferrule is easily adjusted at all times. 



All purpose net. 



