Collecting and Preserving Insects 



and more conveniently packed away. The opened and In- 

 verted umbrella is held with the left hand under the branch 

 and with the right hand the collector beats the branch, jarring 

 the insects into the convex umbrella cover. 



Collecting Shears. — These are often used, the blades being 

 composed of flat, net-like frames looking something like minute 

 tennis rackets. They are useful for picking up delicate insects 

 which would be apt to be damaged by the fingers or tweezers. 



SOME POINTS ON METHODS OF COLLECTING 

 DIFFERENT ORDERS 



Hymetioptera. — Many Hymenoptera, such as the bees, some 

 of the wasps and many parasitic forms, can readily be collected 

 by means of the beating net or sweeping net from flowering 

 plants. The removal of the stinging species from the net is 

 sometimes rather dangerous. The callous collector will pick 

 them up with his thumb and fore finger, never minding the 

 sting, especially as after a few stings his hand becomes practically 

 inoculated, but a good idea is to have an opening 'in the bottom 

 of the net which should be kept tied with a string. When 

 enough insects are caught they are driven to the bottom by 

 swinging the net rapidly through the air, then holding it tightly 

 together with the hand just above the bottom, untieing the 

 string and shaking the insects into a wide-mouthed cyanide 

 bottle. After they are stupefied the contents of the bottle may 

 be emptied out and the desirable specimens selected. The gall- 

 flies and the parasites are best collected by breeding. The galls 

 of the gall-flies should be collected when mature and kept in 

 closed jars, the jars being occasionally moistened by putting a 

 sheet of damp blotting paper over the mouth. 



Hemiptera. — The beating net is used with these insects and 

 they are found to some extent under logs and stones and are also 

 captured in the collecting umbrella. Plant-lice should be collected 

 in connection with their food plants and at different seasons of 

 the year in order to obtain different generations. One should 

 also collect both winged and wingless forms. Bark-lice or scale 

 insects should be preserved dry in situ on the plants. The col- 

 lector should have a series of small envelopes or flat card boxes 



394 



