COLLECTING AND PRESERVING INSECTS — BANKS. 



101 



Fig. 1.59.— An ant, Monomorium pharaonis: a, Female; b, worker. 



be placed in a tin box, and, if necessary, braced with twigs so that it 

 will not shake about; if a dry species, it may be wrapped up closely 

 in a piece of stout tissue paper and carried home in any kind of box. 

 Some fungi require wet or a moist atmosphere for the development 

 of these insects, and these should be taken up with some soil about 

 them and placed in a jar or cage where the soil can be kept wet. Other 

 fungi, particularly those on the bark of trees, may be kept in a dry 

 jar or jelly glass until 

 all the insects have- 

 issued from them. 

 In many cases the 

 larva? pupate in the 

 soil under the fungus, 

 and so it is useful, 

 especially with beetle 

 larva*, to have soil 

 under the fungus in 

 the breeding cage. 



Ants' neMs. — Ants' 

 nests harbor many 

 curious insects outside of the rightful owners. These insects are 

 known as "Myrmecophiles." Some are tolerated or even fostered by 

 the ants; others are their unwelcome guests; they are rats, and mice, 

 and fleas. To secure these insects one must examine the nest and 

 sift its material. Many of the ant guests are beetles, and these have 

 been discussed by Mr. Schwarz. The nests of white ants or termites 

 also have their guests. These are known as "Termitophiles.'" 



Wasps and bees. — Many wasps (fig. 160) 

 and bees nest in colonies, and if these 

 colonies are large it will be soon noted 

 that a number of other insects can be 

 found around the holes or reared from 

 the nest. When one discovers such a 

 colony he should visit it several times 

 and secure the numerous insects that are 

 associated with the wasps and bees. 

 Galls. — Many insects can be reared 

 from galls, aside from the gall-makers, there being numerous insects 

 called "inquilines " which occur witli them. Beetles and Lepidoptera 

 are sometimes obtained from galls made by other insects. 



Moss. — Many minute insects find in that tiny forest we call moss 

 a most hospitable shelter. Numbers of mites, small spiders, and 

 spring tails, many beetles, and a great variety of Hemiptera as well 

 as some delicate flies are here at home. In the winter time there 



FlG.lfiO.— A WASP OF THE FAMILY VES- 

 YWJE, POLISTES BELLICOSUS. 



