90 



BULLETIN 67, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



to remove the larva, but break off the abnormal part of plant 

 and put it in the vial, keeping track by labels of the name of the 

 plant. 



In rearing material one should be careful to save for the cabinet 

 some specimens of the larva 3 , as well as the pupae or pupal skins. 

 These should be so labeled as to be readily connected with the reared 

 insect. 



HYMENOPTERA. 



A great variety of bees and wasps may be gathered from flowers. 

 A small or midget net suffices for most species, but the larger Pom- 

 pilidae (fig. 155) and Sphegidae (fig. 140) are better caught in a large 

 net. It is sometimes difficult to secure from the net a large stinging 

 Pompilid. A few swift strokes of the net across the knee will assist 

 in stunning the specimen without breaking it. Many bees can be 

 picked from flowers with a forceps, or even with the fingers, as but 

 few species can sting sufficiently to hurt, and one must expect an 



occasional thrust when 

 collectingAculeates. The 

 specimens collected from 

 each species of flower 

 should be kept in sepa- 

 rate cyanide bottles The 

 larger Parasitica are to be 

 found on shrubbery, in 

 rather open woods or near 

 the edge of woods, and 

 most are easily caught 

 with a net. Smaller forms will be found by sweeping herbage, 

 and in the winter time many will be found by sifting moss, fallen 

 leaves, and rubbish. Upon dead trees one may often find some 

 parasitic Hymenoptera which are seeking to oviposit on the various 

 larvae in the trees. On warm, sunshiny days of spring one can some- 

 times find a variety of small forms on the fresh foliage of oak trees. 



The gall insects (fig. 70) may be reared from the mature galls, but 

 it should be remembered that galls harbor many other insects than 

 the makers, so that any species reared from a gall is not necessarily 

 the maker of that gall. Moreover, some issue a year or more after 

 the gall is mature. The sawflies (fig. 138) are chiefly found in the 

 spring or early summer in shrubbery, tall herbage, and open groves, 

 and on the young leaves of trees. They fall readily into the net, often 

 playing 'possum. Any one who is rearing Lepidoptera and other 

 insects should save the Hymenoptera that issue therefrom, giving each 

 a label with name of host. Sandy spots furnish an opportunity to 

 secure many fossorial forms. By waiting a bit around the holes and 



Fig. 139.— Lvsiphlebus depositing its eggs in the body of 

 a grain-aphis. 



