96 



WOBK AT HOME AND IN THE FIELD 



The wonderful acnteness of the sense by which the males of 

 certain species are enabled to seek out the females has already been 

 alluded to, and the possession of a suitable decoy will often bring 

 you a number of beautiful admirers without the least trouble, except 

 that taken in securing the decoy and preparing her temporary abode. 

 It is absolutely necessary that the female moth be one that has 

 recently emerged, and consequently you had better secure her in 

 one of her earlier stages, either by previoiis rearing or by collecting 

 tlie pupie. 



A little cage composed of a framework of wire covered with gauze 

 must now be made. Perhaps the simplest pattern is that illustrated. 

 Here the gauze is attached to two wire rings, only a few inches in 

 diameter, and suspended by a string. Such a cage answers every 



A 



Fig. 55.— Cage for 

 Decoy Females. 



Fig. 



56.— A Sugar 

 Trap. 



purpose in the field, and has the advantage of folding into an 

 exceedingly small space when not in use. It may be suspended in 

 yonr garden or taken into the field whenever you have a suitable 

 decoy at your disposal. 



The sugar trap may be of much the same pattern as that in 

 which a light is used, but if intended for field work it should be of a 

 convenient size for portability. A lighter and far more convenient 

 form may be constructed as follows : 



Procure a large cylindrical tin box, and cut a circular piece of 

 perforated zinc just small enough to drop into it. Then make two 

 wire rings, one a little larger than the top of the tin, and the other 

 only about an inch in diameter. Next make a conical net of leno, 

 open at both ends, and of such a size that the two rings may form 

 the frames of its two extremities. When the trap is required for 



