DEPARTMENT OF ENTOMOLOGY 



CJ-i \ Edith M. Patch, 



Editor orono 



A LARGE FIELD FOR STUDY 



Entomology, or the science of Insects, offers practically 

 a limitless field for the student of nature. 



It has been estimated that over five hundred thousand 

 species of insects inhabit the world, many more than all 

 other species of animals combined. 



They are of many sizes, forms and colors; in size from 

 the minute Alaptus fly, less than seven one-thousandth of 

 an inch, that lays its eggs in the eggs of other parasitic 

 insects (the Ichneumon flies,) to the mammoth moth 

 (Actias Isis) from the Celebes that measures seven and a 

 half inches from tip of wing to tip of wing, up and down, 

 and five inches across, or tlie grasshopper (Trapodous dux,) 

 from British Guiana, that measures 7 1-2 inches from tip 

 to tip of outstretched wings; in form from the insect that 

 resembles little stems of trees or bushes (the walking- 

 stick,) the almost formless bird and book lice and scale in- 

 sects, the hard-shelled or wing-covered beetles, to the four 

 large winged butterflies and tiioths and the transparent- 

 winged Hymenoptera; in color from the gorgeous morphos 

 to the pure white cabbage butterfly, and from the bronze 

 and gold "gem" Brazilian beetles to our brown and black 

 ground beetles. 



Insects are to be found everywhere, in all kinds of sit- 

 uations: in the fields and woods, in fresh and salt water, 

 flying in the air, under stones, logs and bark of trees, in 

 fruit, grain, and trees, on flowers, leaves, birds, mammals 

 and other insects, in our homes destroying clothing, carpets 

 and food. 



No other department of Nature, of the animal or vege- 

 table kingdom, offers such a fascinating, such a boundless 

 field for observation and study. No long, expensive "golden- 

 fleece" journeys are required; the youthful, ambitious ex- 

 plorer into the realms of nature has but to step out-of-doors 

 to find him or herself in the midst of countless golden-winged 

 creatures, creatures of endless forms and colors. 



Nor is any costly or elaborate equipment required for 

 their collection and study. A butterfly net that can be made 

 at home out of an old broom-handle, a piece of brass or 



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