88 



Dragon-flies and Damsel-flies 



shows the construction of a good water-net that can be made at home out 

 of a piece of grass-cloth, two sizes of wire, and a stick. 



"The best places to search for dragon-fly nymphs in general are the 

 reedy borders of ponds and the places where trash falls in the eddies of 

 creeks. The smaller the body of water, if permanent, the more likely it 

 is to yield good collecting. The nymphs may be kept in any reasonably 

 clean vessel that will hold water. Some clean sand should be placed in 

 the bottom, especially for burrowers, and water-plants for damsel-fly nymphs 

 to rest on. They may be fed occasionally upon such small insects (smaller 

 than themselves) as a water-net or a sieve will catch in any pond. Their 

 habits can be studied at leisure in a dish of water on one's desk or table. 



"The best season for collecting them is spring and early summer. April 

 and May are the best months of the year, because at this time most nymphs 



are nearly grown, and, if taken then, 

 will need to be kept but a short time 

 before transforming into adults. And 

 this transformation every one should 

 .sec; it will be worth a week's work at 

 the desk; and as it can be appreciated 

 only by being seen, some sim|)le direc- 

 tions are here given for bringing the 

 nymphs to maturity. Place them in a 

 wooden pail or tub (Fig. 120). If 

 the sides are so smooth that they cannot crawl up to transform, put some 

 sticks in the water for them to crawl out on. Tie mosquito-netting tightly over 

 the top, or, better, make a screen cover; leave three or four inches of air 

 between the water and the netting; feed at least once a week, set them where 

 the sun will reach them; and after the advent of warm spring weather look 

 in on them early every morning to see what is going on." 



Elsewhere Professor Needham says that nymphs may be fed bits of 

 fresh meat in lieu of live insects. If meat is fed, it must be kept in motion 

 before them, as they will refuse anything that does not seem alive. Some 

 nymphs will take earthworms. Care must be taken to keep cannibalistic 

 kinds apart from others. When the nymphs transform the freshly i.ssued 

 imagoes should be transferred each with its cast skin (exuvia) to dry boxes 

 for a short lime, till their body-wall and wings gain firmness and the colors 

 are matured. The imago and its exuvia should always be kept together. 



Specimens of the adults for the cabinet should have the wings spread 

 like butterflies and moths (for directions for spreading see the Ap{>endix). 

 The slender and brittle dried abdomen breaks off very easily, and a bristle 

 or fine non-corrosive wire should iheiefore be passed lengthwise through 

 the body as far as the tip of the abdomen. A couple of insect-pins, inserted 



Fig. 120. — A simple aquarium for rear- 

 ing dragon-lly nymphs. (After Need- 

 ham.) 



