502 



INJURIOUS AND BENEFICIAL INSECTS OF CALIFORNIA. 



Fig. 499. Great care should be exercised to see that the specimen is 

 perfectly straight, at right angles to the point and that all the append- 

 ages are free. In ladybird beetles the point should not extend quite to 

 the middle of the sternum. 



Spreading. — Insects which are classified entirely or partially by 

 wing veination or coloration are placed upon a stretching board when 

 fresh, or after being relaxed and the wings properly stretched, fastened 



BED SB 







* f * t 



» * A 



■ 



Fig. 500. — Insects pinned in a Schmitt insect box. A small sack containing flaked 

 naphtha is in the lower left corner. (Original) 



and allowed to become thoroughly dry before they are removed and 

 placed into permanent quarters. The hind margins of the front wings 

 of a properly stretched insect should be at right angles to the main axis 

 of the body, as shown in Fig. 496. 



Butterflies and moths may be safely preserved in small paper tri- 

 angles until ready for spreading. 



CASES FOR PINNED INSECTS 



By far the most satisfactory containers for pinned insects are the 

 Schmitt insect hoxes, which are practically dust and insect proof. 

 Specially constructed cases with glass tops are excellent for exhibition 

 purposes. Small sacks of flaked naphtha should be fastened in the 

 corners of the boxes to keep out destructive museum pests (Fig. 500). 



GLASS VIALS 



Scale insects (Coccida I are easily handled and preserved in small 

 glass shell vials, as shown in Fig. 502. Life histories of other insects 

 for exhibition purposes may also be mounted in small or large glass 



shell vials. 



