26 THE LEPI'DOPTERIST 



atmospheric conditions playing a great part. The 

 locality of the grove to be "sugared" also makes a 

 great diflFerence. I have collected large numbers of 

 Catocalse and other Noctuidse in a grove at Concord, 

 Mass., in the day time on the trees, but this same 

 grove at night under a "sugar" treatment yields 

 absolutely nothing. This is due no doubt to the 

 \ieavy underbrush interfering with the flight of the 

 insects. A grove of medium sized trees, not too 

 close together with little or no underbrush usually 

 makes an ideal place to try "sugaring." A path 

 running through a grove makes it much easier to find 

 the treated trees after dark. The "sugar" used con- 

 sists of molasses, mixed with a little stale beer, if 

 possible with a little rum, and 2 or 3 drops of Amyl- 

 acetate. The mixture of beer and molasses is boiled 

 down, making it as thick as possible witout solidifying 

 when cool and then is thinned a little with a wineglass 

 of rum. Just before using drop in 2 or 3 drops 

 Amylacetate. The mixture should be placed on the 

 trees at sun down, collecting commences as soon as it 

 becomes dusk. Some success can be had in the early 

 spring. May and June do not as a rule, in this vicin- 

 ity, yield very much. July to November being the 

 most satisfactory time for this method of collecting. 



Collecting by "light," in the larger towns and cities, 

 can be carried on under the arc lights in the streets ; 

 many rare and beautiful moths being thus found, which 

 probably would not be taken any other way. For 

 those living in the country a powerful kerosene or 

 acetylene lamp with the rays thrown an a white cloth 

 will give good results. 



The use of living females to attract males of their 

 own kind is restricted to a few species, mostly the 

 Saturnidse and the Cossidse. Mr. Stowers did men- 

 tion the fact the the female must be virgin and must 

 be confined in a cage, so that the males that are at- 

 tracted can not mate with it, for once that copulation 

 starts the attraction for the males ceases. This method 

 of collecting is especially worth while with the Cossida 



