BEES, WASPS, ETC., OR HYMENOPTERA. 61 



bodies of fresh water. The lace-winged flies are also found 

 in the vicinity of water. The larva3 of almost all of these 

 insects are aquatic. They emerge from the water perfect 

 insects. The larvae should be preserved in alcohol. The 

 perfect insects are killed with oxalic acid, and for trans- 

 portation are packed in paper like the butterflies. When 

 they are to be mounted, a copper wire is placed through 

 the body and head ; the wings are then spread, as before 

 described. 



BeeSf Wasps, etc., or Hymenoptera. -^ Members of this 

 order may be found everywhere in the fields and woods. 

 Their larvae generally resemble grubs, or maggots, and 

 should be preserved in alcohol or glycerine. 



The larvae of the Ichneumon-Fly are found in the bodies 

 of caterpillars. The larvae of other species are found in 

 the excrescences on various plants and trees. This class 

 of insects may be caught in a net and placed in alcohol, or 

 killed with oxalic acid. They are to be mounted as the 

 other winged insects ; the tongue must be brought forward 

 so that it can be examined when the insect is dry. 



The nests of the Wood-boring Bees, the Paper-making 

 Wasps, and Hornets, the mud nests of the Mason Wasps, 

 the excrescences on trees and plants, should all be col- 

 lected and preserved dry after the larvae has been taken 

 out. Ants with their eggs and larvae may be put into 

 alcohol ; it is best to capture these fierce little insects with 

 the tweezers, to avoid their stings, which are sometimes 

 poisonous. 



Flies, Mosquitoes, etc., or Diptera. — These are the most 

 difficult of all insects to preserve, especially when they 

 have to be transported from a distance, as they must all 

 be instantly pinned, with the exception of the Fleas, which 

 may be put into alcohol. 



They may be caught everywhere by beating bushes by 

 the side of the roads and woods, then using the net 



