38 



CHAPTER VII. 



HINTS ON COLLECTING. 



IN the body of this work the most usual haunts of the 

 different families will be pointed out ; but a few general 

 remarks on collecting may also be of service. 



The best time for beating is at the end of May and 

 beginning of June, and the most productive trees are 

 young oaks, hazels, poplars, and sallows. Sweeping 

 commences when the beating-net is no longer useful, 

 and continues all through the summer and autumn; 

 patches of wild flowers on the edges of woods and fields, 

 damp meadows, and water plants, being all good for 

 this work. In early spring and summer many good 

 things are to be found in sand-pits, especially if they 

 have straight cut sides; the reason being that the in- 

 sects fly in the evening wildly, hit against the steep 

 banks and fall half-stupefied. 



The very best times in the year for collecting are in 

 the early warm days of spring up to the middle of June, 

 and late in the autumn, at the end of September : this 

 is easily accounted for, as most insects come out of the 

 pupa condition about the latter time, hybernate during 

 the winter months, and come out again in the next 

 spring. Hence there are absolutely more beetles to be 



