Collecting and Preserving Insects 



place within it a few smaller receptacles containing a little water 

 and pack ordinary water weed between these. The smaller 

 nymphs taken may be distributed among these receptacles so as 

 to diminish the chances of having them eaten by the larger and 

 stouter ones which may be stowed away in the weed. The 

 latter does not need to be submerged unless left long uncovered 

 in the sun. 



REARING DIFFERENT KINDS OF INSECTS 



Even the collector of insects who cares little about habits and 

 life histories desires often to rear his specimens, since they are 

 then in the best condition for the collection ; and then, too, it is 



very difficult sometimes 

 to capture some kinds of 

 insects, or they can be ob- 

 tained only in this way. 

 The methods of rear- 

 ing caterpillars in order 

 to obtain the adult but- 

 terflies or moths has been 

 admirably treated by 

 Dr. Holland in his "But- 

 terfly Book," and the 

 breeding cages recom- 

 mended by him may 

 be used equally well for 

 many of the insects de- 

 scribed in this volume. 

 The simplest form of 

 such cage is frequently 

 the best, and, as Dr. 

 Holland says, with some 

 species the best method 

 is simply to pot a plant 

 on which the insect is 

 known to feed and place it in a box over which some mosquito 

 netting is tied. Glass cylinders or even lamp chimneys placed 

 over small plants growing in pots, the top being covered with 



396 



Fig. 256. Riley insect breeding cage or 

 vivarium. (After Riley.) 



