ENTOMOLOGY 355 



as perfect insects and visit the trees long before any leaves are found 

 upon them. By jarring the trees early in the morning these insects 

 can be collected upon a sheet of muslin spread under the tree and 

 killed. By beating the young potato vines the beetles that have 

 collected there to eat and to lay eggs can be gathered into a tin 

 pail containing water with a little kerosene oil, and can thus be 

 destroyed. 



Catching Insects By Trapping. Many of the caterpillars of 

 the Codling-moth descend the apple trees to pupate. If a band of 

 folded papers be put around the trunk they will go below the band, 

 where they can readily be crushed. The males of many destructive 

 moths can be collected and killed by confining a freshly issued 

 female under a sieve. Many males will be attracted to the female 

 and will try to reach her, and while thus engaged can be captured. 

 This method is often very effective, especially with our larger de- 

 structive moths. 



Catching Insects With Light and Baits. A large number of 

 injurious insects are attracted to strong lights, as may be seen in 

 cities illuminated with electric lamps. By arranging a vessel with 

 water, upon which floats some kerosene oil, under brightly burning 

 lamps arranged in fields to be protected many destructive insects 

 can be caught and killed. By using lights many beneficial insects are 

 also captured, most of which might be saved by using water alone. 

 Baits, consisting of various materials corresponding to the insects in- 

 tended to be caught, are very attractive to certain kinds. Sugar or 

 molasses dissolved in water and mixed with a little real vinegar 

 attracts the moths producing cut-worms. 



Collecting Eggs of Noxious Insects. In many cases injurious 

 insects can be greatly reduced in number by gathering and destroy- 

 ing their eggs at the proper time. The eggs of Cabbage-butterflies 

 and Potato-beetles can be readily detected upon the young food 

 plants. Eggs of the Tent-caterpillars are prominent during the win- 

 ter upon the trees that are preferred as food, where they should be 

 collected and burned. The eggs of the Migratory Locusts can some- 

 times be collected more readily and in larger numbers than the ac- 

 tive insect itself. 



Burning Dead Twigs in and Around Orchards. The Currant- 

 borers and similar insects remain in the dead or dying canes until 

 mature. By burning canes thus infected in early spring the culprits 

 are killed. The New York-weevil, destructive to plum trees, breeds 

 in oaks, chiefly in those twigs that drop very readily. By gathering 

 and burning these at the proper time the insects are prevented from 

 invading orchards. 



Burning Dead Foliage, Etc. Many insects, for instance the 

 Chinch-bug, hibernate in and below such rubbish. By burning this 

 material at a time when the insects are in a torpid condition they are 

 destroyed. If this operation is carried out very late in autumn they 

 are not very likely to find new hibernating quarters, or arc thus ex- 

 posed without any protection to the cold. 



