SOME COMMON INSECTS n 



occurs, watch in the spring and early summer the great ichneumon, Thalessa, 

 depositing its eggs in the larvae of wood-boring beetles. At least see the 

 specimen of this insect in the museum, noting the very long ovipositor, and 

 read "The Bewitched Cocoons" and "The Most Marvellous Drill in the 

 World" in William Hamilton Gibson's Sharp Eyes. 



Ants a study of an animal community. 



Directions for making nest. Cut a piece of glass 4 by 5 inches or any 

 convenient size, or use for the foundation of the nest an old 4 by 5 negative. 

 The gelatin film can be cleaned off the negative if the latter is soaked in 

 water for a little while. Cut some glass strips one-half inch wide from 

 any old window glass. It is best to use glass of single thickness and to use 

 window glass rather than picture glass, since the former is softer and less 

 difficult to cut. To cut glass secure a wheel glass-cutter from the hardware 

 store, for five or ten cents. Lay a ruler on the glass a little to the left of 

 the line along which the cut is to be made and, holding the glass-cutter as 

 you would a pencil in writing, draw it along the glass beside the ruler, 

 using just enough pressure to make the wheel cutter "bite" the glass. You 

 can tell this best by the noise. Any school child can cut window glass, for 

 no great strength is needed. When the scratch is made place the thumbs 

 on top of the glass near the edge on opposite sides of the scratch and press 

 upward with the bent first fingers held below the glass. 



The walls. Fasten the half-inch strips along the edges of the founda- 

 tion glass with ordinary glue, laying the strips flat, i.e., with the broad side 

 down. Leave a half-inch opening at one corner for a door. Cement a 

 second strip on top of each first strip, so as to make this glass wall two 

 thicknesses of glass high, in .order to allow enough space for the ants to 

 move around freely inside the nest. With strips of glass divide the nest 

 into two rooms, leaving a space between this partition wall and the outer 

 wall to serve as a door. Cut some black cambric or calico into strips an 

 inch wide and glue it to the edge of the nest all the way around, letting it 

 lap over on the top of the wall and on the under side of the foundation glass. 

 This makes an opaque covering for the wall of the nest, like a passe-partout 

 binding. 



Ventilation. Cut some strips of Turkish toweling an inch wide. Turn 

 in the edges of this toweling so that they meet, thus making a half-inch 

 strip that is double. Now cement these turned-in edges to the top of the 

 half -inch strips that form the walls of the nest. Cut pieces of glass of proper 

 size to cover each room of the nest and lay them on the Turkish toweling 

 for a roof. The toweling admits enough air to ventilate the rooms. Since 

 ants are accustomed to live in the dark, pieces of cardboard should be cut 

 the same size as the glass covers for each room and laid over the nest. 



