6 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 82 



lamp. In Cuba, Barreto (5) reports that light traps are an effective 

 means of dealing with other species of sugarcane beetles. 



For many years light traps have been used for catching May beetles 

 (Lachnostcnia), but it is still doubtful whether this method, as a 

 control measure, is really worthwhile. Sanders and Fracker (70) in 

 Wisconsin used gasoline lantern traps to collect May beetles. Results 

 were obtained concerning the distribution of species over a compara- 

 tively limited area, the optimum temperature for flights, and the most 

 favorable location and arrangement of the light traps. Seventeen 

 out of the 19 species known to occur in Wisconsin were caught in the 

 traps. Van Zwaluwenburg (91) reports that in Porto Rico large 

 numbers of May beetles were caught by means of a 400-candlepower 

 gasoline lamp, and that the use of light traps should constitute a 

 valualjle means of control. Harned (22) reports that, in pecan or- 

 chards in Mississippi, where trapping May beetles at night by lanterns 

 placed over tubs of oil and water has been practiced for many years, 

 their numbers have been considerably reduced, and they appear to 

 have caused less damage there than in previous years. 



Runner (69, p. 49-51) reports that the tobacco beetle may be at- 

 tracted to light traps in tobacco factories or warehouses and large 

 numbers of them destroyed. An efficient trap can be made quickly and 

 easily by pinning sheets of sticky fly paper around an electric light. 

 Other types of light traps are discussed. One consists of a large 

 globe connected with a cyanide jar; another, of a light and a shallow 

 pan of oil ; another, of a suction fan and a light ; and another method 

 is to collect the beetles at windows. Some of the beetles caught were 

 examined for the purpose of determining their sex ; nearly two- 

 thirds proved to be females. 



Smith (yy) reix)rts that light traps, placed over large funnels, have 

 proved effective against the adults of the Asiatic garden beetle 

 {Ascrica castaiica Arrow). In one instance as many as 157,774 

 beetles were caught in one trap during a period of 30 days. 



For several years Williams (96) has been developing and improv- 

 ing light traps for insects. At last he has perfected one which has been 

 proved successful. The .source of the light is acetylene or electricity, 

 and the killing agent is carl)on tetrachloride or potassium cyanide. 



In New York State, Collins and Nixon (9) have just published a 

 second report concerning an investigation conducted on a large scale, 

 in which 105 water-pan electric-light traps were installed in an or- 

 chard. Most of the insects caught were Lepidoptera, but incidentally 

 many beetles were trapped. The method recently employed by Hermes 



