BREEDING LARV^. 



31 



BREEDING LARV^. 



The finest specimens of Lepidoptera are obtained by 

 rearing from the larval or pupal stages. This is accomplished 

 by the use of breeding cages. For this purpose glass tum- 

 blers covered with gauze may be employed, but a better thing 



Fig. II. 



is a box especially prepared for the purpose. Take a wooden 

 box without a cover, lay it on its side and tack a lath across 

 the lower edge so that a shallow tray is made ; then cover 

 the rest of the opening with gauze or mosquito netting- 

 Then put a small door in the side, which, by the inversion of 

 the box, becomes tlie top. The box should then have a layer 

 of moist earth reaching to the top of the lath. It is fre- 

 quently well to subdivide the box as larvae are occasionally 

 apt to desert a vegetable diet and eat their companions. 



