14 



BULLETIN 417, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



In case two or three weeks will be required for trie journey it is 

 desirable to ship in cold storage if the beetles are collected early in 

 the season. Several lots have come from Japan that were shipped 

 in this way during midsummer and they always arrived in good con- 

 dition when the packing material did not become too dry. 



METHODS OF REARING CALOSOMA BEETLES. 



[PL V] 



Calosoma beetles are not easily reared, and as a rule considerable 

 experience is necessary in order to manage the early stages success- 

 fully and obtain perfect adult specimens. All the species which 

 have been under observation deposited their eggs in the ground 



Fig. 2.— Jars for rearing Calosoma beetles: a, Large jar with wooden top and "ladder"; b, small jar with 

 wooden top; c, showing construction of top and "ladder"; d, jar with cheesecloth top held in position 

 with rubber band. (Burgess.) 



and both male and female beetles usually spent a part of the time 

 in the ground or under litter. When definite records are desired as 

 to the number of eggs deposited by females or the molting periods 

 of the larvas, it has been found desirable to use glass battery jars 

 containing from 2 to 4 inches of loam. A pair of beetles are placed 

 in each jar and caterpillars added for food. A wooden cover pro- 

 vided with a groove which fits the top of the jar (fig. 2) has been 

 found more satisfactory than covers made of cheesecloth or other 

 material. A circular hole is made in the top of each cover and a 

 piece of wire screen is tacked over it so as to afford free circulation of 

 air and prevent the escape of the beetles. It has been found advan- 

 tageous to attach narrow strips of wire netting to the top of the cover 

 in such a manner that they extend nearly to the surface of the earth 

 in the jar. The beetles are not able to climb the vertical sides of 

 the jar, and as the caterpillars can do so easily the netting serves as a 



