COLLECTION AND PRESERVATION OF INSECTS 25 



To kill pests it is necessary to use some fumigant such as paradichloro- 

 benzene (PDB) , carbon disulfide, ethylene dichloride, or carbon tetra- 

 chloride. Any of these may be obtained from a druggist; the first 

 is a white crystalline substance, the others are liquids. Carbon disul- 

 fide is probably the most widely used and is very effective, but has 

 the disadvantages of being inflammable and explosive when mixed 

 with air in certain proportions, and having an unpleasant odor; fur- 

 thermore, it will stain insect boxes. 



A small amount of naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene may be 

 included in each box of specimens, either in a cloth bag or a small box 

 with a perforated top firmly pinned in the corner. Naphthalene in 

 the form of moth balls may be pinned in the box by attaching the ball 

 to an ordinary pin. To do this, heat the head of the pin, force it into 

 the moth ball, and permit it to cool. 



Liquid fumigants may be used without the danger of staining the 

 boxes by saturating a cotton plug and placing it in a short, wide- 

 mouthed vial pinned in the corner. 



All moth balls or f umigant containers should be removed from boxes 

 before they are shipped. 



PACKING AND SHIPPING SPECIMENS 



LIVE INSECTS 



Adult insects intended for a collection or submitted for identifica- 

 tion should not be shipped alive. The shipment of live insects is con- 

 trolled by Federal law ; permits to ship certain insects alive may be 

 obtained from the Bureau of Entomology and Plant Quarantine, 

 Washington 25, D. C. 



Pupae or larvae sent for rearing should be enclosed in tight con- 

 tainers, such as tin salve boxes or mailing cases, depending upon the 

 size and number of specimens. Pupae preferably should be packed 

 loosely in moist (but not wet) moss. Larvae should be packed with 

 sufficient food material to last until their arrival at their destination. 

 Most beetle larvae and some moth larvae, especially cutworms, should 

 be isolated, since they are more or less cannibalistic. To prevent excess 

 accumulation of frass and sweating, do not overload the container 

 with specimens or plant material. Do not put ventholes in the con- 

 tainers ; insects require a minimum of air and will not suffocate. 



Live Hemiptera and other small active insects may be shipped in 

 mailing cases with a few stems of their host plant (with the leaves 

 removed) set in paraffin. Insects such as these are easily killed by 

 excess moisture in the container, and for this reason a number of 

 tiny ventholes are advisable. 



Bulky insects, or pieces of host plants bearing insects such as scale 

 insects, should be partially or completely dried before being placed 

 in a container, or should be packed in a container which will permit 

 drying to continue after closure; otherwise they will decay and be 

 worthless. 



