The lOMQ HATHRAIIST: 



A Penny Weekly Magazine of Natural History. 



No. 141. JULY 22th, 1882. Vol. 3. 



SUGAR. 



IN the writer's district, sugar is 

 proving successful this season, 

 for the first time for five or six years. 

 Correspondents elsewhere complain 

 that it is not productive of anything 

 better than earwigs, which always seem 

 to find it out. It may be worth while 

 to say a word or two again about 

 sugaring to our young readers, with a 

 few hints as to sugaring notes. To 

 the uninitiated, sugaring" certainly 

 needs explanation, and we well remem- 

 ber our amazement when first taken 

 out by an " old hand " on a sugaring 

 expedition. The partiality of nearly 

 all insects for sweets is w^ell known, 

 but it was reserved for modern times 

 to take advantage of this taste for the 

 capture of certahi species of lepidoptera. 

 The mixture that we believe is generally 

 used now-a-days is composed of coarse 

 treacle mixed with a little rum. Some 

 prefer ale, and we have used the " bot- 

 toms " of port wine with considerable 

 success. Probably the strongest smell- 

 ing admixture may be best, but we 

 have at times used treacle only. Tiiis 



is daubed on tree trunks, posts or rails, 

 stones, &c., before dusk, and visited 

 after dark with a lantern. Various 

 insects will be found congregated, — 

 earwigs, spiders, caddis-flies, and others 

 of nocturnal habits ; but it is gen- 

 erally spread^by the lepidopterist, and 

 he expects more particularly to find 

 NoctucB upon it. Members of other 

 groups do visit sugar occasionally, but 

 they are never numerous, and none 

 seem to do so regularly ; but the 

 NoctucB are especially attracted by it, 

 and it is a treat indeed to see them on 

 a suitable night, almost shouldering 

 one another out of the way ; their eyes 

 glowing in the lamp-light ; their long 

 proboscis extended, eagerly sucking up 

 the liquid. As the rays of the lamp 

 fall upon them some will drop off or 

 fly away, but others will take little 

 heed of the intruder, and you may box 

 such as you desire without those remain- 

 ing appearing disturbed. But many 

 of the best species drop ofl" as soon as 

 the collector approaches, and it is well 

 to have your net ready to receive them 

 as they fall. They may safely be box- 

 ed from the sugar, for sweets of all 



