The minimum equipment necessary to collect insects consists

IO
COLLECTING EQUIPMENT
into a vial or other container' This container has intake and mouthpipcL
tub* , nlerinq it: lhc inlal. lubP i" u.urlll a piece o[ ra in
elas" rubina xbout n ir. lone, and the moulhll'ce luue IS ri.ll'
!las- rubirf lhrough l]re cork plu' I r2 lo 2 'l (r1 rubber lubrrg,
ivirh a pl"ti.f clo-th over Ihe inner cnd lo nrevc'l ir'r'r-t" from
beinc sucked inlo lhc rnoulh llac' ll-e cnd of the Inlake lube
close-to the insect and suck through the mouthpiece. An asplrator
is u.eltl for collrctirrg.mall, nut loo sLlir, ir:e(ls. eilh'I lrom a'l
in"ect net. a Dldll. o'r rnolher 5ilualion The in:cct' coll cte'l
"o
mav Le leDl ilire nr lrarr"ferr.d ro r, killine jar.
Traps. in",,t trdp: can Le ron5lrur ted in r'rriou'r3)s alld Ihe
attraiiarl u",J wili ,l,termir. rhr t;pe" of irr'eLr" likely to be
caught. Tn" irltraclanl rraJ Lc crlifrcirl lieht. decar''rg m''at or
fruii, or orher thing.. Trre lrapr ar.,on:lructed :o Ilri'tt on't thc
in.".,. o.t in rh.r iannol gel oul somc lrapc cu'h a' 1fo'e wilh
liitlrt r"'thc allr;crant) mav bc con'trucled Io direcl lhe cauehl
in_sects cvcntuallv into a coltaiDcr o[ alcohol or a killing jar;others
t'rift t* n" ft.''r".1 u irh d"..rl ing ll.aterial' ) Inav hc cun5l ru( ted
lo dirccr
". lhe in.rct. inrn i:p,cial , ha.1bcf and .lol inlo lhc Lrarl'
lc.eLr" artracte'l ru lighri o bait. mry ofttr be 'ollntcd by
hand or rvith a nP , $il\ou1 use o[ a tr.rp lnscct'allracl'Ll lo a
lieht. for , xarnple, cd'r L,, collecr' Ll dir''' tr) int''' a krllrrr{ J€r or
oiher cor'trin,r shpn rhey alight nn .orn, 'ulracr' ne.rrby (a.l ghl
colore,t t"oll ot sheet). Tirus jiou can collcct only those specirnens
in nh:rh r'ou rr. Da-licularly irtere.ted
Aquatii Collect'ing Equipment. \4ary aluat ic ir'c' ls can be
collcired hr hen.1 oi uir\ forc.ps fron obje,ls in lhc \\'dier: moll
car L-,c.ollecled $itlr a nel oroilrer oLrire. A' aqudli' rel'hould
br much lhalr un a,ricl nel,Milhabagno'leep(r ll'an ll'P
"turditr
diameter of the rim. Kitchen straincrs i[ to 6 in. in diameter make
good dip nets.
ii" i;o-""' or .trainrr c.n.s up full ol mud ar.l debri', rhe
lnsects ,".s tul.n may m 'v bc b, tlifhcult .lifficult to .e,lunl".-
sei unless they lhPy n-o\e move. To locale locate
them. dump the net contents into a white bottomed pan of water'
Insecis arc'easily secn against this $hite backgrolnd, and.can.be
i"""'",i rru l'r,ia, Ior."i., o- ey,tl'opp' r' Siall rree-srvrmming
forms Io,m. likc lito mosquito mo* rrilo larvac ir\ac are best bert colrPcled $ilh a lonJ fandlPd
rvhite ivhite enameled dipPer, dipper, in which the insects similarly sholv up
lvell. ll. Rcmove thcm with an eyedropper'
Otf"i equip-"nt aod M(th;ds. Mrny ir.c,.ts crn be colleclrd
dir.ctlt
'ccrlr irrLo inro a k:llinc k:lling j.rr irr or olhe' colrlrilPr,
colrlrilPr' \lthoLt \lthoLt.lhe lhe ur' u"' ol a
nrt. Thi. i. thL -imllc-t uay lo collec in"e.l thxi arlgff oll a lal
.uitr." u' a do r ut fly loo i,adiry. an'l mar) in5'cr' or llo*er''
Various trpe' o' buildirg. ofltl 'ervL 3' in5e(l lraps: ln'ecl'. l'y
in and aliglrt on lle !!xllc or criling and r'nai1 lher'. or they
uiighfon -lvinaoru. - lrom which they can be collected dircctly
into a iar.
A hJavy knife is uselul lor cutting into logs or branchcs, opcning
MOUNTING AND PRESERVING INSECTS
galls, prying up bark, or tligging into places that may harbor
insects. Keep at hand a notebook and pencil for taking notes, and
rrake triangular paper pr ve'opes lrom tlre rrot,book page..
Collecting some kinds of insects requires special equipment not
mentioned above. An ingenious collector should be able to devise
equipment and procedures for collecting such insects.
Mounting and Preserving Insects
Most insects are prcserved dry, normally on pinsr and once dry
will keep indcfinitely. Soft-bodied insects must be preserved in
liquids, sincc they shrivel or become distorted if preseNed dry.
Minute insects that are hard bodied may be mounted (dry) on
"points," but many must bc mounted on microscope slides for
detailed study. lnsects that are prcserved dry shouki be pinned
or mounted as soon as possible after they are collected;if allowed
to dry first they.become very brittle and may be broken in the
process ot mounarng.
Relaxing SpecimeEs. l)ried specimens can be relaxed by placing
them in a humid atmosphere lor a fcw dayslany ai.tight jar can
be used as a relaxing chamber. Cover the bottom of the jar with
wet sand (add phenol or ethyl acetate to prevent mold), put the
insects iDto the jar in small open boxes or envelopesJ and close
rne lar.
Pirming. Insccts suf[ciently ]rard bodied to retain thcir shape
whcn dry, and big enough to pin, are normally preserved by pinning.
Common pins are too thick and too short, and they rust;
insects should be pinned with i.rtsecl Piirs, made especially lor this
purpose, which can be bought from a supply house. They are
available in various sizes (thicknesses). The best sizes Ior gcneral
use are Nos. 1 (vcry slcndcr), 2 (less slender), and 3 (thicker, for
larger insccts).
Most insects are pinned vertically through the thorax; a Ielv
are pinncd sidet'ays. Bcetles and hoppers are pinned through the
Iront part of the right wing, at a point lvhcre the pin on emerging
from the underside ol the body will not damage a leg. Bugs are
pinned through the scutellum (p. 33) if it is large enough to take
a pin or through the right rving, as for beetlcs. Grasshoppers and
crichets are pinned through the rear edge oI the pronotum, just to
the right of the nlidlille. A tleehopper is pinned through the pronotum
just to the dght of the midlinc. Dragonflies and damselflies can
be pinned vertically through thc thorax ivith the wings horizontal,
but it is better to pin thcm sidervays, lelt side up, rvith the wings
together abovc the body, the pin going through the thorax below
the wing bases. If the rvings are not togethcr rvhen the specimen
is removed Irom the kiliing jar, place the spccimen in an envelope
(the wings together above the body) for a day or t$.o until it has
dried enough for the wings to stay in this position; then pin it.
II