FATE PLAN!' JbOARD 
 
 March 1943 ET-205 
 
 United States Department of Agriculture 
 
 Agricultural Research Administration 
 
 Bureau of Entomology and Plant Quarantine 
 
 CAGES USED IN FUMIGATION TESTS WITH ADULT JAPANESE BEETLES, 
 THEIR DISTRIBUTION AND RECOVERY 
 
 By Heber C. Donohoe, 
 Division of Control Investigations 
 
 The distribution of cages of Japanese beetle adults in experimental 
 fumigations of refrigerator cars, truck bodies, and other enclosures 
 and the method used by the writer for their recovery is here described, 
 as it may prove of value to other workers. 
 
 The cages are fashioned from 1-pint waxed cardboard cartons with 
 friction tops. The central disks of the top and bottom are cut out, 
 leaving a 1/2-inch margin to which disks of 12-mesh screen wire are 
 secured with liquid solder. Three windows, 1 by 2 inches, equally 
 spaced in the side of the carton, are covered by a strip of screen 
 similarly fastened around the carton and held in place over the windows 
 with rubber bands about the carton while the solder is hardening. This 
 type of cage offers no obstacle to the circulation of the fumigant dur- 
 ing treatment and none to its escape during aeration. 
 
 A loop of wire is tied into each screen bottom, to the outside of 
 which is attached a 5-foot length of 5/64" waxed or tarred fishline. 
 After the introduction of the test beetles the lid is secured by a 
 rubber band around the cage. Cages are distributed as desired in 
 the Space to be fumigated. If no load is involved, at least two are 
 placed at floor level and two near the ceiling at each end and midway 
 of the enclosure. If the car or chamber is loaded, the lower set of 
 cages is distributed over the top row of bags or other containing 
 Fishline has two distinct advantages over any other type of cord 
 tried. Being less flexible than other types, it can be looped over 
 wall projections and will hold sufficiently to support the cage, yet 
 so loosely that a tug on the line will release it. Because of this 
 
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA 
 
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 same characteristic, even although a number of lines become thoroughly 
 entangled, each can be quickly and easily pulled out of the composite 
 jumble. 
 
 For use ir refrigerator cars, with the cages in place, a length 
 of fishline is stretched on the floor or over the load for the length of 
 the car, with a central loop leading to the door to be opened after 
 fumigation. The lines from the cages at each end are tied to the ends 
 of this line, while those in intermediate locations are tied to it with 
 running loops and slip knots. When the fumigation is completed, all 
 cages can be quickly removed through the opened door without entering 
 the car, by catching the loop and hauling in the ends with their burden 
 of cages. This entails much less hazard to the operator than entrance 
 into the fumigant-filled and frequently dark space for collection of 
 individual cages, particularly where little or no aeration is allowed 
 before removal of the test insects. 
 
 In fumigations of trucks or fumigation chambers in which the door 
 is at one end, the lines can be arranged to suit each separate shape 
 of enclosure. While the drag and cage lines are usually badly tangled 
 at removal, they can be separated easily and quickly, as already noted. 
 When not in use, each cage line is wrapped around the cage in a tight 
 coil and held in place by a wide rubber band. 
 
 This procedure with various modifications has been used exten- 
 sively in the development of methods of methyl bromide fumigation for 
 use in meeting Japanese beetle quarantine requirements for shipment 
 of perishable commodities.