LI B RAR.Y 
 
 OF THE 
 
 UN IVLRSITY 
 
 Of ILLINOIS 
 
 5T0 
 
 rio 
 
 .25-3G 
 
 g-Q 
 
 WIS 
 
 ^ 
 
 NATURAL IHlSTORY 
 SURVEY 
 
 ii.MUi-vAL 
 
 HISTORY SURVEY 
 
 LIBRARY 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 
 in 2010 with funding from 
 
 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/howtocollectpres25ross 
 

 
 ^^^Ei^^^Pn 
 
Ho^v to Collect 
 
 and Preserve 
 
 Insects 
 
 H. H. ROSS 
 
 JUL27 ' 
 
 ^I'msirr 
 
 Of /U,;, - 
 
 U;0 
 
 STATE OF ILLINOIS 
 
 Department of Registration and Education 
 
 STATE NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY DIVISION 
 
 Theodore H. Prison, Chief 
 
 Circular 25 
 
 Urbana 
 
 February 1934 
 
STATE OF ILLINOIS 
 
 DEPARTMENT OF REGISTRATION AND EDUCATION 
 
 John J. Hallihan, Director 
 
 BOARD OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND CONSERVATION 
 John J. Hallihan, Chairman 
 
 William Trelease, Biology 
 Henry C. Cowles, Forestry 
 Edson S. Bastin, Geology 
 William A. Noyes, Chemistry 
 
 John W. Alvord, Engineering 
 Charles M. Thompson, Represent- 
 ing the President of the University 
 of Illinois 
 
 STATE NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY DIVISION 
 Theodore H. Frison, Chief 
 
 Carroll Chouinard, Editor 
 
 17193—3000 
 
'lo.XS" — 'S, (^ 
 
 do p • C^ 
 
 ♦- 
 
 To The Collector 
 
 Many believe that only a trained entomologist 
 can make a worth-while collection of insects. This 
 is by no means the case, for with rather simple 
 equipment it is possible for almost anyone to do a 
 good job of collecting and preserving these in- 
 teresting little animals. 
 
 The principal values of making an insect col- 
 lection are educational, recreational and scientific. 
 Developing this hobby is one of the finest ways for 
 students, especially in agricultural districts, to 
 become acquainted with the large number of in- 
 jurious and beneficial insects which they will 
 encounter on the farm or about the home. Or high 
 school classes in biology will find excellent ma- 
 terial in the great many insects available for rear- 
 ing and study. Old and young alike find a great 
 deal of pleasure in collecting the more showy and 
 beautiful insects such as beetles, moths and butter- 
 files; the satisfaction derived comes both from 
 having welcome relaxation from the day's work, 
 and from making real contributions to scientific 
 knowledge. Many entomological museums wel- 
 come the opportunity to examine or become in- 
 formed upon individual, carefully prepared and 
 labeled collections, as these supply distribution 
 records for their localities as well as other infor- 
 mation of value to professional interest. The col- 
 lector profits, too, from his contact with authorities 
 who can identify his specimens for him and advise 
 him at any stage of his work. 
 
 It is hoped that this circular will show how easy 
 it is to make a start in insect collecting, and will 
 give the student helpful ideas on how and where 
 to bee^in. 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 PAGE 
 
 To the Collector iii 
 
 Where to Collect 1 
 
 What to Use 2 
 
 Nets 3 
 
 Killing Bottles 7 
 
 How to Handle Unmounted Specimens 11 
 
 Temporary Cases 11 
 
 Relaxing Boxes 12 
 
 How to Mount and Preserve the Collection 12 
 
 Preservation in Fluid 12 
 
 Preservation by Pinning 14 
 
 Spreading Moths and Butterflies 18 
 
 How to Label the Specimens 20 
 
 Housing the Collection Permanently 21 
 
 Insect Boxes 21 
 
 Precaution Against Pests 22 
 
 Identifying the Specimens 22 
 
 How to Ship the Collection 23 
 
 Where to Get Supplies 24 
 
ILLINOIS NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY CIRCULAR 25* 
 
 HOW TO COLLECT AND 
 PRESERVE INSECTS 
 
 H. H. Rossf 
 
 WHERE TO COLLECT 
 
 In late spring, summer and fall, insects are very abundant 
 in fields and woods, and large numbers of them may be 
 caught by sweeping through the grass and branches with a 
 strong insect net. Flowers of all descriptions are favorite 
 visiting places of many bees, flies, beetles and other insects, 
 and will ' afford good collecting. Woods along the banks 
 of streams, open glades in deep woods and brush along 
 forest edges offer some of the best opportunities for collect- 
 ing by the sweeping method. 
 
 In early spring, when insects can be taken only sparingly 
 in the open, one frequently finds sheltered hollows where 
 they may be caught in large numbers. Many kinds of in- 
 sects live only on a certain plant, and to obtain them one 
 must search or sweep the host plant which the insect pre- 
 fers. 
 
 Many obscure places harbor insects seldom found else- 
 where. Among these are leaf mold and debris on the surface 
 of the soil, particularly in woods; rotten logs and stumps, 
 
 *See note concerning the series at end ot this Circular, 
 fSystematic Entomologist, Illinois State Natural History 
 Survey. 
 
2 ILLINOIS NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY CIRCULAR 25 
 
 which should first be turned over for insects which hide 
 under or around them, and then carefully torn apart for 
 others which actually live inside; in, under and around 
 dead animals; under boards, stones and the like. 
 
 Trees sometimes yield valuable specimens. In collecting, 
 part of a tree under which has been spread a large white 
 sheet is struck with a heavy padded stick, and many in- 
 sects in the branches, such as weevils, will fall to the sheet, 
 play *' possum" and can be picked off quite easily. 
 
 Lights attract large numbers of certain nocturnal insects 
 such as June beetles and many kinds of moths, and at night 
 these may be collected around street and porch lights, on 
 windows and screens of lighted rooms, or at light traps put 
 up especially to attract them. Swarms of aquatic insects 
 come to street lights of towns along rivers, sometimes in^ 
 such numbers as to pile up in a crawling mass under each 
 light. Collecting at this source is best on warm cloudy 
 nights; wind or cold keeps most nocturnal insects fairly 
 inactive. Different species of moths and beetles visit the 
 lights in different seasons so that collecting of this type 
 alone throughout the year yields many kinds of insects. 
 
 Insects which live in the water may be collected by the 
 use of heavy dip nets, swept through the water at various 
 levels and through the mud and debris at the bottom. In 
 shallow water stones and logs should be turned over, and 
 leaf tufts pulled apart. 
 
 In winter insect galls or cocoons may be gathered and 
 placed in jars with a cheesecloth cover tied over them. If 
 these are kept in a warm room but away from radiators and 
 all intense heat many insects will emerge irom them before 
 spring. 
 
 WHAT TO USE 
 
 For making even a fairly large insect collection only 
 a small amount of collecting equipment is required. A net 
 
ROSS: HOW TO COLLECT AND PRESERVE INSECTS 3 
 
 and killing bottle are essential, and good work may be done 
 with these alone. A greater variety of insects may be col- 
 lected and with better results if a few more items are added 
 to the list. Here is an outfit that will be found very satis- 
 factory in the field. 
 
 1. A strong beating net and an additional light 
 net to be used for moths and butterflies. 
 
 2. Killing bottles, several small and one or two 
 large. 
 
 3. A pair of flexible forceps 10-12 centimeters 
 (about 4-5 inches) long, with slender prongs. 
 
 4. One or two camel's hair brushes for picking up 
 minute insects. 
 
 5. A few vials or small bottles containing fluid 
 preservative. 
 
 6. Folded papers for butterflies. 
 
 7. A few small tins or boxes lined with cellu- 
 cotton. 
 
 These items may be purchased from commercial supply 
 houses such as those listed on page 24. Many items, how- 
 ever, may be made by the collector at nominal cost. For- 
 ceps, brushes, bottles, chemicals, wire and fabric must be 
 purchased, but nets, killing bottles and accessories may 
 readily be made from these raw materials. 
 
 NETS 
 
 Their Construction. — Nets may easily be made at home. 
 The necessary parts are a handle, a hoop or ring attached 
 to it and a cloth bag hung from the ring (Figs. 1 and 2). The 
 handle should be strong and fairly light. At the net end 
 (Fig. 1, <^) a groove is cut down each side to receiv^e the 
 hoop. These grooves are as deep as the thickness of the 
 wire used in the hoop; one is ?> inches long and the other 2f 
 
ILLINOIS NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY CIRCULAR 25 
 
 <r- 
 
 I2-I5INCMES 
 
 Fig. 1. — The Net. The short grooves cut opposite each other at 
 the small end of the handle, a^ end in holes through the handle which 
 receive the hooks of the ring arms, /^. The ring may be permanently 
 bound to the handle with wire, c, or a removable joint may be effected 
 with a metal ferrule that can be slipped up and down, d. 
 
 inches; and each ends in a hole through the handle at right 
 angles to the length. The ring (Fig. 1, ^) is made of steel 
 
ROSS: HOW TO COLLECT AND PRESERVE INSECTS 5 
 
 wire, preferably three-eighths inch piano wire, which if 
 bent by rough usage springs back into shape and will stand 
 a great deal of hard wear. The wire is shaped as the figure 
 shows, to form a ring with two straight arms which at the 
 tips are bent at right angles towards each other. The arms 
 and hooks thus formed must be exactly long enough to fit 
 along the grooves and into the holes in the handle. After 
 the wire has been fitted to the handle and the bag or net 
 proper attached, the joint may either be wrapped tightly 
 with wire (Fig. 1, c) or bound by a metal cylinder or ferrule 
 slipped up over the arms of the ring (Fig. 1, d). 
 
 The bag (Fig. 2) should be tapered at the bottom and 
 about twice as long as the diameter of the ring. It is made 
 from four pieces of cloth cut in the shape of Fig. 2, a, and 
 a narrow strip of stout muslin or light canvas, /^, which binds 
 the bag to the ring. The four pieces are sewn together into 
 the cone shaped bag, and to the circular opening is sewn 
 the canvas or muslin band. 
 
 The bag may be attached to the handle in two ways. 
 The band may be folded over the ring and sewn down so 
 that the attachment is permanent; or it may be made into 
 a loop and slipped on the ring before the latter is fastened 
 to the handle. In the latter case the bag must be open 
 along one seam just below the handle a sufficient distance 
 to allow the band to slip on and around the ring; this vent 
 may be closed with a string lacing after the loop is on the 
 ring and the whole fastened to the handle. A combination 
 of this arrangement with a ferrule binding the ring to the 
 handle is most convenient for it allows the bag to be re- 
 moved at will and a lighter or heavier one substituted ac- 
 cording to the needs of the collector. 
 
 Nets made from the following materials will be found 
 to cover all the demands of the average collector. 
 
 1. General purpose net. — Ring, heavy wire, 12 
 inches in diameter; bag, strong unbleached muslin 
 
ILLINOIS NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY CIRCULAR 25 
 
 Fig. 2.— The Net. The bag is cut from four pieces shaped as in 
 a^ and the circular opening at the top of the bag is bound with a narrow 
 strip of stout muslin or light canvas, b^ by means of which the bag is 
 attached to the ring. 
 
ROSS: HOW TO COLLECT AND PRESERVE INSECTS 7 
 
 or light duck, 20-24 inches long; handle, hardwood 
 stick 24-30 inches long. • 
 
 2. Butterfly net. — As above but with a longer 
 handle and a bag of good quality marquisette or fine 
 netting. 
 
 A net which includes the features and uses of these two 
 and is a better collecting instrument may be a convenient 
 one for the collector to make instead, although at slightly 
 higher cost because of the better materials. Its ring, of 7| 
 gauge (three-eighths inch) piano wire, is 15 inches in 
 diameter and allows a greater area to be covered with each 
 sweep. The bag, of finest bolter's silk or best quality 
 marquisette, is 24 inches long and serves equally well for the 
 capture of delicate insects and for beating. The handle, of 
 straight grained hickory or ash, is 40 inches long and also 
 permits the collector to cover greater areas in sweeping. 
 
 Their Care and Use. — ^AU nets are easily ripped and for 
 this reason keep them away from barbed wire and thorny 
 trees such as locust and red haw. Keep the nets dry. 
 Moisture rots the fabric, making it more easily torn, and in 
 addition ruins almost all insects caught in the net while it 
 is wet. 
 
 Flowers, herbs and boughs should be swept with a side- 
 wise motion. This will get more insects than an upward or 
 downward sweep and at the same time mutilate the plant 
 less. If care is taken the same patch of flowers or other 
 plants may be visited several times with profit. The con- 
 tents of the bag should be removed after every few strokes 
 or sweeps. This will avoid damage to the insects by banging 
 around in the net with a large amount of debris. 
 
 KILLING BOTTLES 
 
 Their Construction. — The best killing bottles are made 
 with cyanide of potassium, sodium or calcium. These com- 
 pounds give a concentration of deadly fumes sufficient to 
 
ILLINOIS NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY CIRCULAR 25 
 
 a 
 
 Fig. 3. — Cyanides. Killing bottles of at least two sizes should be 
 included in every collector's equipment. The lethal chemical, 1, is 
 cyanide of potassium, sodium or calcium, and is covered with a layer 
 of cellucotton, 2, or sawdust, 3, and plaster of Paris, 4. The rest of the 
 bottle is filled with soft, loosely crumpled paper, which should be chang- 
 ed whenever it gets damp. Keep the bottles tightly corked, do not test 
 their strength by smelling, and label them POISON. 
 
ROSS: HOW TO COLLECT AND PRESERVE INSECTS 9 
 
 kill most insects in a very short time, which is desirable. 
 Two general sizes of bottles are used and in both calcium 
 cyanide in flake form gives good results. 
 
 Pyrex glass test tubes or strong ring necked vials, about 
 three-quarters of an inch wide and 4-6 inches long, make 
 good cyanide bottles (Fig. 3, a). Put about three-quarters 
 of an inch of granular potassium cyanide or calcium cyanide 
 flakes in the tube. Cover with a tight plug of cellucotton on 
 top of which put one or two looser plugs. Instead of cellu- 
 cotton, sawdust and a plaster of Paris batter may be used. 
 Cover the cyanide with one-quarter inch of sawdust and 
 over it pour one-quarter inch of newly mixed, thick batter 
 of plaster of Paris and water, x^llow this to harden for a few 
 hours, then keep tightly corked. 
 
 Larger cyanides (Fig. 3, b) should be made in strong 
 bottles, in sizes of pickle bottles up to quart fruit jars, and 
 always with the plaster of Paris covering. The layer of saw- 
 dust and plaster should be a little thicker than for the smaller 
 bottle. Rock sodium cyanide may be used if preferred or if 
 more convenient than calcium cyanide flakes. 
 
 All killing bottles and other containers of cyanide should 
 be conspicuously labeled POISON, kept tightly corked and 
 away from children or people who do not realize the extreme 
 deadliness of the compounds. Never test the strength of kill- 
 ing bottles by taking the cork out and smelling the inside of 
 the tube or bottle. As an added precaution and safeguard to 
 the collector the bottom of the cyanide bottle may be taped 
 to protect it from chance blows. 
 
 The bottles should be almost entirely filled with loosely 
 crumpled soft paper which should be changed whenever 
 it gets damp. It will help to keep specimens from rubbing 
 and defacing each other inside the bottle. 
 
 Their Care and Use. — Each collector should have several 
 cyanides and follow carefully these practices. 
 
10 
 
 ILLINOIS NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY CIRCULAR 25 
 
 1. Keep small delicate insects in a bottle by them- 
 selves. Such insects as large beetles are apt to mutilate 
 small flies, etc., in the same bottle. 
 
 
 i 
 
 
 |b 
 
 
 1 
 
 ! 
 
 
 \ 
 
 1 
 1 
 1 
 
 Finished 
 
 A 
 
 oaper / 
 
 
 A 
 
 
 \ 
 \ 
 
 \ 
 
 \ 
 
 Fig. 4. — Papers. These are temporary means of keeping dragon 
 flies, moths and butterflies until they can be relaxed and mounted. 
 A rectangular piece of paper, varying in size according to the insect it is 
 to contain, is folded along the dotted lines of the figure, from ^ to <: 
 and in the directions of the arrows. 
 
 2. Keep a special bottle J or moths and butterflies. 
 When these die they shed large quantities of scales 
 which stick to and partially spoil other insects. 
 
 3. Keep the inside of the bottle dry. Cyanides 
 **sweat;" that is, moisture both from the insects and 
 the plaster condenses on the inside of the bottle. 
 
ROSS: HOW TO COLLECT AND PRESERVE INSECTS 11 
 
 This will mat the hair and appendages of insects and 
 discolor the body. 
 
 4. Take the insects out of the bottles as soon as 
 they are dead. Cyanide fumes soon turn many yellows 
 to red or orange, and also make small specimens 
 brittle so that legs and other parts break off easily. 
 
 5. Empty the insects out oj the bottles before they 
 have accumulated in a ball at the bottom. This will pre- 
 vent damage to the smaller specimens and discolor- 
 ation due to ''sweating." 
 
 6. ^Discard a cyanide bottle which no longer kills 
 quickly. Substitute a fresh one and you will save un- 
 told time in the field. Be sure to dispose of old 
 bottles so that their deadly contents will be out of 
 reach of children and pets. 
 
 HOW TO HANDLE UNMOUNTED SPECIMENS 
 
 TEMPORARY CASES 
 
 If it is not convenient to mount the specimens when they 
 are taken from the killing bottle the moths and butterflies 
 should be put in "papers" and the other insects in "cotton." 
 
 Papers are simply rectangular strips of paper of con- 
 venient size folded as in Fig. 4. The moth or butterfly with 
 its wings folded is placed in the paper whose edges are then 
 crimped over to lock it shut. 
 
 For other insects pill boxes or small flat tins make good 
 temporary housing. A layer of cellucotton is laid in the 
 bottom, a layer of insects placed on it and another layer 
 of cotton placed over the insects. The lid should fit fairly 
 snugly over all. Cigar boxes and others of like size may 
 be used in the same way for larger collections. 
 
 Great care must be taken that sufficient cotton is put in 
 the box to take up all moisture in the insect bodies. If the 
 
12 ILLINOIS NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY CIRCULAR 25 
 
 specimens are large they should be allowed to dry moderate- 
 ly before being put in cotton, and placed in a wood or card- 
 board container which will not sweat, as will a metal box. 
 If the insects become damp in these containers they quickly 
 mold or rot. They should be packed tight enough to pre- 
 vent their rolling around and breaking. 
 
 RELAXING BOXES 
 
 At any desired time these dry specimens may be re- 
 laxed and mounted. A relaxing box or jar is easily made. 
 Take a wide mouthed tin or jar, put an inch or two of clean 
 sand in the bottom, saturate this with water containing 
 a small amount of phenol (carbolic acid) and place over it 
 a piece of cork, cardboard or wood cut to fit the jar. The 
 lid must be practically air tight. Place the dry specimens 
 on the cork, cover tightly, and in a day or two they will be 
 soft and pliable enough for pinning or spreading, the next 
 steps toward permanent arrangement of the collection. 
 
 The relaxer will sweat badly if kept in too hot a room, 
 and spoil the specimens. The insects will be equally spoiled 
 if left in the relaxer too long. This is a matter varying with 
 each relaxer and can be learned only by experience. 
 
 HOW TO MOUNT AND PRESERVE THE COLLECTION 
 
 Almost all adult insects are mounted on pins. Such 
 insects as beetles, grasshoppers, butterflies, moths, flies, 
 bees, etc., are pinned directly through the body from top to 
 bottom. Small insects such as leafhoppers, plant bugs, 
 small beetles and the like, are glued on card points. Im- 
 mature insects and the adults of some groups are best pre- 
 served in fluid. 
 
 PRESERVATION IN FLUID 
 
 Caterpillars and other immature stages of insects should 
 be preserved in fluid. Grain alcohol at 80 per cent or formal- 
 dehyde at 4 per cent are suitable. Caterpillars, grubs and 
 
 i 
 
ROSS: HOW TO COLLECT AND PRESERVE INSECTS 
 
 13 
 
 maggots should first be heated five or ten minutes in water 
 just at the boiHng point. This sterihzes the specimens and 
 prevents their discoloration by bacteria in the digestive 
 system. 
 
 Soft bodied adult insects should also be preserved in 
 
 Fig. 5. — Pinning. Medium to hard shelled insects are mounted 
 by being pinned through the body in the manner shown at a. The 
 black spots show the location of the pin in the case of bees, flies and 
 wasps, b, stink bug, c, grasshoppers, d^ and beetles, e. 
 
 fluid. If pinned they shrivel to such an extent that few 
 identifying characters can be seen. This is especially true 
 of insects which develop in rivers, lakes and streams, such 
 as stoneflies and caddice flies. The fluid in the vials of all 
 insects so preserved should be changed at the end of the first 
 day or two. 
 
14 
 
 ILLINOIS NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY CIRCULAR 25 
 
 Some hard shelled insects may also be preserved in fluid. 
 Ants and beetles may be treated thus temporarily and later 
 pinned and dried. 
 
 PRESERVATION BY PINNING 
 
 Hard bodied insects such as beetles, flies and wasps 
 are preserved as dry specimens on pins better than in fluid. 
 The pinned specimens are more convenient to study and 
 retain their natural coloring better. Flies and butterflies 
 are covered with hairs or scales which clot or break off" if 
 
 Fig. 6. — Pinning. Moths, «, and butterflies, b^ are pinned through 
 the center of the thorax (instead of to the right of the median line) be- 
 tween the bases of the front wings. 
 
 the specimens are bottled, and for this reason they should 
 be pinned. 
 
 Common household pins are too thick and short for 
 pinning insects. Longer and more slender pins are necessary, 
 and may be purchased from various supply houses. They 
 should be of spring steel; brass pins will corrode and be 
 destroyed by acids in the insect's body. The pins are ob- 
 tained in numbered sizes, of which 2, 3 and 4 will be found 
 of most general use, and sizes or 00 of advantage in cer- 
 tain other operations. 
 
 Medium to large hard shelled insects such as moths, 
 beetles, flies, bees, wasps, etc., should be pinned vertically 
 
ROSS: HOW TO COLLECT AND PRESERVE INSECTS 
 
 15 
 
 through the body (Fig. 5, a). It is essential that the pin 
 pass through a fairly solid part of the body, and to insure 
 this the following standard procedures should be adopted. 
 
 1. Bees^ wasps ^ flies y etc. — Pin through thorax 
 between base of front wings slightly to right of middle 
 line (Fig. 5, b). 
 
 2. Stink bugs. — Pin just to right of middle line of 
 the scutellum or large triangle between the base of 
 the front wings (Fig. 5, r). 
 
 3. Grasshoppers. — Pin through back part of pro- 
 thorax (the "saddle'' behind the head) just to right 
 of middle line (Fig. 5, d), 
 
 4. Beetles. — Pin near front margin of right wing 
 cover near middle line (Fig. 5, e). 
 
 5. Moths y butterflies J dragon flies ^ damsel flies. — 
 Pin through the center of the thorax between the base 
 of the front wings (Fig. 6). 
 
 The insect should be 
 run about three quarters 
 of the distance up the pin, 
 but not so close to the top 
 that no room is left for easy 
 handling of the pin with the 
 fingers. It is better to have 
 all insects the same dis- 
 tance from the top of the 
 pin, and to insure a uni- 
 form height the collector 
 siiould use a pinning block. 
 This is a small piece of 
 
 wood or metal usually in pinned and the pin inserted into one 
 the form shown in Fig. 7, of the holes until it touches bottom; 
 into the top of which are ^^us the insects of any class or in 
 drilled holes slightly larger ^"y^^^^e may be pinned uniformly 
 ^1 , . -. „ at the desired height, 
 
 than the pm diameters. Or 
 
 Fig. 7. — Pinning Block. The 
 block is 1}4 X 134 X 23^ inches, 
 with holes drilled to the depths 
 shown and having diameters only 
 slightly greater than the largest pin 
 which will be used. A specimen is 
 
16 
 
 ILLINOIS NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY CIRCULAR 25 
 
 a home made block may be fashioned of wood with holes 
 made by small nails and covered with a cardboard square 
 through which have been stabbed holes of the exact size. 
 The depths of the holes should be three-eighths, three-quar- 
 ters of an inch and 1| inches, respectively. To use the block, 
 pin the insect and insert the pin into whichever hole allows 
 the specimen to be pushed up the pin and still leave room 
 for handling at the top, according to the thickness of the 
 insect's body. 
 
 ^^^==P 
 
 a 
 
 /A/ ton , nt. U 7 
 
 f 
 
 e 
 
 I 
 
 'l>er-aeeKO'-; 
 
 c 
 
 'o.tlS.tjii'Sii'/M 
 
 7 
 
 Fig. 8. — Pinning Small Insects and Labeling. The insect may 
 be glued to a card point, ^, which has been crimped over to meet the 
 right side of the body, b, c\ or it may be pinned with a *'minuten" pin, d^ 
 to a piece of cork or pith which in turn is regularly pinned. All pinned 
 insects should be labeled, as at e. 
 
 Tiny Insects. — Very small insects, of which many will 
 be encountered, cannot be pinned through the body as the 
 pin will break too many" of the insect's parts. Instead they 
 are mounted on card points or "minuten" pins. 
 
 Card points are small triangles of cardboard or celluloid 
 pinned through the larger end and crimped over at the 
 smaller; a spot of good glue is put on the angled tip and the 
 
ROSS: HOW TO COLLECT AND PRESERVE INSECTS 
 
 17 
 
 Fig. 9.— Pinning Crane Flies. Because of their unwieldy legs 
 these insects should have a double card point mount, and the legs should 
 be kept away from the pin. 
 
 right side of the insect is pressed against the glued surface 
 (Fig. 8, a, b, c). The slant of the crimp depends on the 
 angle of the insect's side, as the desired product is the in- 
 sect mounted with its top surface horizontal and the head 
 forward; legs, wings and antennae should be in view and 
 as little of the body as possible hidden by the glue or card 
 point. Use very little glue — a small amount holds well and 
 gives a better specimen for study. The points may be cut 
 
18 ILLINOIS NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY CIRCULAR 25 
 
 uniformly with a hand punch, about three-eighths of an 
 inch long. Good material for them is 2 ply pasted Bristol 
 board. 
 
 Minuten pins are short, extremely delicate steel pins 
 (Fig. 8, d). These are thrust through the body of the insect 
 and into small pieces of cork, pith or similar substance, 
 which are in turn pinned in the regular way that card points 
 are. The method is especially desirable for minute moths. 
 
 Insects Hard to Pin, — Wasps, lace wing flies, damsel 
 flies and like insects have an abdomen that sags readily 
 when the specimen is killed and pinned. This unwanted 
 drooping can be prevented in three simple ways. (1) Stick 
 the pinned insect in a vertical surface of a block so that the 
 body by its own weight drys in normal position. (2) Pin the 
 insect horizontal and run a stiff paper on the pin beneath 
 the body and supporting it naturally until dry. (3) Brace 
 the abdomen by crossing two pins beneath it and thrusting 
 them into the block, allowing the specimen to dry in the 
 angle of the cross. 
 
 Crane flies are unwieldy and so best pinned on a double 
 card point mount (Fig. 9). The legs should be directed 
 away from the pin to avoid breakage in handling. 
 
 SPREADING MOTHS AND BUTTERFLIES 
 
 \ 
 
 Moths and butterflies should have their wings spread 
 before being put into the collection. To do this well it is 
 necessary to have spreadmg boards which are accurately 
 made but not necessarily complicated or expensive. 
 
 Their Constructio7i. — A convenient board for medium 
 sized insects can be made at home of the following materials. 
 
 1. A hardwood base 4 x 12 x J inches. 
 
 2. Two hardwood end pieces 4 X f X i inches. 
 
 3. Two softwood top pieces If X 12 x | inches, 
 with the top surface planed at an angle, so that the 
 thickness at one edge is \ inch and at the other f inch. 
 
ROSS: HOW TO COLLECT AND PRESERVE INSECTS 
 
 19 
 
 4. Two flat cork pieces 1 X 11 X 3/16 inches. 
 
 Nail the top) pieces onto the ends so that the slanting 
 surfaces of the tops are uppermost and the narrower edges 
 parallel and one-quarter inch apart (Fig. 10). Glue one 
 
 Fig. 10. — Spreading Board for Moths and Butterflies. The 
 
 insect is pinned into the groove and its wings drawn forward and pinned 
 temporarily as shown on the right. The left wings are shown with 
 pinning completed. Inset is a view of spreading hoard construction. 
 
 Strip of cork beneath the tops, covering the opening be- 
 tween and fitting snugly at each end. Cilue the other cork 
 piece flat to the upper side of the base, lengthwise along 
 the middle and extending to within one-half inch of each 
 enc. Finally nail the base across the bottoms of the end 
 pieces, so that the two corks face each other. 
 
20 ILLINOIS NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY CIRCULAR 25 
 
 Their Use. — To spread the specimen, relax it, then pin. 
 Thrust the pin through the upper cork of the board and 
 into the cork on the base. Push the insect into the groove 
 until the wing bases are level with the near edge of the top 
 pieces. Hold the wings at the top level by two narrow strips 
 of paper and pull them forward until the hind margin of the 
 front wing is at right angles to the body axis, and the front 
 margin of the hind wing is just under the front wing (Fig. 
 10). Pin the wings temporarily in this position by inserting 
 a pin, size or 00, near the front margin at the base of 
 each wing. When the wings on both sides of the insect are 
 thus adjusted, lay strong pieces of paper over them and 
 pin down securely with large pins inserted close to the 
 wings but not through them. Here large common pins may 
 be used but still better are the large headed dressmaker's 
 pins about IJ inches long. The original adjusting pins are 
 finally removed and the specimen put in a dry, pest proof 
 container for two or three weeks. It will then have set 
 sufficiently to be removed from the board. 
 
 For good results spreading boards with grooves of vari- 
 ous widths are necessary, and a specimen should be spread 
 on that board whose groove most perfectly fits the insect 
 body. The width of the top pieces should vary to accom- 
 modate different wing spreads. Their slope should be about 
 as described. 
 
 HOW TO LABEL THE SPECIMENS 
 
 To be useful to the entomologist and others interested 
 in the scientific relations of insects, as well as furnish the 
 collector with a complete record of his hours in the field 
 and make more valuable the work he has already accom- 
 plished, the specimens should be labeled. The important 
 information to be put on the label is the locality and date 
 of capture, but greater value will be attached to the speci- 
 men from a scientific point of view by adding the name 
 
ROSS: HOW TO COLLECT AND PRESERVE INSECTS 21 
 
 of the collector, the host on which the insect was found, 
 or its particular habitat preference. 
 
 Labels should be made of a good grade of white paper 
 stiff enough to hold a flat surface when cut up and raised 
 on a pin. Most satisfactory is a substance 36 ledger. The 
 labels may be printed by hand with a crow-quill pen and 
 black India ink, or they may be purchased completely or 
 partially printed from a biological supply house. 
 
 Keep the labels as small as possible, and of nearly a 
 uniform size. They should be run about half way up the 
 pin but not too near the specimen (Fig. 8). 
 
 HOUSING THE COLLECTION PERMANENTLY 
 
 INSECT BOXES 
 
 After the specimens have been pinned and labeled, they 
 should be housed in boxes or cases having a soft bottom or 
 inner layer which will allow easy pinning. Such housing 
 not only insures the safety of the collection but makes for 
 easily handled units once the specimens have been named. 
 
 Several satisfactory types of boxes for housing insect 
 specimens may be bought from commercial supply com- 
 panies. These are usually much better than boxes of home 
 construction, being more dust and pest proof. Home made 
 boxes, however, are quite practical for the beginning col- 
 lector, due to their ease of construction and extremely low 
 cost. Cigar boxes 2 inches deep or more make ideal boxes 
 if a layer of cork, balsa wood or two layers of soft corrugated 
 cardboard are glued in the bottom. Other wooden or card- 
 board boxes may be provided with such a bottom pinning 
 surface and used for storing specimens. Boxes of this type, 
 however, afford the specimens no protection against pests 
 and great care must be exercised in keeping the boxes fumi- 
 gated. 
 
 Manufactured boxes, cabinets and cases may be selected 
 
22 
 
 ILLINOIS NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY CIRCULAR 25 
 
 from catalogs which various firms send free upon applica- 
 tion. 
 
 PRECAUTION AGAINST PESTS 
 
 Certain insects such as flour beetles and carpet beetles 
 feed upon dried insects, and unless precautions are taken 
 these may entirely destroy a collection. To guard against 
 them, various chemical repellents in cones or 
 bags may be placed in the boxes of specimens. 
 Naphthalene, of which ordinary moth balls are 
 composed, is one of the best. A few moth balls 
 may be put in a bag and this pinned securely in 
 one corner of the box, or more neatly, naphtha- 
 lene cones may be made of the moth balls and 
 pins, and stuck in the corners. To make the 
 cones, stick a pin in a cork, heat its head in a 
 flame and then push it into a moth ball. The 
 pin will melt its way into the naphthalene, 
 which will cool and harden again almost immedi- 
 ately. Neat cones (Fig. 11) can with a little 
 Made with practice be made in this way. 
 
 a moth ball xt i i i • n i • ^ 
 
 1 JNaphthaiene is a repellent only: its odor 
 
 and com- ^ , ^ -^ ' , 
 
 mon pin. keeps Out pests, but if they are already in the 
 collection the naphthalene will not kill them, and 
 some other substance must be used. 
 
 Paradichlorobenzine, called P D B, is a good fumigant 
 to use on pests in the collection. It should be used in a 
 nearly air tight chamber, such as a tight trunk, bin or case, 
 at the rate of 1 lb. of P D B to 25 cubic feet of space. The 
 boxes of specimens, with lids open or removed, should be 
 placed in the container, the, fumigant on a piece of cloth 
 or paper above them, and the chamber sealed for about a 
 week. 
 
 IDENTIFYING THE SPECIMENS 
 
 There is a considerable number of books which will be 
 
 Fig. 11.— 
 
 Naphtha- 
 leneCone. 
 
ROSS: HOW TO COLLECT AND PRESERVE INSECTS 23 
 
 great help to the beginner in naming his specimens. The 
 following are perhaps the more easily used, though others 
 are being published from time to time. 
 
 1. Comstock, J. H. An Introduction to En- 
 tomology. The Comstock Publishing Company, 
 Ithaca, N. Y. $6.00. 
 
 2. Holland, W.J. The Butterfly Book. Double- 
 day, Doran & Company, Garden City, N. Y. $10.00. 
 
 3. Holland, W. J. The Moth Book. Double- 
 day, Page & Company, Garden City, N. Y. Out 
 of print but may be obtained from second hand 
 book dealers; original price $6.00. 
 
 4. Lutz, Frank E. Field Book of Insects. G. P. 
 Putnam's Sons, New York, N. Y. $3.50. 
 
 5. Metcalf, C. L., and W. P. Flint. Destruc- 
 tive and Useful Insects. McGraw-Hill Book Com- 
 pany, 370 Seventh Avenue, New York, N. Y. $7.50. 
 
 6. Morgan, Ann Haven. Field Book of Ponds 
 and Streams. G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York, N. Y. 
 $3.50. 
 
 Specimens which the collector is unable to name should 
 be sent to specialists or entomological museums for de- 
 termination. The arrangements under which these authori- 
 ties will undertake the work vary, but commonly they will 
 study well preserved and labeled collections in return for 
 duplicate specimens which they may keep. However, the 
 identification of many insects is difficult and laborious so 
 that rapid service is not always to be expected by collectors 
 sending in material. 
 
 HOW TO SHIP THE COLLECTION 
 
 The collection needs special preparation and care to 
 guard against breakage if it is to be shipped to an authority 
 for determination. 
 
 See that all pins are thrust securely into the cork on 
 
24 ILLINOIS NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY CIRCULAR 25 
 
 the bottom of the box. Thrust extra pins of the same height 
 in each corner and over the whole lay a piece of thin card- 
 board which has been cut to fit the inside of the box snugly, 
 then place over this a layer of cotton wool or cellucotton 
 thick enough to press firmly against the cardboard when the 
 top is closed. Wrap the box in paper and then pack it in a 
 larger box, protected on all sides by a layer of excelsior or 
 crumpled paper at least 2 inches thick. 
 
 WHERE TO GET SUPPLIES 
 
 1. American Entomological Company. Brook- 
 lyn, N. Y. 
 
 2. Bausch and Lomb Optical Company. Roches- 
 ter, N. Y. 
 
 3. Carpocapsa. 375 Lehigh Avenue, East 
 Liberty Station, Pittsburgh, Pa. 
 
 4. Central Scientific Company. 460 East Ohio 
 Street, Chicago, Illinois. 
 
 5. E. Leitz, Inc. 60 East Tenth Street, New 
 York, N. Y. 
 
 6. General Biological Supply House (Inc.). 
 761-763 East Sixty-ninth Place, Chicago, Illinois. 
 
 7. Spencer Lens Company. 5 South Wabash 
 Avenue, Chicago, Illinois. 
 
 8. The Kny-Sheerer Corporation of America. 
 10-14 West Twenty-fifth Street, New York, N. Y. 
 
 9. Ward's Natural Science Establishment, Inc. 
 P. O. Box 24, Beechwood Station, Rochester, N. Y. 
 
ROSS: HOW TO COLLECT AND PRESERVE INSECTS 25 
 
 THE ILLINOIS NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY CIRCULAR 
 
 With this issue the Circular enters its second volume. 
 The papers which were published in the Entomological 
 Series (1918-1930), the Forestry Series (1920-26) and the 
 Botanical Series (1929), as well as several papers issued 
 without number (1918-1919), have been consolidated into a 
 single series and renumbered in the order of their appearance. 
 The separate series given above have been discontinued and 
 henceforth the circulars will be numbered consecutively 
 without grouping in reference to subject matter. The first 
 24 papers of the following list, which have been printed 
 since 1918, are to be considered the contents of Volume 
 1 of the Circular. Numbers starred are out of print. 
 
 VOLUME 1, 1918-1932 
 
 1. The more important insecticides and repellents. 
 W. P. Flint. 6 pp. 1918. Issued originally with- 
 out number. 
 *2. Clean up the chinch-bug. Wesley P. Flint. 3 pp., 
 4 figs. 1918. Issued originally without number. 
 
 3. Forest and stream in lUinois. Stephen A. Forbes. 
 
 15 pp. 1919. Issued originally without number. 
 
 4. The danger from house-fiies and how to control it. 
 
 Stephen A. Forbes. 4 pp. 1919. Issued original- 
 ly without number. 
 
 *5. Method of destroying grasshoppers. W. P. Flint. 
 11 pp., 7 figs. 1919. Formerly Entomological 
 Series Circular j. 
 6. The corn root-aphis. W^ P. Flint. 7 pp., 2 pis. 1919. 
 Formerly Entomological Series Circular 4. 
 
 *7. Chinch-bug barriers. W.P.Flint. 9 pp., 4 figs. 1919. 
 Formerly Entomological Series Circular 5. 
 
26 ILLINOIS NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY CIRCULAR 25 
 
 Volume 1. — Cont'd 
 
 8. Concerning a forestry survey and a forester for Illi- 
 
 nois. Stephen A. Forbes and Robert B. 
 Miller. 7 pp., 2 figs. 1920. Formerly Forestry 
 Series Circular i. 
 
 9. The European corn-borer. W. P. Flint and J. R. 
 
 Malloch. 7 pp., 6 figs. 1920. Formerly En- 
 tomological Series Circular 6, 
 
 10. The army-worm. W. P. Flint. 9 pp., 4 figs. 1920. 
 
 Formerly Entomological Series Circular 7. 
 
 11. Fire prevention in Illinois forests. Robert B. 
 
 Miller. 13 pp., 6 figs. 1920. Formerly Forestry 
 Series Circular 2, 
 
 12. Method of destroying grasshoppers. W. P. Flint. 
 
 11 pp., 8 figs. 1921. Formerly Entomological 
 Series Circular j Revised, 
 
 13. Chinch-bug barriers. W. P. Flint. 9 pp., 4 figs. 1921. 
 
 Formerly Entomological Series Circular 5 Revised. 
 
 14. The army- worm. W. P. Flint. 9 pp., 4 figs. 1921. 
 
 Formerly Entomological Series Circular 7 Revised. 
 
 15. The peach borer and methods of control. W. P. 
 
 Flint and S. C. Chandler. 11 pp., 6 figs. 1922. 
 Formerly Entomological Series Circular 8. 
 
 16. The fruit tree leaf roller and its control under Illinois 
 
 conditions. W. P. Flint and J. H. Bigger. 12 
 pp., 4 figs. 1926. Formerly Entomological Series 
 Circular p. 
 
 17. Brownfield woods: a remnant of the original Illinois 
 
 forest. C. J. Telford. 16 pp., 6 pis. 1926. 
 Formerly Forestry Series Circular j. 
 
 18. Wood as a crop in Illinois. C. J. Telford. 22 pp., 
 
 10 figs. 1926. Formerly Forestry Series Circular 4. 
 
 19. Habits and control of termites. August E. Miller. 
 
 12 pp., 6 figs. 1926. Formerly Entomological 
 Series Circular 10. 
 
ROSS: HOW TO COLLECT AND PRESERVE INSECTS 27 
 
 Volume 1.^ — Concl'd 
 
 20. Habits and control of termites. August E. Miller. 
 
 12 pp., 7 figs. 1928. Formerly Entomological 
 Series Circular ii {Circular lo Revised). 
 
 21. Peach Yellows in Illinois. L. R. Tehon and G. L. 
 
 Stout. 24 pp., 9 figs. 1929. Formerly Botanical 
 Series Circular i. 
 
 22. Greenhouse pests. C. C. Compton. 114 pp., 34 figs. 
 
 1930. Formerly Entomological Series Circular 12, 
 
 23. Habits and control of termites. August E. Miller. 
 
 12 pp., 7 figs. 1931. Formerly Entomological 
 Series Circular 11 Revised. 
 
 24. Care of trees. L. E. Sawyer. 7 pp., 5 figs. 1932. 
 
 Formerly Forestry Series Circular 5. 
 
 VOLUME 2 
 
 25. How to collect and preserve insects. H. H. Ross. 
 27 pp., 11 figs. 1934. 
 
™E U3mY OF THE 
 
 J'JL 2 7 m? 
 
^c 
 
 /^ ' 
 
 ' ' c/ 
 
LIRCULAR 
 25-36 1934-47 
 
 3 0112 017541183 
 
 !iH'.!:l«''((lKW:i!(<ai|'i;Jl'i|'. 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 \