Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-01-14

a SaW arc commonly cOnelu-
an e. cred to be the most dis
,NN& S>N agreeable are the ones
&MS%$&$NS& which have stinga II
NV " Is always the females
which possess these
weapons. the abdomen
being armed with
lance thatfs connected with poison reservoir
The males have no purpose in living apparently
save that of reproduction. and they are sting
less. With some varieties, as in the case Of the
drone bee, their mating lie Immediately followed
by their death; they are obliged to give up
their own lives for the sake of perpetuating
their kind
Notwithstanding their poisonous weapons
the singers are the insects which chiefly are Of
use to man. Not only do they furnish man
Kind with honey and wax, but they play so
important part in the destruction Of other
species injurious to vegetation that they may
be looked upon as, divinely appointed guards
over the vegetable kingdom. By carrying
pollen from plant to plant they insure the fer
tilization Of some and the Decentralization Of
others.
Nevertheless, IN the popular mind the best
known and understood insects are the beetles.
which compose an order Of great importance
outranking any other in the vast number and
diversity Of species, The National Museum has
Just published q little book, written by United
States Entomoiogist c. v. Riley, which tells
about the beetles and how the amateur should
go about collecting them. Instruction is also
given as to the beat methods of making and
preserving collections Of other kinds of insects
such as the "diptera' or two-winged flies for
example. This order includes an enormous
number OF species, many of which are enemies
to man The mosquito, the buffalo gnat and
the gad-1y bite him and his domesticated
animals. while his corps are injured
by the Hessian fy, the wheat nidge and
the cabbage maggot. In the same category
come the tleas. Everybody is supposed 70 be
familiar with the appearance OF the fea its
DIoodthlrsty propensities and amazing muscu-
lar power; and, while every one may not have
the leisure and means to experience the exhilar-
a'ing Chase after larger animals, there is
nobody, be no never SO humble who may not
indulge In the hunt after this small game.
GREAT FAD AMONG AMATEURS
Entomology Is becoming steadily more popu-
lar, and amateur collectors are constantly writ
ing to the National Museum and to the Depart
ment of Agriculture for information as to how
to collect, preserve and mount insects. They
also want to know how to pack them for trans
mission through the mails, how to rear them in
confinement and about manv other points. Be-
ginners commonly supply themselves with all
sorts OF appliances advertised by natural
history furnishing stores Many of these are
soon abandoned useless when II comes TO
practical field work, and the most highly skilled
expert will be found to employ the simplest
apparatus. An all sufficient equipment on a
collecting trip consists chiefly of a cotton UNI
brelia, strong and narrow steel trowel to dig
with, haversack slung across the shoulders, a
cigar box lined with sheet cork, and a small
knapsack attached to q waist belt, which girds
coat OF many pockets.
The umbrella ia not only usefnl M O profac-
ton against sun and rain. but opened and held
inverted under bough with the left hand
while the right yields "a beating stick it re-
ceives many choice specimen. The trowei is
valuable for prying Off loose bark from old
trees and for digging into the ground or into
decayed stumps Tho -hxverAaek is for carry
Ing nets and tin boxes, the latter intended to
hold larval and other forms which it is neces-
sary to bring home alive for breeding pur-
poses. The knapsack, Of stout canvass or
leather, Is to bold bottles and other small ap-
pliances, for which purpose 1t should be parti-
toned and furnished with pockets on the
inside. The cigar box is for the reception OF
pinned specimens. But the most essential
requisites in collecting are sharp eyes and
ready hands.
However, a few traps are OF material service
One OF the most important is hand net. Then
one should have q coarse sieve for special occa-
sions. which used together with a white towel
or sheet will be found Of grea. service in the
spring, when the search for minute insects
under old leaves or for chrysaIids around the
butts OF trees is contemplated. With the sheet
spread on the ground and few handfuls Of
leaves and leafy mold sifted over it many a
minute specimen will be separated from the
coarser particles and dropped to the sheet,
where the eve may readily detect it. The COL
lector should never go unprovided with small
box full of different sized pins-a corked
cartridge tube makes a good box-a pair of
forceps, pair OF scissors and a little mucilage
The forceps are indispensable for extracting in
sects from cracks or from their burrows in
branches and stems of plants.
WHEN YOU FIND rRorBLk
There are certain rare beetles which are
found among white ants under stones and In
old trees. Owing to the pugnacious character
of some OF these ants /. is not always an agree
able task to examine colony OF them, but the
collector must not mind being bitten and stuug
by the Infatuated denizeus of an ant hill which
he hnds 1t his scientific duty to dig up. Excel
lent opportunities for collecting beetles are
sometimes found along the shores Of the oceans
and great lakes, where during the earlv Summer
untold numbers OF beesand other inse fall into
the water. II he tides and winds be favorable
they are washed ashore by the waves often
forming winrows several inches in height and
width. II the amateur is lucky enough to be
in the right place on the right day be has then
the opportunity to pick up hundreds of rare
species within very short time and without
any trouble. Many Of the specimens thus
washed upon the beaches are dead and decayed.
but the ajority are alive and in excellent CON
dition. On the beaches night flying insects can
be captured by lights. while in cities the cleo
trio lights attract mu.titudes o! beetles OF
various kinds.
During the latter part OF spring and through
ont the summer every possible collecting
method can be pursued with success. There
are stones TO be turned over: old logs, stumps
and hollow trees to be investigated; newly felled
trees to be inspected; here a spot favorable for
sitting claims attentions; meadows and low her
bage in the woods invite the use of the sweep
ing net; living or dead branches Of all sorts Of
trees and shrubs can be worked with the UNI
brella; the mud or gravel banks Of ponds, lakes,
rivers and creeks afford excellent collecting
places; numerous aquatic beetles Are to be got
from the water itself and the dung beetles are
to be extracted from their Insavory habita-
tons. In the evening the electric and other
lights are to be visited, the lightning beetles
chased on meadows and in the woods, and the
trees and shrubs are to be beaten after dark in
search of May beetles and other nocturna. leaf
feeding species which cannot be obtained in
the DAYTIME. In collecting from beneath stones
the amateur should carefully replace the stones,
especially those under which be has found rare
specimens. The neglect of this rule is one of
the principal reasons why certain scarce species
have become extinct in tho vicinity Of cities.
HORRIBLE LOOKING WORMS.