The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-08-12
MOTH HUNTING BY NIGHT.
Parsons Magazine.

Pearson's Magazine.
The glorious Wicken Sedge Fen, In
Cambridgshire-the only bit of wild
fen left in England has for ages past
been the happy hunting ground Of the
entomologist, and is now the only place
where some of the rarest insects find an
English home.
Night work among the moths requires
certain amount of courage in the man
who undertakes it alone, for though
when sport is brisk the excitement tends
to keep up ones spirit, yet, when no
moths are flying, the entomologist,
standing out in the darkness of the wide
fen, IS apt to feel the loneliness of so
vast and weird a space.
A successful nights work entails a
good deal of trouble. Towards sunset
the mothcatcher will start for the fen
wheeling a barrow heavily laden with
such articles as he may require. These
include a stout wooden box Inside which
is carried big lamp, measuring about
eighteen inches high, twelve inches wide
ana ten inches deep, a killing bottle
of cyanide, and a number of pill boxes
OF various Sizes; three eight-foot poles,
White sheet, some 10 feet long by five
feet wide; pot of molasses Called
sugar by the moth catcher a Ian
tern, moth trap, and the indispensable
net
ously over the maHshy ground along
narrow paths which he picks out as
though they had been clearly defined,
though to the stranger there would an
pear to be nothing to distinguish them
from the marshy soil on either side
After walk of about fifteen minutes he
arrives at a nice open space, where the
Sedge has been cut.
Quickly fixing in the ground two of the
long poles the moth hunter stretches out
the big white sheet between them. Ten
feet or so away he fixes his lamp on
the third pole, so that the light will fall
full on the sheet. Conveniently near he
arranges number of pill boxes. the Ian
tern and the killing bottle, and hangs
take it's share of the nights spoil This
moth-trap, though regarded as of sec
ondary Importance, is very ingenious
contrivance so designed that when the,
enter; they cannot escape.
After the trap has been "set," third
snare for the moths is prepared, the sin
envy young branches of the low, saIIow
shrubs, which grow profusely herea-
bouts, being twisted and tied together in
knotty lunches, which are literally
sm SINE l. with TIT treacle, with dash Of
very appettzing in appearance especially
as pot full is made to last a considera-
bic time, but 1t Is good enough for the
the moths to fly the big lamp Is lit, and
its strong light is thrown upon the sheet
so that 1t is easy to see the smallest
moth that may come within range.
The moth catcher takes his stand, net
in hand, slightly behind the lamp and In
this position he is ready to rush forward
and take any moth which may settle
on the sheet or fly into the lighted space
Should it be hot, dry night, with heavy
clouds banked over the set sun, as often
happens, particularly in July, the moth
catcher will have a very warm time of
it. The perspiration will soon be stream
ing down his back, his pipe will grow
hot between his teeth, and # viii only
be kept there to repel the attacks of the
flies and gnats which will soon be sing.
ing and buzzing in his eyes and ears.
On most nights the fun is all over by
IL o'clock, but on a good night it viii
last until / or 2 O'Clock and in the ear
ly part of July the mothcatcher will
sometimes wait for the sun, and then
stalk about to catch beautiful little
Geometer CALLED Hyria auroraria, which
is itself the color of the rising sun, ana
only flies from, to a. m