Evening star., 1939-07-23

CclVeQ III Il tTdQe. hiureo ceArs
It was one which the museum did
not have, so," he added proudly, II
gave 1t to Dr. Chaplin"
Although there are many ways of
catching insects, Dwight does most
of his work with large net. AS he
sweeps it back and forth through
the weeds in the fields around his
home, the insects fall into it. Putting
his head in to prevent the insects
from escaping, he then carefully Sc
lectS those most desirable, which he
poisons in a bottle of cyanide. The
beetles are fastened in cork-bot-
toned boxes with needle length in
sect pins stuck through their right
sides, leaving the left sides perfect.
Eventually their interiors dry up,
while their exteriors harden.
ITO collect carrion beetles" ex-
planned Dwight: II trap mice or rats,
and leave them in field on a board.
When return, the beetles are usual
ly swarming over their bodies. I also
find many insects around lights, and
under rotten logs, and often I come
upon them accidentally.
I've had many amusing and in
teresting experiences during the
nine years of my hobby" he con-
tinued, but I've never had the
misfortune to be seriously stung or
bitten. About year ago on my way
to school I caught about a half
dozen patent leather beetles. Large
black fellows about an inch long,
they bore in rotten wood and are
therefore very strong. I put them
IN a small box in my pocket and
walked on, promptly forgetting
about them. During English class
that afternoon I was awakened-er
-er-startled by slight commotion
behind me. The beetles, escaped from
the box, were crawling over my
shirt and on the floor. The girls
became frightened, and the room
was in an uproar before I realized
what had happened and had time
to gather them up. Luckily, the
teacher did not make me dispose of
them"
Although Dwight specializes in
beetles he Is also interested in but
beetles. he is also interested in but
gets caterpillars and nurses them
through their metamorphosis until,
Is butterflies, he has perfect speci-
mems. While this is more trouble. he
considers it much more interesting
especially watching the construc-
tion Of the cocoon.
Insect collecting, of course, has its
uncomfortable moments, when one
must endure poison ivy, briars, ticks,
chiggers and other insect bites, as
well as the danger of snakes, which
by no means can be termed
sissys occupation.
When was in South Carolina"
declared Dwight, people contin-
ually warned me about rattlesnakes,
but fortunately I never saw one"
Both in 1887 and 1899 Dwight
brought home the bacon" from
hobby shows The first, two years
ago in the Silver Spring Library
hobby show, he won first prize for
popularity and second prize for ar
fangement. In the hobby exhibit
Of the Montgomery Hills Junior
High School fair this spring he
again was awarded first prize in
popularity.
His hobby, however, does not take
all of Dwight's time, for through
out the whole year he has many
other interests. At Montgomery
Hills Junior High School, which he
attends, he was president of the
Student Council for this year. Very
fond Of sports, he was on the
schools 660-yard relay team, which
set q new county record at the
meet in Rockville this spring. He
- was also on the winning 440-yard
relay team in 1888. During the
summer months he does odd jobs
about the neighborhood to earn
money for such equipment as insect
pins, boxes and nets.
Dwight, who lives at 18 Fairview
road, Woodside Park, plans to attend
Ohio State University, where he
will major in entomology, paying
his way through by working for an
entomologist there. One of his
greatest desires is to travel to trop-
ical countries to collect and study
the insect life there.