An Elementary Study of Insects | Page 6

lumps of the
deadly poison potassium cyanide in the bottom covered and sealed by a
layer of plaster of Paris.]
The country boy and girl will have little trouble getting hold of insects,
but they are often puzzled when it comes to killing them. It seems cruel
to pin up an insect alive and have it squirm for a day or two and some
means of killing them should be devised. Most of the soft insects, such
as flies, butterflies, etc., can be killed by pressing their body, in the
region of the wings, between one's thumb and forefinger. Such forms as
beetles and wasps can be quickly killed by dropping them into coal oil
or a strong soap suds. Any method which can be devised for quickly

killing the insect, and which will not seriously mutilate it, can be used.
A convenient killing bottle can be made by sealing a few small lumps
of the deadly poison, potassium or sodium cyanide, in the bottom of a
strong, wide-mouthed bottle, with plaster of Paris; or a few drops of
chloroform or ether on a wad of cotton in a similar bottle, will also
serve as a convenient killing jar.
Pinning and Preserving a Collection
[Illustration: Method of pinning different kinds of insects.]
After the insects, have been caught and killed, they should then be
prepared for the permanent collection. Most insects such as wasps,
beetles, flies and grasshoppers should simply have a pin thrust through
their bodies until they are two-thirds the way up on the pin and then put
them away in a box. Such forms as butterflies and moths make a much
better collection if the wings are spread so as to bring out their gaudy
markings. In order to spread butterflies' wings, one needs a spreading
board, which can be made in ten minutes by taking a pine board two
feet long, and six inches wide and on this nail two strips an inch thick,
so that there is a crack between them. The crack should be half an inch
wide at one end and a quarter of an inch wide at the other end, and in
the bottom of it press strips of cornstalk pith so as to have something
soft in which to stick the pins. After a pin has been stuck through the
body of a dead butterfly between the wings, it is then pinned in the
crack so that the back of the butterfly is on a level with the strips. Then
the wings are drawn forward until they stand straight out from the body
when they are pinned down by means of strips of paper and left to dry a
few days until they become perfectly rigid. In this way a most beautiful
collection can be made very easily, but where time and materials are
not available, simply pin them up like other insects, leaving the wings
to hang as they will. After the specimens are pinned they should be put
away in cigar boxes in the bottom of which is pinned or pasted a layer
of cork or corrugated paper similar to that which comes between glass
fruit cans. These make ideal cases for keeping small collections as the
odor of tobacco helps keep pests from getting in to destroy the
collection.

[Illustration: Home-made spreading board for spreading butterflies and
moths.]
[Illustration: Cigar box with strip of corrugated paper in bottom used as
case for keeping pinned insects.]
Rearing and Observing Them While Alive
While studying an insect it is advisable wherever possible to first study
it where it is found in the field and later bring it home and keep it alive
in a jar where it can be fed and observed and its various habits studied.
Cages for breeding insects consist simply of a few glass fruit cans and
jelly glasses with tin or cloth covers. A child can borrow one or two of
these from his mother's fruit cellar. A layer of moist sand or soil should
be put in the bottom of the jar to provide a retreat for those forms
which go into the ground before changing to adults. Before an insect is
placed in one of these breeding cages its food plant should be
determined by observations in the field, and every day or two a fresh
supply should be gathered. Most of the forms discussed in the
following chapters can be kept in jars and reared to the adult stage.
Rearing insects is both interesting and instructive. Every child should
be given an opportunity to rear a few forms either during the school
year or during the summer vacation.
* * * * *
"I happened one night in my travels To stray into Butterfly Vale, Where
my wondering eyes beheld butterflies WITH WINGS THAT WERE