How to Collect and Preserve Insects

Part 1

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STATE OF ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF REGISTRATION AND EDUCATION

HOW TO COLLECT AND PRESERVE INSECTS

H. H. ROSS

Printed by Authority of the State of Illinois NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY DIVISION George Sprugel, Jr., Chief

Circular 39 Urbana November, 1966 (Eighth Printing)

STATE OF ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF REGISTRATION AND EDUCATION BOARD OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND CONSERVATION

John C. Watson, Chairman; Thomas Park, Ph.D., Biology; L. L. Sloss, Ph.D., Geology; Roger Adams, Ph.D., D.Sc., Chemistry; Robert H. Anderson, B.S.C.E., Engineering; Charles E. Olmsted, Ph.D., Forestry; W. L. Everitt, E.E., Ph.D., Representing the President of the University of Illinois; Delyte W. Morris, Ph.D., President of Southern Illinois University.

NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY DIVISION, Urbana, Illinois SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL STAFF George Sprugel, Jr., Ph.D., Chief Herbert H. Ross, Ph.D., Assistant Chief Robert O. Watson, B.S., Assistant to the Chief

Section of Economic Entomology William H. Luckmann, Ph.D., Entomologist and Head Willis N. Bruce, Ph.D., Entomologist Ronald H. Meyer, Ph.D., Associate Entomologist James E. Appleby, Ph.D., Associate Entomologist Robert D. Pausch, Ph.D., Assistant Entomologist Ralph E. Sechriest, Ph.D., Assistant Entomologist Delmar Broersma, Ph.D., Assistant Entomologist Joseph V. Maddox, Ph.D., Assistant Entomologist Edward J. Armbrust, Ph.D., Assistant Entomologist Dannel McCollum, B.A., Technical Assistant Gregory P. Marsh, B.S., Technical Assistant Sue E. Watkins, Junior Scientific Assistant H. B. Petty, Ph.D., Entomologist in Extension Stevenson Moore, III, Ph.D., Entomologist in Extension Roscoe Randell, M.S., Technical Assistant in Extension Clarence E. White, B.S., Technical Assistant in Extension Stanley Rachesky, M.S., Technical Assistant in Extension D. E. Kuhlman, M.S., Technical Assistant in Extension Amal C. Banerjee, Ph.D., Research Associate Jean G. Wilson, B.A., Research Associate Ranu Banerjee, B.A., Research Assistant Ayten Hatidoglu, B.S., Research Assistant Keun S. Park, M.S., Research Assistant Keturah Reinbold, M.S., Research Assistant

Section of Faunistic Surveys and Insect Identification H. H. Ross, Ph.D., Assistant Chief and Head Milton W. Sanderson, Ph.D., Taxonomist Lewis J. Stannard, Jr., Ph.D., Taxonomist Philip W. Smith, Ph.D., Taxonomist Leonora K. Gloyd, M.S., Associate Taxonomist Wallace E. LaBerge, Ph.D., Associate Taxonomist Robert T. Allen, M.S., Technical Assistant Bernice Sweeney, Technical Assistant Bess White, A.B., Technical Assistant John D. Unzicker, Ph.D., Research Assistant

Section of Aquatic Biology George W. Bennett, Ph.D., Aquatic Biologist and Head William C. Starrett, Ph.D., Aquatic Biologist R. W. Larimore, Ph.D., Aquatic Biologist David H. Buck, Ph.D., Associate Aquatic Biologist Robert C. Hiltibran, Ph.D., Associate Biochemist Donald F. Hansen, Ph.D., Associate Aquatic Biologist William F. Childers, Ph.D., Assistant Aquatic Biologist David L. Thomas, B.S., Research Assistant Maryfran Martin, Technical Assistant Claude Russell Rose, Field Assistant Dennis Dooley, Field Assistant Charles F. Thoits, III, B.A., Research Associate David Krulac, Project Assistant

Section of Applied Botany and Plant Pathology J. Cedric Carter, Ph.D., Plant Pathologist and Head J. L. Forsberg, Ph.D., Plant Pathologist Robert A. Evers, Ph.D., Botanist Robert Dan Neely, Ph.D., Plant Pathologist E. B. Himelick, Ph.D., Plant Pathologist Walter Hartstirn, Ph.D., Assistant Plant Pathologist D. F. Schoeneweiss, Ph.D., Assistant Plant Pathologist David Russell Vance, Technical Assistant Robert J. Slattery, B.S., Technical Assistant Robert S. Perry, B.S., Technical Assistant Betty S. Nelson, Technical Assistant Sylvia P. Brockstein, M.S., Technical Assistant

Section of Wildlife Research Glen C. Sanderson, Ph.D., Wildlife Specialist and Head F. C. Bellrose, B.S., Wildlife Specialist H. C. Hanson, Ph.D., Wildlife Specialist Richard R. Graber, Ph.D., Wildlife Specialist Ronald F. Labisky, M.S., Associate Wildlife Specialist William R. Edwards, M.S., Associate Wildlife Specialist William W. Cochran, JR., Assistant Wildlife Specialist Robert E. Greenberg, M.S., Research Assistant Helen C. Schultz, M.A., Technical Assistant Lucinda Janis, Technical Assistant Robert D. Crompton, Field Assistant Ronald Duzan, Laboratory Assistant Mary Ann Johnson, Laboratory Assistant William J. Francis, Ph.D., Research Associate Jack A. Ellis, M.S., Research Associate James A. Bailey, Ph.D., Research Associate Gerald G. Montgomery, M.S., Research Associate William L. Anderson, M.A., Research Associate George B. Joselyn, M.S., Research Associate Gerald L. Storm, M.S., Field Ecologist Ronald L. Westemeier, B.S., Research Associate Stanley L. Etter, M.S., Research Assistant Robert E. Hawkins, B.S., Research Assistant Jeffrey C. Hanson, M.S., Research Assistant Keith T. Dauphin, Project Assistant

Section of Publications and Public Relations Owen F. Glissendorf, M.S., Technical Editor and Head Robert M. Zewadski, M.S., Associate Technical Editor Nancy K. Ginzel, B.S., Assistant Technical Editor Wilmer D. Zehr, Technical Photographer William L. Taylor, Technical Assistant

Technical Library Doris F. Dodds, B.A., M.S.L.S., Technical Librarian Patricia F. Stenstrom, B.A., M.S.L.S., Assistant Technical Librarian

CONSULTANTS: Herpetology, Hobart M. Smith, Ph.D., Professor of Zoology, University of Illinois; Parasitology, Norman D. Levine, Ph.D., Professor of Veterinary Parasitology and Veterinary Research, University of Illinois; Wildlife Research, Willard D. Klimstra, Ph.D., Professor of Zoology and Director of Cooperative Wildlife Research, Southern Illinois University; Statistics, Horace W. Norton, Ph.D., Professor of Statistical Design and Analysis, University of Illinois.

Employed on cooperative projects with one of several agencies: University of Illinois, Illinois Agricultural Extension Service, Illinois Department of Conservation, National Science Foundation, United States Department of Agriculture, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, United States Public Health Service, and others.

This paper is a contribution from the Section of Faunistic Surveys and Insect Identification. (33711--10M--10-66)30

Where to Collect 1 What to Use 2 Nets 3 Killing Bottles 6 Aspirators or Suckers 9 Sifter 12 Berlese Funnel 12 Equipment for Collecting Aquatic Insects 16 How to Handle Unmounted Specimens 17 Temporary Cases 17 Relaxing Boxes and Jars 19 How to Mount and Preserve Specimens 20 Preservation by Pinning 20 Spreading Board for Moths and Butterflies 24 Preservation in Fluid 26 How to Label the Specimens 26 Housing the Collection Permanently 27 Insect Boxes 27 Precaution Against Pests 27 The Insect World 28 How to Identify Specimens 34 Synopsis of Illinois Insect Orders 35 Primitive Wingless Insects 35 Diplura 36 Protura 36 Collembola 36 Microcoryphia 36 Thysanura 38 Primitive Winged Insects 38 Ephemeroptera 38 Odonata 38 Folding-Wing Insects 40 Cursoria 42 Isoptera 43 Orthoptera 43 Dermaptera 44 Plecoptera 45 Zoraptera 45 Corrodentia 45 Phthiraptera 45 Mallophaga 47 Anoplura 47 Thysanoptera 47 Hemiptera 48 Megaloptera 52 Neuroptera 52 Coleoptera 53 Hymenoptera 54 Mecoptera 55 Trichoptera 57 Lepidoptera 58 Diptera 60 Siphonaptera 61 Relatives of Insects 62 Isopoda 62 Amphipoda 62 Scorpionida 64 Pseudoscorpionida 64 Phalangida 64 Araneida 65 Acarina 65 Diplopoda 66 Chilopoda 67 The State Insect Collection 67 Reports on Illinois Insects 69 Useful Books 70 How to Ship Specimens 70 Where to Buy Supplies 71

Printed by Authority of the State of Illinois, Ch. 127. IRS, Par. 58.22.

HOW TO COLLECT AND PRESERVE INSECTS

H. H. ROSS

With rather simple equipment, the amateur as well as the trained entomologist can make a worthwhile collection of insects.

The making of such a collection may have educational and recreational as well as scientific values. Developing this hobby is one of the finest ways for students, especially those in agricultural districts, to become acquainted with the large number of injurious and beneficial insects that they encounter about the home and in the fields. High school classes in biology find excellent laboratory material in the many insects available for rearing and study. Both old and young collectors find a great deal of pleasure in working with the showy and beautiful insects, such as beetles, moths, and butterflies; the satisfaction derived comes both from having relaxation from the day's work and from making real contributions to scientific knowledge. Many entomological museums welcome the opportunity to examine carefully prepared and labeled collections. These collections supply distribution records for insect species, in addition to other information of value to technical entomologists. Also, the amateur collector profits from his contact with specialists who can help him identify his specimens 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 begin.

WHERE TO COLLECT

In late spring, in summer, and in early 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 collecting by the sweeping method.

Part 2

In early spring, when insects can be taken only sparingly in the open, the collector frequently finds sheltered hollows where they may be caught in large numbers. A certain kind of insect may live only on a certain kind of plant, and to obtain the insect the collector must search or sweep the plant, called the host plant.

Many obscure places harbor insects seldom found elsewhere. Among these are leaf mold and debris on the surface of the soil, particularly in woods; rotten logs and stumps, which should be turned over to reveal insects that hide under or around them, and then carefully searched or torn apart for others that live inside; in, under, and around dead animals; under boards and stones.

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