Collecting and Preserving

pulled, a spring-loaded canopy is snapped over an area ofsoil, and insects within the canopy are collected by suctionor a vacuum device. This trap was designed for use ingrasslands.1.10.13 Artificial RefugesMany insects, especially beetles, are successfullyfound under stones, planks, or rotten logs. Providing suchrefuges, as pieces of wood, card board, or even complextraps, is also a form of trapping. Lepidoptera larvae, forexample, will congregate under burlap tied in a bandaround the trunks of trees. This technique has even beenused to help control some pest species such as the gypsymoth.References: Campion 1972; Shubeck 1976.1.10.14 Electrical Grid TrapsIn recent years, electrocuting pest insects has beenused extensively in control work. The insects are attractedto a device by a pheromone or other lure placed in achamber protected by a strongly charged electrical grid.The method deserves study for other purposes, such assurveying the arthropod fauna of an area.References: Goodenough & Snow 1973; Hartstack etal. 1968; Mitchell et al. 1972, 1973, 1974; Rogers & Smith1977; Stanley et al. 1977.Techniques and Toolsbait. Natural products, chemicals derived therefrom orsynthesized, and secretions of the insects themselves mayall be used as attractants. Mere exposure of the substancemay be considered as setting up a trap, and attractivesubstances are used in many constructed traps.Sugaring for moths, one of the oldest collectingmethods, involves the use of a specially prepared bait inwhich some form of sugar is an essential component.The bait may be refined or brown sugar, molasses, orsirup. Such substances often are mixed with stale beer,fermented peaches, bananas, or some other fruit— there isno standard formula. Each lepidopterist has his or her ownfavorite recipe.One particularly satisfactory recipe uses fresh, ripepeaches; culls or windfalls are suitable. Remove the seedsbut not the skins, mash the fruit, then place it in a 4-liter(1-gal) or larger container of plastic, glass, stainless steel,enamelware, or crockery with a snugly fitting but not tightcover. Avoid using metal containers that may rust orcorrode. Fill each container only onehalf to two-thirds fullto allow space for expansion. Add about a cup of sugar andplace in a moderately warm place for the mixture toferment. The bubbling fermentation reaction should startin a day or so and may continue for 2 weeks or more,depending on the temperature. During this time, check thefermentation every day or every other day and add sugaruntil fermentation appears to have subsided completely. Asthe added sugar is converted to alcohol, the growth ofyeast slows and eventually ceases.1.11 Baits, Lures, and OtherAttractantsAny substance that attracts insects may be used as aFig. 15. AManitoba trap.After fermentation ceases, the bait should remainstable and should then be kept in tightly sealed containersto prevent contamination and evaporation. If the mixture isallowed to run low in sugar during the fermentationprocess, vinegar will be produced instead of alcohol. It istherefore important to smell the bait periodically and toadd plenty of sugar to avoid this. The amount of sugarconsumed will be surprising, usually over 0.4 kg per liter(3.3 lb per gal). The bait should have a sweet, fruity,winelike fragrance. A trace of vinegar is not objectionablebut is better avoided. Canned fruit, such as applesauce,may also be used to make the bait, but inasmuch as suchproducts are completely sterile, a small amount of yeastmust be added to start fermentation. Although the bait mayseem troublesome to prepare, it keeps for years and is thusavailable at any time, even when fruit is not in season.Immediately before use, the bait may be mixed with30 to 50 percent molasses or brown sugar or a mixture ofthese. This thickens the bait so that it will not dry out soquickly, and it makes the supply last longer.The best time to set out the sugar bait is in the earlyevening before dark. It may be applied with a paint brush19