a handbook of the mosquitoes of north america - Systematic Catalog ...

CHAPTER V
HOW TO STUDY, COLLECT, REAR AND PRESERVE
MOSQUITOES
The study of mosquitoes, though attended with some diffi-
culties, is fascinating. The adults may be captured when bit-
ing, resting during the day in various shelters, or they may be
taken with an ordinary collecting net. When taken in a net,
they are so liable to be injured or rubbed that they can be identi-
fied only with great difficulty. They are so fragile that they
must be handled with care. If collections are made while they
are biting either on himself or on animals, careful notes should
be made of the time and method of attack and the animal on
which they are feeding. There is very little exact data on the
feeding habits of many of our mosquitoes.
COLLECTION OF ADULTS
The adults may be collected while they are feeding by invert-
ing a cyanide or preferably a choroforml bottle (Fig. 21) over
’ The chloroform bottle should be prepared as follows: Select the
type of bottle most suitable to your needs. In the bottom of it place
cut rubber bands or small pieces of rubber to the depth of an inch.
These cut pieces should be about one-half inch in length. Fill the
bottle with chloroform to the top of the rubber. Place over this a
small wad of cotton. On top of the cotton, place several pieces of
blotting paper cut to fit the tube rather closely. In the tube place
pieces of thin tissue paper cut in narrow strips. The bottle should
have a close fitting cork. The rubber will absorb the chloroform
and it is given up gradually so that such a bottle should last several
days if used with care. When weakened by use, more chloroform
may be added by removing the blotting paper sections. The thin paper
strips will prevent too much rubbing of the specimens and also keep
them from getting moist.
The cyanide bottle needs no description as full accounts of their
preparation may be found in any book on entomology.
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