PRACTICAL ADVICE FOR INSECT COLLECTING

Insect collecting can be a very interesting hobby. I have created this Web site with the intention of giving you some helpful hints on starting you out on the right foot. There is no magic formula for becoming a good collector, aside from using advice from more seasoned collectors. Experience is the best teacher.

From the outset, however, I want to request that you do not kill an insect needlessly. If you already have some specimens or if they are damaged, release them; they can then reproduce themselves.

The most basic piece of advice is for you to procure yourself a good hunting net. The best one that I have ever seen was light and had a diameter of 22 inches (51 cm). It is sold by a Californian company called " Bioquip Product ".You can order their catalogue from their Web site www.bioquip.com or by e-mail bioquip@aol.com.

A moth of the uranide family
drinks from a creek in Papua New Guinea.

Butterflies

When trying to capture a butterfly, never rush towards it. For best results, walk over slowly and catch it quickly with the net when the butterfly is within range. When the butterfly is caught in the net, instead of trying to get it in a jar and having it fight you, try the "pinching" method: when the butterfly's wings are closed upright on top of its back, you pinch the sides of its thorax with your thumb and index finger in one quick movement. A little practice will tell you how much pressure to use. This method will stun your catch.

Collect your butterflies in different habitats at different times. Specimen that you find in one location in April will be different from those you will find in the same location in August.

Douglas, who comes from Cuba,
records information on a piece of paper.

Moths

Moths are more numerous in number and in species. They are attracted by light source. "black light" neon or a white light reflected on a white sheet will attract a multitude of moths and insects of all kind. It is preferable to install light traps far from city lights and in open areas which can be seen by insects from miles around. At home, I will leave my outdoor lights on and get up from time to time to see what kinds of visitors I am getting.

Small electric generators are useful when venturing into areas where there is no electricity. There are also some " black lights " which you can connect on an auto battery. I find these very practical having used them in my travels through different countries. They are sold by Bioquip Products (www.bioquip.com, e-mail: bioquip@aol.com).

An example of an efficient light trap.

Here I am with some specimens in French Guyana. (1999)

I have a lot of success when I go for a drive in my car around midnight and head out of town, stopping at light posts along the route. If you constantly take the same routes, you will notice that some light posts attract more insects than others. You have to get out of your car and look at the light post, the ground around it, and at all shrubs and structures nearby. Sometimes, the insects are simply lying on the ground and you only have to pick them up firmly by the thorax and inject some poison into the thorax using a syringe. The poison used is ethyl acetate or rubbing alcohol in very small quantities.

Saturnid Moth

These, when immobile, can be caught simply with your fingers. If you catch them with a net, you have to immobilize them as soon as possible folding their wings on their backs and injecting poison.

The Cecropia moth is the
largest moth found in Canada.

Sphinx Moth

You will find Sphinxidae a lot more active and difficult to hold. It may be better to use a jar as a gas chamber with a few drops of ethyl acetate inside. This is the method that I use for small and medium sized moths. When you find very large Sphinxidae on a wall or on your light traps, try the following technique which I learned from a friend in French Guiana. After a few experiments, everything will go well.

Method to capture a sphinx with your fingers:

Place two fingers underneath the wings of the sphinx, from each side of its body from the front. Slide your thumb right on top of the thorax. At this moment, the three fingers are barely (or not) touching the insect. You should not alarm it.

When you are ready, seize it quickly and firmly by closing your three fingers. Be careful not to slide your thumb along the thorax, scales may fall off.

Turn the sphinx and inject the poison in the thorax.

Dragonflies

When chasing dragonflies, try to capture them by rapidly bringing your net down over them. These insects, which can rapidly dodge a net, have eyes which permit them to see from all sides; their blind spot is directly above them.

Dragonflies pose a problem for collectors since they have a tendency to loose their splendid colors. For this reason, it is preferable to let them die in paper envelopes so that when they excrete liquids in their abdomen, it helps to preserve some of their spectacular colors.

Another trick consists of submerging them all night in acetone. This product is easy to obtain in stores where automobile products are sold. The effect of this product is to release fatty material from the insect which helps to fix its color pigmentation. This product can't be used many times since it looses its effect after preparing only a few specimens. This method has one drawback: acetone hardens the articulations and muscles of the insect and makes it easier to break during the mounting process. It is there good to set the insect into the desired final position when submerging into acetone. When the insect is removed from the acetone and mounted, it will be a much easier process. Take off the excess acetone on the insect before mounting it. This method is also useful for walking sticks, philliums, grasshoppers and crickets with nice colors.

Coleopter Beetle

To kill and transport coleopter beetles, I use a container filled with little pieces of wood which have absorbed ethyl acetate. This poison, in addition to killing the insect, will keep it supple until mounting. You can fill the container with several dozen insects until it is full. It is a good way of transporting insects in baggage during trips. You will need several containers if you change from region to region. Empty film containers which are transparent are practical for small insects.