How to Collect and Preserve Insects

by Herbert H. Ross

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[1] Stevenson Moore, III, Ph.D., Entomologist in Extension[1] Roscoe Randell, M.S., Technical Assistant in Extension[1] Clarence E. White, B.S., Technical Assistant in Extension[1] Stanley Rachesky, M.S., Technical Assistant in Extension[1] D. E. Kuhlman, M.S., Technical Assistant in Extension[1] Amal C. Banerjee, Ph.D., Research Associate[1] Jean G. Wilson, B.A., Research Associate[1] Ranu Banerjee, B.A., Research Assistant[1] Ayten Hatidoglu, B.S., Research Assistant[1] Keun S. Park, M.S., Research Assistant[1] Keturah Reinbold, M.S., Research Assistant[1]

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[1]

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[1] David Krulac, Project Assistant[1]

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[1] Jack A. Ellis, M.S., Research Associate[1] James A. Bailey, Ph.D., Research Associate[1] Gerald G. Montgomery, M.S., Research Associate[1] William L. Anderson, M.A., Research Associate[1] George B. Joselyn, M.S., Research Associate[1] Gerald L. Storm, M.S., Field Ecologist[1] Ronald L. Westemeier, B.S., Research Associate[1] Stanley L. Etter, M.S., Research Assistant[1] Robert E. Hawkins, B.S., Research Assistant[1] Jeffrey C. Hanson, M.S., Research Assistant[1] Keith T. Dauphin, Project Assistant[1]

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.

[1]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.

Illinois streams are a source of many insects of interest to the amateur collector. Shown here is the Salt Fork River, south of Oakwood.