Gloworm 8

<center> 
 
</center> <h1><center>The
Gloworm</center></h1> 
 8 August 1994 
Volume 2: no. 8 
 <hr> I had an opportunity to
collect underneath a large blacklight light trap the other day. In
just a few minutes I was able to find a dobson fly, two giant
waterbugs, and a number of the larger water beetles. These traps were
some that belonged to a farmer friend who is testing to see if he can
reduce the number of bollworms which attack his cotton by catching
them in traps. The traps are 15 feet in the air above a large open
cotton field and really draw the insects. Other lights are also
extremely attractive to insects this time of year, so do not neglect
the night trips, besides night collecting is always an adventure and
fun. Anywhere you can find bright lights, there will most often be
insects. Tennis courts, swimming pools, and isolated street lights
are always good. Be sure to carry your collecting equipment with you
when you go to ball games etc., for you never know when the prize of
the century will literally drop into your lap. Different kinds of
butterflies are also flying these days. A bright colored sponge or
pad soaked in sugar water will attract these beautiful creatures
close enough for study. Peach, apple and pear peelings are ideal for
feeding butterflies. You can also build them a nice mud puddle for
sunning if you would like. Simply find an open bare area and add
water. If your puddle won't hold water, you might improvise with some
plastic sheeting placed in a shallow depression. The butterflies like
to sit in damp sandy areas near the puddle. For the last couple of
years Jan and I have presented an Entomology Workshop at the Southern
Volunteer Leaders Forum (Rock Eagle). We will be doing a basic and an
advanced entomology workshop again this year. The basic will be much
like what we have done in the past. The advanced will take a little
different tack and this is where we need your assistance. We would
like for Delegates from each of the states from the Southern Region
to bring insect specimens with them to the Forum. 5 to 10 nice
specimens from each state group would be adequate. (You can bring
more if you like.) We then will take the specimens and arrange them
into a collection which we will present to the camp for use in
teaching 4-Hers and others about insects. Mississippi will supply the
box which will hold the collection, but we would like to have
representative insects from all the participating states. You might
get some 4-Hers to donate insects or catch them yourself. Butterflies
and moths should be pinned and spread correctly. Beetles, bees and
most other insects, except Lepidoptera, may be preserved in alcohol
(preferably ethanol) and kept for pinning at the workshop. In any
case, we will want to know correct date, locality and collector
information for each insect. We have visited with Arch Smith about
this project and he indicated that he thought that it might be very
helpful for the campers during the annual camping
sessions. Collecting Basics:
Some of you have indicated that you are having problems with mold
attacking your pinned specimens this summer. Because of the high
humidity, this is a possibility. Don't give up the specimens without
a fight! Alcohol mixed with glycerine or even alcohol alone can be
used to take the mold off your pinned specimens. Simply take a camels
hair brush and paint the alcohol/glycerine mixture on the body of the
insect, the mold organism should disappear. You should also place
silica packets in your collection to keep it from getting too humid.
These are available at Wal-Mart or at most photography stores. Baking
soda will also work to help reduce excess moisture. Kill jars need to be
cleaned and recharged regularly. If the jars are getting regular,
daily, use they may need recharging every day. Ethyl Acetate
is the material which we recommend for use in charging a kill jar.
The easiest source for this material is nonAcetone
fingernail polish remover. Most health and beauty aids
sections of stores sell the bottles of remover. The nonoily
brands should be used as the oils might stain the wings of
butterflies or moths. It is a good practice to keep more than one jar
close by and always keep paper towels or tissue in your jars to keep
insects separated. Remember for Lepidoptera, fold the wings upward
and firmly pinch the upper thorax between your thumb and forefinger
before placing them in the kill jar. This will paralyze the wings and
enable you to have a more beautiful specimen. NEVER place beetles in
a jar with butterflies or moths. Its really much easier to kill
beetles in an alcohol vial. Just drop them in. Position in the Animal
Kingdom: The Animal Kingdom is divided into phyla. Insects
are members of the largest Phylum: Arthropoda (a Greek word
meaning jointed foot). Crayfish, shrimp, spiders , scorpions,
millipedes and centipedes are also arthropods, but they are not
insects. The Class Insecta or Hexapoda (6 legs) is the largest
of the arthropods. There are more than 700,000 described species of
insects and probably many more which have not been described.
Orders are listed after Class; these include familiar names
like Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, Hymenoptera, Homoptera, etc. Many of
the insect orders end with the suffix ptera (wing). Family
names are next in line under Orders and they end in idae.
Genus and species names then follow within the
families. Genus names are always capitalized and italicized, species
names are italicized. Genus/species names are usually Latin and at
times difficult, so many people use common names for familiar
insects. For example an Ascia rapae might be better known to
most of us as an imported cabbage worm. 4-H collectors need only
identify insects in their collections to Order and then common
name. Happy Bugging! P.S. Be sure and help us
get the word out to the Rock Eagle Delegates!     <hr> 
Dr. Michael R. Williams 
Entomology & Plant Pathology 
Box 9775 
Mississippi State, MS 39762-9775 
phone - 601-325-2085 
home - 601-323-5699 
FAX - 601-325-8837

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