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| Collecting
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 | Insect Nets |
| Bait Traps |
Butterflies and other insects that are flying through the air, drinking
nectar from flowers, sitting on damp ground, etc. are caught with an 
insect
net. The net should be of a soft, sturdy, see-through material. The ring
diameter should be at least 12 inches. It is easier to collect flying insects if
the diameter is 15 inches. Butterflies are killed by pinching the thorax with
the thumb and index finger. The wings are then folded up over the body and
placed in individual envelopes.
In the lowland tropics many butterflies and some other insects are fruit
feeders. They feed on overripe mangoes, bananas and other fruits on the forest
floor. Many of these butterflies are canopy dwellers. They come down to feed
then fly back up again. A good way to collect these butterflies is with a
beer-banana bait trap. A
good mixture is 20 almost rotten bananas and a bottle
of beer. Let the mixture set for about two days in a plastic container.
The sides should be made of a strong material to withstand many days in the rain and sun. The top is covered with plastic so the insects don't get wet and light comes in. A slit is left about half way down so a hand can be put inside to take out the butterflies. The food is placed on a dish in the middle of the plywood base. The trap is hung at least three feet above the ground along a forest path or along a stream. The butterflies will smell the food, enter from the bottom, feed on the liquid mixture and then fly up. They stay near the top. The trap should be checked every other day to see if anything interesting has been collected and the rest of the butterflies left free.
Collecting at night should be done on a dark, moonless night, preferably
without stars so the nocturnal insects only see the 
ultraviolet
light. A sheet is hung between two trees and the black light hung in front. Any
nocturnal insect in the area will come and sit on the sheet for easy collecting.
It is best to stay awake all night because different insects fly at different
times of the night. Large moths are injected with ethyl acetate or ammonia.
Small moths are killed with small glass jars with ethyl acetate on a plaster of
paris bottom. The wings are folded up over the body and placed in individual
envelopes. Most other insects can be placed directly in a container of alcohol
or put in jars with ethyl acetate.
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