Butterflies and Moths (British)Furneaux, William S.
Science
Butterflies and Moths (British)
Furneaux, William S.
Butterflies -- Great Britain; Moths -- Great Britain
For this work both hands must be free, and this is easily managed in
spite of the number of appliances called into service. The lantern is
slung round your neck and secured by a strap round the chest. The
'sugaring net' has a very short stick, and just while you are engaged in
boxing specimens, it may be gently held against the trunk by a slight
pressure of the body. But such precautions as these are necessary only
when the night worker is out alone. There are many circumstances,
however, that render the work of two or more in company much more
enjoyable than that of a single-handed entomologist. The labours are
considerably expedited where a division enables each one of the night
ramblers to take a particular portion of the work; and if there is such
a person as a nervous entomologist, that individual should on no account
go a sugaring in lonely spots on dark nights. Every rustling leaf gives
such a one a start; all footsteps are those of approaching disturbers of
the peace; and when at last the invisible landowner or his keeper,
attracted by the mysterious movements of the lamp, greets him with his
gruff 'What's your business here?' then for the moment he forgets his
enchanting hobby and wishes he were safely at home.
It is certainly advisable to take a friend, whether an entomologist or
not, on such expeditions; and if you intend working on private grounds,
always make previous arrangements with the property owner, that you may
fear no foes and dread no surprises; for a sugarer is far more sure of
success in his work if he keeps a cool head and has nothing to think
about for the time being but his moths and his boxes.
A few hours at this interesting employment pass away very rapidly, and
when midnight arrives there is often no great desire to leave off,
especially when it is known that some species of moths are not very busy
till very late at night. Still it is not advisable to surfeit oneself
with even the sweets of life. Perhaps it is better as a rule to work the
early species only on one night, and reserve another for the later ones.
The searchings are then always carried on with vigour throughout, and
the labours that are thus never made laborious ever retain their
attractiveness in the future.
It has often been observed that, when sugaring has been carried on for a
few successive nights in the same locality, the success is greater each
night than on the one preceding it. Hence it is a common practice to
work a chosen 'run' for two, three, or more nights in succession; and
some collectors even go so far as to lay on the bait for a night or two
previous to starting work. For the same reason it is often advisable to
continue the use of a fairly productive beat rather than to wander in
search of a new one.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account