Beetle Collecting 101

Beetle Collecting 101: Collection Space Saving Tip

/ Ted C. MacRae / 4 Comments

In any insect collection, space is expensive and, thus, almost always at a premium—especially a large, self-funded, private collection such as mine. As a result, I am constantly looking for creative ways to maximize space efficiency. The photo here shows a technique I’ve adopted that works especially well for “leggy” beetles. Rather than lining them up “knee-to-knee” and wasting space between the specimens, I line them up “knee-to-elbow” by orienting every other specimen head downward. Of course, one can always simply tuck the legs and antennae underneath the body. However, this manner of mounting not only obscures the underside, but, in my opinion, looks rather sloppy and aesthetically unpleasing.

Unit trays of Plinthocoelium suaveolens.

I have a few other tricks I use to maximize not only space in my collection but also its athletics that I may show here in future posts. However, if you have tips and tricks of your own, I’d love to hear them in the comments below.

©️ Ted C. MacRae 2021

Beetle Collecting 101: Fermenting bait traps for collecting longhorned beetles

/ Ted C. MacRae / 38 Comments

One of the most useful collecting techniques for those interested in longhorned beetles (families Cerambycidae and Disteniidae) is fermenting bait traps. I was first clued into the use of such traps soon after I began collecting these beetles in the early 1980s and encountered a series of rather old publications by A. B. Champlain and S. W. Frost detailing their usefulness and the diversity of species found to be attracted to them. Champlain & Kirk (1926) listed 15 species of Cerambycidae attracted to bait pans containing a mixture of molasses and water. This list was expanded to 37 species by Champlain & Knull (1932), who noted that a mixture of one part molasses to ten parts water in a gallon-pail seemed to give the best results. Frost & Dietrich (1929) listed 20 species captured with a mixture of one part molasses to 20 parts water. Twelve of the species they mentioned were not listed by Champlain & Knull (1932), and the list of Frost (1937) included two additional previously unrecorded species.

I made extensive use of fermenting bait traps during my 1980s survey of longhorned beetles in Missouri (MacRae 1994) using a mixture of one part molasses, one part beer, nine parts tap water, and a sprinkling of dry active yeast to start fermentation. This recipe was based on that of Champlain & Knull (1932) (although I must confess that I do not remember where I got the idea to add beer and yeast). During that study, I collected 13 species of longhorned beetles using this method and found in other collections specimens of three additional species also collected with fermenting baits. Of the species I collected, the most significant was a large, attractive Purpuricenus that closely resembled P. axillaris (which was also collected in the traps) but clearly was not that species. These eventually proved to be undescribed after I was able to examine type material in the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard University, leading to a review of the genus in North America and the description of the new species as P. paraxillaris (MacRae 2000). Since then I’ve employed fermenting bait traps to collect Cerambycidae in other parts of the country (MacRae & Rice 2007), and I now have records of 72 species of U.S. Cerambycidae documented as being attracted  to fermenting baits.

Molasses-beer fermenting bait trap

Molasses-beer fermenting bait trap.

My interest in this technique was renewed some years ago when I finally succeeded in collecting the spectacular Plinthocoelium suaveolens in fermenting bait traps placed on glades in extreme southwestern Missouri. During my Missouri survey, I had done the bulk of my bait trapping along the edges of glades just south of St. Louis in Jefferson County, and while I had a record of this species in those glades I had never collected it there myself. Finally, last year I observed one of the host trees (gum bumelia, Sideroxylon lanuginosum) on these glades with the characteristic P. suaveolens larval frass pile at the base of the trunk, prompting a renewed effort this past season to collect the species there using fermenting bait traps. In early June I placed a series of traps at Valley View Glades Natural Area (~4 miles NW of Hillsboro) and Victoria Glades Natural Area (~2.5 miles S of Hillsboro). At both locations four traps were placed along the upwind interface between dry, post oak woodland and dolomite glades. Traps were spaced about 50–100 yards apart and hung to ensure exposure to sunlight but minimize the chance they would be discovered by vandals. Each trap consisted of a 2-L plastic bucket with a small hole drilled near the rim on each side and a length of wire attached to allow hanging from a nail in the side of a tree. Two baits were used: 1) molasses/beer, and 2) red wine. The molasses/beer recipe was based on Guarnieri (2009)—more concentrated that what I have used previously, and was prepared by combining a 12-oz (355 mL) jar of dark molasses with an approximately equal volume of tap water in a 1-L plastic bottle, agitating thoroughly, and bringing to one liter volume with tap water. At the trap site, about 500 mL of diluted molasses was added to the trap, followed by a 12-oz can/bottle of beer and one-half of a 7-g packet of dry, active yeast. Red wine bait was a cheap jug variety, undiluted, with about 500 mL added to the trap. Molasses/beer and red wine were alternated in the traps at each location and replaced every two weeks or if excessively diluted by rain or evaporated during hot, dry conditions. Traps were checked weekly from early June to mid-September by pouring the trap contents through a kitchen strainer over an empty bucket and transferring beetles with forceps to empty vials. Once back at the vehicle, tap water was added to each vial and the vial agitated to rinse the specimens and remove bait residue. The water was decanted and the beetles blot-dried with paper towels before transfer to clean vials containing tissue and ethyl acetate to halt decay and maintain the beetles in a relaxed state for pinning.

Cerambycidae from fermenting bait trap

A charismatic trio of Cerambycidae from fermenting bait traps at Victoria Glades: Purpuricenus paraxillaris (left), Plinthocoelium suaveolens (center), and Stenelytrana emarginata (right).

A note about my preferred trap design. I have always used open-top buckets (previously 1-G metal, now 2-L plastic), but “window jugs” (i.e., ½-G milk or juice jugs with holes, or “windows”, cut in the sides) are also commonly used. I have not directly compared buckets with window jugs; however, I favor buckets because I believe beetles attracted to window jugs are more likely to “perch” on the trap itself rather than fall directly into the bait. I also believe that beetles, once trapped, are more likely to escape from window jugs because the window edges provide “grab” sites for beetles before they succumb. The risk of escape can be reduced if the bait surface lies well below the bottom edge of the windows, but this then limits the quantity of bait that can be used. In my experience, 500–750 mL is the minimum volume of bait that is needed to last the duration of the two-week fermentation cycle without evaporating to the point that it is not deep enough to quickly submerge beetles falling into it. Some may be concerned that open-top buckets are prone to dilution by rain, but in my experience this happens infrequently and I have not noticed diluted bait to be any less effective at attracting beetles. Rain shields, on the other hand, only serve to provide a potential perch for beetles attracted to the trap.

Plinthocoelium suaveolens

Plinthocoelium suaveolens captured in flight near its host tree, gum bumelia (Sideroxylon lanuginosum), at Victoria Glades.

A total of 558 longhorned beetles representing 16 species were collected from the traps over the course of the season (see list below). Of these, 339 specimens representing 14 species were attracted to molasses/beer, while 219 specimens representing 14 species were attracted to red wine. Ten species were represented by more than two specimens and were attracted to both bait types, the most desirable being Plinthocoelium suaveolens (41 specimens), Purpuricenus axillaris (20 specimens), P. paraxillaris (3 specimens), and Stenelytrana emarginata (6 specimens). The number of P. suaveolens collected is remarkable, considering that it was not collected during my previous trapping effort spanning several years in the 1980s. It may be significant that 1) the molasses/beer recipe used in this study was considerably more concentrated than that used in the 1980s, and 2) nearly twice as many specimens were collected in red wine (not used in the 1980s) compared to molasses/beer. I routinely examined the gum bumelia trees during my weekly visits in an attempt to find adults on their host, especially during flowering, but encountered only a single adult in flight near one of the trees—a curious result given the diurnal habits and large, conspicuous appearance of the adults. All other species collected in numbers were more attracted to molasses/beer, with the significant exception of Purpuricenus paraxillaris. Seven species taken this season were not detected with fermenting bait traps in the 1980s, bringing to 23 the number of species collected by this method in Missouri. One species, Strangalia sexnotata, is documented from fermenting bait for the first time in this study.

2015 fermenting bait trap catch

2015 fermenting bait trap catch, box 1 of 3 (click to enlarge).

2015 fermenting bait trap catch, box 2 of 3 (click to enlarge).

2015 fermenting bait trap catch, box 2 of 3 (click to enlarge).

2015 fermenting bait trap catch

2015 fermenting bait trap catch, box 3 of 3 (click to enlarge).

Longhorned beetle species and numbers taken in fermenting bait traps in 2015—most to least abundant (MB = molasses/beer, RW = red wine):

  1. Elaphidion mucronatum – 254 (MB = 176, RW = 78)
  2. Eburia quadrigeminata – 145 (MB = 73, RW = 54)
  3. Plinthocoelium suaveolens – 41 (MB = 14, RW = 27)
  4. Neoclytus scutellaris* – 32 (MB = 26, RW = 6)
  5. Parelaphidion aspersum – 26 (MB = 18, RW = 8)
  6. Purpuricenus paraxillaris – 20 (MB = 6, RW = 14)
  7. Orthosoma brunneum – 13 (MB = 8, RW = 5)
  8. Neoclytus mucronatus* – 8 (MB = 6, RW = 2)
  9. Stenelytrana emarginata* – 6 (MB = 5, RW = 1)
  10. Purpuricenus axillaris – 3 (MB = 2, RW = 1)
  11. Enaphalodes atomarius – 2 (MB = 1, RW = 1)
  12. Strangalia famelica solitaria* – 2 (MB = 2, RW = 0)
  13. Typocerus velutinus* – 2 (MB = 1, RW = 1)
  14. Xylotrechus colonus* – 2 (MB = 0, RW = 2)
  15. Elytrimitatrix undatus – 1 (MB = 1, RW = 0)
  16. Strangalia sexnotata** – 1 (MB = 0, RW = 1)

* Not previously reported at fermenting baits in Missouri.
** Not previously reported from fermenting baits anywhere.

With regards to other insects, no attempt was made to quantify their occurrence or diversity, but a few interesting specimens were collected. Elateridae (click beetles) and other beetles were notable by their absence, in contrast to the great diversity recorded from by Champlain & Knull (1932). Flower scarabs were the exception, with two Euphoria inda and a moderate series of E. sepulchralis taken only in red wine traps. The most common non-beetle insects encountered were moths, flies, and stinging wasps, for which molasses/beer seemed to be much more attractive than red wine. The majority of the wasps were Vespidae, but a few large Crabronidae (one Sphecius speciosus and two Stizus brevipennis, I think) and at least two species of Pompiliidae were collected (see box 3 image above).

The diversity of longhorned beetles collected this season was undoubtedly influenced by habitat selection for trap placement (interface between dry, post-oak woodland and dolomite glade). Different habitats would likely yield different species, although prior experience seems to suggest that traps placed in open woodlands are more productive than those placed in dense forests. Recently thinned forests may have good potential due to an abundance of dead wood from thinning operations and trees stressed by sudden exposure to sunlight. Plans are currently underway to place traps (both molasses/beer and red wine) in a variety of wooded habitats during the 2016 season.

REFERENCES:

Champlain, A.B. & H. B. Kirk. 1926. Bait pan insects. Entomological News 37:288–291 [Biodiversity Heritage Library].

Champlain, A. B. & J. N. Knull.  1932. Fermenting bait traps for trapping Elateridae and Cerambycidae (Coleop.).  Entomological News 43(10):253–257.

Frost, S. W. 1937. New records from bait traps. (Dipt., Coleop., Corrodentia). Entomological News 48:201–202 [Biodiversity Heritage Library].

Frost, S. W. & H. Dietrich. 1929. Coleoptera taken from bait-traps. Annals of the Entomological Society of America 22(3):427–436 [abstract].

Guarnieri, F. G. 2009. A survey of longhorned beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) from Paw Paw, Morgan County, West Virginia. The Maryland Entomologist, 5(1):11–22 [pdf].

MacRae, T. C. 1994. Annotated checklist of the longhorned beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae and Disteniidae) known to occur in Missouri. Insecta Mundi 7(4) (1993):223–252 [pdf].

MacRae, T. C. 2000. Review of the genus Purpuricenus Dejean (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in North America. The Pan-Pacific Entomologist 76:137–169 [pdf].

MacRae, T. C. & M. E. Rice. 2007. Distributional and biological observations on North American Cerambycidae (Coleoptera). The Coleopterists Bulletin 61(2):227–263 [pdf].

© Ted C. MacRae 2015

Beetle Collecting 101: How to rear wood-boring beetles

/ Ted C. MacRae / 13 Comments

I’ve been collecting wood-boring beetles for more than three decades now, and if I had to make a list of “essential” methods for collecting them I would include “beating,” “blacklighting,” and “rearing.” Beating is relatively straightforward—take a beating sheet (a square piece of cloth measuring 3–5 ft across and suspended beneath wooden, metal, or plastic cross members), position it beneath a branch of a suspected host plant, and tap the branch with a stick or net handle. Many wood-boring beetles tend to hang out on branches of their host plants, especially recently dead ones, and will fall onto the sheet when the branch is tapped. Be quick—some species (especially jewel beetles in the genus Chrysobothris) can zip away in a flash before you have a chance to grab them (especially in the heat of the day). Others (e.g., some Cerambycidae) may remain motionless and are cryptically colored enough to avoid detection among the pieces of bark and debris that also fall onto the sheet with them. Nevertheless, persistence is the key, and with a little practice one can become quite expert at efficiently collecting wood-boring beetles using this method. Blacklighting is even easier—find the right habitat (preferably on a warm, humid, moonless night), set up a blacklight in front of a white sheet, crack open a brew, and wait for the beetles to come!

Rearing, on the other hand, takes true dedication. One must not only learn potential host plants, but also how to recognize wood with the greatest potential for harboring larvae, retrieve it from the field, cut it up, place it in rearing containers, and monitor the containers for up to several months or even years before hitting pay dirt (maybe!). Despite the considerable amount of effort this can take, the results are well worth it in terms of obtaining a diversity of species (usually in good series), some of which may be difficult to encounter in the field, and identifying unequivocal larval host associations. I have even discovered two new species through rearing (Bellamy 2002, MacRae 2003)! Moreover, checking rearing containers can be a lot of fun—in one afternoon you can collect dozens or even hundreds of specimens from places far and wide, depending on how far you are willing to travel to collect the wood. Because of the effort involved, however, the more you can do to ensure that effort isn’t wasted on uninfested wood and that suitable conditions are provided to encourage continued larval development and adult emergence from infested wood the better. It is with this in mind that I offer these tips for those who might be interested in using rearing as a technique for collecting these beetles.

I should first clarify what I mean by “wood-boring” beetles. In the broadest sense this can include beetles from any number of families in which the larvae are “xylophagous,” i.e., they feed within dead wood. However, I am most interested in jewel beetles (family Buprestidae) and longhorned beetles (family Cerambycidae), and as a result most of the advice that I offer below is tailored to species in these two families. That is not to say that I’ll turn down any checkered beetles (Cleridae), powderpost beetles (Bostrichidae), bark beetles (family Scolytidae), or even flat bark beetles sensu lato (Cucujoidea) that I also happen to encounter in my rearing containers, with the first two groups in particular having appeared in quite good numbers and diversity in my containers over the years. Nevertheless, I can’t claim that my methods have been optimized specifically for collecting species in these other families.

First, you have to find the wood. In my experience, the best time to collect wood for rearing is late winter through early spring. A majority of species across much of North America tend to emerge as adults during mid- to late spring, and collecting wood just before anticipated adult emergence allows the beetles to experience natural thermoperiods and moisture regimes for nearly the duration of their larval and pupal development periods. Evidence of larval infestation is also easier to spot once they’ve had time to develop. That said, there is no “bad” time to collect wood, and almost every time I go into the field I am on the lookout for infested wood regardless of the time of year. The tricky part is knowing where to put your efforts—not all species of trees are equally likely to host wood-boring beetles. In general, oaks (Quercus), hickories (Carya), and hackberries (Celtis) in the eastern U.S. host a good diversity of species, while trees such as maples (Acer), elms (Ulmus), locust (Gleditsia and Robinia), and others host a more limited but still interesting fauna. In the southwestern U.S. mesquite (Prosopis) and acacia (Acacia) are highly favored host plants, while in the mountains oaks are again favored. Everywhere, conifers (Pinus, Abies, Juniperus, Tsuga, etc.) harbor a tremendous diversity of wood-boring beetles. To become good at rearing wood-boring beetles, you have to become a good botanist and learn not only how to identify trees, but dead wood from them based on characters other than their leaves! Study one of the many good references available (e.g., Lingafelter 2007, Nelson et al. 2008) to see what the range of preferred host plants are and then start looking.

I wish it were as simple as finding the desired types of trees and picking up whatever dead wood you can findm but it’s not. You still need to determine whether the wood is actually infested. Any habitat supporting populations of wood-boring beetles is likely to have a lot of dead wood. However, most of the wood you find will not have any beetles in it because it is already “too old.” This is especially true in the desert southwest, where dead wood can persist for very long periods of time due to low moisture availability. Wood-boring beetles begin their lives as eggs laid on the bark of freshly killed or declining wood and spend much of their lives as small larvae that are difficult to detect and leave no obvious outward signs of their presence within or under the bark. By the time external signs of infestation (e.g., exit holes, sloughed bark exposing larval galleries, etc.) become obvious it is often too late—everything has already emerged. Instead, look for branches that are freshly dead that show few or no outward signs of infestation. You can slice into the bark with a knife to look for evidence of larval tunnels—in general those of longhorned beetles will be clean, while those of jewel beetles will be filled with fine sawdust-like frass that the larva packs behind it as it tunnels through the wood. Oftentimes the tunnels and larvae will be just under the bark, but in other cases they may be deeper in the wood. Broken branches hanging from live trees or old, declining trees exhibiting branch dieback seem to be especially attractive to wood-boring beetles, while dead branches laying on the ground underneath a tree are not always productive (unless they have been recently cut).

One way to target specific beetles species is to selectively cut targeted plant species during late winter, allow the cut branches to remain in situ for a full season, and then retrieve them the following winter or early spring. These almost always produce well. Doing this will also give you a chance to learn how to recognize young, infested wood at a time that is perfect for retrieval, which you can then use in searching for wood from other tree species in the area that you may not have had a chance to cut. I have cut and collected branches ranging from small twigs only ¼” diameter to tree trunks 16″ in diameter. Different species prefer different sizes and parts of the plant, but in general I’ve had the best luck with branches measuring 1–3″ diameter.

Once you retrieve the wood, you will need to cut it into lengths that fit into the container of your choice (a small chain saw makes this much easier and quicker). In the field I bundle the wood with twine and use pink flagging tape to record the locality/date identification code using a permanent marker. I then stack the bundles in my vehicle for transport back home. Choice of container is important, because moisture management is the biggest obstacle to rearing from dead wood—too much moisture results in mold, while too little can lead to desiccation. Both conditions can result in mortality of the larvae or unemerged adults. In my rearing setup, I use fiber drums ranging from 10-G to 50-G in size (I accumulated them from the dumpster where I work—mostly fiber drums used as shipping containers for bulk powders). Fiber drums are ideal because they not only breath moisture but are sturdy and may be conveniently stacked. Cardboard boxes also work as long as they are sturdy enough and care is taken to seal over cracks with duct tape. Avoid using plastic containers such as 5-G pickle buckets unless you are willing to cut ventilation holes and hot-glue fine mesh over them. While breathable containers usually mitigate problems with too much moisture, desiccation can still be a problem. To manage this, remove wood from containers sometime later in the summer (after most emergence has subsided), lay it out on a flat surface such as a driveway, and hose it down real good. Once the wood has dried sufficiently it can be placed back in the container; however, make sure the wood is completely dry or this will result in a flush of mold. I generally also wet down wood again in late winter or early spring, since I tend to hold wood batches through two full seasons.

I like to check containers every 7–15 days during spring and summer. Some people cut a hole in the side of the container that leads into a clear jar or vial—the idea being that daylight will attract newly emerged adults and facilitate their collection. I’ve tried this and was disappointed in the results—some of the beetles ended up in the vial, but many also never found their way to the vial and ended up dying in the container, only to be found later when I eventually opened it up. This is especially true for cerambycids, many of which are nocturnal and thus probably not attracted to daylight to begin with. My preference is to open up the container each time so that I can check the condition of the wood and look for evidence of larval activity (freshly ejected frass on the branches and floor of the container). I like to give the container a ‘rap’ on the floor to dislodge adults from the branches on which they are sitting, then dump the container contents onto an elevated surface where I can search over the branches and through the debris carefully so as not to miss any small or dead specimens. I use racks of 4-dram vials with tissue packed inside each and a paper label stuck on top of its polypropylene-lined cap as miniature killing jars. Specimens from a single container are placed in a vial with a few drops of ethyl acetate, and I write the container number and emergence date range on the cap label. Specimens will keep in this manner until they are ready to be mounted weeks or months (or even years) later. If the vial dries out, a few drops of ethyl acetate and a few drops of water followed by sitting overnight is usually enough to relax the specimens fully (the water relaxes the specimens, and the ethyl acetate prevents mold if they need to sit for a while longer).

I store my containers in an unheated garage that is exposed to average outdoor temperatures but probably does not experience the extreme high and low temperatures that are experienced outdoors. In the past I wondered if I needed more heat for wood collected in the desert southwest, but I never came up with a method of exposing the containers to the sun without also having to protect them from the rain. Metal or plastic containers might have eliminated this problem, but then breathability would again become an issue. I would also be concerned about having direct sun shining on the containers and causing excessive heat buildup inside the bucket that could kill the beetles within them. Now, however, considering the success that I’ve had in rearing beetles from wood collected across the desert southwest—from Brownsville, Texas to Jacumba, California, this seems not to be a big issue.

If anybody else has tips for rearing wood-boring beetles that they can offer, I would love to hear from you.

REFERENCES:

Bellamy, C. L. 2002. The Mastogenius Solier, 1849 of North America (Coleoptera: Buprestidae: Polycestinae: Haplostethini). Zootaxa 110:1–12 [abstract].

Lingafelter, S. W. 2007. Illustrated Key to the Longhorned Woodboring Beetles of the Eastern United States. Special Publication No. 3. The Coleopterists Society, North Potomac, Maryland, 206 pp. [description].

MacRae, T. C. 2003. Agrilus (s. str.) betulanigrae MacRae (Coleoptera: Buprestidae: Agrilini), a new species from North America, with comments on subgeneric placement and a key to the otiosus species-group in North America. Zootaxa 380:1–9 [pdf].

Nelson, G. H., G. C. Walters, Jr., R. D. Haines, & C. L. Bellamy.  2008.  A Catalogue and Bibliography of the Buprestoidea of American North of Mexico.  Special Publication No. 4. The Coleopterists Society, North Potomac, Maryland, 274 pp. [description].

Copyright © Ted C. MacRae 2014

Beetle Collecting 101: How to pin a beetle

/ Ted C. MacRae / 16 Comments

It has been a long time since I initiated my Beetle Collecting 101 series (more than two years!), and to date the first issue—Beetle Collecting 101: Dress for Success—remains the one and only lesson that I’ve posted. I really had intended to follow that up with nittier-grittier posts on the actual mechanics of collecting beetles and processing the specimens for long-term preservation, but I didn’t and don’t know why other than to say, well… life happens. It’s never too late to fix something, however, so as a long overdue follow up I thought I would give a short video lesson on how to pin a beetle—specifically a cerambycid (longhorned) beetle. Featured in this short (4:31) video is the lovely Megacyllene decora (amorpha borer), which I found back in early September at a site in Missouri’s southeastern lowlands. Click the image to be directed to the video.

Copyright © Ted C. MacRae 2012

Beetle Collecting 101: Dress for Success

/ Ted C. MacRae / 61 Comments

For most of the nearly 3 decades that I’ve been collecting insects, beetles have been my primary interest – first longhorned beetles, then jewel beetles, and now more recently tiger beetles (each taxon an addition, not a replacement!). During that time, I’ve learned a thing or two about the art of collecting – some of which I’ve figured out for myself, much more a result of my good fortune to have spent time in the field with the likes of Gayle Nelson, Chuck Bellamy, and a number of other learned entomologists.  In view of this, I thought there might be interest in an occasional post on some aspect of my approach to collecting beetles. With that, I introduce my new series, “Beetle Collecting 101,” and since it all starts in the field, this first installment will consider my basic outfit for field collecting. Although my focus is beetles (and specific groups of beetles at that), this basic outfit is widely applicable across most insect groups. There are a number of additional items that I can and do bring into the field with me at various times depending on location and season or for specific collecting techniques (e.g., beating, blacklighting, pitfall/bait trapping, etc.) that won’t be covered here – these additional items could be covered in future posts if this post indicates sufficient interest. Other future post ideas I had include rearing, specimen processing (everything from pinning and labeling to batch processing and storage methods), and collection organization/curation. Comments and suggestions welcome.

Beetle Collecting 101: Dress for Success

A well-dressed entomologist. Photo by Rich Thoma.

Beyond the needed equipment, the primary considerations for my field outfit are lightweight, comfortable, and protective.  I can spend hours away from the truck in extreme conditions or rugged terrain (or both!), so I want clothing that stays comfortable no matter how much I exert myself.  It is also tempting to carry more equipment than is necessary – this only adds weight and limits the ground that can be covered.

  1. Insect net – duh!  This is an absolute necessity for nearly all but the purely flightless species.  I highly recommend an extendable net handle – I keep mine collapsed (3′ length) for normal use and extend it out to 6′ when stalking tiger beetles or other wary, flighty species.  The collapsed net handle is also a good length and weight to serve as a beating stick when I am carrying a beating sheet (not shown).  I use an aerial net bag, since I don’t do much sweeping anymore – match the bag to your interests.  Of the three common ring diameters for aerial nets, I find the 15″ to be more effective than the 12″, while the 18″ is a little unwieldy.  Green fabric is said to be not as visible to insects as white, thereby allowing closer approach before they attempt to flee, but I do not have any experience with this.  I have collected quite a lot of beetles with my white net bag and appreciate the ability to see the contrast of the insect inside the bag when attempting to remove it.
  2. Hunting knife.  If you’re interested in wood-boring beetles, you’ll want to be able to slice into dead branches suspected of harboring insects.  I like the classic folding Buck Knives Ranger and attach it to the strap of my waist pack (#8) rather than my belt so that it will move with the pack when I swing the pack around backside.
  3. Hat.  If the sun doesn’t bother you, the flies will.  Wear something light and comfortable that will absorb sweat – I like my 2-decades old Mombosok for this (and because I be stylin’!), but those with greater sun sensitivity (or who live in tropical environments) might do better with a brimmed hat.
  4. Backpack.  Before my camera carrying days, this was a Camelbak hydration pack with a good-sized but not overly large water reservoir and zippered pouches with newspaper for placing host plant samples for pressing.  A backpack isn’t really necessary for short forays or mild conditions but is essential for hiking longer distances in hot/dry climates where there is real risk of dehydration.  Many regard backpacks as uncomfortable; however, I find slinging water containers attached to the waist equally annoying and also cumbersome to deal with when crouching or laying.  These days, however, I carry full camera gear in my backpack (camera body, multiple lenses, extension tubes, flash unit).  This adds weight, but it only took a day or two during my first field trip to get used to it.  I still use the camera pack for carrying water, as the front compartment has room for two water bottles or a Camelbak bladder, and my pack also contains a separate zippered compartment where I can still place plant samples for pressing.
  5. Lightweight t-shirt.  I used to wear buttoned fishing shirts over an undershirt, thinking the undershirt would keep perspiration off my skin, while the pockets on the outer shirt would come in handy for holding small items.  In reality, things fall out of the front pockets, and both under- and outer layers would become soaked with sweat.  Now I wear simple 100% cotton t-shirts – artfully emblazoned with an image of Cicindela ancosisconensis by Kirk Betts at The Wild Edge (and leaving no doubt to curious onlookers as to what I am up to).  I find these simple  shirts to be the most comfortable in the most extreme conditions.
  6. Hand axe.  Again, if you’re interested in beetles that live in wood, an axe will be handy for chopping into wood too large or hard to sample with a hunting knife.  Smaller is better (to limit weight), and rather than using a leather holster (which will become soaked with sweat and stretched out), I simply slip the handle under the strap of my waist pack and let the head of the axe rest on the strap to hold it in place.
  7. GPS Unit.  You do record GPS coordinates for your specimens, don’t you?!  I just got a new one for my birthday (Garmin Oregon 450t) with computer download capabilities – no more manual transcribing of data!  Again, I attach it to my waist pack strap rather than my belt.
  8. Waist pack.  I use the very compact Eagle Creek Wayside, with two zippered pouches and an unzippered side pouch to hold all my vials and small tools.  I’ve tried a number of different methods for holding these items – they fall out of shirt pockets whenever you bend over, are not readily accessible when in a backpack, and do not stay organized in a non-compartmented pack.  I have developed a system of vials that serve as both killing bottles and storage containers (this alone could be the subject of another post) – 4-dram vials for most specimens and 8-dram for larger ones.  This waist pack holds 8 small and 6 large vials in the front pouch – with the two sizes kept separate by a divider.  Being able to carry numerous vials allows me to segregate insects by host plant or ecological association, and most importantly, vials in this pouch stay organized so I can easily find the proper vial when I need it.  The larger rear pouch is roomy enough to hold two small olive bottles (for the occasional behemoths or blacklighting), forceps, aspirator, and miscellaneous other items – or, if I’m in the mood to collect wood for rearing (also could be the subject of another post), pruning shears, small folding saw, twine, flagging tape, and permanent marker.  A small side pouch is perfect for keeping a hand lens and an eye dropper bottle of ethyl acetate killing agent at the ready.  Also, the pack easily swings around to my backside when I need to crouch or lay prostrate (e.g., when photographing tiger beetles).
  9. Lightweight polyester/cotton outdoor pants.  I’m fond of the Columbia line of products, but whatever brand you choose, make sure they are lightweight, have a relaxed fit (to allow crouching) and dry quickly (no denim jeans for me!).  The last thing I want is chafing from sweat-soaked pants – yikes!  (Let’s just say lesson learned the hard way).
  10. Hiking boots.  Again, lightweight and comfortable are key, and because of the sometimes rugged terrain I traverse I like mid-ankle support so I can watch for bugs instead of constantly watching my feet.  The lighter the boot, the longer you’ll be able to hike with comfort, and leather uppers will provide greater protection from thorns.

I hope you’ve found some useful tips here.  If you have your own techniques or experiences with field outfits, I’d love to hear them.  Also, if you have subjects that you would like covered in future issues of “Beetle Collecting 101,” please do let me know.

Copyright © Ted C. MacRae 2010

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