Butterfly net

Apparatus for capturing insects comprising:

• a handle comprising a cylindrical wall and an elongated slot extending through the wall;
• a loop of flexible material projecting outwardly from one end of said handle;
• a net having an open peripheral end comprising a hemline loop slidably mounted on said loop of flexible material with a first portion threaded though said hemline loop and a second portion extending outside the hemline loop;
• guide means mounted on one end of the handle and comprising shoulders defining a pair of space-restricted passageways through which the second portion of the strip is guided;
• a cylindrical actuator slidably movable on the handle member and having a projection on the actuator extending through the slot and into one of the passageways, the projection having a nose portion within the passageway, said actuator movable between a first position in which the second portion extends a short distance into the opening and the first portion is of one length causing the peripheral end of the net to be fully open, and a second position in which the second portion extends a greater distance into the opening and the first portion is of a length shorter than the one length causing the peripheral end of the net to be at least partially closed for capturing an insect, such nose portion having a pair of oppositely directed laterally extending lugs, and the second portion comprises a pair of strip ends connected to the pair of lugs.