In Europe, extensive work on wireworms has revealed taxonomic problems in the genus Agriotes. Since the investigations of Roberts (1922) after the First World War it has been possible for both field men and taxonomists to identify the larvae of A. sputator (L.), but the problem of separating A. obscurus (L.) and A. lineatus (L.) has persisted through all subsequent work. The European literature on Agriotes larvae deals extensively with the latter problem (Beling, 1883-84; Ford, 1916; Guéniat, 1934; Henriksen, 1911-12; Horst, 1922; Korschefsky, 1941; Mesnil, 1930; Rambousek, 1928; Schaerfienberg, 1943; Subklew, 1934; and Znamenskij, 1927), but none of the authors expresses satisfaction with the characters found.

Eight species of hymenopterous parasitoids were reared from field-collected house fly puparia. The three most abundant parasitoid species, Spalangia nigroaenea Curtis, S. endius Walker, and Muscidifurax raptor Girault and Sanders, were capable of parasitizing up to 90% of hosts at certain times of year. The Spalangia spp. were the most effective parasitoids during most of the fly breeding season. Changes in parasitoid species abundance and rates of parasitism were apparently due to temperature and other habitat conditions.

In the course of ecological work on black flies, some first-instar larvae that proved to be those of a species of Prosimulium were collected from trailing grass leaves in three streams in the Gatineau hills, seven miles north of Ottawa, in October, 1958. These larvae lack the head-fans (premandibular organs) characteristic of the later instars and of the larvae of most other black flies, and in this and other respects resemble those of Gymnopais Stone and Twinnia Stone and Jamnback. There is no reference in the literature to such a form and it seems clear that the first instar of Prosimulium was hitherto unknown.

Cold treatment is used to control the rusty grain beetle (Cryptolestes ferrugineus) (Coleoptera: Cucujidae), the predominant insect pest of stored grain in Canada. However, because it is difficult to cool the grain enough to control C. ferrugineus quickly, we have examined ways to reduce the cold-tolerance of adult C. ferrugineus, the most cold-hardy stage. We compared the efficacy of two ice nucleators, Pseudomonas syringae and Fusarium avenaceum, to decrease cold-tolerance of this insect, as well as their thermal stability. Ice nuclei from the bacteria P. syringae raised C. ferrugineus supercooling point from −17 to −6 °C, and increased mortality at −9°C for 24 h from 11 to 100%. Pseudomonas syringae held at 30°C for 16 weeks showed only a slight decline in its ability to reduce C. ferrugineus cold-tolerance. The fungus F. avenaceum raised the supercooling point of C. ferrugineus from −17 to −9°C, but only increased the mortality at −9°C for 24 h from 10 to 33%. Wheat treated with F. avenaceum and held at 30°C for 4 weeks reduced the cold-hardiness of C. ferrugineus, but had no effect after 8 weeks at 30°C. One reason for the difference between the two nucleators is that P. syringae had approximately 1000 times more ice nuclei per gram than did F. avenaceum. These results suggest that P. syringae is stable enough to reduce C. ferrugineus cold-tolerance after several weeks on warm grain. We discuss possible ways to increase the ice-nucleating activity of F. avenaceum.

The following notes are based on observations of young larvae from the time of hatching until they became established within the apples or were lost or dried.

The following descriptions of species and genera are based on specimens in the Canadian National Collection. As many of the species have been reared from harmful hosts by the Canadian Forest Insect Survey, descriptions are offered at this time to allow for accurate naming of these specimens. I am greatly indebted to H. J. Reinhard for the loan of material and his many notes on allied forms.

In 1994 and 1995 insects were collected from several sites in southern Manitoba, where purple loosestrife, Lythrum salicaria L., is dominant. Collection techniques included the use of trap plants, sweep netting, vacuum sampling, and hand collecting. Insects from 38 families were collected and grouped into four general feeding guilds: herbivores, predators, omnivores, and fungivores. Herbivores that directly fed on L. salicaria included Galerucella nymphaeae Linné (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), Myzus lythri (Schrank) (Homoptera: Aphididae), Poecilocapsus lineatus (Fabricius) (Hemiptera: Miridae), Kleidocerys resedae (Panzer) (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae), Ametastegia glabrata (Fallén) (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae), Orgyia leucostigma (Smith) (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae), Lophocampa maculata (Harris) (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae), Spilosoma virginica (Fabricius) (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae), Simyra henrici (Grote) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), Dichomeris ligulella (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), Melanchrapicta (Harris) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), Hyles galli (Rottenburg) (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae), and Biston betularia cognataria (Gn) (Lepidoptera: Geometridae). These herbivores cannot severely limit the density of purple loosestrife in southern Manitoba and any interactions with the introduced agents should be minimal. The predatory stink bug, Apoecilus bracteatus Fitch (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), was identified as a potentially important predator of the introduced biological control agents, Galerucella pusilla Duftschmidt and Galerucella calmariensis (L.) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae).

Pseudips mexicanus (Hopkins) is a secondary bark beetle native to western North and Central America that attacks most species of pine (Pinus L. (Pinaceae)) within its range. A pair of life-history studies examined P. mexicanus in other host species, but until now, no work has been conducted on lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta Douglas ex Louden var. latifolia Engelm. ex S. Watson). Pseudips mexicanus in lodgepole pine was found to be polygynous. Galleries were shorter, offspring smaller, and the eggs laid per niche and the potential progeny fewer than in populations from California and Guatemala. Development from the time of female attack to emergence of adult offspring took less than 50 days at 26.5 °C, and the accumulated heat required to complete the life cycle was determined to be 889.2 degree days above 8.5 °C, indicating that in the northern portion of its range P. mexicanus is univoltine. Determination of these life-history traits will facilitate study of interactions between P. mexicanus and other bark beetle associates in lodgepole pine.

A number of ketocatechols have been isolated and identified from acid hydrolysates of larval and pupal exuviae of the spruce budworm, Choristoneura fumiferana. The most abundant of these, 2-hydroxy-3′,4′-dihydroxyacetophenone, represented 5.8% of the dry weight of pupal exuviae, 4.6% of larval head capsules, and 0.3% of the remaining larval exuvium. This compound is thought to be the primary breakdown product arising from crosslinks between cuticular proteins and the aliphatic sidechain of a phenolic tanning compound. The yields therefore reflect the extent of β-sclerotization, one of two mechanisms proposed for the hardening of insect cuticle. Budworm is similar to other species with respect to the types of hydrolysis products recovered although three previously undescribed compounds were detected.

Taxonomically, the Cecidomyiidae (Gall Midges) are a difficult group. Many species have been described using colour of freshly killed specimens as the principal criterion for identification (Felt, 1907a). As dead specimens seldom retain their original colour, subsequent determinations based on this characteristic are almost impossible. Morphological characteristics which separate the genera are fairly distinct and therefore acceptable but those used to separate the species, namely, the number and shape of the antenna1 segments (Barnes, 1932), were found to be quite variable in the species studied. Species are more easily identified if, in addition to their morphology, something is known of their biology. In this paper, descriptions and notes on the biology of five gall midges from white spruce cones are given. In addition, the literature on all species from white spruce is reviewed.

Probit analysis of the dosage response of first instar, fruittree leafroller larvae to azinphos-methyl indicated that a strain from a commercial orchard in East Kelowna, B.C. was 7.8 times more tolerant than a susceptible strain. Azinphos-methyl applied to experimental apple blocks in the same area did not provide satisfactory control. Leafroller damage as high as 10.5% was found in several orchards which had received multiple azinphos-methyl and other organophosphorous insecticide treatments. The development of an organophosphorous resistant strain of fruittree leafroller in this orchard area is strongly suggested. Bacillus thuringiensis applied at the pink stage of apple blossom development gave adequate control of fruittree leafroller in East Kelowna field trials and will be suggested as the control material for commercial orchards in this area.

Although Rhopalosiphum padi L. was common on cereals and Gramineae in Ontario, only a small number of R. fitchii (Sand.) were found on one grass plant in 1961. Fundatrigeniae of R. padi from Prunus virginiana L. and of R. fitchii from Crataegus spp. and Malus spp. were transferred to oats and wheat on which alienicolae of R. padi multiplied rapidly, but R. fitchii very slowly. R. fitchii transmitted all but one of the isolates of barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) that R. padi transmitted to Clintland 60 oats, but fewer test plants became infected, the incubation period for symptom development was longer and symptoms were less severe when R. fitchii was the vector. Both species infected more test plants after a 5-day than after a 2-day acquisition feed on the virus source. It appears that R. padi, a common and efficient vector of BYDV, has frequently been mistaken for R. fitchii which is not common on cereals and not a highly efficient vector.

A dosage concept is proposed to explain differences in vector efficiencies of R. padi and R. fitchii. It is also suggested that strains of BYDV become ’adapted’ to transmission by a vector species.

Studies were conducted to evaluate the ability of six commercially available species of Trichogramma to parasitize eggs of tomato pinworm (TPW), Keiferia lycopersicella (Walsingham), and their potential use for biological control of TPW eggs. Of the six species, Trichogramma pretiosum Riley and Trichogramma brassicae Bezdenk parasitized the most TPW eggs (40–50%). Further studies assessed the effectiveness of T. pretiosum and T. brassicae as biological control agents for TPW eggs under controlled environmental conditions which simulated conditions that could be found during the greenhouse crop production season. Trichogramma pretiosum caused significantly higher mortality of TPW eggs than did T. brassicae at all parasitoid to host egg (P:H) ratios. Mortality caused by host feeding and stinging increased significantly with increasing P:H ratios for both species. Parasitism by T. pretiosum on TPW eggs was reduced significantly and mortality caused by feeding and stinging increased significantly at 28 °C, compared with those at 20 and 25 °C. No differences were found in parasitoid-induced mortality when T. pretiosum were offered 1-, 2-, or 3-day-old TPW eggs, but parasitoid-induced mortality was reduced significantly when parasitoids were offered 4- and 5-day-old TPW eggs. Based on these trials, a P:H ratio of between 1:1 and 10:1 is recommended for inundative releases of T. pretiosum for control of TPW on greenhouse tomatoes.

Since 1945, the European red mite, Metatetranychus ulmi (Koch) [=Paratetranychus pilosus (C. & F.)], has been one of the major pests in apple orchards in southwestern Quebec. Though it had been noted by Petch on fruit trees at Ville LaSalle, Que., in 1930 and at Lac Mégantic, Que., in 1931 it was not reported as causing serious injury to apple trees before July of 1945, when Beaulieu (1948) reported that it was responsible for the first important damage in a few orchards at Rougemont, Que. By 1946, infestations were general in the apple growing areas of southwestern Quebec and occurred as far east as the Quebec City district.

The range of the face fly, Musca autumnalis De Geer, has extended from the site of its first North American occurrence in Nova Scotia in 1952 to the northern half of the United States from coast to coast and every province in Canada. The first recorded appearance in Western Canada was at Virden, Man., in 1964 and it has since become established in eastern Saskatchewan. Face flies moved from Washington and Idaho into British Columbia in 1966. In 1967 they spread to most areas of the southern half of British Columbia and into southwestern Alberta through the Crowsnest Pass. Moisture and shade in pastures influenced the numbers of face flies seen on cattle and resulted in higher numbers than under dry prairie conditions.

Adult emergence of Simulium verecundum was reduced 75 to 100% by 0 001 to 0.1 ppm Altosid SR–10 at 25 ± 3 °C and 10 °C. No reduction in adult emergence was observed with 0.0001 ppm Altosid SR–10. 0.1 ppm of the granular R–20458 4–G reduced adult emergence 56 to 98% whereas 0.02 ppm was not effective. Exposure of black fly larvae to 0.1 ppm R–20458 4–G for 24 h gave a maximum of 50% reduction in adult emergence of those flies which had not pupated during the 24-h period.

Tenebrio molitor L. eggs in 15 age groups ranging from 0.5 to 7.5 days were irradiated with 10 dosages of gamma radiation ranging from 0.5 to 160 krad. The study showed that age had a pronounced effect on radiation-induced egg mortality. There was a 250-fold increase in resistance as eggs matured from 0.5 to 7.5 days as measured by the dosage required to produce an LD50.

In adult virgin females of the sugar beet wireworm, Limonius californicus (Mannerheim), the sex attractant (recently identified as valeric acid) is found primarily in the fifth and sixth abdominal segments. Ether extracts of virgin females and of females that had been mated for not more than 4 hours prior to death contained the highest concentration of the attractant. The concentration of attractant in mated females decreased as the post-copulatory interval increased. In the laboratory maximum sexual response was elicited from males exposed to as little as 0.008 female equivalent of attractant. Numerous thin-walled sensoria are present on the eight distal segments of the male antennae and apparently function as chemoreceptors. Response of males to the attractant was not affected by bilateral amputation of the five distal segments, decreased progressively with the amputation of segments 6 and 7, and was eliminated upon removal of segment 8. Males of L. californicus responded only to extracts of females of that species whereas males of Limonius canus (LeConte) responded to extracts of females of both species.

The relationship between temperature and rate of development is described for Cephalonomia stephanoderis Betrem, an imported ectoparasitoid of the coffee berry borer Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari).

For all stages, development rate increased linearly with temperature between 17 and 32°C. However, at 37°C both eggs and larvae died. When the parasitoid constructed a cocoon, the lower developmental threshold (t) varied from 11.8°C in the eggs to 14.2°C for pupae; when no cocoon was constructed, it varied from 11.8°C for the eggs to 14.3°C for pupae. The lower developmental threshold, from egg to adult, was 13.7°C (with cocoon) and 13.8°C (without cocoon). As these differences were small in relation to the standard errors of the estimates, they were not considered different. Because C. stephanoderis always constructs a cocoon under field conditions, the threshold temperature of 13.7°C seems to be the most suitable.

Physiological time expressed in degree-days (DD) for the egg to adult cycle of C. stephanoderis is 252.7 ± 45.3 DD (α = 0.05) when a cocoon is constructed, and 242.5 ± 35.1 DD (α = 0.05) when pupation occurs without construction of a cocoon.

The tolerance of young adult Rhyzopertha dominica (Fab) to sub-freezing temperatures, −5, −10, −12, −18, −21, and −25 °C, was studied. Mortality in test populations increased in proportion to amplification of both intensity and duration. The increase in mortality with respect to duration follows a sigmoid curve. Environmental stresses, i.e., intense cold and starvation, increase the slope of the curve. In all cases, starvation mitigates against survival. R. dominica dies of starvation in a period between 116 and 432 h. Mortality due to starvation plotted against time yields a sigmoid curve.

Inhibition in feeding was observed in starved populations after 20 min of exposure at −18 °C or lower. This inhibition led to death after 7 days and apparently occurred secondarily to a state of “stress-induced lethargy.” Stress-induced lethargy was observed only in organisms which were both starved and subjected to sub-freezing temperatures.