The American dog tick, Dermacentor variabilis (Say) is abundant in many localities throughout the coastal plains of eastern United States (Bequaert, 1946) and according to Lewis (1960) occurs in sparse numbers as far north as the Bangor area in Maine. In Canada, it is found from Saskatchewan to Nova Scotia (Gregson, 1956) but seemingly only in small numbers and in widely separated areas east of Manitoba. The published information on its occurrence in Nova Scotia is limited to a single record by Twinn (1944) who mentioned that male and female American dog ticks in “considerable numbers” were taken at the upper waters of the Sissiboo River in Digby County. Since its presence in western Nova Scotia in infestation numbers does not appear to be generally known outside that province, it is felt that a note on our observations on D. variabilis might be of interest.

We show that Lasioglossum mediterraneum (Blüthgen) (Hymenoptera, Halictidae) is a species distinct from L. laticeps (Schenck) based upon electrophoretic analysis of 39 allozyme loci for sympatric populations collected from the Dordogne region of France. The genetic identity between the two is below average for sibling species of insects: no fewer than 10 fixed allelic differences were found. In contrast, allopatric L. laticeps populations (from the Dordogne and Paris) are genetically almost identical (I = 0.998). Heterozygosity estimates for both species are low, as is often the case with Hymenoptera. Diagnostic characteristics that can be used to separate the two species are described. A phylogeny for nine species of the subgenus Evylaeus is constructed from allozyme data.

Embryological development and hatching for the red turnip beetle, Entomoscelis americana Brown, were studied at 20 °C. In eggs kept at this temperature for > 12 days, embryological development proceeded until a late stage embryo was formed, at which time the embryo entered diapause for the winter. The time required for 50% of the eggs to reach the late embryo stage was estimated to be 11 days. The late embryo stage was not reached before winter in eggs kept at 20 °C for < 11 days, but most of them survived and hatched. Embryogenesis proceeded normally after winter without any apparent adverse effects, and hatching was delayed by the amount of time required to complete embryogenesis. Although it was not essential for the eggs to reach the late embryo stage to overwinter successfully and hatch, a critical minimum stage of development had to be reached during embryogenesis for the eggs to survive. The critical minimum stage of development occurred in the germ band formation stage and was reached during the first 1.5 days of embryogenesis. Most of the eggs laid from 1 to 15 September 1980 and kept outdoors reached the late embryo stage before winter and hatched the next spring; those laid from 15 September to 15 October reached the critical minimum stage of development before winter and also hatched successfully; and those laid after 15 October did not hatch, because they apparently had not reached the critical minimum stage. An evaluation of the data for the eggs kept outdoors and of atmospheric air temperature data suggested that embryo death due to eggs not reaching the critical minimum stage of development before winter normally should not be an important factor in the population dynamics of E. americana in the rapeseed- and canola-growing areas of western Canada. The ecological significance of the data is discussed.

Seven species of Aradophagini are classified in three genera. Aradophagus Ashmead includes A. fasciatus (USA, Canada, Europe) A. pulchricornis n. sp. (Mexico, USA), and A. microps n. sp. (South India). Ladora n. gen. includes L. brunnea n. sp. (type-species: Morocco, Mallorca, Gambia), L. maura n. sp. (South Africa), and L. trjapitzini n. sp. (Central Asia). Abuko n. gen. with A. sarotes n. sp. (type-species: Gambia). The tribe Aradophagini is redefined and its taxonomic position in the family Scelionidae is discussed. Keys to genera and species of Aradophagini are given.

The Colenis of the United States and Canada are reviewed. Three new species are described: Colenis (Colenis) bifida n.sp., Colenis (Colenis) stephani n.sp., and Colenis (Colenis) ora n.sp. The Colenis subgenus name Carcharodes Hlisnikovsky is preoccupied: Colenodes is proposed as a replacement name.

This study determined the importance of Ophiostomatales fungi in the biology of individual adult Ips sexdentatus Boern. in Scots pine. We investigated factors possibly involved in success of rearing without Ophiostomatales, such as the sterilization technique, the presence of antibiotics, and the absence of yeasts. After sterilization of pupae, 866 adult beetles were reared in the media; the proportion of Ophiostoma-free mature adults was 99.2% and total mortality was about 13%. The most preferred rearing method used sterilized pupae which moulted on moistened filter paper and were transferred individually to separate vials where maturation took place on a sterilized phloem medium.The weight and size of Ophiostoma-free mature adults from semi-artificial media and, after establishment in logs, their fecundity and length of their egg galleries, were compared with those of naturally contaminated mature beetles obtained from logs. With the exception of a higher weight observed for adults matured in semi-artificial media, no essential difference was observed between the two groups. Ophiostomatales do not appear to play an essential role in the maturation and fecundity of I. sexdentatus adults.

Fossil oribatid mites were recovered from the Paskapoo Formation exposed along the Red Deer River valley near Blackfalds (fossil insect site 1, 12UUP 171 030). The fossils are Late Paleocene (approximately middle Tiffanian) in age (Fox in press). Other adult and immature fossil insects collected from the same locality reported by Mitchell and Wighton (1979) inhabited a mixed forested environment with associated low-energy, shallow, fresh water. The climate at the time of deposition is suggested by Wighton (1980, 1982) to have been warm-temperate to subtropical. The 11 adult and seven immature fossil mites (Fig. 1 specimen no. UAPC6186) are associated with an unidentified fossil insect larva and two chironomid fly pupae on the underside of a compression-impression fossil leaf of “Viburnum” cupanioidea (Newbeq) R. W. Brown (Caprifoliaceae). Most structures on the larvae are obscured, but the size (length 220–240 μm, width 140–150 μm), absence of dark pigmentation, presence of 3 pairs of legs, and general appearance closely resemble oribatid mite larvae (Fig. 2a,b). The adult specimens have several characteristics in common with the extant genus Hydrozetes. The triangular prodorsum lacks microsculpture and narrows to a pointed rostrum (Fig. 2c,d). Examination of the bothridial area in two specimens indicates that the bothridium is reduced and the sensillus is not present. The legs are monodactylous (Fig. 2d,e) and pteromorphae are absent. The notogastral margin is incomplete anteriorly and bears a round, concave area that probably represents the lenticulus. The size (length 495–520 μm, width 325–355 μm) and general habitus of the fossil mites closely resemble those of extant Hydrozetes species.

Seven years of field evaluation has shown the alfalfa blotch leafminer, Agromyza frontella (Rondani), to be of minor economic importance in Vermont. Although response to certain insecticidal treatments resulted in highly significant reduction in leaf mining at time of cut, no other differences were shown. Analyses of fiber content as measured by lignin, cell wall constituents, acid detergent fiber, quality as measured by % protein and % digestibility, and yields in dry weight (kg/ha) showed no significant differences. Comparison of leaflet dehiscence from field-cured and baled samples failed to indicate differences between blotched and healthy alfalfa.

Two imported parasite species, Chrysocharis punctifacies Delucchi and Dacnusa dryas (Nixon), are established within the state; we predict that these parasites combined with native species will effect a decline in alfalfa blotch leafminer levels below any conceivable economic threshold.

The last instar and pupa of Pyropyga nigricans (Say, 1823) are described, illustrated, and compared to those of Pyropyga modesta Green, 1961; these species differ in the color pattern of the pronotum and abdominal tergites, and the morphology of the maxilla and labium. Larvae of the genus Pyropyga Motschulsky, 1852 are compared to those of the genera Lamprohiza Motschulsky, 1853, Lucidota LeConte, 1833, and Phosphaenus Laporte, 1833 (all belonging to the tribe Photinini but to different subtribes); on the basis of general body shape and morphology of the head capsule, antennae, and mouthparts, larvae of the genus Pyropyga seem more closely related to those of the genus Lucidota than to those of the other two genera.

Incidental to the collecting of ticks and other animal parasites in the Bitterroot Valley of Southwestern Montana, a number of nests of magpies. Pica pica hudsonicus, and a nest of the common crow, Corvus brachyrhynchos, were examined particularly for blood sucking dipterous larvae, Protocalliphora spp.

Many new species of Typhlodromus were described in recent years and these can readily be assigned to the species groups established by Chant (in press). Recently I received some slides of mites collected by Dr. Stanley Flanders, Citrus Experiment Station, Riverside, California, in Hong Kong in 1953. These mites are of the subgenus Typhlodromus as defined by Chant (1957), of a hitherto undescribed species that does not fall into any of the groups listed and that is of particular importance to those interested in the systematics of the Phytoseiidae.

Male moths of Aegeria tibialis Harris, a lepidopterous pest of poplar cutting beds in nurseries, were strongly attracted to virgin females and to mixtures of Z3, Z13-octadecadien-1-ol and its acetate. Extracts of female abdominal tips yielded two fractions stimulatory to male antennae. These fractions corresponded to a C18 alcohol and a C18 acetate. Electroantennogram measurements using synthetic chemicals demonstrated that appreciable male antennal stimulation occurred only with C18 compounds having Z-unsaturation at positions 3 or 13, indicating that the synthetic sex attractant may be the natural pheromone of this species.

In studies of sawflies, the family Pamphiliidae has been much neglected especially from the morphological stand point. Yuasa (1922) made a study of the larvae, but the genus Cephalcia was dealt with rather briefly. Ross (1937) and Benson (1945) made comparative morphological studies of the adults and showed the phylogenetic position of the family. More recently, Middlekauff (1953) published a description of Cephalcia marginata, a pine web-spinning sawfly which was the subject of the present study.

The genus Roederioides was erected by Coquillett in 1901 for the single species juncta Coquillett, described from Saranac Inn, New York. The species has since been recorded only from Mt. Washington, New Hampshire. A second species has been described from the Madeiras by Frey. This paper describes five new species from North America and presents a revised description of the genus.

The type of the genus, juncta, was collected in association with black flies, and recent collections have been made from black fly swarms. It is possible that juncta, and possibly other species of the genus, are predators of black flies, both as adults and as larvae.

For 100% mortality, concentrations of potassium capricate, 0.0009 to 0.005 M, are very effective insecticides against Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus), particularly larvae, in the laboratory (23.00° ± 0.1 °C) within 1 to 5 days. And likewise potassium capricate, 0.001 to 0.002 M, and variously applied capric acid per se are effective against native mosquitoes in water pools in the field (5°–16 °C). With dosage–mortality tests of potassium capricate in the laboratory, larval mortality in A. aegypti was directly dependent on concentration, time, and age, tolerance increasing with age of the larvae. Although pupae seemed little affected, about 60% of the adults formed died during eclosion in 0.003 to 0.005 M mostly within 3 days. Admittedly these substances kill fish, crustaceans, and other insects, but in the field, treated pools soon regained living inhabitants. Some evidence shows that capric acid may be the least liable to endanger fish. Advantageous properties of these long-recognized insecticides include that both kill mosquitoes, both are easily biodegraded to harmless simple components, and both are readily metabolized by mammals.

In recent rearings by officers of the Entomological Branch several new species of Braconidae have been secured as well as records of species hitherto little known in Canada. The writer wishes to express his indebtedness to Dr. C. W. F. Muesebeck for his assistance in examining three of the species described below. Paratypes of all the species are deposited in the United States National Museum.

Spruce budworm infested stands of white spruce and balsam fir were aerially sprayed with an entomopox virus, a nuclear polyhedrosis virus (NPV), a low dose of fenitrothion, and the two virus–chemical insecticide combinations. Long-term assessment of the efficacy of the treatments showed that NPV + a low dose of fenitrothion suppressed the budworm population density particularly on balsam fir below that causing economic damage for 3 years due mainly to transmission of the virus from one generation to the next and maintenance of natural control agents in the population.

Canola plants in 0.84-m2 field plots were exposed to 120 bertha army worm larvae per square metre, beginning at mid 5th instar, for increasing durations. Yield loss increased with feeding duration throughout the feeding period whereas the proportion of pods damaged increased rapidly at first then leveled at 45%. Pod damage was negatively correlated with plot yield but the regression was not statistically significant. More seed shelled from plants with damaged pods than from plants with no pod damage under field conditions simulating drying in the swath. Seed from damaged pods had greater proportions of green and broken seeds causing lower seed grade and these defects were evident in seed from plots with 21% or more damaged pods. Although control measures for bertha armyworm should not be undertaken before pod damage is observed, a control decision should be made before 20% of the pods are damaged.