An earlier report on summit ant swarms (Chapman, 1954b) presented data and observations based on first-hand studies and results from 256 questionnaires returned, in 1952, from observers at mountain-top fire lookout stations in the western U.S.A. (Fig. 1). In 1953, questionnaires were again sent to fire lookout observers, including some in western Canada, together with specimen boxes for samples from summit ant swarms. A total of 318 of these forms were returned, of which 235 were accompanied by samples of ants. This is a final report on the material supplied by lookout observers, together with a few additional comments on the phenomenon.

Growth and survival rates for larvae and pupae of Aedes vexans (Meigen) were measured in the laboratory at constant temperatures of 10°, 15°, 20°, 25°, and 30 °C. Growth rates in all stages increased with temperature except for 1st stage larvae which developed marginally faster at 25°C than at 30°C. The shortest stage at all temperatures was the 2nd, followed in most cases by the 3rd, 1st, and 4th larval stages, and then pupae; pupae and 4th stage larvae took markedly longer to develop at low temperatures. Average survival rate was about 99% every 3 h for larvae and 98% for pupae. At 10° and 15°C, 1st and 2nd stage larvae survived no better than later stages, but at the higher temperatures survival to the 3rd stage larva was better than 90% but decreased markedly in the 3rd and 4th stages. Overall survival was highest at 25°C. Mosquitoes reared at 10°C did not pupate, while those reared at 30 °C pupated but adults did not emerge.

These laboratory data were used in a computer program whose output under field temperature regimes was compared with events in the field. The program works in 3 h time-steps. Rate of development varies with temperature and utilizes a modification of the algorithm of Stinner et al. (1975); the modification removes time as the independent variable in the development equation. Mortality rates are constant at 1% every 3 h for larvae and 2% for pupae. The program’s predictions for graduation from one stage to the next in the field population were all within about 13 h of the observed times and at the start of the pupal stage after 400 h, the output was running 13 h slow. The program appears to run slow at median temperatures below 10 °C and fast at median temperatures above 14°C. Events in the laboratory rearings are offered as possible explanations for these discrepancies. Predicted population size was close to that observed until the late 4th stage larva, from which point it deviated markedly. Pupal mortality in the field was much higher than in the laboratory.

Eucosma gloriola Heinrich is distinguished from E. sonomana Kearfott, a closely related species, by using differences in morphology and distribution. E. gloriola is notably smaller in alar expanse and in size of male genitalia. The distribution of E. gloriola follows closely the natural range of eastern white pine (Pinus strobus L.), while E. sonomana follows that of ponderosa pine (P. ponderosa Laws.).Eucosma gloriola overwinters in the pupal stage in the soil. Adults emerge from late April to mid-May in eastern and southern areas, and from late April to early June in northern areas. The insect passes through five larval instars within a pine shoot. Larvae emerge from shoots and drop to the ground in early July in eastern and southern areas, and somewhat later in northern areas.Symptoms of attack and injury by E. gloriola in two- and five-needle pines are distinct from those of other eastern shoot and tip moths. The destruction of leaders is the most important injury since stunted and deformed trees result from repeated attack.Large-scale chemical control methods as required in reforestation plantings of Christmas trees are difficult to achieve. Glypta sp. was the most abundant of five parasites reared from the eastern pine-shoot borer.

Methods for detection and monitoring invasive insect species are continually being refined and developed. Detecting invasive pests early can improve chances of eradication or management of populations. Aerial malaise traps are successfully used in monitoring for insects such as longhorned beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) and bark and ambrosia beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae). These traps have both a top and bottom collecting cup. The bottom portion of these traps leading to the collection cup collects canopy litter at a high rate, greatly increasing time required to sort through and possibly affecting the diversity and abundance of insects captured. Traps with top and bottom collecting cups were compared with traps with only top collecting cups to determine the effect on species richness and abundance of cerambycids and scolytines. There was no significant difference in species richness and abundance of cerambycids, and abundance of scolytines, however species richness of scolytines was significantly higher in top/bottom traps. We conclude that removing the bottoms from aerial malaise traps would benefit monitoring programmes that use this type of trap in combination with funnel traps, albeit with the potential loss of information on scolytine richness.

The toxicities of 14 insecticides to selected larval stages of the Douglas-fir tussock moth were determined with a laboratory spray chamber. The toxicities of 10 were also determined in feeding bioassays. Younger instars were, in general, more susceptible to the toxicants. Significant differences in population response from 1973 to 1977 precluded a rigid interpretation of relative toxicity values in relation to the standard for comparison, DDT. Spray volume, formulation, and the presence of rhodamine B dye significantly affected toxicities of two of the materials, carbaryl and trichlorfon. The degree of exposure of larvae to bioethanomethrin and carbaryl significantly affected mortality.

A flightless strain of Drosophila melanogaster Meig. was used with a dry-film bioassay technique for the analysis of dieldrin residues in wheat grain. The flightless fruitflies were much more convenient to handle than a wild strain and the use of a slippery plastic barrier on collecting and sorting dishes avoided the need for immobilising flies by cold or CO2. Experimental evidence is given for the adoption of standardised breeding and handling systems for controlling certain intrinsic factors in the fly population. Also, by controlling such extrinsic factors in the bioassay system as the number of flies per test vial, replication, and holding temperature, a satisfactorily reproducible LD50 of 0.015 μg. dieldrin per vial was obtained. When this technique was applied to the analysis of dieldrin residues in wheat grain, 0.01-0.10 ppm. dieldrin could be conveniently assayed after chromatographic cleanup of a solvent extract of the grain. The accuracy of the bioassay estimates has been confirmed by gas-chromatographic analysis.

Visible Implant Elastomer (VIE) has previously been used successfully to tag individuals in a variety of marine and amphibious animals, earthworms, and scorpions. Visible Implant Elastomer tags were injected into third instars of the blow fly Calliphora vicina Robineau-Desvoidy (Diptera: Calliphoridae) to test its compatibility and retention across life stages. Injecting into the dorsal midline of the 11th segment (seventh abdominal segment) produced survival rates of 80%, with no significant difference in the subsequent rate of development (z = 0.21, P = 0.83) as compared with untagged insects. Tags remained visible and allowed identification of individuals within a feeding, intermingling aggregation (maggot mass), especially when a high-contrast fluorescent colour was used. Tags were retained across life-stage changes and were easily found in dissected adults.

Parasitic Hymenoptera in all parts of the world exhibit many striking color patterns. These patterns are differentiated into groups according to the locality, size and habits of the insect.

The really small species, i.e. those under 4 mm. long, can hardly be said to have a color pattern at all, and have virtually no regional differentiation anywhere except for a general prevalence of darker coloration in cool climates and paler in warm climates. In tropical regions many of the smaller Hymenoptera are confined to the shady interior of forests. These species often exhibit a disruptive pattern consisting of white spots at the tip of the antennae and the tip of the hind legs or ovipositor. These white spots show strikingly against a dark forest background and serve to draw attention away from the body of the insect itself. Such disruptive patterns are seldom found in temperate fhest species of the smallest sizes but are common in large sized forest-dwelling ichneumonids in all parts of the world.

Two publications dealing with the seasonal development of species of Conophthorus have appeared in recent years. Lyons (1956) reported on a study of C. resinosae Hopk. in red pine, Pinus resinosa Ait., in Ontario, whereas Ruckes (1958) gave the details of his observations on C. radiatae Hopk. in Monterey pine, Pinus radiata D. Don, in California. Both species attack the developing cones of the host tree, although Lyons found that C. resinosae would develop in the shoots of red pine, and occasionally attacked the second-year cones of jack pine as well. The jack pine-inhabiting species, however, has been found almost exclusively in the shoots; only seven second-year cones that had been mined were collectcd during two years of investigation.

Female midges were reared in isolation and allowed to produce unfertilized eggs. Some egg batches of Chironomus atrella, C. attenuatus, and C. stigmaterus showed evidence of parthenogenesis. In C. attenuatus 733 unhatched embryos and 191 hatched larvae were counted among approximately 9771 eggs produced by 12 females. In attempts to rear them, some of the parthenogenetic larvae attained the fourth instar.

The seed-corn maggot, Hylemya cilicrura (Rond.), is a cosmopolitan pest and feeds on a wide range of hosts. The maggots cause extensive damage to seeds and seedlings of beans, soybeans, peas, corn, and cucurbits. Hitherto laboratory investigations have been hampered because the maggot has been very difficult to rear continuously.

Biological studies have indicated that such diverse diets as soybeans (Harukawa et al., 1934), cottonseed meal and fish meal (Reid, 1940), and potato (Leach, 1926) serve to rear the maggot to the adult stage. However, it has been difficult to maintain an adult colony for the time required for mating and oviposition. Reid (1940) used field-collected flies as a source of eggs in his experiments, but failed to get a second generation. Successive generations were reared by Ristich (1950), who provided a high protein diet for adults held in glass cages; in attempts to follow this method at Chatham, only one complete generation could be reared. A more satisfactory method of rearing the species continuously is described in this paper.

Since the publication of my revision of the genus Exenterus (U. S. Dept. Agr. Misc. Pub. No. 354, 1940) several pertinent items of interest have come to my attention.

From the Canadian Department of Agriculture, through G. Stuart Walley, I have received specimens of two undescribe species, one in considerable nnmbers, the other represented by only a single specimen.

The life histories of Nemoura besametsa, Epeorus deceptivus, Epeorus longimanus, and Ephemerella coloradensis are described as "fast seasonal" types and Arcynopteryx aurea, Nemoura cinctipes, Nemoura columbiana, Nemoura oregonensis, Cinygmula ramaleyi, Ephemerella doddsi, and Rhithrogena doddsi as "slow seasonal" types according to Hynes’ (1961) classification. All of the species are univoltine with the exception of N. cinctipes which may be bivoltine. There seems to be a correlation between life cycles and food availability. A means of ecological separation in the four Nemoura species is elucidated. Stream temperature was found to influence growth rates.

The response of the western balsam bark beetle, Dryocoetes confusus Swaine, to subalpine firs, Abies lasiocarpa (Hook.) Nutt., baited with (±)-exo-brevicomin (EXOB) or 9:1 blends of EXOB and endo-brevicomin (ENDOB), in two chiral combinations: (+):(±) and (+):(+), was assessed in a heavily infested stand in British Columbia. Unbaited control trees were not attacked, and the proportion of mass-attacked baited trees was similar for all other treatments. However, trees baited with the (+):(+) blend had the highest number of attacks per square metre, and they were also surrounded by the most attacked trees. The (+):(±) blend was intermediate in attractancy, and (±)EXOB was the least attractive bait. Pheromone-based management of D. confusus infestations may be more effective with the 9:1 blend of (+)EXOB:(+)ENDOB than with the previously used (±)EXOB baits.

Drooz and Solomon (1980) demonstrated that the thelyotokous egg parasite, Ooencyrtus ennomophagus Yoshimoto, could be reared on host eggs stored at −10°C for long periods but they did not investigate the relationship between the age of a multivoltine host's eggs prior to storage and production of parasites. For eggs not stored, Kaya and Anderson (1976) stated, “Only eggs collected before embryonation occurred produced O. ennomophagus.” Bustillo and Drooz (1977) showed a decline in production of the egg parasite Telenomus alsophilae Viereck as age of eggs of the multivoltine geometrid Oxydia trychiata (Guenée) increased. Fedde et al. (1979) also expressed the importance of using fresh host eggs to maintain high rates of parasitism by T. alsophilae on the multivoltine geometrid Eutrapela clemataria (J. E. Smith). We report here that cold treatment of the eggs of E. clemataria alters them, making them more suitable for mass rearing of O. ennomophagus after embryonation has begun.

Swaine and Craighead (1924) have presented evidence that outbreaks of the spruce budworm occurred in Eastern Canada in 1806 and in 1878. In those days the wood supply appeared to be unlimited and the forest represented, to some extent, an obstacle that had to be removed so that the land could be cultivated. Balsam fir, the tree principally affected by the budworm, was seldom used for lumber when spruce was available. It can hardly be considered, therefore, that these early outbreaks caused much direct economic loss. If the trees had not been killed by the budworm, over-maturity and related factors would have removed them to make way for a new stand. In fact, were it not for the undesirable effects of budworm outbreaks on subsequent forest composition, it might even be argued that they were beneficial under certain conditions.

Records of bumble bees from four collecting trips (1977, 1978, 1988, and 1994) in northern Britain show apparent changes in the incidences of two species. Until 1988, Bombus muscorum (Linnaeus) and Bombus pascuorum (Scopoli) were found in the counties of Cumbria, Durham, and North Yorkshire. Only B. muscorum was found in the Orkney Islands in 1978. In 1994, however, B. pascuorum was found abundantly in all of these areas, and in the Orkney Islands we could find only a single B. muscorum. From these data, B. pascuorum appears to have been replacing B. muscorum in some parts of northern Britain.

Since Neodiprion swainei Midd. overwinters within cocoons in the soil, it is necessary for the population ecologist to sample the forest floor. One-footsquare units of soil have been used for sampling cocoons in population studies of N. swainei in the Province of Quebec. After removal from the forest floor the samples were placed individually in cotton bags for shipment to the laboratory. The ordinary method to extract cocoons required that the samples be first broken up by hand, then passed over various-sized screens to eliminate the sand and other small particles. Following this, each sample was carefully manipulated and scrutinized by one worker and the cocoons removed, then similarly re-examined by another worker. Best results were obtained when the samples were dry.

The life histories of many of the Geometridae are not well known; those of a few economic species in the Ennominae have been worked out but many more remain to be studied. Life-history notes on the following seven species are presented: Semiothisa granitata Gn., S. sexmaculata Pack., Eufidonia discospilata Wlk., Melanolophia canadaria Gn., Campaea perlata Gn., Selenia alciphearia Wlk., and Caripeta divisata Wlk. The larvae of all these have been described; those of Selenia and Campaea were described by Dyar (1899 and 1903) and the remainder by McGuffin (1943a, 1943b, 1944, 1945, and 1947).

The species discussed below was first recorded under the name Synetaeris n. sp. as a parasite of the spruce budworm, Choristoneura fumiferana Clem., in Ontario by McGugan and Blais (1959), although they point out that it may have been collected from budworm in British Columbia during the 1940's but incorrectly identified at that time. These authors collected S. tenuifemur during the declining years of a budworm outbreak in the Lake Nipigon region of northwestern Ontario, and it was during the declining years of a severe outbreak that the parasite was first reared from budworm in the Green River area of north-western New Brunswick (Morris, 1963, in press). These data suggest that S. tenuifemur is associated with endemic budworm populations, an assumption advanced by McGugan and Blais (1959). However, it was not found in the Green River area from 1945 to 1947 when budworm density was at a low level prior to the 1949-1959 outbreak.