The subfamily Rhizoglyphinae is a group which was reclassified by the Russian Zoologist, A. A. Zakhvatkine, in 1937. As a result of his studies he became convinced that Oudemans' 1923-1932 classification of the Diacotricha was unstable and very artificial.

For quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides Michaux; Salicaceae) the rate of extrafloral (EF) sugar secretion is increased by defoliation and decreased by drought. Although wholesale blocking of EF nectar has been shown to reduce ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) visitation to aspen, the effect of more subtle and realistic variations in nectar availability on ant recruitment is unknown. Working in Alaskan boreal forest (United States of America), we reduced and supplemented EF nectar availability on potted aspen ramets of three genotypes and surveyed visitation by free-living Formica fusca (Linnaeus) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Ants were more responsive to a subtle increase in sugar availability than to a decrease. While nectar reduction had no effect on ant visitation, nectar supplementation increased ant visitation to one aspen genotype by 70% during an early summer trial. Average ant visitation to different aspen genotypes varied during the late summer, indicating that aspen genotype can influence attractiveness to ants. We conclude that natural induction of EF secretion in response to herbivory may benefit aspen through improved ant recruitment, though the response is dependent on aspen genotype and time of year. Differences among aspen genets in attractiveness to ants could influence the relative success of genotypes, especially in settings in which aspen regenerates from seed.

In the past, fumigation at temperatures much below 60°F. has not been widely advocated to control insect pests in unheated structures. The objections to such a practice have been based on a number of considerations which will be discussed later. The possibility of estending the schedule of treatments to lower temperatures is obviously of great importance in Canada, where the mean monthly temperatures in most parts of the country lie below 60°F. for 8 or 9 months of the year and where there are three or four months when the range is between 40° and 60°F.

Blacklight traps (BLT) are commonly used in trapping and monitoring systems (Harding et al. 1966), employing either a 12-V battery or commercial alternating current as the power source. Both power systems have major disadvantages. Batteries need to be recharged frequently (every 2–3 days), and the commercial alternating current system often restricts the BLT to locations that are not well suited for trapping or monitoring. We describe here a portable, solar-powered charging system for 12-V batteries, which we developed to overcome the disadvantages of these power systems.

During hurricane “Hazel”, on October 15, 1954, the Holland Marsh, Bradford, Ontario, was flooded with water to an average depth of about four feet. Some sections were covered by more than 10 feet of water and remained flooded for two to three weeks. Data from population studies on the carrot rust fly, Psila rosae (F.), conducted in the area by Miss J. B. Williams of the Ottawa laboratory from 1951 to 1953 and by the author in 1954 and 1955 provided an opportunity to determine whether the flood had affected the abundance of the insect.

Full-grown larva.—Length about one inch. As in most Catocala larvæ, seven stripes, the dorsal gray, lilac tinted; the next blackish-gray, paler on the middle of the joints; the next about the same colour, but tinted with the reddish-orange that forms the broad bordering lines between the stripes; the next also blackish and below this dull orange. The bordering lines on the back whitish, distinct white on the folds; lateral fringe orange tinted. Piliferous spots orange, the posterior pair to each joint more prominent than the anterior pair; the anterior pairs on joints 6 to 8 paler. The posterior part of joint 9 elevated and white between the spots; back of the elevation, and reaching down to the legs, orange tinted black. Head dull lilac-gray, mottled with white, a blackish patch above on each side and in front two black spots on each side. Venter yellowish-white, with black patches in centre of joints.

I first made the acquaintance of Papilio brevicauda in Cape Breton in the summer of 1936 when engaged on an Insect Faunal Survey of this region. We (i.e., my assistant Mr. T. N. Freeman and myself) had made our head-quarters at the picturesque town of Baddeck on Little Bras d'Or Lake and on the afternoon of July 12th I decided to row over to the small island opposite the town, which forms the eastern side of the harbour; this island is heavily wooded down to the water's edge except for a small strip of sandy beach on the Irest side, which is grown over with various coarse grasses and numerous low plants, chief among which is a flourishing colony of lovage (Ligusticum scothicum), a plant which to my knowledge does not accur on the mainland in this region.

Sparrow Lake is an expansion of the Severn river, situate a little south of lat. 45° and east of 80° longitude. Gelogically, this part of Ontario belongs to the Laurentian formation, and that of a very rugged type. The southwest side of the lake, where these coleoptera were taken, save in a few spots among the rocks, is wholly uncultivated and uncultivable to the Georgian Bay, a distance of from 20 to 30 miles. Till recently it sustained an immense forest growth, mostly pine, which has now disappeared, and has been succeeded by a dense and almost impenetrable jungle of briars and bushes of many deciduous species.

A mating suppression bioassay, an electroantennogram study, and a lure attractancy study demonstrated the sensitivity of the Croesia curvalana (Kft.) moth to the female sex pheromone. Mating suppression of 98% was achieved with source concentrations of 30 μg of either (E)- and (Z)-11-tetradecenal (95:5) or the natural pheromone blend of (E)- and (Z)-11-tetradecenal (90:10) + (E)- and (Z)-11-tetradecenyl acetate (85:15) (aldehyde:acetate = 9:1), and was 60% with a source concentration of 0.6 μg. Source concentrations of the minor component acetate, ranging from 15 to 0.6 μg, produced mating suppressions of from 78 to 38%. Male antennae responded to source concentrations of 2 × 10−10 mg (E)- and (Z)-11-tetradecenal (90:10) and antennal saturation occurred at 2 × 10−4 mg. Little female response was found at any age. Polyvinyl chloride lures releasing 1–2 ng/h captured males at approximately the same rate as did virgin moths. Release rates as low as 8 ng/h reduced trap capture from the 4 ng/h release rate found to be most effective under prevailing environmental conditions using Pherocon 1C traps. Results from these studies suggest C. curvalana could be a candidate for pheromone-based field mating suppression.

Seven species of Turdidae (Aves: Passeriformes) in Manitoba, Canada were examined for chewing lice (Phthiraptera) in 1993–2019: Turdus migratorius (N = 570), Catharus ustulatus (N = 135), Catharus guttatus (N = 49), Catharus minimus (N = 12), Catharus fuscescens (N = 1), Sialia sialis (N = 4), and Sialia currucoides (N = 3). Five species of lice on T. migratorius had a prevalence of 24.0% and a mean intensity of 16.7. Overall prevalence for lice on C. ustulatus, C. guttatus, and C. minimus was 25.0%–59.2%; mean intensity was 7.0–23.3. On S. sialis, the prevalence was 50.0%; mean intensity was 10.0. No lice infested C. fuscescens or S. currucoides. Infestation parameters for each louse–host combination are provided. Louse infestations were highly aggregated. Female lice were more prevalent than males, especially for Ricinus elongatus (Phthiraptera: Amblycera: Ricinidae) infesting T. migratorius (eight males; 81 females), or there was no significant deviation from 50:50. Infestation parameters were higher for adult T. migratorius than for juveniles or feathered chicks but not significantly so. Mean intensity was greater in spring than in fall. Louse abundance was lower than on hosts of similar size in Manitoba and lower than on thrushes in other studies.

Hemichroa americana, Provancher.

(The alder saw-fly).

Descirbed as a Dineura, but the lanceolate cell is contracted in the middle, not petiolate. The second recurrent nervure is received very near the end of the second submarginal cell, almost at the intersection of second and third submarginal cells.

Among the acari there are many species that damage food products (Sinha 1964; Solomon 1936; Cunnington 1965). However, very little information is available on the effect of fumigation on these organisms. Amaro (1963) developed a technique for the fumigation of the eggs of Acarus siro L. that exploits some of the behaviour patterns and preferences of that species. Since this method cannot be applied to Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Schrank), a pest of stored products, an attempt was made to seek other methods by which eggs of this species of a reasonably uniform age could be obtained for fumigation.

The wing beat frequencies (WBF) and flight durations of the face fly, Musca autumnalis De Geer (Diptera: Muscidae), were evaluated at 1, 3, 5, 7, 11, and 14 days post-eclosion. For flight tests, flies were tethered magnetically using magnetic primer paint. WBF were measured stroboscopically. The average WBF for one-day-old flies was significantly lower compared with the average WBF of all other age groups for both female and male face flies. Based on our results, male and female face flies require more than 24 hours post eclosion to reach a WBF of over 167 beats per second and continuously fly for more than 10 minutes. Age was a significant factor towards WBF. The present study is the first to report laboratory descriptions of face fly flight capabilities. The benefits of the magnetic paint tether (MagPaT) method are discussed.

The water scavenger beetle, Hydrophilus acuminatus (Motschulsky) (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae), has two types of feeding modes: carnivorous during the larval stage and omnivorous during the adult stage. To investigate how the beetles detect food, larvae were provided with pond snails and snail visceral mass and adults were provided with algae and thawed blood worms. Larvae found snails and visceral mass hidden in the filter paper (only “smell” could be used); however, visceral mass was found 22–27 minutes sooner than snails, 40–53 minutes. Time to find the visceral mass that was exposed (all senses could be used) or hidden (only “smell” could be used) showed similar values, 5.4–8.0 or 7.6–8.5 minutes, respectively. Adults found algae exposed on the filter paper in 54 ± 73 minutes (mean ± standard deviation), whereas no adults found the algae hidden in the filter paper. In contrast, all adults found the thawed blood worms in the exposed (10.3 ± 13 minutes) and hidden conditions (11.0 ± 12.7 minutes). Adults did not show feeding behaviour towards the algae or thawed blood worms in the transparent microtube (only “sight” could be used). These suggest that larvae use smell, whereas adults use smell and touch and/or taste to detect their food.

In Vol. XXV., p. 253, I gave some account of the dimorphism of P. Bairdii, mainly from the observations and experiments of Mr. David Bruce. From what he had seen at Glenwood Springs, Coloradom he had satisfied himself that not only Bairdii and Oregonia were one species, but that P. Hollandii, Edw., formed part of the same. Though the two first named differ in facies more decidedly that do Turnus and Rutulus, and Rutulus and either Eurymedon or Daunus. Hollandii looks on the upper side like Bairdii, but beneath, while in general like Bairdii, the yellow spots are larger, making the surface much gayer.

In feeding tests with 20 different dry foodstuffs, some, usually those of high carbohydrate content, permitted Tribolium confusum jacquelin du Val to survive and develop reasonably well. Differences between the sugar content of Sugar Pops and Corn Flakes were probably the reason for better growth on the former than on the latter. Moreover, raisins and bran, i.e. Raisin Bran, was a better food than Bran Flakes. The hygroscopic properties of dehydrated peaches and of pineapple juice soon rendered them unfit as food for T. confusum. It is apparent that though some modern dry foodstuffs that lend themselves well as stored products may be highly susceptible to insect attack, others seem to be “self-protected” from serious insect infestation. This suggests that stored food products might be packaged and handled selectively according to their susceptibility rating and so result in obvious economies in their handling.