Robinsonia Grotei, sp. nov.—Head white, posteriorly shaded with yellow. Collar white, with a central brown spot. Thorax brown, with a central white line; patagia white, larerally edged with brown. Abdomen dorsally brownish-yellow, with a subdorsal row of small white spots, and a lateral row of small black spots; underneath whitish. Primaries above white, with the margins broadly brown, except at the apex, where the white extends to the fringe; an oblique brown band, from the costal margin at a third from the base to the inner angle, separates the white into two large spaces. Secondaries white, Primaries underneath white, showing indistinctly the markings of the upper surface.

Melaphis rhois Fitch (Hemiptera: Aphididae) has been considered the only North American representative of the aphid subtribe Melaphidina. Molecular and morphometric analysis indicates that there are at least three sympatric cryptic melaphidine species in North America. Melaphis asafitchinew species is described and M. rhois is redefined and a neotype designated. The name Melaphis minuta Baker cannot be assigned to either of these species. Details of the life cycles of Melaphis Walsh species, including the existence of ovoviviparity in sexual females, is discussed.

The European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis Hübner, continues to be a consistent economic pest of field and sweet corn (Zea mays L.) in the upper midwestem United States. In Minnesota alone, O. nubilalis control costs and losses to sweet corn (ca. 50 630 ha) exceed $5,000,000 annually (Noetzel et al. 1985). Despite recent efforts to implement alternatives (Lewis and Bing 1991; Prokrym et al. 1992; Bartels and Hutchison 1993; Bolin et al. 1993), insecticide control continues to play a central role in O. nubilalis management programs.

The large yellow underwing moth, Noctua pronuba (L.), was first recorded as occurring in Canada by Wright and Neil (1983), when a single specimen was taken at a porch light in Halifax, Nova Scotia, 7 July 1979. Since then the species has become prevalent throughout eastern Nova Scotia. In Newfoundland, this moth was first taken at Kilbride in 1984 in a light trap and in subsequent years it was caught in light traps at Goulds and Mt. Pearl (Table 1). A total of 17 moths have been taken in light traps to date, and all but one were males. In the Palearctic, N. pronuba (L.) has been reported from North Africa through western Europe to Finland and Iceland (Wright and Neil 1983).

The painted leafhopper, Endria inimica (Say), occurs in grasslands in southern Canada and the northern states of the U.S.A. It is the only known vector of wheat striate mosaic virus (WSMV) in North America. In Manitoba the insect is not abundant. It does not migrate into the province, and overwinters in the egg stage only. There are two generations per year, the first completing development on grasses about 1 July and the second developing mainly on cereals in summer. E. inimica has a high rate of development at 90° F.; the lower limit is near 60° F. At 80 ± 5° F. the life cycle was completed in 45.8 days. In the field, in summer, the life cycle was completed in 42 days. A description of the life stages of the insect is presented.

WSMV has occurred only in trace amounts in Manitoba. Leafhoppers collected in the field showed a low frequency of virus transmission and the source of overwintered virus appeared to be small. The disease does not appear to constitute a serious problem in Manitoba.

Pithanus maerkeli (H.-S.) and Actitocoris signatus Reut. are Holarctic in distribution, and the latter is recorded for the first time from North America.

Dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae (Aphodiinae, Scarabaeinae) and some Geotrupidae) provide important ecosystem services on pastures by disrupting and burying deposits of cattle dung. The extent of these services is influenced by the number of individuals and species present, which may differ with habitat type. In the present study, we compared dung beetle assemblages in a mosaic of open grassland and wooded habitats on native fescue pastures in the Cypress Hills of southern Alberta, Canada. Using pitfall traps baited with cattle dung and operated from spring through autumn for two years at each of the two sites, we collected 4944 individuals representing 14 dung beetle species. More individuals and species were recovered in grassland habitat, which was dominated by nonnative species associated with cattle dung. Wooded habitat was dominated by a native species associated with deer dung. Dwellers (species that develop within the dung deposit) comprised 93% of the beetles recovered during the study. Significant variation in annual beetle counts in the two habitats highlights the value of studies conducted over multiple years. These results emphasise the importance of habitat diversity and interspecific habitat preference in structuring dung beetle assemblages on fescue grasslands, which are among the most threatened ecosystems in Canada.

Importations into North America of shipments of broom corn (Sorghum vugare var. technicum) have always been a source of anxiety to plant quarantine officials. It is well known that the European corn borer, Pyrausta nubilalis Hbn., was almost certainly introduced onto this continent in this commodity (22), a surmise which receives perennial support from the continued finding of this species in consignments from various parts of Europe. Broom corn is usually imported in bales weighing from 100 to 250 pounds each, (Figures 1 and 2) which contain both the brush and anything up to 12 inches of stalk necessary for the proper binding of the broom. It is interesting to note that in the country of origin, after the broom corn is harvested, it is dried and curcd and is then usually subected to the fumes of burning sulphur overnight in a closed room in order to bring about, through bleaching, a uniform yellowish colour desired in the trade. None of these treatments have any appreciable effect on the populations of living borers found in the stalks. In addition to insect pests which feed in or on broom corn as a normal host, other species may use the borings of the normal pests as sites of hibernation or pupation. Under some conditions, no doubt, stalks may be left lying in the field for some time prior to harvesting, and thus constitute a refuge for many potential pests.

Paraprosalpia dytisci new species is described from a larva, puparia, and adults reared from a dead larva of Dytiscus fasciventris Say, collected in southern Ontario.

Canada geese, Branta canadensis (Linnaeus) (Anseriformes: Anatidae), and mallards, Anas platyrhynchos Linnaeus (Anseriformes: Anatidae), are infested by several species of chewing lice (Phthiraptera: Menoponidae, Philopteridae). We examined the spatial distribution of lice upon these hosts. Hosts were dissected into five body regions: head and neck, wings, back, underside, and tail. Canada geese (n = 20) were infested with six species of lice. Anaticola anseris (Linnaeus) (n = 423) and Anatoecus spp. (n = 510) were restricted to the wings and head, respectively, whereas Ornithobius goniopleurus Denny (n = 1919) and Ciconiphilus pectiniventris (Harrison) (n = 757) were spread over multiple body regions. Trinoton anserinum (Fabricius) (n = 2) was present in insufficient numbers to reach conclusions about its distribution. Mallards (n = 8) were infested with four species of lice. Anaticola crassicornis (Scopoli) (n = 121) and Anatoecus dentatus (Scopoli) (n = 244) were restricted to the wings and head, respectively. Holomenopon maxbeieri Eichler (n = 52) infested multiple body regions, and Trinoton querquedulae (Linnaeus) (n = 27) were found mainly on the wings. Chewing lice infesting mallards and Canada geese partition their hosts in accordance with their own morphological and ecological requirements.

For a number of years the writer has awaited an opportunity to collect in the southeastern corner of Alberta with the expectation of finding there certain Acridids not previously recorded from Canada. That opportunity came on July 16, 1938, when the writer, accompanied by his brother, went into the Higdon Ranch, via Warner, Foremost, Orion and Manyberries and again on September 14, went into the same ranch via Havre, Wild Horse and Comrey.

Sympatric, synchronous populations of conifer-feeding Choristoneura (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) occur in western North America (Powell 1980). Choristoneura occidentalis Freeman, the western spruce budworm, co-exists with C. retiniana, the Modoc budworm, in mixed stands of Douglas-fir, Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco, and true firs, Abies spp. Choristoneura occidentalis has brown larvae and a broad geographic distribution associated with one of its principle hosts, Douglas-fir (Stehr 1967). Larvae of C. retiniana are green and feed on true firs, particularly white fir, Abies concolor (Gord. & Glend.) Lindl. (Stehr 1967; Carolin et al. 1987).

Moths of the genus Pseudexentera are early-season fliers that include three species of economic importance: P. spoliana (Clemens) on oak (Quercus), P. oregonana (Walsingham) on aspen (Populus), and P. mali Freeman on apple (Malus). GC and GC/MS analysis, EAG and behavioral bioassays, and field tests confirmed that Z10-16:Ac is an attractive sex pheromone component of female P. spoliana. Capillary GC analysis supported by GC/MS also indicated the presence of 16:Ac, Z10-16:OH, and 16:OH in pheromone extracts and there was tentative GC evidence for Z12-16:Ac. However, addition of these compounds to Z10-16:Ac in various blends did not enhance male attraction. The major sex pheromone component of female P. oregonana is Z8-14:Ac. There was also GC and GC/MS evidence for Z8-14:OH and tentative GC evidence for 14:Ac in the pheromone of this species. Their addition to Z8-14:Ac failed to increase moth catches in baited traps. Pseudexentera mali males were attracted by Z,Z-8,10-16:Ac, a previously reported sex pheromone of this species. Pheromone lures targeted for each species were not cross-attractive.

DNA barcode analysis of specimens belonging to the genus Histeromerus Wesmael, 1838 (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) reveals the presence of two species in North America. One is identified as H. canadensis Ashmead, 1891, which is widely recorded in North America, while the other is H. mystacinus Wesmael, 1838, a species formerly known only from the western Palaearctic.

In collecting Catocalas at Ohio, Ill., I have found them, during July, invariably abundant upon Black Locust (Robinia Pseudacacia), which, at that time, exudes considerable sap from the holes made by borers. Last season I pinned rags, dipped in molasses, to three or four of these trees, and from the middle to the last of July obtained from them over thirty Catocalas of ten species.