Larvae of the swede midge, Contarinia nasturtii (Kieffer) (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), rely on environmental cues to initiate the diapause programme. This facultative diapause strategy, which provides opportunities for both bet hedging and multivoltinism, likely contributed to the successful colonisation and spread of this invasive pest in North America. Population diapause incidence is variable even under relatively stable conditions (especially at the critical day length), yet the mechanisms influencing the developmental trajectory of individuals under such conditions are unknown. Here we approach the non-environmental (i.e., heritable) controls of this variation by comparing diapause frequencies within and among full-sibling swede midge families reared in one of two stable environments. Under warm, long-day conditions > 99% of swede midges pupated directly, while 86% of swede midges entered diapause under cool, short-day conditions. In the latter condition, most families exhibited mixed developmental trajectories (ranging from 36% to 96% diapause). This developmental variation among siblings indicates that the diapause induction threshold does not follow simple Mendelian inheritance with complete dominance for a particular allele, but may follow incomplete dominance or a more complex heredity. Alternatively, within-family diapause variation may result from maternal bet hedging or factors such as maternal age or larval nutrition.

Several interesting records of Hemiptera are recorded from Utah in the following short list. The writer is indebted to Mr. H. G. Barber of the National Museum for naming the material.

Western spruce budworm, Choristoneura occidentalis Freeman, periodically attacks Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirbel) Franco) in British Columbia, causing mortality, deformity, and growth loss. Insect populations are assessed annually by the Canadian Forestry Service's Forest Insect and Disease Survey, by branch sampling for egg mass densities; predictions of population trends and damage are based on these assessments. Eggs, laid in rows in masses affixed to needles, are a preferred stage to sample because they are easily collected, remain fixed in numbers for an extended period, and precede damage by sufficient time to plan suppression or other programs. Numbers of masses alone, however, may not show population trends accurately as egg numbers per mass varies. Thus it is sometimes necessary to count eggs (Miller 1957), which is a formidable task. Fortunately egg numbers can be estimated from the dimensions of egg masses (Washburn and Brickell 1973). In this study, we determined the relationship between egg numbers and egg mass length and number of rows for samples from Douglas-fir stands frequently affected by spruce budworm throughout British Columbia. Data were collected over 3 years, 1977-79, during which time budworm populations were in a period of decline.

In the Canadian Maritimes, many beekeepers rent honey bee, Apis mellifera Linnaeus (Hymenoptera: Apidae), hives to growers of lowbush blueberry, Vaccinium angustifolium (Ericaceae), for pollination services. Anecdotally, hives have less vigour following pollination, potentially due to higher Nosema spp. (Nosematidae) spore loads, the microsporidian causing nosemosis. We undertook a study to determine whether sending honey bee hives to lowbush blueberry fields for pollination (blueberry hives) results in higher Nosema spp. spore loads relative to hives remaining in apiaries (home hives). Nosema spp. spore loads were quantified using light microscopy. Nosema apis and Nosema ceranae were differentiated using polymerase chain reaction and sequencing. Nosema spp. spore loads were greatest in April and May and declined to low levels from June to September. Ninety-eight per cent of Nosema detections were positive for N. ceranae. In April, blueberry hives had a lower spore load than home hives did; however, in June, spore loads were significantly higher in blueberry hives. No other differences in Nosema spp. spore loads were observed between hive types. We conclude that Nosema ceranae is the dominant Nosema species in the Canadian Maritimes and that using hives for lowbush blueberry pollination does not appear to influence long-term Nosema spp. spore loads.

We evaluated the diversity and spatiotemporal emergence patterns of parasitoid wasp species in the genus Eurytoma Illiger (Hymenoptera: Eurytomidae) associated with leaf galls induced by Diplolepis variabilis Bassett (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae) throughout the Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada. We collected D. variabilis galls throughout the region, recorded adult Eurytoma emergence times, extracted mitochondria DNA from a subset of the emergents, and used cytochrome c oxidase 1 and cytochrome b amplificons to assign sampled individuals to species. We also assayed for the bacterial endosymbiont Wolbachia to evaluate the incidence of thelytoky in Eurytoma. Eurytoma showed an extended emergence period and a significant right skew in male emergence. We recorded six Eurytoma species, one of which appears to be previously undescribed. The greatest diversity of Eurytoma species occurs in the north of the sampled area. Five of the six species showed Wolbachia infection in at least some individuals, and the most abundant and widespread species, Eurytoma imminuta Bugbee, showed high Wolbachia infection levels and an all-female population, which strongly indicates endosymbiont-induced thelytoky. Our results demonstrate that gall communities are locally variable, and we suggest that future studies be undertaken to quantify variation in community composition at more local scales than has been past practice.

The daylily gall midge, Contarinia quinquenotata (Loew) (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), is an ornamental pest of daylilies, Hemerocallis spp. Linneas (Asphodelaceae). Originally native to Asia, this pest was accidentally introduced to western North America, and it is believed to occur throughout other parts of North America even though its presence has not been confirmed. Using an online survey of gardeners across Canada’s “Maritimes” (the region that includes the provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island), we determined that symptoms of the pest occurred at multiple sites across Nova Scotia, but we received no reports from Prince Edward Island or New Brunswick. Sequencing the cytochrome c oxidase 1 gene of the samples submitted by community scientists, we confirmed the daylily gall midge occurs at multiple sites across Nova Scotia. A common garden study that included 517 daylily varieties found that yellow-flowering varieties were almost twice as likely to be affected as nonyellow varieties. Early-flowering varieties were more likely to be attacked than later-flowering varieties. For each day that the date at first flowering was delayed, the likelihood of gall midge attack decreased by 16%. To avoid or mitigate damage where the daylily gall midge occurs, selecting late-flowering varieties with nonyellow flowers can be a useful complement to destructing infested flower buds.

Pinacocerus Van Duzee and Yumbera Bickel are reviewed. Pinacocerus is found in Chile and Argentina and comprises two species, Pinacocerus nodicornis Van Duzee and Pinacocerus candiptorumsp. nov. from Chile. Yumbera comprises six species, five from eastern mainland Australia and Yumbera trisignatasp. nov. from Tasmania. The two genera show remarkable parallel evolution in modification of the male antenna.

Arctia rectilinea, n. sp.

Average length, ♂, .50; ♀, .55 of an inch. Expanse of wings, ♂, 1.30; ♀, 1.50 inches. Head reddish flesh color, or in some lighter; eyes and palpi black ; antennæ dark brown or brown black.

Walsingham described this species from a variable series of specimens taken in Colusa, Shasta and Siskiyou Cos., Calif. No definite type is designated but from correspondence with Mr. W. H. T. Tams of the ,British Museum I find that the author marked his types "Type I" and "Type II." Type I, the obvious holotype, is labelled "Pit River, Shasta Co. California, VII, 1871, P1. 2, fig. 13" and according to Mr. Tams is much the tawnier of the two "types." Type II is labelled "Uncle Sam Mount, Lake Co. Calif. VI, 1871, PI. 2, fig. 14" and, as the figure shows, is a pale, immaculate form. Barnes and Lindsey make californica Grin. (1908, Can. Ent. XL,, 321) from S. Calif. a synonym and describe the color of the forewings as creamy-white to tawny-brown, the latter color being that given by Grinnell in his description of californica.

The number of male and female first generation Panonychus ulmi (Koch) were recorded from 13 apple orchards representing widely different levels of mite infestation on four different varieties. The average percentage of males was 27.5. Statistically significant differences were found among orchards, varieties, observers, and their interactions. No relationship between sex ratio and population density was evident.

In July of last year there bloomed in my garden a fine plant of that variety of evening primrose known as “Lamarckiana”(Œnothera Lamarckiana). I had been advised by an Entomological friend to procure this flower with the view of attracting moths at night, and found it to succeed admirably. Its lovely yellow petals expand suddenly about seven o'clock every evening, and diffuse a fragrance all around very attractive to Sphingidae and other nocturnal moths. The flowers expand about three inches and are very beautiful; they remain expanded until some time after sunrise the following morning, when they close to open no more.

In a 1984 study on the ecological factors influencing the forest vegetation in the southern region of the province of Quebec (Gauthier 1985; St-Jacques 1986), an adult specimen of Cleruchus biciliatus (Ferrière) was found. This is the first record of the occurrence of the species in North America.

Sampling was done in 120 sites selected in a stratified random design in natural forests of the Mirabel area, northwest of Montreal (from 45°33' to 45°45'N and from 74°3' to 74°44'W). At each site, vegetation was sampled from an area 20 by 50 m. A 400-cm2 sample of litter was taken from each of these areas. In the laboratory, the litter samples were put into modified Berless funnels (Phillipson 1971). Following a 48-h extraction process, the organisms, collected in 70% ethyl alcohol, were identified and counted.

Grasshopper density and species composition were determined from 1982 to 1985 in four 75-ha pastures in the northern mixed prairie region near Miles City, MT. Treatment in two pastures consisted of sagebrush removal and interseeding alfalfa and cicer milkvetch. Two pastures were not treated. The treated pastures were grazed only half as long as the untreated pastures but with twice the number of steers. Forage yield decreased in all pastures from 1983 to 1985 because of below-average precipitation and grasshopper density increases. In one pasture, 10% of the legume seedlings were destroyed by grasshoppers. The annual rates of increase in total grasshopper presence were similar in treated and untreated pastures. However, Melanoplus sanguinipes (F.), which eats forbs and is a strong flyer, increased more in treated than untreated pastures; six additional abundant species, all of which were grass feeders, did not increase more in treated pastures. Thus, treatments did not markedly affect total grasshopper population trends but did influence species composition and provided additional food plants for some species.

Two-sample and four-sample methods of assessing insecticidal control efficacy are explored. Respective indices of survival and mortality including methods of constructing confidence intervals and minimizing bias are discussed. Procedures for determining the number of samples required for specified statistical limits are presented