The genus Bdelyrus Harold is revised. Twenty new species are described: B. amazonensis, B. apaporisae, B. boliviensis, B. braziliensis, B. bromeliatilis, B. genieri, B. gilli, B. grandis, B. howdeni, B. iauaretensis, B. laplanadae, B. leptomerus, B. lobatus, B. metaensis, B. paraensis, B. parvoculus, B. parvus, B. pecki, B. peruviensis, and B. triangulus. Separate keys are given for males and females. Descriptions, illustrations, and range maps are provided, and a phylogenetic analysis is included.

The wheat stem sawfly, Cephus cinctus Norton (Hymenoptera: Cephidae), has been the most economically important insect pest of wheat in the northern Great Plains since cultivation began (Weiss and Morrill 1992). The wheat stem sawfly was first reported from wild grasses where populations were often highly parasitized by a number of parasitoids, including Bracon (= Microbracon) cephi (Gahan) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) (Criddle 1923; Ainslie 1929). A similar species, Bracon lissogaster Muesebeck, was later reported to also attack C. cinctus larvae (Muesebeck 1953; Somsen and Luginbill 1956). These parasitoids are now prevalent in wheat in some regions of Montana (Morrill et al. 1994, 1998; Morrill 1997). The life histories and phenologies of these sympatric idiobiont ectoparasitoids are similar. The ability to distinguish B. cephi from B. lissogaster is essential in elucidating their effects on populations of C. cinctus. We examined 159 females and 123 males of B. cephi from Chouteau, Hill, Stillwater, Teton, and Toole counties in Montana; Burke, Burleigh, Rolette, and Williams counties in North Dakota; Rock County in Minnesota; and southem Alberta (Rockyford and Consort). The 254 females and 215 males of B. lissogaster examined were from Chouteau, Hill, Teton, and Toole counties in Montana. Holotypes were compared to verify identifications.

Lyme borreliosis (LB), also known as Lyme disease, is emerging as a serious tickborne illness across Canada. More than three decades of research on LB in North America and Europe have provided a large, complex body of research involving well-documented difficulties at several levels. However, entomologists are well situated to contribute to resolving some of these challenges. The central pathogen in LB, the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi Johnson et al., includes numerous genospecies and strains that are associated with different disease symptoms and distributions. The primary vectors of LB are ticks of various Ixodes Latreille species (Acari: Ixodida: Ixodidae), but questions linger concerning the status of a number of other arthropods that may be infected with B. burgdorferi but do not transmit it biologically. A variety of vertebrates may serve as reservoirs for LB, but differences in their ability to transmit LB are not well understood at the community level. Persistent cystic forms of and immune system evasion by B. burgdorferi contribute to extraordinary challenges in diagnosing LB. Multiple trade-offs constrain the effectiveness of assays like ELISA, Western blot, polymerase chain reaction, and microscopic visualization of the spirochetes. Consequently, opportunities abound for entomologists to contribute to documenting the diversity of the players and their interactions in this devilishly complex disease.

In a preliminary report (Robinson, 1959) it was shown that the plant growth regulator maleic hydrazide (MH) caused both nymphal mortality and reduced fecundity to the pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris), caged on treated broad bean, Vicia faba L. It was also stated that 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4,5-T), and 2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid (MCPA), applied by root absorption to broad bean had no effect on adult or nymphal mortality, or fecundity of adult A. pisum, at the rates used.

The aim of this paper is to provide detailed data on the reproduction of the European earwig Forficula auricularia Linnaeus (Dermaptera: Forficulidae) under natural conditions. We also describe its spring field population structure and dynamics in organic apple orchards in southeastern France using artificial and natural shelters. Two nymph cohorts could be distinguished in a laboratory reproduction study. The first brood, following the first egg-laying event in late November, had significantly higher pre-imaginal survival (1.74-fold) than the second brood in early April. The egg phase was the most vulnerable with a higher mortality rate in the first brood than the second. Independent of brood number, nymphal survival increased from second nymphal instars (N2) onwards with values higher than 96%. In orchards, N3 were generally observed in natural and artificial shelters from the end of April to mid-June. N4 was the most abundant life stage sampled and the only stage present at the majority of sampling dates, especially from early May onwards. Beginning in June, the abundance of new adults of a given year gradually increased especially in the artificial shelters. This descriptive study can now be used to develop phenological models aimed at limiting earwig mortality due to horticultural management practices and increasing their predation level in conservative or augmentative approaches.

During field studies of the behaviour of larvae in colonies of Malacosoma disstria Hbn., it was observed that two species of ants, Camponotus herculeanus ligniperdus (Latr.) and Formica fusca L., were common on the twigs of the small trees, Populus tremuloides Michx., on which the caterpillars were established. Ant nests were common near the bases of trees, and the worker ants climbed the trunks and moved along the branches either to forage or to tend aphid colonies. When the tent caterpillars were small, they were frequently attacked by the ants. There were two distinct types of attack: one the result of foraging by worker ants and the other the result of defence of aphid colonies by the ants.

Lord (1949) listed the predators of the European red mite, Metatetranychus ulmi (Koch.), in Nova Scotia and described the effects of a number of chemicals on them. Among the more important predators is the thrips Haplothrips faurei Hood. This thrips, however, does not confine its feeding to European red mite eggs but readily attacks the eggs of many other mites and insects. There is strong evidence that it is one of the most important biotic factors in the natural control of insect and mite pests in Nova Scotia apple orchards. It and another species, Leptothrips mali (Fitch), are the only thrips of economic significance, and H. faurei, because of its greater numbers, is the more important. A description of the life-history of L. mali was given by Bailey (1940), who also (1939) studied the biology of another thrips, Scolothrips sexmaculatus (Perg.), which is of minor importance in Nova Scotia. The only other predacious thrips found is a species bclieved to be Zygothrips minutus Uzel, which occurs only rarely and in small numbers. Haplothrips subtilissimus Hal. (later identified as H. faurei), was found by Putman (1942) in Ontario to be predacious on phytophagons mites and the eggs of oriental fruit moth, Grapholitha molesta Busck.

Pine oil, a by-product of sulphate wood pulping, protected pheromone-baited, living Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco), lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta Dougl.), and spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss - P. engelmannii Parry hybrids) from attack by Douglas-fir beetle (Dendroctonus pseudotsugae Hopk.), mountain pine beetle (D. ponderosa Hopk.), and spruce beetle (D. rufipennis (Kirby)), respectively. Pine oil also protected surrounding trees and reduced attack incidence on Douglas-fir, lodgepole pine, and spruce within at least a 10 m radius. α-Terpineol, one of the constituents of the pine oil mixture, was less effective.

During 2 field seasons, Coccinellidae (primarily Coccinella transversoguttata richardsoni, Coleomegilla maculata, Hippodamia convergens, H. tridecimpunctata, and H. glacialis) were the most abundant predators on potato hybrids (Solanum tuberosum × S. berthaultii, F3) with various densities of glandular pubescence. Highly pubescent clones had the highest percentage of predator eggs, while clones with the lowest trichome densities had the highest percentages of immature and adult predators. By comparison, high numbers of aphid parasitoid mummies (primarily Aphidius and Praon spp.) occurred on clones with moderate to high densities of glandular pubescence. During both years, predators and parasitoids were most abundant in late July and August.

In 1995, Nasonia vitripennis (Walker) (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae), a commercially available pupal parasitoid of the house fly, Musca domestica L., and stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans (L.) (Diptera: Muscidae), was purchased to examine the status of wasps being sold to Manitoba producers. Percentage of pupae parasitized, numbers of parasitoids per pupa, total parasitoids, and parasitoid sex ratio were determined for each shipment of parasitoids received. To determine the extent to which these wasps could successfully parasitize house flies and stable flies, parasitoids were released weekly in four Manitoba dairy barns and levels of parasitism estimated. In 10 622 freeze-killed sentinel house fly pupae, 2.2% were parasitized throughout the season by N. vitripennis, and 5.8% were parasitized by eight other species of parasitoids. Of 11 897 naturally occurring house fly and stable fly pupae, 0.6% were parasitized by N. vitripennis, and 3.4% by eight other species of parasitoids. In four barns where there were no releases of N. vitripennis, 1.1% of 11 779 sentinel pupae were parasitized by four species of parasitoids and 3.8% of 8384 naturally occurring house fly and stable fly pupae were parasitized by nine species. The release of an estimated 3 648 093 N. vitripennis did not result in substantial parasitism in either sentinel pupae or naturally occurring pupae. In 1996, live sentinel house fly pupae (n = 50 842) and house fly and stable fly pupae occurring naturally (n = 4691) were collected in two of the nonrelease barns from the 1995 study to examine the activity of endemic parasitoids. Of the sentinel and naturally occurring pupae sampled, 4.0% and 9.4% were parasitized, respectively. Phygadeuon fumator Gravenhörst (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) was the most abundant parasitoid, accounting for 97.4% and 79.9% of parasitoids collected from sentinel pupae and naturally occurring pupae, respectively. Other parasitoids included Urolepis rufipes (Ashmead), Muscidifurax raptor Girault and Sanders, Muscidifurax zaraptor Kogan and Legner, Spalangia subpunctata Först, Spalangia cameroni Perkins, Spalangia nigra Latreille, and a species of Trichomalopsis Crawford (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae).

Approximately 70% of the 30 000 known bee (Hymenoptera) species and most flower-visiting, solitary wasps (Hymenoptera) nest in the ground. However, nesting behaviours of most ground-nesting bees and wasps are poorly understood. Habitat loss, including nesting habitat, threatens populations of ground-nesting bees and wasps. Most ground-nesting bee and wasp studies implement trapping methods that capture foraging individuals, but provide little insight into the nesting preferences of these taxa. Some researchers have suggested that emergence traps may provide a suitable means by which to determine ground-nesting bee and wasp abundance. We sought to evaluate nest-site selection of ground-nesting bees and wasps using emergence traps in two study systems: (1) planted wildflower enhancement plots and fallow control plots in agricultural land; and (2) upland pine and hammock habitat in forests. Over the course of three years (2015–2017), we collected 306 ground-nesting bees and wasps across all study sites from emergence traps. In one study, we compared captures per trap between coloured pan traps and emergence traps and found that coloured pan traps captured far more ground-nesting bees and wasps than did emergence traps. Based on our emergence trap data, our results also suggest ground-nesting bees and wasps are more apt to nest within wildflower enhancement plots than in fallow control plots, and in upland pine habitats than in hammock forests. In conclusion, emergence traps have potential to be a unique tool to gain understanding of ground-nesting bee and wasp habitat requirements.

In 1958, intensive studies on the population dynamics of the imported cabbageworm, Pieris rapae (L.), on cabbage were initiated in long-term study plots at Merivale, Ontario. The object was to construct ecological life tables for successive generations of the species, and ultimately, to develop mathematical models describing survival of field populations. This paper reports on the variation between samples of immature stages of the insect, and between some of the mortality factors affecting its abundance; it further illustrates the use of these data in designing a sampling plan with acceptable limits of precision.

Two species of Apidae occur on Ellesmere Island: Megabombus (Megabombus) polaris (Curtis) and M. (M.) hyperboreus (Schönherr). Some observations on their activity are presented. Three nests built on the surface of the ground are described. The colonies were of small size. Nest No. 1 contained only polaris; Nests Nos. 2 and 3 contained polaris workers and hyperboreus sexuals, as adults or brood. Usurpation is suggested to explain the workerless condition of hyperboreus in Nests Nos. 2 and 3.

Embryonic development in the mosquito Aedes (O.) sticticus (Meigen) was studied on moist surfaces at five constant temperatures between 5° and 34 °C. Time for complete embryogenesis was 608, 272, 192, 152, and 120 h at 10°, 15°, 20°, 25°, and 30 °C, respectively. Upper and lower temperature thresholds were 33 °C and from 6° to 8 °C, respectively. Embryonic development proceeded normally when eggs were submerged in water at 25° and 30 °C, and no difference in developmental rate was observed between eggs on moist filter paper and those submerged in water.

Field studies were conducted in the United States and Canada to determine the response of the white pine cone beetle, Conophthorus coniperda (Schwarz), and the red pine cone beetle, Conophthorus resinosae Hopkins, to two potential inhibitors, conophthorin and verbenone, of pheromone communication. Trap catches of male C. coniperda and C. resinosae were significantly reduced and generally declined with increasing concentrations of conophthorin in traps baited with the pityol, a female-produced pheromone. Verbenone did not significantly reduce trap catches of C. coniperda. Conophthorin, but not verbenone, significantly reduced cone attacks by C. coniperda when placed near cone clusters. The twig beetles, Pityophthorus cariniceps LeConte and Pityophthorus puberulus (LeConte), responded to traps with pityol and α-pinene baits alone or with conophthorin. Thanasimus dubius (F) (Coleoptera: Cleridae) was attracted to the pityol and α-pinene, but conophthorin had no effect on attraction of this generalist bark beetle predator. Verbenone significantly reduced trap catches of T. dubius in pityol-baited traps.

The broad-necked root borer, Prionus laticollis (Drury), causes economic damage to apple orchards in the eastern United States by boring in the roots of apple trees. The insect has a 3- to 4-year life cycle. Eggs are deposited in the soil or on the soil surface in mid-summer, and larvae tunnel through the bark and may excavate the interior wood of living, weakened, or dead apple tree roots. Larvae leave the roots to pupate in the soil and have been found up to a depth of 84 cm below the soil surface. Prepupae occur in the soil during May and June and pupae in June and July. Adults live approximately 1 week after emergence and mate several times. A tachinid fly, several potential pathogenic microorganisms, larvae biting one another, and freezing temperatures were observed to be mortality factors.

Fig-pollinating wasps are phytophagous wasps that mainly use olfaction to locate their fig (Ficus L., Moraceae) hosts. To provide a morphological framework for studying agaonid olfaction, we examined the antennal sensilla of female Ceratosolen solmsi marchali Mayr by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. We identified and characterized (ultrastructure, distribution, abundance, and position) 13 types of sensilla: multiporous placoid sensilla (types 1 and 2), basiconic sensilla (types 1 and 2), basiconic capitate peg sensilla, sensilla chaetica (types 1–3), sensilla trichodea, sensilla coeloconica (types 1–3), and one specialized sensillum regarded as a sensillum obscurum. We suggest that five types are chemoreceptors because they are porous and innervated by multiple sensory neurons. Sensilla coeloconica type 1 may also function as chemoreceptors, based on external morphology. Other sensilla may be involved in mechanoreception, thermo- and (or) hygro-reception, or pressure detection. We discuss our results in relation to the lifestyle of C. solmsi marchali.

Phenological events associated with control of San Jose scale (Quadraspidiotus perniciosus (Comstock)) in deciduous tree fruit orchards of the western United States were modeled, using the Predictive Extension Timing Estimator (PETE). The model closely simulated adult male activity and first crawler emergence, although spring male emergence was too variable to rely entirely on accumulated degree days from 1 January for management decisions. Pheromone monitoring of spring males improves timing for control of subsequent crawlers when a biofix of 275°D from 1 January is used.

Male moths of Choristoneura occidentalis Freeman, C. biennis Freeman, C. fumiferana (Clemens), and C. orae Freeman were caught in pheromone-baited traps. Ten traps were placed at each site, five baited with an aldehyde lure and five with an acetate lure. This procedure permitted separation of species based on the specific chemical lure and also provided specimens for further study of morphological and isozyme differences. The color of the forewings, presence or absence of spicules on the aedeagus, and a specific allozyme frequency were determined on selected specimens where these characteristics were useful in separating species at a particular site. Distributions of all species were more extensive than previously known, sometimes adding hundreds of kilometres to the recorded range. Areas of sympatry were identified and the fidelity and usefulness of characteristics for separating species in areas of overlap were discussed.

The currently recognized Ephemerella species are included in 13 subgenera. New subgenera are Cincticostella and Acerella. Ephemerella levanidovi Tshernova is transferred to Cincticostella n. subg., thus it contains six species, E. nigra Ueno n. comb., E. castanea n. sp., E. delicata n. sp., E. imanishii n. sp., E. insolta n. sp., and E. levanidovae Tshernova n. comb. The subgenus Acerella n. subg. includes four species, E. longicaudata Ueno n. comb., E. commodema n. sp., E. perculta n. sp., and E. undatella n. sp., Ephemerella yoshinoensis Gose is transferred to the subgenus Drunella and four undescribed and unnamed species, E. kohnoi n. sp., E. aculea n. sp., E. hifurcata n. sp., and E. borakensis n. sp., are placed in Drunella. Three undescribed species, E. denticula n. sp., E. keijoensis n. sp., and E. maxima n. sp., are included in the subgenus Ephemerella s. s.