Forty-nine 0.1 m2 emergence traps positioned over several substrate types and a range of water depths 0.9 to 5.5 m, from 2 June to 7 September 1967, collected 979 caddisflies and 195 mayflies. The caddisfly emergence was restricted to the period 24 June −27 August, and mayfly emergence to the period 2–30 July.The sex ratio for the caddisflies showed, in almost every case, a preponderance of females and no male Neureclipsis bimaculatus (Linn.) and N. validus Walk, were collected. Most of the caddisflies showed preference for a particular depth and/or substrate type. The few caddisflies which were present both in large numbers and distributed over a fairly wide depth range indicated that there is a relationship between depth distribution (temperature) and emergence time, heat perhaps being involved both in control of rate of maturation and as a releasing agent for the actual emergence.Male Stenonema interpunctatum canadense (Walker) showed peak emergence about 5 days before the females and also outnumbered the females by about 3:1. No relationship seemed to exist between depth distribution and emergence time for any of the mayfly species. However, the emergence of one species, Caenis forcipata (McD.) may be related to weather conditions.

Rangeland grasshopper species richness was monitored at 10 sites in Montana, U.S.A., during 1986 through 1992, which included an extreme drought year (1988). We observed significant post-1988 drought reductions in rangeland grasshopper species richness in the eastern and south-central region of Montana where drought intensity has been increasing during the past 20 years. In the north-central region, which also experienced the 1988 drought but showed no long-term drought trend, we did not observe a post-drought reduction in overall rangeland grasshopper species richness. Thus, in terms of rangeland grasshopper species richness, the potential impact of a severe drought in a given year may depend on the timing of such an event within longer-term climatic cycles. Our findings suggest that as regional drought intensity increases temporally, there may be an increased likelihood that a single extreme drought year will not only have a profound impact on abundance but may also result in significant long-term reduction of grasshopper species richness. Our results support the hypothesis that resource limitation is a very important factor in structuring rangeland grasshopper communities in space and time.

Field trials of the synthetic bark-beetle pheromone frontalin demonstrated that lines of single, baited spruce trees, in or near Dendroctonus rufipennis infestations, resulted in concentrated beetle attacks on trees in a strip 2 chains (40 m) wide on either side of the lines of baited trees. Pre-flight insecticide (Lindane) application killed the beetles and prevented tree mortality. Post-attack arboricide (Silvisar) treatment killed most parent beetles and brood under the bark. A predator, Thanasimus undatulus, also was aggregated at frontalin-baited trees. This application of pheromone shows promise of becoming a forest management tool to concentrate beetle attacks in partly infested stands prior to logging.

Application of petroleum oils prior to oviposition by overwintering pear psylla, Psylla pyricola Foerster, reduced oviposition by 98% for up to 5 weeks. The delay of oviposition and reduction in subsequent egg and nymph densities were inversely proportional to the rate of oil used. The reduced oviposition rate was due primarily to inhibition of oviposition by oil deposits on the host, not adult mortality. No commercially important deleterious effects of oil treatments were detected on several pear varieties.

The diet of the common shrew contained significant proportions of lepidopterous remains, and these were mostly of winter moth. The least shrew also at times preys heavily upon winter moth. Calculations indicate that predation by mammals, especially common shrews, could have important consequences on the population dynamics of the winter moth. It was concluded that there is only slight interaction between winter moth predation by shrews and predacious beetles.

Maggots of Pegohylemyia sp. have been found inhabiting the cones of white spruce, Picea glauca (Moench.) Voss, in southern Ontario. The species was identified from a single male specimen as probably Pegohylemyia anthracina Czerny by the Swedish authority Dr. O. Ringdahl. Difficulty in rearing the maggots to the adult stage has delayed confirmation of this identification but it is expected that a good series of adults will be available shortly. In this paper, however, the emphasis is placed on the instars with an outline of the life cycle. It is shown that the second- and third-instar larvae are free-living, but the first-instar larvae moult to the second within the egg chorion.

Shortly after the discovery of the introduction of balsam woolly adelgid, Adelges piceae (Ratzeburg), to the south coast of British Columbia, a predator release program was initiated to establish a complex of European and Asian adelgid predators to supplement existing native predators. Between 1960 and 1969, eight species of exotic predators, Aphidoletes thompsoni Mohn (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), Cremifania nigrocellulata Czerny and Leucopis hennigrata McAlpine [=Leucopis sp. nr. melanopus Tanas. (McAlpine 1978)] (Diptera: Chamaemyiidae), Laricobius erichsonii Rosenhauer (Coleoptera: Derodontidae), Aphidecta obliterata (L.), Scymnus (Pullus) impexus Mulsant, and Scymnus (S.) pumilio (Weise) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), and Tetraphleps abdulghani Ghauri (Heteroptera: Anthocoridae), were released (Clark et al. 1971; Schooley et al. 1984).

Thirty-two species of Pediobius (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) are reviewed, 9 newly noted from both Europe and North America. New Nearctic species include P. adelphae, disparis, geshnae, liocephalatus, louisianae, magniclavatus, ni, ocellatus, pseudotsugatae, and strobilicola. Pediobius rugosithorax (Cwfd.) and kansensis (Grlt.) are newly noted as junior synonyms of acantha (Wlk.); lithocolletidis (Ashm.) of albipes (Prov.); longfellowi (Grlt), of alcaeus (Wlk.); wilderi (How.) of brachycerus (Thoms.); (Asecodes) P. albitarsis (Ashm.), tarsalis (Ashm.), and ashmeadi (Cwfd.) of crassicornis (Thoms.); utahensis (Cwfd.), longus (Grlt.), and perdubius (Grlt.) of eubius (Wlk.); (Entedon) P. albitarsis (Ashm.) and sexdentatus (Grlt.) of facialis (Giraud); splendens (C. & D.) of foliorum (Geoffr.); glabrata Blck. of phyllotretae (Ril.). Pediobius termerus (Wlk.) is recorded for the first time in Nearctic. A key to species and a host–parasite list are included.

Wind tunnel experiments confirmed the optimum blend of the two major components of the sex pheromone of the spruce bud worm Choristoneura fumiferana (Clem.), (E)- and (Z)-11-tetradecenal, to be close to a ratio of 95(E):5(Z). The addition of two minor components, (E)-11-tetradecenyl acetate and the saturated tetradecanal, previously identified in the effluvia of calling virgin females, showed that the acetate alone reduced the level of some responses, while the addition of tetradecanal to the acetate:aldehyde blend restored response to previous levels. Addition of tetradecanal alone showed only minor effects on responses. Males responding to calling females showed higher levels of response and sustained flight longer than did males responding to the four-component blend, and this fact suggests that the blend is incomplete.

The diets of 25 species of forest-inhabiting birds were examined in California from 1962 to 1968. Coleoptera and Hymenoptera comprised the bulk of the diets. Coleopterans were, in decreasing amounts, the most common food of the three-toed woodpecker, Steller's jay, American robin, brown creeper, hairy woodpecker (both sexes), dark-eyed junco, downy woodpecker (both sexes), olive-sided flycatcher, western wood-pewee, and white-headed woodpecker (both sexes). Hymenopterans, mainly ants, were the most common food of the northern flicker, Williamson's sapsucker, red-breasted sapsucker, and acorn woodpecker. White-headed woodpecker (both sexes) also ate ponderosa-pine seeds in the fall. Hairy woodpecker (both sexes) fed on the seeds of ponderosa pine and sugar pine. Detailed estimates of foods consumed by item and volume from analyses of stomach contents of 241 specimens are presented.

Within-tree larval and progeny adult populations of Dendroctonus frontalis Zimm. attacking loblolly pine, Pinus taeda L., were investigated in order to define the distribution of larvae within sample units (100 cm2 disks of bark) and to describe the functional relationship of both larvae and progeny adults to the infested portion of the tree bole.

Larvae and progeny adults were sampled over the infested bole of the 50 trees. Two separate measures of progeny adults were obtained. The first measure was taken just prior to emergence from the tree and the second measure was obtained by rearing the insect until emergence from the sample disks was completed.

Larvae were found to be uniformly distributed within the total disk. The functional relationship of the larvae and the two measures of progeny adults to the normalized height on the infested bole was described by the two parameter nonlinear model y = Ax(1−x)eBx.

Highest larval density along the infested portion of the tree bole occurred just below the center and tapered abruptly towards the base and gradually towards the top of the tree. The density of progeny adults on the other hand was greatest just above the center portion of the infested bole and tapered abruptly towards the top and gradually towards the base of the tree. Both measures of progeny adults produced curves of virtually the same shape. However, the density of progeny adults was substantially less in the samples which were reared indicating that mortality agents continued to act on the population until emergence from the tree.

Vitamin K1 added to a basic diet for the house cricket, Acheta domesticus (L.), significantly improves growth of male and female larvae. Growth is significantly better with 18.7 μg K1/g than it is with an equimolar amount of vitamin E. Unlike vitamin E, however, vitamin K1 is without effect on reproduction. Vitamins K3 and K5, and coumarin, have no effect or a slightly inhibiting effect on growth, and no effect on reproduction.

The genus Allothrombium Berlese, 1903, is an heterogeneous assemblage of about 45 species of mites, of which 13 species have been described from both the Palaearctic and Ethiopian realms, nine from the Australian and three from the Oriental. Five species are Neotropical, while to date only two species have been reported from the Nearctic. A. brevitarsum (Berlese), 1888, A. sericoideum Berlese, 1910, A. crassicomum Berlese, 1910, and A. succinctum Berlese, 1917, are listed by Thor and Willmann (1941) from South America; A. metae Boshell and Kerr, 1942 was described from Colombia and subsequently recorded from Panama (Michener, 1946). Ewing (1909, 1917) described two species from the United States: A. missouriense (Ewing), 1909, from Missouri and A. pulvinum Ewing, 1917, from Illinois. The characters of the mite described below are distinct from those of the Palaearctic species. Its affinities appear to be to the Neotropical and Nearctic forms but it differs from them in the following particulars: from A. sericoideum, A. crassicomum, A. succinctum and A. metae in having shorter body setae clothed with longer pectinations; from A. brevitarsum in having a wider crista metopica and more slender pedipalps; from A. missouriense in having a body over three times greater in length and width. A. pulvinum is similar to the species herein described in some respects but as the original description does not mention characters such as crista metopica or tarsus length it is imposible to be certain of this. Furthermore, no quantitative measurements are given save overall length (3.30 mm.) and width (2.50 mm.). These measurements fall within the ranges observed for the species described below but should not be used as absolute criteria because of pronounced intraspecific variability produced by the integumental flexibility. Howard (1918) figures the pedipalps, chelicerae and body setae of A. pulvinum; the former appendages appear much more slender and elongate, while the body setae possess shorter pectinations. Considering as well the facts of geographic distribution and habitat, I am inclined to consider the two as distinct species.

The eggs of 18 species of cutworms of the subgenus Euxoa Hübner are described and a key for separating some of them has been constructed. Only in rare instances can species be identified from egg morphology alone, but the egg stage can usually be identified to the subgeneric level.

Maintenance of predacious arthropods in apple orchards requires both the judicious use of chemical sprays and the presence of adequate food supplies. When the common food source, the European red mite, Panonychus ulmi (Koch), is depleted by either a selective chemical, such as Animert V-101, or by excessive activity of the predators, the apple rust mite, Vasates schlechtendali (Nal.), if present, provides an alternate food. This enables survival of sufficient numbers of predators to prevent resurgence of the red mite within the same season.

The feeding rate of Phormia regina is constant over the whole feeding period, contra-pressure of the crop contents having no effect. The mechanism by which contra-pressure effects are negated involves the function of two previously undescribed structures in the crop and crop duct. These structures, described in the text, act as valves and a pump. An alternative mechanism, by which contra-pressure effects could be negated in insects lacking these structures, is discussed. The physical effects of variation in the feeding position of the labellum, in response to changes in the physical nature of the substrate, are discussed in relation to the feeding rate. The feeding rate is shown to be higher on semi-liquid substrates.

The current rapid advance in many fields of biology is being facilitated by the discovery of new ‘tools’ or the extended application of old ‘tools’. Radioactive isotopes, paper chromatography, the electron microscope and cytogenetics are but a few examples. Entomology is benefiting by the use of these tools. Recently the serological reaction known as the precipitin test is being more frequently applied in numerous biological studies. It is the purpose of this paper to point out the uses of the precipitin test in Entomology.

Females of Anthrenus flavipes LeConte emit a sex pheromone and exhibit a calling behavior that is related to the release of the pheromone. Calling began after the onset of light, was most intense 1 to 2 h later, and ceased after 4 h of light when the insects were held in a 16:8 LD photoperiod. Chemical studies showed the presence of a major sex pheromone that is an unsaturated carboxylic acid.

The mountain-ash sawfly, Pristiphora geniculata (Htg.), a pest on Sorbus spp., is known to occur in Europe, Asia, and North America. It has two generations a year in eastern Canada but only one in northern Quebec. The first generation predominates. The sawfly overwinters as a larva in a cocoon in litter or soil. Adults emerge from late May to early July, and lay eggs in pockets between the epidermal lavers around the edges of leaflets. The eggs hatch in about a week and the larvae feed from two to three weeks. The second generation, which starts in late July, is usually small. Adults producing the first generation may come from both generations of the preceding year whereas adults producing the second generation stem only from the first. Parthenogenesis is facultative and arrhenotokous; about 61% of adults reared were females. The male larvae have four instars and the female five. Some larvae remain in diapause up to five years. Foliage consumption of female larvae was about 1.4 times that of male larvae.

P. geniculata lacks adequate density-dependent control factors and an important limiting factor may be its scattered food supply. The introduction of parasites, predators, or disease organisms might be beneficial.

Archaeological excavation on the Augustine Mound, New Brunswick, Canada is adding new insights into Canada's prehistoric people as well as into entomology. This human burial site (Cfd1-2) consists of an artificially constructed mound of earth, approximately 11 m in diameter and 0.8 m into the gravel subsoil of a river terrace. The site has been dated between 2000 and 2500 years ago, based on cross-dating to other archaeological sites in Eastern North America and on one carbon date of 2330 ± 110 B.P. (F1-344) which was unfortunately from a disturbed context. The artifacts placed with the dead indicate some form of close cultural contact between the people of Atlantic Canada and the American mid-west (Turnbull 1976). The most unusual aspect of the site is the quantity of preserved organic materials recovered from the graves. Many fragmentary pieces of hide, and copper beads (the likely agent of preservation) were found with the dead.