Seven species groups of Dioryctria are defined on a combination of external and genital characters. Three American species, Dioryctria rossi Munroe, D. auranticella (Grote) and D. disclusa Heinrich, are referred to the auranticella group. Four Asiatic species are also referred to this group. These are D. okui Mutuura, D. castanea Bradley, D. pryeri Ragonot (= Salebria laruata Heinrich), and D. yiai n. sp. All the species feed on conifers. All except D. okui feed on pine, either cones or shoots, or both; D. okui eats the foliage of spruce.

Four new species of Bolteria Uhler are described: atricornis from New Mexico, scutata and scutellata from California, and mexicana from Mexico. Adults and male genitalia are illustrated as well as those of luteifrons Knight and arizonae Knight, and host information is given. Relationships to other species in the genus are discussed and a key is provided. Bolteria luteifrons Knight is reported from Canada.

Seven of 17 insecticides tested as conventional aerosols were effective against a susceptible strain of house flies, Musca domeslica L., producing 90% or more mortality at a distance of 150 ft from the generator. Of the seven, three were equally effective as low-volume aerosols. Diazinon was the most effective of the conventional aerosols, and Dursban® (0,0-diethyl 0-(3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridyl) phosphorothioate) was the most effective low-volume aerosol. However, none of the compounds was effective as a conventional or low-volume aerosol against an insecticide resistant strain of flies.

Two new species, Dialithus scintillons from Cerro Campana, Panama, and Dialithus festivus from Chiapas, Mexico, are described. The description of the formerly monotypic genus Dialithus Parry is slightly altered. Jeannelosis auriculatus Bourgin (1945) is considered a synonym of Pantodinus klugi Burmeister (1847).

The haemocyte (blood cell) complex in insects has distinctive characteristics at various taxonomic levels. Some taxa can be recognized easily by major differences in the number and size of the haemocytes and the complexity of cell types. Others can be distinguished only with difficulty by means of cytological features of certain cell categories. Still others have revealed no distinguishing characters. The haemocyte complex is potentially useful for indicating some systematic relationships, and in some cases for distinguishing between morphologically similar species. The concept requires careful testing.

The annual emergence of 11 chironomid species from more or less shallow ponds in the area of Hazen Camp (81°49′ N., 71°18′ W.) is considered. Features of emergence are very similar in all these arctic species, although different species emerge at slightly different times in the same habitat.In the deeper habitats, emergence from a deep site is slightly later than that from a shallower one in the same pond. There are very marked differences in times of emergence from pond to pond: emergence of 50% of the annual total for a given species may be reached in different ponds up to 3 weeks apart. These differences from habitat to habitat mean that adults are present over the general Hazen area throughout the arctic summer.The time at which emergence begins in a given pond (or given site within a deeper pond) is primarily dictated by the temperature required for pre-emergence development, but also by other features of individual ponds. Pond temperatures near 4° or 5 °C are most important in this respect. The time of first emergence differs between years in the same pond according to year-to-year temperature differences.Emergence of a given species is basically highly synchronized within a pond, but the emergence period may be prolonged by lowered temperatures acting as a threshold for adult emergence at about 7 °C. The emergence pattern is less regular in shallow ponds in which the temperature fluctuates greatly, and it is more regular with lower peaks in deeper ponds.Males of a number of species generally emerge slightly before the females.Emergence of given species within given ponds is synchronized because only larvae which are ready to pupate without further feeding in spring emerge in any year. There must therefore be control of a ’diapause’ type.Aquatic insect species are characterized as ’absolute spring species’ if all potential émergents overwinter as mature larvae (i.e. larvae in which no further growth is necessary before emergence) and also ’diapause’ is present at this stage. To this category all of these high arctic species belong. They are apparently derived from ’absolute spring species’ farther south, the life-cycles of which are pre-adapted to the shortness of the arctic season. Despite the potential for highly synchronized emergence which such species possess, this potential is not fully realized in the arctic because the irregular fluctuations of temperature there operate near values which may directly inhibit development and emergence.

Fourteen coniferous feeding species of Argyresthia in Canada are dealt with. The following seven species are described as new: canadensis n. sp., Quebec; mariana n. sp., Ontario; columbia n. sp., British Columbia; picea n. sp., Ontario, Quebec, Yukon Territory; abies, n. sp., Ontario; tsuga n. sp., British Columbia; pseudotsuga n. sp., British Columbia. Two species, confused under the name freyella Walsingham, are distinguished. A key is given to the species.

This report deals with studies of the biology of 10 species of the genus Triatoma Laporte, all of which were collected in Argentina and reared in the Microbiology and Parasitology Institute of the School of Medicine, University of Buenos Aires.The specific purpose of the study was to determine, for each species, average values for number of eggs per female, proportion of eggs hatching, time required for hatching and for the development of each instar nymph, the longevity of female and male adults, and the length of egg-adult and egg–egg cycles.These studies extend the knowledge of the biology of vector species of Chagas’ disease and have been done in conjunction with studies of the geographical distribution of the insects.

Parasitism, infertility, and death of fully developed first-stage larvae in eggs (pharate larvae) were the egg mortality factors encountered during a 1967–69 study on the bionomics of the forest tent caterpillar, Malacosoma disstria Hübner, in northern Minnesota. There was no significant difference in the average yearly per cent parasitization and infertility per egg mass; these ranged from 7 to 10% and 1 to 3%, respectively. There was a year to year difference in pharate larval mortality. It ranged from 39% in 1968 to only 9 and 3% for 1967 and 969. Studies showed that egg masses had a tendency to be either nearly complete y hatched or unhatched only in 1968. The variation in pharate larval mortally in these studies suggests qualitative differences in the population. The pharate larval mortality has the potential of influencing population trends of the forest tent caterpillar.

Midila bordonorum n. sp. is described from near Portachuelo Pass, Estado Aragua, Venezuela.

Studies on the courtship behavior of Melanoplus sanguinipes (Fabr.) clearly indicated that the male played the dominant role. The conspicuous waving of antennae and vibrating of hind femora, which form an integral part of the male’s behavioral pattern, did not appear essential for normal coupling. Visual stimuli proved to be of primary importance for ’homing in’ on the female prior to the mounting leap. Blinding the male caused all courtship activities to cease. Males clearly were able to select mature females from immature ones and virgin from mated females. Although further experimental evidence is required for corroboration, it is suggested that this selectivity may have been accomplished by some form of chemical stimulus emitted by the females.

A procedure for sampling defoliating forest insect larvae by beating them from foliage, used by the Forest Insect and Disease Survey of the Canadian Forestry Service to record population trends and predict future damage and control need in British Columbia, was tested over 150,000 acres on Vancouver Island. The parameters used were average numbers of larvae per collection and percentage positive collections. Results on the test species Acleris gloverana (Wlshm.) and Melanolophia imitata (Wlk.), on host Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg., indicated that for low (normal) population levels the present system of choosing three-tree samples along roadsides was satisfactory but that weather conditions markedly affected sample results.

A 5 year study of the foliage inhabiting fauna of young apple trees which had never been treated with insecticides or miticides showed there were large numbers of species varying considerably in quantity. The study also showed that the manner in which the foliage is distributed by cluster type and the distribution of the many species on the clusters are important factors in the sampling of mixed populations of arthropods.The leaf clusters were classified into six types based on stem length and on the presence or absence of fruit. The mean number of leaves per cluster for all types combined increased until mid July but no further increase occurred after that. The variation in leaves per cluster on the longer clusters, however, continued throughout the summer even though the mean number of leaves per cluster did not.The relative abundance of each of the arthropod species, whether it was identifiable to name or not, was given a quantitative rating by using random clusters as a common sampling unit. Eleven orders, 38 families, and over 100 species were recorded. The species making up the fauna were nearly all at a low density and in general remained low during the study. All the common pests were found but only four were at a level where economic damage to the foliage resulted. Very few of the species were present in numbers sufficiently large for analysis of the factors influencing their population density or theirA list is given of those species which were sufficiently abundant to show that differences in preference for some cluster types over others is common.

Counting hemlock looper (Lambditm fiscellaria lugnbrosa) eggs attached to moss samples is tedious and inaccurate. Moss samples treated with a 0.5% NaOH solution for 1 minute releases the eggs, which can be washed and filtered out of the moss. Other debris can be separated through differential flotation with 15% NaCl solution. Three such washings provide data for analysis with the maximum likelihood method, producing density estimates with low-standard errors.

Triglycerides of Nigrospora sphaerica which elicit aggregation of adult confused flour beetles were separated according to their degree of unsaturation by chromatographic methods. Several fractions showed activity. The largest and most active fraction consisted of monounsaturated triglycerides of which the major component was oleodipalmitin. Triglycerides from three other fungi showed varied levels of activity.

The preparation of Simulium venustum embryos for Scanning electron. microscopy is described.

The genus Megasoma Kirby as it occurs in North and Central America is discussed, and the taxonomic history of this group in this area is reviewed. A key is presented to aid in the separation of the 10 forms currently known from these areas, as well as one species that may be taken in the future. Each species is illustrated and discussed. Three new species, Megasoma sleeperi from Southern California, Megasoma cedrosa from Central Baja California, and Megasoma lecontei from Southern Baja California, are described.

The Palaearctic braconid Pygostolus falcatus (Nees) is recorded from Prince Edward Island parasitic on Sitona hispidula F.

Paratrichobius americanus new species is described and illustrated from specimens collected in Arizona, from the host bat Choeronycteris mexicana Tschudi It is most closely related to the P. longicrus (Miranda Ribeiro) complex of species, but is easily differentiated from all the known species by details of the chaetotaxy of the profemur, mesonotum and gonapophyses, and by the small eyes. This is the first species of the genus to be recorded from the bat subfamily Glossophaginae, all others are known only from the Stenoderminae (family Phyllostomidae).