The western bigeyed bug, Geocoris pollens Stål, was successfully reared on a diet of sunflower seeds and eggs and nymphs of the large milkweed bug, Oncopeltus fasciatus (Dallas).

Neobetulaphis chaetosiphon n. sp. from Alnus nepalensis D. Don. and Betula spp., and Betulaphis longicornis n. sp. from Betula utilis D, Don. and Betula sp. are described. The taxonomic position of the aphids with respect to closely related species is discussed.

Pheromone trap capture of feral male Oriental fruit moths was highly correlated with capture of males emerging from ground litter in the spring of 1977 and 1978. The correlation between pheromone trap capture of males and female emergence was also good in 1978 but poor in 1977. It is concluded that pheromone monitoring traps are an accurate measure of the actual spring adult emergence pattern of this species.

The activity of the predacious mite Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot was greater oh a glass substrate than on a bean leaf substrate. Temperature did not affect its relative activity on the two substrates. The phytophagous mite Tetranychus urticae Koch was inactive on the bean leaf substrate. It was active on the glass substrate and its activity varied with temperature. The functional response of P. persimilis and T. urticae was examined at four temperatures (15°, 20°, 25°, 30 °C). Each functional response to increasing temperature rose curvilinearly to a plateau. From Holling’s disk equation, rate of successful search increased and handling time decreased.

Thirteen species of parasites were reared from Pikonema alaskensis (Rohwer) larvae and cocoons collected in Maine and 12 species from larvae collected in Nova Scotia. Of the larval parasites, the most common species in Maine were the ichneumons Rhorus sp. 1 and Syndipnus rubiginosus Walley, and in Nova Scotia, the ichneumons Aderaeon bedardi (Provancher), Mesoleius sp., Rhorus sp. 2, and S. rubiginosus. Of the tachina flies, Palexorista bohemica (Mesnil) was more common in Maine, while it and Bessa harveyi (Townsend) were equally common in Nova Scotia. Only two cocoon parasites were reared in Maine, the ichneumon Endasys pubescens (Provancher) and the pteromalid Tritneptis diprionis Gahan. No egg parasites were reared. Parasitism totaled 12.3% in Maine larvae, 16.1% in Maine cocoons, and 46.7% in Nova Scotia larvae.

In 1976 and 1977, adults of Aedes sticticus (Meigen) and Aedes vexans (Meigen), marked with fluorescent dust, were captured in light traps up to 33 days after release and at distances up to 11 km from the release site. Adults flew primarily northwest from the release sites, and with the prevailing winds. Porcine and bovine hosts present at some of the trapping sites, appeared to be highly attractive to female mosquitoes. Within an 8 km trapping radius of the release site, the mean number of marked/trapped female mosquitoes decreased with distance. In 1977, 50% of the marked captures (weighted according to km2 of trapping area) were taken within the first 2 km, 82% within 4 km, 92% within 6 km, and the remainder out to 8 km from the release site. For all trap sites, the mean recovery of marked/unmarked adults over a 33 day trapping period in 1977 was 1:1113.

The first detailed morphological description of the last-instar larva of Zophodia convolutella (Hübner) is presented. The life history, distribution, and economic importance are discussed.

The alate virginopara of Gharesia polunini Stroyan is described from Carex mertensii Prescott in British Columbia. Morphological variation in the apterous morph is discussed. The taxonomic status of the genus Gharesia Stroyan is considered.

The chorionic architecture, including the general and fine structure, of the eggshell of the microtype egg of the tachinid Euexorista futilis (Osten Sacken) is described. It is about 220 μm long, flattened dorso-ventrally, and has distinct dorsal and ventral chorions, each of which is differently structured. The surface features of the microtype eggs of an additional 20 tachinid species are described, and the usefulness of these features in taxonomic decisions is discussed. Three new combinations are used: Allophorocera arator (Aldrich), Cyzenis browni (Curran), and Eufrontina mitis (Curran).

Pre-attack feeding for 48 h on a diet containing 200 ppm Dimilin® (diflubenzuron), by adult Dendroctonus rufipennis (Kirby) (Coleoptera: Scolytidae), caused a complete inhibition of larval eclosion from eggs deposited by such beetles in the untreated host logs for the duration of the reproductive cycle. Inhibition of larval eclosion was mediated through the females only. Pre-attack application of 1% Dimilin to host logs reduced the number of larvae per gallery by 55% and reduced the number of galleries with successful larval eclosion by 42%.

Gillaspytes janzeni, a new genus, new species, of Dynastinae from northeastern Mexico is described and figured. Reasons for placement of the genus in the tribe Pentodontini are briefly discussed.

Release of allyl isothiocyanate through the red rubber sleeve-type stoppers of small serum vials was found to be an effective and convenient method of dispensing this attractant from traps used to catch crucifer-feeding flea beetles. Liquid allyl isothiocyanate in a vial was conducted upwards by capillary action through a length of pipestem cleaner, absorbed by the rubber stopper and given off as a vapor from its outer surface. Release rates were affected by extent of exposure to solar or other radiant heat energy, time, and the thickness of stoppers.

Formates analogous to the aldehyde sex pheromones of several species of Lepidoptera have been shown to have biological activity, (E)-9-Dodecen-1-yl formate was therefore tested against male spruce budworm (C. fumiferana) by EAGs and by field trapping experiments designed to test for attraction, inhibition, and disruption. No biological activity was detected.

In an evaluation of several chemosterilants for insect control Borkovec (1972) stresses their safe handling. The compound tris (l-ziridinyl) phosphine sulphide, trivial name thiotepa, is currently being tested as a sterilant against several insects. More recently, Terry et al. (1977) noticed a 99 to 100% sterility in boll weevils treated with thiotepa. When 0- to 24-h-old pupae of Trogoderma granarium Everts were dipped in 1% thiotepa for 8 min only 0.1% of their eggs hatched (Chaudhary and Kapil 1977). The males of Earias vitella F. were also sterilized when their pupae were dipped in 0.5 to 0.75% thiotepa (Singh et al. 1978). Finally, no eggs hatched when Dysdercus koenigii (F.) was topically treated with 4 pg of thiotepa per insect (Govindan and Pillai 1977).

The aggregation pheromone of the ambrosia beetle, Trypodendron lineatum (Olivier), was isolated by MacConnell et al. (1977), identified as one of two isomeric, tricyclic acetals, and given the trivial name, lineatin. One of the isomers, 3,3,7-trimethyl-2,9-dioxatricyclo [3.3.1.0 4,7] nonane (4,6,6-lineatin), was synthesized in µg quantities by three different syntheses, assessed to be structurally identical to the isolated pheromone, and demonstrated to be highly attractive in field tests (Borden et al. 1979; Vité and Bakke 1979). The other structural isomer, 3,3,7- trimethyl-2,9-dioxatricyclo [4.2.1.0 4,7] nonane (4,5,6-lineatin), was not tested for biological activity. The enantiomeric composition of natural lineatin was not determined by MacConnell et al. (1977).

The larch sawfly, Pristiphora erichsonii (Htg.), is a serious defoliator of trees of the genus Larix and particularly of Larix laricina (Du Roi) K. Koch in eastern Canada. According to Reeks (1954), four outbreaks occurred in the Maritime Provinces between 1883 and 1942. Following the last outbreak, few specimens of the insect were found in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island until 1960 when an outbreak started near Fredericton, New Brunswick. Since, outbreaks varying in degree from moderate to severe have persisted throughout this province.

In the course of a study on the ecology and population dynamics of the insect it was found necessary to verify and separate the various developmental stages of the larvae.