A new oribatid mite (Acari), Camisia abdosensillasp.nov., is described from all instars, based on specimens from British Columbia, Canada. This species occurs on branches and foliose lichens in the canopies of western hemlock, Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg., 1898 (Pinaceae), and Pacific silver fir, Abies amabilis (Dougl. ex Loud.) Dougl. ex J. Forbes, 1939 (Pinaceae), growing in high elevation coastal forests. The most unusual feature of this species is the distinctive structure of the prodorsal trichobothrium in adults; the significantly reduced sensillus is completely enclosed within the bothridium. A resemblance between the structure of this organ and those of the superfamily Crotonioidea appears to have resulted from parallel evolution rather than being evidence of a sister-group relationship. Another species, Camisia islandica Gjelstrup and Solhøy, 1994, is herein recognized as a junior synonym of Camisia solhoeyi Colloff, 1993. A key of the Nearctic species of the genus Camisia is given.

In North America, the tribe Cholevini (Coleoptera: Leiodidae) is composed of the genera Prionochaeta Horn with 1 species, Catoptrichus Murray with 1 species, Sciodrepoides Hatch with 3 species, and Catops Paykull with 17 species. The species are mostly forest inhabitants that feed on carrion and other decaying materials, but some occur in tundra habitats, in caves, and in rodent burrows. Resurrected status is proposed for Sciodrepoides terminans (LeConte). The subspecies status of Sciodrepoides watsoni hornianus (Blanchard) is not supported. Lectotypes are designated for Catops terminans LeConte (= Sciodrepoides terminans (LeConte)), Choleva gratiosa Blanchard (= Catops gratiosus (Blanchard)), and Choleva egena Horn (= Catops egenus (Horn)). Neotypes are designated for Catops simplex Say and Catops basilaris Say. Catops luteipes Thomson is reported from North America for the first time. New species are Sciodrepoides latinotum Peck and Cook sp.nov., Catops paramericanus Peck and Cook sp.nov., Catops apterus Peck and Cook sp.nov., and Catops meridionalis Peck and Cook sp.nov. Four Catops species are Holarctic in distribution, whereas the others are restricted to North America, south to Mexico.

Nucleopolyhedroviruses (NPVs) are naturally occurring entomopathogens that show promise as bioinsecticides against pest caterpillars. Determining the potential of a NPV as an insecticide requires conducting many laboratory assays. These experiments typically require a large number of larvae and it may be necessary to collect eggs from laboratory or wild sources for several days before an adequate supply is obtained. Fortunately, in many species of Lepidoptera, it is possible to synchronize rearing by storing eggs at 4°C.

Cabbage loopers (Trichoplusia ni Hübner) are widespread, highly destructive agricultural pests. Preliminary trials suggest that the single (S) nucleocapsid nucleopolyhedrovirus of cabbage loopers (TnSNPV) might be effective in controlling cabbage loopers (Jaques 1977); however, many additional studies are required before it can be commercially developed as a bioinsecticide.

Female spruce seed moths, Cydia strobilella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), oviposit on seed cones of most North American spruces (Picea spp.) (Pinaceae) at the time of pollination, and larvae feed on seeds in the maturing cones. We tested the hypothesis that host-seeking moths respond to volatiles from both host and nonhost trees. In coupled gas chromatographic – electroantennographic detection (GC–EAD) analyses of extracts of spruce seed cone volatiles, > 17 compounds elicited antennal responses from male and female C. strobilella. A blend of seven compounds, including (−)-α-pinene and (−)-β-pinene, α-longipinene and α-humulene, Z3-hexenol, methyl eugenol, and cymen-8-ol, was more attractive to female C. strobilella in laboratory bioassay experiments than the complete seed cone volatile blend, containing these compounds at equivalent quantities and ratios. In GC–EAD analyses of volatile extracts from nonhost angiosperm trees, EAD-activity was associated with compounds present in (almost) every volatile source, including trembling aspen, Populus tremuloides (Michx.) (Salicaceae), paper birch, Betula papyrifera (Marsh.) (Betulaceae), black Cottonwood, Populus balsamifera trichocarpa (Torr. and Gray) (Salicaceae), and bigleaf maple, Acer macrophyllum (Pursh.) (Aceraceae). In a field experiment in the interior of British Columbia, the antennally active nonhost aldehydes, alcohols, and (±)-conophthorin all reduced captures of male C. strobilella in pheromone-baited traps. Collectively, our data suggest that host selection by C. strobilella is mediated, in part, by semiochemicals from both host and nonhost trees.

The predictions of three published models of temperature-dependent egg hatch of the European strain of the gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar L., were compared with observed hatch rates of caged egg masses in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Two of the three models gave a good fit to observations. Both of these models considered explicitly the period between oviposition in the summer of one year and hatch of neonates the following spring. When combined with models for temperature-dependent development of larvae and pupae, and adult longevity, the seasonal life history of an entire generation of gypsy moth could be simulated. These composite models predict the seasonal occurrence of all life stages of the insect. The simulated flight period of adult male gypsy moth on Vancouver Island in 1998 compared favourably with observed captures in pheromone traps. A series of gypsy moth generations was simulated using daily temperature inputs reconstructed from climatic normals (period 1961–1990) at various locations on the south coast and southern interior of British Columbia where gypsy moth has been frequently introduced but is not established. These simulations provided estimates of the probability of a persistent population resulting from a predicted stable seasonality of the gypsy moth. The highest probabilities of persistence were in coastal areas along the Strait of Georgia between Vancouver Island and the continental mainland and in southern interior valleys below approximately 500-m elevation (above sea level). Outside these regions, normal climatic profiles resulted in an unstable seasonality for gypsy moth with increasingly late oviposition dates, and subsequent problems in synchronizing initiation and completion of winter diapause with appropriate ambient conditions. The phenology models discussed here can be and were used as decision-support tools either to improve the efficiency of pest management operations (sampling, pesticide applications) or to make better decisions concerning the need for eradication of the gypsy moth in novel environments.

In Nova Scotia, the whitemarked tussock moth, Orgyia leucostigma Fitch, periodically erupts in outbreaks that typically last 3–5 years. Population changes during a recent outbreak were monitored by means of aerial defoliation surveys and fall egg-mass surveys that were conducted between 1997 and 2001. Severe defoliation was first recorded on approximately 250 ha in 1996. The defoliated area increased rapidly to hundreds of thousands hectares in 1998, after which it sharply declined to about 4700 ha in 2000 and 0 ha in 2001. The total infested area [>0.01 egg masses per three branches of Abies balsamea L. (Pinaceae)] decreased from about 1.4 million ha in 1997 to about 13 500 ha in 2001. Between 1996 and 2001, the infestation involved a cumulative total of 2.4 million ha, covering most of the province. The collapse of larval populations during 1998 was associated with widespread prevalence of a singly embedded nucleopolyhedrovirus (NPV) and Entomophaga aulicae (Reichardt in Bail) Humber (Zygomycetes: Entomophthorales). Sampling of larval populations in late July and August 1998 revealed a widespread and virtually sympatric occurrence of those pathogens in areas that were under defoliation pressure, with infection levels by each pathogen exceeding 75% in many sample sites. Pathogen impacts on larval survival were studied in 1999 in a persisting pocket of severe infestation in Hants County. Larvae were collected every 3 d from balsam fir branch samples between 17 June and 21 July and reared to determine cause of death. The two pathogens together accounted for at least 50% of cohort mortality, calculated as marginal mortality rates according to Royama (2001). Although cohort mortality due to disease on balsam fir was significantly correlated with between-generation reduction in mean egg-mass density, overall pathogen-induced mortality was not high enough to drive the populations into an endemic state, and a moderate infestation persisted into 2000.

The sex pheromone of the spruce seed moth, Cydia strobilella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), has not yet been identified, but several chemicals were found to be attractive to males (reviewed by Grant et al. 1989). E8-Dodecenyl acetate (E8-12:OAc) at 0.3-3.0 μg doses was the only effective attractant for males in field experiments in British Columbia, Ontario, and Newfoundland (Grant et al. 1989). Our objectives were to (i) confirm that female C. strobilella produce E8-12:OAc as a pheromone component, (ii) determine whether females produce additional pheromone components, and (iii) investigate the die1 periodicity of pheromonal communication.

Wheat midge larvae, Sitodiplosis mosellana (Géhin), attack developing seeds and cause losses of common wheat, Triticum aestivum L., and durum wheat, Triticum durum Desf. (Olfert et al. 1985; Lamb et al. 1999). Insecticide applied as the crop flowers can reduce damage (Elliott 1988). The economic threshold varies from 4 to 7% of common wheat seeds infested by larvae, depending upon grade of wheat and cost of insecticidal control (Lamb et al. 2000). To make control decisions, farmers count adults at sunset during the period from heading to flowering (Elliott and Mann 1996), and apply insecticide if densities reach a nominal threshold of one adult per four or five wheat spikes (Anonymous 1993). Decisions must be made although no relationship has been detected between the number of adults in the crop and subsequent densities of damaging larvae (Oakley et al. 1998), and farmers have little confidence in their counts. The pest is difficult to sample because adults are small, short-lived, crepuscular, and are usually hidden in the crop canopy (Pivnick and Labbé 1993); eggs are microscopic (Mukerji et al. 1988); larvae feed inside florets (Lamb et al. 2000); and mature larvae and pupae are in the soil (Lamb et al. 1999). Sticky traps have been used to sample midges in sorghum (Merchant and Teetes 1992) and in wheat (Oakley et al. 1998), with mixed results. Our objective was to determine if catches of wheat midge adults on sticky traps can effectively guide farmers in making control decisions.