Polymerase chain reaction and subsequent restriction fragment profiling analysis were used to associate collected tabanid egg masses with their respective species of adult horse flies and deer flies (Diptera: Tabanidae) in Manitoba, Canada. The ribosomal DNA (rDNA) intergenic spacer between the 28S and 18S ribosomal RNA genes was used successfully to differentiate 34 species of adult tabanids representing five genera: Atylotus (1 sp.), Chrysops (10 spp.), Haematopota (1 sp.), Hybomitra (17 spp.), and Tabanus (5 spp.). rDNA was a suitable molecular target for identifying tabanid species because of the high level of interspecific variation when comparing fragment profiles among different species, and the corresponding minimal intraspecific variation among individuals of the same species. Restriction fragment profiles from 56 field-collected tabanid egg masses were compared with those previously obtained from adults of known species. Egg masses of five species were identified: Hybomitra lasiophthalma (Macquart), Hybomitra nitidifrons nuda (McDunnough), Chrysops aestuans van der Wulp, Chrysops excitans Walker, and Chrysops mitis Osten Sacken. We also provide physical descriptions of these tabanid egg masses along with pictures.

The genus Creochara Cameron is redescribed, and one species, C. brevipennis (Bernhauer), is recognized in the genus. The systematic position of the genus is discussed, and it is placed in the Tetrasticta genus group in the tribe Aleocharini. The genus group is characterized by the presence of a sternopleural suture and its monophyly is supported by the elongate antennomere I, the development of the metasternal process, and the wide separation of the mesocoxal cavities. Tetrasticta bicolor (Cameron) comb. nov. and Tetrasticta bryanti (Cameron) comb. nov. are excluded from the genus Creochara and redescribed.

Two new species of litter-inhabiting leptonetid spiders from Korea are described: Leptoneta namkungisp. nov. from Mt. Buyong, Chungcheongbuk-do, and Leptoneta kwangreungensissp. nov. from Kwangreung, Gyeonggi-do.

On the basis of colour of the legs and structural details of the pronotum and male genitalia, Pterostichus commutabilis (Motschulsky) auct. is shown to be composite, consisting of P. commutabilis and Pterostichus praetermissus (Chaudoir), the latter name therefore being removed from synonymy with the former name. Dot maps show that the geographical ranges of these two species overlap extensively in northeastern North America, but the range of P. commutabilis extends farther north and west (to eastern British Columbia and eastern California), whereas the range of P. praetermissus extends farther south (to northern Florida). A third species of the Holarctic subgenus Argutor Dejean living in North America is the Palaearctic Pterostichus vernalis (Panzer), whose Nearctic range is confined to southern Quebec and northermost Vermont. This taxonomic treatment includes a key distinguishing adults of these three species, and each species is characterized morphologically, geographically, and ecologically (in terms of habitat).

Strongygaster (= Hyalomyodes) triangulifera (Loew) (Diptera: Tachinidae) is a small parasitic fly that is widely distributed in North America. It is most frequently reported as a parasitoid of adult Coleoptera, but there are scattered reports of parasitism within the Dermaptera, Hemiptera, Orthoptera, and Lepidoptera (Arnaud 1978; Purrington et al. 1990). Within the Coleoptera, species in the families Alleculidae, Bruchidae, Chrysomelidae, Cleridae, Coccinellidae, Curculionidae, Lampyridae, Meloidae, Nitidulidae, and Scarabaeidae have been reported as hosts (Gerding and Figueroa 1989; Purrington et al. 1990; Nalepa et al. 1996). This is the first record of S. triangulifera, and the first record of a tachinid, parasitizing a species of Cantharidae.

Laboratory bioassays were carried out on two species of phytoseiid mites to investigate their resistance to the fungicide mancozeb. Susceptible and suspected resistant strains of Kampimodromus aberrans (Oudemans) and Typhlodromus pyri Scheuten were tested. Mancozeb resistance factors were low to moderate: they reached 6.3 and 11.7 for K. aberrans and T. pyri, respectively. Intrinsic toxicity of mancozeb was approximately 5–10-fold more pronounced in females of K. aberrans than in females of T. pyri. The female susceptibility pattern of the most resistant strain of K. aberrans was quite close to that of the most susceptible strain of T. pyri. The LC50 values for the most resistant strains of K. aberrans and T. pyri were 4.6 and 43 times higher, respectively, than the maximum field application rate of mancozeb recommended for control of downy mildew in vineyards. Using a diagnostic concentration, a limited survey in vine plots indicated that most of the K. aberrans strains we tested were susceptible to mancozeb, but a few consisted of both resistant and susceptible individuals. All strains of T. pyri collected in Burgundy were susceptible. Half of the T. pyri strains from Bordeaux were susceptible and the other half were mixed populations of resistant and susceptible individuals.

Cumulative temperature requirements and development thresholds were determined for two populations of Dicyphus hesperus Knight, 1943 to compare their suitability for use in biological control in greenhouse vegetable crops. The populations were from near Summerland, British Columbia, Canada (49°36′N, 119°40′W, at 334 m elevation) and from near Woody, California, United States of America (35°42′N, 118°50′W, at 500 m elevation). Eggs of the California (CA) population had a higher cumulative temperature requirement for hatch than those of the British Columbia (BC) population. Males of the CA population had a slightly lower cumulative temperature requirement for development from hatch to adult than males of the BC population. The populations did not differ with respect to development thresholds. Males of the CA population experienced higher mortality during development at 35 °C than BC males or females of either population. Males and females of both populations developing at 35 °C were significantly smaller than those developing at more moderate temperatures. The differences between populations with respect to development were biologically trivial. With respect to the effects of temperature on development time under greenhouse conditions, the two populations appear to be equally suitable for use in greenhouses.

Twig beetles in the genus Pityophthorus Eichhoff are known to be associated with the pitch canker pathogen, Fusarium circinatum, in California. Phoresy of the pathogen on these species has been reported to occur when insects emerge from diseased branches and when they infest disease-free, cut branch tips. To demonstrate that twig beetles can vector the pathogen, studies of phoresy and transmission were conducted in a native Monterey pine, Pinus radiata D. Don (Pinaceae), forest. Phoresy was confirmed for both Pityophthorus setosus Blackman and Pityophthorus carmeli Swaine, and P. setosus was shown to vector the pitch canker pathogen when contaminated with fungal spores and caged onto Monterey pine branches. When attractive baits were used to increase visitation to Monterey pines by P. setosus, baited trees were more likely to develop pitch canker than unbaited trees even though the beetles did not tunnel into the host to develop egg galleries. Therefore, twig beetles are competent as vectors of the pitch canker pathogen, and their vectoring activity, though requiring a wound, does not require that they establish egg galleries in the host.

The biology and phenology of the yew big bud mite, Cecidophyopsis psilaspis (Nalepa, 1893), were studied on Pacific yew, Taxus brevifolia Nutt., in British Columbia, Canada. The mite showed the typical life cycle of eriophyoids on evergreen hosts, with all stases being present throughout the year. The numbers of C. psilaspis, which colonized both vegetative and reproductive buds, peaked in May to August, with the lowest numbers in March and October and the highest numbers in June. Mite numbers differed among bud types, with averages following the sequence terminal buds = lateral buds > male reproductive buds > axillary buds > female reproductive buds > latent buds. Very few mites were found in latent buds except during bud formation, when other vegetative buds were unavailable. Reproductive buds were colonized mostly from May to July. There was no evidence of arrhenotoky in C. psilaspis, as the proportion of mites that were females ranged from 54% to 100%. Temperature and predation were considered the likely factors that determine population fluctuations. It was hypothesized that C. psilaspis abundance increased following favorable spring temperatures and new food resources, whereas predation by other mite species and lower temperatures, which prolonged development, were responsible for the low numbers in March and October.

Aphids were sampled in commercial blueberry, Vaccinium corymbosum L. (Ericaceae), fields in southwestern British Columbia, Canada, from 2001 through 2003. Ericaphis fimbriata (Richards), the dominant aphid, overwintered as eggs on blueberry and emerged in late February and March during bud break. Apterous adult fundatrices were found during April. The fundatrices produced both alate and apterous virginoparae. There was a positive curvilinear relationship between production of alatae and aphid density on flower clusters, but not on leaf terminals. Peak densities in late June or early July varied from 300 to 9000 aphids per plant in different fields, suggesting that there may be considerable variation in Blueberry scorch virus transmission rates among fields infected with the virus. Production of alate virginoparae (percentage of all fourth-instar aphids with wing pads) declined from May through August. Sexual morphs were produced in late September and October. The efficacy of postbloom insecticide applications in June, by growers, was variable. Experimental trials showed that dormant oil is not effective in preventing aphid emergence. Aphids on blueberry should be controlled before bloom, before alatae are produced and large populations occur, but the efficacy of this approach in reducing virus transmission needs to be tested.

Pissodes yunnanensis Langor et Zhang, a pest of Yunnan pine, Pinus yunnanensis Franchet, in southwestern China, occurs at elevations of 2200–2800 m. These weevils infest Yunnan pine trees less than 20 years old but prefer trees 8–10 years old. Oviposition occurs mainly along the upper trunk on current-year and 1-year-old growth and occasionally on the upper lateral branches. Weevil feeding often kills the leader, which results in stem forking and crooking. At times, after 2–3 years of consecutive severe infestation, tree mortality occurs. In southwestern Yunnan Province, adults of this univoltine weevil emerge from infested stems from mid-April to mid-July. Eggs appear in late June, first-instar larvae in early July, and fourth-instar larvae in late March of the next year. First- and second-instar larvae feed in the phloem, and third-instar larvae move to the sapwood or pith, where they overwinter. In March, larvae resume feeding and development. Fourth-instar larvae excavate pupal chambers (chip cocoons) in the outer sapwood or pith, and pupation occurs from late March to late May. Optimal development of eggs and pupae occurs at 25 °C in the laboratory. Parasitism is the main cause of mortality in P. yunnanensis, accounting for 2%–25% of mortality among third- and fourth-instar larvae and 5%–10% among pupae.

Exotic leafmining sawflies (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae) on birch (Betula spp., Betulaceae) have become widely distributed in Canada since their introduction to eastern North America in the last century (Digweed et al. 1997). However, their distributions north of the 60th parallel are poorly known (Digweed et al. 2003). No birch leafmining sawflies were detected at Hay River and Louise Falls, Northwest Territories (NT), in 1993, but the ambermarked birch leafminer, Profenusa thomsoni (Konow), was reported from Yellowknife, NT, in 1994 (Digweed et al. 1997). Since that time, P. thomsoni populations have reached epidemic levels on urban birches in Yellowknife and Hay River, NT (unpublished data). While examining infested birches in Hay River in 2003, the authors also found the European alder leafminer, Fenusa dohrnii (Tischbein), attacking alder (Alnus spp., Betulaceae).

In 1999, the leaf roller Caloptilia fraxinella (Ely) (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) was noticed for the first time in the city of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, on ornamental green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica Marsh. var. subintegerrima (Vahl) Fern.) and black ash (F. nigra Marsh.) (Oleaceae). It has since been found there on Manchurian ash (F. mandshurica Rupr.) and white ash (F. americana L.). Specimens were collected and reared, and vouchers have been deposited in the Canadian Forest Service Arthropod Collection in Edmonton and the Canadian National Collection of Insects (CNC) in Ottawa, Ontario.

Two newly identified geographic isolates of a nucleopolyhedrovirus (LdMNPV-H and LdMNPV-J) were evaluated against Disparvirus (LdMNPV-D), a baculovirus insecticide registered in Canada for the control of gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar (L.) (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae)). Profiles of HindIII and EcoRI restriction enzyme digests of viral DNA from the three viral isolates are presented. Viral isolates were bioassayed using an inoculated diet plug method to determine the dose- and time-responses of second-instar larvae of both the European and Asian strains of gypsy moth. LdMNPV-D was found to be the most virulent isolate when tested against the European strain of gypsy moth, yielding an LD50 and an LD95 (estimates of the doses required to kill 50% and 95% of the test larvae, respectively) of 95 and 774 occlusion bodies (OBs), respectively. LdMNPV-H was the most virulent isolate when tested against the Asian strain, yielding an LD50 and an LD95 of 648 and 8540 OBs, respectively. Time-response data indicate that the three isolates differ little with respect to their speed of kill (ST50; estimate of the length of time required to kill 50% of the test insects) of either larval strain. These results indicate that both new isolates (LdMNPV-H and LdMNPV-J) should be investigated further for control of the Asian strain of the gypsy moth but not pursued for control of the European strain.

Nymphs of many species of the order Odonata are easy to maintain in the laboratory, and there are hundreds of published studies dealing with behaviour, ecology, development, taxonomy, etc. that involve maintenance of nymphs under laboratory conditions. Most of these studies call for nymphs to be fed live prey, and in some cases it is possible to collect suitable prey from the field. However, in cases in which the experimental designs call for controlled diets, or in cases in which natural food is difficult to collect, as during winter months in temperate latitudes, it is common for researchers to feed nymphs with prey cultured in the laboratory. Researchers have used a variety of different prey but Daphnia sp. is one of the most popular. We have used Daphnia sp. cultures but have encountered difficulties in rearing sufficient numbers for use in experiments involving hundreds of nymphs; also, we have had the unfortunate experience of having our cultures collapse for unknown reasons at critical times of experiments.