Differences in phenology were observed between two populations of Ostrinia nubilalis (Hbn.) in Alberta. In the South Saskatchewan River valley, borers pupated and emerged 3–6 days earlier than on the plains. This was not simply a function of different microclimates because median pupation occurred at 331 degree-days (DD) for plains populations and at 490 DD for valley populations. First-generation flight extended from the last week in June until the 1st week in August. Flight peaks in 1983 occurred on 8 July in the valley and on 14 July on the plains. Flight was delayed in 1984 by cold nightly temperatures. In 1983 valley populations had a partial second generation, with a flight peak in late August. Mean pupal mass was significantly less for plains populations than valley populations. Transplant experiments demonstrated that these differences reflected mainly environmental influences. During spring 1984, mean larval mass in the two populations did not differ until early June, when both mean wet and dry mass of valley larvae increased significantly but those of plains larvae did not change. This variability of phenotypes contributes to the colonizing ability of the European corn borer.

Two hundred and thirty-nine primary types of Ceraphronoidea (11), Evanioidea (1), Proctotrupoidea (226), and Trigonaloidea (1) housed in the Canadian National Collection were examined and listed. These were contributed by the following authors: Masner (108), Townes (41), Muesebeck (25), Harrington (16), Johnson (9), Dessart (7), Huggert and Masner (6), Masner and Huggert (5), MacGown (5), Johnson and Masner (3), Ritchie and Masner (3), Mineo (2), Provancher (2), Ashmead (1), Bin and Johnson (1), Dessart and Bin (1), Fouts (1), MacGown and Nebeker(1), Sharkey (1), and Viereck (1). Lectotypes are designated by L. Masner for the following Harrington species: Aphanogmus salicicola, Lygocerus pallipes, Aclista caudata, Eritrissomerus pallipes, Sactogaster varipes, Baryconus bicolor, and Baryconus cinctus; and for Pentacantha canadensis Ashmead. The following new generic combinations are also proposed by L. Masner: Acanosema caudata (Harrington) and A. crassicornis (Harrington) from Aclista; Amblyaspis pallipes (Harrington) from Eritrissomerus; and Trimorus canadensis (Ashmead) from Pentacantha.

Representatives of the oribatid mite family Ceratozetidae of subarctic western North America, including 14 species in eight genera, are treated. A new genus Laminizetes, and eight new species, Diapterobates siccatus, Trichoribates ogilviensis, Laminizetes fortispinosus, Ceratozetes inupiaq, C. kutchin, C. fjellbergi, Sphaerozetes firthensis, and Melanozetes tanana, are proposed, and Dentizetes rudentiger Hammer, Diapterobates humeralis (Hermann), Neogymnobates luteus (Hammer), Trichoribates striatus Hammer, Sphaerozetes castaneus Hammer, and Melanozetes meridianus Sellnick are redescribed. Immatures of Dentizetes rudentiger and Sphaerozetes firthensis are described. A key to the adults of the 31 species of Ceratozetidae recorded from the western North American arctic and subarctic is given. Relationships among the 12 genera in the Ceratozetidae recorded from the North American arctic and subarctic are discussed.

The false chinch bug, Nysius ericae (Schilling), was reared successfully in clear polystyrene containers in the laboratory. Nymphs were fed hulled sunflower seeds and radish slices; adults were fed hulled sunflower seeds and seedlings of Brassica juncea mustard or B. napus canola. Eggs were laid in rolls of compacted cotton, stored at 5 ± 1°C, and brought out to room temperature for hatching.

The behavior, reproductive capability, and longevity of Telenomus calvus Johnson, a phoretic egg parasitoid of the spined soldier bug, Podisus maculiventris (Say), were examined in the laboratory. Telenomus calvus females were observed at 25 different locations on hosts’ bodies; preferred sites were pronota and femora. Attachment to hosts was facilitated by greatly enlarged arolia. Parasitoids dismounted from hosts at the time of oviposition to parasitize egg masses. Production of female progeny by parasitoids in phoretic association with hosts peaked on the 1st day after adult emergence, then declined steadily until day 6; male progeny production remained relatively low and constant over the same period. The mean (± SE) number of progeny produced by T. calvus females was 22.4 ± 3.0. Such a small egg complement enabled most females not in phoretic association, and presented with a fresh egg mass daily, to oviposit all or nearly all of their eggs in the first host egg mass encountered. The intrinsic rate of natural increase for T. calvus in phoretic association was estimated as 0.149 ♀ ♀−1 day−1, resulting in a doubling time of 4.65 days. Longevity on non-ovipositing females with access to honey was 33.7 ± 1.1 days, but declined sharply to 5.7 ± 0.4 days when in phoretic association with hosts. Pre-imaginal development of T. calvus was restricted to host eggs that were ≤12h old, despite continued observed oviposition attempts in older host masses. These results are discussed with regard to the biology of T. calvus as a phoretic parasitoid and to its importance as a parasitoid of P. maculiventris in Louisiana.

The Douglas-fir cone moth, Barbara coljaxiana (Kearfott) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), has the capacity for prolonged diapause, i.e. diapause for two or more winters (Hedlin 1960). This diapause allows for temporal spacing of populations and reduction of intraspecific competition. Specifically, when cone crops are small, excessive moth densities can occur and cause conelet mortality prior to completion of feeding by cone moth larvae, which results in moth mortality. If all moths emerged each year, moth-caused destruction of the conelet population, particularly in years of light production, would have drastic effects on the moth population.

The objective of the present work was to determine the statistical distribution of midge damage between heads of wheat as a guide to estimating the number of wheat heads that would constitute a reliable sample in estimating losses caused by this pest. A brief account of the history and geographical distribution of the wheat midge in Manitoba has been given by Barker (1984).