Although lamae was described as a species (Freeman, Can. Ent., Vol. 73, p. 123. 1941), there seems to be considerable doubt in some quarters whether it should continue to stand as such. Since I am apparently the only Lepidopterist with the opportunity to observe annually large numbers of this moth flying in its native haunts, it is felt that a few comments might be of interest.

During the past 25 years the wheat stem sawfly, Cephus cinctus Nort., has become one of the most destructive pests of wheat in the Prairie Provinces. Annual losses in the wheat-growing area of Saskatchewan have been estimated as high as 17 million bushels (King and McDonald, 1944). There are, however, several native parasites of this pest, and of these Bracon cephi (Gahan) [Microbracon cephi Gahan] is the most important. In some areas this parasite has been very effective in reducing severe sawfly infestations.

Epinotia medioviridana (Kft.) (1908) is represented by very few specimens in any collection; there are two in the Canadian National Collection: a paratype (one of the six originally described) and a specimen from Tuxedo, N.Y. The species has been collected at Ottawa, which is its type locality, and in western Pennsylvania, but until now nothing has been known of its life history. During the summer of 1951, five last-instar larvae were collected from flowering raspberry, Rubus odoratus L., at Meach Lake, Que.; three were preserved and two reared to maturity. The following description has been obtained from the three preserved larvae and the two last-instar skins.

It has long been known that a series of late-instar larvae of Choristoneura fumiferana (Clem.) may be distinguished from one of C. pinus Free. by colour differences of the head and prothoracic shield: specimens of the former usually have dark heads and light prothoracic shields; specimens of the latter usually have light heads and dark prothoracic shields. However, intensive study of the larvae, including numerous specimens of C. fumiferana from the spruce-balsam fir areas of Algonquin Park, Ontario, and of C. pinus from jack-pine areas at Normandale, Ontario, has shown that there are highly significant structural differences in the head; these differences serve to identify small series of either species and most single specimens.

In the past twenty years or so many investigators have studied amplified electrical activity from nerve fibers supplving sensory receptors in many animals, including insects (see 2, 5, 8, 16, 19). With this technique much information has been secured concerning the characreristics of mechanical receptors (touch, pressure, sound, etc.) and photoreceptors. To a much lesser extent temperature, pain, taste and other chemical receptor activity in vertebrates has been studied although no electrical potentials appear to have been recorded from individual olfactory nerve fibers in any organism.

Some of the results of an attempt to apply ecological principles in the solution of apple insect control problems in Nova Scotia have been given in previous papers by Pickett et al. (1946), Lord (1947, 1949), Pickett (1952), and MacPhee (1952). Briefly, these studies aim at an understanding of the changes in the interrelations of the species in an orcl-lard when spray materials are added to the environment. The emphasis to date has heen placed on the effects of spray chemicals on the populations of entomophagous species. The results of this work have already had a marked effect on orchard insect control practices in Nova Scotia.

The object of this paper is to summarize some of the latest research work that has been done concerning the amino acids in insects and especially the research work in which I have collaborated.

The Amino Acid Molecule

An amino acid is an organic compound which contains a grouping with gcidic properties. Such a grouping in organic compounds is the carboxyl group.

At the Lethbridge laboratory, uncut wheat stems infested by the wheat stem sawfly, Cephus cinctus Nort., were collected in August, 1952, and incubated in sealed vials at room temperature for emergence of parasites. In October, 1952, three adult parasites (two females, one male) emerged. These specimens were identified as of Scambus detritus (Holmg.), Ichneumonidae, by Mr. G. S. Walley, Division of Entomology, Ottawa.

During the course of genetic studies on the spruce and jack pine budworms, it was noted that there are distinct morphological characters on which the pupae and egg clusters may be separated. They are described here as a contribution towards the taxonomic separation of Choristoneura fumiferana (Clem.) and C. pinus Free.

It is often desirable to establish the relationship between the amount of feeding of an insect and the prevailing meteorological conditions. With colonial insects, especially, it is difficult to determine visually whether members of a colony are feeding heavily, moderately, or lightly. If periodic measurements of frass drop are made, more reliable information may be obtained, for such measurements have proved to be reliable indicators of the intensity of feeding (Gornitz (1933); Monro (1935; Morris (1949), and Taranukha (1937)).

The biology of Bracon cephi (Gah.) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) was described recently (Nelson and Farstad, 1953). During studies from the Field Crop Insect Laboratory, Lethbridge, on the biology of this important parasit, observations were made on various other hymenopterous parasites associated with the wheat stem sawfly, Cephus cinctus Nort. The parasites discussed herein are Eupelmella vesicularis (Retz.) (Eupelmidae), Eurytoma atripes Gah. (Eurytomidae), and Merisus febriculosus Gir. (Pteromalidae). These three parasites have been noted by Gahan (1933) as parasites of the hessian fly, Phytophaga destructor (Say).

The problem of sample size usually confronts the research worker in the initial stages of an investigation. Many short methods have been used for determining sample size such as extracting the square root of the number of boxes or taking a 10 percent sample. While these techniques are easy to use nevertheless they are not based upon a statistical evaluation of the experiment. Sample size in an experiment is often dictated by the amount of time, money and labor available but even under such conditions it is possible to evaluate the precision of the experiment when the number of replications is dictated by necessity.

When spruce budworm larvae emerge in the spring, they either mine the needles of old foliage or feed upon the freshly opened staminate flowers of balsam fir. As soon as the vegetative buds begin to expand, the larvae abandon the needle mines for this newer and more succulent growth. Later, when the pollen is shed, the staminate flowers are in turn abandoned in favour of new shoots. Usually, the larvae continue to feed on the new shoots until pupation. When this insect reaches epidemic proportions, however, the current year's growth is often totally destroyed prior to the completion of the larval stage. Late spring frosts have also been known to destroy, in part, or even completely, the shoots of the current year's growth. Under these conditions spruce budworm larvae must resort to feeding on old foliage.

It is a paradox that a common wasp such as Chlorion ichneumoneum (L.) should be so unknown. Fernald (1907) states that the great-golden digger is found from South America to New England, and some parts of Canada, but until Frisch (1937) published his excellent paper only piecemeal accounts were written about its bionomics, prey, and parasites.

On the campus of Cornell University, two large colonies (about 50 wasps) have thrived for years. These conveniently located colonies offered a rich opportunity for a long range study.

Wireworms are considered among Europe's most destructive insects, particularly Agriotes lineatus (L.), Agriotes obscurus (L.), and Agriotes sputator (L.). These species have been introduced at certain isolated localities on the East Coast and the first two on the West Coast of Canada. They are known to be particularly widespread in Nova Scotia where they and native Agriotes mancus (Sav) cause cansiderable crop damage.

Most grasshoppers of the prairie region of Western Canada hatch in the spring and complete their life-cycles in one year. There are a few species, however, that hatch in the fall and overwinter as partly grown nymphs; these include the oedipodines Arphia conspersa Scudd., Pardalophora apiculata (Harr.), Xanthippus corallipes latefasciatus Scudd., and Cbortophaga viridifasciata (Deg.) and the acridine Psoloessa delicatula delicatula (Scudd.). Criddle (1933) suggested this when he stated that, although the eggs of some Oedipodinae that hibernate as nymphs normally hatch within a month or two after oviposition, they occasionally fail to do so, in which case a further period of 12 months may occur before hatching takes place. The life-historia of all thest except C. viridifasciata were studied.

A rapid means of identifying species of insects on the basis of physical measurements is useful to the field worker. The efficiency of the postclypeal index in separating the larvae of two closely allied species is illustrated herein. Occasionally species fall into overlapping subgroups, making it difficult to determine the characteristics of a given subgroup. A method useful in identifying such subgroups is outlined herein.

Shirtly after the appearance of my earlier paper (Munroe, 1951) on Chauliodes disjunctus, Prof. G. J. Spencer, of the University of British Columbia, wrote to me that he had two kinds of chauliodine males, one agreeing with what I described as the male of disjunctus, and another which he considered to be the true male of that species.

During studies of the parasite complex of the diamondback moth, Plutella maculipennis Curt., at Ottawa, Ontario, July to October, 1952, and April, 1953, 1,234 host cocoons were collected from a heavily infested field of Penn State Ballhead cabbage. On October 31, eight adults (2 ♂ and 6 ♀) of Tetrastichus sokolowskii Kurdj., emerged from a single cocoon collected 16 days previously and held under laboratory conditions in a gelatin capsule. On May 10, nine adults (1 ♂ and 8 ♀) and on May 15, eight adults (1 ♂ and 7 ♀) of the same species emerged from two overwintered cocoons collected 14 and 16 days previously. In each case, the lack of parasitic remnants indicated that they were primary parasites.

It has been generally accepted by insect microbiologists and physiologists that many insects harbour beneficial micro-organisms. The contributions of Buchner (1933), Glaser (1946), Jeanne1 (1949), Steinhaus (1946), Wigglesworth (1950) and Woodward (1949) are relevant. Some experimental evidence has been contributed by Aschner 1935, Blewett and Fraenkel (1944), and Brecher and Wigglesworth (1944). It seems that the micro-organisms may sometimes supply the host with vitamins of the B group. (Blewett and Fraenkel). Many species of insects have special organs, called mycetomes, whose chief function seems to be the housing of micro-organisms. Furthermore it has been suggested that special arrangements exist for the transference of micro-organisms from one generation of insects to the next. (Mansour, 1935; Murray and Tiegs, 1935; and Woodward 1949).