The life -span of Swaine jack-pine sawfly adults was studied under various constant and alternating temperatures and at four different values of relative humidity. Temperature significantly influenced the life-span of both sexes according to a non-linear equation, and relative humidity according to a linear regression. The influence of temperature varied with relative humidity in the case of males but not in the case of females. The life-span of both sexes was shorter at alternating temperatures than at constant temperatures.

The temporal pattern of emergence of Anax junius Drury was studied by making standardized exuvial collections in a farm pond near Montreal. Supports available to emerging larvae were restricted artificially in order to standardize the collecting area. Emergence lasted for 30 days (29 July to 27 August 1965), the peak lying between days 10 and 15; A. junius thus behaved as a “summer species” (sensu Corbet 1954). The emerging population comprised about 48% males. No adults were seen flying over the pond except during the maiden flight.

Monelliopsis Richards is composed of small, pale aphids that occur mainly on the Juglandaceae and only in North America. The five known species are: caryae (Monell), nigropunctata (Granovsky), pleurialis Richards, bisetosa new species, and tuberculata new species. The new species were discovered in Chihuahua, Mexico. Monelliopsis nigropunctata is redescribed because the cotypes are a mixture of two species. A key to the known species is given.

More than 40 species of insects and arachnids attack Panonychus ulmi (Koch), Tetranychus urticae Koch, T. canadensis (McGregor), Bryobia arborea Morgan and Anderson, or Aculus cornutus (Banks) in peach orchards of the Niagara Peninsula. The most effective predators attacking P. ulmi are Typhlodromus caudiglans Schuster, Haplothrips faurei Hood, Stethorus punctillum Weise, and Chrysopa spp. Peach orchards lack the predatory mirids characteristic of apple orchards. A condition, presumably disease, caused heavy mortality in one year. Endemic densities of P. ulmi are maintained in that state by predators, chiefly T. caudiglans, that subsist to a considerable extent on other sources of food, whereas epidemics of P. ulmi are reduced largely by other predators, chiefly H. faurei and S. punctillum, that increase in numbers by feeding on the mite during its period of rapid population growth but exert their greatest effect later in the season by destroying the winter eggs.

Recent conflicting theories regarding host finding by blood-sucking flies and the mode of action of repellents are examined and discussed. The claim that repellents owe their activity to infra-red absorption in a narrow waveband (449–467 cm.−1) was examined by measurement of published curves for infra-red absorption by repellent, non-repellent, and doubtful chemicals. Peaks of absorption at this waveband in comparison with adjacent Wave numbers are three times as common in repellent as in non-repellent materials, but in comparison with absorption over the entire spectrum studied all groups of materials show a trough of absorption at this narrow waveband. No supporting evidence could be found for the claim that mosquito repellents masquerade as water vapour by virtue of their infra-red absorption spectra, nor for the suggestion arising out of this, that such repellents should be attractive at low humidities. Repellency of indalone was found to increase as humidity decreased.

Regardless of the role molecular vibration may play in olfactory perception, the usefulness of infra-red radiation to blood-sucking flies seeking their hosts and to man seeking repellents for the flies remains to be demonstrated.

Two species of Tranosema (arenicola and taeniopus) are discussed from the standpoint of their nomenclature and taxonomy, and they are differentiated in a key. T. arenicola, the type-species of the genus, is redescribed and illustrated.

Plocamaphis Oestlund is composed of aphids chat live mostly on the roots and underground portions of the stems of species of Salix L. and of Populus L. The group is mainly Nearctic where seven of the eight known species occur. Three of the Nearctic species, bradleyi, bulbosa and ontarioensis, are described as new. P. amerinae (Hartig) is the only Palaearctic species known. P. flocculosa (Weed) is known to occur in Europe and North America and is probably Holarctic, although records from Siberia are lacking.

A new species of sawfly, Allantus umbonatus, that occurs on Betula papyrifera Marsh, in central Canada is described and compared with A. cinctus (Linnaeus) and A. basalis (Klug).

Species and subspecies described as new are Chrysomelinae: Cbrysomela sonorae from Arizona and Mexico; Curculionidae: Anthonomus (Coccotorus) pumilae pumilae from Ontario, A. (C.) pumilae major from Manitoba, Conotrachelus corni from Ontario and Manitoba, and Hexarthrum thujae from British Columbia. Diorymerelhis Champion 1908 is synonymized with Stethobaris LeConte 1876; the genus evidently depends on orchids. A key to all species of Coccotorus is offered. The occurrence of local races in Chrysolina subsulcata (Mann.) and C. magniceps (J. Shalb.) is noted.

Thymelicus lineola, a univoltine grass-eating skipper introduced into southern Ontario from the Palearctic prior to 1910, is spreading rapidly and extensively in North America, moving outward in all directions from its origin. Its present distribution (doubtless inadequately known) includes parts of Michigan, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, and Connecticut; Edmundston, New Brunswick; all of southern Ontario northeast to Ottawa, plus Sudbury, Sault Ste. Marie, and Fort William; and Terrace, British Columbia. (The last record may stem from an independent introduction from Eurasia.) Dispersal and colonization are probably much aided (unwittingly) by man. Range expansion often seems to involve a sequence of events (associated with founding of initially small colonies that rather quickly reach high population densities) that may promote rapid evolutionary differentiation of populations.

A new subspecies, Helicoverpa pallida nihoaensis, from Nihoa Island, Hawaii, is described. Additional distributional data for Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) in Hawaii are presented, and pupal diapause in a Sudan population of H. armigera (Hbn.) is discussed. The present generic assignment of Heliothis pauliana Viette is questioned, and Chloridea chilensis (Hamp.) is transferred to the genus Schinia.

A survey of the insect fauna in a part of the Sierra Madre Occidental in Mexico was made in 1964 by a party of nine entomologists from the Canada Departments of Agriculture and Forestry. Approximately 50 species of Scolytidae in 20 genera were collected on this expedition and are listed with host relationships and distribution where possible. A brief discussion of the known biology of one of the major economic bark beetles, a species of Dendroctonus, is given. The local weather conditions and the forest composition are discussed generally for the benefit of future collectors in this area.

Myzocallis (Agrioaphis) agrifolicola new species is described from specimens collected on Quercus agrifolia Nee in California. To aid in its recognition a key to the known North American species is given. The key includes Myzocallis (Myzocallis) carpini (Koch), which is a European species previously unknown in North America.

An infestation by the grape cane girdler, Ampeloglypter ater LeConte, near Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, was reported to this laboratory on 2 June 1965. The species was identified by Mr. W. J. Brown, Taxonomic Section, Entomology Research Institute, Canada Department of Agriculture, Ottawa, from 17 aduit specimens reared or recovered from infested shoots collected in the vinevard between 11 August and 5 September 1965. There are no published records of the occurrence of this species in Canada, though two specimens collectcd at Point Pelee, Ontario, host unspecified, are in the Canadian National Collection (Brown, in lit.). The species occurs in many of the eastern United States (Brooks 1909, Whitcomb 1956).

This paper describes four new species, Dialictus perpunctatulus, D. perspicuus, D. disabanci and D. paradmirandus together with the previously unknown female of D. basilicus (Sandhouse) and the male of D. atlanticus Mitchell. D. banksi Mitchell is sunk as a synonym of D. heterognathus Mitchell.

From a study of the ecology of the insect invasions occurring in the Maritime Provinces the following generalizations are made: (1) The Maritimes have served as a focal point of many invasions because they have several international ports that are surrounded by diverse human modified environments. (2) Plant and animal communities of the Maritimes are relatively simple, which makes invasions easier and more successful. (3) The lack of evolved homeostasis between the invader and its adopted community may have been one of the prime reasons for outbreaks in the species populations newly introduced. (4) Both native and introduced parasites and predators have provided effective control of introduced pests.