Following aerial application of a Douglas-fir tussock moth, Orgyia pseudotsugata (McDunnough), nuclear polyhedrosis virus (NPV) product called Virtuss on four plots in 1982, observations were made to determine the impact of these treatments in 1983 and 1984. Treated plots as well as buffer zones between and adjoining the treated plots, and three of the four check plots established in 1982, were monitored. The NPV appeared to have spread from the treated plots to adjoining areas in 1982, effectively reducing the Douglas-fir tussock moth population. This observation suggests that a strategy of spraying alternate swaths of Douglas-fir tussock moth infested stands with this viral insecticide may effectively initiate an epizootic that would control the population at a reduced cost.

A naturally occurring NPV epizootic decimated the Douglas-fir tussock moth population in the three check plots in 1983, but severe tree mortality occurred in two of these plots with 60 and 62% of sample trees dead in 1984. Light tree mortality was noted in 1984 in two of the four treated plots with 4 and 7% of sample trees killed. It is concluded that the virus treatments in 1982 were successful in preventing tree mortality.

Overwintering stages of the European red mite, Panonychus ulmi (Koch), and the McDaniel spider mite, Tetranychus mcdanieli McGregor, on harvested apples were destroyed with ethylene dibromide using a dosage of 6 mg/l. for 4 h at 24 °C. Some control was achieved at lower temperatures but the dosage had to be increased accordingly. No injury of the fruit occurred. Taste tests showed that flavour of the apples was not adversely affected even after treatment with 10 mg/l. for 4 h.

Individual variability in the flight potential of Ips sexdentatus Boern. was investigated using flight mill experiments. Non-flyer status and flight durations were studied in relation to day of emergence, sex, pronotum width, dried body weight (after lipid ether extraction), and lipid content estimate. Lipid content estimation was determined in beetles reared on the same trees and under identical conditions as the flight test insects.The four flight-tested cohorts showed that approximately one-third were non-flyers. The distribution of individual flight durations was described by a log-normal curve. Consequently, the dispersal variability within the population could be fitted to a linear model on a log-probit scale. The concept of FD50 (flight duration 50), defined as the flight duration of 50% of a sample population, was used to describe population flight potential.There was no significant correlation between the individual flight duration and the day of emergence, sex, body size or weight, or lipid content estimate. A significant positive correlation was recorded between the different classes of flyer (i.e. non-, short, long, and very long flyers) and the average lipid content estimate. It was hypothesized that (1) a minimum threshold fuel supply was necessary to initiate the dispersal flight and (2) fuel supply could result in dispersal tendencies representing a specific response to habitat constraints.

Radiocesium accumulation by Aedes aegypti larvae was greater at 25 °C, than at 20 °C. The activity density (c.p.m./mg dry wt.) of the adults was the same for both sexes, as was the nuclide’s elimination rate. The amount of 137Cs accumulated by the larval instars was inversely proportional to the concentration of potassium in the rearing medium, the suppression of 137Cs uptake being greater at 25 °C than at 20 °C. The possibility that larvae may accumulate 137Cs via the anal papillae and the gut, is briefly discussed.

High fecundity from Chrysopa carnea was obtained from an inexpensive diet containing a commercially available product of dried, inactive Saccharomyces fragilis yeast and whey proteins. The effective diet consists of this product mixed with sucrose and water. S. fragilis autolysed 17 hours was more effective in diets than when autolysed for 36 hours or unautolysed, and was as effective as autolysed brewers’ yeast, S. cerevisiae.

The apple leaf midge, Dasineura mali (Kief.), was first noted in a New Brunswick commercial apple orchard at Waweig, Charlotte County, in 1964. Adults collected there in 1965 were identified by Biosystematics Research Institute. The midge's first appearance in the Saint John River Valley was in 1968 in York County. Since 1968 this insect has spread to infest orchards up river as far as Woodstock and down river to orchards in the Gagetown-Queenstown area.

The Nearctic Idiocerini exclusive of the fauna of the Sonoran subregion are reviewed. The 68 recognized species are assigned to three genera: Idiocerus Lewis, Rhytidodus Fieber, and Balcanocerus Maldonado-Capriles. Three subgenera of Idiocerus are recognized, including I. (Liocratus) Dub. and I. (Populicerus) Dlab. (n. stat). Sahlbergotettix Zvk., 1953, Viridicerus Dlab., 1974, Tremulicerus Dlab., 1974, and Acericerus Dlab., 1974 are synonymized with Idiocerus Lewis, 1834.

Sixteen new species of Idiocerus are described: aureus, carolina, cedrus, freytagi, gillettei, immaculatus, inebrius, iodes, lucidae, midas, pericallis, taiga, unicolor, vanduzeei, venosus, and xanthiops. I. varions n. n. is created for varias DeLong & Hershberger, 1947 (nec Germar, 1818). I. lunaris Ball (n. stat.), I. obsoletus (Wlk.) (n. stat.), and I. raphus Freytag (n. stat.) are recognized as valid species for the first time. Twelve other species are removed from synonymy. I. verrucosus Ball is placed as a subspecies of I. musteus Ball (n. stat.). Five new synonymies are created: alnirubratus Bliven, 1955 = I. couleanus Ball & Pkr., 1946; nigrens DeL. & Cld., 1937 = I. distinctus Gill & Bak., 1895; duzeei Prov., 1890 and vagus Ball, 1902 = obsoletus Walker, 1851; and apertus DeL & Hbr., 1947 = I. verticis (Say), 1831.

Additional characters of the male antennae, male abdominal apodemes, and female ovipositor are described and illustrated. The phylogeny and hosts of the members of Idiocerus are discussed. Keys are provided to the genera of the Nearctic Idiocerini, and to the species of Idiocerus of the Nearctic region, exclusive of the Sonoran subregion, for both sexes.

Paranomia Venablesii, sp. nov.— ♀. Length 10.5 mm. Black; abdominal segments 1–4 at apex with bands of a golden-yellowish pubescence; the head in front, the cheeks, the occiput, the thorax in front at the sides, the postsctellum the legs, and the abdomen beneath, all clothed with a pale or whitish pubescence. Wings hyaline, fuliginous at apex, the costæ and parastigma black, the stigmal and internal veins testaceous. Legs mostly black, the stigmal and internal veins testaceous. Legs mostly black, with tarsal joints 2–5 mostly yellowish. The head is rather finely, sparsely punctate, the thorax more closely and densely punctate, but with the punctures finer on the scutellum, while the metathorax in shagreened, opaque. The abdomen has the first segment minutely punctulate, the following segments being more or less alutaceous.

Length 3.7 mm.; width 1.7 mm. Body form as in palustris Blatch. Black; the elytra with a greenish lustre, not at all bluish: the basal half of the head, antennae, and legs pale red; the basal segment and four terminal segments of each antenna distinctly infuscate; femora and the apical half of each terminal tarsal segment heavily infuscate.

A perforated 4.6 m square sticky plastic sheet placed under the canopy of a tree heavily populated with European chafers, Rhizotrogus majalis (Razoumowsky), consistently captured more beetles than a 15-w blacklight survey trap. The same size sheet, operating with a bird shield under a sparsely populated tree that represented conditions encountered during survey operations, demonstrated detection capability equal to that of the light trap. Bird shields prevented trapping of birds. Lawn injury beneath the sheeting due to heat build-up was not serious. Results suggest that a sticky sheet is an alternative, less expensive, equally effective survey tool for detection of European chafer infestations.

Macrosiphum ambrosiœ (Thomas).— Siphonophora ambrosiœ, Thomas, Bull. Ill. State Lab. Nat. Hist., 1878, p.4.

Found at Pecos, New Mexico, on Lactuca. The following account is based on the Pecos specimens:

Very dark brown, very shiny; legs, antennæ and nectaries black, except that the basal part of legs, to near middle of femora, is brownishwhite; stigma pale green; cauda of winged ♀ yellowish-white.