Epiblema (Notocelia) cynosbatella (Linnaeus), introduced into British Columbia in 1978, is discussed and compared with the native North American Epiblema illotana (Walsingham).

The European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis Hübner, is known to attack nearly every herbaceous plant large enough for the larvae to enter. Although the borer is primarily considered a pest of corn, economic infestations in such New York crops as potatoes, gladiolus, and other large stem plants are not uncommon.

In 1977, 1978, and 1979, economic levels of borer infestations were observed in winter wheat. In 1977, the presence of borer in wheat was noted at a number of sites, but only a few cases could be considered economically significant. However, in the 1978 season, the presence of borer in wheat had become common and reports of economic infestations exceeding 5 or 10% were widespread in the western New York wheat growing region. In 1979, the problem of borer on wheat declined significantly, and of infestations located, only one could be considered of economic significance.

In Manitoba, first-stage larvae of Microctonus vittatae Mues. overwinter in diapausing adults of two rape-infesting chrysomelids, Phyllotreta cruciferae (Goeze) and Phyllotreta striolata (F.). The parasite larvae resume their development in May after the hosts have finished overwintering, and mature parasite larvae emerge and spin cocoons from which adults emerge late in May and during June. Usually there are four parasite generations each year; most of the larvae in the first three generations are non-diapausing, whereas most first-stage larvae of the fourth generation develop briefly and then enter diapause in September or October and overwinter. Early attempts to propagate M. vittatae for laboratory studies were unsuccessful because most of the immature parasites either died or entered diapause. Preliminary tests suggested that, as in some other parasite species (Saunders 1965; McNeil and Rabb 1973; Anderson and Kaya 1974), the photoperiod at which the parasites were propagated influenced the incidence of diapause. The following three experiments examined this hypothesis and attempted to identify rearing conditions that would prevent diapause or limit its incidence in M. vittatae.

A new species Clepsis (Siclobola) firthana is described from the northern Yukon Territory, Canada. Morphologically this species is closely related to the European C. strigana (Hübner) and the North American C. clemensiana (Fernald). Genitalic characters are given to distinguish C. firthana from the North American C. kearfotti Obraztsov and C. moeschleriana (Wocke) (which have similar markings), and C. clemensiana (Fernald).

Larvae of Phyllonorycter elmaella Doğ. and Mut. were found commonly on unsprayed apple in 1976 and 1977 at Burnaby and Haney, in the Vancouver, B.C. district. Presumably this is the same species recorded by Pottinger and LeRoux (1971: 25–37, 214), Lithocolletis sorbi Frey, on apple in Oregon.

Twelve species of hymenopterous parasites were reared. Total parasitism in 1977 was 18, 17, and 10% in collections from Burnaby in July, August, and September, respectively, and 27% in a collection from Haney.

We reported previously (Steck et al. 1977) that equal-parts mixtures of (Z)-11-hexadecenal (Z11-16:Ald) and (Z)-11-hexadecenyl acetate (Z11-16:Ac) attract male Crymodes devastator (Brace) moths to field traps, and that attraction is enhanced by incorporation of (Z)-7-dodecenyl acetate (Z7-12:Ac) in the lure. During subsequent studies with sex lures for this species we discovered that (Z)-11-hexadecenol (Zll-16:OH) is much more effective than Z7-12:Ac as a trapping synergist.

During 1978 many structural analogs of the sex attractant components were tested as lure synergists by adding 20% of each analog to a basic 2:l Z11-16:Ald + Z11-16:Ac lure, using numbers of males trapped as the criterion of effect. Z5- and Z7-10:Ac; Z5-, Z7-, and Z9-12:Ac; Z5-, Z7-, Z9-, and Z11-14:Ac; Z5-, Z7-, and Z9-16:Ac were tested in this way, as were the corresponding alcohols and aldehydes and Zll-16:OH. The (E) isomers of these along with Ell-16:Ald and E11-16:Ac were finally tested.

Phosmet (Imidan 50% WP) applied at 1.22 kg a.i./ha controlled the codling moth, Cydia pomonella (L.), apple maggot, Rhagoletis pomonella Walsh, and plum curculio, Conotrachelus nenuphar Herbst, in Ontario apple orchards for more than 3 weeks. Although rain removed phosmet deposits and climatic conditions varied widely during 1971–76, results consistently showed that good pest control was obtained. Satisfactory results were also obtained with azinphosmethyl (Guthion 50% WP) applied at 0.45 kg a.i./ha. Toxicological studies showed that phosmet deposits on the lower surface of apple leaves produced 38–100% mortality of first instar codling moth larvae 15 days after application depending on the time the pesticide was applied. Fifty per cent and 95% lethal residues were 0.18–0.68 μg/cm2 and 0.50–1.36 μg/cm2 of leaf surface, respectively. The toxicity of the residues declined considerably 22 days after application.

A phosmet deposit of 0.5 μg/cm2 15–22 days after spray application is suggested as the minimum level required to obtain an economically acceptable level of control in the field.

Two artificial diets — one liquid, the other candied — developed for adult Itoplectis conquisitor, an ichneumonid parasitoid, proved equal in performance for fecundity to a natural food regimen involving blood of host pupa, Galleria mellonella. Feeding on the liquid diet resulted in a parasitoid emergence rate from host pupae of 42.9 ± 8.6%; on the candy diet, 52.2 ± 15.8%; and on the natural regimen, 54.4 ± 4.0%. Therefore, host material was not needed to feed the adults. Other advantages of these artificial diets include convenience, economy, efficacy, and manageability for proper insect husbandry.

Tent caterpillars of the genus Malacosoma frequently appear in outbreak numbers causing widespread defoliation of trees and shrubs in North America. The western tent caterpillar, M. californicum (Packard), with six subspecies, occurs over most of temperate western North America and although there is a large number of host plants on which it will oviposit and feed (Stehr and Cook 1968), most have little commercial value. We report here the identification of a component of the female sex pheromone of M. californicum.

In an evaluation of several chemosterilants for insect control Borkovec (1972) stresses their safe handling. The compound tris (l-ziridinyl) phosphine sulphide, trivial name thiotepa, is currently being tested as a sterilant against several insects. More recently, Terry et al. (1977) noticed a 99 to 100% sterility in boll weevils treated with thiotepa. When 0- to 24-h-old pupae of Trogoderma granarium Everts were dipped in 1% thiotepa for 8 min only 0.1% of their eggs hatched (Chaudhary and Kapil 1977). The males of Earias vitella F. were also sterilized when their pupae were dipped in 0.5 to 0.75% thiotepa (Singh et al. 1978). Finally, no eggs hatched when Dysdercus koenigii (F.) was topically treated with 4 pg of thiotepa per insect (Govindan and Pillai 1977).

At least two species of parasitic larval mites of the erythraeid genus Leptus were found on male spruce bud worm, Choristoneura fumiferana (Clem.), moths attracted to pheromone-baited traps. Mites were found on 28.5% of 2298 male moths captured during three trapping days in July 1977. Numbers of mite-infested moths were positively correlated with catch density. Percentage mite infestation increased with time. Red larval mites were also collected from both male and female free-flying budworm moths. Attachment sites include: wing veins, cervix, compound eye, femur, and abdomen. As many as four mites were collected from one female moth.

In southern Louisiana, Corticeus glaber (LeConte) outnumbered Corticeus parallelus (Melsheimer) 3.7:1 during 15-month study from October 1976 to December 1977. Corticeus spp. varied significantly (P < 0.01) among the 52 sample dates and three sample heights on infested tree boles. Corticeus spp. were significantly correlated with numbers of southern pine beetle eggs, Dendroctonus frontalis Zimmermann, in the bottom and middle samples but not in the top sample. Corticeus glaber peak arrival occurred from 14 days prior to 14 days following pine beetle mass attack, while C. parallelus peak arrival occurred from 7 days prior to 10 days following pine beetle mass attack.

Two bumble bee observation hive designs are described. Both have a sloping floor to support peripheral brood clumps. One is temperature controlled, using insulated resistance wire as an internal heat source. The other is moulded from a concrete mixture consisting of horticultural Perlite, cement, and plaster of Paris. Techniques for the sanitation, feeding, and handling of laboratory colonies are described.

In the course of my search for Miridae and Anthocoridae in Nova Scotia in 1976, I collected a series of 33 bugs which proved to be the females of Loricula pselaphiforrnis Curtis, family Microphysidae. The species was collected on the trunks of European beech, Fagus sylvatica var. purpurea Ait., at Point Pleasant Park, Halifax, 22 July 1976. The bugs were first observed as tiny bumps on the trunks, blending perfectly with the bark and small patches of lichens. At first sighting the bumps were thought to be tiny spiders or their egg cases. When disturbed they moved a short distance and again remained motionless. All were brachypterous females, no males were collected, and no specimens were collected by beating the branches. Although other species of tree trunks were examined, no bugs were found. The bugs may have been introduced into this country with nursery stock importations of beech or some other horticultural plants.

Pine oil, derived from pulp mill by-products, and oleic acid significantly delayed and reduced the attack by ambrosia beetles Trypodendron lineatum (Oliv.) and Gnathotrichus spp. on Douglas-fir logs. Pine oil also appeared to interfere with the attack by bark beetles. The possibility of combining the use of repellents with a pheromone-based diversion scheme is suggested as an effective protection strategy.

A synthetic nucleoside analogue, 1-β-D-ribofuranosyl-1,2,4,-triazole-3-carboxamide (known as Virazole or Ribavirin), has been shown to inhibit the multiplication of at least 25 DNA- and RNA-containing human viruses (Sidwell et al. 1974), and to inhibit or eliminate several plant viruses (Fazio et al. 1978; Hansen 1979; Lerch 1977; Shepard 1977). We report here a significant reduction in the number of nymphs produced by aphids living on plants treated with sublethal doses of Virazole, and the stunting of treated plants at higher concentrations.

Moths of the genus Dioryctria are important insect pests of North American conifers (Baker 1972). Of the species that occur in the southern United States, e.g., D. clarioralis (Walker), D. disclusa (Heinrich), and D. ebeli Mutuura and Munroe, the southern pine coneworm, Dioryctria amatella (Hulst), is the most destructive (Ebel et al. 1975). Our paper reports the results of laboratory tests aimed at determining the relative toxicities of commercially available or promising experimental insecticides to D. amatella larvae.

The aggregation pheromone of the ambrosia beetle, Trypodendron lineatum (Olivier), was isolated by MacConnell et al. (1977), identified as one of two isomeric, tricyclic acetals, and given the trivial name, lineatin. One of the isomers, 3,3,7-trimethyl-2,9-dioxatricyclo [3.3.1.0 4,7] nonane (4,6,6-lineatin), was synthesized in µg quantities by three different syntheses, assessed to be structurally identical to the isolated pheromone, and demonstrated to be highly attractive in field tests (Borden et al. 1979; Vité and Bakke 1979). The other structural isomer, 3,3,7- trimethyl-2,9-dioxatricyclo [4.2.1.0 4,7] nonane (4,5,6-lineatin), was not tested for biological activity. The enantiomeric composition of natural lineatin was not determined by MacConnell et al. (1977).

The critical photoperiod for fourth instar diapause of the western treehole mosquito, Aedes sierrensis, varies among geographic populations. When reared together in the field at different latitudes, larvae from northern (ca. 45°N), central (ca. 39°N), and southern (ca. 33°N) populations all develop more rapidly through the early instars at more southerly latitudes. The order of pupation dates among the populations, however, depends on their critical photoperiods, and can be predicted from laboratory data on photoperiodism.

Treatment of the surface layer of wheat in 2-m3 bins with a commercial formulation of Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner controlled Indian meal moths, Plodia interpunctella (Hübner), and almond moths, Ephestia cautella (Walker), for two grain storage seasons. Doses of 100, 125, and 150 mg of formulation/kg of wheat in the 10-cm-deep surface layer reduced moth populations by ≥81%, reduced insect feeding damage by > 92%, and reduced or prevented webbing of the grain surface.