A vehicle-mounted net (“car-net”) is a useful tool to sample flying beetles or other insects. Previous authors have used nets on top of the vehicle. A net mounted lower and in front of the vehicle is thought to be superior for catching beetles which fly closer to ground level. Quantified results are given.

Larval features of the anisodactyline genus-group taxa Anisotarsus Chaudoir, 1837, Amphasia s.str. Newman, 1838, Xestonotus LeConte, 1853, Spongopus LeConte, 1848, Anisodactylus s.str. Dejean, 1829, Anadaptus Casey, 1914, Gynandrotarsus LaFerté-Sénectère, 1841, and Geopinus LeConte, 1848 are described. Keys to first instars and to second and third instars are included. Possible relationships between the genus-group taxa studied are discussed. Based on larval character states, Geopinus, considered as a distinct genus, could be more appropriately treated as a subgenus of Anisodactylus. The taxon Spongopus, included by recent authors as a subgenus of Anisodactylus, does not share two synapotypic character states of the genus Anisodactylus and could be more appropriately treated as a distinct genus.

Cyzenis Robineau-Desvoidy is a member of the Goniini, a tribe characterized by the production of microtype eggs in adult females. A new concept of Cyzenis is proposed based on a synapotypic character state of adults, i.e. the presence of narrowly separated discal scutellar setae. Two monophyletic species groups are recognized, containing a total of five species in the Nearctic Region: the albicans-gcoup with C. albicans (Fallén) (a species introduced to North America from Europe), C. pullula (Townsend), and C. browni (Curran); and the incrassata-graup with C. incrassata (Smith) and C. ustulaia (Reinhard). A Palearctic species, C. jucunda (Meigen), is recognized as a member of the albicans-group. Phorocera anassa Reinhard is newly synonymized with C. incrassata. Phorocera festbums Aldrich and Webber, Phorocera mitis Curran. and Phorocera regilla Reinhard are transferred from Cyzenis to Eufrontina Brooks (new combinations). A lectotype is designated for C. albicans (Fallén). Nearctic species of Cyzenis are keyed and redescribed, their distributions are mapped, and external, terminate, and puparial features are illustrated. Distinction of individuals of C. albicans and C. pullula is discussed in relation to ecological studies on die host–parasite pair of C. albicans and the winter moth, Operophtera brumata (Linnaeus) (Lepidoptera: Geometridae).

Six pheromone trap designs, including five high-capacily and a sticky trap, and four PVC lure concentrations of pheromone were evaluated for monitoring blueberry leaftier populations in six blueberry fields in Nova Scotia. Larval densities and subsequent male moth catches in the same year for all the trap designs evaluated, except double funnel traps, were highly correlated. Multipher III traps captured the highest number of moths, followed by Unitraps and double funnel traps. The ice cream container trap captured significantly fewer moths than any other trap design. At most locations, the first moth was caught on the same day in all the trap designs except the ice cream container trap. Trap catches increased with increasing pheromone concentration up to 0.03% dose. Traps baited with 0.3% lures captured significantly fewer moths than those with 0.003% or 0.03%. Based on mean trap catches, R2 values, coefficients of variation among traps, trap efficiency, and lure evaluations, the Unitraps baited with 0.003% lures are selected for further development of a population monitoring system for blueberry leaftier moths. The Multipher III traps baited with 0.03% lures captured up to 44 000 male moths (mean per trap per season) at high densities, demonstrating their potential in mass trapping blueberry leaftiers.

Description of structures of all three larval instars of Hydroporus (Heterosternuta) cocheconis Fall 1917 is presented. The chaetotaxy and porotaxy of the cephalic capsule, head appendages, legs, last abdominal segment, and urogomphi are discussed in detail. Hydroporus cocheconis is compared with Hydroporus (Heterosternuta) wickhami Zaitzev 1907. Both species share a very short and constricted siphon; this character state is suggested as a synapomorphy of the subgenus Heterosternuta Strand 1935.

Developmental times were determined at constant temperatures for an Alberta population of horn flies, Haematobia irritans irritans (L.). Prepupal (egg and larval) developmental time was determined at seven constant temperatures and ranged from 8.9 days at 20.1°C to 3.5 days at 34.5°C. Prepupal development averaged 44.8% of the preadult (egg, larval, and pupal) developmental time. Preadiilt developmental time was determined at 43 constant temperatures and ranged from 41.6 days at 15°C to 8.4 days at 35°C. The relationship between preadult developmental rate and constant temperature was used in a model to simulate developmental times of horn fly immatures exposed to fluctuating temperatures. The model simulated adult eclosion times well. Deviations of simulated from observed (observed – simulated) mean developmental times averaged 0.4 (SD = 1.3) days, and were less than those found when previously published developmental rate equations were used.

The effects of photoperiod and temperature on the diapause of Aphelinus varipes (Focrster) from Kazakhstan and Apheiinus near varipes from Alberta, which both attack Russian wheat aphid, were studied in the laboratory. At 20 °C, 50% of A. varipes entered diapause when the photoperiod was between 12.5L:11.5D and 13L:11D whereas 50% of A. nr. varipes entered diapause when the photoperiod was around 14L:10D. Diapause induction was close to 100% at 11.5L:12.5D for both species. Maximum sensitivity to photoperiod occurred 2 days alter parasitization for A. varipes and 3 days after parasitization for A. nr. varipes. At 30 °C, the proportion of wasps entering diapause was reduced to 40 and 72% for A. varipes and A. nr. varipes, respectively. Exposing diapausing mummies to temperatures from 10 to −10 °C for 4–20 weeks shortened the postdiapause developmental time. Survival was lowered by exposing mummies to −10 °C for over 8 weeks. Postdiapause developmental rate was directly temperature dependent. The lower threshold and thermal constant for postdiapause development were estimated to be 10.3 °C and 189 degree-days (DD) for A. varipes and 7.41 °C and 204 DD for A. nr. varipes.

Crude tall oil and two of its derivatives were assessed for antifeedant and growth inhibitory effects, via incorporation into an artificial diet, in the variegated cutworm (Peridroma saucia Hübner). The substances tested are both toxic to neonate P. saucia and inhibitory to larval growth. The dietary LC50 (lethal concentration for 50% mortality) values are 4.3, 4.7, and 5.3% fresh weight for depitched tall oil (DTO), crude tall oil (CTO), and tall oil pitch (TOP), respectively. These materials significantly reduced growth, feeding, and dietary utilization by first-, second-, third-, and fourth-instar larvae in chronic larval growth bioassays, choice and no-choice feeding tests, and nutritional experiments. The EC50s (effective concentration to inhibit growth by 50% relative to controls) of DTO, CTO, and TOP were 1.4, 2.0, and ≥2.4%, respectively, when first-instar larvae fed on treated diets for 10 days. DTO significantly reduced both growth and consumption rates with corresponding reduction in the efficiency of conversion of food (i.e. nutritional efficiency), suggesting that both antifeedant and toxic effects are involved in larval growth inhibition. DTO and CTO are consistently more biologically active than TOP. Our results suggest that an environmentally sound, low cost natural pest control agent may be developed based on tall oil.

For most species, the male accessory glands are mesodermal derivatives. Their form is as varied as are the functions of the secretion they produce. The post-embryonic development and differentiation of the glands, like those of other tissues, appear to be regulated by the interaction of juvenile hormone (JH) and ecdysteroid, the former inhibiting and the latter promoting these processes. Post-eclosion accessory gland activity (i.e. production of secretion), for most species examined, is regulated by JH. However, the precise mechanism of control and the site of action are not at all clear. A limited amount of in vitro work indicates a direct action of JH on the accessory glands though only for Drosophila melanogaster Meigen has a JH-receptor protein been identified. The JH promotes the synthesis of specific proteins in the accessory gland secretion, and two proposals have been made for the site and mode of action of the hormone. In the first it is suggested that the hormone affects membrane permeability, thereby influencing the supply of protein precursors; in the second a more direct action of JH at the gene level is proposed, namely, the promotion of translation.

The involvement of ecdysteroids in accessory gland activity is virtually unexplored though there have been a few demonstrations that these hormones can stimulate protein synthesis. An hypothesis worth further consideration suggests that ecdysteroids may have a role in those species that eclose in a sexually mature condition, i.e. where the accessory glands have both differentiated and produced their secretion in the pupal or pharate adult stage, presumably in the absence of JH.

Intra- and inter-plant spatial patterns were determined for adults and nymphs of Orius insidiosus (Say) and O. tristicolor (White) on greenhouse sweet pepper for three greenhouses using four sampling methods. The population density of the Orius was monitored biweekly for 4 months from May to August using plant tappings, blossoms, plant leaves, and whole plants. The intra-plant spatial patterns of adult and nymphal populations of Orius were aggregated with the majority of the Orius collected from the top one-third of the plant. The inter-plant spatial pattern for the nymphs also was aggregated. However, the adults exhibited a random inter-plant spatial pattern. The accuracy of plant tapping, blossom, and leaf samples was determined for monitoring the adult and nymphal population densities of Orius throughout the growing season. The blossom sampling method for adult Orius was the best sampling method for monitoring the population density of Orius on greenhouse sweet pepper throughout the growing season.

A laboratory method to screen crucifer seedlings for antixenosis resistance to flea beetles, Phyllotreta cruciferae (Goeze), is described. The method utilizes a plexiglass arena with a foam base to hold 30- by 50-mm vials containing individual seedlings of 10 entries (10 seedlings per entry) in a 10 × 10 layout. In each arena, nine test entries and a standard entry are compared in a Latin square design. Flea beetles are allowed to feed on seedlings for about 30 h, and then the damage to individual seedlings is estimated using a visual rating scale. A rating of one arena can be completed in about 15 min. Seedlings at the arena edge often suffer more damage than those in the centre of the arena, but the effect of this variability in damage is minimized by the Latin square design. Use of border (guard) rows and columns does not eliminate the edge effects. The use of arenas without borders, and a single damage rating where the damage to the standard entry is about 50% of the cotyledon area, are considered ideal for initial screening to identify sources of flea beetle resistance. The method detects entries that differ by as little as 18% damage using a single arena with 10 replicate seedlings per entry. No significant antixenosis was found among 19 cultivars of Brassica napus L. and B. campestris L., but one accession of B. carinata L. and two accessions of Sinapis alba (L.) exhibited antixenosis.

The placement of yellow sticky traps in relation to greenhouse-grown tomato plants affected the number of greenhouse whiteflies captured on traps. Whiteflies were caught on traps close to the ground when the traps were 1.0 m or more from plants, and were caught on traps level with the point from which they started flight when the traps were 0.5 m from plants. Traps 1.0 m from plants primarily caught whiteflies less than 5 days old, and trap catches were not correlated with numbers on plants; traps 0.5 m from plants caught whiteflies of all ages, and trap catches were correlated with numbers on plants. These results suggest that under field conditions greenhouse whiteflies would behave much like other species of whitefly, and would tend to be caught on traps close to the ground. In greenhouses, monitoring traps should be placed close to and slightly below the tops of the plants. Trap counts could be treated as samples from individual plants and used to make an estimate of population size in the greenhouse. Traps placed further from the plants monitor flight activity only.

The intra-nest transmission of two aromatic components of honey bee queen mandibular gland pheromone, 4-hydroxy-3-hydroxyphenylethanol (HVA) and methyl p-hydroxybenzoate (HOB), is quantitatively described. After being secreted onto the body surface of the queen, the greatest quantities of HVA and HOB are removed by workers in the queen’s retinue, especially those contacting the queen with their mouthparts. Other workers acquire pheromone components via direct contact with retinue bees or with other workers that have already acquired queen pheromone. HVA and HOB can also reach workers through queen or worker "footprints," although the relatively little material deposited onto the comb wax becomes less available with time, presumably because of diffusion into the wax. Pheromone material is removed from circulation by being internalized into workers, the queen, and the wax. Rates of HVA and HOB transfer between different entities within the nest are described in terms of pseudo first-order rate constants. The intra-nest transfer of these two components, both qualitatively and quantitatively, is similar to that described earlier for the most abundant queen mandibular gland pheromone component, 9-keto-2-(E)-decenoic acid (9-ODA; Naumann et al. 1991). Thus, the queen mandibular gland pheromone complex is transferred through the nest as a unit rather than as individual components moving at different rates.

The relationship between temperature and rate of development is described for Cephalonomia stephanoderis Betrem, an imported ectoparasitoid of the coffee berry borer Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari).

For all stages, development rate increased linearly with temperature between 17 and 32°C. However, at 37°C both eggs and larvae died. When the parasitoid constructed a cocoon, the lower developmental threshold (t) varied from 11.8°C in the eggs to 14.2°C for pupae; when no cocoon was constructed, it varied from 11.8°C for the eggs to 14.3°C for pupae. The lower developmental threshold, from egg to adult, was 13.7°C (with cocoon) and 13.8°C (without cocoon). As these differences were small in relation to the standard errors of the estimates, they were not considered different. Because C. stephanoderis always constructs a cocoon under field conditions, the threshold temperature of 13.7°C seems to be the most suitable.

Physiological time expressed in degree-days (DD) for the egg to adult cycle of C. stephanoderis is 252.7 ± 45.3 DD (α = 0.05) when a cocoon is constructed, and 242.5 ± 35.1 DD (α = 0.05) when pupation occurs without construction of a cocoon.

Preston and Westwood (1981) reported on the distribution of Thymelicus lineola (Ochsenheimer) in Manitoba. They suggested that the species arrived here about 1970 by way of northwestern Ontario. At that time the population in central Winnipeg was the most western known in the Prairie region and they suggested that the spread of the species might be impeded by the arid nature of the Great Plains to the west. Klassen et al. (1989) noted that specimens subsequently had been taken 70 km west of Winnipeg at Rathwell(49°39'N; 98°33'W) near the western edge of the Red River Valley soils on the eastern edge of the Prairie. In 1986 Preston and McKillop collected the European Skipper at Eriksdale (50°52'N; 98°06'W) 100 km to the northwest of Winnipeg in the marginal lands of the interlake region (Klassen et al. 1989).