A total of 72 overwintering Anopheles earlei Vargas was collected from southern Manitoba during December 1980 and 1981. These mosquitoes were maintained at 15 °or 20 °C, and a photoperiod of 8L: 16D. Forty-two females were offered a blood meal and 25 of these fed. Extensive fat body development was seen in the blood-fed females collected in 1980; this was not seen in collections from 1981. Gonotrophic dissociation was observed in 24 of the blood-fed females.

The spatial distribution of adult Ooencyrtus kuvanae (Howard) (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) was examined in central Pennsylvania during 1978–1980. Data were gathered over a wide range of gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar (L.) (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae)) densities and from all phases of population growth. There was a linear relationship between the log variance and log mean, fitting Taylor's Power Law with a power of 1.27. The degree of aggregation in O. kuvanae populations, as measured by the variance-to-mean ratio, was correlated positively with the abundance of the parasite, and was independent of host density. Aggregation was believed to result from the habit of the female parasite ovipositing repeatedly on the same egg mass, and the resultant progeny emerging synchronously. Behavior and density of O. kuvanae populations were found to depend upon the gypsy moth population condition, i.e., low, rising, high stable, outbreak, or collapsed. The frequency distribution of O. kuvanae populations fit the Poisson at densities less than 0.2 parasite adult per egg mass, a condition which occurred early and late (July, November) in the season, and the negative binomial above this density; a few distributions fit the log normal. The data were also analyzed using analyses of variance (multivariate and univariate), correlation, and regression techniques. All main effects, i.e., study area, host egg mass volume, egg mass height from the ground (within the 0–2 m sampling universe), aspect of the egg mass on the tree, and tree species, were important in explaining the variance in parasite abundance; study area differences were the most important. The effects of aspect and tree species were explained on the basis of small sample sizes, and not studied further. There was a positive correlation between host egg mass volume (= size) and parasite abundance. There was also a positive correlation between the height of the egg mass and parasite abundance during the summer; however, this relationship became negative by late fall. This seasonal change in vertical distribution was attributed to the tendency of O. kuvanae to be closer to the ground where they overwinter. Variation in adult abundance was generally greater among gypsy moth egg masses on different trees than among egg masses on the same tree, except at low parasite densities. This was attributed to the parasites searching for egg masses on one tree before dispersing to another.

Field tests were conducted annually near Delhi, Ontario from 1977 to 1981 to evaluate blacklight and sex attractant traps for monitoring adult populations of the darksided cutworm, Euxoa messoria (Harris), in the major tobacco-producing area. There were no significant differences between the catches of sex attractant traps set at 1.0 m and 0.5 m above ground level. Sex attractant traps were superior to blacklight traps for monitoring populations of this pest species. There was a variation in abundance from year to year, but the time of peak occurrence of E. messoria adults was the same in each of the 5 years.

This note deals with two European species of Phylini now known to occur in Canada. Both species were discovered in British Columbia some time ago but remained unreported until the present. This report will also provide names for the forthcoming manual of plant bugs of British Columbia and Yukon by L. A. Kelton and G. G. E. Scudder. The two species were probably introduced accidentally into this country with nursery stock. Their identities were confirmed by comparison with named European specimens.

Ossiannilssonola ulmi and Empoasca banksianae n. spp. are described and compared with O. volans (McAtee) and E. coccinea (Fitch). They feed on elm and 2-needled pines in Canada and the northern U.S.A.

Camponotus modoc was associated with numerous species of Homoptera in Giant Forest, Sequoia — Kings Canyon National Park, California. Ant-exclusion experiments and field observations indicated that survival of the abundant Cinara occidentalis Davidson on white fir depends on attendance by C. modoc. More of the predators, Neomysia oblonguttata (Mulsant), Deraeocoris brevis Uhler, Passaloecus cuspidatus F. Smith, Pityophyphantes sp., were found on ant-unattended than on attended aphid colonies. As aphid populations decreased, ant attendance per aphid and number of predators/aphid increased. Attended aphid colonies were more likely to survive to produce oviparae and a lower proportion of alates.

Male and female laboratory reared spruce budworm moths, Choristoneura fumiferana (Clem.), were placed in cages in a conifer forest, and the surrounding air permeated by each of four blends of the E and Z isomers of the sex pheromone (11-tetradecenal) at two concentrations. Mating suppression of 53–83% was found for each blend tested. At one concentration the four suppressions were similar, while at the other only one was significantly different. Electroantennograms (EAGs) were obtained from male moths for each of six E:Z blends at four concentrations. EAGs were similar for most blends at a given concentration, but tended to be larger than at a blend of 0E:100Z.

These results were discussed using a current hypothesis on the ability of males to detect sex pheromone in air containing pockets of different isomeric blends.

In western Quebec, first flight of overwintered adults of the northern June beetle, Phyllophaga fusca (Froelich), and the common June beetle, P. anxia (Le Conte), occurred in mid-May with the accumulation of about 156 degree-days above 5 °C beginning 1 April. When soil temperature was 10 °C or higher, flight started 12–45 min after sunset, apparently in response to an endogenous rhythm that was triggered by low light intensity within the range 1.0 to 96.9 lux; high soil temperature induced early flight. Early in the flight season, duration of flight was 10–46 min and was inversely related to time of flight initiation. In early June, the flight began in darkness and was associated with peak oviposition and ageing; it lasted 20–35 min and was directed into the trees or to oviposition sites within a field.

Males were attracted to light during a pre-copulatory flight which lasted more than 1 h until maximum coupling occurred near 2230 h; beetles remained in copula for 3 h or more. Morning flight directly back to the soil was triggered by light intensity increasing to about 1.0 lux.

The aphid parasite Praon callaphis, new species, from Afghanistan is described and illustrated. The species was introduced into California for the biological control of Callaphis juglandis (Goeze) on Juglans regia L.

A 34-question interview relating to the occurrence, distribution, and economic importance of the merchant grain beetle was administered to a random sample of 2341 dwellings in Winnipeg in 1971 and 1152 dwellings in 1980. The results showed that a higher percentage of apartments and other multiple dwellings were infested by this insect than were houses. Using the Winnipeg survey figure, we estimate that the total cost of infestation in Canadian residences was $2.9 million in 1971 and $6 million in 1980. These figures do not include the costs of commercial pest control services. Oatmeal and flour were infested most frequently in 1971 with mixed cereal most frequent in 1980. After food, the next most frequent sources of beetles in kitchens were cupboard shelves and breadboards. Most people who found beetles in a food product discarded the infested product and adjacent foods whether or not they were infested. The results of the surveys suggest that the merchant grain beetle is a widespread and economically important household pest in Canada, particularly in apartments where is it a chronic problem.

In the density sampling of Otiorhynchus ligustici (L.) in the soil, double-depth sampling provided equally precise estimates at lower total costs than conventional sampling in which all sampling units are processed to the same depth.

In five test plots, double-depth sampling with 30 cm first sample depths and 60 cm second depths appeared the most efficient for estimating the number of O. ligustici larvae per 30 cm. These samplings average 72% of the total cost of conventional single-depth sampling.

Dosage–mortality relationships were determined for 17 insecticides applied to first instar and second instar larvae of Heliothis zea (Boddie), derived from migratory moths. The synthetic pyrethroid insecticides, especially deltamethrin, were highly toxic to both stages. Methomyl and profenofos were also equally toxic to both stages, however all other insecticides were less effective against the later stage larvae. In these tests carbofuran, acephate, methamidophos, and carbaryl exhibited extremely low toxicity. One of the pyrethroids, parathion or methomyl, is suggested for protection of late-planted sweet corn against corn earworm.

Pharate adult (adult within the pupal cuticle) diapause was discovered in Barbara colfaxiana (Kft.) and is reported. This phenomenon is uncommon in insect development. It was also shown that both the termination of diapause and the subsequent advancement of pharate adult development can occur at 0 °C.

Three previously unrecognized spittlebug species are described: Aphrophora ampliata n. sp. (Vancouver Island, B.C.), A. regina n. sp. (Queen Charlotte Islands, B.C.), and A. parallella Say (neotype from Ontario). Aphrophora gelida (Walker) is the correct name for A. signoretii of authors. A new subgenus, Pinimber, is described for the pine spittlebug, A. cribrata (Walker) = A. parallela of authors, nee Say.

During a study of the effects of insecticides on cyclic nucleotide metabolism it was observed that moths (Mamestra conjgurata Wlk.) treated with the pyrethroids permethrin and deltamethrin often had grossly bloated abdomens several hours after treatment.

Two- to three-day-old moths were obtained from a laboratory culture of the bertha armyworm, M. configurata, reared on an artificial diet (Bucher and Bracken 1976). Initially, males and females were treated topically with insecticide in 5 μl of acetone applied to the thorax, head, or abdomen. Pyrethroid-treated moths developed abdominal bloat independent of the site of treatment, therefore the thorax was chosen for treatment. Treated moths were held at 20°C and examined twice daily for 3 days to determine the incidence of bloat and mortality.

Drooz and Solomon (1980) demonstrated that the thelyotokous egg parasite, Ooencyrtus ennomophagus Yoshimoto, could be reared on host eggs stored at −10°C for long periods but they did not investigate the relationship between the age of a multivoltine host's eggs prior to storage and production of parasites. For eggs not stored, Kaya and Anderson (1976) stated, “Only eggs collected before embryonation occurred produced O. ennomophagus.” Bustillo and Drooz (1977) showed a decline in production of the egg parasite Telenomus alsophilae Viereck as age of eggs of the multivoltine geometrid Oxydia trychiata (Guenée) increased. Fedde et al. (1979) also expressed the importance of using fresh host eggs to maintain high rates of parasitism by T. alsophilae on the multivoltine geometrid Eutrapela clemataria (J. E. Smith). We report here that cold treatment of the eggs of E. clemataria alters them, making them more suitable for mass rearing of O. ennomophagus after embryonation has begun.

During studies of the attractiveness of essential oils to insects associated with Douglas-fir cones, traps baited with citronellol attracted male Prenolepis imparis (Say), the small honey ant. Citronellol was previously reported as present in the mandibular glands of worker and male ants (Law et al. 1965; Blum et al. 1968).

The small honey ant is a ground nesting species frequently encountered in woodlands and noted for tending plant-sucking insects. Behavior of colonies has not been intensively studied, but it is known that alate ants leave the colony in March and April for a nuptial flight (Smith 1965).