The life history and biology of Ips latidens (LeConte) were investigated using bark-sandwich and whole-log rearing methods. In contrast with other Ips spp., some females initiated galleries under conditions of female-biased sex ratios, and sometimes 2 or more males were present in a gallery. In general, however, I. latidens exhibited typical ipine characteristics. A single male usually admitted 1–3 females into a gallery. Females oviposited at a rate of 2.25 eggs/day and achieved a mean fecundity of 64.4 eggs. The larval stage comprised 80% of the generation time (egg to teneral adult) and analysis of head-capsule widths disclosed 3 larval instars. The mean survivorship within broods was 56.0% after 70 days; the reproductive success of monogamous pairs of beetles was 36.1 teneral adults. Single females constructed 3–4 egg tunnels/gallery system; hence, harem size cannot always be inferred from the number of egg tunnels in each gallery. The mean generation time in the laboratory was 2.07 × greater than for I. pini. By comparing laboratory data on I. latidens with laboratory and field data on I. pini, the generation time of I. latidens is estimated at 64–124 days in the field. In south-central British Columbia, I. latidens probably has 1 generation, and possibly 2 broods, per year.

The responses of Ips latidens (LeConte) to multiple-funnel traps baited with various monoterpenes were determined in stands of lodgepole pine in British Columbia. β-Phellandrene was attractive to I. latidens in the absence of the pheromone ipsenol. β-Phellandrene increased the attraction of I. latidens to ipsenol-baited traps while α-pinene, 3-carene, terpinolene, and myrcene reduced trap catches. Differential responses by males and females to sources of ipsenol with or without β-phellandrene suggest that the information conveyed to males differs from that conveyed to females. Species-specific responses to monoterpenes by I. latidens and three sympatric species of scolytids suggest that unique combinations of kairomones could be important in facilitating matings with conspecifics. Pheromones need not be the sole constituent of species-specific chemical messages.

In the absence of secondary attraction, 2 species of Scolytidae, Ips latidens (LeConte) and Hylastes gracilis LeConte, showed significant preference while in flight for high-girdled over non-girdled lodgepole pines, Pinus contorta var. latifolia Engelmann. In contrast, beetles in 2 genera of Elateridae, Ampedus and Ctenicera, showed significant preference for non-girdled over high-girdled lodgepole pines. Beetles in 12 other families, as well as other scolytids and elaterids, did not show any significant preference or aversion to high-girdled trees. This is the first clear demonstration of primary attraction for a North American Ips species and the second for an Hylastes species.

E-Myrcenol reduced catches of the pine engraver, Ips pini (Say), to ipsdienol-baited, multiple-funnel traps in a dose-dependent fashion. The sex ratio was unaffected by E-myrcenol treatments. Lures containing E-myrcenol in ethanol solution failed to protect freshly cut logs of lodgepole pine from attack by I. pini. Rather, I. pini preferentially attacked logs treated with devices releasing E-myrcenol and ethanol, over nontreated, control logs. Our results demonstrate that E-myrcenol is a new pheromone for I. pini, and emphasize the importance of understanding basic pheromone biology before utilisation of a semiochemical in forest pest management.

The interactions of a group of non-identical voting units may be studied by applying the concept of the Shapley value from n-person co-operative game theory. In this theory one assumes that voting units, or players, may form coalitions of various kinds in order to achieve success in the game, and one may assign a “value” to each such coalition based on what it can accomplish against arbitrary coalitions of the remaining players. The relative value of an individual player is calculated by considering how much he brings to each coalition he might join, that is, by how much the value of that coalition increases because of his membership, and summing this figure over all coalitions of which he could be a part.

Here we present evidence of seasonal reproduction in the deep-sea vent mussel Bathymodiolus azoricus, a dominant member of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR) hydrothermal fauna in the Azores region. This is the first time that seasonal reproduction has been suggested for any deep-sea vent organism. This discovery was made possible by the use of novel, acoustically-retrievable cages, which allowed us to extend the frequency and temporal range of sampling that was previously limited to the summer months. The main spawning peak, at the Menez Gwen vent field (840 m) occurs in late December–January and shows a correlation with a winter–spring bloom in primary production in the euphotic zone. Our results suggest that this surface-derived material may act as both a food source for the dispersing mussel larvae and as a reproductive cue/supplementary nutritional source for the adult mussels. Further evidence of a dependence on photosynthetic inputs comes from the relationship between particulate feeding levels, which themselves correlate with the phytoplankton peak, and the amounts of storage tissue in the mantle, which ultimately gets converted into gonad. Thus, the pattern and energetics of reproduction in the Atlantic vent mussel B. azoricus closely resembles that found in the coastal mussel Mytilus edulis, which has been described as an adaptation for optimizing the timing of reproduction against a background of seasonally-varying food availability. This discovery emphasizes the complexity of the nutritional pathways found in some deep-sea chemosynthetic environments and highlights the need for more time-series studies.