The taxonomic position of the genus Creutzeria in the family Anoetidae is examined, and a description of a new species, C. seychellensis, from the pitcher plant, Nepenthes pervillei, from the Seychelles is given. A couplet is proposed for the Hughes-Jackson key that would separate the genera Creutzeria and Zwickia.

The effect of an alternating and a constant temperature regime on some aspects of the biology of two strains of Hylemya antiqua were studied. One strain was a laboratory strain, the other a newly colonized wild strain. Several population statistics were assessed and life tables constructed. Significant differences between the strains were recorded.

The laboratory strain mated significantly better under both environments than the wild strain, it also oviposited earlier and lived longer. No difference between the strains was recorded for either total egg production or oviposition rate. The wild strain larvae survived significantly better than the laboratory strain larvae and produced larger pupae. As the weighted mean temperature of the alternating regime was 16.6°C compared with the constant regime of 23°C many temperature dependent processes were retarded. Nevertheless as the alternating temperature increased larval survival and increased pupal size, this temperature regime has now been adopted for the routine laboratory rearing of H. antiqua larvae. The net reproductive rate, R0, and the intrinsic rate of increase, r, were calculated for both strains in both environments. The wild flies had the highest R0 at the alternating temperature and the lowest at the constant temperature. This trend was completely reversed when r was calculated as this statistic takes into account generation time, which was much shorter in the constant temperature.

The results were discussed in the framework of the quality of the laboratory stock in relation to its use in a genetic control programme.

The toxicities of acephate, aminocarb, carbaryl, chlorpyrifos, chlorpyrifos-methyl, methomyl, mexacarbate, permethrin, and trichlorfon to last instar western spruce budworm, Choristoneura occidentalis Freeman, were significantly altered by the presence of host-plant foliage. The pyrethroid permethrin was significantly more toxic when sprayed directly on fully exposed larvae than when first sprayed on foliage. However, all other toxicants were more toxic sprayed on foliage. A toxicologically-based method was used to assess the residual toxicities of the nine chemicals. Each chemical was applied to potted seedlings at its respective LD90-foliage, then weathered for up to 7 days. Significant differences in toxicity were related to both insecticide and weathering interval. The toxicities of carbaryl and permethrin were least affected by weathering.

Twenty species of black flies are now recorded from the Maritime Provinces of Canada. These include five species of Prosimulium, two species of Cnephia, and 13 species of Simulium. With the exception of S. vernum Meigen, all species have been previously recorded from maritime Canada. The known biology of these black flies is summarized and includes information on overwintering stages, larval and pupal habitats, adult emergence and feeding habits, and seasonal occurrence and abundance.

Unequal responses to acephate and carbaryl were found among four populations of Douglas-fir tussock moth, Orgyia pseudotsugata (McDunnough). Within a single population, response of almost half of sibling groups tested with either toxicant differed significantly from one another. Using electrophoresis, we related variation in sibling group responses to quantitative differences in esterase isozymes. Potential use of genetic assays in pre-spray population surveys is discussed.

Growth and survival rates for larvae and pupae of Aedes vexans (Meigen) were measured in the laboratory at constant temperatures of 10°, 15°, 20°, 25°, and 30 °C. Growth rates in all stages increased with temperature except for 1st stage larvae which developed marginally faster at 25°C than at 30°C. The shortest stage at all temperatures was the 2nd, followed in most cases by the 3rd, 1st, and 4th larval stages, and then pupae; pupae and 4th stage larvae took markedly longer to develop at low temperatures. Average survival rate was about 99% every 3 h for larvae and 98% for pupae. At 10° and 15°C, 1st and 2nd stage larvae survived no better than later stages, but at the higher temperatures survival to the 3rd stage larva was better than 90% but decreased markedly in the 3rd and 4th stages. Overall survival was highest at 25°C. Mosquitoes reared at 10°C did not pupate, while those reared at 30 °C pupated but adults did not emerge.

These laboratory data were used in a computer program whose output under field temperature regimes was compared with events in the field. The program works in 3 h time-steps. Rate of development varies with temperature and utilizes a modification of the algorithm of Stinner et al. (1975); the modification removes time as the independent variable in the development equation. Mortality rates are constant at 1% every 3 h for larvae and 2% for pupae. The program’s predictions for graduation from one stage to the next in the field population were all within about 13 h of the observed times and at the start of the pupal stage after 400 h, the output was running 13 h slow. The program appears to run slow at median temperatures below 10 °C and fast at median temperatures above 14°C. Events in the laboratory rearings are offered as possible explanations for these discrepancies. Predicted population size was close to that observed until the late 4th stage larva, from which point it deviated markedly. Pupal mortality in the field was much higher than in the laboratory.

Monoterpene production, inner bark carbohydrate concentrations, and fir engraver attacks on grand fir were monitored for 3 years following Douglas-fir tussock moth defoliation. Monoterpenes were reduced for 2 years following defoliation. Defoliation caused a reduction in total sugars the first year following defoliation and a reduction in starch the second year. Total sugars and the previous year’s starch concentrations were positively correlated with monoterpene production. The trees which produced the least amounts of monoterpenes were the ones successfully attacked by the fir engraver.

Selected primary (Z)-alkenals and (Z)-alkenyl acetates (odd-numbered unsaturation positions, even-numbered carbon chains C10–C16) were field tested in three groups for ability to attract male moths into traps. Within each group all possible combinations (1:1:1) of components were examined. From 441 combinations, consistent attractants for 47 species were found. In one case three components were required for attractancy, while in others two or one were minimally sufficient. Possible trapping inhibitors were revealed for most of the species taken. Of the captured species 44 were noctuids, two were tortricids, and one was a gelechiid.

A mathematical model is developed which simulates the effect of the number of eggs in females, food source, and soil conditions, on ovogenesis and oviposition of Japanese beetle populations. The number of eggs in females is used as the state indicator, and simulated trends are compared to field data. Potential applications in pest management are discussed.

Strong westerly winds occurring during autumnal migration of the eastern population of the monarch butterfly in North America, affect those butterflies migrating from areas east of long. 90°. The following aberrant migratory routes are presented: (1) Migrants moving down the Atlantic coast pass through the Florida peninsula to western Cuba thence to the overwintering site in Guatemala and Honduras; (2) migrants forced over the Atlantic ocean eventually reach the Bahama islands and thence to Yucatan, or Honduras via Jamaica and other islands of the Caribbean Sea, to the overwintering site in Guatemala and Honduras; (3) migrants arriving in the eastern islands of the Greater Antilles may eventually arrive in the Cordilleran mountains of Columbia and northwestern Venezuela; (4) migrants from the Lesser Antilles may return, along with members of a first generation, in the spring without establishing an overwintering site—the fate of these few occasional spring migrants is unknown.

Palaeodipteron walkeri Ide (Diptera: Nymphomyiidae) is recorded from watercourses of two northern Quebec localities. The known distribution of the species is thus extended to 54°N, in the subarctic zone. Collections were made in a wide variety of habitats. Nearly 200 adults and many larvae were captured; emergence rate of this supposedly uncommon insect reached 98 adults/m2/day. Habitats and sampling methods are described, and larval locomotion, phenology, distribution, and abundance are discussed.

Elemental profiles of onion maggots reared on a dried carrot based medium were monitored by X-ray energy spectrometry. Adult insects had higher levels of S, Fe, Cu, and Zn and lower levels of Cl, K, Br, and Sr than were apparently present in the medium. Addition of Rb to the larval diet resulted in a higher than normal concentration of Rb in the newly-emerged adults. This concentration of Rb decreased to ambient levels after 10 days. When Y was added to the rearing medium, it was not incorporated into the adult flies. Pupae from the Ga-supplemented diet failed to mature. The elemental profiles of male and female adults from the Rb- and Y-rearings differed significantly from the control rearings and each other. X-ray energy spectrometry shows much promise in helping define and monitor mineral requirements in insects.

Mortality factors affecting populations of the leafminers Argyresthia thuiella (Pack.) and Pulicalvaria thujaella (Kft.), on eastern white cedar in the area of Guelph, Ontario were identified and summarized in life tables. During the two annual generations studied from 1975 to 1977, overwintering mortality varied widely. Winterkill increased from 6.8% to 62.9% for A. thuiella and from 8.1% to 54.6% for P. thujaella, from 1976 to 1977. Several parasitoids produced substantial mortality of each host species, but their effect may have been superseded by winterkill in 1977. Data indicate that both populations of leafminers increased from 1975 to 1976 but decreased substantially from 1976 to 1977.

Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the thoraces of adult Glossina morsitans morsitans Westwood revealed five octanol dehydrogenase (ODH, E.C. 1.1.1.73) phenotypes (and a sixth was predicted) in males and females, two arginine phosphokinase (APK, E.C. 2.7.3.3) phenotypes in males and three APK phenotypes in females. Each enzyme was postulated to be under the control of a single locus; Odh with three alleles on an autosome and Apk with two alleles on the X-chromosome. Allele frequencies were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium in our colony, and breeding experiments provided direct evidence for single locus control of each enzyme. The polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis technique described permits determination of banding patterns for xanthine oxidase, aldehyde oxidase, ODH, and APK from a single individual.

The major component of the sex pheromone of the eastern spruce budwonn was established by Weatherston et al. (1971) to be trans-11-tetradecenal. Subsequently it was found (Sanders and Weatherston 1976) that a small proportion of cis-11-tetradecenal was essential to attraction and indeed was a component of the natural pheromone. In addition Weatherston and Maclean (1974) have shown that the female sex pheromone gland contains trans-11-tetradecenol, a presumed biosynthetic precursor to the aldehyde.