Aphthona sandraesp.nov. is described from specimens collected on Euphorbia polygalifolia Boiss. et Reuter (Euphorbiaceae) in Galicia, Spain. Its relationship with Aphthona ovata Foudras and the Aphthona hammarstroemi Jacobson group of species is established. A key to the species of this group occurring in the Iberian peninsula is provided. Aphthona herbigrada (Curtis) and Aphthona espagnoli Kral, previously not belonging to any group, are here considered belonging to the A. hammarstroemi group.

Mature larvae of Pissodes strobi (Peck), Pissodes schwarzi Hopkins, Pissodes nemorensis Germar, and Pissodes terminalis Hopping are described and external morphology illustrated. A key to species is presented. A phylogenetic analysis is done using single- and multiple-outgroup comparisons, which both find trees of identical topology. Character states of clypeus pigmentation and premental sclerite shape putatively support a monophyletic relationship of the P. strobi complex.

In a 2-year study of Monterey pine, Pinus radiata D. Don (Pinaceae), infected with pitch canker, caused by Fusarium circinatum Nirenberg and O'Donnell, less than 2% of symptomatic branches with green foliage were colonized by twig beetles in the genus Pityophthorus Eichhoff (Coleoptera: Scolytidae), whereas approximately 50% of branches with yellow and red foliage were colonized. More Pityophthorus spp. emerged from yellow branches (mean ± SE = 12.1 ± 1.7 per 30 cm) than from red branches (6.9 ± 0.9) at an inland study site (Oakland) but, at a coastal site (Pebble Beach), the means were not significantly different (4.3 ± 0.6 and 3.8 ± 0.7). The mean phoresy rate of all emerging insects was higher at Pebble Beach (17.7 ± 0.6%) than at Oakland (5.3 ± 0.2%). At both sites, there was considerable temporal variation in the proportion of branches colonized by twig beetles, mean numbers of emerging twig beetles, and phoresy rates of emerging insects. Chipping branches reduced the emergence of Pityophthorus spp. and associates by approximately 95%, compared with emergence from intact branches. The pathogen was isolated from 1-year-old branches and chips in up to 68% of samples, but was only recovered from 3-year-old branches in 1 of 46 sampled. It is recommended that recent branch cuttings and chips originating from symptomatic trees not be transported to areas that are believed to be free of the disease.

The effects of the biologically derived insecticide spinosad on parasitoids of Mamestra configurata Walker were studied. Adult Trichogramma inyoense Pinto and Oatman (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae), an egg parasitoid, were as susceptible to a dose of 0.125 μg/cm2 as they were to a high dose of 2.0 μg/cm2. Application of spinosad to host eggs at the time of oviposition resulted in significantly reduced T. inyoense parasitism and higher parasitoid mortality in parasitized eggs. Adult Microplitis mediator (Haliday) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a larval endoparasitoid, were highly susceptible at the highest dose tested, 1.0 μg/cm2. Spinosad at 2.0 μg/cm2 fed to larval M. configurata parasitized with M. mediator 1 and 7 d previous caused similar mortality to that for nonparasitized larvae. At a dose of 0.125 μg/cm2, only larvae parasitized 1 d previously showed mortalities similar to those of nonparasitized larvae, whereas larvae parasitized 7 d previously were not affected by this low dose. Larval M. mediator that egressed from hosts parasitized 7 d previously and treated with the low dose were unable to complete cocoon formation and died. This study suggests that integrated pest management programs for M. configurata in canola should include evaluating the presence and abundance of parasitoids.

Larvae of the predatory gall midge Feltiella acarisuga (Vallot) diapaused as prepupae in tightly woven, brown, silk cells on leaf surfaces. Photoperiod alone, at day lengths from 16 to 8 h did not induce diapause at either 20 or 25 °C. A low incidence of diapause was induced by a combined photoperiod and thermoperiod of an 8-h day at 25 °C and a 16-h night at 15 °C. The incidence of diapause was higher under these conditions if the larvae were fed diapausing spider mites, Tetranychus urticae (Koch) (Acari: Tetranychidae). Because F. acarisuga only diapauses at daylengths equivalent to mid-winter, when its prey, T. urticae, is also in diapause, it can be used as a biological control agent for T. urticae in British Columbia greenhouses throughout most of the growing season.

Twenty-three isolates of Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin from different hosts and geographical origins were evaluated under laboratory conditions for various aspects of virulence against 2- to 3-d-old third instars of the obliquebanded leafroller, Choristoneura rosaceana (Harris), a pest of apple, Malus domestica Borkhausen (Rosaceae), and several other orchard crops in North America. When submerged in a solution containing 107 conidia/mL, all B. bassiana isolates caused more than 66% larval and pupal mortality 60 d following treatment. Isolates 14, 16, 1525, 2727, and 2990 caused the highest (80–89%) larval and pupal mortality against C. rosaceana. Relative to the control, isolate 63 significantly increased and isolate 44860 significantly decreased larval development time. Isolates 37, 2727, and 2990 significantly decreased C. rosaceana pupal weight. Isolates 139, 2727, and 2990 significantly decreased the number of emerging females. In view of their larvicidal effects, as well as their carry-over effects on pupae and adult females, isolates 2727 and 2990 showed the best mycoinsecticidal potential against C. rosaceana.

Spring wheats, Triticum aestivum L., previously identified as being lightly infested by eggs or larvae of wheat midge, Sitodiplosis mosellana (Géhin), were tested to determine if reduced infestation was the result of oviposition deterrence. Oviposition deterrence was measured as the number of eggs deposited on a wheat line relative to that on a check. Egg densities on some of these lines were 10% or less compared with the susceptible commercial cultivar 'Roblin' in choice tests and 20% or less in no-choice tests in the laboratory. These lines also deterred oviposition in the field, reducing egg densities by at least 50% in single-row and multi-row field plots. Other experimental lines showed levels of oviposition deterrence intermediate between the most deterrent lines and 'Roblin'. One of 12 commercial cultivars tested, 'AC Superb', also had low egg densities in the laboratory and in single-row field tests, but this possible oviposition deterrence was not consistently present in large plots or commercial fields. The most deterrent experimental lines showed a level of oviposition deterrence that would be agriculturally useful and desirable in combination with a previously described antibiotic resistance.

Plant bugs in the genus Lygus (Hahn) (Hemiptera: Miridae) are sporadic pests of canola, Brassica napus L. (Brassicaceae) and Brassica rapa L., in western Canada and infestations appear to have become increasingly common and severe in recent years. Surveys conducted from 1998 to 2000 identified a "northern" assemblage in the boreal ecoregion that was dominated by Lygus lineolaris (Palisot de Beauvois), with minor representation of Lygus borealis (Kelton), Lygus elisus (Van Duzee), and Lygus keltoni (Schwartz). A "southern" assemblage in the grassland ecoregions was dominated by L. keltoni, with a substantial abundance of L. elisus and L. borealis and with few L. lineolaris in the driest areas. The assemblage from the parkland ecoregion was variable but with few L. elisus. The boreal plains and parkland ecoregions of Alberta had the most serious and persistent infestations of Lygus spp. Relative species composition of the Lygus assemblage at the bolting stage was not related to the overall abundance of these bugs at the early pod stage. Lygus species assemblages were similar in terms of composition and relative abundance at the bolting and early pod stages of canola. A shift in species proportions in favour of L. lineolaris in the north and L. keltoni in the south and a decrease of L. elisus has taken place relative to studies conducted in the 1980's.

The sounds produced by Metaleptea adspersa (Blanchard 1843) were recorded in captivity with an analogical tape recorder. The signal was digitized in the laboratory and studied with a software. Three types of sound were described: copulation, rivalry, and crepitation. All three sounds were produced only by males. The frequency of the sounds occupied a broadband, from 3–4 to 16 kHz, although the main peak frequency for each type of song differed. We also studied the structures involved in sound production. Copulation and rivalry songs were produced by the rubbing of the subcostal, radial, medial, and cubital 1 veins of the hind wing against the subcostal and radial veins of the tegmen; the enlarged cubital area of the hind wing acted as a resonator. Crepitation sound was produced by the cubital area of hind wing when its expanded membrane became taut.

Seasonal activity of carrot weevil, Listronotus oregonensis (LeConte), adults, eggs, larvae, and root feeding was studied in plots of parsley, Petroselinum crispum (Mill.) Nyman ex A.W. Hill, by sampling weekly from mid-May to the first week of September in 1998 and 1999. The initial population of overwintering adults, one complete generation, and at least a partial second generation were observed. The majority of eggs were deposited in June and most of the larvae were counted in July; the greatest damage was noticed from July onward. In both 1998 and 1999, the overall seasonal means of adults, eggs, larvae, and root feeding were significantly different among plots that were planted on different dates. Root feeding and all carrot weevil life stages sampled steadily decreased from the earliest to the latest planting. Most of the damage occurred in parsley plantings sown from late February until the third week of April. The number of eggs removed from parsley plants during the first cutting was significantly different among planting dates, but the impact of this removal may not be significant in infestation reduction. Results of this study will help parsley growers to target when control measures for carrot weevil will be most effective and which plantings are most likely to be damaged.