Some information of interest on the postdiapause development of the larch sawfly, Pristiphora erichsonii (Htg.), and its tachinid parasite Bessa harveyi (Tnsd.) has been obtained in the course of laboratory rearings. Sawfly cocoons were placed in cold storage at 2 to 3°C. in September or October and held until the following year, usually late March, when they were incubated at 10 or 15°C. They were then held at constant temperatures until emergence was complete. Sawfly and parasite emergence was recorded daily.

Platygymnopa new genus, type species P. helicis new species, is described from the northern United States and southern Canada, with type locality McHenry Co., North Dakota. In Montana, P. helicis was reared from larvae feeding within dead snails (Physidae, Aplexa hypnorum (L.)).

Last instar larvae and the pupae of Gluphisia avimacula, Notodonta simplaria, Dasylophia thyatiroides and Hyparpax perophoroides are described, compared with those of related species, and in part figured. Various ecological aspects are discussed and host plant information is provided in each case, with comments on the number of generations, times of occurrence and, with respect to simplaria and thyatiroides, on the regional prevalence of melanism.

Recent damage to sugar maple, Acer saccharurn Marsh., by pear thnps, Taeniothrips inconsequens, in the northeast of the United States and adjacent parts of Canada has led to much research on this pest (Teulon et al. 1993; Teulon and Cameron 1996; Parker and Skinner 1997). A detailed description of the univoltine pear thrips' life history is reported in Teulon et al. (1998). Although T: inconsequens is the dominant species in sugar maple, other thrips may also be important as herbivores, detritivores, or predators and need to be taken into account in sampling or monitoring programmes. This article describes the diversity of thrips in a sugar maple plantation in central Pennsylvania, United States.

Field studies were conducted to determine the attractiveness of monoterpenes and pheromones to the white pine cone beetle, Conophthorus coniperda (Schwarz), the most destructive cone and seed pest of eastern white pine, Pinus strobus L. (Pinaceae). Limonene was identified as a new attractant that acts synergistically when added to the female-produced sex pheromone, pityol. Trap catches were higher with increasing release rates of S-(–)-limonene. The enantiomers of limonene showed equivalent efficacy on mean trap catch. (–)-β-Pinene was not attractive and may be repellent to both sexes, and (–)-α-pinene was shown to have no effect on female response when added to pityol or pityol + S-(–)-limonene. The pheromones trans-verbenol, trans-pinocarveol, and myrtenol were not attractive to C. coniperda.

Entomologists will be interested to learn of the occurrence of a near relative of the Horn Fly, HŒmatobia serrata, in the middle of the great cranberry swamps of Northern Minnesota. These vast low areas extend for hundreds of square miles in the vicinity of the Lake of Woods. They are the favored home of the American moose, and the hope of obtaining some specimens of this animal for the museum of the University of Kansas led Professor L. L. Dyche of that institution to traverse these dangerous marshes. Professor Dyche has recently returned after remaining for over three months in the very centre of the swamps, camping upon the occasional sand ridges which cross the region; and to him I am indebted for specimens of a new HŒmatobia.

The following stucly is based on the material in the Canadian National Collection supplemented by specimens from the collections of Messrs. Carl G. Siepmann, F. S. Carr, and G. Stace Smith. No new characters for the separation of closely allied species are offered in this paper. The most valuable characters known are those of the so-called flagellum of the male genitalia; the most useful for key purposes are presented by the elytral markings.

Infection by Nosema fumiferanae (Thomson) (Microsporidia: Nosematidae) and feeding by late-instars on previous year’s foliage due to depletion of current year’s growth (also known as back-feeding) are likely to co-occur in high-density outbreak populations of the spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana (Clemens) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)). We tested the hypothesis that effects of the two factors on larval fitness are exacerbated by their interaction. Twigs of balsam fir (Abies balsamea Linnaeus; Pinaceae) with or without new-growth shoots were fed to sixth-instar offspring from uninfected, moderately infected, or highly infected females in two laboratory experiments. Pupal mass and time to reach the pupal stage were significantly affected by infection and back-feeding but not by their interaction. Pupal mass decreased and development time increased with increasing spore burden in a linear fashion. Back-feeding had a significant effect on survival to the pupal stage, but infection did not, nor did their interaction. The relatively small changes in survival, pupal mass, and development time caused by infection and back-feeding were additive. The results thus refute our hypothesis that infection by N. fumiferanae and forced feeding on last year’s foliage by late instars are likely to interact in affecting spruce budworm recruitment in older outbreak populations.

Through the kindness of Dr. H. Höne, Bonn, I have the privilege of examining a large number of Pyralidae collected by him in China and Japan during his many years' residence in those countries. The material studied consists of duplicates of the vast co11ections sent to Prince Aristide Caradja in Rumania, and reported on by him in an extended series of papers in the years 1925 to 1939. In spite of his excellent taxonomic eye, Caradja did not study genitalia and rarely illustrated his species or discussed their structural characters. As Höne's collections have been the only ones to emanate from many of the regions he visited, and as Caradja's own collection, always remote, has for many years been inaccessible, and is believed to have been partly destroyed in wartime or post-war disturbances, the importance of the present material in elucidating the Caradja species is very great, and I owe Dr. Höne my most sincere thanks for permitting me to study it and to retain for the Canadian National Collection a substantial number of duplicates.

The four Jamaican species of Cyrtinus LeConte are briefly reviewed. Cyrtinus jamaicensis n. sp. and Cyrtinus granulifrons n. sp. are described, and additional distributional records are given for Cyrtinus sandersoni Howden and Cyrtinus farri Howden.

Serious damage to the seeds of wild rice, Zizania aquatica L., is caused annually by the larvae of a noctuid species hitherto unidentified and with little of its life-history known. In the summer of 1957 larvae reared from eggs found in the heads of wild rice were determined as of the species concerned, and in March, 1958 an adult reared from the same lot was identified by Dr. D. F. Hardwick, Entomology Division, Ottawa as of Apamea apamiformis (Guenée).

Visual responses of adults of Calosoma sycophanta L., which are predators of the gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar L. (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae), were investigated in laboratory arenas. Beetles moved toward dark cylinders significantly faster than to light ones when the background was white, but no differently when the background was black. Thus, C. sycophanta appears to respond most readily to dark objects, and this response is only slightly modified by contrast with the background. Beetles move toward large-diameter black cylinders more readily than toward small-diameter ones, but object height and shape do not appear to be important characteristics. The visual responses of C. sycophanta would tend to orient adults toward the base of trees in a forest. Because beetles prey on gypsy moth larvae in trees, this orientation serves to position them where they can most readily find hosts, or perhaps to guide them to objects under which to hide.

Early removal of the alfalfa canopy not only reduced the population density of Agromyza frontella (Rond.) by the elimination of partially developed larvae, but also by increasing mortality of individuals that had already evacuated their mines. This mortality was associated with increased temperatures and/or decreased humidity of the soil, as most pupae are found close to the surface due to the limited burrowing capacity of prepupae. Harvesting data should be included in predictive models, as this parameter affects both the number and time of adult emergence.

The white female of mendii Edw. without the typical burnt-orange color. Green of under sides, common character of black border maculation and rose tinted fringes and antennae as usual. The cell spot on the upper side of the secondaries is cream color and beneath it has the usual silver center.

The following notes are based upon a collection made by Dr. Vasco M. Tanner and associates during the early part of the summer of 1927 in the La Sal Mountains of San Juan County, Utah.

All of the Hymenoptera described in this paper were received from Father W. A. Stanton, Who captured them in the Observatory Garden at Manila, P. I.

Family X.—Stelididæ Cœlioxys, Latr.

œiCœlioxys Manilœ, new species.—♀. Length 6.5mm. Black; the cheeks, temples, clypeus and the fae upwards to the front ocellus, the mesopleura, sternum, coxæ, metathorax, and the apical margins of the ventral and dorsal abdominal segments, clothed, rather densely, with a whitish pubescence, sometimes tinged with yellow; there are also triangular spots of a yellowish pubescence on the anterior and posterior margins of the mesonotum and on the base of the scutellum; the head and thorax are rather coarsely, closely punctured, opaque, while the abdomen is shining, although distinctly punctate, the puncutures sparse and separated; the pygidium is bi-impressed at apex with a short median carina separating the impressions, the punctures being coarser and closer in the impressions or towards apex; the mandibles medially and the legs are red, the femora beneath and the tibiæ outwardly being clothed with a short, fine, dense, whitish pubescence.

During 1965–67, the seasonal history and habits of two oak bark beetles, Pseudopityophthorus minutissimus (Zimm.) and P. pruinosus (Eichhoff), were studied in 47 oaks, Quercus spp., in southern Ohio.All study trees were attacked and the male beetles made initial entry into the trees. The attack period per tree was usually 1–3 days, and the density of attack varied from 5 to 120 galleries 1 ft2 of surface area. Oviposition began as soon as egg gallery construction began, and the incubation period was about 5 days in the summer. The rate of egg gallery construction was about 0.2 in./day in mid-summer. The average length of the egg galleries was 1.9 cm and the average number of eggs per gallery was 41.5. Over 50% of the parent adults of both species re-emerged after egg gallery construction and oviposition. The re-emerging parent adults can attack, lay eggs, and re-emerge three times. The larval stage can last 25–247 days, the pupal stage 15–139 days, and the adult stage 7–198 days. The beetles can overwinter in every stage but the pupal stage. Spring emergence occurred 29 April in 1966 and 14 April in 1967, and in southern Ohio, two generations and a partial one occur each year.Trap trees were attacked 7–205 days and brood emergence lasted 58–329 days. The beetles can attack one tree three times.