Larvae of the pale western cutworm, Agrotis orthogonia Morrison, were fed on wheat in the laboratory, greenhouse, and in field plots. Larvae did not completely sever the plants until the third-instar. The rate and amount of damage varied directly with size and densities of larvae, temperatures above 15 °C., and soil moisture; and inversely with the age and size of the wheat plant. The findings were related to field conditions to appraise potential damage and the necessity of insecticides for crop protection. Possible procedures are discussed for evaluation of the efficiency of various chemicals in the laboratory and in field plots.

The simple fact which Mr. W. H. Edwards published in this journal last May has thrown great doubt over the relationship of all the American species of Cyaniris. From eggs laid in September, 1874, by C. Pseudargiolus, he reared in the following February C. violacea. From this fact he is led to conjecture that in W. Virginia, where his experiments were made, C. neglecta may prove to be a goneutic form of the same species, reducing the entire series in that district to one.

During intermolt in the fifth instar nymph the epidermal cells are compact, with many mitochondria which appear dense, lack well defined cristae, and are considered relatively inactive. The cell membranes are much folded and show plasmodesmata and microvilli at the juxtaposition of two cell membranes. The endoplasmic reticulum is well formed and well supplied with ribosomes; in the compacted cells the reticular membranes may assume bizarre shapes such as a ball of concentric rings. The nuclei are small with inconspicuous nucleoli.

Venation as in Meyrick's figure (Handbook Brit. Lep. 712) except that on primaries vein 9 is connate with the stalk of 6-8 from apex of cell. Unicolorous light ochre-yellow. Head and palpi somewhat paler than forewings. Antennae faintly smoky with traces of brown annulations. In well marked specimens the forewings show the merest traces of irregular, whitish, median and subterminal bands. Secondaries pale smoky. Fringes on both wings light yellowish. Abdomen yellowish, including anal tuft. Traces of smoky shadings on pectus and basal portions of legs. Expanse 9-10 mm.

267. Euxoa nesilens, Smith(Jour. N.Y. Ent. Soc. XI., 192, Dec., 1903). —Described from Calgary and from Brandon, Man. The type is a Calgary specimen in Prof. Smith's collection, and a ♀ co-type is in my own. The description says: “In general appearance it resembles siles, but does not have the black basal streak, nor the blackish suffusion between the ordinary spots. On the other hand, it does have more complete, better marked median lines … Its distinctness is clear, and its association is with basalis, from which, however, it differs obviously in colour.”

The life stages, feeding habits, and some aspects of natural control of Symmerista leucitys Franclemont, a univoltine defoliator of sugar maple, are described.

The crucifer flea beetle, Phyllotreta cruciferae (Goeze), feeds primarily on plants in the Brassicaceae (Cruciferae) (Feeny et al. 1970). Introduced from Europe, it is now a widespread pest of canola, Brassica napus L. and Brassica rapa L., in North America (Lamb and Turnock 1982; Weiss et al. 1991). Before canola occupied so much crop land in western Canada, flea beetles were present and presumably fed mostly on wild crucifers. These native and weedy crucifers are potential sources of resistance genes that might be transferred to canola. We examine feeding preferences of flea beetles among nine wild crucifers (Table 1) to determine which, if any, are avoided. The suitability of these plants has already been examined for another crucifer-feeding chrysomelid, the red turnip beetle, Entomoscelis americana Brown (Gerber and Obadofin 1981; Gerber 1984), and the feeding responses of the beetles are compared.

Porapak Q-captured volatiles from both sexes of Trypodendron betulae Swaine (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) excised from newly attacked logs of paper birch, Betula papyrifera Marshall (Betulaceae), as well as volatiles from unattacked birch logs, were analysed by coupled gas chromatographic electroantennographic detection analysis. Active compounds were identified by gas chromatographic mass spectroscopy. The enantiomeric ratio of 6-ethenyl-2,2,6-trimethyloxan-3-ol (linalool oxide pyranoid) was determined using a Cyclodex B column. Field-trapping experiments disclosed that the female-produced aggregation pheromone of T. betulae is a blend of the (3S,6R)-trans- and (3R,6R)-cis-linalool oxide pyranoid. Trap catches were synergistically increased when the pheromone was combined with both the host volatile ethanol and with conophthorin, which was found in female beetles as well as host volatiles. Use of linalool oxide pyranoid reproductively isolates T. betulae from sympatric Trypodendron Stephens species for which only (+)-lineatin has been identified as an aggregation pheromone.

Grylloblatta campodeiformis campodeiformis Walker (Grylloblattodea: Grylloblattidae) was commonly collected during summer from trees killed by the mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), in subalpine forests of Alberta, Canada. Gut content analysis revealed that the grylloblattids fed on subcortical invertebrates. This newly reported habitat association shows that this species is not limited to strictly alpine habitats and glacial margins, and thus may be more widespread and common than suggested by earlier reports.

Penetration of topically applied DDT-C14, at dosages varying between 35 and 2900 nanograms, into individual house flies was studied at 2, 6, and 24 hour intervals. The rate of penetration was found to be dose dependent and not exponential even when nanogram quantities of the chemical were used.

Two hymenopterous parasites Bathyplectes curculionis (Thomson) and Tetrastichus incertus (Ratzeburg) parasitized 16.5% of their principal host the alfalfa weevil Hypera postica (Gyllenhal) in 1970. A total of 2703 parasites was reared and released in localities where their activity was reported low or non-existent prior to this study. Maximum parasitism by T. incertus and B. curculionis occurred later than periods of peak weevil larvae activity; however, T. incertus emerged earlier in several areas possibly as a natural adjustment of its life cycle, and B. curculionis persisted in multiple non-diapausing generations until late fall. The braconid parasite Microtonus aethiops (Nees) shows promise in becoming a very effective control agent through its ability to prevent weevil oviposition now that it is rapidly dispersing throughout New York. Having parasites established statewide through both releases and natural dispersal has lowered weevil populations below critical levels, and will increase parasite effectiveness in dealing with future alfalfa weevil generations.

Adults of the carrot rust fly, Psila rosae (Fab.), are difficult to find in the field. Frequently they can be found in light to moderate numbers in some situations, occasionally in large numbers, rarely in moderate to large numbers over a period of several days. Fabricius (1794, p. 356) reported that they were found commonly on flowers in Kiel, Germany. Curtis (1860, p. 405) wrote, “The fly…was named rosae by Fabricius, being found probably sunning itself upon the leaves of rose bushes”. Several British writers observed that the flies were most numerous in the parts of carrot fields sheltered by hedges. Baker et al. (1942) wrote: “Flies were present in small numbers on certain weeds, but in considerable numbers in the hawthorn hedges”. Roebuck (1945), Wilson (1945), Petherbridge et al. (1945), and Wright et al. (1945) made similar observations. Some British writers reported flies on various plants, as follows: Whitehead (1890), on low shrubs near streams and in meadows; Smith (1921), on sallow, oak, and hazel; Petherbridge et al. (1942, 1943, 1945), on wild chervil (Anthriscus sylvestris) , hemlock (Conium maculatum), nettles, and potatoes; Wilson (1945), on coarse herbage, growing crops (especially potato), weeds (especially nettles); and Wright et al. (1946), on trees, hedges, and ditches with a thick herb covering.

Neothelaxes gen.nov., type-species N. viticola sp.nov., as well as N. parthenocissi sp.nov., are described. The host-plant of the two species is Parthenocissus semicordata. The taxonomic position of the aphids is discussed.

This species is smaller and slighter than argenteomaculatas, and differs from any previously described from our territory by the gilded primaries, which are as brilliant as those of Plusia verruca. Dull lilac or pinkish fuscous. Fore wings falcate, with a fine brown line on submedian fold. Between the subcostal vein and submedian fold the wing is covered centrally with large patches of dead gold. There are two brown costal patches, between which are double pale lilac marks, the inceptions of the transverse lines, of which the outer beyond the outer brown patch is alone continuous, broad, irregular. Some dead gold patches about the discal mark, which is finely margined with brown, pyramidal, bright gilded. Three similar bright gilded, triangulate, brown-edged spots, form part of the subterminal line opposite the ceil. Else the s. t. line is narrow and brownish, broadly margined by dead gold shading on either side. Hind wings pinkish fuscous. with orange fringes. Beneath fuscous, without marks; external margin of primaries touched with orange; the short fringes shaded with orange on both wings.

Observation of ecdysis in one male and three females of the spider Philodroms rufus Walckenaer (family Thomisidae) has revealed a hitherto unreported source of food for newly molted spiders. After hanging suspended from their exuvia by the spinnerets for a few minutes, the spiders suddenly flexed their legs and ran quickly from base to tip of each exuvial leg, pressing their mouthparts along the limbs. On reaching the tip of each tarsus the spiders bit the old cuticle, allowing a column of colorless liquid that extended through the distitarsus and basitarsus and part way up the tibia to be withdrawn steadily and rapidly. One of the spiders drew the liquid from only four of the exuvial legs, while the others drew from all eight. Having fed, the spiders were immediately capable of normal activity.

This subfamily comes nearest to the Aporinæ, and a few of the males are easily confused with and mistaken for some males in the latter group.

The head is, however, lenticular, very thin antero-posteriorly, the temples being very flat, while the antennæ are always placed much closer to the mouth, on or below an imaginary line drawn from the base of the eyes. These characters ought to enable the student to recognize readily a wasp falling in this group.

Some males in the subfamlry Aporinæ have a lenticurar head, but in these the antennæ are inserted above this inraginary line, never on orbelow it.