From May 8 to September 29, 1961 4 species of Corixidae, 5 o f Notonectidae, 1 of Belostomatidae and 1 of Nepidae were collected and the seasonal distribution of each species was noted.

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.

The digger wasp, S. breviceps, has been encountered frequently in the field while studying nesting bees and wasps. Ammophila pruinosa Cress., A. varipes Cress., and A. comanche Cam., according to Professor Fernald, must be considered as synonyms. It is a specics of considerable morphological variation with all intergrades occuring between the extremes. It is not a large insect but it makes up in numbers, it would seem, for what it lacks in individual size.

The European species Perizoma alchemillata (L.), first collected in Newfoundland 22 July 1954, is now widely distributed throughout the island. Notes on its distribution, life-history, and ecology are provided. The adult moths and the male and female genitalia are illustrated to facilitate identification.

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.

This group was recognized as a sub-family by Newman as early as 1834, and as a distinct family by Haliday in 1839. It is represented at present by a single genus, Oryssus, Latr., which is apparenrly the stem from whence some of the parasitic Hymenoptera originated; i. e., the Megalyridae, Stephanidae, etc.

I have now, however, the pleasure of indicating below another genus, indigenous to Africa.

Although comparatively few species are described in the group, it yet appears to be widely distributed, species having been found in North, Central and South America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Aru, in the Malay Archipelago.

The male of the rare Bombus digressus (Milliron) is described based on new material from Costa Rica. Both male and worker castes display unusual combinations of structural characteristics and the unique male genitalia are considered to warrant the erection of a new monotypic subgenus, Digressobombus.

The new genus described in this paper is based upon a specimen in a collection made by Prof. V. E. Shelford in Southern California. It pertains to the group for which I, some years ago, erected the family Sogonidae, the known representatives of which occur in Mexico and adjoining parts of the United States. The new genus may be placed among those previously known by means of the following key.

Two new species of Aphis L. are described, holodisci from British Columbia and Oregon, and schuhi from Oregon, both from Holodiscus discolor Maxim.

Most of the material upon which the following descriptions are based belongs to the National Museum, and the species are here described at the request of the curator, Dr. W. H. Ashmead.

Eutettix pannosa, n. sp.–Resembling saucia and scaber in general appearance, smaller, darker, and with longer vertex and more generally reticulate elytra. Length, ♀ 4.5 mm., ♂ 4 mm; width, ♀ 1.5mm., ♂ 1.25 mm.

Vertex right angled, apex blunt, three-fifths as long as its basal width, two thirds as long as the pronotum, half longr on middle than against eye, disc slightly sloping, flat, with the apex elevated. Face retreating, forming an acute angle with the vertex, front rather broad. Elytra rather short, comirressed at the apex, venation weak, irregniarly reticulate, the second cross nervure sometimes present.

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.

In laboratory tests Bioethanomethrin was more than 20 times as toxic as dimethoate when sprayed on nymphs of Melanoplus sanguinipes (Fabr.). Its residual effect on grasshoppers fed treated foliage was relatively insignificant. Toxicity in small field experiments resulted mainly from spray hitting the grasshoppers rather than from their walking or feeding on treated foliage. For 8 days the dimethoate treatment kept numbers of invading grasshoppers significantly lower than those in untreated plots, whereas Bioethanomethrin was ineffective after 2 days. The results indicate that the residual toxicity of the insecticides was of secondary importance in reducing the initial infestation; however, residues do offer a margin of safety against such hazards as poor application, invasion from outside, or continued hatching after treatment.

The genus Parapandemis is recorded from Canada, and P. borealis n. sp. is described from New Brunswick, Ontario, and Alberta.

The hemlock looper, Lambdina fiscellaria, is one of the most economically damaging defoliators of North American coniferous forests. Basic information on its reproductive biology is an essential prerequisite for understanding its population dynamics. Realized fecundity for the two major hemlock looper ecotypes varies along a latitudinal gradient in eastern Canada, but their daily oviposition patterns are similar. Mated females lay eggs after a short pre-oviposition period, with daily oviposition peaking in the first 3 days. Mated females lay significantly more eggs than unmated ones, the latter laying their eggs more evenly throughout their life. Eggs deposited early in the oviposition period are larger than those deposited near the end. This may influence over-winter survival of hemlock loopers and should be considered in studies to better understand the population dynamics and improve management of this defoliator.

An interesting interference in the adoption of the generic name Rileya has recently taken place between Mr.Ashmead and myself, and as I am of the opinion that this name should apply to the genus of Encyrtinæ defined by myself, rather than to the genus of Eurytominæ defined by Mr. Ashmead, I state in this note the circumstances of the interference, and print in full the paper in which my description occurred.

A hood incorporating a removable air filter and an electrostatic dust precipitator reduced the numbers of air-borne scales around laboratory workers handling insects, thereby reducing the occupational hazard of allergic reactions. The hood is mobile and easy to maintain. Construction details are provided.

The large scale production of Coccinellids at the Fontana Laboratory, Commonwealth Bureau of Biological Control, Fontana, California, for shipment to Bermuda where they are used against the Diaspine Cedar Scale, Carulaspis visci Schrank has created a variety of problems. Potato tubers are being used to rear the Diaspine scales Aonidiella aurantii Mask., Aspidiotus lataniae Signoret, and Aspidiotus hederae Vallot for host material for the Coccinellids Zagloba ornata Casey, Cephaloscymnus occidentalis Horn, Microweisea suturalis Schwartz, Lotis nigerrima Casey, Lotis neglecta Muls., Pharoscymnus exiguus Weise, Telsimia sp., and the Nitidulid Cybocephalus sp. One of the outstanding difficulties was the damage caused by several species of predaceous mites as contaminants in our production program. The elimination of these mites led to the rather novel use of miticides as a means of sanitation control. The results although effective were open to experimental error. This preliminary report deals primarily with the effectiveness of Neotran on these mites, Hemisarcoptes malus Schimer, Iphidulus sp., Tyroglyphus americanus Banks, the associated effect upon the praducrion of the Diaspine scale Aspidiotus lataniae, and the subsequent effect on the prodection of the Coccinellids.