Enoclerus barri Knull occurs in western North America from British Columbia south to Mexico and throughout the Rocky Mountain region. Adults were collected at Grass Valley, Calif., from May to September at traps baited with beetle attractants. Collections occurred at temperatures ranging from 22.5° to 31 °C; the sex ratio of trapped beetles was 4.5 females to 1 male. Duration of life cycle stages at 24 ± 2 °C were: egg, 9 days; larva, first iastar, 14 days; second instar, 12 days; third instar feeding stage, 14 days. All larvae reared to third instar failed to pupate in the laboratory. Adult females of unknown age when collected lived from 10 to 131 days and produced an average of 389 eggs per female. Enoclerus barri utilized six species of Scolytidae as hosts in the laboratory.

The pinyon pine sawfly, Neodiprion edulicolus Ross, has periodically caused serious defoliation of singleleaf pinyon, Pinus monophylla Torr. and Frem., in the Intermountain Region. Infestations have been short-lived, however, and widespread tree mortality has not been known to occur.

The first recorded outbreak of N. edulicolus in the Intermountain Region was detected in 1959 along Nores Truck Road near Pioche, Nevada. Mortality of smaller trees occurred. Population levels were low in 1962, 1963, and 1964.

Over 100,000 acres of pinyon pine in the same general area near Pioche and near Caliente, Nevada, were heavily defoliated in 1965 and 1966. Most of the pinyon were rendered unfit for sale as Christmas trees.

The life cycle and stages are typical of Neodiprion species. Eggs overwinter in pinyon needles; eclosion commences in April and is completed by mid-May. Feeding larvae develop through four to six instars; ultimate instars drop to the ground and spin cocoons underneath duff and in sandy soil beneath the host trees in June. Prepupae spend the summer in the cocoon, pupate in the fall, and adults emerge in October and November to mate and oviposit.

Unfavorable climatic factors, followed by heavy parasitism of the remaining larvae, reduced the sawfly population to a low level near Pioche in 1960, and near Caliente in 1966.

Competitiveness of laboratory-reared Lucilia cuprina (Wied.) has been examined under field conditions. The separate release of males and females each marked genetically and with fluorescent dust permitted estimates of dispersal, survival and mating competitiveness for both sexes. The ability of males to seek mates and introduce marker genes into a field population did not appear to be impaired as a result of several years of laboratory colonization. Released females were readily inseminated though suitable conditions did not exist for adequate assessment of their ability to produce offspring.

The Nearctic members of the genus Perilissus Holmgren, parasites of various species of sawflies on coniferous and deciduous trees and shrubs, were revised. There are 17 species of which 10 were described as new. These were placed in six species groups as follows: the discolor group composed of P. concavus, P. impunctatus, P. gilvus, P. triangularis, P. galbipes, P. rutilus spp.nov., and P. discolor (Cresson); the araius group comprising P. araius Burks and P. helvus sp.nov.; the coloradensis group composed of P. coloradensis (Ashmead) and P. spatulatus sp.nov.; the anatinus group consisting of P. anatinus sp.nov.; the bicolor group including P. bicolor (Cresson), P. townesi Burks, and P. cancellatus sp.nov.; and the concolor group comprising P. concolor (Cresson) and P. decoloratus (Cresson). Relationships of the genus Perilissus with other genera within the tribe Perilissini were discussed. Also, presumed relationships of the species groups and species of Perilissus were interpreted.

The entomopathogenic fungal genus Lecanicillium Gams and Zare includes species that are highly pathogenic to many genera of insects. Three species, Lecanicillium longisporum (Petch) Zare and W. Gams, L. muscarium (Petch) Zare and W. Gams, and L. pissodis Kope and Leal, were found to be entomopathogens of adult white pine weevils, Pissodes strobi (Peck), in coastal British Columbia. Morphological characteristics were used to identify these species, but variation in conidial shape and size made it difficult to classify some of the isolates into the correct species of Lecanicillium. To confirm the identity of these Lecanicillium species, we used molecular tools such as polymerase chain reaction – restriction fragment length polymorphism and DNA sequencing.

The majority of the species falling in this subfamily are usually smaller and much less conspicuous than those in the other subfamilies, and with totally different habits. None are true diggers, but, on the contrary, build small oblong, or oval, clay cells, beneath the loose bark of old trees, under stones, or in crevices in old stone walls, etc., not unlike some of the Potter wasps (Eumenidœ).

The group comes evidently nearest to the Pepsinœ, the females having, as in that group, a transverse grooved line, impression or emargination on the second ventral segment. From that group, however, it is at once separated by the difference in the legs, the hind tibiæ being smooth, never serrate or spinous, or with a longitudinal ridge, but, at the most, with only a few very minute, scarcely perceptible spines.

This is the first of a series of papers which will consider the systematics of the Canadian and Alaskan Fulgoromorpha. The aim is to produce eventually a work on the Fulgoromorpha similar to that on the Cicadellidae of the same area by Beirne (1 956).

The two Delphacid genera Achrotile Fieber and Laccocera Van Duzee can be recognized by the presence of distinct pits on the frons, notum and abdominal dorsum. The frons in Achrotile has two median parallel carinae whilst only one is present in Laccocera.

The deodar weevil, Pissodes nemorensis Germar, is a vector and wounding agent associated with pitch canker fungus, Fusarium moniliforme Sheld. var. subglutinans Wr. & Reink., in the southeastern United States (Blakeslee et al. 1981). This univoltine weevil breeds in southern pines that have been stressed by factors such as fire, lightning, or mechanical injury (Baker 1972). The adults feed on phloem after chewing through the outer bark. Females deposit eggs in some of these feeding pits and then plug the hole with macerated phloem (Atkinson 1979). Larvae tunnel under the bark and feed on phloem as they develop.

Detailed generic descriptions are given for the adult male and female, larva, and pupa of Xylotopus Oliver and for the adult male of Irisobrillia n. gen. Two new species, Xylotopus burmanensis and Irisobrillia longicosta, are described. A key is presented to separate adult males of Xylotopus and Irisobrillia from allied genera, Brillia Kieffer, Eurycnemus Wulp, and Euryhapsis Oliver.

Formates analogous to the aldehyde sex pheromones of several species of Lepidoptera have been shown to have biological activity, (E)-9-Dodecen-1-yl formate was therefore tested against male spruce budworm (C. fumiferana) by EAGs and by field trapping experiments designed to test for attraction, inhibition, and disruption. No biological activity was detected.

Oryzaephilus surinamensis L. eggs in three age groups were irradiated with Cesium-137. Irradiation dosages of 15,480 rads did not affect the hatching of 48- to 72-hr-old eggs, though 24- to 48-hr-old eggs were more resistant than the 0- to 24-hr-old eggs. LD50 values measured as survival of 7-day-old larvae, however, showed that 48- to 72-hr-old eggs were more sensitive than 24- to 48-hr-old eggs. Dosages from 1935 to 2580 rads depressed the fecundity of adults emerged from irradiated eggs.

The objective of this study was to assess the similarities and differences between selected bioindicator groups within tallgrass prairie and adjacent aspen forest. Based on pitfall trapping from 1998 to 2000, species richness and abundance of ground beetles and spiders were examined across a tallgrass prairie – aspen forest ecotone located near Winnipeg, Manitoba. The abundance of spiders and ground beetles was higher in the forested portion of the transect than in the prairie section. There were 639 specimens of ground beetles collected, representing 53 species; 19 species were found only on the prairie, 19 species were found only in the forest, and 15 species were found in both habitats, although the abundance of most species was too low to confidently assign them to either habitat type. Excluding single records in any sampling year yielded 9 prairie species, 5 forest species, and 10 species found in both aspen forest and tallgrass prairie. The five most abundant species of ground beetles were Agonum placidum (Say), Pterostichus caudicalis (Say), P. femoralis (Kirby), P. melanarius (Illiger), and Synuchus impunctatus (Say). There were 4499 specimens of spiders collected, representing 92 species; 25 species were found only in the prairie, 15 species were unique to the aspen forest, and 52 species were found in both habitats. Excluding single records in any sampling year yielded 26 prairie species, 15 forest species, and 22 species found in both habitats. The five most abundant species of spiders were Pardosa moesta Banks, P. distincta (Blackwall), Agroeca ornata Banks, Centromerus sylvaticus (Blackwall), and Alopecosa aculeata (Clerck). Our study concurs with other studies in demonstrating that there are distinct assemblages of both groups of predators in each of the two habitat types.

Four males of Aedes melanimon Dyar were collected in mosquito traps during flight studies on the prairie near Brooks, Alberta, in 1956. One of the specimens was taken on July 14, and two on July 24; the collection date of the fourth specimen is unrecorded. The determinations were made by Dr. J. R. Vockeroth, Entomology Division, Ottawa, from preparations of the genitalia. This is the first time that this species has been recorded from Canada; it was previously known only from the western United States. It is possible that females of this species have been collected in Canada but have not been recognized because of the similarity to A. dorsalis (Meig.). Barr (1955) and Richards (1956) have reviewed the specific status of Aedes melanimon Dyar and compared the morphology of this mosquito with that of other closely related species.

Learning of chemical stimuli by insects can occur during the larval or adult life stage, resulting in changes in the imago chemotaxic behaviour. There is little information on learning in Tortricidae, and associative learning through metamorphosis is unknown in this group. Here, we evaluate the influence of olfactory aversive learning in Grapholita molesta (Busck) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) during the immature stage and determine if memory persists after metamorphosis. Larvae (10–12 days old) were conditioned to associate the odour of ethyl acetate with pulses of aversive electric shock. Insects were exposed to air, to the ethyl acetate odour, and to shock, in isolation or combination. After conditioning, both larvae and adults were tested in a two-choice olfactometer. Larvae exposed only to air or ethyl acetate increased legibility. Larvae trained with ethyl acetate and shock simultaneously exhibited significant avoidance to ethyl acetate. Avoidance was still present for at least 72 hours after metamorphosis. Thus, G. molesta has the ability to associate an odour to an aversive stimulus precociously, and this association is maintained through metamorphosis and persists into adulthood.

Field collected wireworms (Coleoptera: Elateridae) intended for laboratory studies often die during storage from Metarhizium Sorokin (Clavicipitaceae) infection and other causes. To determine optimal storage conditions for Agriotes obscurus (Linnaeus), freshly collected larvae were stored in regular and sterilised soil, with and without access to food (potato slices), at 12 °C and 16 °C, for six months to determine which conditions resulted in the lowest wireworm mortality. Survival was highest when wireworms were stored in sterilised soil, at 12 °C, in the absence of food. Food availability increased wireworm mortality from Metarhizium infection and other causes, but decreased the number of missing wireworms. Wireworm weight change during the study was highest in treatments where wireworms had access to food. The expected effect of food deprivation on wireworm energetic state and immune response are discussed in context with these findings.

The spruce coneworm, Dioryctria reniculleloides (Mut. and Mun.), is often associated with the spruce budworm on spruce host trees and sometimes approaches or equals the spruce budworm, Choristoneura fumiferana (Clem.), in numbers (Spies and Dimond 1985). The coneworn is probably~responsiblefo r some of the damage on spruce attributed to the budworm, and with much balsam fir in eastern North America now dead from defoliation or harvested, there is increasing interest in spruce as the major resource to protect.