The mite species Trochometridium mutilliphillum Loghmani and Hajiqanbar new species (Acari: Trombidiformes: Trochometridiidae) associated with two mutillid wasps of the genera Tricholabiodes Radoszkowski and Dentilla Lelej (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae) is described from northeastern Iran. Some new host records for species of the genus Trochometridium Cross are reported, including a remarkable new record of an association between the mite family Trochometridiidae and the order Diptera. Also, an illustrated key to world genera and species of the family Trochometridiidae is provided.

Wheat, Triticum L. (Poaceae), varieties with deterrence to oviposition by the wheat midge, Sitodiplosis mosellana (Géhin) (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), can be useful in reducing seed damage. The behaviour of ovipositing females on spring wheat, T. aestivum L., with and without oviposition deterrence was investigated to account for observed differences in oviposition on deterrent and nondeterrent hosts. On deterrent wheat, 34% of females landing oviposited compared with 100% of females landing on nondeterrent wheat. The sequence of female behaviours just prior to egg-laying on deterrent spikes was similar to that on nondeterrent spikes. The length of time required to lay an egg and mean egg-batch size were similar on deterrent and nondeterrent wheat, but females spent nearly twice as long on the latter. After landing on deterrent wheat, females took longer to begin ovipositing and longer to leave after the last oviposition event than did females on nondeterrent wheat, which further reduced the time available for oviposition on deterrent compared with nondeterrent wheat. As a result of these behavioural differences, deterrence reduced oviposition by more than 60%.

The North American species were discussed by Fall (1923), under the name Agaporus Zimmermann (1919: 192) . However, as has been pointed out by Giugnot and F. Balfour-Browne, Agaporus, with Hydroporus oblongus Stephens as its type, is a synonym of Laccornis Des Gozis (1914: 111). Des Gozis proposed Laccornis as a subgenus of Hydroporus, with H. oblongus as the type and only species mentioned.

Greenhouse trials were conducted to evaluate the effect of treating adult and egg stages of the eastern spruce budworm, Choristoneura fumiferana (Clemens), with Insegar, a water-based commercial formulation of the juvenile hormone analog fenoxycarb, or with water (controls) at droplet sizes and densities comparable to what would be achieved through aerial spraying of field populations. When adult moths were sprayed with the juvenoid at dosages equivalent to 15.5, 155.4, and 310.8 g AI/ha, approximately 90% of the eggs that were subsequently oviposited failed to hatch. The efficacy of the compound (60% suppression of egg hatch) was not as high when the egg stages were sprayed directly at 15.5 and 155.4 g AI/ha. Insegar did not affect the egg productivity of the moths.

The effect of temperatures on the development of a virus disease of Neodiprion swainei Midd. was studied at constant temperatures of 30° and 12 °C., and under fluctuating temperatures (15°–20 °C.) in the laboratory and outdoors. Viral concentrations of 30 × 106 polyhedra per ml. and 1 × 106 polyhedra per ml. were used. Only the higher concentration of virus was effective at 30 °C. At 12 °C. the incubation period of the disease was prolonged and mortality caused by the virus was considerably reduced for both viral concentrations. Mortality due to the virus was similar at both viral concentrations for the fluctuating temperatures which were within the optimum temperature range for larval development.

The pale western cutworm, Agrotis orthogonia Morr, has been a serious pest in the semi-arid prairies of Western Canada since 1911. Only recently, however, has an effective control been developed which can be used in the spring of the year of outbreak. Seamans (1938), after many years of field observations, published a non-technical bulletin dealing with a method of control by starving the small cutworms early in the spring.

The South American species of Oplachantha Rondani are reviewed and a key to them presented. New species are atricalx, Peru; pallida, Colombia; albihirta, Colombia; fuscipes, Venezuela; divisa, Ecuador; and atriceps, Peru. New synonymies are (iubata Enderlein) = pulchella (Williston) and (tristis Enderlein) = cincticornis Enderlein. Allognosta Barbiellinii Bezzi, Hoplacantha nigerrima Lindner, and Antissops Bezzii Lindner, sometimes referred to this genus or to Berismyia, belong to an as yet undetermined genus.

Avoidance of four strains of Drosophila melanogaster to the pyrethroid insecticide permethrin was studied. All strains showed concentration-dependent avoidance, with avoidance detected at levels as low as 1 ppm. Avoidance was not dependent on the insect acquiring a lethal dose. Some correlation appeared to exist between higher locomotor activity and lower sensitivity to permethrin. The most sensitive strain had the lowest activity. Two of the four strains studied were chosen as permethrin-sensitive mutants following mutagenesis. These two strains had activity levels significantly lower than the original strain from which they were obtained, raising the question as to whether the increased sensitivity to permethrin following mutagenesis reflects an alteration in the target site of permethrin, a neuroactive insecticide.

In this group we have in some of the genera a return to the cephalic and thoracic ornamentation by horns or tubercles in the males, as shownin the Coprophaga I however, none of the Canadian species would be thus misplaced by anyone having even a slight acquaintance with the family, as aside from this character the resemblance is slight. From some of the Melolonthinæ they are not so readily distinguished, except by the position of the spiracles, as defined in a previous article.

To have the specimens in a collection look well, and at the same time be in a condition such as to render their examination as easy as possible, it is necessary that they should be properly collected. The ordinary cyanide bottles prepared either with plaster of Paris, or sawdust, which are used for Lepidoptera and Coleoptera, do not furnish good specimens of Hymenoptera, and those collected in alcohol are less satisfactory.

Macrosiphum parvifolii is described from British Columbia. It is a heavily pulverulent, almost flocculose species that is known only from red huckleberry, Vaccinium parvifolium Sm.

As early as 1844, it was stated that the size of the host may influence the size of parasitoid adults (Ratzeburg 1844) and that parasitoid size may affect fecundity (Salt 1941). Although positive relationships between host and parasitoid body size have been supported in the literature (Tillman and Cate 1993; Heimpel and Rosenheim 1995), this relationship is not universal to all host–parasitoid systems (King 1991; Morse 1994). Although the relationship between host size and body size of parasitoid adults has been observed for some bark beetle parasitoids (Bushing 1967; Samson 1984), the relationship between body size and fecundity has not been studied for bark beetle parasitoids. Roptrocerus xylophagorum Ratzeburg (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) is a bark beetle parasitoid with a wide host range that includes beetles in the genera Dendroctonus, Ips, and Scolytus (Bushing 1967).

Frons and scape rosy pink; vertex yellowish buff; labial palpus on outer surface rosy pink, on inner surface yellowish buff; maxillary palpus yellowish buff; antenna of male very narrowly bipectinate, light buff; thorax and abdomen above rosy pink with some buff scales; body beneath whitish buff; legs light yellowish buff. Forewing above light yellowish buff; costa broadly pink in basal third; sparse fuscous dusting in basal angle; traces of a fuscous discocellular bar; a fuscous postmedial line, concave outward opposite cell, convex and wavy from M2, to Cu2, then retracted nearly to base of Cu2, then wavy and oblique inward to inner margin; entire space beyond postmedial line deep rosy pink except for a narrow yellow crescent on outer margin in front of tornus; fringe yellow. Hind wing above yellowish buff; a small fuscous sub-basal patch; a fuscous postmedial line, excurved to Cu1, then broken, irregular and obsolescent; space beyond postmedial line rosy pink from apex to Cu1. Markings of under surface like those of upper surface, but pink areas replaced by violaceous grey. Expanse 19 mm.

The family of Nemistrinidæ comprises throughout the world one hundred and ten described species, six or seven of which are from Southern Europe and three from North America; the remainder nearly equally distributed in Asia, Africa, Australia and South America. In their habits, so far as known, the species approach the Bombylidæ most closely, as also do many in their general appearance. Structurally they are of interest to the Dipterologist, on account of their intricate and diverse neuration, which in some species is almost Neuropter-like in the reticulation.

Doubtless the number of our species will be augmented by future discoveries, but yet we can never expect a very material increase.

We monitored eclosion patterns of adult Coquillettidia perturbons (Walker) in the Minneapolis – St. Paul region of Minnesota directly using emergence traps (1983, 1984, and 1992), and indirectly using CO2-baited adult traps (1987–1992) and larval sampling (1988 and 1989). Most mosquitoes eclosed in a unimodal pulse during June although peak eclosion periods varied among years and sites. It required 26.6 ± 1.5 days for 90% of individual populations to eclose. Temporal abundances of host-seeking females also suggested unimodal eclosion with peaks typically occurring in June and July. Most larvae overwintered in the fourth instar and pupated in early summer, as expected from adult data. However, many larvae overwintered in the third instar and did not molt into the fourth until July, which was after most eclosion was completed. These individuals may eclose in autumn or may spend a second winter as larvae.