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.

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.

The peach-twig borer, Anarsia lineatella (Zeller), is one of the most important pests of peaches, almonds, and other stone fruits in the western United States (Bailey 1948), with larvae infesting both twigs and fruit. Infested fruit cannot be marketed and twig injury is damaging to young trees because the young worms burrow into the tender terminal growth of the twigs and cause the rapidly growing twigs to wilt. In this way, infestations by the peach-twig borer interfere with development in young orchards (Newcomer 1966).

Smith (Day and Smith 1980) identified mature dipteran eggs attached to the thorax of adult females of European Rhopalum clavipes (L.) (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae) as Ptychoneura minuta (Fallén) (Sarcophagidae: Miltogramminae). R. clavipes is widespread in North America (introduced) but examination of previously collected specimens, a literature search, and discussions with specialists (H. K. Townes, American Entomological Institute, Ann Arbor, Michigan and G. E. Shewell, Biosystematics Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada) indicated that this behaviour had not previously been recorded in North America.

Occasions frequently arise in entomological work when it is necessary to handle large numbers of insect eggs. If the eggs are to be counted or treated, it is often necessary that they be held in a fixed position. A technique has been devised at the Ottawa laboratory by which many eggs can be handled and held with great ease. The eggs to be treated are placed on a sheet of Saran Wrap (Dow Chemical Company, Midland, Mich.). The static charge on the plastic is strong ennugh to hold the eggs securely. After treatment the eggs can be removed by means of a moist brush. This method is ideal for topical application studies and, if the Saran Wrap is backed with aluminum foil, it may be used to make excellent micro weighing dishes with adhesive qualities.

It has now been well established that the cuticle of many insects is covered by a discrete layer of lipoidal material. Ramsay (26), Wigglesworth (32), Beament (4), and others have shown that the rate of evaporation-temperature curves from insects are characterized by breaks occuring at a “critical” temperature. In the previous paper of this seriis, Chefurka and Pepper (8) have shown that the rate of evaporation-temperature curves from Melanoplus bivittatus show a transition region from approximately 43 to 50°C.

Populations of Orius spp. were surveyed in the lower Fraser Valley, British Columbia, to determine whether O. insidiosus Say, a non-indigenous species, had established in the region as a result of being released inside greenhouses for biological control of pests. Field collections over 8 years revealed a low incidence of O. insidiosus (10 specimens, <1% of total Orius spp. collected). Numbers in collections did not increase, and collection localities did not become more widespread over the 8 years of survey. Competitive exclusion and temperature and diapause thresholds are discussed as possible mechanisms limiting the establishment of this otherwise widespread North American species.

In the latter part of May, 1933, larvae of this species were found feeding in the leaves of Hieracium scoueri Hook. Their presence was easily detected by the great distortion caused to the leaves, which were webbed together, particularly at the terminal ends, thus arresting normal development. All were collected at Pullman, Washington, by the writer.

The genus Linosta was described by Möschler (1881: 433) for the single species L. sinceralis Möschler from Surinam. There have been few subsequent published references to the genus, but in most collections it stands in the Schoenobiinae. Amsel (1956) surveyed the structural characters and noted that the genus did not fit very well into the Schoenobiinae or any other subfamily and that it would possibly require its own subfamily “Linosterinae”, but he left it in Schoenobiinae for the time being. In my opinion the group is sufficiently distinguished from the Schoenobiinae by the absence of proboscis, of maxillary palpus, of chaetosema, and of tubular 1st A of primary, as well as by the different tympanic and genital striucturc. The absence of the maxillary palpus would place the genus in Chrysauginae, but the joining of the tympanic bullae and the presence of a definite praecinctorium (new term for tablier of Guenée = Schürze of Lederer = Kielhäutchen of Amsel) rule this out. The group obviously belongs in the basal part of the crambine-pyraustine complex; the actual affinity appears to be to the Cybalomiinae (new subfamily, type genus Cybalomia Lederer, characters of Crambinae, but with chaetosema absent). The male genitalia agree well with those of Cybalomia and Stiphrometasia, especially in the close association of the base of the gnathos with a strap-like sclerite connecting with the costal articulation of the valve. Also the tympanic structure is closely similar to that of Stiphrometasia and furthermore to that of Thyridophora, which has a fovea and associated stalking of R5, and M1, just as in Linosta, and which also lacks the proboscis.

A change in the feeding behavior between small and large larvae of gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar (L.), is an important part of the insect’s biology. This paper describes how to build a lighting system with incandescent and fluorescent light in the laboratory to induce a change in feeding behavior similar to the change that occurs in the field. The change in feeding behavior was observed on artificial “tree stems” constructed from 5-cm ABS plastic pipe and fitted with felt and cardboard “bark flaps”. On the day before pupation began, 85% of the population migrated down the artificial tree stems to seek shelter under the bark flaps; only fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-instar larvae were observed exhibiting this behavior.

Some years ago, I received from Prof. G. J. Hinde, of Toronto, a twig of juniper about as thick as, and a little longer than, one's finger, which he had taken from interglacial deposits at Scarboro', near Toronto, and which showed the marks where beetles had bored the surface just beneath where the bark had been. From the same locality a number of remains of beetles have also been found, mostly Carabidæ, two of which I described at the time as new species of Loricera and Loxandrus. The others still remain unpublished, but there are none among them which could have made these borings, as these are evidently the peculiar work of some species of Scolytidæ, and apparently one of the Hylurgini, though in our very imperfect knowledge of the characteristics of the mines made by existing forms of this family, it is difficult to pronounce on its relations.

Severe local infestations of a cottony scale on peach have been reported from the Niagara district of Ontario since the early 1920's. The species has been commonly referred to the cottony peach scale, Pulvinaria amygdali Ckll., but Steinweden (1946) showed that amygdali was an entirely different species, leaving the identity of the local species on peach in doubt.

Tomotaenia was proposed in 1895 by O. F. Cook (3, p. 866) for the reception of a number of Nearctic species; Strigamia parviceps Wood, 1862 (6, p. 49) was cited as the genotype. In 1953 (4, p. 172) I considered Tomotaenia a junior synonym of Strigamia chiefly because reliable information on the questionable type species, parviceps, was neither to be gained from a study of the unavailable type specimen nor from a perusal of the literature and because of the fact that the original description of parviceps in some ways suggests the typical Strigamia habitus. In addition, Attems and others have placed parviceps in Scolioplanes [=Strigamia]. However, in a paper recenrlv published Chamberlin (2) shows that dignathodontid [linotaeniid of Chamberlin] centipedes agreeing in many particulars with Wood's descriptions of parviceps and especially epileptica (loc. cit) inhabit the northwestern United States in some abundance. Perhaps the most striking characteristics of these specimens are their possession of undivided ultimate pedal pretergites, broad ultimate pedal sternites, and coxopleural pores restricted to an area immediately bordering the afore-mentioned sternites. These features, then, might be taken as justifiable bases for separating forms congeneric with epileptica from those properly referable to Strigamia.

The effect of a violent hailstorm on Camnula pellucida Sc. was noted at 2:15 P. M. on July 6, 1930, at a time when enough instruments were on hand to make a few records. The area was an observation station on the open range in Chilcotin, British Columbia, at an elevation of 3,400 feet; range cover was slight, consisting of a closely cropped, overgrazed turf of Poa running to an alkaline patch of Distichlis.

Dactynotus caligatus is described. It is a large green aphid that infests Solidago spp., and can be readily distinguished by the two parallel rows of tubercles on the dorsum of the abdomen.

Moths of the genus Dioryctria are important insect pests of North American conifers (Baker 1972). Of the species that occur in the southern United States, e.g., D. clarioralis (Walker), D. disclusa (Heinrich), and D. ebeli Mutuura and Munroe, the southern pine coneworm, Dioryctria amatella (Hulst), is the most destructive (Ebel et al. 1975). Our paper reports the results of laboratory tests aimed at determining the relative toxicities of commercially available or promising experimental insecticides to D. amatella larvae.