The 35 species of the genus Tachyporus Gravenhorst (Staphylindae: Tachyporinae) of North and Central America are revised. Eighteen new species are described: neomexicanus, fenyesi, and howdenorum from the southwestern United States; sharpi from Mexico and the western United States; blomae from Mexico; nigripennis from California; dimorphus, pacificus, and stacesmithi from the Pacific northwest; rulomoides and browni from southeastern Canada and the northeastern United States; and borealis, canadensis, nimbicola, inornatus, ornatus, lecontei, and flavipennis, which are transcontinental in the United States and Canada. Two European species are reported for the first time from North America: abdominalis (Fabricius) and transversalis Gravenhorst. The following new specific synonymy is proposed: tehamae Blackwelder (= californicus Horn); temacus Blackwelder, oregonus Blackwelder, and alleni Blackwelder (= mexicanus Sharp); and acaudus Say, maculipennis LeConte, and chrysomelinus var. infuscatus Bernhauer (= jocosus Say). The genus is divided into 2 subgenera of which Palporus (type species Staphylinus nitidulus Fabricius) is described as new. The subgenus Tachyporus is divided into 12 species groups. Each species is described and its distribution is mapped. The male aedeagus and the pattern of elytral chaetotaxy are illustrated for each species. Major generic characters are illustrated with the aid of scanning electron photomicrographs. Neotypes are designated for the Say species faber, jocosus, and acaudus and lectotypes are designated (when needed) for the North and Central American species described by Erichson, LeConte, Horn, Sharp, and Blatchley and for a variety described by Bernhauer. A diagnostic key for all the species is given.

The present distributions of stonefly genera in North America, their occurrence as endemics, or as shared with the Far East, Europe and South America, are considered in conjunction with geological history. It is concluded that the Plecoptera of North America have four sources of origin.There was an ancient eastern fauna shared with Europe before the formation of the North Atlantic Ocean. A second group moved in from the west during the formation of the western mountains. After formation of the isthmus one genus moved northward from South America. After the Pleistocene period several species migrated from the Bering Strait region, possibly from an Alaskan refugium. Some of these have clearly moved eastward, but a few may have moved westward.

Initial promising results with the microsporidium Nosema locustae Canning as a means of controlling grasshoppers have been followed by some cases of limited field performance. However, at sublethal doses this entomopathogen can reduce grasshopper feeding, reproduction and development, suggesting that the damage caused to range, forages and crops might be reduced if the prevalence of infection in the field could be increased over previously achieved levels. In a field experiment, we treated plots totalling 780 ha with bran bait containing N. locustae at either 2.5 or 5.0 × 109 spores per ha in each of two consecutive years, and grasshopper populations and the prevalence and degree of infection were monitored every two weeks during the summers, for three years. Little or no background infection occurred in the untreated plots. Infections of grasshoppers with N. locustae in the treated plots during the first year of application, typically increased from less than 5% by the 4th week to 10–15% by the 8th week after application. The higher application rates resulted in only slightly higher percentages infected. Most of the infections were classified by microscopic examination as trace to moderate, although heavy infections were observed in the second year. Up to 35% of some Melanoplus species collected from the treated plots were found to contain N. locustae spores, but intensive monitoring indicated population reductions that were inconsistent among sites and generally less than 50%. Other species, notably Aeropedellus clavatus, Ageneotettix deorum, Bruneria brunnea and Camnula pellucida, failed to acquire significant infection by N. locustae. The presence of these apparently less susceptible species did not account for the poor overall performance of the treatments. Two annual applications of N. locustae did not greatly increase the rate or severity of infections in grasshopper populations, although at one of the three sites, trace infections were found in the treated plots six years later.Although Nosema may eventually have value as a component of an integrated grasshopper pest management system, the low virulence cannot be readily overcome by repeated applications.

Les familles des Glossosomatidae et Philopotamidae comptent respectivement 29 et 14 espèces connues à ce jour du Canada et des Etats adjacents. Dans les pages suivantes, on trouvera les diagnoses familiales, sous-familiales, génériques, subgénériques et spécifiques de tous les taxa constituant ces deux familles, de même que les tables dichotomiques permettant de s'y rapporter. Chaque espèce est décrite et figurée, ses parentés et ses synonymes établis et sa répartition géographique indiquée par une carte géographique la résumant.

Available information on the insect fauna of freshwater bogs, fens, and marshes is reviewed. These habitats are extensive and important in Canada. The fauna of marshes is diverse, and appears to consist chiefly of generally distributed lentic species. The fauna of bogs has some specialized elements, but most bog species are generalists. The fauna of Canadian fens is little known, but from limited data for a few groups appears to be moderately rich. Features expected in generalist and specialist species from peatlands and marshes are summarized, and the possible roles of insects in these ecosystems are outlined. Particular needs for future research include the following: careful definition of different kinds of wetland habitats; meticulous sampling of defined habitats to distinguish residents from incidental visitors; and detailed study of the life histories and habits of individual species. Further sampling, and studies of larvae, undoubtedly will increase the numbers of insects known from Canadian peatlands and marshes. About 4000 aquatic insect species are known from Canada. So far only 22% of the species in groups for which detailed information is available have been reported to occur in marshes, and only half as many in peatlands, even though some of the recorded species probably do not breed in all of the habitats from which they have been collected.

During the period 1985–1989, the carabid assemblages of a raised peat bog in eastern central Sweden and of six peatlands in New York State and Maine were studied. The principal methods of investigation were pitfall trapping in summer, and quadrat sampling in winter. In addition to carabids, potential food organisms were evaluated from the pitfall catches.The bogs, although of different types and located on different continents, show similar physiognomic vegetation units. Eight of these units are considered relevant as carabid microhabitats. The carabid assemblages of open sunny, and wooded shaded habitats are clearly distinguished. Only a few species are adapted to the extreme environment of open Sphagnum L. habitats. Among them, stenotopic species are dominant. The seasonal distribution of two species on Swedish Ryggmossen [Agonum ericeti (Panzer), Pterostichus rhaeticus Heer] suggests that the carabids of open bog plateau habitats use damp Sphagnum lawns for their summer activities and migrate to drier hummocks for overwintering.On bog plateaus, larger populations of ground beetles were only found where a pronounced pattern of hummocks and hollows exists. In bogs with a prevailing uniform vegetation of Sphagnum mats, carabids were conspicuously scarce. Thus, the development of a bog indigenous carabid fauna is closely related to the presence of a hummock–hollow mosaic. The data indicate that in most bog habitats food is not a limited resource and does not play a key role as a population controlling factor.

New Guinea was found to belong to the Australian Region in the classical sense of Wallace insofar as its fleas are concerned. Fifty-eight species, 28 more than hitherto recorded from New Guinea, are discussed, belonging to four families. Six species, representing three families, originated in the Oriental Region or in continental areas contiguous to it, and 52 species, comprising 15 genera of the Pygiopsyllidae, had their primordial evolutionary connections with Australia. There is much endemism of pygiopsyllids in New Guinea, all of the species and 11 of the genera occurring only there, where they are mostly associated with marsupials and murid rodents. The following genera are described as new: Orthopsylloides (type: Stivalius abacetus Jord. and Roths.), Parastivalius (type: Ceratophyllus novaeguineae Roths.), Papuapsylla (type: P. luluai n. sp.), Striopsylla (type: Stivalius rugatus Jord.), Metastivalius (type: Pygiopsylla mordax Roths.), Obtusifrontia (type: O. simplex n. sp.) and Rectidigitus (type: R. traubi n. sp.). The following new combinations for described species in these genera are proposed: in Parastivalius, Stivalius gracilentus Jord.; in Papuapsylla, Stivalius corrugis Jord., S. alticola Jord. and S. papuana Jord. & Roths.; in Metastivalius, Stivalius anaxilas M. Roths., S. lasiurus Jord. & Roths., and S. shawmayeri Jord.; and in Rectidigitus, Stivalius spooneri M. Roths. and S. ancisus Jord. In addition, descriptions of the following new species or subspecies are presented: Porribius papuanus (Ischnopsyllidae), Acanthopsylla aiyurensis, A. monticola, A. eudromiciae, A. bisinuata, Hoogstraalia novaeguineae, Pygiopsylla spinata, P. laciniosa bismarckensis, P. archboldi, P. smitiana, P. traubi, Traubia vandeuseni, T. peristigma, T. kuru, Orthopsylloides o. orthodactylus, O. o. owiensis, Parastivalius brassi, P. gressitti, Papuapsylla barretti, P. minor, Striopsylla vandeuseni, Metastivalius huonensis, M. rothschildae, M. tamberan, and Rectidigitus szentivanyi (Pygiopsyllidae).The hitherto unknown males of Acanthopsylla enderleini (Wagn.), Pygiopsylla l. laciniosa Roths., and Orthopsylloides abacetus (Jord. & Roths.) and the females of Papuapsylla corrugis (Jord.), Striopsylla rugata (Jord.), and Metastivalius anaxilas (M. Roths.) are described.

Successful development of a biological pesticide requires attention not only to the biological agent, but also to formulation, application, and the biology of the pest–pathogen interaction in the field. Emphasis in our review is given to fungi, Metarhizium spp. and Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin, as the most suitable agents, and oil-based ULV formulations or baits as the most promising application techniques for use with locusts and grasshoppers. The efficacy of the pathogen isolate must be maximized; selection is aimed at those that are suitably virulent, specific, and well adapted to the relevant environmental conditions. Opportunities exist for manipulation of the characteristics of the isolate by genetic means and by developments in culturing techniques. Formulation requirements are stability during storage and the ability to carry the active ingredient successfully to the target insect at application. Likely storage methods for fungi would be as dry conidia, perhaps with clay diluents, or in oils; the characteristics of both are briefly discussed. At application, efficacy of dose transfer and protection of the biological agent against environmental constraints such as UV radiation are needed. Baits have advantages in terms of dose transfer but logistical problems associated with the bulkiness of the carrier remain. Technological advances, including those that offer the prospect of carrier production in situ from dense precursors, and better knowledge of feeding behaviour have improved the prospects for baits. Multi-disciplinary research reducing dependency on the biological agent and exploiting formulation chemistry and application technology is required in developing biological pesticides.

Examination of 132 recognized species of sawflies (Hymenoptera: Symphyta) from America, Europe, Africa, and Australia, has demonstrated the value of internal anatomical larval detail as a taxonomic tool and an indicator of phylogenetic relationship. Two characters, the salivary glands and Malpighian tubules, proved of major importance. The salivary glands fall into three main categories, narrow squared ducts and incorporated gland cells (the Orthandria with the exception of the Xyelidae), narrow ducts and sheathlike gland cells (the Xyelidae), and either increased cell numbers and narrow branching ducts or expanded ducts (the Tenthredinoidea). Three divisions of the Tenthredinidae are suggested, viz. the Selandriinae-Dolerinae-Athaliinae-Lycaotinae, the Nematinae, and the Blennocampinae-Allantinae-Heterarthrinae-Tenthredininae, corresponding to Malpighian tubule groupings of primitive, intermediate-advanced, and advanced. Character trends are discussed in the light of existing adult arrangements (Ross and Benson), and external larval (Yuasa). The survey emphasizes the need of a revision of family and subfamily limits. Where identification is difficult, internal anatomy is of use in determination to genus and species as well as to family and subfamily. The frequency of parallel evolution does not affect the use of certain characters indicative of progressive change within a group.

The thiophenes alpha-terthienyl and methyl-alpha-terthienyl are found in many species of the family Asteraceae and are highly phototoxic to mosquito larvae. These compounds and a synthetic analogue, cyano-alpha-terthienyl, controlled Aedes intrudens Dyar (Diptera: Culicidae) larvae at application rates between 10 and 40 g per hectare in field trials. These concentrations are similar to those currently used with chemical control agents. Piperonyl butoxide, a synergist used with pyrethrin, greatly increased the mortality of mosquito larvae at low application rates of the most potent phototoxin, cyano-alpha-terthienyl.Although we have demonstrated previously that these phototoxic defences are effective against some phytophagous insects, more recently we studied insects that are able to feed on a phototoxic plant, in order to examine modes of resistance to phototoxins. Chrysolina spp. (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) larvae are susceptible to phototoxicity but avoid it by feeding on Hypericum perforatum L. (Hypericaceae) at dawn and by hiding during the day. Chrysolina adults avoid phototoxicity by the presence of opaque cuticles that block the sunlight. First-instar larvae of Anaitis plagiata (L.) (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) avoid feeding on the glands that contain the phototoxin. Later-instar larvae feed on the entire leaf, yet are not susceptible to phototoxicity, indicating they have biochemical defenses against photo-induced damage.

A system was developed to produce large numbers (30 × 106 per week) of Trichogramma minutum Riley on eggs of the Angoumois grain moth, Sitotroga cerealella (Olivier). The parasitized host eggs were packaged and shipped in bulk for release against the spruce budworm, Choristoneura fumiferana (Clemens), and several other lepidopterous pests. Initial attempts to use the Mediterranean flour moth, Ephestia kuehniella (Zeller), as a host failed due to such factors as infestation by mites and parasitoids, low fecundity, long generation time, and the necessity for large labour inputs during moth collection. Eggs of S. cerealella, used to rear the host, remained viable when stored for up to 1 month at 9 °C, but eggs stored at 2 °C remained acceptable for parasitism for only 15 days. Rearing the host at high humidity (> 70% RH) gave better percentage emergence and infestation of grain than rearing at low humidity (< 30% RH). Developmental rates of T. minutum were determined over a range of temperatures and the developmental threshold and heat unit accumulations necessary for complete development were calculated. Using these values, Trichogramma were programmed, during the latter stages of production, to emerge within 24 h of exposure to light at room temperature. The programming facilitated shipment and handling of the parasitoids prior to their release.

This is the fourth in a series of manuals designed to facilitate the recognition of the Geometridae of Canada. In the introductory section key characters are given for the identification of Geometridae in adult, larval, and pupal stages. A generalized description of each stage is followed by a key to subfamilies of the Geometridae and a synopsis of the characters of the Ennominae. Keys to the four parts of the Ennominae (sometimes broken down into tribes) as they are to be treated in this series of manuals are supplemented by text descriptions, line drawings, and colour photographs. The distribution of many of the 41 species is shown on 23 maps.A section on the collecting and rearing of Geometridae has been added to the introductory part of this manual to encourage amateurs and young professionals to collect and rear Geometridae. The writer has enjoyed this part of the work more than any other and would like to see others share in the fun.