The diversity of Agromyzidae (Diptera) associated with disjunct xeric grasslands was studied at six south-facing slopes in the southern Yukon Territory, Canada. Agromyzidae was the most diverse of 32 families of Brachycera at the sites, with 34 species (485 specimens) collected. Eight new species are described: Liriomyza naressp.nov., Metopomyza adretanasp.nov., Phytoliriomyza depriceisp.nov., Phytoliriomyza triangulatasp.nov., Phytomyza conglomeratasp.nov., Phytomyza dionisp.nov., Phytomyza klondikensissp.nov., and Phytomyza takhiniensissp.nov. Twenty previously described species were identified and six other unnamed species were represented by females only. Fourteen of the 20 previously described species are recorded from the Yukon for the first time; ecological and systematic notes are given for each species. Although the vegetation of the sample sites was often similar, there were pronounced differences in the species assemblage of Agromyzidae collected at each site. Thirteen of the previously known species are widespread in the Nearctic region (including Holarctic species), six species are restricted to the western Nearctic, and one species is known from the Palaearctic and western Nearctic. Several major range extensions are noted.

Antanambecoris pronotalisgen.nov., sp.nov., and Pluotenia pullagen.nov., sp.nov., are described from specimens collected in Madagascar and belonging to the old world tribe Acanthocorini. Dorsal habitus, male genital capsule, and parameres are illustrated and a key to the malagasy genera is provided.

A comparison of appressed teeth-like structures, coined tempers, on the flagellum of the male internal sac among 10 North American and one Asian species of tiger beetles is consistent with earlier proposed genera of Cicindela Linné, ranked here as subgenera. Based on scanning electron photomicrographs, observations revealed that the flagellum has a single groove along its whole length, with tempers in the groove, and for most species tempers are present only on one side of the ungrooved flagellar surface; tempers point basally (proximally) both on the flagellar surface and within the flagellar groove; and a distributional pattern of the tempers appears to be unique to each subgenus. The species Cicindela punctulata Olivier and Cicindela lepida Dejean have a lumen in place of a flagellar groove, the former with tempers on the ungrooved flagellar surface and the latter without. Tempers on the ungrooved surface of the flagellum are assumed to grip the inner wall of the spermathecal duct while penetrated by the flagellum during insemination or preinsemination clearing. The presence of tempers on one side of the flagellum promotes rapid, smooth insertion and removal of the flagellum from the duct. It is proposed that tempers of the flagellar groove assist the flow of seminal materials to the spermatheca by guiding the narrow neck of the spermatophore into the spermathecal duct while the flagellum is inserted.

Celisaltica ruwenzorica, gen.nov., sp.nov., a flea beetle found at high elevations from Central Africa (Ruwenzori) is described. This new genus is closely related to the genus Manobia Jacoby, 1885 but is easily distinguishable mainly by the pronotal antebasal sulcus being almost completely absent, pronotum basally weakly narrowed, antennal segments 9–10 subglobose, and antennal segment 11 subglobose–asymmetric. Line drawings of male and female genitalia and scanning electronic micrographs of particular morphological aspects of Celisaltica ruwenzorica are provided. The genus Afroalytus Scherer, 1961 is synonymized with the genus Manobia Jacoby, 1885 (syn.nov.).

Based on external structural features and on those of male and female genitalia, the monobasic carabid genus Chalteniagen.nov. is described and illustrated, along with Chaltenia patagonicasp.nov. A parsimony analysis of tribe-level taxa supports a position of this new genus within the supertribe TrecFhitae. Based on the analysis of fittest trees, the genus Chaltenia is most closely related to the tribe Zolini. Several characters, such as head with three supraorbital setae, two rows of squamosetae on ventral surface of male protarsomeres 1–2, elytral interval 8 not carinate, and glossal sclerite quadrisetose, differentiate the genus Chaltenia from the three subtribes of Zolini. Because of the large degree of difference from the previously known genera of Zolini, a new monogeneric subtribe, Chalteniina, is described in order to hold the new genus Chaltenia. The biogeographical pattern exhibited by the tribe Zolini is congruent with the biogeographical patterns of other carabids, such as the tribe Broscini, that show an amphitropical distribution.

The lily leaf beetle, Lilioceris lilii Scopoli, was first found in North America near Montreal, Canada, in 1943 (LeSage 1992). It was recovered in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1992 (Livingston 1996), and now occurs throughout all of the New England states and in the Canadian provinces of Quebec, Ontario, Nova Scotia, and Manitoba. It is a serious pest of native and cultivated lilies (Liliaceae) (Livingston 1996). This univoltine insect overwinters as an adult and after initiating feeding in the spring, oviposits in rows on the undersides of lily leaves. Larvae, which carry a fecal shield, pass through four instars before pupating in the soil. In North America, larval feeding often results in complete plant defoliation. Lilioceris lilii apparently originated in Asia (Berti and Rapilly 1976), and now exists throughout Eurasia from Siberia to Morocco and from the United Kingdom to China (Labeyrie 1963; Lu and Casagrande 1998). Based on its Eurasian distribution, L. lilii will likely increase its distribution in North America.

Two stands of intensively managed balsam fir [Abies balsamea (L.) Mill. (Pinaceae)] in western Newfoundland, located within an area infested by the balsam fir sawfly, Neodiprion abietis (Harr.) (Hymenoptera: Diprionidae) complex, were selected to study growth loss and recovery following severe defoliation by the balsam fir sawfly in the early 1990s. Four years after the start of the outbreak, volume increments were reduced by 78–81%. The decreased volume increment and recovery coincided well with the balsam fir sawfly outbreak and decline. The growth recovery rates following severe balsam fir sawfly defoliation were slow due to the absence of bud destruction, which triggers the release of suppressed buds, and thus increases foliage production. It is imperative that the severe losses in volume growth caused by balsam fir sawfly defoliation are incorporated into wood supply analyses so that future annual allowable cuts may be adjusted. In addition, to ensure maximum recovery rates at the end of an outbreak, future populations must be kept at a minimum to avoid additional foliage loss.

The rate at which obliquebanded leafroller, Choristoneura rosaceana (Harris), larvae vacated feeding sites in apple, Malus domestica Borkhauser (Rosaceae), trees was determined by monitoring infested terminal foliage under field conditions. The overwintering and summer generations of C. rosaceana were monitored in two orchards in 1997 and 1998. Larvae vacated terminal feeding sites relatively frequently because 50% of the sites during the overwintering and summer generations were vacant 34 ± 6 °d (threshold = 6 °C) and 53 ± 10°d, respectively, after sites had been marked. Vacancy rates increased from the beginning to the end of the summer generation in 1997 but remained relatively constant throughout the summer generation in 1998. The differences between the 2 years were probably because of less precipitation and lower availability of actively growing terminal foliage at the end of the summer in 1997 than in 1998. Differences in larval development did not seem to contribute to differences in vacancy rate. Recolonization of growing terminals was also studied in the field by removing C. rosaceana larvae from terminals only (1997) and the entire tree (1998). In 1997 and 1998, larval recolonization of terminals and trees occurred, because 6–8 d after larvae were removed populations in removal and adjacent control trees were not significantly different. Frequent larval movement to actively growing terminal foliage with sublethal insecticide residues may increase larval survival and could slow resistance development by providing a refuge for susceptible insects.

For bark beetles (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) breeding in fallen trees, the tree characteristics that are associated with higher breeding densities are poorly known. The breeding densities of Douglas-fir beetles, Dendroctonus pseudotsugae Hopkins, in freshly felled Douglas-fir, Pseudotsugae menziesii (Mirb.) Franco, were examined with respect to tree diameter, phloem thickness, and several measures of tree growth rate over the past year to 10 years prior to tree death. Trees were felled in 8 decks of 3–12 trees to provide a range of tree qualities in a given location. Stepwise regression revealed that of the tree characteristics measured, only diameter was needed to explain the density of beetle attacks on trees within decks. Because diameter, phloem thickness, and growth-increment measures were all highly correlated, attack density also increased with phloem thickness and growth rate prior to felling when these measures were analyzed individually. The apparent preference for larger trees with thicker phloem is consistent with published results for live trees, but the positive effect of tree growth rate prior to death is contrary to results for beetles attacking live trees. Thus, assessments of stand susceptibility to bark beetles based on tree growth rate may differ depending on whether beetles are initially breeding in live or dead trees.

In North America, the life cycle of the European earwig (Forficula auricularia L.) can be divided into a nesting phase (hypogean phase) and a free-foraging phase (epigean phase) (Crumb et al. 1941; Behura 1956; Lamb and Wellington 1975). Adults spend the nesting phase in the soil; females burrow into the ground at the onset of the cold weather, lay eggs, and then care for the eggs. Hatching occurs in spring; first- or second-instar nymphs move to the soil surface for the free-foraging period. The earwig, a nocturnal insect, spends the entire daylight period of hiding under trash or in dark crevices. Where two broods occur, females reenter the ground a second time (Lamb and Wellington 1975). Stomach content analyses (Crumb et al. 1941; Sunderland and Vickerman 1980) and food preference tests (McLeod and Chant 1952; Buxton and Madge 1976) revealed that the European earwig is omnivorous. Under laboratory conditions, nymphs fed freshly frozen aphids, Rhopalosiphum padi (L.) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), survive better than those fed green algae or carrots, develop faster, and produce heavier females (Phillips 1981; Carrillo 1985).

The cabbage seedpod weevil, Ceutorhynchus obstrictus (Marsham) [= C. assimilis (Paykull)] (Colonnelli 1993), is a univoltine species native to Europe that feeds on canola and other oilseed cruciferous plants. The adult overwinters in debris and soil outside fields and colonizes canola at the blooming stage (Dosdall et al. 2001). Eggs are laid singly into the immature pods and each larva consumes five to seven seeds before cutting a hole in the pod to wriggle out and pupate in the soil (Dmoch 1965). Yield losses are difficult to assess because the plant compensates for bud and pod injuries caused by insects or pathogens (Lamb 1989). Nevertheless, pod feeding by larvae causes much damage, as canola yields can be reduced from 15 to 35% (Homan and McCaffrey 1993). Feeding by adults can also be significant, as it can reduce oil content, seed weight, and seed germination (Buntin et al. 1995).

In 1996, damage symptoms typical of the swede midge, Contarinia nasturtii (Keiffer), were observed on broccoli, Brassica oleracea L. var. italica (Brassicaceae), crops east of Toronto, Ontario. Early attempts to identify an associated insect larva were unsuccessful, and damage symptoms became mistakenly attributed to nutrient deficiencies (T Clarke, personal communication). Between 1996 and 1999, damaged plants were seen by growers regularly, and resulted in up to 85% loss of marketable yield (T Clarke, personal communication). In June 2000, we initiated investigations at two sites 12 km apart to determine the causal organism of this damage. Both sites were located at farms where cole crops are primarily -gown and from where the first damage reports originated.

Male size is an important parameter in mate choice for many species and has been associated with such female life-history parameters as increased fecundity or fertility and larger progeny (Phelan and Baker 1986; Savalli and Fox 1998, 1999; Brown 1999). In the alfalfa blotch leafminer, Agromyza frontella (Rondani), intraspecific larval competition may significantly influence the size of both males and females (Quiring and McNeil 1984a). The influence of female size on female reproductive success has been studied (Quiring and McNeil 1984b, 1984c), but to date, no attention has been given to the possible effects of male size. The objectives of this study were to determine if differences in male size, the result of intraspecific larval competition, affected male longevity and reproductive success, as well as various parameters of female reproduction.

Stethorus punctillum Weise (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) is a Palearctic species first found in North America in the 1940s (Putman 1955). Commercial mass-rearing methods were developed in the late 1990s (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, London, Ontario, and Applied Bio-nomics Ltd, Saanich, British Columbia). The beetle is now released in North America to control two-spotted spider mites, Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae). Knowledge of the life-history traits of S. punctillum is necessary for effective use of the predator in greenhouses. Putman (1955) provides useful information, but his results cannot be readily interpreted with respect to larval voracity, lower developmental temperature threshold, and developmental time in degreedays (°d), traits that affect efficacy. In this note I report new results relating to these life-history traits and to beetle releases in greenhouse vegetable crops.

There are no definitive behavioural studies on the webbing clothes moth, Tineola bisselliella (Hum.) (Lepidoptera: Tineidae), that demonstrate the sex emitting or responding to communication signals. Roth and Willis (1952) reported male courtship (wing-fanning) behaviour ≤1 cm from an excised female pheromone gland, suggesting the presence of a female-produced sex pheromone that is effective at close range; however, isolated or groups of males also wing-fanned in the absence of females (Titschack 1922; Roth and Willis 1952; S Takács, personal observation). Titschack (1922) suggested that this behaviour may serve to either “disperse odorous substances” produced by males or indicate sexual excitement, while Roth and Willis (1952) considered wingfanning in the absence of females as “vacuum activity”. Male T. bisselliella responded more strongly to larval habitat and sought it earlier at night than females (Takács et al. 2001a, 2001b). Habitat selection by males could enhance their mating success by placing them near resources essential to females (Emlen and Oring 1977; Thornhill and Alcock 1983). If males were to produce communication signals, they may enhance the attractiveness of larval habitat to foraging females. Our objective was to determine whether male and (or) female T. bisselliella produce mate-attracting signals.

A systemic tree injection tube was designed to introduce the required volumes of neem-based bioinsecticides into conifer trees. The device consists of plastic tubing attached with hose clamps to a maple sap spile at one end and a tubeless automobile tire valve at the other end. A hole is drilled in the tree, the spile is hammered into the hole, the device is filled with the systemic insecticide, and the system is pressurized by attaching a bicycle pump to the tire valve. The parts are readily available, the device is simple to construct and easy and quick to install on a tree, application volumes are adjustable, and the device is reusable. This device has been used successfully to inject 188 trees representing four conifer species in either spring or fall, primarily with neem formulations but also with dimethoate, imidacloprid, and acephate. In most cases, all of the material was injected into the trees without leakage, although neem formulations were characteristically slow to enter the trees and certain neem formulations were not injected completely at volumes above 15 mL per injection tube. Dosages of 0.2 g azadirachtin/cm of diameter at breast height (dbh) or less provided control of pine false webworm, spruce budworm, cedar leafminers, gypsy moth, and introduced pine sawfly on red pine, white spruce, eastern white cedar, white pine, and white pine, respectively. Dosages as low as 0.005 g active ingredient/cm of dbh applied with injection tubes in either one or two holes per tree resulted in a 95% reduction in defoliation of mature (mean dbh ± SD = 23.4 ± 3.3 cm) red pine caused by pine false webworm.