This study identified factors that influenced physical activity (PA) participation among older adults from rural settings in Nova Scotia Canada and explored how the rural context may influence PA participation and promotion. Data were collected via individual semistructured interviews with 20 older adults (Mage = 77.5 years) from rural areas of Cape Breton and subjected to thematic analysis procedures (Braun & Clarke, 2006). Four themes representing factors that influence the prioritization of PA were identified: (1) historical context of activity, work, and productivity; (2) already busy with day-to-day activities; (3) being/staying on the go; and (4) cautionary approach. These findings suggest that PA promotion should be contextually salient, and highlight the need for a shared understanding between rural older adults and PA promoters regarding what constitutes being “physically active”. Effective promotion of PA among rural older adults may require a shift away from contemporary methods of PA promotion.

A study ofolder adults in Israel (n = 170) examined the relationship of activity level and social network characteristics to respondents' subjective well-being, controlling for background socio-demographic characteristics and extent of physical disability. Factor analysis derived three activity factors corresponding to formal, informal and solitary activity. A hierarchical regression procedure revealed that physical disability accounted for 40 per cent of the variance in the well-being measure. Extent of informal activity explained another 3 percent of the variance, but was outweighed in the final model by the addition of a social network factor – degree of network supportiveness (R2 =.48). The findings suggest that it is the social network aspect of activity that makes a difference in older persons' subjective well-being, rather than the effect of activity per se.

The circadian activity of adults of Smicronyx guineanus Voss (Coleóptera: Curculionidae) was studied in semi-field conditions. Pairs of weevils were observed on a 24-h cycle starting from 0800 to the following day at 0600 hrs for 21 days in cages containing Striga hermonthica (Del.) Benth (Scrophulariaceae) plants parasitising sorghum. Each female and male was observed every second hour. Occurrences of the various behaviours exhibited by the weevil were recorded. In decreasing frequency, the weevils were observed to be standing still, feeding, mating, walking, moving and foraging. In addition, the difference in time spent on the different parts of the host plant—classified into four groups: A- stem, leaves and bud; B- corolla; C- calyx; and D- sorghum, petiole, soil, capsule and cage—was highly significant (P = 0.0001,10 couples/days, n = 21 days). The weevil adults spent 46.8% of their time on the Striga inflorescence (bud, corolla and calyx). Striga plants were also stratified with respect to distance from the base and categories were designated as upper, central and lower parts. Smicronyx adults spent 85.2% of their time in the upper stratum, 9.8% in the central stratum and 5% of their occurrences were in the lower third of the Striga shoot. They were more active during daytime, suggesting that the best period of day to sample the weevils in the field is from 0700 to 1100 or from 1600 to 1800 hrs.