Five aspects of the behaviour of the Triatominae are reviewed: hostfinding, defence from predators, habitat selection, activity patterns and substrate preferences, and mating and oviposition behaviour. It is emphasised that knowledge of behaviour is largely restricted to the three species Triatoma infestans (Klug), Rhodnius prolixus Stål and Panstrongylus megistus (Burm.) and that the behaviour of other species, particularly those with predominantly sylvatic habits, may be quite different in some respects.

Prostaglandin F (PGF) and E2 (PGE2) were assayed in the reproductive organs, salivary glands and egg-batches of laboratory-bred males and females of Hyalomma anatolicum excavatum Koch. Salivary glands and reproductive organs were dissected from unfed male and female ticks as well as from ticks that had fed for six days on rabbits; these organs were cultured for 24 and 72 h in tissue culture medium-199 with Earle's salt and HEPES buffer at pH 7·6 and 37°C. The amounts of PGF and PGE2 accumulated in the culture were determined by a radioimmunoassay using specific antibodies. Both salivary glands and reproductive organs were shown to synthesise PGEa and PGF. This synthesis and also the prostaglandin content of the organs were significantly increased after engorgement. The synthesising capacity and content of PGE2 and PGF in both the salivary glands and reproductive organs were higher in the female than in the male.

Damage by larvae of Characoma stictigrapta Hmps. to cocoa in Ghana was investigated. The noctuid caused serious damage to vegetative parts and pods, and this damage was found to be aggregatory and to fluctuate throughout the year. The abandoned tunnels of the larvae were invaded by other cocoa invertebrates as well as by blackpod fungus, Phytophthora palmivora, a serious cocoa disease, which damages about 19% of the crop annually.

Experiments were conducted in Bangladesh in April–July and July–December to study the effectiveness of three methods of insecticide application to three varieties of rice against the stem-borers Scirpophaga incertulas (Wlk.) and Chilo polychrysus (Meyr.). In April–July, seedlings of the varieties IR8 and Dacca-14 were uprooted when 22 days old and treated individually with 0·0375%, 0·075%, 0·15% or 0·3% diazinon (as Diazinon 60 EC), dicrotophos (as Bidrin 85 EC) or carbaryl (as Sevin 85 SP) or 0·3% γ-BHC dust for 12, followed by dipping for 12 h in fresh water and then transplantation. In July–December, the same treatments were applied by controlled irrigation to the seedbeds of the varieties IR8 and Dacca-25 and for 40 h when the seedlings were 24 days old. In another experiment in July–December, granular formulations of diazinon (as Diazinon 5G), dicrotophos (as Bidrin 5G) and Sevidol (a mixed formulation of carbaryl 8G plus γ-BHC 8G) were also applied to the transplanted field at an interval of 20 days. Insecticides applied to uprooted seedlings reduced borer populations more in the case of variety IR8 than in Dacca–14. Diazinon applied at 0·3% to the variety IR8 and Dacca–25 effectively reduced the borer population to 4–8 and 10·5%, respectively, for up to 41 days; γ-BHC applied to the seedbed did not show much response. Dicrotophos was not highly effective in controlling the borers. Granular formulations of Sevidol at 1–5, 2 and 2–5 kg a.i./ ha and diazinon at 2–5 kg a.i./ha controlled stem-borers more effectively in variety IR8 than in Dacca-25. Variety IR8 was found more susceptible to the stem-borers than Dacca-25 and Dacca-14.

The oviposition behaviour of Simulium decorum Wlk., S. vittatum Zett., S. verecundum Stone & Jamnback and S. vernum Macq. is described, with emphasis on the approach by the females to the egglaying sites, the substrates selected and the behaviour of the flies while laying. The eggs and egg-masses of these four species and S. longistylatum Shewell are described; the eggs can be distinguished on the basis of size, and a key is provided to aid their identification. Eggs of S. vittatum completed embryonic development and hatched more quickly than those of S. verecundum of the same age at both 15 and 24°C. The hatch rate of the eggs of both species exceeded 90% when the eggs were present in single-layered masses. The position of an egg Within a multi-layered mass had an important effect on its ability to complete development; significantly lower proportions of eggs of both S. verecundum and S. vittatum in the lowermost layers of large egg-masses hatched, compared with the hatch of those in the top layer. The location of an egg within an egg-mass must be considered a major factor of mortality in the egg stage. The eggs of neither S. verecundum nor S. vittatum were resistant to drying; mortality due to desiccation was related to both the duration of the drying period and the stage of embryonic development when they were subjected to drying.

The results are presented of a survey of the resistance to acaricides of strains of economically important ticks from the cattle-raising areas of Kenya in 1970–75. Larval progeny of ticks collected in the field were subjected to an immersion test to determine their resistance status to toxaphene and dioxathion. The proportions of samples of the three major species shown to be resistant to or tolerant of toxaphene were Boophilus decoloratus (Koch) 99·3%, Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi Neum. 77·3% and R. appendiculatus Neum. 62·5 %. A large proportion of the relatively few samples of R. pulchellus (Gerst.) were also resistant to toxaphene, but few resistant samples of Amblyomma variegatum (F.) and Haemaphysalis leachii leachii (Aud.) were collected, and only one sample of Hyalomma (H. marginatum rufipes Koch) was tolerant of toxaphene. None of these species was resistant to dioxathion. Organophosphorus resistance was noted in one species only, R. sanguineus (Latr.), collected from the suburbs of Nairobi.

Closely spaced stable traps were used to determine the preferences of mosquitoes for 6 vertebrates at Kowanyama, northern Queensland, on 4 occasions during the wet and dry seasons of 1974–75. A total of 44 626 mosquitoes from 35 taxa was collected and compared with 26 215 specimens of 15 taxa trapped at Charleville, south-west Queensland, in February 1976. Host preference was analysed in detail for 11 species; Anopheles bancroftii Giles, An. amictus Edw., An. annulipes Wlk., An. farauti Lav., An. meraukensis Venhuis, Aedes bancroftianus Edw., Ae. normanensis (Tayl.), Ae. vittiger (Skuse), Culex annidirostris Skuse, Cx. quinquefasciatus Say (=fatigans Wied.) and Mansonia uniformis (Theo.). All species in these experiments, including the important vector of arboviruses, Cx. annulirostris, preferred mammalian baits, especially calf, although An. bancroftii and Cx. quinquefasciatus preferred man. Blood-meals of 5802 engorged mosquitoes of 21 taxa collected from natural resting sites at Kowanyama village were analysed by the precipitin test. Mammals, particularly dogs, were the most important hosts. Cx. squamosus (Tayl.) and Cx. quinquefasciatus were the only species to feed extensively on birds (75–6 and 28–7%, respectively). Uranotaenia albescens Tayl. fed almost entirely on amphibia. No seasonal shifts in feeding of An. bancroftii, An. annulipes, Cx. annulirostris or Cx. quinquefasciatus were evident from either host-preference or host-feeding patterns, the latter being evaluated using a ‘ Feeding Index ’. These results are discussed in relation to the transmission of arboviruses, particularly Murray Valley encephalitis virus and pulmonary dirofilariasis of man and dogs in Australia.

The competitive abilities of seven calliphorid and one sarcophagid species were examined by investigation of various Characteristics of their larval growth curves. The relative success of each species is thought to depend to a great extent on the ability of the larvae to attain quickly the minimum weight for viable pupation. The ovoviviparous species (Calliphora nociva Hardy, C. augur (F.) and Parasarcophaga crassipalpis (Macq.)) were found to have the most rapid growth and Chrysomya megacephala (F.), Calliphora nociva and C. augur the highest assimilatory rate during the period of most rapid growth. Further, C. nociva, C. augur, Ch. megacephala and Ch. rufifacies (Macq.) were the species best adapted to pupation at low larval weight, which suggests that their food requirements for successful pupation were less (relative to maximum larval weight) than those of the other species. In this respect, Lucilia cuprina (Wied.) was also well–adapted and Ch. varipes (Macq.) was the least successful species.

A laboratory colony of Stomoxys nigra Macq. was established in February 1976. Techniques were developed to produce 100 000 to 125 000 pupae daily in a larval room of 12 m2. The adults were fed on stored titrated blood and reared at a density of 500 pairs dn nylon cages with sides of 30 cm. The adult room was maintained at 29±1·5°C, 75–80 % RH and LD 14:10. To ensure a continuous supply of ovipositing individuals, 24 new cages with mature pupae were daily put in the adult room (capacity 280 cages) and an equal number of cages containing senile flies were removed. Eggs were harvested on moist khaki cloth below the adult cages, then concentrated in a trough of water and seeded at the rate of 1 ml (10 500 eggs) per kg of larval medium. The larval medium consisted of a mixture of 4 parts by weight of shredded sugar-cane (or elephant grass) leaves, 1 part soft Wheat bran and water at 2 ml/g dry matter. Larvae were reared in trays (45×35×7.5 cm) covered with cloth sacks to prevent invasion by pests. Eleven days after seeding, pupae were separated from the medium by flotation over water. From 2 September 1977 to 8 December 1977 forty trays, each yielding from 2000 to 3500 pupae, were harvested daily.

An analysis, using mathematical models, is presented of the ecological, genetic and economic factors that determine the optimal strategies for the long-term use of chemical control of Boophilus microplus (Can.) on cattle. As an illustration, the control of the tick in south-eastern Queensland is considered, but the approach is readily applicable in any other geographical area. It is suggested that optimal strategies take into account the need to delay the development of resistance to acaricides. The suggested strategies involve the use of tick-resistant Zebu-type cattle as a basis for tick control. High concentrations of acaricides are recommended to reduce seleotion of resistant ticks. Careful timing and moderation in the use of acaricides is also recommended to minimise the number of occasions on which resistant ticks are subjected to selection at times when they can successfully reproduce. As the spread of resistance is thought to occur primarily on moving cattle and before resistance is evident, stringent quarantine measures may slow down the spread.