An autocidal control method involving attraction of ovipositing females to artificial oviposition sites, rearing and chemical sterilization of adults reared from the collected eggs, and release of sterilized males back into the system was field tested with the mosquito Culex restuans Theobald. This species cannot be cultured continuously. The average weekly percentage of sterile egg rafts was 2.4 (range 0.3–16.0) in the test area where sterile males were released (av. 9620/wk) and 5.3 (range 1.5–30.0) in the area where both sterile males (av. 7000/wk) and untreated females (av. 4590/wk) were released. The low level of sterility achieved is attributed to infiltration of gravid females from outside the experimental areas, poor efficiency in producing sterile males from the collected egg rafts, and the small scale of the test.

A hypothetical model is used to compare theoretical reduction in rates of increase of a population of mosquitoes when various proportions are induced to oviposit in ‘trap’ pools if the eggs trapped are destroyed, reared to produce sterile males for release, or reared to produce sterile males for release in conjunction with larvicidal treatment of uncontrolled breeding areas.

Laboratory studies were conducted to determine the toxicity of a number of insecticides to adults of the carrot weevil, Listronotus oregonensis (LeConte). Initial screening tests indicated that, in general, carrot weevil adults were quite tolerant to insecticides. However, several materials showed sufficient activity as direct contact, residual contact-stomach, and soil insecticides to warrant testing under field conditions. These included Zinophos® (O,O-diethyl 0–2 pyrazinyl phosphorothioate), WL 24073 [O-(2-chloro-l-(2,5-dichlorophenyl)vinyl) O-methyl ethylphosphonothioate], WL 25735 [O-(2-chloro-1-(2,5-dichlorophenyl) vinyl) O-methyl methylphosphonothioate], Pirimiphos-methyl® (O-[2-(diethylamino)-6-methyl-4-pyrimidinyl] O,O-dimethyl phosphorothioate), tetrachlorvinphos, and parathion. Although less active, Biothion® [(O,O′-thiodi-p-phenylene) O,O,O′,O′-tetramethyl phosphorothioate], carbofuran, and chlorpyrifos were also considered sufficiently effective to warrant further study.

The classification of the Aphrodinae is reviewed. The subfamily is redefined to include the Deltocephalinae (“Euscelidae”) and Hecalinae, and nine tribes are recognized: Eupelecini, Paradorydiini, Stirellini, Paraboloponini, Aphrodini, Krisnini, Selenocephalini, Hecalini, and Deltocephalini. The tribe Aphrodini is divided into six subtribes: Doraturina, Achaeticina, Anoterostemmina, Neobalina, Aphrodina, and Xestocephalina. The tribe Deltocephalini is divided into six subtribes: Deltocephalina, Athysanina, Cicadulina, Macrostelina, Platymetopiina, and Cochlorhinina. Keys are provided to the tribes and subtribes, and the Holarctic taxa are defined, with their Holarctic genera listed under each.

This is the first paper on Canadian Cretaceous chalcidoid fossils of the families Mymaridae, Trichogrammatidae, and Tetracampidae, based on 54 specimens representing 12 species from Manitoba and Alberta. Four new subfamilies are proposed, Triadomerinae (Mymaridae), Baeomorphinae, Distylopinae, and Bouceklytinae (Tetracampidae). Descriptions and remarks are given for Archaeromma nearctica n. gen., n. sp.; A. minutissima (Brues) (Mymaromminae); Triadomerus bulbosus n. gen., n. sp.; Carpenteriana tumida n. gen., n. sp.; Protooctonus masneri n. gen., n. sp. (Mymaridae); Enneagmus pristinus n. gen., n. sp. (Trichogrammatidae); Distylopus bisegmentus n. gen., n. sp.; Baeomorpha distincta n. gen., n. sp., B. dubitata Brues (transferred from Scelionidae, Prototrupoidea), B. elongata n. sp., B. ovatata n. sp. and Bouceklytus arcuodens n. gen., n. sp. (Tetracampidae). A list of all previously known fossil Chalcidoidea is provided. A table of primitive and specialized conditions of characters studied is given. The possible lines of phylogeny of families and genera of these fossils are discussed. Keys to the pertinent families and subfamilies and to the fossil species of Baeomorpha are provided. Photomicrographs of species treated are included.

Adults of predatory carabid beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) of the species Stenolophus comma Fabricius field-collected from light traps were bioassayed against several soil insecticides along with laboratory reared larvae of the predatory carabid Pterostichus melanarius Illiger. Adult S. comma beetles were exposed to serial dilutions of insecticides using a Potter spray tower; larvae of P. melanarius were exposed to insecticidally treated Plainfield sand. Fensulfothion, phorate, methomyl, carbofuran, and O,O-diethyl-S(tertbutylthio) methyl phosphorodithioate (Counter®) proved to be highly toxic to adult S. comma with a 0.01% solution causing mortalities > 65%. In the bioassay of P. melanarius larvae, Counter®, phorate, heptachlor, aldrin, and O-(2-chloro-1-(2,5-dichlorophenyl)vinyl) O-methyl ethylphosphonothioate (WL 24073) produced mortalities > 75% at 0.1 p.p.m. in Plainfield sand. The Pterostichus larvae which are probably important as predators of pest insects appear quite susceptible to several important soil insecticides. Chlorfenvinphos, leptophos, and p,p′-DDT were fairly innocuous to both adults and larvae.

Water uptake and embryogenesis were investigated in eggs of Camnula pellucida (Scudd.) kept under a variety of conditions. Under both laboratory and field conditions eggs take in no water for several weeks after oviposition while embryonic growth progresses; then slowly a little water is absorbed as anatrepsis is completed. Following the breaking of diapause by chilling, eggs incubated at 30 °C in the laboratory rapidly take in water; embryonic growth resumes, blastokinesis rapidly takes place, and hatching occurs in about 10 days. In a natural habitat, however, eggs take in most of their required moisture shortly after the snow melts; during this time no embryonic development takes place, presumably because temperatures are too low. As temperatures rise embryonic growth resumes, with hatchlings emerging sooner or later, depending upon seasonal temperatures.

Eggs laid late in the season show little or no embryonic development and most seem unable to survive the winter.

Four insecticides, carbofuran, chlorpyrifos, methidathion, and dimethoate, were tested against grasshoppers in laboratory and field experiments. Carbofuran was the most effective compound in all tests but it was concluded that, over-all, it would be difficult to predict field performance on the basis of laboratory data alone.

The relationship between the distribution of Panonychus ulmi (Koch) and cluster size was examined. As the population intensity increased, P. ulmi numbers and distribution tended to be more closely related to the number of leaves in a cluster.

Virgin females of Tenebrio molitor L. initiate vitellogenesis about 2 days after the imaginal moult. During the first 6 days after the imaginal moult, each female with males matured on the average 41 eggs and each virgin matured 29 eggs. Stimuli associated with copulation and(or) insemination apparently are not required to initiate vitellogenesis, but do enhance the rate of oocyte maturation. Mated females lay their first eggs on the fourth day and virgin females about 1 day later. After the sixth day, mated females matured oocytes at about the same rate as before this time, whereas oocyte production is almost completely inhibited in virgins. Mated females also laid about 7.5 times as many eggs and accumulated an average of 40% fewer eggs in their reproductive systems than virgins. It is suggested that stimuli associated with copulation and(or) insemination enhance oviposition per se in mated females, that the accumulation of eggs in the reproductive systems slows further development of oocytes in virgins, and that the inhibition of vitellogenesis in virgins occurs at, or soon after, the time the first gonadotropic cycle is completed. A system for classifying stages of oocyte maturation in T. molitor is described.