New data on forewing microtrichial patterns are presented. Nineteen species representing 19 genera and seven subfamilies of Afrotropical Scutelleridae are investigated using scanning electron microscopy. Four types of microtrichial patterns are recognised. The taxonomic importance of these structures in the Scutelleridae is discussed.

Photoperiods influence diapause beyond the maternal generation in Cotesia vestalis (Haliday) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). The sizes, 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E), and juvenile hormone III (JH III) contents in the G1 diapausing prepupae, G0 nondiapausing prepupae, adults, and G1 eggs from C. vestalis cultures reared under three photoperiods (8:16 hours light:dark, 12:12 hours light:dark, and 16:8 hours light:dark) were measured to investigate the hormones’ roles on maternal information transmission and diapause regulation. Results showed that the body size of G1 diapausing prepupae was significantly larger than that of G0 nondiapausing prepupae. The sizes of G0 prepupae, female abdomens, and G1 eggs under eight-hour light were significantly larger than those under 16-hour light. The 20E content in diapausing prepupae was significantly lower than that in nondiapausing prepupae, whereas JH III content did not show significantly difference under the same photoperiod. The 20E content in maternal prepupae, mated females and G1 eggs decreased as the light period was reduced. Juvenile hormone III contents in G0-mated females and G1 eggs (after oviposition) under three photoperiods showed no significant differences. These findings suggest that 20E may play a critical role in diapause regulation of C. vestalis, and be used as a maternal environmental message to be transmitted to the next generation.

Sex attraction studies were carried out to investigate the mate-finding behaviour of invasive Vespula vulgaris (Linnaeus) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) wasps. Delta traps were baited with live, caged males, and gynes (virgin queens) of V. vulgaris to determine whether either sex produced a long-range sex attractant. Traps baited with gynes caught 71 males, while the controls and live-male wasp baited traps did not catch gynes. Wind tunnel trials were performed to verify if the signal produced by the gynes was chemical in nature. First, V. vulgaris males were flown to live caged gynes, where more than half of the males tested flew upwind in a zigzagging pattern and made contact with caged gynes. Males were also flown to hexane rinses of gynes and flew upwind in a zigzagging pattern towards the gyne extract, although none made contact with the cotton roll stimulus. The results presented here demonstrate conclusively that V. vulgaris gynes produce a sex pheromone.

Cette étude a été menée dans un verger d'olivier Olea europaea (Linnaeus) (Oleaceae), dans la région semi-aride d'Ain Touta (Batna, Nord-est Algérie) au cours de la période allant de janvier 2009 à décembre 2010. Le suivi démo-écologique régulier de la cochenille violette de l'olivier Parlatoria oleae (Colvée) (Hemiptera : Diaspididae) a montré que l'espèce évolue en deux générations annuelles : une génération printanière et l'autre automnale. Contrairement à d'autres régions du monde, la ponte est plus tardive avec une durée plus étalée à Ain Touta. Les pontes moyennes variaient de 10,05 ± 1,96 à 10,47 ± 1,15 œufs/femelle pour la première génération et de 9,9 ± 1,69 à 9,16 ± 2,05 pour la deuxième génération. Ces valeurs sont faibles comparées aux moyennes notées dans d'autres régions. L'analyse statistique a montré une variation significative des effectifs de tous les stades entre les mois, mais seulement des effectifs des L2 et des femelles adultes entre les années. Ceci serait en relation avec le phénomène d'hivernation noté pour les stades L2 et les femelles adultes avec des périodes d’étalement différentes d'une année à une autre. Entre les générations, la variation des effectifs était significative chez les pro-nymphes et nymphes ainsi que chez les mâles adultes.

Frontalin, seudenol, and a spruce terpene blend are key components of a lure for monitoring spruce beetle, Dendroctonus rufipennis (Kirby) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) in eastern Canada, catching the highest number of beetles in several field trials. The standard two-component commercial lure for this species, developed from populations in western North America and composed of 95%:5% (±)-α-pinene and frontalin, failed to elicit attraction to traps in Atlantic Canada; thus a series of trapping experiments were conducted to identify an improved combination of pheromone and host volatiles for this region. Analysis of volatiles from D. rufipennis collected from Newfoundland and Nova Scotia, Canada detected seudenol as an additional female-produced component. Laboratory analysis of the eastern host (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss; Pinaceae) detected the presence of 75%:25% (±)-α-pinene; however, a two-component lure comprised of 75%:25% (±)-α-pinene and frontalin caught no more beetles than an unbaited control. Frontalin and seudenol alone or spruce terpene blend and ethanol alone typically had among the lowest trap catches, but when combined they caught the highest numbers of D. rufipennis, supporting the hypothesis that host volatiles synergise attraction to pheromones. Our results highlight the importance of geographic variation in the response to pheromones and kairomones in this bark beetle.

The ash leaf-cone roller, Caloptilia fraxinella (Ely) (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) is an introduced leaf-mining moth of horticultural ash trees (Fraxinus Linnaeus; Oleaceae) in Western Canadian Prairie cities. Here, we identify the dominant parasitoid of this leaf-mining moth as Apanteles polychrosidis Vierek (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) and document its emergence pattern, courtship, mating, and host acceptance behaviours. Apanteles polychrosidis adult emergence is protandrous and mating occurs soon after female emergence. Male A. polychrosidis can mate multiple times in short sequence with a mean copulation time of 49 seconds. It is likely that A. polychrosidis overwinters in an alternate larval host, after emergence from C. fraxinella. Mated female A. polychrosidis readily parasitise an alternate host, the obliquebanded leafroller (Choristoneura rosaceana (Harris); Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), known to overwinter as larvae. Through rearing C. fraxinella pupae, we describe the remainder of the parasitoid complex of C. fraxinella, in order of parasitism rate, as Diadegma Förster (near Diadegmafenestrale (Holmgren)) (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), three Sympiesis Förster species (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) (Sympiesissericeicornis (Nees von Esenbeck), one near Sympiesisviridula (Thomson) and one unknown species), and Pteromalus phycidis (Ashmead) (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) and show that several Sympiesis species can be hyperparasitic on A. polychrosidis. Caloptilia fraxinella density within the tree canopy is highest in the lower canopy. Host density and abiotic factors such as temperature and light intensity do not influence the within-canopy distribution of most parasitoids except Sympiesis species, which preferred the northern canopy.

Laboratory experiments using field-collected females were carried out to determine the oviposition preference of the balsam fir sawfly, Neodiprion abietis (Harris) (Hymenoptera: Diprionidae) in New Brunswick, Canada. Unmated adult females given no choice among host–plant foliage laid ∼98% of available eggs on balsam fir (Abies balsamea (Linnaeus) Miller; Pinaceae), but only 8% and 10%, respectively, on white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss; Pinaceae) and black spruce (Picea mariana (Miller) Britton, Sterns, and Poggenburg). Given a choice among shoots from all three hosts in the same chamber, unmated females laid all but one egg in balsam fir. Host plant had no effect on female longevity, although there were nearly four- to eightfold more empty egg slits on balsam fir needles, owing presumably to the greater activity of females on this preferred host foliage.

Even though Arabica coffee (Coffea arabica Linnaeus, Rubiaceae) can self-pollinate, bees are important pollinators, without which there is lower fruit quality and yield. We studied bee diversity in coffee agroecosystems in Costa Rica during two coffee flowering seasons (2005 and 2006). Malaise traps were used as a passive sampling method to collect bees during coffee blooms. We collected 1012 bee individuals from three different site types: nonagricultural fields and shaded and unshaded coffee farms. Unshaded coffee farms had significantly higher species richness (S) and number of bee individuals (n) than did the shaded coffee farms and nonagricultural sites. Overall bee diversity did not differ among site types but evenness (J′) was significantly lower in unshaded coffee farms. Using a more detailed community analysis, there was a significant association between functional groups and habitat type with more species and individuals of small-bodied ground-nesting bees (Lasioglossum (Dialictus) Robertson) associated with unshaded coffee farms. A large proportion (49%) of bees collected were of this subgenus, which was never before reported as common in coffee agroecosystems. Further studies should establish whether Dialictus is important in coffee pollination. We propose strategies involving conservation of native bees through simple habitat management for small-scale coffee farms that may improve crop quality and quantity.

A new genus and species are described within the extinct tribe Haidomyrmecini, and tentatively placed within the subfamily Sphecomyrminae (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Haidoterminus cippusnew genus and species expands the distribution of the bizarre, exclusively Cretaceous, trap-jawed Haidomyrmecini beyond their previous records in mid-Cretaceous Burmese and French amber, and into Laurentia. The new material from the Grassy Lake, Alberta, Canada collecting locality also provides evidence that these highly specialised, likely arboreal, ants persisted for an additional 20 million years, reaching the Late Cretaceous. Morphological features of H. cippus, such as the presence of an elongate antennomere II (pedicel), further support the argument that Haidomyrmecini may not actually belong within the subfamily Sphecomyrminae, and may warrant recognition at the subfamily level or inclusion as a highly autapomorphic clade within another subfamily. Despite the introduction of new fossil material, and the clarity of preservation in Canadian amber, the mystery of how Haidomyrmecini fed remains unsolved.

Visible Implant Elastomer (VIE) has previously been used successfully to tag individuals in a variety of marine and amphibious animals, earthworms, and scorpions. Visible Implant Elastomer tags were injected into third instars of the blow fly Calliphora vicina Robineau-Desvoidy (Diptera: Calliphoridae) to test its compatibility and retention across life stages. Injecting into the dorsal midline of the 11th segment (seventh abdominal segment) produced survival rates of 80%, with no significant difference in the subsequent rate of development (z = 0.21, P = 0.83) as compared with untagged insects. Tags remained visible and allowed identification of individuals within a feeding, intermingling aggregation (maggot mass), especially when a high-contrast fluorescent colour was used. Tags were retained across life-stage changes and were easily found in dissected adults.