Two new species, Ameletus minimus sp.nov. and Ameletus quadratus sp.nov., are described and illustrated from material collected in Oregon. Diagnostic features for these two species and their relationships with other Ameletus species are discussed. An identification key to the western species of the Ameletus celer Group is also included.

The bertha armyworm, Mamestra configurata Walker, causes periodic but severe damage to canola crops in North America, particularly in the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. This paper provides information on the tachinid flies (Tachinidae: Diptera) recorded from bertha armyworm in North America. A key to adults is provided for separation of the genera, and each species known from bertha armyworm is characterized with respect to recognition, biology (including hosts), and distribution. The species included are Athrycia cinerea (Coquillett), Blondelia sp., Chetogena claripennis (Macquart) species complex, Chetogena tachinomoides (Townsend) (new record), Eurithia consobrina (Meigen), Exorista mella (Walker), Lespesia archippivora (Riley), Panzeria ampelus (Walker), Phryxe pecosensis (Townsend), Phryxe vulgaris (Fallén), Spallanzania hebes (Fallén) (new record), Winthemia rufopicta (Bigot), and Winthemia quadripustulata (Fabricius). Eurithia consobrina is a Palearctic species that has been introduced into Canada for control of M. configurata but is probably not established; it is included here in the event it is introduced again and establishment is achieved.

Auridius Oman is revised, and eight new species are described: aurigineus (California), cosmeticus (Montana), melinus (California), safra (Idaho–Oregon), sandaraca (Alberta–Ontario), sulphureus (New Mexico), thapsinus (Arizona–Nevada), and vitellinus (Oregon). Auridius gilvus Hamilton & Ross, 1972 is synonymized with A. auratus (Gillette and Baker 1895). The 12 known species are illustrated and keyed, with notes on host associations, phenology, wing polymorphism, and two new subspecies: A. ordinatus amarillo (southwestern Colorado – New Mexico) and A. ordinatus crocatus (British Columbia – Oregon).

South American Trichogrammatidae are poorly known. In this paper we describe a new species of Trichogramma and two new species of Uscana from Chile. The Trichogramma species belongs to the perkinsi group and parasitizes the eggs of Rhyacionia buoliana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). One Uscana species belongs to the senex group (new name proposed for the B group) and parasitizes eggs of Pseudopachymerina spinipes (Coleoptera: Bruchidae), and the other Uscana species belongs to the fumipennis group (new name proposed for the C group) and parasitizes eggs of Bruchus pisorum (Coleoptera: Bruchidae). These new species might be useful in biological control, especially against R. buoliana and B. pisorum, important pests of pines and peas, respectively, in Chile.

Fifth-instar larval mortality was compared between male and female Choristoneura occidentalis Freeman exposed in the laboratory to sublethal doses of Choristoneura fumiferana (Clem.) multicapsid nuclear polyhedrosis virus (CfMNPV) with or without optical brighteners. More females than males died when the virus was used alone, but differences were not significant. When 1% brightener was added to CfMNPV suspension, differences in larval mortality between males and females were significant for three of the four brighteners tested. In addition, times at which 50% of the larvae died indicated that female larvae died 23 and 39% more quickly than male larvae, respectively, when brightener Blankophor HRS and Tinopal LPW were added to the virus, whereas at times at which 95% of the larvae died indicated that females died 33 and 54% faster than males. Alteration of sex ratio favoring male survival can play a significant role in the biological control of C. occidentalis by the virus.

Our investigation estimates time–temperature relationships and demonstrates the effect of rapid heating on mortality of Caribbean fruit fly, Anastrepha suspensa (Loew). Mature larvae (third instars) in water were exposed to each of seven temperatures (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, and 50 °C) and each of five power levels (11, 27.5, 55, 88, and 122 W) in a research-quality microwave oven. Controls were immersed in water for 30 min and not exposed to microwave energy. Data were analyzed by a probit model with three explanatory variables. The variables were time to reach target temperature, power, and final temperature. Temperature needed to control the larvae increased as power increased. Of the power–temperature levels, the only combinations that resulted in > 99% mortality were the lowest power (16 W) at 49 or 50 °C and 30 W at 50 °C. Time required for > 99% mortality decreased with increased power. Thus, as power delivered to larvae increased and time needed to reach exposure temperature deceased, percent mortality decreased. We conclude that rapid heating imposes serious constraints on the use of heat-induced mortality; this result raises important questions that must be addressed because quarantine security may be jeopardized.

We have discovered that, contrary to the long-held belief, 1st-instar spruce budworm, Choristoneura fumiferana Clemens, do feed. They display red alimentary tracts if they are provided with diet containing the red dye amaranth. They graze on the surface of balsam fir needles sprayed with rhodamine and ingest the fluorescent material, which can be detected in the frass pellets deposited inside the hibernacula. When emerging 1st instars were allowed to crawl on the inside surface of a glass tube coated with the polyhedral inclusion bodies of a recombinant C. fumiferana virus containing the gene for the green fluorescent protein, the larvae showed the characteristic green fluorescence, indicating that not only had they ingested the occlusion bodies but also the virus had replicated and infected different tissues. Similar results were obtained with the jack pine budworm, Choristoneura pinus pinus Freeman, which has an identical life history. The advantages of early-instar intervention to minimize defoliation by using control agents such as the ecdysteroid agonist, tebufenozide (RH-5992, Mimic® formulation), are discussed.

(E)-9-Dodecenyl acetate (E9-12:OAc) and (Z)-9-dodecenyl acetate (Z9-12:OAc) are major components of the sex pheromone of the cherry bark tortrix (CBT), Enarmonia formosana (Scopoli), in British Columbia. The compounds were identified in extracts of female pheromone glands by coupled gas chromatographic – electroantennographic detection (GC–EAD) and coupled GC – mass spectrometry. In field experiments, traps baited with E9-12:OAc or Z9-12:OAc singly were unattractive to male CBT, but in combination at ratios of 50:50 or 40:60 captured numerous males. Increasing quantities of this two-component pheromone blend resulted in increasing captures of male CBT. This binary blend at a 10-mg dose caught more CBT males that did caged virgin CBT females. Eight other EAD-active acetates identified in extracts of pheromone glands failed to enhance attractiveness of the pheromone blend. These compounds may serve to reduce cross-attraction of heterospecific male moths or may play a role in courtship behaviour. Formulations of synthetic pheromone are being evaluated for management of the CBT using mass trapping or disorientation of male CBT moths.

The forest tent caterpillar, Malacosoma disstria Hübner (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae), is subject to a variety of naturally occurring infectious diseases, including a nuclear polyhedrosis virus (MdNPV) which has been observed to reach epizootic proportions (Stairs 1966; Myers 1993).

Because MdNPV is currently available only in limited quantities for small-scale experimentation, production scale-up is vital to it's potential as a biological control agent against the forest tent caterpillar. Viruses replicate only in living cells, therefore it is necessary to produce viral insecticides either in host insect larvae (in vivo) or in susceptible cell cultures (in vitro). Insect cell cultures have not yet been developed so that large-scale production of baculoviruses are feasible (Cunningham 1995), thus in vivo production must be used. To plan for the scale-up of NPV production, it is necessary to establish the yield of occlusion bodies (OBs) from M. disstria larvae. We report here the yield of OBs from four larval instars inoculated with MdNPV, the time to mortality, head capsule widths, and body weights, and recommend larval instars suitable for further research toward commercial-scale production.

The potential for pheromone-mediated mating disruption of the cherry bark tortrix (CBT), Enarmonia formosana (Scopoli), was evaluated by attaching PVC tube dispensers to the trunks of mature (> 40 cm diameter at breast height) ornamental cherry trees, Prunus cvs., lining suburban streets of New Westminster and Vancouver, British Columbia. Dispensers released either a blend of (E)-9-dodecenyl acetate (E9-12:OAc, 49.5%), (Z)-9-dodecenyl acetate (Z9-12:OAc, 49.5%), and (Z)-7-decenyl acetate (Z7-10:OAc, 1%) at a rate of 29 mg/day (Exp. 1), or E9-12:OAc alone at 27 mg/day (Exp. 2), 4 mg/day (Exp. 3), or 0.5 mg/day (Exp. 4). A sticky Delta trap baited with a grey rubber septum impregnated with CBT pheromone components E9-12:OAc (40 μg), Z9-12:AOc (60 μg), and Z7-10:OAc (1 μg) was placed in each tree. Captures of male CBTs in treatment trees were significantly reduced compared with control trees in all experiments. Results suggest that disruption of pheromone-based communication in CBT around individual cherry trees is feasible with a pheromone blend or with E9-12:OAc alone, and could become part of an integrated management strategy for CBT in urban environments.

Survival of the spruce beetle, Dendroctonus rufipennis Kirby, from egg to adult, proportion of 1- and 2-year-cycle adults, and egg and egg gallery production per attack were investigated over five generations in stumps and windfall in central British Columbia. Densities of attacks, egg gallery lengths, and brood in various stages of development were obtained by repeated sampling throughout the life cycle. Spruce beetle populations remained at suboutbreak levels throughout the duration of the study. There were generally no differences by area, host type, or infestation year in any of the measured variables. The mean numbers (±SD) of eggs per attack and eggs per centimetre of egg gallery were 80.8 (54.3) and 5.4 (4.6), respectively. Brood survival from egg to adult averaged 6.8%. The lowest and highest survival from egg to adult occurred in the same years as when the lowest and highest percentage of 1-year-cycle adults were produced, respectively. On average, 51.8% of the beetles in stumps and 19.1% of beetles in windfall developed on a 1-year cycle.

Delphastus catalinae (Horn) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) was mass reared to support field studies addressing augmentation and colonization for control of Bemisia argentifolii Bellows and Perring (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) in southern California. Beetles were reared on B. argentifolii infested poinsettia plants grown inside greenhouses located in northern California. Potted plants, reared from rooted cuttings, were cycled through the rearing system over ca. a 12-week period, then discarded. A total of 174 245 adult beetles were harvested over a 20-week period. Each plant averaged 46 adult beetles (range 21–89) over the same period of time. Harvesting strategies were investigated using a computer simulation model based upon published and hypothesized reproduction and survivorship parameters. Results suggest that removal of approximately 50% of adults per week produced a stable and maximum production of beetles. Actual harvest rates were between 40 and 60% of available beetles. The cost of producing each adult was estimated at US$0.22, with the major cost being labor at 86% of the total.

A simple nontoxic technique to mark and reference the white pine weevil Pissodes strobi (Peck) is described. This marking technique was used to track the movement of individuals to the cohort level through time and space in a young white spruce plantation.

Natural rubber sleeve stoppers were impregnated with 10 mg of (E)-10-dodecen-1-yl-acetate, the major component of spotted tentiform leafminer, Phyllonorycter blancardella (F.), pheromone. In the laboratory, there was a linear decline in the amount of pheromone remaining on stoppers during 8 weeks of exposure to 10, 15, 20, and 25 °C. At 30 and 35 °C, the relationship was curvilinear and could be described using a second-order polynomial equation. The estimated rate of evaporation ranged from 0.03 mg/day at 10 °C to 0.08 mg/day at 25 °C; the rate of evaporation at 30 and 35 °C varied with the time since first exposure. There was a linear decline in the amount of pheromone remaining on stoppers during 8 weeks of exposure to fluctuating temperature regimes with average temperatures of 10 °C (i.e., 5–15 °C) and 20 °C (i.e., 15–25 °C). At a fluctuating regime with an average temperature of 30 °C (i.e., 25–35 °C), the relationship was curvilinear and could be described using a second-order polynomial equation. The estimated rate of evaporation was 0.02 and 0.09 mg/day at 5–15 and 15–25 °C, respectively; the estimated daily rate of evaporation at 25–35 °C varied with the time since first exposure. In an orchard, the estimated average rate of evaporation of pheromone from stoppers ranged from 0.05 to 0.31 mg/day and did not vary significantly with temperature. During the first 4 weeks of exposure in an orchard, the observed rate of evaporation was up to 4.4-fold greater than the rate predicted using the relationship between evaporation rate and constant temperatures observed in the laboratory. The potential for using natural rubber sleeve stoppers as controlled-release substrates in studies of sex-pheromone-mediated mating disruption of P. blancardella is discussed.