Counts of the Colorado potato beetle on potato did not conform to the Poisson distribution, there being an excess of uninfested and highly infested hills over the expected numbers. However, when observed distributions were fitted to the negative binomial series, the discrepancies were not significant when tested by chi-square. The negative binomial parameter k tended to increase with density. Using a common k, the distribution of the various stages may be described by expansion of (q − px)−k, when values of k are as follows: adult, 1.95; egg mass, 4.10; first instar, 0.68; second instar, 0.78; third instar, 1.04; fourth instar, 1.07.

For all stages, the variance was proportional to a fractional power of the mean. Use of the individual potato stalk as a sample unit had little effect on the skewness of the distribution. Four transformations are offered for stabilizing the variance of field counts.

In this paper a new species of Fullawaya Essig is described. The genus is broken down to include subgenera Neopterocomma H.R.L. and Pseudopterocomma new subgenus. The species Fullawaya saliciradicis Essig and Pterocomma braggi (Gillette and Palmer) are discussed.

A method of forecasting the size of first-generation or summer infestations of Ostrinia nubilalis in Kent County, Ontario, is described. A function is derived from partial regression analysis relating the estimated size of the expected summer infestation to (1) the number of females caught in a light-trap during the first or spring flight, and (2) average rainfall per day during the first flight. The function explains 94% of the observed variation in estimated size of first-generation infestations in this area between 1947 and 1961. A means of categorizing the estimated size of the predicted infestation based on the frequency distribution of previously estimated infestations is also described. Methods of sampling and estimating population size and the applicability of the predictive equation to other environments are discussed.

Stained serial sections of Gnathotrichus retusus (Lec.) and Gnathotrichus sulcatus (Lec.) males showed an enlargement of the forecoxal cavities to contain fungus cells. No similar enlargement or fungus material was found in these cavities of the females.

The following pyraustine taxa are described as new: Syllepis religiosa, Bolivia; Herpetogramma obscurior, Peru; Zeuzerobotys, with type-species Z. mirabilis, Mexico; Megastes australis, Argentina and Bolivia; Liopasia anolopha, Ecuador.

The genus Ips is one of four closely related genera in the tribe Ipini, sub-tribe Ipina (De Geer 1775, Balachowsky 1949, Nunberg 1954, Hopping 1963). There are now 32 species of Ips recognized in North America, with a few more as yet undescribed. This paper defines the groups of closely related species with observations on the group relationships of species from other parts of the world. Work is in progress to define the North American species in each group.

Hebard (1915) and J. W. H. Rehn (1939 and 1939a) listed species of Orthoptera from Newfoundland but neither author reported any species of Gryllidae. Walker (1915) did not list any members of this family as inhabiting the Magdalen Islands.

The first record of a cricket from Newfoundland was by Ander (1960) who recorded two immature females from Shoal Harbour, July 27, 1951. He somewhat doubtfully assigned these specimens to Nemobius fasciatus (DeGeer), stating: “I suppose that the specimens belong to the species Nemobius fasciatus (Degeer), widely distributed in North America, which is common in Nova Scotia (Piers 1918). The specimens agree very well with the description of fasciatus in Morse (1920) and Blatchley (1920), and as it is the only Nemobius known from Nova Scotia I have good reasons to suppose that the larvae belong to the species mentioned.”

Macrocentrus ancylivorus Rohwer overwintered in larvàe of the strawberry leaf roller, Ancylis comptana fragariae (Walsh & Riley), at the rate of from 544 to 7,623 per acre of strawberry field. Not more than 300 per acre of peach orchard, could be expected to overwinter in larvae of the Oriental fruit moth, Grapholitha molesta (Busck). About half of the larvae of M. ancylivorus in leaf rollers did not survive the winter.

An attempt was made to suppress an incipient spruce budworm outbreak in the Lower St. Lawrence region of Quebec through the aerial application of DDT. Operations began in 1960 and continued in 1961 and 1962 when they finally met with success. Failure to achieve success earlier was due partly to the exceptionally favourable survival conditions for the insect in 1960, and partly to the inadvertent omission of a small infested area from the program in 1961. The operations greatly reduced spruce budworm populations each year in the outbreak area, while the action of natural control factors, including parasites and predators increased. The collapse of the outbreak was the result of the combined effects of the chemical treatments and of natural control factors.

The fore wing bases of Monotrysia can be homologized with the plan for a generalized insect wing base (Snodgrass, 1935). The wing bases of advanced Lepidoptera are very different from those of primitive forms. An evolutionary series can be traced through the order showing how the changes may have taken place.

The positions of the bending cuticle areas vary very little within the order. Within each superfamily the axillary region is surprisingly constant. It is impossible to distinguish between the wing bases of many related ditrysian families.

The jugum is particularly interesting; it is present in all the members of the old group “Microlepidoptera” and not only in the Monotrysia or “Jugatae”.

Last instar larvae and the pupae of Gluphisia avimacula, Notodonta simplaria, Dasylophia thyatiroides and Hyparpax perophoroides are described, compared with those of related species, and in part figured. Various ecological aspects are discussed and host plant information is provided in each case, with comments on the number of generations, times of occurrence and, with respect to simplaria and thyatiroides, on the regional prevalence of melanism.

This paper deals with the Trinidad species included by C. H. T, Town send (Manual of Myiology, IV) in his tribe Masiphyiini. The evidence given supports the separation by Reinhard of the genus Siphosturmia Coc). and allies from Masiphya B. B. and allies. Four new species have been described in genera recognized by previous authors. Three new genera, each with a new species, have been described. Of these, one (Masiphyoidea) is certainly allied to Masiphya, but the affinities of the others (Pseudomasiphya and Mystacomyoidea) are open to doubt with the data available at present.

In recent years there has been an increase in the number of papers dealing with the family Cupedidae, but in spite of the revised interest in this group there is still no publication which treats the family on a world-wide basis and provides keys for separating all the genera and species. According to Janssens (1953), the family contains 22 species belonging to five genera. Recently, Neboiss (1959) added three new species from Australia and erected a new South American genus, while Papp (1961) described a new species from California. In this paper I will bring the available information on the Cupedidae together and present a list of fossil forms, a series of keys to the genera and species, and an account of their geographical distribution. In addition, I propose three new synonyms in the genus Cupes.

The gilvarius group of the genus Aspilates is revised. Thirteen species are recognized, of which A. kozhantchikovi, Siberia, A. forbesi, northern Canada, and A. elwesi, northwestern China, are described as new. Four of the species are purely Nearctic, eight purely Palaearctic, and one is Amphiberingian. Six additional subspecies are recognized, of which the following are described as new: A. aberratus assiniboiarius, prairies of Canada; A. orciferarius baffinensis, Baffin Island; A. o. churchillensis, Churchill, Man.; and A. o. occidentalis, Yukon and Alaska. A. sibiricus Djakonov is sunk as a doubtfully valid subspecies of A. taylorae Curtis and the latter is distinguished specifically from A. orciferarius.

Tetranychus sinhai Baker (Acarina, Tetranychidae), a new pest was observed to infest barley, wheat, and rye crops in the Prairie Provinces of Canada. In barley, typical symptoms of the mite attack are manifested by a darkening of leaves, followed by yellowing and wilting from the bend of the leaf to its tip. The increase in number of mites per leaf was reflected by the showing of advanced symptoms on leaves. One hundred and sixty-five barley varieties from different parts of the world were examined for their reaction to T. sinhai infestation in the field. Of these 15 were found to be resistant, 47 moderately resistant, 88 moderately susceptible, and 15 susceptible. In general, the barley varieties grown in arid regions of the world appeared to be more resistant to T. sinhai infestation.

The most commonly grown barley varieties in Canada, Parkland, and Montcalm, were moderately susceptible. Only two North American varieties, Canadian Lake Shore–C.I. 2750, and Gem C.I. 7243 showed high resistance to T. sinhai infestation.

During ecological investigations of the pine root collar weevil, Hylobius radicis Buchanan, in central Wisconsin sand plains, a weevil of similar appearance, but of different habits, was encountered. This weevil was identified tentatively as H. radicis with the available keys (Buchanan, 1934 and Finnegan, 1961), and in general fits the original morphological description of that species. However, differences in biological habits and morphology suggested that an undescribed species was involved (Millers, 1960 and Millers and Benjamin, 1961), and the taxonomic separation and description of the new species follows:

The midge Contarinia washnigtonensis Johnson is capable of causing serious seed loss in Douglas-fir in British Columbia, Washington and Oregon. The female lays its eggs from late May until early July in the young cones. When the eggs hatch larvae feed in the cone scales, sometimes causing direct damage to seeds and often killing scales before cone maturity. When larvae have completed feeding they leave the cone scales in late summer and autumn to drop to the ground where they spin cocoons and remain overwinter in the litter.

This paper presents a key to the larvae of six species of lepidopterous needle miners on pine in Ontario, namely, gelechiids Recurvaria canusella Free., R. coniferella Kft., R. resinosae (Free.) (n.comb.), and Exoteleia pinifoliella Cham.; and yponomeutids Ocnerostoma strobivorum Free., and Ocnerostoma sp. Complementary information is given on distribution, hosts, biology, and parasites of each species.

Preliminary laboratory investigations of the feeding habits of seven species of ants occurring in southern Ontario showed that Camponotus herculeanus (Li.), Crematogaster lineolata (Say) and Formica exsectoides Forel are very predacious and will also eat dead insects. Myrmica americana Weber, Solenopsis molesta (Say) and Tapinoma sessile (Say) are also predacious, but probably because of the small size of the individuals and the colonies they are unable to capture large living insects. Lasius neoniger Emery, a relatively timid ant, may develop large populations and consume considerable numbers of other insects, but it is not recommended as a control agent because it can become troublesome on lawns.

Before atten~pting to determine the nutritional requirements of Rhodnius prelixus Stål, a blood-feeding reduviid bug, it was necessary to build a feeding apparatus that would permit the insects to feed normally on various artificial diets. Since it was expected that large numbers of animals would have to be fed individually, practical considerations demanded that the feeding apparatus be easy to service and maintain. Some of the experimental diets would be extremely expensive and radioactive and consequently an apparatus that would permit the use of small volumes of diet was required.