Chrysodeixis includens (Walker) is a characteristic Plusiinae (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) species from the Western Hemisphere. The larva have already been found feeding on several different plant families, including economic value crops such as soybeans. This species coexists and can be confused with Rachiplusia nu (Guenée) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in soybean crops. Furthermore, some studies indicate that C. includens shows tolerance to various insecticides, leading to differentiation among these two species to be most important in relation to control procedures to be undertaken. To contribute to the correct identification of C. includens we made detailed redescriptions of all preimaginal stages (egg, larva, and pupa). Immature stages of C. includens were reared in laboratory under controlled conditions of 27±2 °C, 70–75% relative humidity, and 14:10 (light/dark) photoperiod. We consider opportune detection of preimaginal stages of Chrysodeixis includens will help to control this pest species, especially at admissible economical levels.

Structures of spermatheca in 63 species of Scutelleridae (Hemiptera) representing 46 genera and all subfamilies currently recognised in the family were examined and compared. The morphology of three main parts of the spermatheca (receptacle, intermediate part, and spermathecal duct) was described and three main types of spermatheca in Scutelleridae were identified. The taxonomic importance of spermathecal features for the higher classification of scutellerids is discussed.

The Nearctic species of Dicraeus Loew (Diptera: Chloropidae) are revised. Eight species are recognised in North America: Dicraeus curtisinew species is described from the western United States of America; the Palaearctic species D. vagans (Meigen) is newly recorded in North America; D. elongatus Sabrosky; D. fennicus Duda; D. incongruus Aldrich; D. ingratus (Loew); D. tibialis (Macquart); and D. wilburi Sabrosky are redescribed. All species are described and illustrated and a key to species is provided. Dicraeus aberrans Sabrosky, described from New Mexico, United States of America, is transferred to the genus Notaulacella Enderlein as Notaulacella aberransnew combination. This represents the first Nearctic record of the previously Neotropical genus Notaulacella.

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences, which serve as DNA barcodes, have been used to associate immature and adult stages of insects and to delineate species. The partial mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene sequences for South Korean Megaloptera (all known in the adult stage) were tested to identify undetermined larvae as a rapid and effective method from 31 specimens (16 adults and 15 larvae). The COI gene sequences distinguished all six known Megaloptera species, with a low genetic distance between larvae and adults (0.50±0.21%). Based on the COI gene sequences, we associated five types of larvae with known adults including the following four species of newly described larval stages: Sialis annae Vshivkova, 1979 (Megaloptera: Sialidae); Neochauliodes formosanus (Okamoto, 1910) (Megaloptera: Corydalidae); Parachauliodes asahinai Liu et al., 2008 (Megaloptera: Corydalidae); and Protohermes xanthodes Navás, 1913 (Megaloptera: Corydalidae). The known larval stage of Sialis koreana Jung and Bae, 2012 (Megaloptera: Sialidae) was confirmed, and the morphological variation in the male genitalia of Sialis longidens Klingstedt, 1932 (Megaloptera: Sialidae) is discussed. A larval key to the six South Korean species of Megaloptera is provided.

Immature stages of the uniquely phytophagous staphylinid, Himalusa thailandensis Pace, Klimaszewski, and Center, 2010 (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae) are described. Adults chew or scrape leaf surfaces while larvae bore into leaf petioles where they mature, and then drop to the ground to pupate in silken cocoons. Compared to other aleocharines, the larval body form is unusually compact and rotund, and may be an adaptation to living within the confines of plant tissue. Mandible and maxilla morphology is unique among known larval aleocharines in being robust and dentate, and we suggest this is adaptive for scraping and squeezing plant tissue. The larval defensive gland is ribbed and gland sac ducts are kinked and apically bifid. We suggest that H. thailandensis may share this derived gland morphology with Autaliini, Bolitocharina, Gyrophaenina, Homalotina, Leptusina, and Silusina of Homalotini, and possibly Liparocephalini. The morphology and ecology detailed here for H. thailandensis is the first comprehensive description of immature stages among aleocharines where adults feed externally on plants.

Most species of the genus Eulecanium Cockerell (Hemiptera: Coccidae) are important economic pests for ornamental plants and fruit trees. Two morphologically similar species, Eulecanium giganteum Shinji and E. kuwanai Kanda, are distributed mainly in China and are quite difficult to identify because of the paucity of distinguishing characteristics, which can only be observed in slide-mounted young, adult females. Furthermore, we demonstrate here that the species occur in sympatry and on many of the same host plants. Mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) and the D2–D3 expansion segments of 28S rDNA were used for accurate identification of these two Eulecanium species from 19 different locations in China. The average K2P distances of COI sequences were 0.47% in E. kuwanai and 0.32% in E. giganteum, and the interspecific divergences varied from 7.23% to 8.34%. Neighbour-joining (NJ) trees of COI and 28S rDNA revealed two distinct non-overlapping clusters, respectively. Meanwhile, “best close match” analysis also showed that 100% of individuals were classified successfully using COI and 28 S sequences. Differentiating between E. giganteum and E. kuwanai is challenging when using ecological and morphological traits. In contrast, identification using DNA diagnostics appears to be very effective, especially when slide-mounted specimens are difficult to obtain.

Forest tent caterpillar (Malacosoma disstria Hübner; Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae) is a widely distributed defoliator that undergoes intermittent outbreaks. It overwinters as pharate larvae within egg bands, is univoltine, and experiences low winter temperatures in its northern range. Little is known about how low temperatures affect winter survival and cold tolerances, their cold tolerance strategy, or how cold tolerances may vary over time and among populations. We evaluated supercooling points (SCPs) from four populations of M. disstria eggs collected along a 552 km latitudinal gradient from southern Wisconsin to northern Minnesota, United States of America. To test for potential effects of winter environment, we also administered three overwintering regimes (Madison, Wisconsin; Cloquet, Minnesota; Ely, Minnesota). Supercooling points were recorded in November, February, and March of 2011–2012. Supercooling points varied with maternal source (egg band), time of winter season, population source, and overwintering treatment. Means ranged from −26.8 °C (±0.5 °C) to −40.3 °C (±0.3 °C), accordingly. In a separate laboratory experiment, 89% of pharate larvae held at −20 °C (18.3 °C above coolest mean SCP) survived, but none held at −45 °C (6.7 °C below lowest mean SCP) survived. This relatively high degree of cold tolerance in its overwintering stage, due to freeze avoidance, may partially explain survival patterns and limits of overwintering M. disstria in northern populations.

The Palaearctic leaf beetle species Cassida viridis Linnaeus (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) is newly recorded from North America on the basis of recent observations of established populations on Monarda Linnaeus (Lamiaceae) plantings in an Ontario, Canada garden. Historical specimen records show that the species has been in Ontario at least since 1974.

The Pseudichnea complex involves the genera Ambitus, new genus, Ampleris, new genus, Sirpa, new genus, and Pseudichnea Schenkling. Ambitus includes one species, A. anticus Opitz, new species. Ampleris includes A. achira Opitz, new species, A. angustata Opitz, new species, A. cava Opitz, new species, A. orosi Opitz, new species, A. primitura Opitz, new species,A. rufocapilla Opitz, new species, and A. buenavista Opitz, new species.Pseudichnea includes P. acia Opitz, new species, P. arima Opitz, new species, P. eliminata Schenkling, and P. gracila Opitz, new species. Sirpa includes S. cauda Opitz, new species, S. flavoapiculis Opitz, new species, and S. skelleyi Opitz, new species. Morphological observations, particularly those based on mouthpart structure, suggest that these beetles are predatory. Their leg construction, especially development of the tarsal pads and ungues, suggest that they are lignicolous beetles that inhabit the woody components of arboreal vegetation, a niche in which they presumably pursue bark-beetle prey. Besides descriptions, this treatise includes a key to genera and species, 72 line drawings, eight electron micrographs, 16 habitus illustrations, and two distribution maps.

Chemoreception is a key process for insects. Odorant messages diffuse through the air and are translated into physiological signals by chemosensory receptor neurons in sensilla that are mainly located on insect antennae. We sequenced the antenna transcriptome of Rhyzopertha dominica (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae), which is a serious pest of stored grains throughout regions with warm climates, and performed transcriptome analysis on R. dominica antennae. We obtained 57 million 90-base pair-long reads that we assembled into 37 877 unigenes with a mean size of 1007 base pairs. Predicted protein sequences were matched with Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) (79.1%), Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) (1.7%), Megachile rotundata (Fabricius) (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) (1.3%), Acyrthosiphon pisum Harris (Hemiptera: Aphididae) (1.2%), and other (16.7%) homologues. In chemosensory gene families, we identified transcripts that encoded the following putative genes: 12 odorant-binding proteins (OBPs), four pheromone-binding proteins (PBPs), eight chemosensory proteins (CSPs), five sensory neuron membrane proteins (SNMPs), six odorant receptors, and eight ionotropic receptors. The diversity of the predicted OBPs, PBPs, and CSPs are also discussed. These findings will advance our understanding of olfaction process by this pest.

Four new species of Paravelia Breddin (Hemiptera: Veliidae) from Brazil are described and illustrated: Paravelia bachmanninew species and P. bromelicolanew species from the states of São Paulo and Santa Catarina; P. luederwaldtinew species from the state of São Paulo; and P. digitatanew species from the states of Bahia and Rio Grande do Norte; totalling 61 valid species for the genus. Two of the new species (P. bachmanni and P. bromelicola) are bromeliad inhabitants, and a key to the eight bromeliadicolus species of the genus is provided. In addition, based on type material, P. amoena (Drake), P. kahli (Drake and Harris), P. nexa (Drake and Harris), and P. parilis (Drake and Harris) are re-described and illustrated. Lastly, taxonomic and distributional notes for the following species are also presented: P. basalis (Spinola), P. boliviana Breddin, P. capillata (Drake and Harris), P. cognata (Drake and Harris), P. dilatata Polhemus and Polhemus, P. foveata Polhemus and Polhemus, P. itatiayana (Drake), P. nieseri Moreira and Barbosa, P. manausana Polhemus and Polhemus, P. platensis (Berg), P. recens (Drake and Harris), and P. splendoris (Drake and Harris).

Five new species of Heliura Butler (Lepidoptera: Erebidae) are described: H. laguerrei Pinheiro and Cerda, H. beneluzi Pinheiro and Cerda, Heliura crameri Pinheiro and Cerda, H. nigriventris Pinheiro and Duarte, and H. pauloi Pinheiro and Duarte. The last three species are placed in the H. stolli (Rothschild) species group, which is delimited for the first time and discussed. The other known species that are also part of this group are redescribed, and an identification key is provided. Heliura pieroides Rothschild is a revalidated combination. Heliura parcipuncta is a new combination. Heliura pierus Cramer is considered a species inquirenda. Illustrations of habitus and genitalia of the species treated herein are provided whenever possible.

Five species of woodpeckers (Piciformes: Picidae) in Manitoba, Canada were examined for chewing lice (Phthiraptera: Amblycera and Ischnocera): downy woodpecker (DOWO) (Picoides pubescens (Linnaeus), n=56), hairy woodpecker (HAWO) (Picoides villosus (Linnaeus), n=32), pileated woodpecker (PIWO) (Dryocopus pileatus (Linnaeus), n=12), northern flicker (NOFL) (Colaptes auratus (Linnaeus), n=223), and yellow-bellied sapsucker (YBSA) (Sphyrapicus varius (Linnaeus), n=192). Seven species of lice were collected (total number=40 613): Menacanthus pici (Denny) from all species of woodpeckers, Brueelia straminea (Denny) from both species of Picoides Lacépède, Penenirmus jungens (Kellogg) from northern flicker, Penenirmus auritus (Scopoli) from all species of woodpeckers examined except northern flickers, Picicola porisma Dalgleish from northern flickers, Picicola snodgrassi (Kellogg) from both species of Picoides, and Picicola marginatulus (Harrison) from pileated woodpeckers. Prevalence for total louse infestation ranged from 32.3% to 85.7% (NOFL>YBSA>PIWO>DOWO>HAWO). Mean intensity for total lice ranged from 29.2 to 232.4 (PIWO>NOFL>HAWO>YBSA>DOWO). Infestation parameters for each louse/host combination are provided. Distribution of louse infestations was highly aggregated. In all louse/host combinations, either females were more prevalent than males or there was no significant deviation from 50:50. There was a tendency for louse species to co-occur on the same host specimen.

The occurrence, quantification, and distribution patterns of deformed wing virus (DWV) and sacbrood virus (SBV), (family Iflaviridae); black queen cell virus (BQCV), Israeli acute paralysis virus (IAPV), Kashmir bee virus (KBV), and acute bee paralysis virus (ABPV) (family Dicistroviridae), and chronic bee paralysis virus (CBPV) (unclassified), were characterised in 80 “healthy” honey bee (Apis mellifera Linnaeus; Hymenoptera: Apidae) colonies and 23 “unhealthy” colonies by employing reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for virus identification and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) for quantification. All seven viruses were common but the most prevalent viruses were DWV, followed by BQCV and IAPV. For most viruses, prevalence in surviving but unhealthy colonies in spring did not differ from that of healthy baseline colony levels in fall suggesting spring prevalence level would not be a useful metric for diagnosis of factors contributing to colony loss. Sacbrood virus was the only virus that was more prevalent in unhealthy colonies from Manitoba, Canada than in healthy from colonies across Canada but did not differ from healthy colonies within Manitoba. Multiple infections were ubiquitous with a few colonies having simultaneous infection with as many as five viruses. Among the three viruses quantified by qPCR, DWV had the highest relative concentrations in pooled samples of worker bees. Deformed wing virus was the only virus within healthy colonies that differed in fall concentration among provinces and was at high levels in unhealthy colonies. Black queen cell virus was positively correlated with IAPV across all samples. Our study provides the first major baseline study of viruses in Canadian honey bees.

A growing body of evidence suggests trophic generalism (feeding on resources from more than one trophic level and/or on different resources of the same trophic level) is a widespread feature among ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae). However, it remains unclear whether trophic generalism applies to single individuals, at the intrapopulation or interpopulation level. Here we present stable isotope data (δ15N, δ13C) of seven common European carabid species on an archipelago of 18 lake islands in northeastern Poland. We found strong differences in isotopic ratios between individuals of the same population as well as between different populations, indicating that carabids are opportunistic feeders and that the degree of opportunism differs between habitats and between islands. Trophic niche breadth as assessed by isotopic ratios was influenced by local habitat diversity. We suggest that opportunistic usage of different local resources results in striking differences between local populations and a very broad trophic niche observed at regional level.

From the early descriptive work, focussed on documenting the forest insect faunaand the impacts of destructive species, Canadian forest entomology has passedthrough several distinct phases, each triggered by new societal demands offorests and of forest entomologists. We review the various stages that Canadianforest entomology gone through in the last 100 years. Following the initialdescriptive and cataloguing phase, forest entomology entered a pest control orforest protection phase, which eventually evolved into the integrated pestmanagement (IPM) era. Although IPM dominated the forest entomology discourse forat least two decades, this approach is now considered to be narrow andpest-centric and is being superseded by a more holistic approach where theemphasis is on ensuring the health and sustainability of forests at landscapelevels. The new trends point away from the “command and control”approach of attempting to eradicate pests or reducing pest damage, and towardsworking with natural processes in the context of ecosystem management. Weindicate several areas where 21st century forest entomology could make acontribution towards the sustainable management of Canadian forests.

The great grig, Cyphoderris monstrosa Uhler (Orthoptera: Prophalangopsidae), is a large (20–30 mm, >1 g), nocturnal ensiferan that inhabits montane coniferous forests in northwestern North America. Cyphoderris monstrosa overwinters as a late instar nymphs, but its cold tolerance strategy has not previously been reported. We collected nymphs from near Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada in late spring to determine their cold tolerance strategy. Cyphoderris monstrosa nymphs were active at low temperatures until they froze at −4.6±0.3 °C. The nymphs survived internal ice formation (i.e., are freeze tolerant), had a lethal temperature between −9 °C and −12 °C, and could survive for between five and 10 days at −6 °C. Isolated C. monstrosa gut, Malpighian tubules, and metafemur muscle tissues froze at temperatures similar to whole nymphs, and likely inoculate freezing in vivo. Hemolymph osmolality was 358±51 mOsm, with trehalose and proline comprising ~10% of that total. Glycerol was not detectable in hemolymph from field-fresh nymphs, but accumulated after freezing and thawing. The control of ice formation and presence of hemolymph cryoprotectants may contribute to C. monstrosa freeze tolerance and overwintering survival.

Linognathoides laeviusculus (Grube) (Phthiraptera: Anoplura: Polyplacidae) is a louse found on holarctic ground squirrels but little is known about how the life history, physiology, and hibernation of the host influence its population dynamics. Two hundred and fourteen Richardson’s ground squirrels (Urocitellus richardsonii (Sabine); Rodentia: Sciuridae) were trapped over the summer of 2010, and the age, sex, and mass of all euthanised squirrels were recorded. Squirrels were hand-washed to remove lice, which were then identified to species, stage of development, and sex. Linognathoides laeviusculus was the only louse collected. In total, 5057 lice were collected with 63.6% of the squirrels infested at a mean intensity of 37.2 (90% confidence interval=29.98–48.66). Two peaks in prevalence of L. laeviusculus infestations occurred (April and mid-June), and one peak in intensity (June). Juvenile squirrels had higher prevalence and mean intensity when compared to adults. Adult male squirrels had higher mean intensity compared to adult females. Adult lice comprised most of the population infesting emerging adult squirrels in the spring but nymphs predominated for most of the active season of the host. Infestations were highly aggregated with k=0.203 and index of discrepancy D=0.813. The seasonal dynamics of L. laeviusculus appear to be strongly correlated with the annual cycle of the squirrel host.