Cold-hardiness was investigated in fall and winter populations of the social wasp Polistes fuscatus (Fabricius), Individuals collected in the fall were able to survive 48 h at −10 °C. Both sexes were equally capable of surviving −5 °C. However, at −7.5 °C and −10.0 °C, females were more cold-hardy than males. About 50% of the overwintering female population were able to survive temperatures as low as −20 °C and monthly temperature fluctuations as great as 30 °C. None of the overwintering females was able to survive 48 h of −25 °C. Adult females of P. fuscatus are able to survive a winter temperature regime that, because of a combination of large fluctuations and low temperatures, is among the most severe reported for any adult insect.

Periphyllus pusillus n. sp. from Acer villosum Wall., Serratocallis takahashii n. gen., n. sp. from Quercus sp., and Myzocallis (Hoplocallis) microsetosus n. sp. from Quercus incana Roxb., collected in the Western Himalayas, are described. The taxonomic position of the aphids is discussed.

Euxoa ustulata n. sp., allied to Euxoa perexcellens (Grote), is described from northern California. Adults and genitalia of both species are illustrated.

Four of the parasite species attacking Hyphantria cunea Drury spin their cocoons inside the colonial web of the host, where they are exposed to attack by five species of hyperparasites. Percentage hyperparasitism was measured over a 15-year period in permanent study areas in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. The mean percentage was about 50%, with very wide variations from year to year. These variations were not related to the population density of H. cunea or its parasites and no model for hyperparasite-parasite interaction could be constructed.

An adult of either Coleomegilla maculata lengi or C. m. medialis ate about 280 mg dry Acyrthosiphon pisum in its lifetime at various constant temperatures. Total food consumption and rate of intake increased with temperature and rate did not vary with age. The average ages attained by field-collected and laboratory-reared adults were greatest at temperatures of 17° and 23 °C, respectively, for C. m. lengi and at 23 °C for C. m. medialis. Neither subspecies laid any eggs at 17 °C, C. m. lengi laid some eggs at 23 °C, and both subspecies laid the largest number of eggs at 25 °C. Fertility as percentage of eggs hatched was lower in both subspecies at 34 °C (30%) than at 23° and 25 °C (100%). Ethanol extracts of teak, cinnamon, clove, guaiacol, and resorcinol were the most effective ovipositional stimulants for C. m. lengi when formulated in water. Exposure to the ethanol extracts of different plants increased the incidence of oviposition by 19% and the number of eggs/♀/day by 36% in C. m. lengi.

The process of resource utilization by Dendroctonus frontalis Zimmerman attacking loblolly pine, Pinus taeda L., was investigated. The quantitative relationship of attacking parent adult D. frontalis as a function of the normalized infested bole height is described by the model y = Ax(1−x)eBx. Greatest attack density occurs at the mid-bole of the tree and tapers toward the top and bottom. Gallery length (and hence eggs)/100 cm2 was independent of attack density. The relationship between gallery length (or eggs) per parent adult and parent adult density is described by the exponential decay curve y = AeBx, indicating that gallery length and egg population density are controlled by a density dependent compensatory feedback process operating instantaneously. Further support for the mechanism was obtained by analyzing the gallery length per parent adult at different locations on the infested bole. The relationship is described by the model y = [AeBx]/[x(1−x)] and indicates that gallery construction and egg population per attacking beetle increase in the upper and basal portion of the bole. The result is a uniform amount of food and space per individual of the developing population.

Leaves of each of six cruciferous plant species investigated contained glucosinolates. There was no correlation between the total glucosinolate concentration of the species (identity of the glucosinolates unknown) and the oviposition response of the adult cabbage maggot, Hylemya brassicae (Bouché). Tests with chemical fractions isolated from rutabaga root tissue indicated that glucosinolates are the major, and perhaps the only, oviposition-inducing substances present in cruciferous plants. It is suggested that oviposition preferences are governed by the presence of some ’key’ glucosinolates and the absence of inhibitory chemicals.

Several populations of the bagworm, Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis (Haworth), were studied to determine the factors affecting survival of the larvae and pupae. Infestations were on Juniperus virginiana (juniper) and Thuja occidentalis (arborvitae). A normal complement of parasites, hyperparasites, and scavengers was recovered with four new records. The ichneumonid Itoplectis conquisitor (Say) accounted for most of the parasitism (75.9%). Females of this species were more often found in female hosts and males in male hosts. Although predation or larvae vacating bags were not directly observed, empty bags were found in each larval population beginning in mid-July and early August. The proportion of empty bags increased sharply from less than 10% to about 50% during a 3-week period but remained at this level for the rest of the season, suggesting that the bags were emptied during the first 3 weeks they were observed.

Tests of a synthetic insect growth regulator (Altosid SR-10, or Methoprene, Zoecon Corp., Palo Alto, Calif.) have been completed recently at Chalk River Nuclear Laboratories. This paper reports on the effectiveness of this promising material in tests on several species of mosquitoes of this area. The low toxicity to mammals, the relative absence of deleterious effects on non-target aquatic organisms under normal use (Staal 1975), the fact that Altosid is readily biodegradable and is effective at low rates of application would recommend this material for the control of mosquito larvae. Reports in the literature on the use of juvenile hormone-type compounds have dealt mainly with mosquitoes in the southern United States; for example, Schaefer and Wilder (1973) reported on Aedes nigromaculis, A. melanimon, and Culex tarsalis in California. In our tests, we wished to determine its effectiveness on local species and in mosquito breeding pools where temperatures would be lower than in the work mentioned above.

Mites do not have wings, but in their course of evolution many species have developed an association with insects, using them as a vehicle of distribution. Occasionally they cover the host so completely that the insect cannot fly. The literature is replete with these observations. Except for a single speculation (Fronk 1947), there are no reports as to how many mites Dendroctonus frontalis Zimmerman can support and still fly to its intended destination.

The habits, biology, and distribution of Mimopria species are discussed and new data presented; M. campbellorum n. sp. from Brazil (Para) is described and compared with M. ecitophila Holmgren. A key to distinguish the two species is given.

Seasonal occurrence of three important grasshopper species (Melanoplus sanguinipes (Fabr.), M. bivittatus (Say), and Camnula pellucida (Scudder)) is estimated. The predictions are based on the amount of embryonic development occurring in fall after oviposition and the rate of egg and nymphal development in spring. Embryonic development is calculated from heat units accumulated above 50°F (10 °C) from daily maximum and minimum temperatures from 1 August to 30 September. Egg and nymphal development during spring can be monitored by accumulating heat above 50°F (10 °C) using daily maximum and minimum temperatures from 1 April.

The number of heat units required by each life stage is provided for comparison with current heat accumulations. The average date of occurrence from hatch to adults is provided based on 17 years of weather data from seven Saskatchewan weather stations.

Adults and immatures of Ceratozetes kananaskis n. sp. from Alberta, Canada, are described and figured with line drawings and scanning electron micrographs. Specimens of C. kananaskis are similar to those of C. peritus Grandjean, but these two species can easily be separated by the pattern of the dorsal macrosclerites in the immatures.

A new species, Limonius pappi, is decribed from specimens from Mono County, California. The pertinent features are illustrated and supplementary couplets to Van Dyke’s (1932) key are provided. A lectotype is designated for Limonius nitidulus Horn.

Differential survival, growth, and egg production were obtained for the bertha armyworm, Mamestra configurata Wlk., feeding on four natural host plants and one artificial diet. Highest survival, growth, and egg production were obtained among insects reared on the artificial diet. Foliage of potato was the only food which appeared to lack the nutritive qualities essential for adequate survival, growth, and reproduction. Larvae reared on this plant consumed significantly less food, had a poorer survival, accumulated less reserves in the form of tissue growth, developed into smaller pupae, and produced adults that were less fecund than those reared on other foods. Despite these differences, the approximate digestibility (AD), the efficiency of conversion of ingested food to body tissue (ECI), and the efficiency of conversion of digested food to body substance (ECD) obtained for insects feeding on potato, were very similar to values obtained for insects which were reared on other plants. On each diet a linear relationship was obtained between food consumption and growth.

In 1972, limb jarring, tanglefoot trunk barrier, emergence trap, and insecticide spray knockdown methods of sampling for adult pecan weevil, Curculio caryae (Horn), were compared. The latter two methods were most efficient in detecting onset of adult emergence, seasonal fluctuations in emergence, and population differences among sample dates and among trees. In 1973, further comparisons of the latter two methods gave results similar to 1972 results. The required sample size was influenced by population density. The number of pecan trees to be sampled for a 20% standard deviation of the mean was small enough to be practical for grower use for most sample dates in 1973 and at dates near peak emergence in 1972.

The 50 known species of North American Clubiona Latreille, 1804 are rearranged in seven species-groups as follows: trivialis group (1 Holarctic, 4 Nearctic), obesa group (11 Nearctic), reclusa group (2 Holarctic, 3 Nearctic), pallidula group (1 Holarctic), abboti group (25 Nearctic), lutescens group (1 Holarctic, 1 Nearctic), maritima group (1 Nearctic). Clubiona quebecana and C. angulata are described as new species from eastern North America. C. kuratai Roddy, 1966, originally described from the female only, is synonymized under C. chippewa Gertsch, 1941, which was originally described from the male only. C. opeongo Edwards, 1958 and C. bishopi Edwards, 1958 are redescribed, the male of the former and the female of the latter not having been previously described.

The intensive use of sex pheromone traps in an insecticide-free apple orchard from 1972 to 1974 reduced the codling moth population and level of fruit damage. The sex ratio of bait-trapped adults indicated that the male population was being reduced by the pheromone traps. In commercial orchards pheromone trapping of males suppressed codling moth damage to fruit but the amount of damage was above acceptable economic levels.

Philodromus Walckenaer 1826 and its seven component species groups in the Americas are defined and diagnosed. The 12 species of the aureolus group are keyed, diagnosed, and mapped. P. obscurus Blackwail, 1871 is placed in synonymy under P. cespitum (Walckenaer, 1802). P. lutulentus Gertsch, 1934 is raised to species status from synonymy under P. laticeps Keyserling, 1880, and P. eremus Buckle, 1973 is placed in synonymy under P. lutulentus. P. agreutes Schick, 1965 is placed in synonymy under P. californicus Keyserling, 1884, and P. decolor O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1899 under P. satullus Keyserling, 1880. The South American species P. fuliginosus Nicolet in Gay, 1849, P. junior Nicolet in Gay, 1849, and P. meridionalis Keyserling, 1891 are removed to the genus Petrichus, and P. setosus Petrunkevitch, 1929 is removed to the genus Thanatus, where it becomes a junior synonym of T. vulgaris Simon, 1870.

Studies were carried out to investigate the growth response of normal and defoliated spring wheat. Plant growth is expressed by the von Bertalanffy (1957) growth equation modified to allow for declining growth potential with age. Grasshopper damage was assessed by comparison with artificial defoliation and results indicated a simple linear relationship between grasshopper food consumption and defoliation damage. On the basis of this relationship it indicated that grasshoppers feeding on wheat waste 6.2 times as much foliage as they actually consume. Damage to foliage is translated into an effect on grain yield by an allometric relationship between total plant weight and yield. A simulation model indicating the time course of plant biomass provides realistic estimates except in the case of acute defoliation.