Orgilus obscurator (Nees) (Braconidae) and Temelucha interruptor (Grav.) (Ichneumonidae), parasites of the European pine shoot moth, Rhyacionia buoliana (Schiff.), were imported from Europe and released in Waterloo County Reforestation Area, near Elmira, Ontario, from 1955 to 1959.

O. obscurator is the only braconid of known economic importance as a parasite of the shoot moth in Europe (Thorpe, 1930). Recent importations showed that it is also the most abundant parasite of this host throughout Europe. The species was first imported from England in 1928, but was present in Canada earlier (Watson and Arthur, 1959) which suggests an earlier accidental introduction with the host. A total of 8,878 adults were released in Ontario in 1928 to 1949 (Coppel and Arthur, 1954) and 7,912 in 1955 to 1959.

Infestations of Rhyacionia adana Heinrich have almost certainly been common in young pine plantations throughout southern Ontario for a number of years, but, because resultant tree damage has been confused with that of the European pine shoot moth, R. buoliana (Schiff.), the species itself has been overlooked.

Although R. adana was described in 1923 (Heinrich, 1923), the seasonal history has never been worked out, and even the host plants were not recorded until 1959 (Martin, 1959). In 1957, a study program was begun to learn the life history and habits of the species in Ontario, the results of which are presented here.

Carvalho and Southwood (1955) made a world revision of the Cyrtorhinus-Mecomma complex, and listed 11 species and three subspecies of Mecomma. Those reported from North America are: ambulans (Fall.), gilvipes (Stål), luctuosa (Prov.), luctuosa pacifica Carv. and South., antennata Van D., and mimetica Carv. and South.

In the present paper, Mecomma bradora, n.sp., is described from Quebec, and the distinguishing external and genitalic characters are given. Additional notes on the habits, morphology, and distribution of Mecomma mimetica are given, and the status of Mecomma dispar (Boheman) in North America is discussed.

The purposes of this paper are: (1) to validate a considerable number of lectotype selections made in the course of a revisional study of the Scopariinae, and (2) to give, for the convenience of students, a list of Meyrick holotypes and lectotypes in the collection of the British Museum (Natural History), which now contains the types of all but five of the large number of species described by Meyrick in this group. The Hawaiian species have been omitted as volume 8 of Zimmerman's Insects of Hawaii gives full particulars of the type material of Hawaiian Scopariinae, including Zimmerman's lectotype selections.

In a preliminary report (Robinson, 1959) it was shown that the plant growth regulator maleic hydrazide (MH) caused both nymphal mortality and reduced fecundity to the pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris), caged on treated broad bean, Vicia faba L. It was also stated that 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4,5-T), and 2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid (MCPA), applied by root absorption to broad bean had no effect on adult or nymphal mortality, or fecundity of adult A. pisum, at the rates used.

The genus Allothrombium Berlese, 1903, is an heterogeneous assemblage of about 45 species of mites, of which 13 species have been described from both the Palaearctic and Ethiopian realms, nine from the Australian and three from the Oriental. Five species are Neotropical, while to date only two species have been reported from the Nearctic. A. brevitarsum (Berlese), 1888, A. sericoideum Berlese, 1910, A. crassicomum Berlese, 1910, and A. succinctum Berlese, 1917, are listed by Thor and Willmann (1941) from South America; A. metae Boshell and Kerr, 1942 was described from Colombia and subsequently recorded from Panama (Michener, 1946). Ewing (1909, 1917) described two species from the United States: A. missouriense (Ewing), 1909, from Missouri and A. pulvinum Ewing, 1917, from Illinois. The characters of the mite described below are distinct from those of the Palaearctic species. Its affinities appear to be to the Neotropical and Nearctic forms but it differs from them in the following particulars: from A. sericoideum, A. crassicomum, A. succinctum and A. metae in having shorter body setae clothed with longer pectinations; from A. brevitarsum in having a wider crista metopica and more slender pedipalps; from A. missouriense in having a body over three times greater in length and width. A. pulvinum is similar to the species herein described in some respects but as the original description does not mention characters such as crista metopica or tarsus length it is imposible to be certain of this. Furthermore, no quantitative measurements are given save overall length (3.30 mm.) and width (2.50 mm.). These measurements fall within the ranges observed for the species described below but should not be used as absolute criteria because of pronounced intraspecific variability produced by the integumental flexibility. Howard (1918) figures the pedipalps, chelicerae and body setae of A. pulvinum; the former appendages appear much more slender and elongate, while the body setae possess shorter pectinations. Considering as well the facts of geographic distribution and habitat, I am inclined to consider the two as distinct species.

The sawfly Neodiprion swainei Midd. has long been recognized as a serious defoliator of jack pine, Pinus banksiana Lamb., but it was not until the relatively recent use of jack pine as a raw material for pulp that interest in the sawfly became acute. Subsequently, investigations into the natural control of N. swainei were begun in the year 1955 near the headwaters of the Gatineau River, P.Q. (47° 55′ N., 75° 25′ W.) which was considered to be near the centre of the current infestation.

In a recent paper (1959), I described two new species of Cyrtinus and gave a key to the New World species of the tribe Cyrtinini. Two additional new species have been discovered, one from Jamaica and one from the Big Bend region of Texas. The Jamaican species is most closely related to Cyrtinus sandersoni Howden, while the Texas species appears to be near Cyrtinus pygmaeus (Haldeman).

A distinctive new species of Austromenopon from two species of shearwaters, Puffinus kuhlii (Scopoli) and Puffinus leucomelas (Temminick), is described herein. The new species is based on specimens collected from museum study skins and also from material lent to me by Dr. Theresa Clay, British Museum (Natural History) and the U.S. National Museum. I am indebted to Dr. Clay for the opportunity to examine material from the Meinertzhagen collection and to Dr. K. C. Emerson for reviewing this manuscript.

Richards (1955) detected insects in flight while studying changes in the amount of radiant energy from the sun. His report stimulated our consideration of a method specificallv intended to record insect flight activity. We wished, by means of a prtabic and relativelv simple apparatus, to detect and count insects flying throush a given space. The method developed differs somewhat in principle from that of Richards. In his apparatus the effect of an insect was to decrease slightly a large amount of energy continually falling on a photoelectric cell. Our method utilizes light reflected from an insect to a photoelectric cell which otherwise views a black background.

Ourbreaks of the jack-pine sawfly, Neodiprion pratti banksianae Rohwer, occur in northern Ontario at irregular intervals. Two independent outbreaks within 50 miles of each other – one on Great Cloche Island (McGugan et al., 1952) which lies in the North Channel of Lake Huron between Manitoulin Island and the mainland, and the other near Nairn Centre, approximately 30 miles west of Sudbury, Ontario – offered an opportunity to study the parasitism of this important defoliator. In 1954, when the study was started, heavy defoliation had been reported for several years in the Great Cloche outbreak, and light defoliation had occurred for one year in the Nairn Centre outbreak. Populations decreased in the Great Cloche area but remained relatively constant at a low level in the Nairn Centre area during 1955 and 1956, when the work was completed.

It has been demonstrated that changes in the composition of a plant influence the insects that feed upon the plant (Lipke and Fraenkel, 1956). The quantitative composition of plants can be changed by the use of fertilizers (Mulder, 1950; Rennie, 1956), and populations of insects feeding on the plants may increase or decrease (Daniels, 1957; Adkisson, 1958; Joyce, 1958). These changes in numbers of insects have been attributed to such factors as changes in nitrogen, protein, and carbohydrate content (Evans, 1938; Fritzsche et al., 1957) or various mineral constituents (Creighton, 1938).

This is the first of a danned series of pauers on the taxonomy of the cocoons and puparia, cast larval skins, and other remains of parasitic Hymenoptera and Diptera that are found in or near the remains of parasitized hosts after the parasites have emerged. The study is based. at least initially, on the host species so that the keys and descriptions may be of use to those who work on the host species as such and who wish to name parasite remains they encounter. The parasites of Diprionidae will be dealt with first, because of the economic significance of these sawflies. The present paper deals with the known Canadian parasites of the European pine sawfly, Neodiprion sertifer (Geoff.), and includes descriptions of the structures that are of taxonomic significance and of the methods used in their study; these descriptions will be in general applicable to the species to be discussed in subsequent papers.

The diamondback moth, Plutella maculipennis (Curt.), is a sporadic pest of cruciferous crops throughout Canada. It is normally held in check by a multiplicity of environmental factors, chiefly biotic; however, serious outbreaks do occur (MacNay, 1948, 1953, 1957, 1959). In eastern Ontario it has been extremely numerous since late 1951, and during the present study, 1952 – 1956, it was more abundant than the imported cabbageworm, Pieris rapae (L.), or the cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni (Hbn.) . Two earlier papers (Harcourt, 1956, 1957) presented the history, distribution, and synonymy of the insect, giving general descriptions of the stages and many aspects of its biology in eastern Ontario. This article gives the relative abundance of its parasites and predators, and discusses certain population relationships.

Large numbers of each of the stages of the cabbage maggot, Hylemya brassicae (Bouché), are often required for studies on biology or on biological or chemical control of the insect. A method has been reported by Sherwood and Pond (1954) for maintaining a colony for more than a year. The method described herein enables mass rearing of eggs, larvae and pupae and easy separation of any stage.

Immature and adult black flies are often victims of various predatory or parasitic organisms. Observations on certain of these organisms were made in Utah over a period of several years, and are presented below to stimulate further interest in the natural enemies of the Simuliidae.

Most conventional field cages are bulky and difficult to handle, even when they can be partially disassembled. Consequently, a cage that has little weight and is easily collapsed and rolled into a small bundle would be advantageous. This paper describes such a cage that weighs only three pounds and is easily rolled into a bundle about four inches in diameter.

The larch sawfly is a common defoliator of trees of the genus Larix throughout the Holarctic Region. In North America it has been reported from every province of Canada but in the United States it is confined to the northeastern States, the Lake States, and north-western Montana (Drooz, 1956). The northern limits of distribution have not been determined, but extend as far as 61° N. lat. north of Saskatchewan.

During current studies of Cerambycidae at Laniel, Quebec, new information on the immature forms and biology of the common woodborer, Xylotrechus colonus (Fab.) was obtained. This species belongs to the tribe Clytini of the subfamily Cerambycinae, and was first described by Fabricius in 1775 as Callidium colonus. Packard (1890) described and figured the larva, pupa, and adult in a general way; the mature larva was described in detail by Craighead (1923). Synonomy and adult description were given by Hopping (1932).

This paper presents the results of quantitative studies designed to determine, under field conditions, the influence of weather on the activity and development of adults and larvae of the white pine weevil, Pissodes strobi (Peck). The investigation forms part of a general program to determine the physical and biological requirements of the insect, with the ultimate objective of assessing the role of the environmental complex in limiting weevil development and survival to particular stand conditions. The problem arose when it became apparent that this information was pertinent to studies designed to determine the effectiveness of applied silviculture in the control of the insect. In addition, it provided the opportunity of assessing the effectiveness of applying quantitative bioclimatic methods in the field.