Postembryonic changes in external morphological structures of Choristoneura houstonana (Grote) from first to last instars are described. A setal map for first and structures for first and last instars are described and illustrated. Possible generic characters are suggested.

When Rhyacionia buoliana larvae were confined with adults of the parasite Hyssopus thymus in gelatin capsules, the larvae regurgitated on the parasites and/or chewed out of the capsules. Instructions for constructing and using an electrical device for cauterizing the mouthparts of the larvae and a suction accessory for holding them are given.

Paracleruchus pieloui n. gen., n. sp. (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea: Mymaridae) reared from birch fungus, Polyporus betulinus (Bull.) Fr., is described and illustrated.

The maxillae and prementa of Trissocladius grandis (Kieff.), Chironomus anthracinus Zett. and a tanytarsine species near Lauterbornia are figured and the fine details of their external morphology are discussed. The results of a review of larvae in other genera in the Chironominae and Orthocladiinae are briefly stated to illustrate the value of these morphological characters in comparisons among higher taxa within the Chironomidae.

The following new taxa are described: Aurorobotys n. gen., type-species Ebulea aurorina Butler, Japan; A. crassispinalis n. sp., Chekiang Province, China; Tenerobotys n. gen., type-species Hapalia teneralis Caradja; T. t. tsinlingalis n. subsp., Shensi Province, China; T. subfumalis subfumalis n. sp. and subsp., Taiwan; T. s. continentalis n. subsp., Hunan Province, China; Carminibotys n. gen., type-species Pyrausta carminalis Caradja; C. c. iwawakisana n. subsp., Honshu, Japan.

Seven aphid species, Longistigma chantali from Fagus grandifolia, Diphyllaphis microtrema from Quercus rubra, Hoplochaitophorus heterotrichus from Quercus prinus, Calaphis leonardi from Betula populifolia, Calaphis neobetulella from Betula nigra, Monellia hispida from Carya glabra, and Iziphya mackaueri from Carex sp., are described as new. Neosymydobius quercihabitus Miller and Calaphis betulaecolens (Fitch) are redescribed.

Two hymenopterous parasites Bathyplectes curculionis (Thomson) and Tetrastichus incertus (Ratzeburg) parasitized 16.5% of their principal host the alfalfa weevil Hypera postica (Gyllenhal) in 1970. A total of 2703 parasites was reared and released in localities where their activity was reported low or non-existent prior to this study. Maximum parasitism by T. incertus and B. curculionis occurred later than periods of peak weevil larvae activity; however, T. incertus emerged earlier in several areas possibly as a natural adjustment of its life cycle, and B. curculionis persisted in multiple non-diapausing generations until late fall. The braconid parasite Microtonus aethiops (Nees) shows promise in becoming a very effective control agent through its ability to prevent weevil oviposition now that it is rapidly dispersing throughout New York. Having parasites established statewide through both releases and natural dispersal has lowered weevil populations below critical levels, and will increase parasite effectiveness in dealing with future alfalfa weevil generations.

Overwintering eggs of the fruittree leafroller, Archips argyrospilus (Walker), began to hatch 13 April 1970, and larval emergence was completed by 8 May. Individual egg masses hatched in an average of 4.3 days, but the total time for larval emergence in all egg masses spanned a 25-day period. No egg parasites were observed. Winter mortality of egg masses was only 2%.A pink bud spray of diazinon gave good control of the fruittree leafroller and did not affect biological control of spider mites. Chlorphenamidine showed promise, but trees sprayed with this material developed a high population of the McDaniel spider mite, Tetranychus mcdanieli McGregor, during the summer. Phosalone and tetrachlorvinphos reduced the incidence of fruittree leafroller damage below that of the nonsprayed check but did not provide satisfactory control.

The roles of adult activity patterns and sex pheromones were investigated in the sexual isolation of Choristoneura fumiferana and C. pinus, species which hybridize in cages but not in the field. Female C. fumiferana started calling (extruding the sex pheromone gland) earlier (50% of the females started calling by sunset) than female C. pinus (50% by 11/2 hours after sunset). Male C. fumiferana were also attracted to traps by the females earlier, although the times of the peak catches were approximately the same in both species. Males, both in the laboratory and the field, responded only to the sex pheromone of their own species. It is therefore concluded that while C. pinus adults normally appear about 2 weeks later than those of C. fumiferana, which reduces the possibility of hybridization, when the adults do overlap, the ultimate barrier is the specificity of the sex pheromones.

Some morphological terms and characters of Chironomidae are discussed. The proposed terminology of the head chaetotaxy is more in accordance with that of other Diptera. The term flagellomere is preferred instead of flagellar segment. The morphology and terminology of tentorium, cibarial pump, maxillary palp, ocelli, and thorax including humeral pit are given special attention. Suggested terminology for the male hypopygium is as follows: gonocoxite and gonostylus for the major genital claspers, volsellae (consisting of claspette and endomere) for the appendices, phallapodeme, sternapodeme, and coxapodeme for the endoskeleton and aedeagal lobe for the "Dritte Spange". The term seta is preferred to such terms as hair, bristle, etc. It is suggested that in the larvae the name premandible be retained for the moment. There seems to be strong evidence for applying the term mentum instead of "hypostomial plate", "hypochilum", or "labial plate". The mentum seems to consist of two plates for which the terms ventromentum and dorsomentum are proposed. The "paralabial plates" are parts of the ventromentum and can be termed ventromental plates. A more correct name for the "glossa" seems to be ligula.

A statewide survey was made in Florida to determine the resistance of house flies, Musca domestica L., from 25 different locations throughout the state to trichlorfon and dichlorvos in dry sugar baits. When compared with susceptible flies (Orlando regular strain), the resistance to trichlorfon ranged from 2.5- to 135.0-fold in flies from dairies and from 5.0- to 310.0-fold in flies from poultries. The resistance level to dichlorvos was 1.0- to 22.5-fold in those fly strains collected in dairies and 2.3- to 16.6-fold in those collected in poultry houses.

DDT, carbaryl, Dursban® (0,0-diethyl 0-3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridyl phosphorothioate), and AC-47031 (cyclic ethylene (diethoxyphosphinyl) dithioimidocarbonate) were applied at different rates on rye and/or soil for control of the dark-sided cutworm, Euxoa messoria (Harris), attacking flue-cured tobacco in Ontario. All insecticides tested caused significant reductions in cutworm damage in comparison with the untreated check. Dursban at 1/2 lb/ac on rye, or 1 lb/ac incorporated in the soil tended to give better control than DDT at 4 lb/ac on soil and showed a significant difference from split applications of DDT at 11/4 lb/ac on rye and 4 lb/ac on soil in the large scale test. Carbaryl and AC-47031 showed less effect than DDT. There was no advantage in the split application of DDT or Dursban on rye and on soil since each treatment singly could provide effective control of this pest. Rye treatment is more economic than soil treatment and could apparently provide adequate control. Dursban showed promise as a substitute for DDT for control of the dark-sided cutworm in tobacco fields.

A method is described for sampling aquatic insects using black light. Trap design, description of its placement, and conversion to a fumigator is explained. Total numbers of emerging insects captured by aquatic light trap are given and compared with catches in surface and bottom cone traps. Overall effectiveness of the black light trap is discussed.

Laspeyresia cupressana (Kearfott) (Lepidoptera: Olethreutidae) bores in the scale tissue of cones, the healthy phloem tissue of branch nodes and trunks, and damaged sites on plants of certain Cupressaceae and Taxodiaceae. The moth primarily attacks Cupressus macrocarpa Hartw. in coastal California where it passes through two generations annually, one in spring–summer and the other in fall–winter. Several parasites and predators were regularly found associated with Laspeyresia in the cones. Branch and trunk feeding occasionally is severe, but was never observed to cause dieback or tree death. The moth was frequently observed infesting sites on plants damaged by the fungus Coryneum cardinale Wagener.

In Rhodnius, a volatile substance produced by mating pairs is attractive to male insects. The pheromone acts also as a sexual stimulant; males respond in the absence of females by attempting copulation with other males. Air swept over mating pairs and conducted to a cage at a considerable distance proved to be highly attractive to males. Proximity of the sexes, without opportunity for actual contact, does not stimulate production of the pheromone. Since males and females will copulate only after a blood meal, feeding is a prerequisite to pheromone production. Also, unfed males will not respond to the attractant. Males of this nocturnal species were stimulated only in complete darkness.

Two methods of analyses, Morris’ key-factor analysis and Varley and Gradwell’s method of analysis, purport to detect density-dependent and density-independent mortality. To test their claims, both methods were used to analyze a life table constructed from a model in which the mode of action of each mortality factor is known. The results show that Morris’ method can detect variation in mortality between generations but it cannot distinguish the density relationships of that mortality. On the other hand, Varley and Gradwell’s method of analysis was found to detect the density relationships of the mortality as it was modeled, when their modified method, the ’proof of density dependence test,’ is used in conjunction with the linear regression of k-value against the density on which it acts.

When a host-regulative ectoparasite and a host-regulative endoparasite compete for the same host population (multiple parasitism) the former largely replaces the latter when the host’s density is high, the ectoparasite then being relatively numerous and the endoparasite scarce. However, after the ectoparasite has reduced the host population to a low density the converse is true, the endoparasite being more numerous. This difference is an effect of the endoparasite being able to operate at lower host densities; an essential adaptation if it is to survive competition with a host-regulative ectoparasitic population. The above conclusions are based (1) on the statistical analyses of numerous population samples of ectoparasitic and endoparasitic species of the family Aphelinidae (Chalcidoidea: Hymenoptera) imported into California while inhabiting host coccids (Diaspididae: Homoptera); (2) on field observations by the writer and the reports of others on the numerical status of such hosts and their specific parasites in gardens and orchards in various countries, those in which the species are indigenous as well as in those where they are exotic; (3) on the principles of multiple parasitism as elucidated by Harry S. Smith; and (4) on multiple parasitism by an ectoparasite and a host-specific endoparasite being characterized by the ectoparasite always destroying the endoparasite when both are attacking the same host individual and the endoparasite replacing the ectoparasite when populations of both are subsisting on a low density host population.

Dissection of 400 diapausing eonymphs of Neodiprion lecontei (Fitch) yielded 149 live planidia larvae of Perilampus hyalinus Say. Of these 87% were embedded in the brain and in the ganglia of the ventral cord, and the remainder in various other internal organs, including the malpighian tubes and silk glands. Numerous encapsulated planidia were found in the haemocoel. To avoid encapsulation in this host, planidia of P. hyalinus must enter an internal organ. Resumption of development of N. lecontei stimulates the emergence of surviving planidia, which commence feeding as ectoparasites. During the second instar, feeding is suspended while the parasite larvae search the body of the host for competitors and destroy them.

Some of the eonymphs examined contained larvae of the tachinid Spathimeigenia sp. in addition to planidia. None of these planidia survived, nor did they become hyperparasitic.

A sequential egg-band sampling system for predicting defoliation of aspen by the forest tent caterpillar (Malacosoma disstria Hbn.) is described and its accuracy assessed. A probability method of predicting defoliation from the stage of the outbreak in each local area is also established. A third method, which promises to be the most accurate and consistent, is proposed. In this last system, egg-mass density is established and related to defoliation levels which are adjusted depending upon age of outbreak.