Diagnostic characters of Euxoa mimallonis (Grt.) and E. biformata Sm. are discussed. Three species are described as new: condita from Forestville, Que., shasta from northern California, and intermontana from the Great Basin and Colorado Plateau. Adults and genitalia of the species are illustrated and a key to species is included.

This is the first paper on Canadian Cretaceous chalcidoid fossils of the families Mymaridae, Trichogrammatidae, and Tetracampidae, based on 54 specimens representing 12 species from Manitoba and Alberta. Four new subfamilies are proposed, Triadomerinae (Mymaridae), Baeomorphinae, Distylopinae, and Bouceklytinae (Tetracampidae). Descriptions and remarks are given for Archaeromma nearctica n. gen., n. sp.; A. minutissima (Brues) (Mymaromminae); Triadomerus bulbosus n. gen., n. sp.; Carpenteriana tumida n. gen., n. sp.; Protooctonus masneri n. gen., n. sp. (Mymaridae); Enneagmus pristinus n. gen., n. sp. (Trichogrammatidae); Distylopus bisegmentus n. gen., n. sp.; Baeomorpha distincta n. gen., n. sp., B. dubitata Brues (transferred from Scelionidae, Prototrupoidea), B. elongata n. sp., B. ovatata n. sp. and Bouceklytus arcuodens n. gen., n. sp. (Tetracampidae). A list of all previously known fossil Chalcidoidea is provided. A table of primitive and specialized conditions of characters studied is given. The possible lines of phylogeny of families and genera of these fossils are discussed. Keys to the pertinent families and subfamilies and to the fossil species of Baeomorpha are provided. Photomicrographs of species treated are included.

As a result of short photoperiod exposures, the viviparity is replaced by oviparity. This action attains its maximum at 12:10 h and it does not accentuate any further even when the photoperiods are further diminished. There are equal chances of oviparous females and male formation at critical photoperiods. In all cases, however, the oviparous forms are deposited during the first half of the reproductive period. The males invariably appear during the second half. The sequence of sexual descendance is similar both in the laboratory and under field conditions.

Based on our studies with 10 geographic populations of Chrysopa carnea, we recommend that biological control programs involving this predator use "pure" carnea stock originating from eastern and midwestern North America. Of the two strains (races or biotypes) of C. carnea—carnea and mohave—carnea is the superior choice for biological control on commercial crops in both eastern and western North America because (1) its preoviposition period is approximately one-half as long as mohave’s, (2) unlike mohave adults, neither sex of the carnea strain requires prey for successful mating and initiating oviposition, (3) carnea’s oviposition can be enhanced in the field by applying currently available food sprays, and (4) carnea is efficient to mass-rear on a commercial basis.

The “pure” mohave race is restricted to limited areas on the west coast. This race, which can enter a food-mediated summer diapause, is more suitable for biological control on the west coast in non-agricultural situations dominated by native vegetation, where prey occurrence is highly variable during summer.

Most west coast populations in agricultural areas are composed of intermediates between the carnea and mohave races. F1 hybrids produced by crossing individuals from mohave, carnea, and intermediate populations, show predominantly carnea characteristics, and inheritance of the distinguishing biological traits appears to be controlled by polygenes.

A single 7.5-min injection of 0.6 p.p.m. of methoxychlor into the North Saskatchewan River eliminated 100% of instars 3 to 6 inclusive of the larvae of Simulium arcticum Mall, from sites 40 and 80 km downstream, 91% at 121 km, and 66% at 161 km. Ninety-six per cent of the larvae less than 1 mm long were removed from the 161-km site. Plecoptera larvae were similarly affected. Chironomidae, Ephemeroptera, and Trichoptera were least affected.

The treated portion of the river was rapidly repopulated by insect larvae. None of the pretreatment taxa disappeared and in fact many new ones appeared, during the 10 weeks immediately following the treatment. In all four sites examined in the treated portion of the river, population densities of Chironomidae larvae larger than 1 mm long equalled or surpassed the pretreatment densities within 1 to 3 weeks, Ephemeroptera within 1 to 4 weeks, Trichoptera 1 to 7 weeks, Plecoptera 4 to 5 weeks, and Simuliidae in 2 to 10 weeks. Populations of larvae smaller than 1 mm long were generally restored more rapidly. Procedures for an annual abatement programme for S. arcticum in the Saskatchewan River are outlined.

Plecia myersi n. sp. is described from remains found in Canadian Amber, of Upper Cretaceous age, from Cedar Lake, Manitoba. This specimen is the oldest positively identified fossil of the Bibionidae, and demonstrates the family existed in the Mesozoic Era in a form much like modern species.

Carbon dioxide shows some promise as a fumigant for control of stored product insects and some of its properties and uses have been summarized by Monro (1969). Recently, horticulturists have shown that firmness in apples and cherries is retained longer when they are treated with carbon dioxide before storage (S. W. Porritt, Research Station, Agriculture Canada, Summerland, B.C., pers. comm.). Since the gas has favorable properties for use as a fumigant and leaves no residue in food, we examined its potential for killing pests on harvested apples.

Observations were made on the flight patterns, sex ratios, and ovipositional activity of Pissodes strobi in Sitka spruce. There is an aggregation of adults on spruce leaders early in the flight season during which sexual maturation and mating take place. Males are more active early in the flight season, while females are more numerous during the latter half of the flight season.

Pink bollworm moths chemosterilized by fumigation with bis (1-Aziridinyl) phosphinic acid, ethyl ester, and released into field cages failed to suppress native populations. In comparison, moths irradiated with 10 krad of gamma radiation caused highly significant reductions in populations. Flight range and competitiveness tests in the laboratory failed to explain the ineffectiveness of the chemosterilized moths.

Amylopectin added to a sugar-free wheat-germ diet was equal to or better than sucrose as a carbohydrate source, and appears to be readily utilized by the eastern spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana (Clem.)). Larval growth on diets containing dextrins or potato starch shows that they are partly utilized. Starches from other sources, including those isolated from mature balsam fir (Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.) or white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) needles, are not utilized to any extent, on the basis of larval growth on diets to which they have been added.

Sixth-instar budworm reared on artificial diets contain amylase(s) in midgut and salivary gland homogenates, which show a low rate of digestion of starches from host foliage. However, the presence of appreciable starch in frass from foliage-fed insects and the apparent low utilizability of foliar starch indicate that the latter is not an important nutrient for the budworm under natural conditions.

The San Jose scale, Quadraspidiotus perniciosus (Comstock), was killed on harvested apples by fumigation with 32 g/m3 of methyl bromide for 2 hours followed by standard cold storage for about a month. Fumigation, without storage, did not kill all the scale.

A revision is presented of the species of Graphomya Robineau-Desvoidy found in North America. Nine species are recognized of which two, G. americana R.-D. and G. idessa Walker, are resurrected from synonymy under G. maculata (Scopoli), and the others, G. occidentalis, G. interior, G. columbiana, G. minuta, G. ungava, G. alaskensis, and G. transitionis, are described as new.

A review of the taxonomic position and biological information of the genus Graphomya is presented. Keys are provided for both males and females of the species from North America. Each species is described and biological information, when known, is presented. Distribution for each species is presented by locality records and a distribution map. A generic diagnosis for Graphomya from North America is also given.

The feeding rate of Phormia regina is constant over the whole feeding period, contra-pressure of the crop contents having no effect. The mechanism by which contra-pressure effects are negated involves the function of two previously undescribed structures in the crop and crop duct. These structures, described in the text, act as valves and a pump. An alternative mechanism, by which contra-pressure effects could be negated in insects lacking these structures, is discussed. The physical effects of variation in the feeding position of the labellum, in response to changes in the physical nature of the substrate, are discussed in relation to the feeding rate. The feeding rate is shown to be higher on semi-liquid substrates.

Second-instar nymphs of Leptoglossus corculus (Say) confined to shortleaf pine conelets for only 4 days caused 100% conelet abortion. The bugs fed almost exlusively on the cytoplasm of cells of the nucellar tissue. Feeding in May produced an abscission zone in only a few days and resulted in conelet abscission in less than 2 weeks. Similar ovule destruction, followed by conelet abortion, occurred in late summer after being fed upon by the same instar, but conelet abscission was prevented because of a greater proportion of tracheary elements in the conelet stalks.

In outdoor cage studies undertaken in the late summer of 1973, a method of estimating the absolute density of a stable fly (Stomoxys calcitrans (L.)) population was developed by correlating the average number of insects feeding or resting on a calf to the total number in the cage. Under the same cage conditions, where emigration, immigration, and to some extent, predation have been excluded, the daily mortality rate of normal stable flies marked with a fluorescent dye ranged from 25.3% to 27.3% dependent upon the sampling technique. Marker dyes have a deleterious effect on survival but surprisingly gamma irradiated flies succumbed at a lower rate than normal individuals.

A brief history of the importance attributed to red wood ants in Europe and the outstanding qualities of three species, Formica lugubris Zett., F. polyctena (Foerst.), and F. aquilonia Yarr., are presented. The reasons for choosing F. lugubris as a suitable species for introduction to Canada are given. The collecting in Italy, shipping by air to Canada, and eventual release in Quebec is discussed. In conclusion it is stated that the establishment and acclimatization of this species in Quebec was successful, and that increased reproduction and spread is anticipated.

Apollophanes O. Pickard-Cambridge 1898 (= Pelloctanes Schick 1965, syn. n.) includes 10 species, namely, A. punctipes (O. Pickard-Cambridge) 1891 [= A. distinctus (O. Pickard-Cambridge) 1899, syn. n. = A. maculatipes (O. Pickard-Cambridge) 1893, syn. n. = A. arizonensis Gertsch 1933, syn. n. = A. mexicanus Gertsch 1933, syn. n. = A. similalis Gertsch 1933, syn. n.], A. texanus Banks 1904 [= A. francesca Lowrie and Gertsch 1955, syn. n.], A. longipes (O. Pickard-Cambridge) 1896, comb, n., A. margareta Lowrie and Gertsch 1955, A. caribaeus sp. n., A. punctatus (Bryant) 1948, comb, n., A. indistinctus Gertsch 1933, A crispus sp. n., A. erectus sp. n., and A. aztecanus sp. n. A. bryanti Gertsch 1933 and A. paraguensis Gertsch 1933 from South America are placed in the genus Cleocnemis Simon. Definitions, diagnoses, illustrations, range maps, and a key to species are provided.

The life history of the European earwig at Vancouver, B.C., is described and divided into two periods: the nesting phase and the free-foraging phase. Seasonal changes in population characteristics are documented and compared in sparsely and densely vegetated habitats. The developmental rates, population sizes, and sex ratios, but not the body weights, differ between the two habitats. Suggested reasons for these differences are advanced.

Megapamera n. gen. of the tribe Myodochini, and ashlocki n. sp. from Solomon Islands, and tenua n. sp. from New Guinea are described.