This study of the genus Paradejeania Brauer and Bergenstamm was originally undertaken to determine the status to be accorded the western North American representative of this genus. It has been concluded that the single North American species of this genus–rutilioides–is polytypic, so that a new subspecies is proposed for the western North American form. An undescribed species from Colombia has also been available for study, through the kindness of Dr. C. Howard Curran, and is herein described, thus establishing the occurrence of the genus Paradejeania in South America.

In order to expedite the study of the effects of various biologically active chemicals upon the blood cells of insects a rapid clinical type method was needed that would allow preparations to be made with small (1 microliter or less) samples of blood which could be drawn without sacrificing the insect, and could be fixed and stained quickly for examination. A method meeting these requirements for the study of the blood cells of the American and German cockroaches has been developed.

During the latter part of August and early in September, 1950, dolichopodid flies were observed feeding on adults of the European red mite on apple foliage, untreated with acaricides, in the Science Service orchard, Harrow, Ontario.

Specimens were determined by Mr. J. R. Vockeroth, Systematic Entomology, Division of Entomology, Ottawa, as follows: Condylostylus sipho (Say), Laxina nigrofemoratus (Wlk.), and Diaphorus or Chrysotus sp.

Aphids of the genus Cinara found in Canada east of the Rockies are, with few exceptions, large, dark in colour, and compact in form. They live entirely on coniferous hosts and each species is restricted either to a single species of plant, or to plants of the same genus. Their unvarying choice of a host plant makes it possible to separate the species into groups according to the genus of plant on which they occur; this characteristic is used in the following key.

The genus Lasiopleura Becker is peculiar in the family Chloropidae in the unusual development of the chaetotaxy of head and thorax. It is apparently an ancient group, with representatives in all the faunal regions. A number of generic names have been proposed, and a thorough study of the species of the world may show that some of them can be maintained, either as genera or as subgenera, though perhaps on different bases from those on which they were proposed. The group is especially rich in species in Australia and the South Pacific area.

Micro-organisms that seem to be symbiotic are known to occur in many insects (Steinhaus, 1949). Often these micro-organisms are retained for at least a part of their iife in special organs in the insect's body called ‘mycetomes’. Mansour (1935) following a study of a number of beetles cnntaining micro-organisms concluded, in the two closely related species Sitophilus granarius (L) and Sitophilus oryza (L) that while both species have mycetonies only S. oryza had micro-organisms; a conclusion that his received some general acceptance (Steinhaus, 1946; Wigglesworth, 1947). Thus it could be questioned if the micro-organisms in S. oryza were of benefit to it since S. granarius survived apparently without any (Mansour). However, it has been shown that in some beetles (Blewett & Fraenkel, 1944), in the body louse (Aschner, 1935), and in the hug, Rhodnius, (Brecher & Wigglesworth, 1944) the associated micro-organisms are of considerable importance to the insect. It therefore seemed worth while to study further the condition existing in S. oryza and S. granarius; and in the early stages of this work some interesting phenomena have been observed.

The study of honeybee behaviour and activity requires, among other things, some means of positively identifying both individuals and groups of honeybees. Research workers have for years applied quick during paints to the thorax or abdomen of the honeybee for this purpose. However, where large numbers of bees must be marked, the hand application of paints is a rather slow and tedious procedure and at its best allows for the marking of a comparatively small number of insects.