The terminology pertaining to the structure of the male genitalia of the Hymenoptera has been subject to much confusion. Several systems, many purely descriptive in nature, have previously been set forch. Others were based on the various concepts of the ontogeny of the male genitalia, or on the comparative morphology of the adults. The investigation reported here began as an attempt to synthesize the various terminolopies and to evolve a workable set of terms pertaining to the structure of the male genitalia of the megachilid bees. Accordingly, a study was conducted on the myology of the group with the thought that perhaps an understanding of the comparative musculature might be of value in determining the homologies of the insect genitalia. This paper reports the results of a phase of the investigation on the morphology of the male metasoma, the muscular mechanism of the male metasoma and genitalia, and the gross structure of the internal reproductive organs of Megachile (Phaenosarsus) fortis Cresson. A second portion of the study, pertaining to the comparative morphology of the male genitalia and associated sterna of the Mecgachilidae, will be published later.

The corn earworm, Heliothis zea (Boddie), is seldom a pest of economic importance in tomatoes in southern Ontario. However, in 1953 the harvest of tomatoes for processing was prematurely terminated because of the presence of this pest in the ripe fruits. In that year almost all the fields in Kent and Essex counties, involving approximately 12,000 acres, were infested, the infestations being as high as 11 per cent in individual fields. The situation was aggravated because excellent-appearing fruits with no visible larval entry holes often contained earworms. This condition occurred when the newly hatched larvae had burrowed immediately into the fruits and there completed their larval development. The entry holes soon healed, leaving small scars that were almost impossible to detect, particularly on a busy production line.

The present paper is the second of a series arising from a continuing study of the balsam woolly aphid, Adelges piceae (Ratz.), and its biological control. The history of this introduced insect has been described (Balch, 1952). During the course of our studies a number of records of species associated with A. piceae have been obtained.

Professor John Stanley of McGill University recently asked the National Research Council for assistance in specifying the colors of flour beetles (Tribolium). These insem are small (3 or 4 mm. long), rounded, dark, and shiny, and therefore present a somewhat unusual colorimetric problem. It is felt that the solution of this problem may be of some general interest.

The small size of the specimens seemed to preclude physical methods of colorimetry. It was felt that the most likely visual method would be direct comparison with Munsell papers or other standard colored surfaces. The difficulty with this was the very different appearance of the smooth, flat paper and the shiny. rounded beetle.

The description of this species was founded on two specimens, one captured, the other said to be reared from the Liparid Byrdia rossi Curtis. As the types are lost, we depend for re-identification of the species on the description, the coloured picture and the host record.

The Canadian National Collection contains 2 specimens of an Ichneumon species reared from Byrdia rossi Curtis (♀ from Spence Bay, N.W.T., ♂ from Repulse Bay, N.W.T.) and 2 captured specimens evidently belonging to the same species (♀ from Yukon Territory, ♂ from Frobisher Bay, Baffin Isl.). Unfortunately none of the mentioned specimens matches the picture of I. lariae Curt., either in colour pattern or in size.

The balsam-fir seed chalcid, Megastigmus specularis Walley, destroys a high percentage of seeds of balsam fir, Abies balsamea (L.) Mill. The insect was first recorded in Canada in 1928 from New Brunswick and in 1932 was described by Walley (1932). It has been taken in the United States as far west as Minnesota (Peck, 1951). In 1953 the insect was reared from seeds of balsam fir taken at the Forest Nursery Station, Indian Head, Saskatchewan. Further investigations in 1954 showed the insect to be abundant at Indian Head, and also in natural stands of balsam fir in Riding Mountain National Park, Manitoba.

Orchard spiders are important because of their predatory activities and their frequent abundance. They were recngnizcd as a group needing study at the time Pickett et al. (1946) began their long-term investigation of orchard fauna. The identities of the species involved, and their influence on populations of orchard pests, are the main factors to be considered.

This paper presents a list of the species collected in the Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia to date, together with brief comments of a general nature. Spiders have been collected in about 40 orchards since 1954. These orchards were subjected to a variety of cultural and pest control methods by the owners, but most were in sod cultivation, and under modified spray programs as described by Pickett and Patterson (1953). Collecting was done mainly by capping lower branches of trees over an inverted, open umbrella, hut specimens were also taken individually from crevices along tree trunks, and from trays under fumigated trees.

Among the important predators of the European red mite, Metatetranychus ulmi (Koch), in Nova Scotia is a group of predacious mites belonging to the subfamily Phytoseiinae. There is little information in the literature on the biology of the species in this subfamily. Smith and Summers (1949) reported on the bionomics of “Hypoaspis” macropilis (Banks), and Herbert (1952) and Ballard (1953) on the life-history of Typhlodromus fallacis (Garm.).

Pseudaulacaspis pentagona (Targ.) was first observed in Bermuda in 1917. By 1920 infestations severe enough to cause defoliation of oleanders were recorded. Damage by the scale increased despite an intensive spray programme until the establishment of Aphytis diaspidis (How.) from Italy in 1921-24. (Ogilvie, 1928). For several years this Aphelinid kept the scale under satisfactory control, only small sporadic outbreaks occurring from time to time. In recent years however, outbreaks have been severe enough to warrant a detailed investigation(Simmonds, 1955).

Apterous viviparous female

General colour of body brown. In cleared specimens, the following parts are dark brown: head; thorax; cornicles; muscle attachment plates; spiracles; terminal segments of rostrum, including the distal portion of segment II; coxae; femora, except short areas near the bases; short distal portions, and short, indistinct areas at the bases of the tibiae; tarsi; antennal segments I and VI, and the distal half of IV and V. The remaining parts of the body and appendages are light yellowish-brown. The setae are long and numerous, giving the cleared specimens a conspicuously hairy appearance.