Observations of five free foraging colonies of Bombus (Megabombus) ruderatus (Fab.) are reported with respect to brood production and mortality. Emphasis is given to the nutrition of larvae and new adults, and larval ejection. Seasonal trends in the sex, caste, and size of adults are reported. Colony size was relatively large for a temperate Bombus species. Intraspecific variation in colony size was related to the timing of male production.

Sample sizes needed to measure population levels of the birch casebearer, Coleophora fuscedinella Zeller, and its damage to white birch, Betula papyrifera Marsh, were calculated for various degrees of confidence and assurance. Both a non-destructive and a destructive sampling plan are presented and a new method to classify the damage level of a stand. This method uses a maximum likelihood technique to estimate the proportion of trees of various damage classes.

The mortality factors for three species of Pleroneura were identified for the egg, larval, and adult stages. Allophroides n.sp. and Scambus transgressus (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) were observed parasitizing the larval stages and four spiders were found preying on Pleroneura adults. Quantitative assessments of mortality in the egg and larval stages were made and tabulated in the form of a partial life table. Allophroides n. sp. was the dominant mortality factor in the larval stage. Mortality of unknown cause also was a substantial mortality factor.

All four major southern pines can be killed by the southern pine beetle, but loblolly and shortleaf are much more susceptible than longleaf and slash. Oleoresin from more than 50 trees of each species was tested for composition and amount of monoterpenes and resin acids, viscosity, flow (rate, duration, and amount), and rate of crystallization. Discriminant function analyses were used to classify the loblolly and shortleaf trees as to probable resistance. The best classification used physical properties (total flow, flow rate, viscosity, time to crystallization). Supposedly resistant and susceptible trees were subjected to controlled attack, and the chemical and physical properties of four loblolly pines that survived natural attack were measured. Resistance is strongly related to the physical properties of the oleoresin, and can be predicted by these properties. Loblolly and shortleaf trees with “average” properties usually succumb to 100 or more attacks per sq. m of bark surface. Several trees classified as resistant survived a much higher rate of attack.

Larvae of a flower fly, Syrphus corollae Fab., consumed an average of 113.5 cal of pea aphid biomass during 8 days at 20 ± 1°. Sixty-six per cent of consumption occurred on days 6 and 7. Sixty-four per cent of consumed energy was assimilated by the larval body, ca. 55% was converted into larval tissue and 10% was used for body maintenance. When starved, larvae reapportioned some available energy from production to maintenance and developmental time was extended. Each larva destroyed an average of 59 adult aphids which represents conservation of 19.7 cal of pea plant net primary productivity/day.

Mean durations (±S.D.) of zebra caterpillar larvae, Ceramica picta (Harris), stadia 1 to 6 were 3.5 ± 1.0, 2.9 ± 1.6, 3.3 ± 1.2, 3.0 ± 1.4, 3.4 ± 1.3, and 7.2 ± 1.1 days when fed sugarbeet foliage and reared at 27 °C. Mean lengths and weights of caterpillar larvae are presented for each day of development. Mean male pupal weight was 333.5 ± 34.4 mg and mean female pupal weight was 362.9 ± 53.0 mg. Fecundity is correlated with pupal weight. Foliage consumption increases in proportion to larval age, weight, and length. Mean total foliage consumption for instars 1 to 6 was 0.55 ± 0.27, 1.49 ± 0.82, 4.61 ± 2.98, 14.4 ± 8.50, 40.32 ± 14.55, and 210.88 ± 54.52 cm2. A method to estimate economic injury levels for zebra caterpillar on sugarbeet is discussed.

A generic diagnosis of Microthoron Masner is completed, and the male antenna is figured. Data on distribution and variability of M. baeoides Masner are presented. M. miricornis n. sp. ♀ is described from South India. A key to the known species of Microthoron is given. Thoronidea taino n. gen., n. sp. ♀ is described from the Dominican Republic. Thoron longicornis n. sp. ♀ is described from Arizona, and a key to the known species of Thoron Haliday is given.

A significant number of subordinates of the paper wasp Polistes metricus Say are former single foundresses that have had their position usurped by a more dominant foundress. Such a displaced foundress sometimes remains with the usurper as a subordinate. Some usurpers desert larger nests where they were single foundresses to usurp a smaller colony.

In early foundress associations (< 14 days old), queens frequently exhibit behaviors that are characteristic of subordinates in mature hierarchies. Early queens spend large proportions of their nest time inactive, adjacent to the nest. They also commonly retreat from approaching subordinates. In contrast early subordinates rarely retreat from queens and spend a large proportion of their nest time on the face of the nest where they are more active than the queen. These behaviors are reversed in more mature colonies with queens spending more time on the nest face and showing increasing activity and aggressive behavior towards subordinates.

Callibaetis ferrugineus (Walsh) and C. fluctuons (Walsh) nymphs moved from the shallow, peripheral area of a pond during the late summer and autumn to the deeper water where they overwintered. In the spring they returned to the peripheral area where they were found throughout the summer. C. ferrugineus and C. fluctuans are ovoviviparous. A relationship between ovoviviparity and seasonal movements of the nymphs is suggested.

The antler moth, Cerapteryx graminis (L.), first discovered in Newfoundland in 1966, has now successfully established itself over an area of approximately 60 km in the greater St. John’s area and surrounding localities. It has become a pest of limited economic importance in hay and pasture fields, and lawns. Black light traps, operated at Mt. Pearl and Kilbride during 1966–1978, were used to monitor population build-up. Notes on the life history of the antler moth in Newfoundland, with some comparisons with that in Great Britain and Europe, are provided. Natural controls are also discussed.

Pseudencyrtus borealis and Tetrastichus cecidivorus n. spp. are described as parasites of Paradiplosis tumifex Gagné. Both were reared from balsam fir needle galls in late summer and fall.

Four species of Chalcidoidea: Tetrastichus marcovitchi (Cwfd.), Tetrastichus sp., T. whitmani (Grit.), Pseudencyrtus sp., and two species of Proctotrupoidea: Platygaster abicollis MacGown and Osgood and P. mainensis MacGown and Osgood were reared and identified as parasites of the balsam fir needle gallmaker, Paradiplosis tumifex Gagné. T. marcovitchi was the most abundant. No parasites were found on or reared from Dasineura balsamicola (Lintner). The rearing technique is given.

Brooksella n. gen. is described (type-species, Asciodema inconspicua Uhler). Lectotypes are designated for Asciodema inconspicua Uhler and Orthotylus viridicatus Uhler. The following North American species currently in Melanotrichus Reuter are transferred to Brooksella: Asciodema inconspicua Uhler (= M. atricornis Knight, n. syn.), M. chelifer Knight (= M. brevirostris Knight, M. custeri Knight, n. syn.), M. azteci Knight, M. incurvus Knight, M. malvastri Knight, M. nevadensis Knight, M. nicholi Knight, M. shoshonea Knight, Orthotylus althaeae Hussey, O. ferox Van Duzee, O. tibialis Van Duzee, and O. viridicatus Uhler. Male genitalia and tergal process are illustrated for each species and a key to separate them is provided.

The pear rust mite, Epitrimerus pyri (Nal.), overwinters in a semi-active state in old leaf scar crevices and under bud chips of the leaf clusters. It becomes active within the bud in mid-April, as soon as the weather warms, and passes through three generations in the growing season as indicated by distinct peak egg populations observed in May, June, and July. The first generation eggs are laid within the swelling bud. The mites feed on the ventral surface of the leaves causing bronzing and on the calyx end of the fruit resulting in russeting of the epidermal tissue. Deutogynes of the third generation begin to enter hibernation by mid-August. Occasionally population levels reach economic injury level resulting in the downgrading of fruit.

Additional data on bionomics, geographical distribution, and taxonomy of many species are presented. Cercyon inquinatus Wollaston is recorded from North America for the first time. C. gebieni Knisch, 1925 and C. faeceus Balfour-Browne, 1954 are placed in synonymy with C. inquinatus.

Swammerdami beirnei n. sp. (Lepidoptera: Yponomeutidae) is described from Vancouver district, British Columbia, and distinguished from the European species, S. pyrella (De Villers) and the North American species S. heroldella Hübner = syn. S. castaneae Busck, also = syn. S. cuprescens Braun by Duckworth (1965). Some biological aspects of the species are discussed.

Pandemis heparana Den. and Schiff. is common throughout most of Europe and the Middle East to Siberia, China, Korea, and Japan. It feeds on a wide variety of deciduous trees and shrubs. It is regarded as a minor fruit tree pest in some areas as it can damage flowers and fruit.

Three males and four females from a larger number reared from 87 larvae collected in the Lower Fraser Valley, British Columbia, were identified as of this species by Dr. A. Mutuura, Biosystematics Research Institute, Agriculture Canada, Ottawa. It apparently has not been recorded previously from North America.

The woodwasp, Xiphydria canadensis Provancher, is a rare insect restricted to northeastern North America. Provancher (1875) based his original description on a single female collected at St. Hyacinthe, Quebec. In his recent revision, Smith (1976) saw only five females. On 7 August 1977, I collected a specimen of this large and distinctive species on the north side of Hwy. 60, at Mile 12.7, just west of the Park Museum in Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario. This collection constitutes the first record for this species in Ontario.

The potential usefulness of Nosema locustae Canning as a microbial agent for grasshopper control was first demonstrated by Henry (1971) and Henry et al. (1973). These authors found that a 50–60% reduction in grasshopper density (as compared with untreated populations) could be achieved, and they speculated that 35–50% of the survivors would be sufficiently infected so that their fecundity would be reduced. The value of incorporating such an agent into a grasshopper pest-management system is obvious: By suppressing high insect densities to manageable levels, the need for conventional chemical insecticides could be reduced and perhaps even restricted only to “hot spot” areas. The objectives of the study we report here were to: (1) Determine if N. locustae was infective to the predominant species of grasshoppers in Saskatchewan; (2) if so, monitor the development of the disease within the populations; and (3) determine if the pathogen could survive over the winter and infect next year's populations. Because this was a preliminary experiment, we did not attempt to determine any effect the pathogen might have on population reduction.

Several authors have observed that Rhagoletis pomonella (Walsh) is usually less prevalent during hot dry summers than during cool wet summers (Rivard 1968). Neilson (1964) showed that the emergence of R. pomonella, under laboratory conditions, was affected by the relative humidity of the air. When the relative humidity was 20 or 40%, high mortality occurred during metamorphosis and fewer adults emerged.

The object of this study was to measure the influence of soil moisture on success and time of emergence in a laboratory experiment. The information is needed to improve the forecasting system for apple maggot control in apple orchards (Trottier, in press).