Mean daily progeny production by Trichogramma minutum (“Maine strain”) was 15.2 in Choristoneura fumiferana and 10.9 in Sitotroga cerealella eggs. Total progeny production was higher in S. cerealella, but not significantly different from that of C. fumiferana eggs. Significantly more eggs were deposited by T. minutum the first day than in subsequent days regardless of host. We found no significant relationship between progeny produced by females and the day of male death as previously reported. Ratio of females:males decreased significantly with increasing age and opposition activity of the mother. The oviposition period spanned 68% of the female's life span when S. cerealella eggs were available; whereas females spent significantly less time (60%) ovipositing in C. fumiferana eggs.

Eight species of Epidamaeus of arctic western North America and extreme northeast, U.S.S.R. are discussed. Two new species, Epidamaeus hammerae and E. tritylos, are proposed and E. arcticolus, E. kodiakensis, E. mackenziensis, E. bakeri, E. coxalis and E. fortispinosus, previously described by Hammer, are redescribed.

Megagrapha Melander and the four other New World genera named below are defined as a natural group which belong to the tribe Drapetini of the subfamily Tachydrominae. Both the genus group and the component genera are described and keys to genera and species are presented. One new genus, Chaetodromia Chillcott from Mexico is described, with two new species. One new species is described in Megagrapha, five in Austrodromia Collin, four in Allodromia Smith, and 17 in Micrempis Melander. Micrempis testacea Melander is transferred to Allodromia, and Allodromia curviradius Smith is transferred to Micrempis. Megagrapha exquisita (Malloch) is resurrected from synonymy as a valid species. Lectotypes are designated for Micrempis minuta (Melander), M. nana Melander, and M. varipes Melander.

Trichadenotecnum alexanderae Sommerman is shown to represent one biparental (= euphrasic) species capable of facultative parthenogenesis (thelytoky) and three uniparental (= obligatorily parthenogenetic) sibling species, as determined by tests for mating, life history observations, and morphological analysis of specimens over the geographic range of the species complex. The name T. alexanderae is restricted to the biparental species because the holotype is a male. The three uniparental species are here named and described as T. castum n. sp., T. merum n. sp., and T. innuptum n. sp. The female of T. alexanderae is redescribed to allow its separation from the three uniparental species. A key to females of the species complex is supplied. All three uniparental species were derived from the biparental ancestor of T. alexanderae. Most collections of populations represented only by females consist of one or more uniparental species. Facultative parthenogenesis is shown to maintain a population of T. alexanderae through one generation only. The biparental species is found not to be restricted geographically to a relictual or peripheral range within the species complex, but to occupy a rather wide, north-temperate distribution across eastern North America.

Diplopods of the genus Polyxenus are reported for the first time from Japan, and are described as new species.

A very simple model of normalized growth rates of temperate pasture legumes and grasses in response to temperature and moisture developed by Fitzpatrick and Nix for Australia was modified and used to examine the favorability of weather for the build-up of eight species of aphids in southeastern Australia. The work takes a physiological approach to describing the condition favorable for aphid population development.

The utility of the ‘random predator equation’ of Royama (1971) and Rogers (1972) as a summary of the functional response relationship between predatory feeding behavior and prey density is questioned on the grounds that statistical assumptions in the regression analysis are not met by the linearized form of the equation. The absence of an alternative linearization that does not violate these assumptions necessitates the use of Holling's (1959) disc equation for the description of experimentally derived functional response relationships, when the comparison of parameters of different populations of predator or prey is a more important objective than a precise estimation.

The statistical validity of the traditional linearization of the disc equation is questioned. An alternative transformation is proposed, which removes the statistical problems associated with the former transformation, and which permits a higher degree of explanation of variance in the independent variable by the regression.

A process-oriented model was developed to describe the oviposition of the spruce budworm, Choristoneura fumiferana (Clem.), on an individual and a population basis. The model simulates the effects of temperature on female longevity, oogenesis, and oviposition. The model is structured for ease of incorporation of additional processes such as emigration, immigration, mating, and other behavioral reductions in oviposition activity. Simulation results, at both the individual and the population levels, are compared with laboratory and field data. This model is an element of a model of spruce budworm biology currently under development but, by itself, can be used to study the effects of temperature and dispersal on the fecundity of spruce budworm populations.

Water added to stored wheat in the Prairie Provinces of western Canada promotes heating in the autumn and early winter. A rapid increase in a population of C. ferrugineus (Stephens) where the wheat was wet occurred after heating began and was, therefore, a consequence of the heating and not a cause.

Larvae, and male and female adults, of Acalyptonotus neoviolaceus n. sp., and male and female adults of A. pacificus n. sp., are described from western North America. A revised diagnosis of Acalyptonotus is proposed based upon larvae and adults, and the phylogenetic relationships and taxonomic status of Acalyptonotidae are discussed.

The predominant predator of the pear psylla, Psylla pyricola Foerster, in a pear orchard on the Niagara Peninsula, Ontario was the anthocorid, Anthocoris nemoralis (F.). Applications of permethrin (62.5 g a.i./ha) reduced numbers of the predator when applied at petal fall. Azinphosmethyl (336.4 g a.i./ha) applied at petal and at 1st cover did not affect A. nemoralis. Both insecticides reduced the numbers of the predatory mite, Balaustium putmani Smiley. Species of Hemiptera other than A. nemoralis, especially Miridae and Reduviidae, were reduced by permethrin applied at petal fall and by azinphosmethyl applied at 1st cover.

Methamidophos proved more suitable than methomyl for incorporation in an integrated pest management program for celery. Methomyl applications resulted in increased leaf mining and greater emergence of Liriomyza species leafminers. Methomyl use also increased adult parasite mortality, and significantly reduced the rate of parasitism by approximately 50% as compared to methamidophos or control treatments. Species composition of parasites was influenced by pesticide treatments; the Diglyphus species, Chrysocharis species and Halticoptera circulus (Walk.) demonstrated tolerance, but Chrysonotomyia punctiventris (Crawford) was intolerant.

Observed and expected frequencies with which fir engraver (Scolytus ventralis) attacks contacted resin blisters or canals in the cortex of white fir (Abies concolor) stems were compared. Cortical regions of the stems were sampled by single bolts sawn from each of 24 firs which had been attacked after felling. Expected frequencies were based on mean proportions of bole surface occupied by the resin structures at attack sites on the bolt. Frequencies were compared on a per-bolt basis and results were combined for χ2 tests. Blister contact (6.5% of attacks sampled) was less than expected (14.0%). Canal contact (17.4%) exceeded the expected (8.2%). Contact frequencies varied directly with percentages of bole surface occupied by the resin structures, and the latter varied significantly among sample bolts. Among-bolt variations in the resin structures were not related to diameters, radial growth rates, or ages of the sections of stem included in the bolts, except that bolts with greater diameters and radial growth rates tended to have lower percentages of bole surface occupied by canals. Almost all beetle attacks that contacted the resin structures failed to produce larval galleries. Results indicate that unless firs are more heavily blistered or canalled than those sampled, the cortical resin system alone is apparently inadequate to protect the trees against the beetles.

A perforated 4.6 m square sticky plastic sheet placed under the canopy of a tree heavily populated with European chafers, Rhizotrogus majalis (Razoumowsky), consistently captured more beetles than a 15-w blacklight survey trap. The same size sheet, operating with a bird shield under a sparsely populated tree that represented conditions encountered during survey operations, demonstrated detection capability equal to that of the light trap. Bird shields prevented trapping of birds. Lawn injury beneath the sheeting due to heat build-up was not serious. Results suggest that a sticky sheet is an alternative, less expensive, equally effective survey tool for detection of European chafer infestations.

Adults of Cyclothyas siskiyouensis n. sp., the first species of the genus reported from the Western Hemisphere, are described from female specimens collected from a small stream in Oregon, U.S.A. Members of this species differ from those of previously described species in having 3, rather than numerous, pairs of genital acetabula along outer edges of the genital flaps. A revised diagnosis of the genus Cyclothyas is presented.