In mid-July 1969, an extremely heavy population of the yellow-collared scape-moth, Cisseps fulvicollis (Hübner), was observed in a 45-acre field of grain corn at Napierville, Que. Larval feeding was heavily concentrated on the lower leaves of the plants, leaving only the mid-rib of the leaves unattacked. Approximately 92% of the pupae were parasitized by Itoplectis conquisitor (Say) and Ichneumon sp. of the group winkleyi, thereby reducing the moth population quite substantially. From samples of ears taken at harvest in the unattacked and infested portions of the field, the reduced yield was evaluated at about 7%.This is apparently the first published record of this amatid moth as an economic injurious insect on grain corn in Canada.

The effect of treatment with juvenile hormone and five of its analogs on embryonic development of the spruce budworm was studied. All compounds were applied topically in acetone solution to budworm egg masses, and all were found to have ovicidal activity. Most active was the dichloro analog, which required a minimum dosage of 50 μg per egg mass to ensure embryonic death in all the treated eggs. A similar result was found for juvenile hormone, while juvabione, ethyl-aromatic terpenoid ether, and farnesyl methyl ether required a dosage of 100 μg per egg mass to achieve this result. At this latter dosage level, 6% of the eggs treated with methyl aromatic terpenoid ether hatched.

Pandemis cerasana (Hubner), a common leaf roller of deciduous trees in northern Eurasia, was found in North America for the first time at Victoria, B.C., in 1964. No other recovery points have been reported. The insect feeds on a variety of broad-leaf trees and shrubs but seems most attracted to Garry oak, and has caused sporadic defoliation. This illustrated study presents descriptions of the adult and life history in more detail than heretofore available, as well as initial descriptions of the immature stages and their habits, with discussion on local population changes. Parasitism and disease was negligible.

Logs of lodgepole pine (Pinus conforta Dougl. var. latifolia Engelm.) supporting immature Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins were maintained under conditions of non-fluctuating temperature and light. The rate of emergence of the adult beetles exhibited a rhythmic, possibly circadian, emergence pattern. When the temperatures fluctuated the emergence rate was always greatest in higher temperature.

Plictran (tricyclohexyltin hydroxide) was very effective against the European red mite, Panonychus ulmi (Koch), and the apple rust mite, Aculus schlechtendali (Nalepa), when applied at the pink bud stage of apple bud development. Plictran as a summer spray was not so effective because a small number of phytophagous mites survived. Plictran, however, is low in toxicity to the predaceous phytoseiids Metaseiulus occidentalis (Nesbitt) and Typhloseiopsis sp. near arboreus (Chant), and these predators increased on the surviving phytophagous mites. Because of this selective action, Plictran is a very promising acaricide for use in integrated mite control programs.

Tetrastichus inferens, new species reared from Sesamia inferens Walker on sugar cane from Tainan, Taiwan, is described and illustrated.

Electrophysiological recordings are taken from the antennae of eastern spruce budworm males. These respond to crude pheromone extracts from the females. The pheromone receptors are located along the length of the antennae.

A method of producing radioactive eggs of the flea beetle Altica carduorum Guér. is described. Adult beetles were fed on young thistles (Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop.) into which P32 had been incorporated via the roots. Feeding was continued until the females had reached four and the males five levels of radioactivity. The effects on oviposition, total egg production, viability of the eggs, and longevity of the beetles were studied. The results indicate that a calculated body content of 0.03 μc P32 in the females would be optimal where large numbers of labelled eggs are required.