■o<5K2

i i

proceedings

of the

ENTOMOLOGICAL
SOCIETY of
BRITISH COLUMBIA

Volume 39. Issued October 10, 1942

PAGE

Obituary — A. A. Dennys ; G. O. Day.

Bonnell & Mote — Biology of the Klamath Midge,

Chironomus utahensis (Diptera, Chironomidae) 3

Hardy — The Black Witch Moth Erebus odora (L.) in
British Columbia 7

Hardy — Notes on Some Wood-Boring Beetles of Saanich,
Vancouver Island, B.C. ( Coleoftera , Cerambycidae
& Bufrestidae) — — - 9

Downes & Andison— The Apple Sawfly Hoflocamfa
testudinea Klug. on Vancouver Island, British
Columbia 13

Hoy — The Advance of the Codling Moth in British
Columbia „ 16

Marshall — Effect of Lime and Lime-Sulphur on the
Larvicidal Value of Cryolite ... 19

Spencer — A Note on Laelius Sp., a Parasite of the
Carpet Bee tile Anthrenus scrofhulariae (L.)
(Hymenoptera, Bethylidae) _ 21

Spencer — Insects and Other Arthropods in Buildings
in British Columbia . : 23

Olds — The Results of Further Work Done on the

Control of Grain Mites in British Columbia 29

Gregson — Notes on the Laboratory Rearing of Some
Canadian Ticks (Acarina) 32

Notes 22, 35

Change in Make-up. This is the first volume of our “Proceedings” to have a
two-column printed page. The “Journal of Economic Entomology” uses a similar
format, which is said to be less tiring to the eyes than the full-width page. Com-
ments from members will be appreciated.

Volume vs. Number. Readers will notice that on the cover and title page, this
copy is called “Volume 39”. In the past each issue has been called a “Number”,
but as they are strictly speaking annual volumes, and as the word number is com-
monly used for one issue of a periodical, the above change is made.

DIRECTORS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY
OF BRITISH COLUMBIA

Honorary President

President

Vice-President (Coast)
Vice-President (Interior)
Hon. Secretary-Treasurer
Hon. Auditor

Advisory Board

L. E. Marmont
A. D. Heriot
J. R. J. Llewellyn- Jones
J. Marshall

G. R. Hopping
J. W. Eastham

W. Downes

H. B. Leech
G. A. Mail
W. G. Mathers
G. J. Spencer

The Proceedings of the Entomological Society of British Columbia are pub-
lished annually Individual volumes may be had for 50c. Special rates on sets.
Address Secretary-Treasurer, Entomological Society of British Columbia, Box 308,
Vernon, B.C.

proceedings

of the

ENTOMOLOGICAL
= SOCIETY of =
BRITISH COLUMBIA

PAGE

Obituary — A. A. Dennys; G. O. Day.

Bonnell & Mote — Biology of the Klamath Midge,

Chironomus utahensis (Diptera, Chironomidae) 3

Hardy — -The Black Witch Moth Erebus odora (L.) in

British Columbia 7

Hardy — Notes on Some Wood-Boring Beetles of Saanich,
Vancouver Island, B.C. ( C oleoftera, Cerambycidae
& Bufrestidae ) 9

Downes & Andison — The Apple Sawfly Hoflocampa
testudinea Klug. on Vancouver Island, British
Columbia 13

Hoy — The Advance of the Codling Moth in British

Columbia 16

Marshall — Effect of Lime and Lime-Sulphur on the

Larvicidal Value of Cryolite 19

Spencer — A Note on Laelius Sp., a Parasite of the
Carpet Beetle Antkrenus scrofhulariae (L.)
(Hymenoptera, Bethylidae) 21

Spencer — Insects and Other Arthropods in Buildings

in British Columbia 23

Olds — The Results of Further Work Done on the

Control of Grain Mites in British Columbia 29

Gregson — Notes on the Laboratory Rearing of Some

Canadian Ticks (Acarina) 32

Notes 22, 35

Entomological Society of B.C.

Arthur Alexander Dennys ( i8q4'1Q42 )

Alec Dennys was born on June 27,
1894, in Mussoorie, India, the son of
Colonel and Mrs. W. Dennys. He was
educated in England at Bedford Gram-
mar School, St. Lawrence College, Dul-
wich College and Battersea Polytechnic,
coming out to British Columbia in 1912
at the age of 17. He passed away in the
Vancouver General Hospital on Septem-
ber 9, 1942, at the age of 48. He is
survived by his wife and two sons, Ken-
neth W., in the Royal Canadian Air-
Force, and Ronald G., at home; also
by his father, three sisters and three
brothers.

On coming to Canada he made his
home near Salmon Arm. There he op-
erated an apple orchard and was well
known for his genial and kindly nature
and for the help and advice he was al-
ways so ready to give in matters relating
to fruit growing and the control of in-
sect pests. The writer was privileged to
know him since his arrival in 1912, and
to have him on his staff in the Vernon
Entomological office for 14 years.

Alec Dennys was interested in every-
thing. He was an enthusiastic hunter and
fisherman, a crack shot in spite of the
fact that he lost the sight of his right
eye at an early age, and an adept with
a fly rod. He was a member of the
Vernon Fish and Game Protective As-
sociation and for a time its secretary.
He joined our Entomological Society in
February, 1926.

Unselfish to a marked degree, he in-
sisted on bearing more than his share of
any work that there was to be done. On
field trips he was always the first to cut
the firewood, fetch water and do the
many little tiring chores that befall the
camper at the end of a weary day in
the hills. For a number of years he had
been interested in mining and geology,
and many are the mining prospects in
Southern British Columbia that at one
time or another he had visited. But most

of all Alec Dennys was interested in
doing good work.

He was appointed to the Dominion
Entomological Laboratory at Vernon in
1925, and served continuously until sick-
ness forced him from his work in No-
vember, 1941. For sixteen years he trav-
elled the fruit districts of the Interior of
the Province working with growers at
their spray machines* experimenting with
new poisons, ever curious about anything
that promised help in the war on insects.
From his youth when he arrived at Sal-
mon Arm from England, he worked in
the orcharding business and at the time
of his death still owned his original farm,
“Westbourne”. Perhaps it was this first-
hand acquaintance that made him such an
untiring enthusiast in attempting to solve
the problems of the fruit grower.

Shortly after his appointment to the
Dominion Entomological Branch he was
sent to the East Kootenay district to work
out the seasonal history and the best
methods of control for the Colorado
potato beetle, then a recently discovered
immigrant to British Columbia. His
energy and enthusiasm had such results
that for years no new infestations were
located. Later he accomplished the first
detailed work on the biology and con-
trol of the apple mealy-bug in the
Kootenay Valley. So thorough was this
biological study that it has proved suf-
ficient to guide all later control inves-
tigations. The apple woolly aphid was
another insect that he studied very care-
fully. For its control he developed a
canker paint that has been commonlv
and successfully used by fruit growers
of the Interior.

Not often is a man so gifted with
the power of concentrating on his work
as was Alec Dennys. An example of
that characteristic is the work that led
to his discovery of a radical new pro-
cedure in controlling that worst enemy
of the apple grower, the codling moth.

Proceedings for 1942

3

In 1939 he found by careful laboratory
experiment that, contrary to what had
been generally accepted, the codling moth
adult could be killed by the use of a
certain type of insecticide that it absorbs
as it takes moisture from the surface of
apple foliage. Laboratory research in

1940 confirmed his first results, so in

1941 he undertook to demonstrate by
field experiment that his discovery was
applicable to commercial practice. Week
after week, Sundays and holidays,
throughout the season he plunged into
the investigation. He was far from well
but he stuck to it until by October he
had proved his point. A month later he
left his desk and entered hospital. Even
then he insisted on writing up and sum-
marizing his data. This spring he pub-

1928.

1933.

1937.

1938.

1942.

Mr. G. O. Day, enthusiastic member
and past President of our Society, died
last spring. We have not yet been able to
get the necessary information for a full
obituary notice.

lished one of the most original contri-
butions to the literature on the codling
moth.

In addition to publications bearing on
entomology, which are listed below, he
often wrote short articles on natural his-
tory or hunting experiences, and gave
several radio talks on entomological sub-
jects over Station CKOV, Kelowna.

He was a photographer of unusual
ability and handled all the photographic
work at the Vernon Fruit Insects Lab-
oratory. Among other devises he con-
structed a useful piece of apparatus for
micro-photography.

In his passing the public has lost a
fine servant and his host of friends and
acquaintances a true friend.

E. R. Buckell.

Partial List of Articles by A. A. Dennys

Some notes on the hibernating habits of insects in dry trees in the interior of B.C.
Proc. Ent. Soc. British Columbia (1927), 24: 19-25, 1 text fig.

Materials used as canker paints in woolly aphis control. Proc. Ent. Soc. British
Columbia (1933), 30:8-10. (Abstract in Rev. Applied Ent. 22 (Ser. A, Pt. 2): 108).
An orthopterous pest of apple trees in the interior of B.C. Proc. Ent. Soc. British
Columbia (1936), 33:6-7, 1 text fig.

Vigorous and varied tests being made as to new methods of combatting codling
moth: interesting experiments at Vernon insectary. Country Life in British
Columbia [Vernon, B.C.], 22(7): 20.

Recent progress in codling moth control in British Columbia. II. Killing the
adult. Scientific Agric. 22(10): 577-583.

BIOLOGY OF THE KLAMATH MIDGE, CHIRONOMUS UTAHENSIS

(Diptera, Chironomidae ) *

D. E. Bonnell and D. C. Mote

Department of Entomology, Oregon

Introduction. During the past decade,
midges have occurred in epizootic num-
bers in the Klamath Lakes area of Ore-
gon and have occasioned annoyance and
financial loss to the residents. The hordes
of tiny winged insects, which superfic-

* Published as Technical Paper No. 416
with the approval of the Director, Oregon
Agricultural Experiment Station. Contribu-
tion of the Department of Entomology.

State College, Corvallis, Oregon.

ially resemble mosquitoes, have upon
many occasions been so great as to im-
pede breathing and induce nausea in some
persons. Tourist trade, summer residents,
and resort owners were seriously disturb-
ed. The radiators of travelling auto-
mobiles became clogged with the insects,
causing the motors to overheat and the
cars to stall. Cows became so irritated
by the clouds of midges in the air and

4

Entomological Society of B.C.

on pasturage, that they refused to eat,
thus substantially reducing milk and but-
terfat production. Midges flew in such
swarms at the big sawmills that their
bodies were crushed in lumber during
piling, and the resultant staining made
resurfacing of the lumber necessary. An
increase in the numbers of spiders and
of blue-bottle flies followed midge con-
centrations.

Concurrent with the midges, vast
masses of algae have appeared in Upper
Klamath Lake. This suspended blue-
green algae is filamentous in form ( Afh -
anizomenon) and during the summer
so dense as to give the water only a
quasi-liquid appearance. These filaments
may reach the number of 20,000,000
per cubic meter. The stench from de-
caying matter is often almost intolerable.
Boating and swimming are impaired.

Chironomus utahensis is the most im-
portant of several species of midges in
this area. Its breeding season and com-
plete life history is, as yet, not fully
known. Adult midges are common from
June until cold weather in October. The
true scope and enormous numbers of
midge larvae on the bottoms of Upper
Klamath Lake and Lake Ewauna, is best
realized when compared with the num-
bers found by other investigators in the
United States. Richardson (1928) re-
ports more than 10,000 larvae, mostly
Chironomus flumosus , per square yard
in the Illinois River below Lake Pepira.
Juday (1922) obtained an average of
2,000 larvae per square yard in Lake
Mendota. Adamstone (1924) obtained an
average of 293 larvae for all dredgings.
Johnson (1930) reported an estimated
average of 3,000 chiromid larvae per
square yard in Lake Pepin. Compare
these figures with Klamath’s conservative
minimum average of 1,000 larvae and
ranging to a peak of 133,000, per square
yard. Also conservatively estimated is
the total population, at any given time
during the summer months of the early
1930’s, of over 500,000,000,000 larvae.

Description of the Area. Upper Kla-
math Lake, including its northward
extension, Agency Lake, is one of the
largest bodies of fresh water in the
United States. It is roughly 35 miles in
length from north to south, very irreg-
ular in outline, and varies from 2J4 to
12 miles in width. Although it contains
a few deeper areas of 8 to 13 meters,
the bulk of the lake is very shallow and
averages less than 3 meters in depth.

Sprague River, entering the Upper
Lake at its north and east end, is the
largest inflow. Several smaller streams
and springs, notably Barclay Springs,
Williamson River, and Crystal Creek,
also enter the northern part. From Upper
Klamath Lake, at an elevation of 4,141
feet above sea level, flows Link River,
1 miles in length, discharging into
Lake Ewauna at an elevation of 4,080
feet. The Klamath River flows from
Lake Ewauna through flat marshy coun-
try for 20 miles, to the town of Keno.
There it breaks over a dam and begins
its precipitous fall of 100 to 200 feet
per mile on its way to the Pacific Ocean.
The outflow of water from Upper Kla-
math Lake, via Link River, is checked
by a dam. Power is used to service the
industries and population of Klamath
County. A portion of the water is di-
verted for irrigation purposes by the
federal Bureau of Reclamation.

Geologically, the area is very old. The
lake type is designated as eutrophic and
is gradually filling up, with the area
diminishing more slowly than the volume.
The decreased depth has resulted in high
water temperatures at all seasons except
winter. The bottom, except for a few
areas of shale, is largely diatomaceous
ooze. The tule and lily beds and vast
planktonic population of small plant and
animal forms result in a rich organic
deposit. The water is alkaline. The
plankton population, and particularly al-
algae, is so dense that secchi disc recordings
are usually less than 1 meter during the
late spring, summer and fall. Oxygen

Proceedings for 1942

5

and carbon-dioxide content varies ex-
ceedingly in different areas. Winds are
prevailingly NW-N.

Biology of the Klamath Midge. Adult
insects appear on wing in the late
afternoon, early evening, and occasion-
ally at dawn. A swarm starts with a
few individuals, increasing in size as
more enter; it is long, symmetrical, and
top-shaped, and often composed largely
of males. Swarms do not form during
winds, and a gust of wind will drive
one downward until the disturbance
abates. A strong screaming hum is
emitted and is often audible at a dis-
tance of more than a hundred yards. Oc-
casionally a female will dart up from
vegetation into the swarm. There she
seizes a male by the thorax. They re-
main clasped for an instant and then
drop downward, separating before con-
tacting the ground. The male returns
to the swarm. The female seeks con-
cealment in vegetation and later deposits
eggs on the water.

The eggs of Chironomus utahensis are
light brown in colour, and measure about
.09 mm. by .75 mm. They are embedded
in a gelatinous mass that terminates in
a thread with an attached disk for ad-
hesion to some object floating in the
water. Each mass contains from 1,000
to 2,000 eggs, and the masses vary in
shape from a hollow “C” approximately
18 mm. long by 5 mm. in diameter, to
a hollow sphere about 9 mm. in diameter.

The newly hatched larvae are trans-
parent and about 2.5 mm. in length. In
two or three days they begin to build
body tubes, utilizing silk spun from
glands in the mouth, and tiny bits of
debris. The tubes are open at each end,
larger in diameter than the body of the
larvae, and are enlarged as growth re-
quires. Undulation of the body sets up
a current, providing an inflow of oxy-
genated water and food. As the larvae
develop they respire by blood gills and
become red in colour. The number of
instars for C. utahensis has not yet been

accurately determined but observations in-
dicate 4 as in other species of chirono-
mids. When the larvae have obtained
their greatest size they are about 18 mm.
long and 2 mm. in diameter. The larval
stage usually extends for about 20 days,
but may be much longer depending upon
water temperature and possibly other
factors.

Larvae apparently choose their food
with care. One may anchor its caudal
end just inside the tube by means of
hooks on the end of its posterior legs,
and feed over a circular area, the radius
of which is determined by the larval
reach. Midge larvae were brought into
the laboratory. ( 1 ) Those in a little
detritus and clear tap water showed dis-
tress. They built tubes but some, ap-
parently unable to And food, deserted
their habitations and ranged the bottom
of the jars. The water was frequently
replaced but no additional detritus was
added. These larvae, without exceptions
died within 3 days. (2) Others in a
similar situation, but which had occa-
sional detritus offered to them, survived
for 5 days with the emergence of one
adult female. (3) Larvae in 10 mm. of
detritus and 300 cc. of lake water, which
was not changed, lived from 5 to 13
days, but without emergence. (4) Those
in frequently changed lake water but
without detritus had two individuals sur-
vive 19 days. These larvae were divested
of their tubes before immersion in the
jars. They seized upon descending algae
filaments and attempted to build tubes.
The larger algae filaments were left
undisturbed in the bottoms of the jars.
Smaller filaments were apparently con-
sumed. A microscopical examination of
the alimentary tracts of some of these
larvae revealed diatoms, desmids, frag-
ments of minute Crustacea, other bits of
unidentifiable algae and, in one case, a
live rotifer. Algae appears to be the
predominant food, the crustacean frag-
ments being, probably, ingested only in-
cidentally.

6

Entomological Society of B.C.

Some larvae were divested of their tubes
and placed in fresh well-oxygenated tap
water. Water from Link River was
strained through many thicknesses of
fine-mesh silk cloth and 25 cc. added to
each jar daily. The larvae apparently
thrived, with some emergences. Possibly
bacteria also, are an important item of
diet. All laboratory rearing was done
in semi-darkness under muslin.

An examination of several hundred
larvae revealed them to be free of mites
and nematodes.

Pupation takes place within the larval
tubes. The pupal stage lasts three or
four days. At the end of this period
the pupae emerge and move about in
the water by a jerking motion of their
bodies, finally arising to the surface. Af-
ter the pupal case breaks the surface
film, oxygen is taken in, causing the
pupae to glisten like silver. The pupal
case splits dorsally along the thorax, the
adult emerges, rests a moment on the
floating cast pupal skin, then flies away.

The adult midge is approximately 12
mm. in length. The males are black,
the females brownish gray. So far as
is known at present, the adult midges
do not feed. They are ephemeral and
apparently do not live more than 4 or
5 days even under optimum conditions.

Midge adults, as a general rule, do
not venture far from marginal vegeta-
tion. In light trap experiments, it was
noticed that flying midges were taken in
much smaller numbers in traps set away
from the immediate vicinity of water
than in those close to the water. Traps
of the same type and light intensity that
were set 200 yards from the water cap-
tured only 25% as many midges as the
traps immediately adjacent to the water.
Traps placed upon a bluff about 75 yards
higher than the water and 100 yards
distant from it, took even fewer midges,
indicating that height above the water
is also a limiting factor. On several
occasions midge swarms were observed
above the waters of Upper Klamath Lake

more than 2 miles from the shore. Night
flight range may be considerably shorter
than day flight range.

Predators. The larvae are probably
preyed upon by all 1 8 species of fish
in Upper Klamath Lake. They form an
important item in the diet of Tigoma
bicolor j the Klamath chub, and Sifihat-
eles b. bicoloVj the Klamath roach. The
larvae are also food for aquatic beetles,
larval dragonflies, and hemipterous
nymphs, and also small marsh birds.

Adult midges are captured in consid-
erable numbers by dragonflies, toads,
small song birds, and spiders. Dragon-
flies, of the family Aeschnidae, are es-
pecially active during the periods of
midge swarming, darting into swarms
and seizing numbers of flies. Great num-
bers of toads, chiefly the western toad
(Bufo b. boreas ), gather in the evenings
near lights and capture adult midges.
Examination of the stomach contents of
20 toads collected near light traps, re-
vealed that each had consumed 10 cc.
or several thousand midges. Spiders also
consume quantities of midges and fre-
quently become so numerous that they
and their unsightly webs are a secondary
problem.

Possibility of Control. Can an adequate
control, either artificial or natural, be
developed to decrease the numbers of the
twin nuisances of algae and midges?
Algae is apparently intimately associated
with the midges and must be given con-
sideration.

Much attention was given to light
traps during 1939. Several of various
sizes and designs were tested and those
at the Bureau of Entomology Gnat Con-
trol at Clear Lake, California, were ob-
served. While they capture an amazing
number of insects, it is doubtful if
present types would constitute a control
measure. It is true that if sufficient labor
could be employed, traps manufactured,
and miles of electric wires strung, the
midge nuisance might be abated, but the
area could never be completely cleared

Proceedings for 1942

7

of midges, and discontinuance of the
practice would allow reinfestation from
adjacent waters. Light traps would be
of value only to resorts and private
residences.

A number of chemicals were tried,
usually at the rate of one pound per 50
square yards of surface area, and then
checked under field conditions. Some were
applied on the surface to kill ascending
pupae, and others, by tube sprayers, to
the bottom to contact larvae. Midge
larvae, in the experimental section of
Lake Ewauna, were counted before and

after application. A sub-surface appar-
atus was devised for preliminary chem-
ical control.

Calcium arsenate, basic copper sulfate,
Bordeaux, pyrethrum, and Paris-green all
gave a fair degree of control ranging
from 50 per cent to 98 per cent in dif-
ferent areas. Crushed salt, sown by hand
gave a 100 per cent kill in the area
examined. Phenothiazine and miscible
oil destroyed great numbers of ascending
pupae. Some of the chemicals approach-
ed laboratory expectations, particularly
phenothiazine and crushed salt but at
present no recommendations can be made.

Literature Cited.

Bonnell, D. E. and D. C. Mote 1941. The Klamath midge. Jour. Econ. Ent. 34 (2):325.
Davis, John, Stanley G. Jewett Jr., and D. C. Mote. Klamath midge investigations.

Unpublished reports. Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station.

Herms, W. B. 1937. The Clear Lake gnat. Univ. of Calif. Agr. Expt. Sta., Bui. 607.
Johnson, M. S. and F. Munger 1930. Excessive abundance of the midge at Lake Pepin.
Ecology 11:110-126.

Kemmerer, G., J. F. Bovard and W. R. Boorman 1923-1924. Northwestern lakes of the
United States: Biological and chemical studies with reference to possibilities in
production of fish. Bui. Bureau of Fisheries 34: Doc. 944.

Leathers, A. L. 1922. Ecological study of aquatic midges and some related insects with
special reference to feeding habits. Bui. Bureau of Fisheries, 38: Doc. 915.
Richardson, R. E. 1921. The small bottom and shore fauna of the middle and lower
Illinois River and its connecting lakes. Bui. 111. State Lab. Nat. Hist. 14: Art. 15.
Sadler, W. O. 1935. Biology of the midge Chironomus tentans Fabricius and methods
for its propagation. Cornell Univ. Agr. Expt. Sta. Mem. 173.

THE BLACK WITCH MOTH EREBUS ODORA (L.) IN
BRITISH COLUMBIA

G. A. Hardy

Provincial Museum, Victoria, B.C.

Introduction. The capture of two spec-
imens of this phalaenid moth in Victoria
last season has led to inquiries regarding
its occurrence in British Columbia. Au-
thentic records have proved to be so few
it is thought desirable to bring them
together in this paper as a basis for fu-
ture reference and investigation. Allusions
to mysterious and elusive gigantic moths
have been made from time to time;
some of them may refer to the species
in question, but lacking confirmation we
suspect the Polyphemus or Cecropia

moths, of the same size and well-known
residents of British Columbia.
Description. The Black Witch, Erebus
odora , was described by Linnaeus in 1758
as Bombyx odora y Erebus being assigned
in 1810 by Latrelle. It early attracted
the attention of naturalists, yet is suffi-
ciently distinctive to have only one syn-
onym, agarista Cramer, 1887. It is a
large moth with wings extending over
6 inches and broad in proportion. The
forewings suggest the clean-cut lines of
a hawk; the nervures and membranes

Entomological Society of B.C.

8

are unusually tough, and capable of much
hard service. The thorax is broad and
very rigid. In fact this moth has an
exceptional physique, suited to long jour-
neys.

Distribution. The Black Witch is native
to the West Indies, Central and South
America, where it is common. In North
America it ranges in the east through the
Atlantic States from Florida to Canada
and in the west from Mexico through
California to British Columbia, becom-
ing scarcer and later in the season the
farther north it occurs.

The species had not been known to
breed north of Mexico, until Dr. John
A. Comstock published a beautifully il-
lustrated description of larvae and pupae
found in southern California. It is prob-
able that our migrants come from there,
pr from adjacent Mexico. The food
plants are cited as belonging to the
Leguminosae specifically Cassia fistula ,
Pithecolobrium sp., Saman sp., Gymnoc-
ladus dioicay and in California, Acacia
decurrens.

Habits. The little evidence obtainable
suggests that the Black Witch is more
of a chance wanderer than possessed of
any definite migratory instinct. As is
already intimated it is a powerful flier,
and no doubt of a restless disposition.
Its occurrence in British Columbia is
due to an exceptional combination of
favourable conditions; in 40 years there
are only six authentic records. All of
these are from points in southern British
Columbia, with a majority from Van-
couver Island. These captures appear to
have been in towns or cities but this may
be due either to attraction to lights, or
the fact that they would not he as read-
ily observed in country districts. The two
taken last year in Victoria were at rest
in dark buildings and only moved when

disturbed, indicating they are normally
night or dusk fliers. Their wings are
much frayed at the edges, and the thorax
of each is denuded, but the wing pattern
is still distinct.

List of known specimens of Erebus
odor a taken in British Columbia:

The Provincial Museum , Victoria , B.C.

1. Female, Victoria, V. I., August 6,
1908. E. M. Anderson.

2. Female, Oak Bay, V. I., August 25,

1915. E. M. Anderson.

3. Male, Victoria, V.I., August 12, 1941.

Dr. L. J. Thompson.

4. Male, Cadboro Bay, V. I., August
28, 1941. Allan Upward.

The University of British C olumbia,
Defartment of Zoology

5. Male, St. Leon Hot Springs, Kootenay

Lake, B.C., August, 1905.

6. Female, “Unlabelled, possibly caught
by F. K. Auden”.

Canadian Records. A search through the
literature has brought to light a number
of Canadian records outside of British
Columbia, over the same 40 year period.
These may be summarized as follows:
26 specimens are known to have been
recorded, their distribution by Provinces,
east to west, being — [Newfoundland, 1];
New Brunswick, 2; Quebec, 4; Ontario,
3; Manitoba, 4; Saskatchewan, 2; Al-
berta, 3; and British Columbia, 8.

The sexes were about equally com-
mon. One specimen was captured in
July, 11 in August, and 2 in September.
Some examples were taken by “sugar-
ing”, others at lights, and the rest in
dark buildings by day.

Acknowledgments — I wish to express my
cordial thanks to Professor G. J. Spencer of
the University of British Columbia for in-
formation regarding specimens in his de-
partment, and to Mr. J. F. Gates Clarke of
the Bureau of Entomology, Washington,
D.C., for the trouble he has taken in look-
ing up references for me.

Bibliography

Comstock, J. A. 1936. Notes on the early stages of Erebus odora L. (Lepidopt.). Bull.

Southern Calif. Acad. Sci. 35(2):95-98, “plates” 21-23.

Comstock, J. H. and A. B. 1895. A Manual for the Study of Insects, p. 297. (Western
distribution).

Proceedings for 1942

9

Dyar, H. G. 1902. List of North American Lepidoptera, p. 240.

Entomological Society of Ontario. Annual Reports. 1900-1937. (Records of captures
throughout Canada).

Essig, E. O. 1926. Insects of Western North America, p. 688.

Femald, H T. 1888. Ann Ent. Soc. America, 4:36.

Grossbeck, J. A. 1908. Entomological News. 19:190. Reports E. odora in numbers at
Brownsville, Tex., etc.).

Gundlach, Juan. 1881. (Contribucion a la Entomologia Cubana Pt. 1. p. 367.

Holland, W. J. 1903. Moth Book. p. 279. (Records capture in snowstorm in Colorado).

— 1907. Entomological News, 18:453 (Concerning fertile ova in Wisconsin).

Lutz, F. E. 1918. Fieldbook of Insects, p. 182. (Brief notes on habits).

Smith, J. B. 1893. Catalogue of Lepidoptera, p. 366. (Synonymy).

Was, Ed. 1908. Entomological News, 19:83.

NOTES ON SOME WOOD-BORING BEETLES OF SAANICH, VANCOUVER
ISLAND, B. C. (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae fir Buprestidae)

G. A. Hardy

Provincial Museum, Victoria, B.C.

Introduction. The incentive for this
study was the discovery of a new road
allowance through a tract of forest and
bush land. The resultant tangle of stumps,
logs and slash afforded an ideal attrac-
tion for Cerambycids and Buprestids in-
tent on mating and ovipositing.

The area involved is about 3/4 miles
north of Victoria, B.C., at the edge of
the southern slope of Mount Douglas,
where it merges into low-lying flats and
hollows. The trend of the road is east
and west; it is about a quarter of a mile
in length, a convenient size for detailed
examination. On the east the road has
its beginning at the base of a rocky slope
supporting an extensive stand of Garry
oak, Quercus Garryana. Continuing in a
westerly direction the road passes through
a shallow valley, crosses a low ridge, and
descends again to damp bush and meadow
land.

The central ridge supports a heavy
stand of first and second growth Doug-
las fir, i Pseudotsuga taxi folia, and grand
fir, Abies grandis, with underbrush of
ocean spray, Spiraea discolor, in the few
open spaces. On the lower ground, alder,
Alnus rubra , black poplar, P of ulus trich-
ocarfa and aspen, Pofulus tremuloides
are the dominant trees, with a luxuriant
growth of moisture-loving shrubs of
willows, Salix spp., crab-apple, Pyrus

diversi folia, black hawthorn, Crataegus
brevis fina , dogwood, Cornus fubescens,
cascara, Rhamnus furshiana and others.

It was hoped that with such a variety
of newly-cut wood exposed at the right
season, a large number of species of
Cerambycidae and Buprestidae would be
found. Accordingly the place was visited
as often as possible during the season
from March to September, 1934. Notes
and collections were made at each visit.

Annotated List of Species. The fol-
lowing list includes all the species of
wood-boring beetles collected or observed
in this study, together with brief notes
on their numbers, habits and dates of
collection. Species occurring in numbers
exceeding 50 individuals are marked
“abundant”, those between 25 and 50
are designated as “common” while
those between 8 and 25 are noted as
“several.” When fewer than 8 were
collected the exact number is given.
All records are confined to the area
outlined unless otherwise stated. The
specimens mentioned in the list are
in the Provincial Museum at Victoria,
B.C. The arrangement followed is ac-
cording to Leng’s Catalogue (1920) but
with the nomenclature revised in certain
cases to agree with more recent taxo-
nomic studies.

10

Entomological Society of B.C.

CERAMBYCIDAE

Prionus calif ornicus Mots. One under a
board at base of oak, July 25. A com-
mon species. The adults are nocturnal.
The larvae feed in the roots of decayed
Douglas fir, grand fir, oak, etc.; occa-
sionally found in the underground por-
tion of fence posts except those of cedar.

Megasemum asfera Lee. One, crawling
over Douglas fir wood at 8 p.m., July
4. This is a nocturnal species and is
often found in such odd places as water
barrels, window ledges, etc., attracted to
the vicinity by light. It has been found
breeding in Douglas fir stumps.

Tetrofium velutinum Lee. One, under a
slab of Douglas fir bark, 5 p.m., June
22. Nocturnal, not common. Larvae in
Douglas fir.

Ofsimus quadrilineatus Mann. One, at
rest on Douglas fir stump, 5 p.m., April
22. Another member of the night bri-
gade. They have been found in the base
of dead Douglas and grand fir trees 4
to 6 inches in diameter, where the larval
stage is passed; the outer portion of the
burrows provide winter quarters for the
adult.

Leftalia macilenta (Mann). One, on
flower of Rosa nutkana , June 3. I have
never taken it under any other circum-
stances. Breeds in alder.

Leftalia macilenta v. frankenhausen
Mann. Three, on blossoms of Rosa nut-
kanay May 26. This is the commoner
form here, distinguished by the pale
lines at the base of the elytra, from the
all black colour of macilenta.

Pidonia serif ta (Lee). Several, on flow-
ers of Rosa nutkanay May 13-26. Com-
mon, usually seen only on flowers where
they feed on the pollen by day, hiding
between the overlapping petals by night.
Toxotus vestitus Hald. Four, on flowers
of Rosa nutkana and resting on trunk
of grand fir. May 26-July 4; both the
red, and black-legged forms. Has been
reared from the decayed roots of Doug-
las fir.

Centrodera sfurca (Lee). One, flying to
artificial light at dusk, June 22. A noc-
turnal species. Adults have been dug out
of the ground in the vicinity of Garry
oak trees among the roots of Rosa nut-
kana in February. Large larvae were
found in gall-like swellings at the base
of the rose bush but as I was unsuccess-
ful in rearing them, proof as to their
identity is lacking.

Anoflodera vexatrix Mann. Several, on
bloom of Sfiraea discolor , June 24. This
is their favourite flower, affording both
food and protection as they like to push
their way into the heart of the inflor-
escence.

Grammoftera filicornis Csy. Common, on
flowers of Rosa nutkanay May 6 - 26.
Mating pairs were found on freshly cut
branches of Pofulus trichocarfa giving
an indication of their host plant, but no
further developments were observed as
proof of this.

Leftura obliterata (Hald). Common,, us-
ually taken in flight and resting on or
crawling over Douglas fir logs, July 1-29.
Anoflodera laeta Lee. Several, August
23, flying about freshly-exposed roots of
recently-felled Garry oak, in which it
breeds.

Anoflodera crassifes Lee. Three, at rest
on leaves etc. One, on flower of Carum
Gardneri. Breeds in Abies grandis y Be-
tula occidentalisj etc.

Anoflodera dolorosa Lee. One, on flower
of Sfiraea discolor , July. It is commonly
taken feeding in flowers of Sfiraea dis-
colory and breeds in Douglas fir.
Anoflodera chrysocoma Kby. One, on
flower of Rosa nutkana y May 13. A very
wide ranging species recorded from coast
to coast.

Anoflodera dehiscens Lee. One, flying
about Douglas fir wood, August.

Ulochaetes leoninus Lee. Five, two males
and three females, taken in flight June
10 and July 1 - August 26. Flying about
logs of grand fir and walking over roots
and stumps of same. One of our finest

Proceedings for 1942

11

longhorns. It resembles a bumblebee both
in appearance and actions.

Necydalis cavipennis Lee. One, extracted
from pupal cell in Garry oak stump in
February. It is usually scarce, but may
be seen in a small “colony” flying about
an old oak stump, probably one brood
emerging from that particular stump. It
has a very close resemblance to an Ich-
neumon.

Rosalia funebris Mots. One, flying among
Douglas fir stumps on which it alighted,
no doubt having strayed from a nearby
alder clump. July 29. Our most hand-
some species, typical of the Vancouveran
fauna; found in numbers about alder logs
in which the larvae feed. It can emit
a faint rasping sound by rubbing the edge
of the pronotum over a file-like process
on the mesonotum.

S emanotus ligneus ampins Csy. Two, on
cedar fence post, March 28. This is ex-
clusively a cedar feeder in the larval
stage. They may be taken in numbers
in late winter by digging them out of
their pupal cells in cedar logs a year old.

Sernanotus litigiosus Csy. Six, two on
Douglas fir slash, April 28, four about
Douglas fir logs, April 26. They keep
to the undersides of branches and are
easily overlooked.

G onocallus collaris Kby. One, at rest
on Douglas fir slash, 5 p.m., June 17;
no others found. First record for Van-
couver Island (Hardy, 1936). Occurs
across the continent in the north from
Newfoundland to Alaska, south to Brit-
ish Columbia.

Callidium vancouverense V. D. Several
on Douglas fir slash, April 28-30; they
were busily running about on the under-
side of the branches, mating and ovipos-
iting and occasionally flying.

This species originally described from
specimens taken at Sidney, V.I., is closely
allied to the western form of C. anten-
natum var. hesperum.

Phymatodes decussatus v. obliquus Csy.

Several, Garry oak logs and slashing,
June 24. Often found abundantly about
dead oak trees.

X ylotrechus undulatus Say. Three, run-
ning over Douglas fir logs and on trunk
of grand fir, June 10 and August 5.

X ylotrechus annosus (Say). One, flying
and alighting on newly-felled Populus
trichocarpay April 22. The only two other
known records for Vancouver Island are
Sidney and Nanaimo. Breeds in Populus .
Neoclytus conjunctus (Lee). Several,
Garry oak logs and slash, March 15-22.
Nearly every dead or decaying oak tree
is riddled with their borings, the smaller
branches ofter being reduced to powder.
Monochamus obtusus Csy. One, grand
fir log, July 29. This is the first record
for Vancouver Island of this species.
(Hardy, 1936).

Monochamus oregonensis Lee. Abundant,
frequenting logs of grand fir, May 26-
June 15. Flying about in the vicinity,
or at rest on the sides or beneath the logs
where they were noticeably in pairs.
Synaphoeta guexi (Lee). Seven, on wil-
low logs, July 1 - August 5. This some-
what scarce species was found on the
logs at the hottest time of the day. One
female resting on the side of the log,
was joined within five minutes by three
males, no doubt arriving in response to
a “wireless” call.

BUPRESTIDAE

Chrysophana placida (Lee). Seven spec-
imens of this attractive little species were
taken on newly-cut Douglas fir cord-
wood, June 10 and July 1. It breeds in
various conifers, and the larvae some-
times mine the center of pine cones.

Chalcophora angulicollis (Lee.) Several
specimens of this large species were tak-
en. The heavy booming flight and clumsy
hit or miss alightment gives a ludicrous
note to the “seriousness” of collecting.
May 1 3 - June 29.

Dicerca sexualis Cr. Eleven specimens,
in flight or at rest on stumps and logs

12

Entomological Society of B.C.

of Abies grandis. Very unemotional and
easily picked up though ready to feign
death and drop to the ground. June 10
and July 1-29.

Buprestis aurulenia L. Common, in flight
or at rest or ovipositing on logs of both
Douglas fir and Abies grandis. May 13-

July 4.

Buprestis rusticorum (Kby.) Very com-
mon, on Abies grandis } June 10- July 29.
Sluggish and easily approached.
Melanophila drummondi (Kby.) Most
abundant of all the Buprestidae. Chiefly
on Douglas fir and Abies grandis. May
26 - August.

Melanophila acuminata (Deg.) Several,
on Abies grandis. Very active both in
running over the bark and in taking
wing. May 26 and June 15. A northern
species extending across the continent
along the coniferous belt.

Anthaxia aeneogaster Lap. -Gory. One, on
Douglas fir slash, March 22. This spe-
cies is often found on the dandelion and
other yellow flowers.

Chrysobothns pseudotsugae Van D. Four,
on Douglas fir logs. Exceedingly active
and taking to flight as readily as a fly.
June 3 and July 1.

Chrysobothris femorata Oliv. Two, one
on Populus trichocarpa^ the other on
Pyrus. June 10 and 20.

Summary and Conclusion. Of the sev-
enty or so species of Cerambycidae known
to occur on Vancouver Island, thirty-
one or about 37 per cent, were captured
in this restricted area. Two were first
records for the Island.

The most noticeable fact brought out
in a study of the list of Cerambycidae
is that many of the species are repre-
sented by only one or two individuals
during the entire season. This apparent
scarcity could be accounted for by the
fact that some are crepuscular or noc-
tural in habit as for example Prionus
calif ornicus and C entrodera spurca. Other
species such as Pidonia scripta and Gram-
moptera filicornis are generally found on

flowers. Monochamus oregonensis was
one of the few common beetles met
with, and from its size and the known
powers of the larvae to damage timber
by their extensive tunnelling in the
heartwood, it might be considered the
most important species from an eco-
nomic aspect.

Of the family Buprestidae, ten, or
nearly 50 per cent of the twenty-two
species known to occur on Vancouver
Island, were collected. Three of these
were very common. Melanophila drum-
mondi was the most abundant, equalling
in numbers the combined individuals of
the Cerambycidae and Buprestidae. Mem-
bers of the Buprestidae are essentially
sun-lovers and perhaps for this reason
they were met in greater numbers than
were the Cerambycidae.

This preponderance of Buprestids might
also be accounted for by the fact that

except for one species, Anthaxia aeneo-
gastery the members of this family spend
their whole existence in the vicinity of
their host trees, while the Cerambycids
wander considerable distances in search
of flowers or are nocturnal in habit. For
these reasons a census taken under the
conditions outlined will naturally show
that the majority of species are those

which are most attracted to newly-felled
trees.

Considering the two families with ref-
erence to their host trees, Douglas fir
and grand fir were by far the most at-
tractive, 20 species being observed on or
about them. Garry oak came second with
5 species, black poplar 2, aspen and wil-
low with 1 each. No species of either

family was seen to pay attention to the
stumps or slash of the other shrubs men-
tioned, although slight evidence of their
larval work was noticed in crab-apple.

Acknowledgments — I am grateful for the

help received from the late Ralph Hopping
of Vernon, B.C., for verifying identifications
and for other related matters, to Dr. E. C.
Van Dyke of Berkeley, California, for simi-
lar services and to Mr. L. S. Dillon of the
Reading Public Museum and Art Gallery,
Reading, Pennsylvania, for critical examina-
tion of Moruochamus o^tusus.

Proceedings for 1942

13

Literature

A partial list of references appertaining to taxoncmic revisions and to life histories

of some of the Vancouver Island species dealt with in this paper is appended here.

Chamberlin, W. J. 1928. Remarks on the Buprestidae (Coleoptera) of the North Pacific
Coast region with descriptions of new species. Pan-Pacific Ent. 5 (2) :93-95. 1929
Loc. cit., 5 (3) : 109-116.

Hardy, G. A. 1926. Cerambycidae of Vancouver Island. (Preliminary annotated ist.)
Report Provincial Mus. Nat. Hist. [British Columbia] for 1925, pp. 24-33,
pis. 4 & 5.

1927. Cerambycidae of Vancouver Island (Supplement). Loc. cit. for 1926,

pp. 34-37, pi. 4.

1927. Buprestidae of Vancouver Island. (Preliminary annotated list.)

Loc. cit. for 1926, pp. 32-34, pi. 3.

Hardy, G. A. 1936. Notes on Vancouver Island Cerambycidae. Loc. cit. for 1935, pp. 34-35.

Hardy, G. A. and W. H. A. Preece. 1926. Notes on some species of Cerambycidae (Col.)
from the southern portion of Vancouver Island, B.C. Pan-Pacific Ent. 3(l):34-40.

Hardy, G. A., and W. H. A. Preece. 1927. Further notes on some species of Cerambycidae
(Col.) from the southern portion of Vancouver Island, B.C., with descriptions of
some new varieties Pan-Pacific Ent. 3(4) : 187-193.

Hardy, G. A., and W. H. A. Preece. 1927. Additional notes on some Cerambycidae (Col.)
from Vancouver Island, B.C. Pan-Pacific Ent. 4(2) :61-67.

Hopping, G. 1932. A revision of the Clytini of Boreal America, (Cerambycidae, Coleop-
tera) Pt. 1. Ann. Ent. Soc. America, 25(3) :529-570, pis. 1-5.

Hopping, R. 1937. The Lepturini of America North of Mexico, Pt. 2. Nat. Mus. Canada,
Ottawa. Bull. 85, 42 pp., 6 pis.

Leng, C. W. 1920. Catalogue of Coleoptera of America north of Mexico. J. D. Sherman,
Jr., Mount Vernon, N. Y.

Swaine, J. M. and Ralph Hopping. 1928. The Lepturini of America North of Mexico,
Pt. 1. Nat. Mus. Canada, Ottawa. Bull. 52, 97 pp., 13 pis.

Van Dyke, E. C. 1937. Notes and descriptions of North American Buprestidae and
Cerambycidae (Coleoptera). Bull. Brooklyn Ent. Soc. 32(3) : 105-116.

THE APPLE SAWFLY HOPLOCAMPA TESTUDINEA KLUG.
ON VANCOUVER ISLAND, BRITISH COLUMBIA

W. Downes and H. Andison
Dominion Entomological Laboratory, Victoria, B.C.

In June 1940 some small apples
damaged by a boring insect were brought
to the Entomological Laboratory at Vic-
toria by the owner of a city garden.
Each apple had a round hole in the side
nearly one-eighth of an inch in diameter;
the interior was extensively excavated
and contained a black oozy pulp. In
some of the apples a whitish sawfly larva
was found. This type of injury was
something entirely new to us and the
apples were forwarded to Mr. W. A.
Ross of the Vineland Station, Ontario,
laboratory who tentatively identified the
insect as the apple sawfly, Hoplocamfa
testudinea Klug. Later this identification
was confirmed by Dr. A. M. Massee of

* Contribution No. 2169, Division of En-
tomology, Science Service, Department of
Agriculture, Ottawa, Canada.

the East Mailing Research Station, Kent,
England, to whom some of the larvae
were sent by the Dominion Entomologist.
This is the first known occurrence of
this insect in North America. A brief
survey showed that the species was pres-
ent in parts of the city of Victoria and
the adjoining municipality of Oak Bav
over an area of approximately six square
miles.

Distribution and economic importance :

The apple sawfly is distributed over the
whole continent of Europe but is more
common in the north. It is the most:
important apple pest in many parts of
Germany, Denmark, south-west France
and Holland. It is found in most parts
of England but appears to be only local-
ly common and seasonal in abundance.
Massee (2) states: “This insect is re-

14

Entomological Society of B.C.

sponsible for much of the useless fruit
grown in the apple orchards of Eng-
land.” The fruit is attacked as soon
as it begins to form and by the time
the apple is an inch in diameter the larva
is full grown and ready to leave through
a large hole in the side. The infested
fruit falls to the ground either before
or after the larva leaves it. In addition
to the destruction of young fruit, a sec-
ondary injury is caused to many of the
apples hy surface feeding. The young
larva, before it enters a fruitlet, may
feed on the exterior of an adjoining
one, which results in characteristic rib-
bonlike scars or deformity. The injury
is quite different from that caused by
the codling moth. Large cavities are
eaten in the centre of the apple and
there is always an opening to the ex-
terior even at an early stage. The larva
does not always complete its growth
within a single fruit and if the first is
insufficient for its use before it reaches
maturity it passes to the next one and
so a succession of young fruits may be
destroyed. The cavities are full of black
or brown messy frass which often exudes
from the hole at the side. Infestation
observed at Victoria varied from slight,
to possibly 50 or 60 per cent.

Life History : The adults appear on
the wing as soon as • the apple trees
come into bloom. In 1941 early apples
were in flower in the neighbourhood of
Victoria on April 10. The first sawflies
were collected on April 18 but since they
were quite numerous it is probable that
they had begun to appear a week before
that date. The proportion of males to
females on April 18 was 4 to 1 and
five days later 2 to 1. The adults are
active only in bright sunlight and on
dull days none could be found. They are
swift in flight and not very easy to ob-
tain, since the majority seem to prefer
the blossoms on the upper branches of the
trees. Only trees in full bloom were
visited by them and as soon as the petals
began to fall they left those trees for
others. None were found on trees from

which the bloom had dropped. Accord-
ing to our observation in 1941 the adults
were on the wing for about three weeks.

Oviposition was not observed although
the females were frequently watched as
they crawled over the blossoms. The egg
is inserted from the outside of the calyx
just below a sepal, is pushed right
through and may be found at the base
of the filaments or near the style, the
position being indicated by a small rusty-
brown spot which is often partly ob-
scured by pubescence. Those seen by us
were white, glistening, oval and about
1 mm. in diameter. According to Eng-
lish and German authorities the average
number laid is 1 2 or 13 with a maximum
of 20 to 22. The incubation period is
about 13 days. Some of the larvae re-
main within the calyx after hatching,
while others leave the egg pocket and
feed on the exterior of the young fruit,
or on an adjoining one, forming a
characteristic lineal scar. These lineal
scars were found to be much more fre-
quent on small-sized varieties of apple,
such as crabs, with many fruits to a
cluster, than on large-sized varieties.

The larva : The larva is creamy-white
with a dark brown head and a black or
dusky chitinous plate on the upper surface
of the anal segment. When mature it is
about 12 mm. in length. There are 6
abdominal and one anal pair of prolegs.
On the labrum, in the middle of the
two muscle attachments, there is a dark
brown triangular spot. Like those of
many other species of sawflies, the larvae
have a most offensive odour which in
this case resembles that of a pentatomid
bug. They are active and capable of
crawling some distance after dropping
to the ground, which they do in June
when mature. They then enter the soil
to a depth of four to eight inches and
form compact, oval, brown cocoons,
7 to 8mm. long and 3 to 4 mm. wide,
those of females being the larger. Dur-
ing the rest of the season the insect re-
mains as a larva within the cocoon and
pupation takes place in the following

Proceedings for 1942

15

spring. Velbinger (6) states that the
diapause lasts 9 months where the de-
velopment is annual and 21 months
where it is biennial. The developmental
period of the larva in the cocoon is
probably dependent upon the moisture
of the environment at the time of
spinning and upon the temperature dur-
ing the first hibernation. Moisture is
all-important to the welfare of the insect
during the diapause. From a considerable
number of cocoons collected by us only
three adults emerged, which is attribut-
able to an insufficient moisture supply.
The adult : The adult sawfly is black
on the dorsal surface except the head,
which is orange yellow with a black
patch between the eyes. The eyes are
black. The antennae are yellow with a
dusky or black mark at the base of seg-
ments 3, 4 and 5 on the upper side. The
tip of the abdomen in both sexes is yel-
low but this is more apparent in the
males. The ventral side of the abdomen
and the legs are orange yellow. The
wings are transparent, somewhat irides-
cent, with brownish or black veins and
costal margin with the stigma dark ex-
cept at the apical end which is yellow.
The females are about 6 mm. long, the
males slightly smaller.

H. testudinea reproduces both bisex-
ually and parthenogenetically. According
to Theobald ( 1 ) a second generation has
been observed occasionally in England.
This was not confirmed by Velbinger
(6) in Germany. The second genera-
tion is said to attack large apples in July
and August. It is possible that a second
generation could occur where higher
summer temperatures are general.

The apple sawfly was undoubtedly in-
troduced in balled nursery stock. Even
with the most careful examination of
the soil it is difficult to detect the
cocoons, for being covered with grains
of earth they cannot be distinguished
except by their symmetrical outline, from
a small piece of soil. To collect many
of them, even where they are known to

be numerous, has been found quite a
difficult matter and the most feasible
method is to float them out of the soil
in a tub of water.

Impracticability o f extermination :

The short survey carried out in 1940
showed that the sawfly had already spread
over a very considerable area of city and
suburban lots in which apple trees were
extensively planted. The question of
extermination before the pest could spread
further was immediately considered, but
the actual limits of the infected area
were not then known nor were the means
available for carrying out a campaign.
It was decided at a conference of Do-
minion and Provincial officers that scout-
ing should be continued in the spring of
1941. The limit of the infested area
in 1941 was found at a point six miles
north of the city, including the whole
of the municipality of Oak Bay, the
Gordon Head and Cadboro Bay districts
and the greater part of the city of Vic-
toria, an area of approximately 16 square
miles. The sawfly was not found in
Victoria West nor in Esquimalt, but ap-
peared to have spread in a northerly and
northeasterly direction, possibly follow-
ing the general trend of the prevailing
winds. It was seen at once that an ex-
termination campaign involving the des-
truction of all apples over a period of
2 years would be a colossal undertaking.
A census of apple trees within the af-
fected area, including a two mile zone
outside the actual limit of infestation,
showed that more than 23,000 trees
would have to be dealt with. The time
limit during which the fruit must be
stripped being only fourteen days at the
most, probably 400 or 500 men would
be needed for the work and the impossi-
bility of obtaining such a force under
the difficult labour conditions created by
the war will readily be appreciated.
Therefore, extermination of the sawfly
cannot now be regarded as a possibility
and recourse must be had to spraying to
keep it in control.

16

Entomological Society of B,C.

Control by spraying: Fortunately, one
spray applied at the proper time will
usually give good control of this species.
In England a spray of free nicotine
(98%) at the strength of 8 oz. to 100
gallons, with or without lime-sulphur,
applied within a week after petal-fall,
is recommended (2, 3, 4). As the object
is to destroy the eggs, a coarse driving
spray directed at the calyces should be
used. The addition of a spreader is
desirable, but not essential. Lead arsenate
will not control the sawfly but may be
added to sprays for the purpose of con-
trolling other pests. Velbinger (6) states
that the best control of H. testudinea in
Germany was obtained by spraying with
a strong solution of quassia; or with
quassia in combination with arsenic, cop-
per, and lime, at petal-fall. Contrary to
English data, he states that nicotine with
lime sulphur and lead arsenate was in-
effective.

At Victoria in 1941 experiments with
nicotine sulphate in a 1 % per cent sum-
mer oil spray gave control equal to that
obtained in England with free (98%)
nicotine. The nicotine sulphate was used
at a strength of 1 to 600, and lead ar-
senate was added at the rate of 2 lbs.
to 40 gallons. As this trial was con-
ducted in city gardens where no satis-
factory check trees could be used owing
to the number of different varieties of
apple in the gardens, the result must be
taken only as an indication. Infestation
was kept down to 3.9 per cent in the
case of one series of trees and to 5.2
per cent in another, while unsprayed
trees in a nearby garden showed as high
as 80 per cent attack. The addition of
lead arsenate had a good effect in clear-
ing the foliage of sundry other pests such
as apple and thorn skeletonizer and other
caterpillars.

Literature Cited

(1) Theobald, F. V. Insect pests of fruit, pp. 122-126, London, 1909.

(2) Massee, A. M. The pests of fruit and hops, pp 77-80, London, 1936.

(3) Hey, G. L., Moore, M. H., and Steer, W. Ann. Rep. East Mailing Research

Station, England, 1933.

(4) Steer, W, and Thomas, F. J. D. Ibid. 1934.

(5) Pierce, W. D. A manual of dangerous insects likely to be introduced into the

United States through importations. U.S. Dept. Agr., 1918.

(6) Velbinger, H. Contribution to the biology and control of the apple and pear

sawflies H. testudinea Klg. and H. brevis Klg. (trans. title.) Gartenbauwis-

senschaft 13(4) : 492-566. 1939. (Abstract).

THE ADVANCE OF THE CODLING MOTH IN BRITISH COLUMBIA

Ben Hoy

District Inspector, British Columbia Department of Agriculture, Kelowna, B.C.

The codling moth, C arfocafsa pom-
onella (L.), has increased to such an
extent during the last fifteen years that
it has now become the chief limiting
factor in apple production throughout the
apple producing areas of the southern
Interior of British Columbia. Until about
1915 the codling moth was practically
unknown in the Interior. Although in-
festations were reported at Victoria in
1900 and at Kamloops and Kaslo in
1905, these infestations evidently covered

only small areas. They were believed
to have resulted from the importation of
wormy pears from California and wormy
apples from Ontario.

In 1912 codling moth was reported
from Armstrong and Rutland. At Arm-
strong worms had evidently been im-
ported in nursery cases from Oregon,
and at Rutland in settlers’ effects. Prompt
eradication measures were carried out.
Weather conditions were helpful for in
the spring of 1913 a heavy frost prac-

Proceedings for 1942

17

tically eliminated the apple crop in these
districts. No codling moths were found
in a careful inspection the the following
year.

An outbreak of C. fomonella was dis-
covered in the north end of the town of
Kelowna in 1913. It was believed to
have started from infested railway cars.
Orchards were banded and sprayed and
all wormy fruit destroyed during the
summers of 1914 and 1915 and as far
as could be determined this infestation
was eliminated. Within Kelowna city
limits in 1915 four government power-
sprayers commenced operation directly
the blossoms fell. Three thorough spray-
ings with arsenate of lead were admin-
istered and the trees banded and patrolled.
Only seventeen larvae were found dur-
ing the season in the Kelowna city limits.

Just about the time it was believed no
worms existed in the Okanagan, more
infestations were discovered at several
points in the Valley. In August 1915
codling moth was found at Westbank.
Twenty-four orchards were involved,
forming an area of about 200 acres.
The trees were immediately sprayed and
the fruit ordered packed at the packing
house instead of in home orchards. Any
fruits showing signs of worms were
destroyed in a boiler rigged up on the
beach. Trees were banded and patrolled.
No apples, pears, or quinces were allowed
to leave the district without first being
inspected. The infestation varied in these
orchards from 1 to 5 per cent.

Until 1913 codling moth control work
had been in charge of the late Thomas
Cunningham, chief orchard inspector for
the Province, a man who took most vig-
orous action whenever he believed the
circumstances warranted — and that was
invariably so where C. fomonella out-
breaks were concerned. In 1914 and
1915 the work was directed by W. H.
Lyne. In 1916 the Horticultural Branch
took over the codling moth control work
in the Province. P. E. French was in
charge of the North Okanagan and
C. P. R. Mainline districts, the writer

from Kelowna to the International
Boundary. The spraying of orchards and
the destruction of infested fruit in
quarantined districts was continued. An
area of 65 acres was found to be in-
fested at Walhachin in the fall of that
year.

Spraying, band inspection and des-
truction of wormy fruit was continued
throughout 1917. As no worms were
found in the Kelowna city area during
1917 this area was assumed to be free
of codling moth. Of the work at Wal-
hachin, P. E. French reported as follows:
“Methods of eradication employed here
were similar to those practised at Okan-
agan Landing. Very thorough work was
done by Mr. Buckell, who was in charge
of this work at Walhachin for the sea-
son.

In 1918, all codling moth control
work in the Interior came under the
supervision of the writer. H. H. Evans
was in charge at Vernon, Mr. Chesbro
at Westbank, and C. Barlow in the Sal-
mon Arm area. At this time there were
about five hundred acres under quarantine
in the Interior of the Province. Wal-
hachin, Vernon, and Westbank districts
were involved. Two sprays of arsenate
of lead were applied, the calyx spray
commencing May 20, and the second
spray on June 20. Twelve thousand
trees were banded and the bands inspected
five times during the season. On the
third inspection, three worms were found.
Two more inspections followed this, but
with no sign of the pest.

The results of the work at Westbank
are shown in the following figures: In
1916, 340 worms were found; in 1917,
58, and in 1918, 3.

On the recommendation of P. E.
French and R. C. Treherne, Dominion
Entomologist for British Columbia, the
policy at Vernon was changed in 1918.
Instead of spraying and banding the trees
in the area under quarantine, the apples
on about 50 acres were purchased by the
government, picked before maturity and
destroyed. In band inspections no worms

18

Entomological Society of B.C.

were found. Although the worms had
apparently been eradicated in this area,
two new infestations were found in the
Vernon area in 1918. Four properties
aggregating 15 acres were infested about
one mile north of the quarantined area,
and a new outbreak was discovered in
the town of Vernon. In all, seven ad-
ditional properties were quarantined.

At Westbank the work continued
during 1919. No worms were found in
the district. At Vernon in 1918, 394
specimens were captured. From the same
area in 1919, 195 were taken. However,
in 1919 a new infested area was dis-
covered, and from this area 178 speci-
mens were taken, bringing the total
captured in 1919 to 372. All orchards
adjacent to those infested were held under
quarantine.

Three hundred and seventy-eight
foreign refrigerator cars were inspected
for codling moth at Okanagan Landing
and 88 at Similkameen during this period.
At Okanagan Landing 203 specimens
were taken. Twenty larvae were found
in a single car.

In 1921 an outbreak of codling moth
was located on the K.L.O. Benches at
Kelowna and in 1922 outbreaks occurred
at Kaleden and Summerland. Rewards
were offered for the detection of codling
moth in new areas; $2*0.00 for the de-
tection of worms in an orchard located
in a district where worms had already
been found, but outside an actual quar-
antine area; $100.00 for the detection
of codling moth in a section or district
in the Okanagan where no quarantine
existed. Two rewards were paid in 1922,
$20.00 in the Kelowna district and
$100.00 in the Kaleden district.

In 1922 according to the report of
H. H. E vans, 990 refrigerator cars were
inspected at Revelstoke, Kamloops, Pen-
ticton, Keremeos, West Summerland and
Okanagan Landing. Of this total 249
were super-heated. For superheating work
at Revelstoke, steam was supplied by the
round-house boilers, carrying a pressure
of from 80 to 100 pounds. Since the

distance from boilers to cars was 300
to 600 feet, the low and variable pres-
sure gave unsatisfactory results. Car tem-
perature above 170° after 10 minutes
heating were attained at Okanagan Land-
ing and results in such cases were sat-
isfactory. Moisture condensation is much
more pronounced in cars treated under
low temperatures and pressures than with
higher pressures and temperatures. Excess
moisture was found to be undesirable.

Through 1923, 1924 and 1925 the
codling moth continued to survive in the
Okanagan Valley and though there was
considerable success in cleaning up cer-
tain areas, most of the officials in the
Department came to feel that quarantine
measures were becoming of less value
each year. The following table shows
the areas infested in 1924 and larvae
and pupae captured in 1923 and 1924
in the Okanagan district:

Table 1. Status of Codling Moth in
Okanagan District, 1923-1925

Acres

Acres

To be

Larvae

and

Sprayed

Sprayed

Pupae Found

1924

1925

1923

1924

Vernon :

Swan Lake 55

0

0

0

Ok. Landing 55

35

541

14

Winfield

110

210

0

99

Kelowna:

K. L. O.

324

324

196

88

Benvoulin

0

50

0

9

City Area

205

205

1278

2319

Glenmore

0

200

0

160

Rutland

0

60

0

8

Penticton :

Dog Lake

291

316

283

29

Kaleden

20

0

3

0

Green La

ke 7

7

0

192

Totals:

1067

1407

2301

2918

The year

1925

was the

last of

gen-

eral quarantine areas. W. H. Robert-
son, Provincial Horticulturist, reported
as follows in 1926: “It was decided by
the government that the old system of
quarantine areas and the spraying of

Proceedings for 1942

19

same for the control of codling moth
would be discontinued at the end of
1925. Districts were, however, given the
opportunity of forming compulsory spray-
ing zones. An Order in Council was
passed which made this possible upon
receipt of a petition from any district
signed by 60 per cent of the growers.
Your Branch also thought it advisable
that there should be certain regulations
as to the number of spray machines. This
requirement was finally placed at one 4-
horsepower machine for every 50 acres.
Regulations were also drafted based upon
the ‘Agricultural Act,’ Part II, R.S.B.C.
1 924, which outlined the actual spraying
requirements and penalties for non-com-
pliance. Because of certain deficiencies in
the Act under which this work would
have to be carried out no spraying zones
were formed. It is expected, however,
that with the amendment to the Act
which it is proposed to make at the next
meeting of the Legislature there will
be a number of zones established during
the coming year.”

A certain amount of work, however,
was still carried on. At Okanagan Land-
ing and Kamloops, spraying and banding

were done by the provincial government
in 1926 and paid for by the growers.
This work was continued in 1927 at the
above points and in the city of Kelowna.
At Salmon Arm, growers sprayed an area
in quarantine in 1925, 1926 and 1927
under supervision of the Horticultural
Branch and the cost of band inspection
was borne by the government. The Sal-
mon Arm quarantine was lifted in 1927
when no further infestation was found.

In 1929, trees were sprayed through-
out the Vernon City area and the cost
assessed to the lot owners. This work
was continued in this area until 1941,
when it was done by contract under the
supervision of the city.

Aside from spraying work in and
around the Vernon district by the De-
partment of Agriculture, all quarantine
work was dropped in 1926 and the
Okanagan Valley south of Vernon was
assumed to be generally infested with
codling moth. Though many sections then
were commercially free of the insect,
infestations were so numerous and wide-
spread that it was conceded by officials
and most growers that the codling moth
had become a pest with which the apple
industry had to learn to live.

EFFECT OF LIME AND LIME-SULPHUR ON THE LARVICIDAL VALUE

OF CRYOLITE i

J. Marshall

Dominion Entomological Laboratory, Vernon, B.C.

Apparently it is generally believed that
because of chemical incompatibility, sod-
ium aluminum fluoride (cryolite) should
not be used in a spray mixture contain-
ing lime or lime-sulphur. So far as can
be determined, however, there has been
presented no evidence of incompatibility
in terms of insecticidal effectiveness.

Carter (1931) mentions that sodium
silicofluoride (sodium fluosilicate) and
lime react to precipitate the insoluble

1. Contribution No. 2159, Division of En-
tomology, Science Service, Department of
Agriculture, Ottawa, Canada.

fluoride of calcium which evidently is
considerably less toxic than the more
soluble salts such as sodium fluoride. Bar-
ium silicofluoride, according to Carter
(1932), is likewise incompatible with
lime as well as with lime-sulphur solu-
tion. Popov and Rasina (1939) report
that the addition of lime to sodium
fluoride and sodium silicofluoride lowers
both the phytocidal properties and the in-
secticidal value of these compounds. On
the other hand Hockenyos (1939) states
that as a contact insecticide, sodium
fluoride was more quickly lethal to the

20

Entomological Society of B.C.

American cockroach when used with 50
per cent by weight of calcium hydrate
than when used alone. He is of the
opinion that the calcium hydrate reacts
with or absorbs the oily film covering
the integument and the fluoride then pen-
etrates by osmosis.

Field experiments in codling moth
control carried out at Kelowna, B.C., in

1939 indicated that as an adjuvant for
cryolite, casein-lime might be superior
to ammonium oleate or blood albumin.
Further experiments were undertaken in

1940 and 1941 to determine the effect
of varying quantities of lime on the
larvicidal value of the cryolite-casein-
lime mixture 2. Several plots, each con-
sisting of 4 McIntosh, 1 Newtown and
1 Stayman tree, were sprayed with mix-

Table 1. Effect of Lime on Cryolite
in Codling Moth Cover Sprays

Average Per Cent
Wormy Fruit

1940 1941

Cryolite- casein- 1 oz. lime 10.4

Check adjoining (1) 9.4

Cryolite-casein-4 oz. lime 9.1 9.5

Check adjoining (2) 9.4 10.5

Cryolite-casein- 16 oz. lime 8.0 15.6

Check adjoining (3) 12.5 10.5

Cryolite-casein-64 oz. lime 22.3

Check adjoining (4) 12.3

tuted for lead arsenate in the check plots.

Table 1 gives results in terms of fruit
infested by codling moth at harvest.

While lime used at 0.25 pound per
100 gallons of spray did not measurably
lower the larvicidal value of cryolite,
four pounds appeared to be detrimental.

Table 2. Effect of Lime-Sulphur and Elemental (Ground) Sulphur
on the Larvicidal Value of Cryolite

Materials Per 100 Gallons

Number of
Larvae

Av. Per
Cent Stings

Av. Per Cent
Larval Entries

Cryolite 3.75 lb. - casein 0.5 oz. - lime 4 oz

231

14

29

Same but with added lime sulphur 1.6 gal

217

6

60

Same but with added elemental sulphur 4.5 lb

229

13

35

Check — no spray

217

1

70

tures composed of natural cryolite 3.75
pounds, lactic casein 0.5 ounce and high
calcium hydrated lime in amounts vary-
ing from 4 ounces to 4 pounds per 100
gallons of water. Four cover sprays were
applied in 1940 and five cover sprays
in 1941. Check plots adjoining the ex-
perimental plots were sprayed with lead
arsenate 3.75 pounds, casein 0.5 ounce,
lime 4 ounces. Each year in the single
second brood spray, cryolite was substi-

2. The field experiments were co-operative
with the British Columbia Horticultural
Branch. Mr. B. Hoy, in charge of the Ke-
lowna office, supplied the sprayer and did
much of the spraying and fruit checking.
The staff of the Vernon laboratory was re-
sponsible for the remainder of the work.

The addition of one pound of lime per
100 gallons evidently had little effect.

A laboratory experiment in which
natural cryolite was used with lime-
sulphur and with elemental sulphur, gave
the results noted in Table 2. Ne\yly
hatched codling moth larvae were al-
lowed to attack individual apples that
previously had been sprayed with the ex-
perimental mixtures. The apples were
examined for stings and entries after two
weeks. The experiment comprised three
replicates of each material.

Although elemental sulphur had little
influence on the larvvicidal value of cryofite.
lime-sulphur at equivalent sulphur concen-
tration apparently had a detrimental effect.
The results were consistent in each of the
three replicates.

Literature Cited

Carter, R. H. 1931. The incompatibility of lime with fluosilicates. Jour. Econ. Ent. 24
(1) :263-268.

1932. The incompatibility of barium fluosilicate and nicotine sulfate. Jour.

Econ. Ent. 25 (6) : 1242-1243.

Hockenyos, G. L. 1939. Factors influencing the absorption of sodium fluoride by the
American cockroach. Jour. Econ. Ent. 32 (6) :843-848.

Popov P. V., and R. V. Rasina. 1939. The incompatibility of sodium fluoride and sodium
fluosilicate with lime and chalk (as insecticides). Trans. Sci. Inst. Fertilizers and
Insectofungicides (U.S.S.R.) 135:79-92. Cited in Chem. Abstr. 34:6003, 1940.

Proceedings for 1942

21

A NOTE ON LAELIUS SP.# A PARASITE OF THE CARPET BEETLE
ANTHRENUS SCROPHU LAR I AE (L.) ( Hymenoptera, Bethylidae)

G. J. Spencer

Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C.

On August 3, 1941, a mass of floor
sweepings containing beetle larvae was
sent in to the entomological laboratory
at Kamloops, from Mazama, Osprey
Station, about 30 miles north-west of
Penticton; Mr. G. Allen Mail very
kindly handed the debris over to me. It
contained dermestid larvae and the chew-
ed-up remains of several adult Anthrenus
scrofhulariae Linn. I kept the mass caged
and secured over a dozen fresh beetles
of this species.

Amongst the trash were a number of
old larval skins in which beetles had
pupated; three of these skins contained
a mass of silk enveloping four silken
pupal cases lying in the same axis as
the dermestid skin. Attached to one mass,
and partly enveloped in the silk, was the
remains of a tiny dark hymenopteron
while another lay nearly detached in the
rubbish. Both wasps were somewhat bat-
tered, but were obviously parasites of
these beetles.

I sent the specimens to Dr. G. S.
Walley who turned them over to Dr. O.
Peck. In his reply, Dr. Peck says, in
part, “. . . this hymenopteron (Bethylid)
agrees closely with the description of
Laelius occidentalis Whittaker although
somewhat lighter in colour. L. occiden-
talis has been known, up until now, only
from the type; this was taken on a win-
dow in Chilliwack, B.C., and was de-
scribed in the Trans. Ent. Soc. London
( 1927-28): 387-8 (1 flg.) . . . nothing
is known of its biology except through
other species of the genus. In this regard
it is perhaps well for me to draw your
attention to the method of pupation.
Your letter of August 19th states that
there are three or four pupal cases in
each larva, suggesting internal parasitism
which is contrary to the external para-
sitism in this genus (Vance and Parker,

1932, Proc. Ent. Soc. Wash. 34:1-7).
However, Mr. W. J. Brown tells me
that Anthrenus pupates within the last
larval skin so that an external parasite
may well appear to be internal.”

Now the last larval skins of Anthrenus f
in which the cocoons occurred, were in-
tact so I could not see how the Laelius
grubs could be external feeders without
destroying this exuviae; in the one spec-
imen I have left, there is no sign of
the pupal case of the beetle. In that
priceless book “Entomophagous Insects”,
Clausen, speaking of the attacks of
Laelius adults on their hosts, says that
they sting their victims — “The females
of the genus Laelius , which attack the
larvae of Dermestidae, bite away the
covering of long hairs on the venter of
the abdomen before depositing their eggs
(Howard, 1901) . . . “In Laelius an-
threnivorous Trani, the female . . . .
chews the throat, apparently with the
object of injuring the cervical ganglion.
The complete process of subduing the
host may require several hours.” For
reference, I quote this passage from The
Insect Book by Leland O. Howard, pp.
34-35, “Life History of a Parasitic
Wasp”:

“The Laelius is a little, black, slen-
der, active, four-winged fly; and the
female, when it finds one of these der-
mestid larvae, at once jumps upon its
back and clings firmly, in spite of the
struggles of the victim. As soon as the
poor beetle larva quiets down a bit, Lae-
lius places herself crosswise over the
thorax and, curling her abdomen around
under the side, inserts her sting just be-
hind the second or third pair of legs,
paralyzing the dermestid instantly, the
sting apparently having entered one of
the large thoracic nerve ganglia. Then
the parasite relaxes its hold and begins

22

Entomological Society of B,C.

pulling the legs and hairs of its victim
with its mandibles, its antennae vibrating
in a contented manner. The pulling of
the legs is evidently an attempt on the
part of the parasite to see if the stinging
has done its work with perfect effect.
Having satisfied herself by all sorts of
tests that the paralysis is complete, she
proceeds to lay an egg, attaching it to
the skin of the dermestid on the under
side of the body, first pulling out the
hairs carefully so that the egg can be
firmly attached to the skin. If in the
course of this operation, or even before
the egg is laid, another dermestid larva
comes within her range of perception,
she leaves the first victim, mounts and
stings the second, or even a third or a
fourth, each time testing the complete-
ness of the paralysis with the utmost
care. Before attaching the egg she thrusts
her sting into the spot several times, ap-
parently making an orifice through which
the larva, after hatching, can thrust its
head, or which it can at least enlarge
easily so as to insert its head. The egg
is oval, soft, translucent, about a third
of a millimeter long, apparently has no
peduncle, and is not very firmly attached
to the skin of the dermestid. From one
to six eggs are laid upon a single vic-
tim. In a few days the larvae hatch,
yellow in color and Very indistinctly
jointed. Immediately on hatching, their
mouths are closely applied to the skin
of the paralyzed dermestid and they be-
gin to grow, not so rapidly as the some-
what similar Euplectrus, which will be
described in a succeeding chapter, but
still rather rapidly, reaching full growth
in from ten to fourteen days. When full
grown, a group of these larvae with
their heads inserted at a central point,
look not unlike the petals of a curious

Agabus ontarionis Fall. This dytis-
cid water beetle was unknown from
British Columbia until June 8, 1941,
when G. J. Spencer took a series of ten-
eral adults. His specimens are from

flower growing out of the shrivelled der-
mestid larva. When only one Laelius
larva occurs upon a host it sometimes
enters the sucked-dry skin and spins its
cocoon within it, but generally the white,
rather loose, silken cocoons are spun out-
side the skin of the dermestid, which
shows large holes where the parasitic
larvae have been at work.”

Now it is true, even as Mr. W. J.
Brown mentioned, that Anthrenus pupates
within the last larval skin; this skin takes
on the form of a broad oval, sharply
pointed at each end like a canoe very
wide in the middle, with the bluntly-
oval, delicately skinned pupa lying inside
it. This is precisely the form of the
exuviae of parasitized Anthrenus that I
have but instead of the beetle puparium,
four silken Laelius cocoons lie inside the
split-open last larval skin which is other-
wise intact. If the Laelius larvae had
been external feeders, this last larval skin
would have been shrivelled or at least,
punctured; it is intact. Therefore in this
instance at least, it appears as if the
Laelius larvae had attacked the recently-
formed pupa of the beetle. At first this
did not seem feasible because the sum-
mer brood of A. verhasci (for compari-
son) is a rapid one and the pupa hardens
quickly, but development of this beetle
through this (1941) winter shows that
the stage of the perfectly soft, white,
helpless Anthrenus pupa, lying exposed
in the widely-split-open last larval skin,
may extend for over three weeks; at such
a time a Laelius could do what she liked
with it and her grubs could feed upon
it externally, leaving the larval skin in-
tact, and form their silken cocoons in
this skin.

I am greatly indebted to Dr. O. Peck for
his comments on this insect and for suggest-
ing that this record may be worth publishing.

Bachelor Swamp, between Pass Lake and
Lac du Bois, high on the ranges north of
Kamloops. A month or two later the
meadowy swamp had dried up. — Hugh
B. Leech.

Proceedings for 1942

23

INSECTS AND OTHER ARTHROPODS IN BUILDINGS IN
BRITISH COLUMBIA

G. J. Spencer

Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C.

This paper consists of a series of brief
records of certain insects, sowbugs and
mites which have come into my hands
in the last ten years in this Province;
the buildings mentioned are dwellings
either permanently or temporarily occu-
pied, and in a couple of instances, are
greenhouses. Insects and mites infesting
stored products in mills, factories and
warehouses are not included; they have
been written up by the late Kenneth
Jacob in a paper of some length which
the department of Zoology of this Uni-
versity hopes to publish before long.

Of the very large number of arthro-
pods that might come into dwellings,
some are indigenous, most are accidental
and a fair number are introduced species
infesting; materials in the houses. This
list is confined to those native and in-
troduced and doubtful species about which
complaints or enquiries have come to me
over a period of years or those which
I have intercepted myself; the common
species of domestic pests attacking food-
stuffs, of which we have a very large
number, are omitted and mention is made
only of those not hitherto recorded for
the Province or of special interest other-
wise, which have become established here
or are accidental intruders. In a few
cases some are mentioned which are con-
spicuous by their absence.

Of Arthropods not Insects
Acarina. Two heavy infestations of
mites were sent in during the autumn
of 1941, one Aleurobius farinae Degeer
infesting a large warehouse for imported
cheese, where the mites had suddenly be-
come so plentiful that they formed a
heavy dust around the bases of the
cheeses. It was not possible to order
fumigation and clean-up measures in-
volved two thousand 80 to 90-pound
cheeses; by experiment I found that the

finest spray with the mosquito repellent
“Sta-way” instantly wetted the greasy
mass of dead and living mites, so I
suggested that the operators try it out
with all due care to its possible poison-
ing the cheeses or affecting their flavour.
They reported entirely in its favour.

The other mite was Glycyfhagus do-
mesticus Degeer sent in from Nanaimo
where it was reported by a medical man
as producing an irritating rash on human
beings. This mite is the cause of the
so-called “Grocer’s itch” in England; as
far as I can determine, this is the first
record of it in Canada.

Isopoda. Up to the present I have col-
lected only five species of sow-bugs in
buildings, though a sixth, Lygidium gra-
cile (Stimpson) is common in certain
lands and woods near and on the Uni-
versity campus.

Up to the last two or three years,
the only ubiquitous sowbug that invaded
homes every autumn was Porcellio scaber
Latreille, though I recovered Porcellio
rathkei Brandt in October 1929 at the
University. Recently, however, Oniscus
asellus Linn, has increased tremendously,
is abundant in neighboring wild lands
near Vancouver and last autumn (1941)
occurred in gardens of West Point Grey.
It is the largest sowbug to be found
locally and is a very active species. I
first found it here in 1929, in the Stan-
ley Park greenhouse, and have taken it
occasionally since, but it is common now
and widespread. Also in greenhouses,
have cropped up Armadillidium vulgare
(Latr.) and A. quadrifrons Stoller; the
latter is very abundant in one of the
Fraser Valley greenhouses where it tun-
nels readily into flower pots, eats away
root systems of plants and will not re-
spond to control measures that keep down
the other species, P. scaber , which also

24

Entomological Society of B.C.

occurs in these houses. These two species
of Armadillidium roll up into a hall
when disturbed.

Chilopoda. The house centipede Cer-
matia ( Scutigera ) forcefs (Raf.) has
twice been brought in — once from an
abattoir where there was an active col-
ony in one of the partitions between two
rooms, and the second on April 10, 1939
when a large, healthy speciment was
caught in a beer parlor in the city.

The garden centipede Scutigerella im-
maculata (Newport) has also twice been
reported — once in small numbers in an
outdoor compost heap in Vancouver, and
in January, 1942, from certain large
greenhouses near Langley where it was
destroying 8-inch-high tomato plants in
100 yards of hot house. ,

Araneida. This province is a paradise
for spiders and offers a most promising
field for collecting and systematic work.
House spiders of several species are a
curse to the housekeeper at the Coast;
they invade dwellings in swarms every
autumn and spin webs for the next six
months. They are best detected by not-
ing the location of the spiderless web
by day, and at night, suddenly flicking
on the electric light or a flashlight, when
the culprit can readily jpe seen and killed
with a fly swatter before it runs to cover.
A certain restraint is necessary when
hitting them because the large juicy ones
leave a conspicuous mark on wallpaper
or kalsomine if squashed with too much
enthusiasm.

The black widow spider Latrodectes
mactans Fab. is widely distributed in,
and apparently restricted to, the dry belt
of the Interior and the drier portions
of south eastern Vancouver Island and
the Gulf Islands. It seldom enters houses
but is very common in woodsheds, out-
door toilets and machine sheds. In the
Nicola area at about 2900 feet, I have
found its webs completely covering the
corners and back of a carriage shed. In
the Kamloops area it occurs up to 3100

feet only and seems to extend down the
Fraser Canyon to just below Lytton.

Of Insects

Thysanura. A house - infesting Thysan-
uran, the silver fish, Lefisma saccharina
L., has turned up a few times in the
last decade but seems unable to form
successful colonies, while the fire brat,
Thermobia domestica Pack., is widely
but thinly distributed in Vancouver. Ev-
ery now and then small colonies are
reported, chiefly from apartment houses,
but neither of these species attains the
density of numbers acquired by them in
Toronto, Ontario.

Orthoptera. Of house-frequenting Or-
thoptera, Ceuthofhilus agassizi (Scud.)
occurs frequently in basements in autumn,
apparently coming in from gardens, but
seems unable to survive the winter dry-
ing-out and soon disappears. I have one
unusual record of the giant cave-cricket
Trofidischia xanthostoma Scudder being
taken in one of the upstairs draughting
rooms of the engineering department of
the University in July, 1941; it must
have climbed up an outside wall and
hopped in.

The European house cricket Gryllus
domesticus Linn, has never materialized
as a pest in this city as we thought it
would do eight years ago when it was
first discovered, although it still persists
in small numbers in the basement of a
local golf clubhouse.

Atropidae. Of the Atropidae or book
lice, two species are widespread, occur-
ring in basements of very many homes
but rarely increasing sufficiently to be-
come a nuisance. A small pale-coloured
one is very general and may become a
pest, but the second is more interesting,
being larger, nearly black and possessing
rudimentary fore wings (only). Now
the world - wide Lifoscelis ( Troctes )
divinatorius (Muller) is nearly black but
is wingless so this local one may be un-
described or a species of Clothilla.
Hemiptera. I need mention only two
species, Lcftocoris trivittatus (Say), the

Proceedings for 1942

25

box-elder bug which has been sent in
with enquiries in increasing frequency
from the Okanagan Valley in the last
five years, with complaints of its invad-
ing rooms, and the big Coreid, Leptog-
lossus occidentalis Heid. which is either
increasing in this vicinity or is coming
more into public attention. Personally,
I think it is increasing because I have
collected it several times the last few
years in December when it seeks shelter
in the house and up to five years ago I
had never taken it locally; it is also
being sent in with enquiries. It either
feeds upon or shelters in holly, whence
it can sometimes be obtained by beating.
Lepidoptera. Only a few house-infest-
ing moths need be mentioned. Since 1938
I have found Purina manufactured “Fox-
pelting Chow” biscuits to be the best
medium for raising clothes moths that
I have yet come across. One large cul-
ture in a crock has been going continu-
ously for nearly 3)4 years without any
additions of food; in the last 2 years
it has become infested with the spider
beetle Ptinus ocellus Brown and still
produces numbers of both insects the
year round. For two years the moths
(Tineola biselliella Hummel) were the
largest and healthiest specimens I have
yet raised but the food supply now seems
to be running low and the size of moths
is decreasing.

The scavenger bulb moth or brown
house moth Borkhausenia fseudosfretella
Staintcn is a very persistent but never
plentiful intruder, the larva feeding
usually on dried forgotten carrots in the
basement but there are indications that
it eats animal products such as woollens,
as do the clothes moths.

The white - shouldered house moth
Endrosis lacteella SchifF. flourishes' en-
ormously in commercial blood-meal for
gardens; I have had a colony going for
two seasons in this medium, which yields
clouds of moths in late summer and
early autumn. The caterpillars may be
taken from it all through the year. This

species, like the preceding, is generally
regarded as a decaying-vegetable feeder
so its success on blood meal seems unusual.

I have only once encountered the
tapestry moth, Trichofhaga tapctiella
(Linn.) emerging in numbers from an
ancient couch in a rest room in a gar-
age at Spence’s Bridge. The infestation
probably came in and died out with
the couch.

Conspicuous by its rarity is the meal
snout moth Pyralis farinalis Linn.; I
have encountered it only once in 1 5
years, in the buildings of the biological
station at Nanaimo. Mr. H. B. Leech
has found the larvae numerous in man-
gers in a horse barn at Salmon Arm.
Coleoptera. Of the large number of
beetles that invade dwellings, the ma-
jority are stored product pests. Some,
however, come in for hibernation and
of these some seek shelter but remain
active all winter. Of those merely seek-
ing winter quarters, the weevils Brachy-
rhinus sulcatus (Fab.), the black vine
weevil, and B. ovatus (Linn.) the straw-
berry root weevil, are common every
year and sometimes very abundant and
this last year the clay coloured weevil
B. singularis Linn., recently recorded in
Victoria by Messrs. Downes and Andison,
has made its appearance in West Point
Grey, entering homes for hibernation.
Of stragglers that seek shelter but re-
main active all winter, the ground beetles
Pterostichus sp. and Pemfhus ( Scaphin-
otus) angusticollis (Fischer) are the
chief; the latter eats dead or disabled
sowbugs and is a regular nightly atten-
dant at the dish from which household
pets are fed, coming out when the first
rush is over.

An accidental intruder but one which
comes into buildings in summer is the
notorious Stink beetle Nomius pyg?naeus
Dej., probably the most concentratedly
malodorous animal for its size in the
world. For some years now I have check-
ed up reported flights of this beetle and
find that their presence in towns can
be associated with forest fires; when the

26

Entomological Society of B.C.

horizon is blotted out by smoke, these
stinkers may arrive. Apparently they are
forest dwellers which are driven out by
the fires and may then travel long dis-
tances, scattered by the smoke. In the
summer of 1938 a very extensive fire
ravaged the Campbell River area on
Vancouver Island and the beetles ap-
peared again and were reported from
several spots in Vancouver. They gath-
ered under timber in one down-town
lumber yard and remained there several
weeks. A workman of the place told
me of their potency, of their restricted
area of temporary shelter and of the
complete peace in which the men left
them. He remarked on the fact that
they did not scatter through the mill or
invade nearby residences. It is possible
that the particular block of lumber be-
neath which they sheltered happened to
be in a certain degree of sap fermenta-
tion which was attractive to the beetles
and held them until they either died out
or returned to the woods when the fires
died down. They were probably carried
to Vancouver by the then - prevailing
westerly winds, flying high over the pall
of smoke. Dr. M. H. Hatch (1931.
Monthly News Letter [Puget Sound
Academy of Science] 3 (9), issue of
September 1 ) has also recorded it as a
household pest, and has* given a summary
of its habits.

Of the many beetles attacking stored
products in this province I mention only
a few, conspicuous for one reason or
another.

The meal worms Tenebrio molitor
Linn, and T. obscurus Fab. are relatively
rare; the rice weevil Sitophilus oryzae
Linn, occurs ten times for one infesta-
tion of iS. granarius Linn.; the spider
beetle Ptinus ocellus Brown and the
saw-toothed grain beetle Silvanus surina-
mensis Linn, elicit more enquiries from
harassed citizens than any other beetles,
both of them, especially the spider beetle,
flooding over an entire house, feeding on
a wide range of cereal foodstuffs. I have
raised the saw-toothed beetle on raisins

and walnuts besides cereals. Of the flour
beetles, Friboliuni confusum J. du Val.
occurs five times for one infestation of
T. castaneum Herbst., the rust red beetle;
T. madens Charp. I have recovered only
once — from Departure Bay, Nanaimo.
Along with the first two of these flour
beetles, for the last three years I have
had a colony of Gnathocerus cornutus
Fab., the hroad-horned flour beetle. An
infestation of Fribolium is very hard
to eradicate and requires most persistent
house-cleaning. The varied carpet beetle
Anthrenus verbasci Linn, and the buffalo
carpet beetle A. scrophulariae Linn, have
become established in Vancouver in the
last 5 years; the former is becoming
serious, the latter occurs very little.

Occasionally the minute cucujid beetle
Laemofhloeus fusillus (Schoen), which
is usually an elevator pest, occurs in
houses especially those in which old
chicken feed or other broken grain is
stored in the basement.

Some of these beetles need further
comment. Of the Ptinidae, I have rear-
ed Sphaericus gibboides Boieldieu from
saffron, cayenne pepper, curry powder
and fish meal. With all these foodstuffs,
the colonies die out in 2 to 3 years
irrecpective of the amount of food pres-
ent. Frigono genius globulum Sol. has

turned up twice in a dwelling, breeding
in woollen fluff and trash. Niptus holo-
leucus Fald. was found in numbers in
the basement of a hardware store at
Fernie, B.C. (January 4, 1936. H. B.
Leech). Ptinus fur Linn, the white-
marked spider beetle seems to occur more
in Victoria than in Vancouver; odd
specimens are not infrequently found in
Vancouver homes and are sent in. I
have reared it on a variety of cereals
but it soon dies out. Ptinus ocellus Brown
(tectus Boiel.) is one of the most wide-
spread and most complained-of pests in
Vancouver. It was first sent to me from
Prince Rupert in 1926 by a student,
Dick Pilsbury, who reported it as occur-
ring in devastating numbers on a fish-
meal wharf ; to clear the wharf and

Proceedings for 1942

27

its buildings of the pest, the workmen
shovelled it into the sea with their fish-
meal scoops and threw a great deal of
the infested meal after it. Brown re-
ported it (Can. Ent. 72 (6): 120, June,
1940.) first from Victoria, remarking
that its discovery there by Mr. W.
Downes in 1927 and 1928 was the first
time it was found in America. It is
now painfully common all over the low-
er Fraser Valley having apparently been
spread by shipments of infested fish or
other meal from Vancouver. I have
reared it in a wide range of kitchen
cereals, dried casein, buttermilk powder,
blood and bone-meal and in commercial
garden fertilizers which contain fish
meal. This latter material, stored in
basements, is the greatest single breeding
place of this pest, whence it spreads out
all over a home. Removing the host
meal carries away the infestation and
stray beetles soon die out.

Within the last year I have encoun-
tered three infestations in homes, of
furniture beetles. The first trouble was
caused by Anobium functatum Degeer,
which completely riddled the back of a
china cabinet and part of the sides. I
have all the wood in a cage and grubs
are still working in it. The citizen who
brought me the wood thought the cab-
inet had been bought at an auction. The
second and third infestations of appar-
ently this beetle occur in New Westmin-
ster in a piano which was brought round
Cape Horn 50 years ago, and in a table
imported from England 18 months ago;
in both cases sawdust is being pushed out
from holes which are appearing one after
another in the wood. In the case of the
piano, the infestation is of recent origin
and must have arisen locally. The beetle
would appear to have become established
in this area.

The drug store beetle Stegobium fan-
iceum (Linn.) (Sitodre-pa panicea) crops
up now and then at intervals in spices
— cayenne pepper, all-spice and curry
powder. I have a strong culture nearly
2 years old, in dried ginger.

Beetles of the family Dermestidae are
well represented in British Columbia; I
have 24 species so far. Some are very
common, chiefly in the dry interior of
the Province, and some are becoming
common at the Coast.

Three species of fair size are equally
numerous around Kamloops, freely en-
tering unscreened houses. In my cabin
above Kamloops at 3100 feet, all three
turned up frequently, namely Dermestes
talpinus Mann., D. signatus Leconte and
D. lardarius Linn. ; they were much
attracted to drying bacon and to bread
which was apparently fermenting in the
heat in the bread box. Often a couple
of beetles of one or other of these three
species would arrive overnight and hide
away under the bread. I have reared
all three from larvae feeding upon dried
insects or incompletely picked skulls and
especially D. signatus from the trash at
the bottom of used and vacated swallows
nests. D. lardarius y especially, very read-
ily lays eggs on, and the larvae develop
in, a box of insects exposed for drying.

Attagenus piceus Oliv. was reared from
a supply of casein powder recently re-
ceived from Australia; Anthrenus scrop-
hulariae (which is very common as far
north as the Chilcotin) from trash on
the floor of a public dance hall and
from sweepings from the corners of a
room, from dead insects, and once I
raised two small larvae on a piece of
old cow horn and secured the adult
beetles; and Orphilus niger (Rossi) from
dry insects.

Two dermestids need special mention
here: Anthrenus verbasci Linn, the var-
ied carpet beetle, and Perimegatoma ves-
pulae Milliron.

Concerning A. verbasci the varied
carpet beetle. Larvae of this insect turn-
ed up in the University collections, so
I assembled them and cultured them out
with a supply of dried insect bodies in
a 3-inch diameter glass-covered tin box,
on March 24, 1934. They kept on

breeding in this tin until January 20,
1937, when the food supply was ex-

28

Entomological Society of B.C.

hausted and the larvae present had con-
sumed even the dried bodies of their
dead parents. So the mass was discarded
and the larvae re-cultured with a supplv
of buttermilk powder. They throve on
this medium and by April 10 many beetles
had emerged from the pupae. They were
allowed to increase again until May 15,
1939, when another mass of debris con-
sisting of frass, exuviae and dead beetles
had accumulated; many larvae were pres-
ent so more buttermilk powder was
added without cleaning out the tin. By
spring 1941 the colony had died out.
Apparently the last generation of beetles
was infertile or the young larvae met
hostile conditions because the dead bodies
of many adults were present, unchewed
by larvae. Thus this colony had been
going in a 3-inch diameter tin for five
years. This was the only trace of these
beetles I had received in the Province.

Suddenly in November 1940 enquiries
came in from five homes in Vancouver
about large numbers of larvae which
turned out to be those of the varied
carpet beetle, appearing in clothes closets
and in some cases all over the house.
Most stringent clean-up measures were
recommended and the potentiality for evil
of these larvae was heavily stressed. Up
to last autumn 1941, however, specimens
of these larvae continued to come in
from homes widely scattered over this
city and from New Westminster. Ap-
parently this beetle has become established
as a household pest.

I have reared the larvae successfully
on dried insects, on broken grains of
wheat and chiefly on Purina Fox-chow
biscuits which I use as a basic food for
all household pests. The adults eat Fox-
chow and raisins.

As far as a pest in insects collections
is concerned, P crime gatoma vesfulae
Mill iron is the worst thing I have en-
countered in this Province. In the sum-
mer of 1933 I was working in Upper
Hat Creek valley and camping in the
forestry cabin in Marble Canyon. As
is my custom in summer, all insects col-

lected were pinned out at night on cork
strips and allowed to dry for one or
two weeks before being transferred to
store boxes. During the winter of 1933-
34 I found larvae in these store boxes
and on March 15, 1934, one pupal case
from which a beetle emerged on April
12, 1934. I assembled all the larvae I
could find and have cultured them out
dozens of times since on every culture
medium that I use — several cereal flours,
fox-chow biscuits, casein, milk and but-
termilk powders, dried lean meat, nut
meats, spices of all kinds, and dried in-
sects. They prefer perfect, fully labelled
insect specimens, if possible type or para-
type material or rare specimens, to every-
thing else. They also feed upon bird
skins and dried Crustacea in the museum,
doing the best they can on this uninter-
esting food material.

In all these years of culturing hund-
reds of larvae, I have never yet brought
one successfully to a pupa, much less to
an adult. Every colony terminates with
a large series of exuviae and, now and
then, some dried larvae; frequently only
exuviae remain and I cannot understand
what happens to the larvae. The only
adults I have obtained were accidentally
found chiefly on the glass tops of the
insect cabinet drawers and twice only in
a box of bulk unpinned insects. At pres-
ent I am culturing the larvae singly in
glass-topped tin boxes and, in mass, in
great heaps of insect bodies in tin boxes.

In 8 years I have obtained only 1 1
adults, 9 of them picked up accidentally
where least expected and consequently few
are perfect specimens.

The capacity of the larvae for enter-
ing apparently tight-sealing boxes is dis-
heartening; they freely enter any of our
own grooved and tongued cabinet draw-
ers, any of our usual store boxes, they
invade skull cabinets, bird and mammal
cabinets, mailing boxes of insects, and I
have repeatedly found them in ordinary
drug-store tin salve boxes of unpinned
insects. The larvae hatching from the
egg must be infinitely small and capable

Proceedings for 1942

29

Nv"

of entering very small spaces. I have
never captured the adults nor found the
larvae in the field, either at the Coast
or in the Dry Belt.

Mr. W. J. Brown of Ottawa very
kindly named the species for me and
referred me to Milliron’s description of
it (in the Annals of the Ent. Soc. of
America, 32 (3): 570-574, fig. 1. Sep-
tember, 1939.) In this article, Dr. H.
E. Milliron of University Farm, St. Paul,
Minnesota, describes it as a new species,
reared in 1938 from a 20 to 25 year
old demonstration wasp nest — hence the
specific name vesfulae. The only prev-
ious record of it in Minnesota was a
pinned specimen in the University mus-
eum labelled “University farm campus,
September 10, 1934.”

I submitted a specimen to the late Mr.
Ralph Hopping shortly after finding the
first adult and he told me it was a
Perimegatoma but could not name it
to species.

Notwithstanding my most strenuous
efforts at control, the pest is still very
much with us and is constantly cropping
up in the collections. Milliron found the
species to be parthenogentic which would

account for its prevalence all over our
storerooms and its success in becoming
established.

Finally, in this catalogle of stray or
purposive invaders of dwellings in this
area, may be mentioned outbreaks that
have occurred several times in the late
autumn, of vast numbers of minute pale
brown beetles that swarm in basements,
appearing suddenly on basement windows
in such numbers as to practically shut
out the light. They apparently breed on
and emerge from wood that is stored
for fire places, chiefly alder and coast
maple. A series from one house, (No-
vember, 1933) yielded the following list
(identified by Mr. H. B. Leech):- —
Nitidulidae Efuraea spp.

Another genus

Cryptophagidae Atomaria sp.

2 other genera

Lathridiidae Comnomus constrictus Gyll.

C oninomus nodifer Westw.

Acknowledgments — I am deeply indebted to
the following specialists who have named
specimens for me over a number of years:
Mr. W. J. Brown, Division of Entomology,
Ottawa, Ont.; the late Ralph Hopping, and
Mr. H. B. Leech, of the Dominion Entomol-
ogical Laboratory, Vernon, B.C.

THE RESULTS OF FURTHER WORK DONE ON THE CONTROL OF
GRAIN MITES IN BRITISH COLUMBIA

H. F. Olds

Plant Protection Division, Canada Department of Agriculture, Vancouver, B.C.

The need for conserving products
vital to the well being of the British
Empire and her allies is being contin-
ually stressed by our Governments. Food
in all forms comes under the category
of vital commodities to such an extent
that at the present time some of these
products are rationed, not that there is
a shortage, but so that an adequate sup-
ply will always be available. Steps to
conserve food products from deterior-

* Contribution No. 28, Division of Plant
Protection, Production Service, Department
of Agriculture, Ottawa, Ontario.

ation due to insects have been taken by
the Department of Agriculture from the
beginning of hostilities, and the Division
of Plant Protection has assisted other
branches of the Service in this work.
All elevators, mills, and warehouses
where large stocks of grains and cereals
are stored have been periodically in-
spected. During the past season it has
been our privilege to assist Mr. Harold
Gray, who is in charge of the Stored
Product Insect Investigation Division and
Dr. Beverley N. Smallman of the Board
of Grain Commissioners for Canada,

30

Entomological Society of B,C .

who have been carrying on extensive
work in the control of these stored
product pests.

Mites may be found in practically
any grain, and under normal conditions
are not serious, but the lack of shipping
has created a problem. Recently, we have
had to put a large percentage of our
crops in temporary storages, where turn-
ing the grain is an additional cost. Added
to this, last year’s harvesting weather was
very poor and we have to consider a
certain amount of tough or damp grain.
Stored tough grains or grain where the
moisture content is above normal, must
be turned at regular intervals to avoid
heating. Wherever the moisture content
rises above fourteen percent we may ex-
pect a heavy infestation, unless the grain
is stored in separate bins and turned at
regular intervals.

In a well operated elevator the bins
are numbered, or should be. If, for
example, bins Nos. 3, 5 and 8 have a
high moisture content in the grain, there
is also a slight increase in the temper-
ature. In a routine inspection the inves-
tigator should pay particular attention
to these two points and draw samples

from these bins first. If a bin is in-
fested, samples should be drawn from
both the top and the bottom. Where
infestations are slight 'quite often the
mites will be found only in the first
few feet of the grain on the top of
the bin and for a few feet up from

the bottom. Usually grain in such bins
will register a normal moisture content.
Bottom samples should be drawn until
there is no further evidence of infes-

tation. Inspectors who are conversant
with this work will have little or no
difficulty in detecting the presence of
mites since they give off a sickly sweet
odour. If this odour is strong the

infestation undoubtedly is heavy. Dr.
Smallman stated that if the top of the
bin were infested, the action of empty-
ing it would not necessarily correct this,
if the grain was simply drawn off that
bin and placed in another. In drawing

off the grain, that on the top of the
bin settled down to about thirty or
forty feet from the bottom before it
coned in, and the mites on the top por-
tion would then be deposited on the top
of the new bin. To test this, I tied an
eight-pound weight to a long rope, and
buried it about two feet in the top sur-
face of the wheat in a bin 26 feet wide
and 100 feet deep. The bottom gate
was then opened; the bin took 21/?.
hours to empty. Samples were drawn
at intervals and showed mites in the
bottom few tons and freedom from
mites above that until the bin started
to cone in. It was not until the grain
had settled to within forty feet of the
bottom that it coned in and the weight
began to pull. This meant that the mites
simply settled down as Dr. Smallman
had stated, and would be deposited on
the top of the next bin, unless that last
thirty or forty tons were put over the
cleaners. Re-examination of the wheat in
the top of this new bin showed a decrease
in the number of mites, indicating that
some had perished in the transfer of the
wheat, but there was still a nucleus to
build up the infestation should other
conditions become favourable. It is there-
fore suggested that where conditions of
this nature exist, the wheat from the
bottom and top of the bin should be put
over the cleaners and driers.

Fumigation of elevators has always
been a problem; it is difficult to get a
gas that will penetrate through the mass
of wheat and be effective in the control
of mites. Some experiments have been
made with chloropicrin and methyl bro-
mide. Chloropicrin may be used under
very low temperatures and at any place
where the bin walls and floors are reas-
onably tight. A disadvantage is that this
gas will not penetrate more than twenty-
five or thirty feet within a thirty-six hour
exposure, and so in large bins can be
used only for surface fumigation. An
experiment was tried out last season by
Dr. Stillman: In one of our elevators

he fumigated a large bin with methyl

Proceedings for 1942

21

bromide, using one pound of this gas
to each thousand cubic feet. The gas
penetrated through ninety feet of grain
in a thirty-six hour exposure, giving a
very satisfactory control of the mites.

In the use of gases, certain points must
be remembered. (1) Will the gas be
effective? (2) Is the cost of applica-
tion economically such as to be recom-
mended for commercial uses? (3) Will
there be any possibility of tainting? And
(4) is it a safe gas to recommend?

(1) We know that methyl bromide is

a heavy gas and under certain temper-
atures it will penetrate through grains
to a great depth. We should note that
grains which have been placed in bins
during the summer months and are un-
der normal storage conditions, do not
change in temperature more than two
or three degrees Fahrenheit. That is to
say, grain with a temperature of around
55 to 60 F. when placed in the bin,
would retain that temperature through-
out the year. Grains which have been
placed in a bin during the winter months
and which may have been exposed to
low temperatures in transit, might reg-
ister as low as 30° to 35° F., which
would be too low for fumigation with
methyl bromide. Optimum temperature
for the use of methyl bromide is around
65 F., but this gas may be used at

slightly lower temperatures with good
results.

(2) At the present time, the cost of
methyl bromide makes the cost of ap-
plication rather high. Used at the rate
of two pounds per 1000 cubic feet in
a bin say 26 feet wide by 100 feet
deep, would cost approximately $100 and
it might be cheaper to run that bin over
the driers.

(3) The question of tainting food
products must always be considered. Dr.
H. C. Dudley of the United States Na-
tional Institute of Health, Washington,
D.C., has been working for several years
on the problem of methyl bromide resi-
dues and in connection with this matter

he has this to say: “In general fresh

fruits and vegetables, dried fruits and
whole grains absorb but minor amounts
of the fumigant. Milled grains and fatty
or oily foods absorb a great amount of
methyl bromide.” Dr. Dudley’s tests were
made from grains which had been fumi-
gated with two pounds of methyl bro-
mide per 1000 cu. ft. Thus from a
residue standpoint, methyl bromide may
be used with safety in fumigating whole
grains.

(4) The question of the gas being a
safe one to recommend has also been
studied. Methyl bromide is now being
used for the control of pests both of
stored products and of green vegetables,
and where it is carefully handled there
should be no danger in its use. It must
be pointed out, however, that the gas
is practically colourless and odourless.
This constitutes a real danger where it
might get into the basement of a large
elevator, and the basement not be prop-
erly ventilated. It is always best to use
a gas mask where ventilation is poor, and
the operator should see that the mask
•fits properly and that the canister used
is suitable for that type of gas. Before
entering a fumigated building a Halide
light detector should be used to detect
the presence of methyl bromide. If the
gas is present the flame will turn from
a purple to a purplish blue, and if the
concentration is fairly heavy, the flame
will turn entirely blue. There is also
one other point that must be thoroughly
understood: before entering the basement
of any building, particularly if the base-
ment has been closed for some time, the
whole building should be opened up and
well aired, since it would be unsafe to
wear a gas mask if the oxygen content
of the air in that basement were low.

Methyl formate has been used in con-
junction with carbon dioxide and sold
under the trade name of “Proxate”, and
later methyl bromide was used with car-
bon dioxide. The idea of the carbon
dioxide was to provide a warning gas.

52

Entomological Society of B.C.

This feature has been studied by Mr. sufficient carbon dioxide to provide the

R. M. Jones, Entomologist, Liquid Car- necessary warning just as chloropicrin is

bonic Corporation of Chicago, Illinois. used with HCN gas.

It may be possible then, to incorporate

NOTES ON THE LABORATORY REARING OF SOME CANADIAN TICKS

(Acarina) *

J. D. Gregson

Dominion Entomological Laboratory, Kamloops, B.C.

Many of the projects on ticks at the
Dominion Entomological Laboratory at
Kamloops are dependent, to a greater or
lesser extent, on an accurate knowledge
of the bionomics of these pests. This
study is necessarily a lengthy one, since
there are 3 or more stages of each of
the 20 or so species involved, and each
stage presents a problem of its own, in-
volving a host, and a period of observa-
tion lasting for at least several months.
As many ticks are highly resistant to un-
favourable conditions and can withstand
starvation for long periods, the accumu-
lation of data complete with longevity
observations, may involve several years’
study. Frequently after a number of
seasons have been spent in searching for
an engorged fertile female of a certain
species in order to establish a laboratory
strain, progeny have died before a suit-
able host could be provided. Since knowl-
edge of the host relationships and host
specificity of even the more common
species of ticks is still fragmentary, cer-
tain information relating to these prob-
lems gathered at the Kamloops labora-
tory may be useful.

One of the most important factors in
the rearing of ticks is humidity. Although
extremely resistant to insecticides, dips,
and starvation, practically all Ixodidae
require high atmospheric humidity. Spe-
cies that can survive for a year or more
under optimum conditions may desiccate
overnight if subjected to normal room

* Contribution No. 2155, Division of En-
tomology, Science Service, Department of
Agriculture, Ottawa, Canada.

humidity. Ticks should be kept in a cool
cellar in open-ended glass tubes over
damp soil.

As a rule humidity is adequate while
ticks are feeding on animals. Neverthe-
less it is advisable to keep the hosts in
a reasonably humid atmosphere. Although
this is particularly true for certain ticks
from humid areas, it applies also in the
dry Interior of British Columbia, for the
early stages in the development of ticks
are frequently passed either against the
moist skin of the host, or in its damp
burrows.

While at Kamloops all longevity tests
are carried out in a tick cellar (T. 18
C., H. 100%), it has been determined
that the best method for holding ticks
beyond their normal life span is to store
them at 5°C. in pill boxes in a sealed
jar containing damp absorbent cotton. In
the case of Ixodes calif ornicus Banks, the
combined periods of preoviposition and
incubation normally require four months
at 18°C. or two months at 21°C. but
can be prolonged for over two years un-
der these conditions.

During storage ticks must be kept free
from condensed moisture, as they drown
quite as readily as they desiccate. It is
advisable to trim off the cotton plug of
each vial, and slide it about a quarter of
an inch into the tube, to avoid the pos-
sibility of water moving up from tray to
tube by capillarity. Identification labels
should be placed between plug and vial,
for if left in the vial the writing soon
becomes obliterated by excrement.

Dermacentor andersoni Stiles, the vec-

Proceedings for 1942

33

tor of many serious diseases, has been
studied more than any other species in
North America. The techniques of rear-
ing successfully all stages have been
worked out by the Rocky Mountain
spotted fever laboratory at Hamilton,
Montana, where, for the production of
spotted fever vaccine, the ticks are, as
described by Kohls (1), literally meas-
ured by the litre. This is the least specific
of Canadian ticks, and feeds readily on
nearly all laboratory animals. Adults are
commonly fed on sheep for which a very
satisfactory infesting method has been
devised at this laboratory. The ticks are
placed over a clipped and washed area
about the size of the tick cage which
is a shallow cup of 20 mesh brass gauze
about \y2 inches in diameter, with tape-
bound rim. The cage is anchored to the
skin by six or more opposing linen threads
which are first attached to the wool by
clove-hitches, then threaded through the
edges of the cage and tied. The ticks
are inserted before the final fastenings
are made. If placed on the shoulders,
these cages cannot be scratched off by
the animal, and need only occasional ad-
justments. Nymphs and larvae, usually
fed on rabbits or guinea-pigs, may be
allowed to feed anywhere on the host,
simply by enclosing both host and ticks
overnight in a bag made of unbleached
cotton, or may be confined to certain
areas by means of a screw top capsule,
held to the animal by an adhesive band
around the belly (1), or in the case of
a rabbit, by enclosing the ticks within the
ears by means of adhesive tape. Rabbits"
ears may also be bagged by slender sacks
which tie around the base of the ear.
The bags should be taped together to
prevent their being torn off.

D. albip ictus (Packard) normally in-
fests deer, cattle and horses, passing all
stages on the same host and feeding dur-
ing the winter months. Flat adults taken
from moose, however, have been found
to feed readily on sheep and guinea-pigs.

Ixodes calif ornicus Banks, is probably
the most delicate of our ticks and is ex-

tremely sensitive to desiccation. It has
yet to be proved that this is a short-lived
tick in nature, but under no circum-
stances have we been able to keep flat
adults alive for more than six weeks
under laboratory conditions. Further-
more 100 pairs kept in a cage in their
normal Coast habitat during the summer
of 1941 were all dead when examined
four months later. Adults of the closely
related European tick I. ricinus have been
kept alive from 15 to 27 months by
Wheeler (2).

The natural hosts of adults of I. cali-
f ornicus are dogs, cats, humans and deer.
At the laboratory they can be fed readily
on sheep by the cage method mentioned
above. They are, however, so dependent
upon high humidity, that it is necessary
at Kamloops to carry out infestations
under a burlap tent, over which water
is continually sprayed. The engorging
period is about 6/4 days. The early
stages of this species are hardier than
the adults for seeds and nymphs have
been kept alive for 17 months. The main
host of the early stages in nature appears
to be the lizard, Gerhonotus frincifis
Baird and Birard. Lizards in captivity
can be maintained readily on a diet of
mealworms, grasshoppers, cockroaches or
crickets. These reptiles make convenient
and clean laboratory hosts, although the
ticks require three times as long to en-
gorge on them as on mammalian hosts.
Both early stages will completely engorge
in about 7 days on rabbits and guinea-
pigs, but, as pointed out in a previous
paper (4) the host may be killed if in-
fested too heavily. I. calif ornicus feeds
poorly on domestic chicken, and in na-
ture has been taken in abundance on
birds as seeds on grouse chicks. Rats and
mice, whether domestic or wild, appear
to be poor hosts. Although fair numbers
of seeds have attached to laboratory rats,
the fed ticks were all of a reddish color
instead of black. It is presumed that
these were of low vitality, as it has been
found that very pale /. texanus seeds
which have engorged on serum only, have

34

Entomological Society of B.C.

been incapable of moulting to nymphs.
I. calif ornicus has not been induced to
feed on fitches, tortoises, snakes or toads.

I. texanus Banks is as hardy as the
preceding species is delicate, and of the
strain being maintained at Kamloops, all
stages are healthy after having been con-
fined in tubes for over 3 years. The life-
cycle of this tick thus may occupy a
period of 9 years or even longer. It is
resistant to desiccation and feeds readily
in all stages on members of the ferret
family. In the Interior drybelt of Brit-
ish Columbia, texanus is a common par-
asite of weasels and wild mink. Adults
also feed well on dogs and sheep. Fitches
have proved to be the best laboratory
hosts, though there is a tendency for
them to build up a temporary immunity
after an infestation (6). No stages have
been taken on the red squirrel, which in
the drybelt is host to a similar but very
specific tick, 7. hearlei Gregson (3).

Because of the ease with which tex-
anus may be reared, and because it is
parasitized by Hunterellus hookeri How.,
this tick may prove to be a good inter-
mediate host if that parasite should be
cultured for control of I. calif ornicus.

Another Drybelt tick, 7. hearlei Greg-
son, closely related morphologically to
texanus has been found only on the
red squirrel, Tamiasciurus hudsonicus ssp.
Attempts to rear specimens on other lab-
oratory animals including dying squir-
rels, have failed so far. From early
observations hearlei appears to be a hardy
species of tick.

7. cookei var. rugosus Bishopp is rare
in British Columbia. Our only live
specimens were engorged nymphs from
a coyote. Several of the resulting adults
attached to a guinea-pig, but fed slowly
and finally died. Dogs would probably
be satisfactory laboratory animals for
this tick.

I. dentatus sfinifalfis Hadwen and
Nuttall, and 7. angustus Neumann, both
Pacific Coast species, are parasites of rab-
bits and squirrels. They have been taken

on the packrat which it is thought will
be a suitable laboratory host for at least
sfinifalfis .

I. signatus Birula, is normally found
on the cormorant. Though refusing to
attach to domestic chicks and ducks, seeds
and nymphs fed readily on a domestic
goose, the engorging period being ap-
proximately 7 days. The ticks were caged
over the bird’s head by means of a voile
hood. All attached overnight. The length
of life of seeds and nymphs appears to
be only about 6 months.

Haemafhysalis leforis falustris Pack-
ard and H. cinnaharina Koch, the rabbit
and bird ticks, each feed on either of
these hosts though best results have been
obtained by placing falustris on domes-
tic rabbits and cinnaharina on captured
grouse. 77. cinnaharina engorges rapidly
and drops from its host in about 7 days.
It is an autumn tick and since oviposi-
tion would not take place until spring
it appears to have an exceptionally long
preoviposition period. Seeds of cinna-
harina and falustris have been kept alive
for 7 months, and nymphs of the latter
for 19 months.

Although none of the argasid of “soft
ticks” have yet been procured for life-
history studies at this laboratory, several
species have been recorded in British
Columbia. Both Argas fersicus (Oken)
and an Ornithodoros tick have been col-
lected by Professor G. J. Spencer, the
former from a golden-crowned sparrow,
the latter from a bat. Both species feed
rapidly except in the larval stage. It has
been found that O. turicata (Duges),
a species occurring in the United States,
can be maintained easily on rats. The
larvae are placed in an infesting cage
on the host for about 3 days, after
which the engorged ticks are collected
and the cage, debris and host fumigated.
The several subsequent stages are best
fed at the clipped belly of a rat that
is held on its back by means of tape
over its legs and neck. The ticks engorge
in about 30 minutes and apparently do

Proceedings for 1942

35

not harm the host. Nymphs have been
induced also to feed through membranes
of skin on vials of warm defibrinated
rabbit serum; they moulted successfully.
This tick is very resistant to desiccation,
and may live for many years under cool
damp conditions.

Ornithodoros megnini ( Duges) , the
spinose cattle-ear tick, is a species that
has recently been taken in British Co-

lumbia by the Kamloops laboratory. It
differs from all other ticks in that only
the larval and nymphal stages feed. The
nymphal engorgement is sufficient to en-
able the adult to oviposit without feed-
ing. Since both the early stages of this
species stay on the host and may feed
for over 3 months, it is doubtful if any
artificial method of feeding can be used
in laboratory rearing.

Literature Cited

(1) Kohls, G. M. 1937. Tick rearing methods with special reference to the Rocky

Mountain wood tick, Dermacentor andersoni Stiles. Culture methods for in-
vertebrate animals. Pp. 246-256, New York, Comstock Pub. Co.

(2) Nuttall, G. H. F. and C. Warburton. Ticks: A monograph of the Ixodidae. Part

II, p. 301. Cambridge University Press, May, 1911.

(3) Gregson, J. D, 1941. Two new species of ticks from British Columbia. (Ixodidae)

Canadian Ent. 73(12) :220-228, 2 plates, 2 maps.

(4) 1942. Host poisoning by Ixodes californicus Banks. (Acarina, Ixo-

didae) Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C., 38:5-6.

(5) The Coast Tick (Ixodes californicus Banks) problem in British Col-

umbia. Canadian Ent. 74(1) :3-5.

(6) Host Immunity to Ticks (Acarina). Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C., 38:12-13.

Asilidae from Robson, B.C. — Dr. S.

W. Bromley has sent the following names
of species not included in my list in the
last number of the “Proceedings” (No.
38: 14.) Laphria ferox Will.; Bombo-
mima columbica Walker; Andrenosoma
futvicauda varlutea McAtee; C yrtofogon
fraeceps Will.; Eucyrtopogon nebulo
O.S.; A situs vescus Hine. It is possible
that the following species were misidenti-
fied, and should be removed from my
List: Laphria francisana Bigot; A situs
auriannulatus Hine. — H. R. Foxlee.

Hemichroa crocea (Fourcroy). Lar-
vae of this alder sawfly were taken on
Ainus sp. at Gleneden, near Salmon Arm,
June 26, 1941, y A. M. Gilmour of the
Provincial Forest Service. In British

Columbia the species was known previ-
ously only from the lower Fraser Valley.
A life history and illustration of the
larva has been published by G. R. Hop-
ping, 1937 (Canadian Ent. 69 (11):
243-249, plate 13). — Hugh B. Leech.

Gyrinus pectoralis Leconte. A dis-
tinctive little whirligig water beetle which
has been collected at Copper Mountain,
B.C. by G. Stace Smith (see 61st. Ann.
Rept. Ent. Soc. Ontario, (1930), 1931,
p. 88) More recently G. J. Spencer has
taken it at Kamloops, 18. VIII. 37; and
at Bachelor Swamp, between Pass Lake
and Lac du Bois, high on the ranges
north of Kamloops, 8.VI.41. — Hugh B.
Leech.

Printed by

The Vernon News Ltd,
Vernon, B.C<

proceedings

of the Ui 1

ENTOMOLOGICAL
= SOCIETY of =
BRITISH COLUMBIA

Volume 40. Issued September 20, 1943

Page

Heriot — How Does Lead Arsenate Prevent the Young God-
ling Moth Larva From Injuring the Fruit? 3

Spencer — A Note on Mites ( Acarina ) and Aspergillus (Fun-
gous) in Baled Mouldy Hay 9

Hoy — Phenothiazine as a Codling Moth Insecticide 11

Andison & Evans — Prevention of Fruit Development and its
Effect on the Survival of the Codling Moth 12

Marshall — [Reprint of] Cryolite Versus Lead Arsenate for
Control of Codling Moth . . 16

Gregson — The Enigma of Tick Paralysis . ........... 19

Spencer — Some Records of Long-Legged Flies from British
Columbia (Diptera: Dolichopodidae) 24

Foxlee — Records of Some Flies and Wasps Collected at
Robson, B.C. (Diptera: Tabanidae; Hymenoptera) 25

Leech — Miscellaneous Records of Beetles in British Columbia
(Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae, Elateridae, Buprestidae,

Lathridiidae, Chrysomelidae, Curculionidae) 26

Jones — Some Food Plants of Lepidopterous Larvae. List
No. 9 ........... 27

Hardy — Field Observations on the Forest Tent Caterpillar,
Malacosoma disstria var. erosa Stretch 28

Spencer — On the Oviposition Habits of the Australian Cock-
roach, Periplaneta australasiae (Fab.) 29

Davidson — An Occurrence of Scudderia furcata fur cat a Brun-
ner, on the Coast of British Columbia (Orthoptera:
Tettigoniidae) 31

Foster — Insects Active Throughout the Winter at Vancouver,
B.C. Part II: Lists of the Orthoptera, Dermaptera,
Homoptera, Hemiptera, Diptera, and Hymenoptera 32

In Memoriam — George O. Day 34

Notes 18, 23, 25

List of Members . . Inside, Front Cover

LIST OF MEMBERS

Entomological Society of British Columbia (May, 1943)

Allen, Miss M. — 956 - 14th Ave. W., Vancouver,
B.C.

Andison, Harry— -Fruit Insects Lab., Vernon, B.C.

Economic ent.

Baker, W. W.— Box 30, Puyallup, Wash.

*Bonnell, D. E. — Dept. Entomology, Oregon State
College, Corvallis, Ore.

Buckell, E. Ronald — Field Crop Insect Lab., P.O.
Bldg., Kamloops, B.C. Orthoptera of Canada;
Odonata and bees of B.C. Exchange. Det. local
Orthop. & Odonata.

Buckell, W. R. — Salmon Arm, B.C. Lepidoptera.

Carl, G. Clifford — Director, Provincial Museum, Vic-
toria, B.C.

Comstock, John A. — Los Angeles County Museum,
Exposition Park, Los Angeles, Calif. In charge
Museum colls. Lepidoptera; exchange; det. west
coast species.

Cowan, Ian McT. — Dept. Zoology, Univ. Brit. Col.,
Vancouver, B.C. Mammals; birds. Coll.

Crum, S. E. — Box 233, Puyallup, Wash.

Cudmore, R. H. — Canadian Industries Ltd., New
Westminster, B.C. Insecticides.

Davidson, John — Office of the Herbarium and Bot-
anical Gardens, Univ. Brit. Col., Vancouver, B.C.
Flora of B.C.

Doucette, C. F. — U.S.D.A. Experiment Sta., Sumner,
Wash.

Downes, W. — c/o Dept. Agric., Parliament Bldgs.,
Victoria, B.C. Heteroptera, Homoptera. Coll.,
exchange, det.

Eastham, J. W. — Plant Protection Div., Court
House, Vancouver, B.C. Provincial Plant Pa-
thologist.

*Eide, Paul M. — Box 458, Sumner, Wash.

Evans, Harry H. — Provincial Horticultural Branch,
Vernon, B.C. Orchard insects.

Finlay, A. W. — Huntingdon, B.C. Provincial Apiar-
ist.

Fisher, J. Dean — c/o G. Allen Mail, Kamloops, B.C.

Foster, Ray E. — 1575 Kamloops St., Vancouver,
B.C. General ent.

Foxlee, Harold R. — Robson, B.C. Lepidoptera, As-
ilidae; Ichneumonidae; Ephemerida. Small coll.
Will coll, for sale.

Fulton, Harry G. — 152 Mellard Ave., Chilliwack,
B.C. Coccinellidae; coll.

Furniss, R. L. — 445 U.S. Court House, Portland,
Ore. Forest ent. Coll, forest Coleoptera, esp.
scolytids, clerids, cerambycids, buprestids.

Getzendaner, G. W. — Box 218, Union Gap, Wash.

Glendenning, R. — Dom. Expt. Sta., Agassiz, B.C.
Economic ent. Aphididae.

Goddard, V. E. L. — Haliburton Rd., Royal Oak,
Victoria, B.C.

Graham, Kenneth — Forest Insect Investigations, 320
Central Bldg., Victoria, B.C. Forest ent.

Gregson, J. D. — Box 210, Kamloops, B.C. Ixodidae
N. Am., esp. Canada. Coll., det. exchange.

Hanham, A. W. — Duncan, B.C. Not active at
present.

Hardy, George A. — Provincial Museum, Victoria,
B.C. Cerambycidae of B.C., exchange, det.

Hatch, Melville H. — Dept. Zoology, Univ. Washing-
ton, Seattle, Wash. Coleoptera, esp. of north-
west. Coll.

*Haug, Gordon — Kelowna, B.C. Ants.

Heriot, A. D. — Fruit Insect Lab., Vernon, B.C.
Adelginae; physiology of codling moth. Det.
adelgids.

Holland, George P. — Livestock Insect Lab., Kam-
loops, B.C. Siphonaptera. Coll., exchange, det.

Hopping, Geo. R. — Box 308, Vernon, B.C. Coleop-
tera (Cerambycidae, Buprestidae, Scolytidae)
Coll., exchange, det.

Hoy, Ben — Provincial Horticultural Branch, Kelowna,
B.C. Orchard insects.

Jennings, Kenneth — 755A Yates St., Victoria, B.C.

Insects affecting flowers.

Jones, J. R. J. Llewellyn — “Arranmore”, R.M.D.
No. 1, Cobble Hill, B.C. Lepidoptera, esp. mac-
rolepid, of B.C. Coll., does not exchange.

Kincaid, Trevor — Dept. Zoology, Univ. Washing-
ton, Seattle, Wash.

Laing, Arthur — c/o Buckerfield’s Ltd., Vancouver,
B.C. Insecticides.

Leech, Hugh, B. — Box 308, Vernon, B.C. Nearctic
water beetles (Dytiscidae, Gyrinidae, Hydro-
philidae). Coll., exchange, buy, det.

Mail, G. Allen— 171 Nicola St., W., Kamloops, B.C.
Culicidae, coll., exchange.

Marmont, L. E. — Maillardville, B.C. Retired.

Marshall, James — Box 308, Vernon, B.C. Insecti-
cides.

Mathers, W. G. — Box 308, Vernon, B.C. Forest
insects.

Menzies, Thomas P. O. — Curator, City Museum,

Hastings St., Vancouver, B.C. General ent.,

coll, exchange.

Middleton, Morrice S. — Provincial Horticultural
Branch, Vernon, B.C. Orchard insects.

Mockridge, Miss G. I. — Surrey High School, Clover-
dale, B.C.

Morgan, Cecil V. G. — Box 308, Vernon, B.C.

Forest insects.

Olds, H. F. — Plant Inspection Office, Federal Bldg.,
Vancouver, B.C.

Prebble, M. L. — Forest Insect Investigations, 320
Central Bldg., Victoria, B.C. Quantitative ecol-
ogical studies, forest insects.

Ruhmann, M. H. — Tranquille Sanitarium, Tran-
quille, B.C. Retired.

Ricker, W. E. — Dept. Zoology, Indiana Univ.,
Bloomington, Ind. Plecoptera, Coll., det.

Spencer, G. J. — Dept. Zoology, Univ. of Brit. Col.,
Vancouver, B.C. Coll, all orders except Odonata,
Coleopt., Lepid. Esp. interested Thysanura, Cor-
rodentia, Mallophaga, Anoplura, Neuroptera,
Siphonaptera; Diptera fams. Tabanidae, Do-
lichopodiae, Trypetidae, Gasterophilidae, Oestri-
dae, Sarcophagidae; Pupipara. Exchange; det.
Anoplura.

Stage, Harry H. — Bureau of Entomology and Plant
Quarantine, Washington, D.C. Mosquito control.

Stainer, John — Okanagan Mission, B.C. Bumblebees.

Steele, G. L. — c/o Dept. Zoology, Univ., of Brit.
Col., Vancouver, B.C.

Thompson, B.G. — Dept. Entomology, Oregon State
College, Corvallis, Ore. Aegeriidae, esp. west-
ern spp.

Touzeau, W. E. — 5813 Argyle St., Vancouver, B.C.

Twidle, Henry — Granite Bay, B.C. Lepidoptera.

Venables, E. Peter — 612 Pine St. E., Vernon, B.C.

Acarina.

Waddell, David B. — 626 Huron St., Toronto, Ont.

Ward, Ivor — Provincial Entomologist, Dept. Agric.,
Vernon, B.C.

* Wellington, W. G. — c/o Dept. Zoology, Univ. of
Brit. Col., Vancouver, B.C.

Wilcox, Joe — P.O. Box 297, Alhambra, Calif.
Diptera, Asilidae.

Willett, Victor — Okanagan Mission, B.C. Coleoptera.

Winson, J. W. — Huntingdon, B.C.

-

1

i

* At present serving with the armed forces.

* At present serving in the armed forces.

proceedings

of the

ENTOMOLOGICAL
= SOCIETY of
BRITISH COLUMBIA

Volume 40. Issued September 20, 1943

Page

Heriot — How Does Lead Arsenate Prevent the Young Cod-
ling Moth Larva From Injuring the Fruit? 3

Spencer — A Note on Mites ( Acarina ) and Aspergillus (Fun-
gous) in Baled Mouldy Hay 9

Hoy — Phenothiazine as a Codling Moth Insecticide 11

Andison & Evans — Prevention of Fruit Development and its
Effect on the Survival of the Codling Moth 12

Marshall — [Reprint of] Cryolite Versus Lead Arsenate for
Control of Codling Moth 16

Gregson — The Enigma of Tick Paralysis 19

Spencer — Some Records of Long-Legged Flies from British
Columbia (Diptera: Dolichopodidae) 24

Foxlee — Records of Some Flies and Wasps Collected at
Robson, B.C. (Diptera: Tabanidae; Hymenoptera) .... 25

Leech — Miscellaneous Records of Beetles in British Columbia

(Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae, Elateridae, Buprestidae,

Lathridiidae, Chrysomelidae, Curculionidae) 26

Jones — Some Food Plants of Lepidopterous Larvae. List
No. 9 27

Hardy — Field Observations on the Forest Tent Caterpillar,
Malacosoma disstria var. erosa Stretch 28

Spencer — On the Oviposition Habits of the Australian Cock-
roach, Periplaneta australasiae (Fab.) 29

Davidson — An Occurrence of Scudderia furcata furoata Brun-
ner, on the Coast of British Columbia (Orthoptera:
Tettigoniidae) 31

Foster — Insects Active Throughout the Winter at Vancouver,
B.C. Part II: Lists of the Orthoptera, Dermaptera,

Homoptera, Hemiptera, Diptera, and Hymenoptera .... 32

In Memoriam — George 0. Day 34

Notes 18, 23, 25

List of Members Inside, Front Cover

PLATE I.

Ent. Soc. Brit. Col., Vol. 40.

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white lints denoting proportional size
of gan^La and. pharynx to those of
^6uncj larva

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LARVAE OF CARPOCAPSA POMONELLA— Heriot

Entomological Society of British Columbia

3

HOW DOES LEAD ARSENATE PREVENT
THE YOUNG CODLING MOTH LARVA FROM INJURING THE FRUIT? 1

A. D. Heriot

Dominion Entomological Laboratory, Vernon, B.C.

Introduction

Information on the behaviour of new-
ly hatched codling moth larvae on foli-
age and fruit has been given in previous
papers from the Dominion Entomological
Laboratory at Vernon; Heriot and Wad-
dell (1942), Waddell and Marshall
(1942), The following account repre-
sents an extension of these investigations.
The conclusions and inferences are based
partly on investigations reported in the
literature and partly on original work.

Laboratory experiments with lead ar-
senate against first instar codling moth
larvae have not, as a rule, given the de-
gree of control that is generally attained
under orchard conditions, although even
in the latter case results often leave
much to be desired. Nevertheless, lead
arsenate still holds a prominent position
in the codling moth spray schedule and
it continues to be used in the field as the
standard of effectiveness for experimental
larvicides.

Not many years ago, it was sufficient
to explain any apparent ineffectiveness of
this material as being due to careless
spraying. That explanation no longer
suffices, since examples of poor control
despite thorough application, are now
commonplace in the arid or semi-arid
apple-growing districts of Western North
America. The reason for this lack in
control, apart from the possible segre-
gation of a race of codling moth resistant
to insecticides, may become apparent when
a clearer idea is obtained of how and
when the action of lead arsenate takes
place.

Results of Experiments,
with Comments

The results of experiments bearing
directly on the question under discussion,

i Contribution No. 2254, Division of Entomology,
Science Service Department of Agriculture, Ottawa,
Ontario.

cover the period extending from the time
the larva prepares to leave the egg until
it enters the fruit. Where figures are
given in this brief summary, experiments
have been replicated many times-. Where
figures are omitted, the evidence is
merely suggestive.

A heavy residue of lead arsenate on
the chorion of the egg failed to prevent
the larva from biting its way out during
eclosion. This is not surprising as the
chorion is generally torn open by the
mandibles rather than bitten through,
and to correspond with a residue on the
fruit, the lead arsenate would have to be
on the surface attacked, namely, the
inner surface of the chorion.

After the larva leaves the egg, it must
first locate the fruit and then find a
suitable site for entry. On sprayed trees
this generally entails crawling over a
residue on the apple for 30 minutes to
several hours. That this should afford
ample opportunity for particles of ar-
senical to come in contact with the
mouthparts and preoral cavity is indicated
by the following experiment: 67 per cent
of the larvae that crawled over a residue
of finely divided graphite on Bristol
board, picked up and sometimes swallow-
ed particles of graphite in the space of
5 minutes, notwithstanding the fact that
the surface was foreign to the normal
environment of the larvae and presum-
ably unattractive.

All larvae that crawled for one hour
over the surface, showed particles of
graphite in the ventriculus. On the other
hand, when lead arsenate was added to
the graphite, only 12 per cent instead of
100 per cent of the larvae were found
to have graphite in the ventriculus;
furthermore, less graphite was ingested
by each larva. It is difficult to account
for this difference if lead arsenate re-

ad te m

4

Proceedings for 1943. Vol. 40, September 20, 1943

mained completely insoluble and hence
inactive. It seems logical to believe that
the arsenical became sufficiently soluble
within the preoral cavity to be detected
by the larva and that solubility was ef-
fected by the secretion of the mandi-
bular glands (“saliva”). If lead arsenate
in solution is repellent in the case of
admixed graphite-lead arsenate, then it
is conceivable that ingestion of graphite
particles would be reduced and the lead
arsenate, at least in particulate form,
might be even more strongly rejected.
As for solubilized arsenic, the amount
inadvertently ingested would appear to
be negligible, at least from the stand-
point of direct lethal effect, since larvae
may crawl over a lead arsenate residue
for several hours without apparent in-
jury.

It was found that larvae were much
more reluctant to feed upon apple leaves
that had been sprayed with lead arsenate
than upon unsprayed leaves. Only 20
per cent of the larvae attacked sprayed
leaves after being restricted to these for
15 hours, whereas under similar condi-
tions, unsprayed leaves are readily fed
upon. Ninety per cent of the larvae that
actually fed on sprayed leaves lived for
15 hours or more although some con-
sumed as much as 5 square millimeters
of leaf. A similarly high percentage of
larvae survived after successful entries
through a residue of lead arsenate de-
posited over a puncture made in the skin
of the apple with the point of a dis-
secting needle.

Experiments at this laboratory indicate
that the repellence of lead arsenate res-
idue may be so great that a high per-
centage of larvae may starve rather than
ibite through it, and further, when leaf
tissue or apple pulp is consumed the re-
pellence of lead arsenate is reduced. On
the other hand, when sodium arsenite was
substituted for lead arsenate on apples
with the cuticle removed, few larvae fed
and none entered. Perhaps the degree of
acidity of the fruit and leaves is sufficient

to maintain lead arsenate in an insoluble
condition as it passes quickly into the
mouth, while the more soluble sodium
compound is not so affected.

Investigations show that larvae will
consume particulate lead arsenate with
food, and in the same way soluble ar-
senic may sometimes be ingested. In the
case of larvae that fed upon apple pulp
treated with sodium arsenite, there soon
was a complete cessation of the peristaltic
movements of the stomodaeum, although
movement persisted for some time in the
ventriculus and proctodaeum. When lead
arsenate is ingested with food, peristaltic
movement appears likewise to be affected
though to a lesser degree. Figure 1 shows
the normal distribution of food after 5
minutes of feeding on pulp dusted with
graphite. Figure 2 shows the distribution
of food with graphite plus lead arsenate
after 2 hours. In the latter case, as in
numbers of others under like treatment,
clots of food were held up in the mouth,
in the pharynx, and in the crop instead
of normally passing on to the ventriculus.*

Voskresenskaya, whose work is dis-
cussed at some length by Hoskins (1940)
records retention of food in the foregut,
arising out of the use of sodium arsenite
on three different insects, namely, the
cutworm, the cabbage worm, and the
cricket. She explains this as due to the
depressing influence of arsenic on the
nervous system governing intestinal move-
ment. This produces a relaxation of the
sphincter lying between the crop and
midgut, presumably brought about by
absorption of arsenic in the midgut.
Figures 2, however, suggests a relaxation
of the muscles of the pharynx governing
swallowing, as well as a relaxation caus-
ing stoppage in the crop. This condition
may be due to lead arsenate breaking
down in the stomodaeal fluid. There ap-
pears to be no conclusive evidence that
the walls of the stomodaeum are im-
permeable to substances in water solution.
As a matter of fact, their derivation

* The crop does not appear to act as a receptacle
for storage except when the insect has to be tided
over a period of quiescence.

Entomological Society of British Columbia

§

from the ectoderm and the demonstration
that the ectoderm in wireworms is per-
meable to aqueous solutions of arsenic
(Woodworth 1938) may be significant.

A symptom of what is regarded as
stomach poisoning but which may be this
condition of stoppage in the crop, is a
clear watery exudation from the anus.
A spot of the glistening residue of this
excrement near the site of a larval in-
jury is generally a sign that the larva
responsible for it has died. Regardless
however, of the precise manner in which
death is brought about by the ingestion
of lead arsenate, a most important point
from the standpoint of the fruit-grower
is that in the majority of cases death by
ingestion apparently does not happen soon
enough to prevent injury to the fruit.

Discussion

Acid lead arsenate is only slightly sol-
uble in water and there is nothing to
suggest that it affects the codling moth
larva in the ordinary sense of a contact
insecticide. Until the importance of the
pH value of the digestive fluids was real-
ized, it was difficult to understand how
this very stable material could even act
as a so-called stomach “poison”. It is now
generally assumed, somewhat too readily
perhaps, that lead arsenate is ingested and
breaks down to liberate soluble arsenic
in the alkaline digestive fluids of the
ventriculus, absorption then taking place
and arsenic passing into the blood stream
to pervade the tissues of the body with
lethal effect.

This sequence of events which often
requires a matter of hours or days, is
known to occur in some leaf-eating lep-
idopterous larvae. These, when feeding
on sprayed foliage, swallow the arsenical
with their food. The amount of arsenic
experimentally administered to such larvae
has in some cases, been recovered from
the excreta, blood, and tissues. (Voskres-
enskaya, as quoted by Hoskins 1940).

When restricted to a diet of lead
arsenate-sprayed leaves, the young codling
moth larva swallows the arsenical with
its food. Incidentally, of course, the

leaves are injured. But since in the or-
chard lead arsenate usually prevents the
larva from injuring the fruit even by
so much as a sting, it is reasonable to
infer that the action of lead arsenate
when on the fruit must be different in
some respects from its action when on
the leaves.

Possibly the situation is further com-
plicated. Mature larvae, chiefly because
of their size, have been generally used
for direct "experimentation with stomach
insecticides. But as shown in figures 3
and 4 the young larva is not a small
edition of later instars. Relatively it
possesses a far greater proportion of nerve
tissue. Indeed it might be aptly described
as a “bundle of nerves” in contrast to
the condition obtained in the mature
larva. Is it too much to speculate that
with such a profound change in anatomy
there might go a change in physiology;
that the first instar larva might be more
susceptible either to the lethal effect or
to the repellent effect of a compound
such as lead arsenate?

If lead arsenate must pass into the
ventriculus before it can be broken down,
the time required for this and the sub-
sequent chain of events leading to death,
would apparently allow the larva to
cause noticeable injury to the fruit. Un-
der favourable conditions, an entry can
be effected in 15 to 30 minutes, yet
experiments indicate that when unac-
companied by food, ingested solids such
as graphite, carmine, and lampblack re-
quire from 30 to 60 minutes to reach
the ventriculus. Therefore, if lead ar-
senate is to prevent blemishes, it must
exert action prior to arrival in the ven-
triculus.

It is common knowledge that prelim-
inary to feeding, the larva removes and
rejects the comparatively tough and dry
cuticle of the fruit; actual feeding only
taking place when the moist tissues of
the cortex are exposed. In the task of
penetrating the cuticle, the mouthparts
of the larva are engaged in “spitting out”
each fragment of cuticle laboriously

6

Proceedings for 1943. Vol. 40, September 20, 1943

chewed off by the mandibles. This pro-
cedure is therefore the very reverse of
that accompanying ingestion. The re-
moval of the cuticle is a slow process
and the amount of effort expended in
chewing off each fragment can be
measured by the fact that this operation
requires from 30 to 40 seconds for its
accomplishment and has to be repeated
20 to 30 times to expose the pulp. Dur-
ing this time, an arsenical deposit on the
cuticle would seem to have an excellent
opportunity of encountering the epiph-
arynx which is studded with spine-like
projections deflected to the rear. With
this equipment the labrum as shown in
Figure 4, becomes an ideal instrument
for removing and retaining a residue in
the preoral cavity as each fragment is
rejected. Under such circumstances, the
deposit would be subjected to unobstructed
action of a copious secretion issuing from
the highly-developed glands which open
at the base of the mandibles (Figure 5)
and, as suggested from its alkalinity, this
secretion should be capable of breaking
down lead arsenate. Granting the presence
of suitable chemoreceptors within the
preoral cavity as delineated in Figure 6,
the larva might come under the influence
of soluble arsenic almost immediately an
attempt was made to “sting” the fruit.
Moreover, since it has been demonstrated
by other workers that arsenicals may be
distinctly repellent to a variety of insects,
it seems reasonable to conclude that re-
pellent action may indeed take place in
the manner described. According to
Ripley and Petty (1932), the greater its
repellence the less the likelihood of the
toxicant being ingested.

Hoskins (1940) reviews recent con-
tributions of physiology to insect control.
Practically all the experiments discussed
are concerned with adult insects or well-
developed larvae, and Hoskins points out
that susceptibility to toxicants may vary
according to age. He refers to the saliva
as the first body fluid with which an in-
gested substance comes in contact, but
goes on to state that “no data showing an

effect of insect saliva upon the toxicity
of an insecticide seem to have been re-
corded.”

The only work cited by Hoskins in
his wide survey that appears to have a
direct bearing on this point is that of
Marshall (1939). From colorimetric and
potentiometric determinations of the pH
values of the digestive fluids of the cod-
ling moth larva, Marshall gives the fol-
lowing results: neutral or slightly acid
in the proctodaeum; approximately pH
8.5 in the veritriculus; and slightly more
alkaline in the crop. A statement that
regurgitated fluid had a pH value of 9
and over appears to be significant when
consideration is given to the fact, that
so far as is known, the stomodaeal fluid
arises only by intermittent regurgitation
from the ventriculus, and from the sec-
retions of the mandibular glands. (The
labial or true salivary glands in the cod-
ling moth larva are given over to the
production of silk). If, then, the stomo-
deal fluid should be more alkaline than
that in any other portion of the aliment-
ary canal it is quite possible this condi-
tion is brought about by a strongly basic
secretion functioning as saliva but eman-
ating from the mandibular glands.

According to Woodworth (1938), in
the case of the wireworm, repellency of
an arsenical may be such that none is in-
gested even while the insect burrows into
an arsenically-treated bait. The wireworm
has no salivary or mandibular glands and
Woodworth’s statement that arsenicals
are repellent in accordance with their
solubility is of interest. Woodworth
moreover, surmises that sensory control
of the mechanism of the mouthparts may
account for the rejection of arsenicals
by the wireworm. The nature of the
sensoria responsible for this is not stated.
Dethier (1937) claims that caterpillars
in general have a strong sense of taste
which is said to reside in the preoral
cavity. He identifies no specific gustatory
organs.

There is the authority of Weber
(1933) for1 the supposition that the sen-

Entomological Society of British Columbia

7

silla coeloconica or pit-peg sensoria in
the preoral cavity could serve as gustatory
organs. How these organs are innervated
does not seem to be clear. As far as can
be determined from the literature, it
would appear that in lepidopterous larvae,
the seat of olfactory responses lies in the
tritocerebrum and that of gustatory re-
sponses in the frontal ganglion (Figure
7 ) . Sectioning of grown larvae by
the writer did not reveal a connection
between the frontal nerve and the
epipharyngeal organs. The question arises
as to whether sensoria may be innervated
in the first instar larvae yet not in later
instars. It is hard to conceive of the
senses of taste and smell being unconnect-
ed with the stomodaeal nervous system.

It was demonstrated by Mclndoo
(1929) that certain responses to external
stimuli are positive in the young codling
moth larvae and negative in older larvae.
This perhaps, is another way of saying
that sense organs that are functional in
the first instar may be non- functional at
a later stage, a possibility indicated in
Figure 6, where one pair of chemorecept-
ors of the final instar are vestigial and
the other pair are situated some distance
from the periphery of the epipharynx.
Also to be borne in mind in this connec-
tion, is the super-abundance of nervous
tissue in the first instar larva.

So far as has been determined, it is
only when the larva is effecting an entry
into the fruit that the fragments of
sprayed cuticle are held in the preoral
cavity for an appreciable length of time.
When the larva rejects these fragments
some of the residue may be retained in
the preoral cavity and the “saliva” may
thus have an opportunity to> bring into
solution a sufficient amount of arsenic
to stimulate the sensoria of the epiph-
arynx. As noted earlier, it is believed
that these sensoria initiate an avoidance
response.

Although repellent action may appear
to explain how lead arsenate prevents
the larva from injuring the fruit, it by
no means follows that lead arsenate is

never ingested without food or that when
it is ingested with food, it does not injure
the larva. If the “saliva” is capable of
breaking down lead arsenate on the
threshold of the mouth, it should be
equally capable of acting as a solvent
when lead arsenate is conducted into the
foregut.

With regard to ingestion without feed-
ing, Marshall (1937) draws attention to
the aggregations of particles of lead
arsenate picked up by the larva in wand-
ering over a residue and suggests a pos-
sible relationship between particles ad-
hering to the mouthparts, and ingestion.
He demonstrates that these aggregates as-
sume greater proportions on oily than on
non-oily deposits. Experiments with inert
dusts indicate that some of these accumu-
lations adhering to the mouthparts may
be forced into the buccal cavity when
the larva attempts an entry. It is not
known whether repellent particles are in-
gested in the same way or whether the
larva is deterred from even attempting
an entry under such circumstances. But
apart from repellent or toxic action,
Marshall, Strew and Groves (1939)
have shown that a residue of zinc oxide,
presumed ineft, may exert a definite in-
fluence on control evidently by physical
or mechanical means.

A concluding word regarding the ap-
parent ineffectiveness of lead arsenate
despite thorough application: In laboratory
experiments with larvicides it has been
customary to use 10 or more larvae per
apple. Smith (1926) used as many as
25 larvae per apple. Recent research has
suggested that the use of such numbers
of larvae may lead to erroneous con-
clusions. One or more larvae may par-
tially remove the cuticle with its residue
before becoming impotent, and other
larvae may then exploit these preformed
sites of attack in safety, to effect entries.
Repeated experiments have shown that
approximately half the larvae individually
applied to apples are able to find a single
minute puncture made with the point of
a dissecting needle, even when the larvae

8

Proceedings for 1943. Vol. 40, September 20, 1943

is deposited on the opposite side of the
fruit to that on which the puncture is
situated. Accordingly, it appears to be
likely that in the orchard, larvae fre-
quently and with success avail themselves
of the attempted entries of predecessors.
This may be a reason why inverted spray
mixtures with their heavy deposits are
better than non-in verted mixtures; why
no residue other than one having a high
contact value can be entirely effective;
and why difficulty of control seems to
increase more than proportionately as
larval populations become greater.

Summary

Several ways are discussed in which a
residue of lead arsenate may prevent
young codling moth larvae from injuring
fruit. Certain types of residue involving
oils have been demonstrated to exert an
influence on control by their physical or
mechanical characteristics alone, but lead
arsenate-casein-lime residue may owe its
effectiveness chiefly to its repellent qual-
ities.

Repellence is indicated by the reluct-
ance of the larva to attack sprayed leaves
and fruit; it appears to be at a maximum
when the larva is removing the cuticle
of the fruit prior to feeding. This task
involves the “spitting out” and rejection
of sprayed particles, a procedure which

in part because of the structure of the
labrum may result in some of the residue
being retained in the preoral cavity. The
strongly alkaline fluids present in the
preoral cavity are believed to react quick-
ly with acid lead arsenate and cause
liberation of soluble arsenic. When sol-
uble arsenic comes in contact with sen-
soria situated on the epipharynx, an avoid-
ance response may be at once initiated.

Direct toxic action by ingestion seems
to be the exception rather than the rule.
Experiment suggests that it is doubtful
if the various processes incident to sys-
temic poisoning can take place with suf-
ficient rapidity to prevent serious blem-
ishes to the fruit.

The ordinary lead arsenate-casein-lime
residue appears to become progressively
less effective as a repellent as the larval
population in an orchard becomes greater.
This effect seems to result from the
ability of the larvae to discover and to
exploit previous attempted entries.

Acknowledgments — The writer is much in-
debted to Dr. J. Marshall for his help with
regard to both the subject matter and ar-
rangement of this paper. His published re-
sults have been freely used. Both Professor
G. J. Spencer and Mr. J. J. de Gryse have
been helpful in comments on the anatom-
ical and physiological data involved and it
was Mr. W. A. Ross who suggested the pub-
lication of these studies.

Literature Cited

Bickley, W. E. 1942. On the stomodaeal nervous system of insects. Ann. Ent. Soc. Am, 35
(3) 1343-354.

Dethier, V. G. 1937. Gustation and olfaction in lepidopterous larvae. Biol. Bull. 72
(1): 7-23.

Heriot, A. D., and D. B. Waddell. 1942. Some effects of nutrition on the development of
the codling moth. Sci. Agr. 23 (3) : 172-175.

Hoskins, W. M. 1940. Recent contributions of insect physiology to insect toxicology and
control. Hilgardia 13 (6) : 307-386.

Marshall, J. 1939. The hydrogen ion concentration of the digestive fluids and blood of
the codling moth larva. Jour. Econ. Ent. 32 (6) : 838-843.

1937. Inverted spray mixtures and their development with reference to

codling moth control. Wash. Agr. Expt. Sta. Bui. 350.

— , G. Strew, and K. Groves. 1939. The influence of physical characteristics of

arsenical deposits on codling moth control. Proc. 34th Ann. Meeting, (1938),
Wash. State. Hort. Assoc., p. 133-139.

Mclndoo, N.E. 1929. Tropisms and sense organs of Lepidoptera. Smithsonian Misc. Coll.
81, 59 p.

Ripley, L. B., and B. K. Petty. 1932. Possibilities of controlling wattle bag worm with
insecticidal dusts. South African Jour. Sci. 29: 544-561.

Waddell, D. B., and J. Marshall. 1942. The calyx spray in codling moth control. Sci. Agr.
22(7) :413-418.

Weber, H. 1933. Lehrbuch der Entomolgie, pp. 293-296. Gustav Fischer, Jena.

Woodworth, C. E. 1938. The reactions of wireworms to arsenicals. Jour. Agr. Res. 57
(3): 229-238.

Entomological Society of British Columbia

9

A NOTE ON MITES (ACARINA) AND ASPERGILLUS
(FUNGOUS) IN BALED MOULDY HAY

G. J. Spencer

Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C.

In January of this year I received
from a point in the lower Fraser Valley,
an ounce vial of hay debris which was
swarming with mites of several species;
on the bottom of the vial were large
numbers of very small, yellow bodies,
globular in shape and of varying sizes.
The message accompanying the hay
stated that the sample came from baled
hay which had been sold rather widely
in the immediate vicinity and the farmers
using it were greatly troubled over the
effects of it on their cattle. Shortly after
eating the hay the animals became af-
flicted with violent fits of coughing which
became so serious that after three days
this fodder was changed for another
supply but it was three or four days
longer before the coughing subsided.
There seemed no intestinal disturbance
or diarrhoea but the coughing was so
violent tha the discharge of faeces from
the cattle plastered the walls of the barns
directly behind the cattle stalls. Farmers
and two veterinary surgeons called in
for consultation declared they had never
seen anything like these attacks.

I promptly sent the sample of hay and
the mites to the Dominion Entomologist
with a plea for identifications and sug-
gestions and he turned them over to Dr.
H. H. J. Nesbitt of the Division of En-
tomology. Dr. Nesbitt returned me the
following list of nine species of mites
from that small sample of hay:

Acarus siro L. ( Tyroglyfhus jar'i-
nae)

Atricholaelafs sp. (near A. glasgowi
Ewing)

Cheyletus eruditus Latr.

Cheletomorfha venustissima (C. L.
Koch)

Ctenoglyfhus (Glycifhagus ) flum-
iger ( Koch )

Glycifhagus cadaverum Schr.

Sieulus sp. (near *S. f l u m i g e r
Oudms.)

Tyrofhagus dimidiatus dimidiatus
(Herm)

Scirus sp.

Some of these mites are vegetable
feeders and some are parasitic upon the
others. Acarus siro L. is the almost uni-
versal grain and flour mite; genus
Cheyletus according to Banks, “contains
many species; a number have been found
on the skins of birds where they doubt-
less feed on the parasitic analgesid mites.
They are very small (about 0.5 mm in
length), live freely, and prey upon other
mites and small insects. They seize the
prey with their big palpi, insert the
mandibles and suck it dry. Some have
thought that there must be poison glands
in the palpi, since the prey ceases move-
ment very soon after capture.” “The
genus Glycifhagus does not appear to be
as common in this country as in Europe;
possibly owing to their minute size they
have not been collected. One species oc-
curs on seeds. The original species of the
genus and some others have been found
in sugar. The mites sometimes spread to
the hands of those handling such ma-
terials and produce a skin disease known
as “grocers itch.” (I reported the occur-
rence of this mite causing “grocers itch”
in a store in Nanaimo before this Society
last year. See Proc. Ent. Soc. Brit. Col.
39; 23. October, 1942). The other
species of this list were apparently feed-
ing upon the moulds in the hay or upon
the fermenting hay itself.

Nesbitt remarked that he doubted
whether any of the mites could have
caused the effects which were reported
from the cattle. And he continues: “You
will notice, however, that we found the
little sulphur-coloured fruiting bodies of
an Asfergillus sp. Strasburger et al. in

10

Proceedings for 1943. Vol. 40, September 20, 1943

their text book of Botany, 1912, say that
some species of Aspergillus are pathogenic
to man and other mammals and that
Aspergillus fumigatus which lives in fer-
menting heaps of hay at a temperature of
40°C. causes mycosis of the external ear,
throat and lungs. The suggestion is very
strong that Aspergillus was the cause of
the bovine trouble. That the hay has
been mouldy at some time is evident
from the fact that there was such a
large population of Acarid mites and by
the additional fact that spores of another
mould Mucor sp. were found.”

Now the fungus genus Aspergillus
contains a large number of species which
are widespread, occurring in soil and on
straw, grain and vegetable matter. The
species in general grow best at rather
high temperatures, 35°C. to 40°C.
(Henrici) (4). This condition would
obviously occur in fermenting, mouldy
hay as was the sample submitted. Dodge
(2) lists 33 species of the genus which
have been reported in various parts of
the world as being pathogenic to human
beings, laboratory animals and to birds.
Several species are reported’ as occurring
in the human ear, others as growing in
human nails and one snecies described in
France, in the lungs of an ass. Of these
33 species, the one at first sight appearing
likely to fit our case is' Aspergillus fumi-
gatus Fresenius (with 5 synonyms) re-
ported from various countries in Europe
and from New York State. This is the
commonest species isolated from cases
clinically resembling tuberculosis of the
lungs in which Mycobacterium tuber-
culosis has not been found. It apparently
causes severe epizootics in birds and is

less fatal in man, not reaching epidemic
proportions. It is pathogenic for labora-
tory animals (Dodge) (2).

In these pathogenic records, however,
fungus in one form or another was re-
covered from the tissues or sputum of
affected animals, indicating an actual
growth in the bodies concerned. In the
instance under discussion here, the effect
may have been induced in either one of
two ways: (1) the simple ingestion of
vast numbers of perithecia affecting the
nervous system probably the vagus nerve,
inducing violent contractions of the dia-
phram with consequent coughing; or
(2) which is more likely, the mouldy
hay was heavily infected with actual
spores in addition to the small, yellow,
globular perithecia and these spores, on
being inhaled during feeding, induced
irritation of the lungs and respiratory
passages and produced the coughing.

Under the circumstances it is quite
possible that a non-pathogenic species of
Aspergillus was concerned, since the
violent symptoms in the cattle cleared
away within a few days after the mouldy
hay was removed. It would seem, how-
ever, that the species is not common,
otherwise the symptoms of distress in the
cattle would have been frequently re-
ported in the past, since the feeding of
mouldy hay in this Province is by no
means unusual.

Acknowledgments — I am greatly indebted to
Dr. H. H. J. Nesbitt of the Division of En-
tomology, Ottawa, for identifying the mites
and determining the fruiting bodies of
Aspergillus and to Dr. F. Dickson and Mr.
J. A. Rattenbury of this University, for the
loan of literature.

References

1. Banks, Nathan... 1915. The Acarina or mites. Government printing Office, Wash-

ington, D.C., Report No. 108.

2. Dodge, Carrol William. 1935. Medical mycology. C. V. Mosby Co., St. Louis.

3. Ewing, Henry Ellsworth. 1929. A manual of external parasites. Chas. C. Thomas,

Springfield, 111.

4. Henrici, Arthur. 1939. The biology of bacteria. D. C. Heath and Co., New York.

5. Strasburger, Eduard. 1912. A text-book of botany. IV Ed. by W. H. Lang. Mac-

millans.

Entomological Society of British Columbia

11

PHENOTHIAZINE AS A CODLING MOTH INSECTICIDE

Ben Hoy

District Inspector, British Columbia Department of Agriculftire, Kelowna, B.C.

Phenothiazine (thiodiphenylamine), an
organic insecticide, was first brought into
prominence as a control for codling moth
by E. J. Newcomer of the U.S. Bureau
of Entomology, in 1936. (Phenothiazine,
a promising new insecticide for codling
moth control. Wash. State Hort. Assoc.,
Proc. 32nd. Ann. Meeting, p. 119-120.
1937). In 1937 the British Columbia
Department of Agriculture in coopera-
tion with the Dominion Entomological
Branch conducted spraying trials with
phenothiazine in the Hart orchard at East
Kelowna and the Ramsay orchard at
Okanagan Mission. 1

According to the manufacturers, the
material used in these tests contained a
wetting agent, so nothing was added at
the spray tank. Control, as Table 1 in-
dicates, evidently was not as satisfactory
as with arsenate of lead.

Table 1. Codling Moth Infestation at
Harvest, 1937

Material per 100 gal. Per Cent of Fruits
Stung Wormy

Ramsay Orchard

Phenothiazine 2 lb.

13.4

21.

Arsenate of lead 3.2
“Fluxit”* 0.25 lb.

lb.

15.6

5.1

Hart Orchard

Phenothiazine 3 lb.

2.5

7.5

Arsenate of lead 3.2
“Fluxit”* 0.25 lb.

lb.

1.5

2.5

* Proprietary spreader containing casein and
hydrated lime.

In 1938 spraying tests were con-
tinued in the Hart orchard and pheno-
thiazine was used in the same concentra-
tion as arsenate of lead. Both plots re-
ceived arsenate of lead for the first three
cover sprays. One of the plots received
phenothiazine for the last two cover
sprays while the other received the lead
arsenate. The infestation at harvest is
shown in Table 2.

1. The late A. A. Dennys of the Dominion En-
tomological Branch assisted in applying all sprays
and checking apples in 1937 and 1938.

Table 2. — Codling Moth Infestation at
Harvest, 1938

Material

per 100 cal.

Per Cent
Stung

of Fruits
Wormy

Phenothiazine

3.75 lb.

3.0

2.2

Arsenate of lead 3.75 lb.

6.3

2.4

“Fluxit”

0.25 lb.

Used at the same concentration as
lead arsenate, phenothiazine gave equal
control of worms, and a considerable re-
duction in the number of stings. Results
in 1937 and 1938 applied equally to
McIntosh, Stayman, Winesap, and De-
licious. It was concluded that phenothi-
azine was as effective as lead arsenate for
codling moth control when applied in
comparable amount and uniformity. Be-
cause of high cost of material and pres-
sure of other work, phenothiazine was
omitted from our spraying experiments
during 1939 and 1940. Field trials in
1941 and 1942 were conducted in the
Keloka orchard at East Kelowna, in a
mature McIntosh Red orchard 2.

Even at reduced concentration micron-
ized phenothiazine with stove oil and
soap gave codling moth control equal to
the standard spray schedule of arsenate
of lead and cryolite in 1941 and better
in 1942.

Owing to heavy flocculation of pheno-
thiazine in the spray tank some trouble
was experienced in applying the mixture
in the 1941 trials. In the last application
0.5 oz. casein and 4 oz. hydrated lime
were added per hundred gallons. No
further trouble was experienced and a
heavy uniform deposit on the fruit and
foliage resulted. The better cover ob-
tained by the addition of casein-lime
throughout 1942 undoubtedly was re-
sponsible for the improvement in control.

2. These trials were conducted in cooperation with
the Dominion Division of Entomology, Vernon. As-
sistance was given by Dr. J. Marshall with spray
formulae and by members of the Branch in apply-
ing the spray and checking apples.

12

Proceedings for 1943. Vol. 40, September 20, 1943

Table 3. — Codling Moth Infestation at Harvest, 1941 and 1942

Material per 100 gal.

1941

[ 4 Sprays arsenate of lead
J “Fluxit”

2 Sprays “Alorco” synthetic cryolite
l “Fluxit”

{3 Sprays arsenate of lead as above
3 Sprays micronized phenothiazine
Monoethanolamine oleate
Stove oil

3.3 lb.
0.2 lb.
3.75 lb.
0.2 lb. '

1.8 lb.
0.5 lb-
0.25 gal.

1942

Arsenate of lead and cryolite as in 1941
J Phenothiazine as in 1941 throughout the season
except arsenate of lead in calyx spray

Per Cent of Fruits
Stung Wormy

9.8 10.9

5.6 9.8

1.8 3.5

.9 1.4

No check was made for differences in
size or color of fruit between the pheno-
thiazine and standard schedule plots, but
general observation throughout the season
and at the time of examining the fruit
at harvest revealed no marked differences.
Superiority in this regard lay, if anything,
with the phenothiazine. An undesirable

feature of phenothiazine is that it causes
irritation of the skin similar to sunburn.
The lips are particularly affected. In
1941, girl thinners working in Keloka
orchards the day following spraying had
to be removed because of irritation to
arms and face. Men thinners were not
affected.

PREVENTION OF FRUIT DEVELOPMENT AND ITS
EFFECT ON THE SURVIVAL OF THE CODLING MOTH

H. Andison 1 and H. H. Evans 2

In recent years considerable attention
has been given to the possibility of spray-
ing apple trees to destroy the blossoms
without causing other injury. This pro-
cedure has been undertaken for the fol-
lowing purposes: (1) to eliminate a por-
tion of the crop and so overcome the al-
ternate bearing habit, (2) to thin the
crop and so increase the size of the fruit
left on the tree, and (3) to control cer-
tain orchard insects, particularly the cod-
ling moth. The practice of blossom re-
moval by spray applications has been
referred to as “deblossoming”, a term
which will be used here because it is con-
cise and expressive.

1. Agricultural Assistant, Dominion Entomological
Laboratory, Vernon, B.C.

2. District Field Inspector, Provincial Horticul-
tural Branch, Vernon, B.C.

Review of the Literature

As yet, few definite recommendations
have been made on deblossoming sprays.
Holbeche (1941) found that 2 per cent
“cresol” or 3 per cent tar-oil gave the
most satisfactory results in removing an
unprofitable crop. Gardner et al. (1939)
in endeavoring to thin the apple crop by
spraying at bloom period, used at 0.25
per cent to 0.5 per cent concentration, a
commercial petroleum oil spray contain-
ing 4 per cent 2, 4-dinitro-6-cyclohexyl-
phenol. The treatments were effective
and appeared to cause no permanent in-
jury to Duchess, Wealthy and Ontario
apple trees. Results of five seasons’ ex-
periments by Shepard (1939) showed that
2 per cent cresylic acid and 3 per cent
tar-oil were effective in destroying the
blossoms of Beach, Champion, Willow
Twig, York and Jonathan varieties and

Entomological Society of British Columbia

13

there was no indication of persisting in-
jury. Read (1941) found that 1 per cent
cresylic acid gave the best results. Un-
satisfactory results were obtained by
Auchter and Roberts (1933) using lime
sulphur, copper sulphate, sodium nitrate,
sodium polysulphide and zinc sulphate.
Magness et al. (1939) experimenting
with 2,4-dinitro-6-cyclohexylphenol and
tar oil showed that one application com-
pletely killed almost all the blossoms oh
Winesap, Delicious and Grimes. One
year’s observation by Harley and Moore
(1940) indicated that 2 per cent tar oil
applied at the rate of 60 to 70 gallons
per tree during late cluster-bud stage re-
sulted in 96 per cent blossom removal on
Delicious, Winesap, King David and
Stayman.

Since it has been commonly felt that
early removal of the crop would at least
reduce the population of the codling
moth to a very low level, it seems logical
to assume that deblossoming sprays might
be useful in controlling this insect. The
literature on the subject suggests that the
value of bloom-killing sprays in codling
moth control would depend upon ( 1 )
the percentage of the larvae that live two
winters before emerging as moths and
(2) the importance of fruit to survival
of the codling moth.

Regarding the possibility that this in-
sect may remain in the larval state for
two winters, Y others and Carlson (1941)
during the period July 6 to November
10, 1939, found thousands of larvae still
alive in their cocoons in the soil at or
near the base of apple trees bearing prac-
tically no crop. As some of these speci-
mens were observed before many of the
“first brood” larvae had left the fruit
on adjacent trees, it was concluded that
they must be non-transforming larvae
remaining from the previous (1938) sea-
son. The possibility that these larvae may
have matured on other tissue than fruit
is not mentioned. Brodie (1906) re-
ported that a few codling moth larvae
which cocooned July 1905, remained un-
changed October 1906 and stated that

“moths would not emerge from these
until the spring of 1907.” Whether or
not he succeeded in rearing the moths
during 1907 is not known. Survival of
a very small number of “two-year”
larvae was noticed by Hammar (1912),
Siegler and Brown (1928), and Longley
(1921), but none of these workers suc-
ceeded in rearing moths from them.
Wakeland and Rice (1932) report that
“a few individuals studied required more
than a year to complete their life cycle,”
but no data are included to support this
statement. Thus as far as can be learned
from the literature, there is no conclusive
proof that codling moth larvae may sur-
vive two winters and subsequently per-
petuate the species.

The second important point in con-
sidering the usefulness of crop removal
measures in codling moth control is to
know whether or not this insect can com-
plete its life cycle in the absence of fruit.
In the laboratory, Heriot and Waddell
(1942) and Speyer (1932), were suc-
cessful in rearing moths from larvae fed
on leaves alone, but the moths derived
were unusually small, short-lived speci-
mens, and produced no eggs. Hall
(1928) also succeeded in rearing larvae
to maturity on apple leaves but they failed
to pupate. Under field conditions, Mar-
shall (1940) observed that large numbers
of larvae developed to maturity on a
caged Benoni apple tree from which the
crop was removed. Newly-hatched larvae,
not finding any fruit, fed on fruit buds
and spurs, sap shoots, leaf bases, new
breaks in twigs and small branches (4-
year old wood), enlargements caused by
the feeding of woolly aphids, and leaves
alone. Hundreds of these larvae matured
and entered bands on the tree trunk in
the fall but Marshall does not say wheth-
er or not they pupated the following
spring. Spur-burrowing in Anjou and
Bose pear fruit spurs by codling moth
larvae is reported by Gentner (1940) as
a common occurrence in Rogue River
Valley, Oregon. The young larvae bur-
row into fruit spurs with fruit attached,

14

Proceedings for 1943. Vol. 40, September 20, 1943

during both the first and second brood
periods. Larvae were found to complete
their development and transform to moths
but their capability for producing fertile
eggs is not mentioned. Although it is
probable that the codling moth can per-
petuate the species in the absence of fruit,
this point apparently has not yet been
established with certainty.

To determine the feasibility of re-
moving an apple crop by chemicals and
to determine further the value of such
a procedure in control of the codling
moth, co-operative projects were under-
taken by the British Columbia Depart-
ment of Agriculture and the Vernon
Laboratory of the Division of Entomo-
logy, Dominion Department of Agri-
culture.

Experiment on the Killing
of Apple Blossoms

On April 29, 1942, a block of 121
Jonathan and Grimes’ Golden trees at
Okanagan Centre was sprayed in the
pink stage when many blossom clusters
were not separated. A portable two-gun
sprayer regulated at 500 pounds pressure
was used. Disc apertures were 7/64 inch.
The block of trees was divided into six
plots which were sprayed with the fol-
lowing materials:

Table 1. Plots and Spray Materials Used
in Apple Deblossoming Experiment.

Materials per 100
Plot Imperial gallons

Amount of
spray per box
capacity of
tree

1

“Dowspray Dormant” (i)

1.0 gal.

0.25 gal.

Lignin pitch (2)

4.0

oz.

2

“Dowspray Dormant”

1.5

gal.

0.25 gal.

Lignin pitch

4.0

oz.

3

“Dinitro Dry” (3)

1.2

lb.

0.75 gal.

Oil - 117 S.S.U., 64%

U.R., (Mid - continent

1.0

gal.

crude)

Lignin pitch

4.0

oz.

4

“Dinitro Dry”

1.8

lb.

0.75 gal.

Oil -117 S.S.U., 64%

U.R., (Mid-continent

1.5

gal.

crude)

Lignin pitch

4.0

oz.

5

“Dinitro Dry”

1.8

lb.

0.75 gal.

Oil - 245 S.S.U., 62%

U.R., (Calif, crude) 1.5 gal.
Lignin pitch 4.0 oz.

6 “Dinitro Dry” 1.8 lb. 0.75 gal.

Lignin pitch 4.0 oz.

(0 “Dowspray Dormant” Manufacturer’s analysis:
dormant oil 100-110 S.S.U. (Mid-continent crude)
and 2,4-dinitro-6-cyclohexylphenol 4 per cent by
weight.

(2) “Copacite”, a by-product of the calcium bisul-
phite paper making process.

(3) “Dinitro Dry” Manufacturer’s analysis: 4,6-di-
nitro-ortho-cresol 50 per cent, inert material [ben-
tonite?] 50 per cent.

Examination of these plots on May 14,
showed that the trees in plots 1 and 2,
which were lightly sprayed with 2,4-
dinitro-6-cyclohexylphenol - oil mixture,
had less than 20 per cent of the blossoms
killed and only a small amount of
foliages' injury. Trees in plots 3, 4, 5
and 6, which received a thorough spray
application of 4, 6-dinitro-ortho-cresol
either alone in water or with oil, had 80
to 95 percent of the blossoms killed. At
the same times, however, a considerable
number of fruit spurs were killed, so for
blossom-removal the treatments appear to
be too radical. Since the lightly sprayed
trees in plots 1 and 2 were evenly thinned
without serious spur damage, further
work with dinitrophenol derivatives is
planned by the British Columbia De-
partment of Agriculture in order to
determine if chemical thinning is prac-
ticable.

Experiment- on the Effects of Blossom
Removal on Codling Moth Infestation
the Following Year

To determine the value of deblossom-
ing sprays in codling moth control an
experiment was commenced at Oyama,
B.C., during 1941. About one-half acre
of 20 to 30-year old McIntosh, Wealthy,
and Delicious apple trees, some 300
yards from the nearest orchard, was
sprayed in the pink stage with a 2 per
cet emulsion of high-bcling, neutral tar
oil. Emulsification was accomplished by
lignin pitch. The centre McIntosh blos-
soms were just opening, but the Delicious
and Wealthy blossom clusters were not
all separated, so in view of evidence in

Entomological Society of British Columbia

15

the literature, the spray was probably
applied somewhat too early for best
results, with these varieties. Application
was thorough, approximately one gallon
of spray being applied per box of fruit
that the trees were capable of bearing.
About 90 per cent of the blossoms were
killed by the spray. During June, fruits
which set were removed by hand before
any first generation larvae had matured.
Dropped fruits were also collected and
destroyed.

As far as could be determined, no
worms developed in apples in this block
of trees in 1941. Nevertheless, after half
an hour’s examination by three men on
April 17, 1942, 7 larvae and one pupa
were found beneath bark scales near the
base of the trees. This material was
caged in the laboratory and 7 moths
emerged from it during the following
May and June. While it is probable that
these moths developed from two-year-old
larvae, there is yet a possibility the larvae
developed during the previous season
(1941) on the trees' devoid of fruit.

The trees were not sprayed in 1942
and when examined at harvest, the light
crop was found to be heavily infested.
Fruits on McIntosh, Wealthy and De-
licious trees were 65, 85 and 90 per cent
wormy respectively. The infestation may
not have resulted entirely from hiber-
nating larvae in the treated orchard for
it is possible that moths immigrated from
surrounding infested orchards. The main
point is that although crop removal was
more thorough than would have been ac-
complished by most growers, it did not
prevent a ruinous attack by codling moth
the following year. Accordingly, deblos-
soming or other means of crop removal

apparently cannot be considered a pro-
cedure worthy of recommendation for
control of this insect in a two-generation
area such as the Okanagan Valley. Per-
haps, however, it may be found feasible
to employ a deblossoming spray under
certain circumstances as a supplementary
control measure.

Summary

Results from deblossoming sprays may
vary greatly according to variety of apple,
climate, date of application and thor-
oughness of spraying. A pink spray of
2, 4-dinitro-6-cyclohexylphenol with oil
emulsion, or 4, 6-dinitro-ortho-cresol
either alone in water or with oil emulsion,
destroyed a considerable number of
fruit spurs when used at concentrations
high enough to produce satisfactory kill-
ing of Jonathan and Grimes’ Golden
apple blossoms. Low concentrations of
these substances, however, evenly thinned
the crop without obvious spur injury. So
far no chemical has been demonstrated
capable of completely destroying apple
blossoms without the likelihood of serious
injury to fruit spurs.

In codling moth control the import-
ance of deblossoming sprays or other
means of crop removal appears to depend
on the percentage of larvae in an orchard
that live two winters before emerging
as moths and upon whether or not the
codling moth can survive on tissue other
than fruit. Deblossoming McIntosh, De-
licious and Wealthy apple trees with a
tar-oil spray and subsequent removal of
any developing fruit did not prevent
heavy infestation by codling moth the
following year in a two-generation area
of the Okanagan Valley.

Literature Cited

Auchter, E. C., and J. W. Roberts. 1933. Experiments in spraying apples for the preven-
tion of fruit set. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci., Proc. 30:22-25.

Brodie, W. 1906. Parasitism of Carpocapsa pomonella. Ent. Soc. Ont., 37th Ann. Re-
port, p. 5-15.

Gardner, V. R., T. A. Merrill and H. G. Petering. 1939. Thinning the apple crop by
spray at blooming: a preliminary report. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci., Proc. 37: 147-149.

Gentner, L, G. 1940. Spur-burrowing habit of the codling moth larvae on pear trees.
Jour. Econ. Ent. 33 (5) : 796-799.

16

Proceedings for 1943. Vol. 40, September 20, 1943

Hall, J. A. 1928. Six years’ study of the life history and habits of the codling moth.

Ent. Soc. Ont., 59th Ann. Report, p. 96-105.

Hammar, A. G. 1912. Life history studies on the codling moth in Michigan. U.S. Bureau
Ent., Bui. 115, Pt. 1, p. 83-84.

Harley, C. P., and J. E. Moore. 1940. Preliminary studies on the effect of tar-oil spray
for the prevention of fruit set in apples. Wash. State. Hort. Assoc., Proc. 35: 47-48.

Heriot, A. D., and D. B. Waddell. 1942. Some effects of nutrition on' the development

of the codling moth. Sci. Agr. 23 (3): 172-175.

Holbeche, J. A. 1941. Blossom removal sprays. Australian Agr. Gazette, 1941. p. 108-109.

Longley, L. E. 1921. The codling moth in the Payette Valley. Idaho Agr. Exp. Sta.
Bui. 124, 27 p.

Magness, J. R., L. P. Batjer and C. P. Harley. 1939. Spraying apples for blossom re-
moval. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. Proc. 37: 141-146.

Marshall, G. E. 1940. Some newly discovered habits of the codling moth. Jour. Econ.
Ent. 33 (1) : 200.

Read, R. H. 1941. Blossom killing sprays for apple crop restriction. Jour. Agr. Victoria
(Australia) p. 428-430.

Shepard, P. H. 1939. Spraying apples for the prevention of fruit set. Missouri Fruit
Exp. Sta., Circ. 28, 27p.

Siegler, E. H., and L. Brown. 1928. Longevity of the codling moth larva. Jour. Econ.
Ent. 21 (2) : 434.

Speyer, W. 1932. Can the codling moth develop on leaves alone? (Trans, title). Arb.
Biol. Reichsanst. Land u. Forstw. 20 (2) : 183-191. (Cited in Exp. Sta. Record 69
(6): 831).

Wakelaaid, C., and P. L. Rice. 1932. Codling moth life history in southwestern Idaho.
Idaho Agr. Exp. Sta. Res. Bui. 10, 56 p.

Yothers, M. A., and F. W. Carlson. 1941. Orchard observations of the emergence of
codling moths from two-year-old larvae. Jour. Econ. Ent. 34 (1): 109-110.

CRYOLITE VERSUS LEAD ARSENATE FOR CONTROL
OF CODLING MOTH

J. Marshall

Dominion Entomological Laboratory, Vernon, B.C.

In 1939, cryolite was recommended
for late codling moth spray applications
in the interior of British Columbia. The
purpose of the recommendation was to
avoid heavy deposits of lead arsenate. A
number of growers who have not ac-
complished satisfactory control of the
codling moth since that time have blamed
cryolite for their failure. Their distrust
of cryolite has been increased by the ap-
pearance of the diluted spray mixture, as
it resembles muddy water rather than

* Contribution No. 2221, Division of Entomology,
Science Service, Department of Agriculture, Ot-
tawa, Canada.

* Reset and reprinted, with slight changes, from
"Country Life in British Columbia” [Vernon, B.C.]
27 (2): 23 April 1943, through the kindness of
Charles A. Hayden, Editor and Manager.

spray material. Then too it leaves a less
obvious deposit than lead arsenate. But
the chief reason for unfavorable opinion
results from the time of application,
since it is more difficult to prevent cod-
ling moth entries during July when
cryolite is used than during May and
June when lead arsenate is applied.
Furthermore, for every larva attempting
to enter the fruit in May or early June,
there may be twenty-five or more at-
tempting to enter in July and August.
A review of the investigations that serve
as a basis for the cryolite recommenda-
tion will therefore be timely.

First it will be well to examine some
of the work that has been done with
cryolite in the neighboring state of Wash-
ington. This is summarized in Table I.

Entomological Society of British Columbia

17

TABLE I

Codling Moth Infestation Following Use of Cryolite and Lead Arsenate
In Washington State

Per Cent Infested Fruit or Worms

per 100

Fruits

Year

Cryolite

Lead

Arsenate

Reference

1928-9

24.7

(Fish oil sticker)

24.1

(2 yr. ave.)

Newcomer & Carter

1932

28.

(Fish oil sticker)

34.

(2/3 cone, only)

Webster et al.

1935

7.2

(Non-inverted oil mixture)

5.8

(inverted oil

mix)

Unpub. records,

Wash. Exp.

Sta.

1936

24.

(Non-inverted oil mixture)

12.

(inverted oil

mix)

Unpub. records,

Wash. Exp.

St a.

1937

8.

(Inverted oil mixture)

14.

(inverted oil

mix)

Marshall et al.

1938

74.

(Inverted oil mixture)

121.

(inverted oil

mix)

Marshall et al.

In the Washington investigations,
which were continued intermittently from
1928 to 1938, cryolite and lead arsenate
gave approximately similar results on
four occasions; cryolite appeared the
more effective twice, while lead arsenate
appeared the more effective once. The
differences are such as might occur in
separate experimental plots sprayed with
same material, since with inverted mix-
tures in particular, the nature of the
solid insecticide is by no means the only
factor that plays an' important part in
the effectiveness of the resultant spray
residue. For example, in 1936 the cryolite
particles in the oil-cryolite-soap mixture
remained water-wetted, while the lead
arsenate particles in the corresponding
lead arsenate mixture became oil-wetted.
The lead arsenate gained greatly in ef-
fectiveness thereby.

In British Columbia, cryolite was first
compared with lead arsenate for codling
moth control by B. Hoy of the British
Columbia Horticultural Branch, Kel-
owna, in 1936. A great deal of work
has been done with it since that time.

In the British Columbia experiments,
all infestations were recorded as per cent
wormy fruit. In no instance was there
a pronounced difference in the results
from the two materials. Reduced to
averages, the infestations are: cryolite 6.1
per cent and lead arsenate 5.7 per cent
infested fruit. Granting the suspicion

with which averages should be viewed,
the difference is no greater than would
be expected if in each instance both plots
had been sprayed with the same material.
With one exception casein-lime spreader
was the adjuvant.

It is worth mentioning that trees at
East Kelowna, sprayed with cryolite-
casein-lime throughout the season were,
at the end of the third year, no more
heavily infested than the adjoining trees
sprayed with lead arsenate-casein-lime
each season.

There has been some speculation as to
whether synthetic cryolite of United
States manufacture and natural cryolite
are equally effective. These materials
have differed somewhat in fluorine con-
tent. An investigation of effectiveness was
conducted at East Kelowna and the
records are assembled in Table III.

TABLE II.

Codling Moth Infestation Following Use of
Cryolite and Lead Arsenate in
British Columbia*

Year

Per

Cryolite

Cent Infested Fruit

Lead Arsenate

1936

1

1

1938

2

1

1939

16

17

1940

9

9

1940

13

12

1941

9

10

1942

4

3

1942

5

4

1942

3

2

1942

8

6

1942

1

3

1942

5

4

1942

2

2

1942

8

6

* Figures for 1936 and 1938 from unpublished
records, B. Hoy, B.C. Dept, of Agriculture, Kelowna;
the remainder from records of the Dominion En-
tomological Laboratory, Vernon.

18

Proceedings for 1943. Vol. 40, September 20, 1943

TABLE III.

Comparison of Effectiveness of Natural
Cryolite and Synthetic Cryolite

Year

Per Cent Infested
Natural Cryolite

Fruit*

Synthetic Cryolite

1940

9

13

1941

9

22

1942

4

1

1942

3

2

1942

5

5

1942

8

8

1942

2

2

1942

3

3

1942

12

7

* The first seven comparisons from the records
of the Dominion Entomological Laboratory, Vernon;
the last two, from unpublished records of B. Hoy,
B.C. Dept, of Agriculture, Kelowna.

Nine direct comparisons are available
from this work. With three exceptions,
one of which favors one product, two
the other, differences are slight to nil.
Averaged infestations, i.e., 6.1 per cent
wormy fruit for natural cryolie and 7.0

per cent for synthetic cryolite, support
the opinion that there is no essential dif-
ference in the effectiveness of the two
products. The probable reason for the
much higher infestation of the synthetic
cryolite plot in 1941 was the greater
population in this plot resulting from the
high infestation of the previous season,
when other spray materials had been
used.

Summary

(1) Extensive investigation in Wash-
ington and British Columbia under arid
or semi-arid conditions, has indicated that
cryolite and lead arsenate are for prac-
tical purposes, equally effective in cod-
ling moth control. This holds whether
the two compounds have been used with
oils or with casein-lime spreader.

(2) Natural cryolite and synthetic
cryolite have proved equally satisfactory.

Literature Cited

Marshall, J. K. Groves and H. Fallscheer. 1938. Cryolite in codling moth control and
a new procedure for its application. Proc. Wash. State Hort. Assoc. 34:123-131.

Newcomer, E. J. and R. H. Carter. 1930. Fluorine compounds as substitutes for lead
arsenate in control of the codling moth. Proc. Wash. State Hort. Assoc. 26:73-76.

Webster, R. L., J. Marshall, C. E. Miller and T. R. Hansberry. 1932. Fish oils' spreaders
and non-arsenicals for codling moth control. Proc. Wash. State Hort. Assoc.
28:48-64.

Note on Trachoma falciferella Wlshm.

( Lepidoptera : Plutellidae )

This insect was not uncommon on orchard
trees some years ago but is comparatively
scarce today, owing no doubt to the heavy
applications of arsenicals used for codling
moth control, which have had a repressive
effect upon a number of orchard pests.
Choke cherry (Primus demissa Nutt.) is its
native host. Larvae were taken at Vernon,
B.C., in 1931, feeding upon the terminal
growth of apple and pear. The leaves are
partially skeletonized and drawn together
with a few silken threads to form a frail
nest, within which the caterpillars remain
concealed until they are disturbed. They
then become exceedingly active and move
over the leaf surface in a series of rapid
snake-like motions.

Mature larvae measure 11-12 mm. in
length, and are strongly fusiform in out-

line. The general colour is pale green tinged
with yellow. Head pale with no markings.
Dorsum pale green, with the intersegmental
areas yellowish. There is a well-defined,
narrow, whitish line on each side of the
dorsum; these lines commence on the
second thoracic segment and continue to
the anal segment. Thoracic feet pale brown;
prolegs concolorous with venter; the anal
prolegs are extended at a wide angle with
the body when the larva is at rest.

Eleven larvae which pupated between May
16 and June 13, produced adults from July
9 to 19. The pupa is formed within a silken
cocoon composed of two parts: an exterior
web of filmy construction and open texture,
within which is a smaller case containing
the pupa. The pupa, which is pale green in
its earlier stages, becomes pallid and trans-
parent prior to the emergence of the adult.
— E. P. Venables, Vernon, B.C.

Entomological Society of British Columbia

19

THE ENIGMA OF TICK PARALYSIS

J. D. Gregson

Livestock Insect Laboratory, Kamloops, B.C.

Introduction

The object of this paper is to bring to-
gether observations on a series of tick
paralysis experiments that have been con-
ducted at the Livestock Insect Laboratory
of the Dominion Department of Agri-
culture, Science Service; to compare them
with the forms of tick paralysis that oc-
cur in other countries, and by these com-
parisons to clarify our impressions re-
garding the true nature of the disease.
These experiements, often negative and
at times apparently producing contradic-
tory results, at least do emphasize the
fascinating mystery of one of British Co-
lumbia’s main livestock pests, the wood
tick, Dermacentor andersoni Stiles.

Tick paralysis in British Columbia is
a flaccid ascending motor paralysis that
may be produced in livestock or humanr
by the feeding on them of one or more
female ticks of the species D. andersoni .
The symptoms do not occur until about
the sixth day after the tick has attached,
and progress from then on until the tick
drops off replete, or is removed, after
which there is usually a rapid recovery
within half to two or three hours- Death
may ensue if the respiratory center be-
comes paralysed before the tick leaves the
host.

Tick paralysis also occurs in Australia,
where man, sheep, dogs, pigs, cats and
poultry have been reported by Ross
(1935) as victims of Ixodes holocyclus
Neumann, and in South Africa, where
sheep have been recorded by Rensburg
(1928) as having been paralysed by
Ixodes pilosus Koch. Clark (1938) has
also recorded paralysis in the same host,
caused apparently by the African tick
Rhipicephalus evertsi Neumann. In Yugo-
slavia, Mlinac and Oswald (1936)

1. Contribution No. 2260, Division of
Entomology, Science Service, Department of
Agriculture, Ottawa, Canada.

(1937) have described tick paralysis in
ruminants, the vectors being Hyalomma
aegyftum L. (Neumann), and Boophilus
calcaratus balanicus (Minning). The
symptoms produced by these foreign
species are in a general way similar to
those of the disease in this province. In
America the disease is confined almost
entirely to the ranching areas of British
Columbia, and although the causative tick
is just as abundant in southern Alberta as
well as in Montana and other states to
the south, tick paralysis is relatively
scarce there.

Although considerable speculation on
the etiology of American tick paralysis
has been advanced, the fundamental
cause of the symptoms still remains as
much of a mystery as ever. It would seem
that no theory attempting tt> explain tick
paralysis has been put forward without
arousing conflicting evidence.

Theories As to Cause of Paralysis

Briefly and in ord,er of their probable
validity, the main theories as to the cause
of paralysis are here set forth.

1 . Paralysis of the nervous system hy a

toxin introduced by the feeding tick.

This is the most generally accepted
theory. It is substantiated by the fact that
there is an almost immediate recovery
following the removal' of the tick, pos-
sibly due to the cessation of further in-
jections of toxin. Also in support of this
theory, assuming that Australian tick
paralysis is similar to the British Colum-
bia form, are the experiments conducted
by Ross (1935). He found that the
salivary glands of Ixodes holocyclus ,
ground and injected into mice, produced
symptoms similar to those caused by the
ticks feeding on dogs. . The Australian
disease, however, differs from that in
Canada in that the paralysis appears to
be more often fatal, and according to
Ross (1934) may not even become ap-

20

Proceedings for 1943. Vol. 40, September 20, 1943

parent until after the causative ticks are
removed. Opposed to the toxin theory
are the facts that not all British Colum-
bia ticks appear to be capable of pro-
ducing paralysis, and that animals capable
of being paralysed by a single tick under
ideal conditions can tolerate several dozen
fast feeding ticks with no ill effects — a
number that surely would inject far
more poison than the most virulent in-
dividual tick. Ross (1935) makes no
mention of holocyclus varying in its
power to produce paralysis, other than
stating that dogs were less frequently
paralysed by large numbers than by single
females. This would probably be due to
individual resistance in the animals, for
it would appear from his infesting ex-
periments with laboratory animals that
the symptoms of paralysis become in-
creasingly severe with heavier infestations.

2. Infection of host by some tick-borne
agent.

This is suggested by the fact that only
ticks in certain territories (British Co-
lumbia as compared with Montana for
example) and of these, only certain in-
dividuals, apparently are capable of pro-
ducing paralysis; and by the fact that a
six day period, resembling an incubation
period, elapses between the time when the
tick attaches and the onset of paralysis.
In the dozens of observations made at
this laboratory, paralysis has never been
observed in which this period is less than
six days, or more than eight. In the case
of Australian tick paralysis, this period
may be shortened to four days. Rensburg
(1928) in South Africa also observes
the fact that only certain ticks are cap-
able of producing paralysis. He states
“one is inclined to accept the theory that
an infected tick produces paralysis in an
animal by slowly injecting into it a nar-
cotic poison which was obtained by the
tick in some way or other before it got
on to that animal.” Mlinac and Oswald
(1937) in Yugoslavia, have succeeded in
killing guinea pigs by injecting them
with crushed and filtered eggs of the
European paralysis-producing tick, B.

calcaratus balanicus. These experiments,
but for the fact that the egg emulsions
did not contain pathogenic organisms,
might have suggested the passage of an
infective agent through the eggs of ticks.
As it is, the results appear similar to the
more recent findings in America where
it has been discovered by Gregson (1941)
and by Steinhaus (1942) that the eggs
of D. andersoni contain elements that
are toxic to guinea pigs. Opposing the
infection theory is the rapid recovery
upon the removal of the tick.

3. Mechanical injury to host by tick
feeding over nervous system.

This theory is widely credited by
ranchers who have observed that ticks
usually congregate along the spines of
paralysed animals. Unfed ticks being
negatively geotropic naturally gravitate
to this region, but it is well known as
pointed out by Mail and Gregson (1938)
that paralysis may ensue when the causa-
tive tick is attached to any part of the
body.

Discussion

Discussing the first and most logical
theory as to the cause of tick paralysis,
it seems fairly evident that under certain
conditions a female wood tick is able to
inject a toxin into the blood stream of
the host which will paralyse its motor
nerves. It would also appear that this
toxin is injected only immediately prior
to the repletion and subsequent dropping
of the tick, being perhaps some form of
regurgitated fluid, or possibly a glandular
secretion to aid in the release of the tick’s
mouth parts. Incidentally, it is not under-
stood yet how a tick, so firmly attached
to its host by its immovable hypostome
teeth, is able to release itself at will when
replete, or even before repletion as hap-
pens when the host dies and becomes cold.
The paralysing toxin probably is readily
destroyed by the host, which would ac-
count for the rapid abatement of paraly-
sis when the tick is removed. It may
even be possible that the host is some-
times sufficiently resistant to cope with

Entomological Society of British Columbia

21

the toxin and thus escape paralysis en-
tirely. This would obscure the fact that
the tick might have been potentially cap-
able of producing paralysis. While, as
stated, paralysis usually is produced only
by ticks on the verge of repletion, there
are records of ticks only half or one
third engorged having caused the symp-
toms. There is even a record of a lamb
being paralysed when a close examination
revealed no other ticks than a male.

Ross (1935) in Australia, killed mice
by injecting them with crushed salivary
glands of I. holocyclus . These experi-
ments were repeated in the Kamloops
laboratory with D. andersoni but the re-
sults were not the same. Even when
several times as many glands as used by
Ross were dissected from fast feeding
ticks (frozen at the time of removal
from host to prevent any possible de-
terioration of a labile toxin) and in-
jected intravenously and subcutaneously
into mice and lambs, and intraspinally
into puppies, the results continued nega-
tive. Similarly abortive have been the
attempts to produce paralysis in lambs by
injecting into them the crushed bodies of
ticks that have been known to have pro-
duced paralysis. The latter injections
were made alongside other engorging
females in case some causative virus was
dependent upon the simultaneous presence
of tick venom in the host animal for its
survival.

That only certain ticks appear to be
capable of producing paralysis is demon-
strated by the fact that often a series of
ticks, feeding at the same time, may not
paralyse an animal. The theory of ac-
quired immunity does not detract from
this observation, since on several oc-
casions the feeding of numbers of ticks
on previously uninfested lambs, which
obviously would have no such immunity,
has produced no paralysis. Moreover, in
British Columbia one attack of paralysis
does not necessarily produce an acquired
immunity to subsequent attacks. Ross
(1935) tates that the Australian tick I.
holocyclus may produce an acquired im-

munity, but that it is not inherited. Such
a resistance has been produced experi-
mentally in guinea pigs against early
stages of Dermacentor variabilis by
Trager (1939) and in fitches and guinea
pigs against I. texanus and D. andersoni
by Gregson (1942).

Whether an inherited immunity to-
wards D. andersoni exists is debatable. It
is the common belief of ranchers in Brit-
ish Columbia, as quoted by Mail (1942),
that animals exposed for several years to
attack by ticks do build up an immunity,
so that later ticks attacking such animals
do not feed so readily. Indirectly this
may lessen the chances of paralysis by
eliminating fast, feeding ticks, A slowly
built up and inherited immunity might
explain why wild deer, mountain sheep
and moose, though often heavily infested,
never appear to be paralysed by ticks. Such
an inherent resistance however, may not
be wholly responsible for the slow feed-
ing rate of certain ticks, as is shown by
tests made on Vancouver Island sheep,
untouched for generations by ticks, and
on which a dozen of these parasites, in
July, were unable to feed rapidly.

Individual host susceptibility to ticks
has been noted on a few occasions. In
one series of infestations fifteen of six-
teen ticks engorged in seven days on one
lamb, while the average feeding period
on six other lambs was nine days, with
fifty per cent of them dying before re-
pletion. Ross (1935) has also noted a
variation among hosts and states that cer-
tain individual dogs are more resistant to
holocyclus than others.

Nevertheless, although the condition of
the host may play a part in the varying
rate of tick feeding, it is also a definite
fact that a large degree of these varia-
tions are due to the tick. This has been
demonstrated in experiments by Gregson
(1937) where specimens of andersoni
were observed to feed at different rates
in close proximity, on the same host.

It would thus appear from the fore-
going remarks that certain ticks, and
only certain ticks, are capable of pro-

22

Proceedings for 1943. Vol. 40, September 20, 1943

ducing paralysis; and that these are
usually fast feeding individuals. The
condition necessary for this rapid feeding
seems to be physiological, and either in-
herent, or produced in the tick by ex-
ternal stimuli. Since in the unfed condi-
tion potential paralysis producing ticks
cannot be distinguished from harmless
ones, an attempt was made to approxi-
mate the percentage of virulent ticks in
a locality where paralysis normally oc-
curred. Fifty week-old lambs each were
infested with a pair of ticks from the
same vicinity. The experiment was a
failure, in that none of the ticks fed fast
and no paralysis resulted. Nevertheless, a
week later, ticks of the same stock all
fed rapidly and paralysed the lamb upon
which they were caged. The lamb was
from the same farm as the previously
infested stock. The weather, slightly
warmer at the time of the second in-
festation, could hardly account for this
difference in feeding, as experiments have
shown that varying external temperatures
have no effect on the feeding rate of
ticks on sheep. It was thought that per-
haps very young lambs might have been
more resistant to ticks and thus have ac-
counted for the slow feeding rate on the
fifty lambs, but similar tests a year later
on ten ewes and their twin lambs showed
the parasites to feed no more readily on
adult sheep than on lambs.

Perhaps the greatest hope of progress
towards an understanding of the primary
cause of tick paralysis lies in the fact
previously stated that this disease as a rule
is produced only by fast feeding ticks.
One observation may prove significant
and afford a clue, and that is the pro-
gressive inability of ticks in British Co-
lumbia to feed readily with the approach
of mid-summer and fall. This phenom-
enon which, as shown by Gregson
(1937), appears to be due to an inability
on the part of the tick to produce suf-
ficient disturbance within the host tissues
to liberate an adequate blood supply, will
probably be found to be closely connected
with Some climatic condition. Gregson

(1938) noted that when ticks were sub-
jected to increasing doses of ultraviolet
light, their feeding powers were stimu-
lated. Smith and Cole (1941) conclude
from their recent experiments that the
length of day is an important factor in
controlling the activity of hibernation of
larvae and nymphs of D. variabilis , that
long photoperiods are more favorable to
activity than short ones, and gradually
increasing photoperiods more favorable
than gradually decreasing ones of even
greater absolute length. Rowan (1929)
has shown that the length of light-day
has an important effect on the physiology
of birds. Similar light experiments on
tick hosts, in which sheep were subjected
to decreasing photoperiods, have shown,
however, that any effect produced in
them does not influence the feeding rate
of the tick. Nor, according to Carrick’s
(1940) experiments with hedgehogs, does
there appear to be any relation between
the ticks’ feeding rate and the presence or
absence of sex hormones in the blood of
the host. This theory has been suggested
by MacLeod (1932) and by Rowan and
Gregson ( 1935).

Bruce ( 1925) states that it is claimed
that more cases of paralysis develop when
there is an extreme range between the
maximum and minimum temperatures,
and suggests that this might induce a
healthier appetite in the gorging female.
At the Rock Mountain laboratory of the
U.S.P.H.S., it has been noticed also that
ticks feed more readily when subjected
to a series of cold temperatures prior to
infesting.

Thus temperature as well as light —
and perhaps even humidity and other con-
ditions not yet understood — may enter
into the picture of tick behaviour, and
these even may not act as stimuli until
they are varied from their usual intens-
ity in such a way as to disturb the
rhythm of the individual. Considering
how nebulous is our conception of such
possible forces produced by fluctuations or
gradual changes of external conditions,
and regarding the apparently contradictory

Entomological Society of British Columbia

23

nature of the etiological evidence of tick mental mechanism of this disease is most
paralysis, it will be seen that the funda- intricate and perplexing.

Literature Cited

Bruce, E. A., 1925. Tick Paralysis. Jour. American Vet. Med Assoc. 68 (2) : 1-15.

Garrick, Robt., and W. S. Bullough, 1940. The feeding of the tick, Ixodes ricinus L., in
relation to the reproductive condition of the host. Parasitology 32 (3) : 313-317.

Clark, Richard, 1938. A note on paralysis in lambs caused apparently by Rhipicephahis
evertsi. Jour. S. Afric. Vet. Med. Assoc. 9 (3) : 143-145.

Gregson, J. D., 1937. Studies on the rate of tick feeding in relation to disease. Proc.
Ent. Soc. Brit. Col. 33: 15-21, 2 figs.

, 1938. Notes on some phenomenal feeding of ticks, idem. 34: 8-11, 1 un-
numbered pi. (=p. 11).

, 1941. The discovery of an ixovotoxin in Dermacentor andersoni eggs. idem.

37: 9-10.

, 1942. Host immunity to ticks (Acarina). idem. 38: 12-13.

MacLeod, J., 1932. Parasit. 24: 382.

Mail, G. Allen, 1942. Tick control with special reference to Dermacentor andersoni,
Stiles. Scientific Agric. 23 (1): 59-67.

Mail, G. Allen, and J. D. Gregson, 1938. Tick paralysis in British Columbia. Jour. Can.
Med. Assoc. 39: 532-537.

Mlinac, F. and B. Oswald, 1936. Preliminary studies on the poisonous properties of the
species of ticks occurring in Yugoslavia. Yugoslav Vet. Jour. 8.

, 1937. Preliminary studies on the poison contained in the eggs of the tick

Boophilus calcaratus balanicus (Minning) tested on guinea pigs. Arhiva Vet. 7:
277-298. (Translated titles).

Rensburg, S., 1928. Tick paralysis in sheep. Farming in South Africa. Reprint No. 18,
March, 1938.

Ross, I. C., 1934. Period elapsing between attachment of tick and onset of symptoms.
Austral. Vet. Jour., October, 1934, p. 182.

, 1935. Tick Paralysis: A fatal disease of dogs and other animals in eastern

Australia. Council for Sci. & Ind. Res. 8 (1) : 8-13.

Rowan, Wm., 1929. Experiments in bird migration. Proc. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist. 39 (5) :
151-208.

Rowan, Wm., and J. D. Gregson, 1935. Winter feeding of the tick Dermacentor andersoni,
Stiles. Nature, Lond., 135: 652.

Smith, Carroll N., and Moses M. Cole, 1941. Effect of length of day on the activity and
hibernation of the American dog tick, Dermacentor variabilis (Say). Ann. Ent.
Soc. of Amer. 34 (2): 426-431.

Steinhaus, Edward A., 1942. Note on a toxic principle in eggs of the tick, Dermacentor
andersoni Stiles. U.S. Pub. Health Rep. 57 (35): 1310-1312.

Trager, Wm., 1939. Further observations on acquired immunity to the tick Dermacentor
variabilis Say. Jour. Parasitology 25: 137-139.

The Weevil Auletobius congruus (Walker)
a Pest of Strawberries

In May, 1940, Mr. C. R. Barlow, Provincial
District Field Inspector, drew my attention
to serious damage being done to a straw-
berry patch at Salmon Arm, by a small
dark weevil. Specimens of this insect were
sent to Mr. W. J. Brown, of the Division of
Systematic Entomology at Ottawa, who
identified them as Auletobius congruus
(Walker) .

An examination of the patch on May 18
showed some damage over about four acres;
on half an acre about 35% of the blossoms
were destroyed. The weevils were seen to
cut into the base of the blossoms, causing
the flowers, to wilt and die.

The owner of the patch had never seen
this beetle on his strawberry plants before
and it has not appeared since. Examination
of the available literature shows no refer-

ence to this weevil as a strawberry pest,
and its sudden appearance in injurious
numbers in 1940 may be of interest. Pro-
fessor G. J. Spencer has found adults feed-
ing on the flowers of a native buttercup,
Ranunculus sp., on the hills near Aspen
Grove, B.C. — E. R. Buckell, Field Crop Insect
Laboratory, Kamloops, B.C.

CULICOIDES GIGAS R. & H. AT VER-
NON, B.C. (Diptera:Ceratopogonidae). This
species was recorded from the Kamloops
district by Curtis (1941. Ent. Soc. Brit.
Col., Proc. 37:19). At dusk on May 7, 1942,
the flies were common at a small pond on
the hill above Goose Lake, and adjacent to
Gartrell’s mine. They settled on the neck
and arms, but did not bite. Specimens were
identified by Mr. A. R. Brooks of the Divi-
sion of Entomology at Ottawa. — Hugh B.
Leech.

24

Proceedings for 1943. Vol. 40, September 20, 1943

SOME RECORDS OF LONG-LEGGED FLIES FROM BRITISH COLUMBIA

(Diptera: Dolichopodidae)

G. J. Spencer

Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C.

In the course of collecting all orders
of insects for the University of British
Columbia over a period of 17 years, a
number of families in various orders
have now reached the point where there
are enough specimens to constitute at
least a skeleton list, upon which further
collecting will hang a representative pic-
ture of species for this Province. A start
has to be made sooner or later and when
even a fragmentary list is available, it
serves as an incentive for special col-
lecting in that particular direction. I hope
to be able to put out several of these
preliminary lists each year from now on-
wards if I can get the material identified,
although it seems a hopeless task for a
lone worker to undertake. Even if such
lists serve little purpose at the moment,
they may stimulate some other members
of this Society to adopt any family and
to specialize in it.

The Dolichofodidae or Long-legged
flies (not long-headed flies as Curran has
them in his priceless monograph of the
Diptera of North America) are mostly
metallic-green, smooth flies, usually less
than one-third of an inch in length,
which are predaceous on smaller insects.
Cell M and 1st M2 are not separated by
a cross vein and there is almost always a
bend in vein M1 towards R4+5 before it
straightens out to reach the margin of the
wing: this bend in M1 is a good family
characteristic.

The genitalia of* the males is often
adorned with long appendages ' which
flutter pennant-like behind while the in-
sects are in flight. These flies frequent
the edges of woods or bodies of water;
some species of the genus Dolichofus
frequent spray-dashed rocks; the species
of Hydrofhorus occurs on the surface of
small pools and on mud flats; those of
Hercostomus occur chiefly on foliage,

and species of Neurigona are found on
tree trunks, chiefly of smooth-barked
trees (Essig, and Curran). The tall
grasses fringing alkaline pools and little
lakes of the cattle ranges of the Dry
Belt are good collecting sites for these
flies, chiefly species of Dolichofus.

The list that follows is based on 132
flies, all, except two, of my collecting.
I am deeply indebted to Dr. Fred C.
Harmston of Logan, Utah, now Capt.
F. C. Harmston of the Malaria Control
Programme, Indianapolis, Indiana, for
volunteering to identify these flies for
me, especially in view of the fact that
he undertook the work in the midst of
his military duties and returned the speci-
mens within ten days after receiving
them; every collector who undertakes the
identification of insects in the midst of
his other duties will fully appreciate what
this involves.

Dolichopus plumipes Scop. — Nanaimo Nicola.
D. bruesi Van D. — Sidney, V.I., Summer-
land.

D. nigricauda Van D. — Kamloops.

D. robertsoni Curran — Chilcotin.

D. renidescens M & B — Kamloops, Chilcotin.
D. obcordatus Aid. — Nicola, Kamloops, Chil-
cotin.

D. occidentalis Aldr. — Departure Bay (Nan-
aimo), Vancouver.

D. idahoensis Aid. — Nicola.

D. adaequatus Van D. — Kamloops, Chilcotin.
D. maculitarsis Van D. — Kamloops.

D. conspectus Van D. — Chilcotin.
Hercostomus tristis Lev. — Tofino, V.I
H. metatarsalis Thom. — Chapman.

Neurigona sp. — Chilcotin.

Melanderia mandibulata Aldr. — Skidegate.
Scelus monstrosus O.S. — Tofino, Nicola,

Kamloops, Chilcotin.

S. avidus — Nicola.

Scelus sp. — Chilcotin.

Hydrophorus breviseta Thom. — Royal Oak
(Victoria) , Summerland.

Rhaphium sp. — Nicola,

Rhaphium sp. — Summerland, Kamloops,
Chilcotin.

Parasyntormon occidentalis — Chilcotin.

There are apparently 2 new spp. of Rha-
phium.

Entomological Society of British Columbia

25

About 2,000 species of this family
have been named to date. This prelim-
inary list for nine localities of this Prov-
ince includes twenty species in eight
genera — the number of species being one-
hundredth of the world’s total. Without

doubt further collecting, purposely for
this family, will greatly add to this total,
which shows that the D olichopodidae are
very well represented in British Colum-
bia.

RECORDS OF SOME FLIES AND WASPS COLLECTED AT ROBSON, B.C.
(Diptero: Tabanidae; Hymenopt-era)

Harold R. Foxlee
Robson, B. C.

The following species were all col-
lected by me at Robson, B.C. I am in-
debted to Dr. L. L. Pechuman for identi-
fying the Tabanidae, and to Mr. H. D.
Pratt for the names of the Hymenoptera.

DIPTERA

Tabanidae

Tabanus haemaphorus Mart. — 30. VII.
39.

Tabanus laniferus McD. — 21. VIII. 37 ;

24. VII. 38; 20. VII. 39.

Tabanus procyon O.S. — 29. IV. 39; 21.
IV. 40; 7. V. 40. ’

Tabanus rhombicus var. rupestris McD.- —

26. VII. 39.

Stonemyia calif ornica Big. — 10. VII. 37.
Silvius gigantulus Lw. — 25. VI. 37.

C hr y sops pertinax Will. — June to Sep-
tember.

Chrysops excitans Walk. — 29. VI. 40.

HYMENOPTERA

Ichneumonidae

Trogus fulvipes Cress. — June 11, 12.
Hoplismanus pad ficus Cress. — June 24.

Crypf-inae

Acrorcius excelsus Cress. — July 16;
Aug. 6.

Echthrus vancouverensis Brad. — - April
24; May 23.

Cryptus altonii D. T. — May 24; Aug.

20.

Pimplinae

Rhyssa alaskensis Ashm. — July 9.
Rhyssella nitida Cress. — June 19.
Coleocentrus occidentals Cress. — July 9.
Xorides harringtoni Roll. — Aug. 13.

Lissonota brunnea Cress. — Sept. 7.
Cylloceria occidentalis Cress. — Oct. 5.
Deutero xorides borealis Cress. — Aug. 9.
Pimpla pedalis Cress.— April 1 1 ; Oct.
22.

Itoplectis obesus Cush. — Oct. 22.
Apechthis picticornis Cress. — Sept. 2.
Perithous pleuralis Cress.— July; August;
September.

Tryphoninae

Diplaxon pulchripes Prov. — Oct. 22.

Ophioninae

Campoplegidea vitticollis Norton. — Oct.

22.

Thenon morio Fab. — June; July.
Cidaphus occidentalis Cush. — July 2.

Aulacidae

Neaulacus occidentalis Cress. — May 30;
July 13.

Odontaulacus editus Cress.— May; June;

July.

Pristaulacus montanus Cress. — July 2.

MARATHYSSA INFICITA WALKER AT
OLIVER, B.C. (Lepidoptera: Phalaenidae) .
Mr. E. Peter Venables found an outbreak
of this species in July, 1942. The only pre-
vious British Columbia record in the liter-
ature available is for Lillooet, without
mention of a host plant.

On July 17 the chunky green cater-
pillars, close resembling sawfly larvae, were
taken on sumac bushes (Rhus glabra) along
the highway 4 miles north of Oliver. At
the time only a few specimens were pres-
ent, but there must have been thousands
a little earlier, as for miles the sumacs were
almost stripped of leaves. The caterpillars
were given to the Forest Inset Survey unit,
and identified by M. W. C. McGufRn of
Ottawa. — Hugh B. Leech.

26

Proceedings for 1943. Vol. 40, September 20, 1943

MISCELLANEOUS RECORDS OF BEETLES IN BRITISH COLUMBIA

(Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae, Elateridae, Buprestidae, Lathridiidae, Chrysomelidae.

Curculionidae).*

Hugh B. Leech

Dominion Forest Insect Laboratory, Vernon, B.C.

Heloffiorus nitidulus LeConte. This little
black species may be separated from
others in the genus by the almost straight
sulci on its smooth, inflated pronotum. It
was described from Eagle Harbor, Lake
Superior, and is known from Indiana and
Manitoba. British Columbia specimens
before me are: Salmon Arm, 1 male
from an ephemeral pond in the woods,

7. V. 39, and a pair from Norton’s pond,
24. V. 39 (Hugh B. Leech); Nation
River area, 1 male, 25. VI. 40 (Geof.
B. Leech).

Ludius glaucus Germar. These blackish
click beetles occurred in thousands on the
flower heads of a species of Lufinus at
Vernon, B.C., during late May and
early June, 1942. They were eating the
buds and partially opened flowers, hol-
lowing out irregular cavities in the sides
and ends. In 1911 (Ent. Soc. Brit. Col.,
Proc. 1:9) Venables reported this species
at Vernon (as Corymbites inflatus)y
noting that the beetles congregated on
lupine stems, and that they damaged new-
ly planted fruit trees by eating out the
buds in early summer. Brittain (op. cit.
2:14. 1913) also mentioned damage to
young apple trees, as did Ruhmann (7:

8. 1915).

Chrysofhana flacida LeConte. In our
“Proceedings” 27:6-10, issued March

1931, G. J. Spencer gives 7 records of
beetles emerging from prepared timber
in buildings. The following note adds
another species to the list.

At Salmon Arm, B.C., on April 5,

1932, a fresh hole was noticed in the
outer wall of the north end of my
father’s barn. Careful digging disclosed

*Contribution No. 2245, Division of Entomology,
Science Service, Department of Agriculture, Ottawa,
Ont.

a live flacida , which had almost gnawed
its way out from the pupal burrow. The
barn was built of seasoned Douglas fir
lumber in 1920, and was painted that
year or the next.

Cartodere ruficollis Marsham. Taken in
1932 at Salmon Arm, B.C., where it was
common on the north end of my father’s
barn. The species was first found on Feb-
ruary 28, by which date various small
beetles were coming out of hibernation,
and a few such as C ercy ony flying. On
April 5 the Cartodere were most numer-
ous in the hayloft, where they were
crawling on the floor in a dust of crushed
alfalfa leaves and seeds. A single specimen
had one elytron white, the other black as
usual.

Donacia idola Hatch. This species was
described from Chase Lake, a sphagnum
bog in Snohomish County, Washington
(1939. Pan-Pacific Ent. 14 (3) :1 1 0-
112). On July 19, 1931, I took a series
of idola on grasses and sedges around a
pond on Seymour Mountan, a few miles
from Vancouver, B.C. The pond is in a
meadow beside the cabin built by mem-
bers of the Alpine Club of Canada.
Chrysolina vidua Rogers. Adults, eggs,
and larvae in all stages, were common on
a wild aster ( Aster multiflora Ait. Det.
Prof. J. Davidson) along the Common-
age road at Vernon, B.C. during the first
half of June, 1942. No host plant was
listed by Van Dyke, in his review of the
nearctic species (1938. Bui. Brooklyn
Ent. Soc. 33 (2): 45-58).

Baryfeithes fellucidus Boheman. The first
British Columbia record for this little
weevil was from Victoria, B.C., 1936,
by Harry Andison and W. Downes (see
Brown, Canadian Ent. 72(4) :67). In
June 1941 I found the adults common
on mature strawberry fruits in a small

Entomological Society of British Columbia

27

garden at 504 James St., Vernon, B.C.

The beetles are 3 to 3.75 mm. long,
shiny piceous or rufescent, with antennae,
legs and abdomen reddish ; the dorsal
vestitute is long and sparse. Easily separ-
ated by its smooth, evenly punctuate pro-
notum, from the larger Brachyrhinus
ovatus L.

Gymnetron tetrum Fab. This squat little
gray-haired weevil is common on mul-

lein (V erbascum) in the eastern United
States and Canada, and also in parts of
Europe and Siberia. It has been reported
from eastern Washington. I have found
it numerous at Vernon (1940) and
Osoyoos (1941). In winter and early
spring the adults may be found hiber-
nating under the rosette of basal leaves
on dead mulleins; the larvae are said to
live in the seed pods.

SOME FOOD PLANTS OF LEPIDOPTEROUS LARVAE. List No. 9

J. R. J. Llewellyn Jones
Cobble Hill, B.C.

An asterisk (*) denotes that the species
has been mentioned in these lists previ-
ously, and that the information now
presented is either additional, or is an
amplification of what has already been
reported.

Records in this list are supplied by the
author.

Rhopolocera

* Basilar chia lorquini burrisonii Mayn.

Hardhack (Sfiraea douglasii Hook.).

Heterocera

* A cronict a ( Afatela ) funeralis G. & R.

Willow (Salix scouleriana (Hook.)
Barr.), ornamental species of willow,
Carolina poplar, and garden species
of plum.

* A cronict a illita Sm. English oak

(Quercus robur)y alder (Alnus rubra
Bong.), and ornamental crab apple
( Pyrus malus floribunda ) .

* A cronicta radcliffei Haw. Hyslop crab

apple and garden species of plum.

* A cronicta distans dolorosa Dyar. Alder

( A Inus rubra Bong. ) .

* Amfhidasis (Lycia) cognataria Gn.

Ocean spray (Sfirea discolor Pursh.).

* Halisidota maculata angulijera Wlk.

Hardhack (Sfiraea douglasii Hook.),

June - berry (Amelanchier florida
Lindl.), willows (Salix hookeriana
Barr., Salix scouleriana (Hook.)
Barr.).

* Hyfhantria textor Harr. Willow (Salix

lasiandra Benth.).

* Malacosom disstria erosa Stretch. Alder

(Alnus rubra Bong.).

* Malacosoma fluvialis Dyar. Wild

cherry (Prunus emarginata Dough).

* N adata gibbosa oregonensis Butl. Span-

ish chestnut (Species of C astanea) .

* Pheosia fortlandia Hy. Edw. Willows

(Salix lasiandra Benth., Salix hooker-
iana Barr., Salix scouleriana (Hook.)
Barr.), poplar (P of ulus trichocarfa
T. & G.), and aspen (P of ulus trem-
uloides Michx.).

*Pseudothydtira cymatofhoroides Gn.
English hawthorn ( Crataegus oxya-
cantha L.), and garden species of
plum.

Scoliofteryx libatrix L. Willows (Salix'
lasiandra Benth., Salix scouleriana
(Hook.) Barr.), black poplar (Pof-
ulus trichocarfa T. & G.), lombardy
poplar.

* Schizura unicornis A. & S. English

hawthorn ( Crataegus oxyacantha L.),
garden species of plum.

28

Proceedings for 1943. Vol. 40, September 20, 1943

FIELD OBSERVATIONS ON THE FOREST TENT CATERPILLAR,
MALACOSOMA DISSTRIA VAR. EROSA STRETCH

George A. Hardy
Provincial Museum, Victoria, B.C.

The following account is based on
field notes made in the course of a Prov-
incial Museum field trip in the vicinity
of Lac la Hache, Caribou District, Brit-
ish Columbia.

A very noticeable feature of the land-
scape was the devastation wrought by the
forest tent caterpillar on the deciduous
trees and shrubs. The extent of the ter-
ritory affected was not fully determined.
My notes record evidence of its work
from 100 Mile House to Williams Lake,
a distance of over 60 miles along the
highway. Side trips that took us off the
main road always revealed its presence,
so that it is probable that the outbreak
extended laterally for an equal distance,
an area of at least 50 square miles*.

The aspen trees (Pofulus tremuloides
Michx.) were completely defoliated with
only isolated exceptions. When no aspen
leaves were left the hungry hordes then
attacked the adjacent shrubs, willow,
alder, birch, dogwood and rose. The odd
spectacle of roses apparently suspended in
mid-air became a common one, for the
blossoms were left untouched. One of
the willows, Salix exigua Nutt., presented
a strange combination of juvenile and
adult characters in the leaves. In the
young stage the leaves are silvery pubes-
cent, becoming glabrate in age. When
the old leaves were consumed by the
caterpillars, the plant put forth a second-
ary growth so that the silver and green
were side by side in those instances where
the older leaves still remained. A notice-
able exception was seen in the bushes of
the buffalo berry, Shefherdia canadensis
Nutt., and the silverberry, Elaeagnus ar-
gentea Pursh., which though growing

* Mrs. Elsie Bowyer reported from Salmon Valley,
about 15 miles north of Prince George, B.C., that in
1942 tent caterpillars were extremely numerous, and
invaded her young orchard “in two-feet wide
streams from several directions, in the manner of
army worms.” Ed.

with the other herbage attacked, were
completely ignored by the caterpillars as
a food substance, though freely employed
as a support for their cocoons. According
to reports of the local inhabitants, the
preceding year, 1941, witnessed an even
more severe attack. At the height of the
outbreak the fence posts and wires were
continuous sheets and ropes of caterpillars.
Their crushed bodies made the railroad
metals at times too slippery to permit the
locomotive wheels to obtain traction.

By June 24, 1942, the date of our
arrival in the vicinity, the caterpillars
were nearly all fully grown; already the
bare wintry look of the aspen trees was
rendered still more striking by the
clusters of white cottony cocoons that
covered every twig, giving a very effec-
tive simulation of snow, especially when
viewed against a background of sombre
fir trees. The cocoons were by no means
confined to the food plants; everything
in the neighborhood supported them.
Juniper, fir and even the buffalo berry
bushes were laid under tribute for their
support, not to mention our tent and
personal belongings. For the first few
days the full-fed larvae were wandering
everywhere, into and over everything, a
steady stream continually ascended table,
chair and other legs; even the surface
of the lake bore numerous wriggling
caterpillars, extending in some places far
out from shore. Many never reached the
cocoon-spinning stage, as a result of at-
tack by parasites either bacterial or insect
in origin; scores of empty larval skins
were draped over the bushes or flattened
on the tent roof and other objects in the
vicinity.

At the beginning -of July, an unusual
and increasing number of Brewer’s black-
birds and bluebirds were noticed in the
aspen wood near which we were en-

Entomological Society of British Columbia

29

camped, particularly at dawn and dusk.
At the same time quantities of large yel-
low dipterous maggots were found in
and among our pots and pans. This dis-
covery gave a clue to the intermittent
tattoo that had been heard on the tent
roof during the night and early morning.
Investigation proved the sound to be due
to these maggots falling from the
cocoons spun up in the over-hanging
branches. Further observation led to the
discovery that the blackbirds and blue-
birds were feeding on the abundant and
easily procured maggots before they could
burrow out of sight into the ground for
pupation. The blackbirds were occasion-
ally seen to rip open a cocoon, possibly
having first seen a maggot wriggling to
get out, as no evidence was obtained to
prove that they were deliberately con-
suming the pupae of the moth.

A census was taken of the cocoons in
order to ascertain what percentage con-
tained parasitized pupae or larvae. One
hundred were gathered at random and
carefully examined and recorded. While
it is obvious that one count cannot be
taken as conclusive evidence for the
whole district, it gives an idea as to what
might be expected. Forty- four cocoons
contained parasitized larvae, each in-

habited by from one to five maggots of
various sizes. Twenty-six pupae were
parasitized in like manner. Thirty pupae
were free of large dipterous maggots,
although some of them were very feeble
and lifeless.

Summed up, the result of examination
demonstrated that in the case of those
caterpillars that spun cocoons, 44 per
cent were unable to pupate, 26 per cent
contained parasites after reaching the
pupal stage and the remaining 30 per
cent appeared to be normally healthy al-
though in a varying degree of vigour.
Unfortunately no adults were reared
from the pupae which were retained
hence no figures are available as to the
final effect of parasitism. Examination of
cocoons in situ showed many of them
with the round escape holes of the ma-
ture dipterous larvae, others bore evid-
ence of being ripped open by the black-
birds, as previously observed.

Several adult dermestid beetles were
taken or seen flying about the camp and
while the preserved skins of drying mam-
mals and birds no doubt had something
to do with their presence, there is the
possibility that they were attracted by the
large numbers of dead and rotting
Malacosoma larvae.

ON THE OVIPOSITION HABITS OF THE AUSTRALIAN
COCKROACH, PERIPLANETA AUSTRALASIAE (FAB.)

G. J. Spencer

Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C.

During the last week in November
some years ago a firm of local grocers
sent me a gravid Australian cockroach.
The roach was placed in a glass-covered
beech wood rearing box about \4-"x\0"
x3”; the box already contained a few
domestic crickets with their food and
shelter. It was observed for a few
minutes daily during the next three
months and its habits recorded; the fol-
lowing notes are extracted from these
records :

Dec. 1. 10 a.m. carrying a partly ex-
truded egg pod which was fully ex-
truded by 12:30 p.m.

Dec. 3. Still carrying the egg pod.

Dec. 5. Pod deposited on the floor and
later the same day partly devoured by
the roach or by the crickets.

Dec. 7. 2 p.m. A 2nd pod was just ap-
pearing so the roach was removed to an-
other similar cage which was butted up
against a radiator for heat, and supplied

30

Proceedings for 1943. Vol. 40, September 20, 1943

with a variety of powdered cereals, water
from a partly plugged vial lying on the
floor of the cage, and dried lean meat.
Beyond a small tent-shaped piece of
paper, there was no cover in the box.

Dec. 8. The egg -capsule started the
previous day had been deposited on the
floor and had been eaten out by the
roach which had probably eaten the
previous one also.

Dec. 17. a.m. A 3rd capsule had been
deposited overnight and had been com-
pletely covered in one corner of the box
with shreds of wood fibre which the
roach had torn off the smooth, dry, hard
side of the box, and had cemented to-
gether with salvia. This gouging of
fibres from the planed wood showed
greater strength and sharpness of man-
dibles than one would expect to find in
a cockroach. The cage was supplied with
a petri dish of water with a flat wad of
cotton batting in it to provide moisture.
Cover for the insect was added in the
form of a number of muddy grass roots
with chopped-off stems and leaves.

Dec. 20. 10 a.m. A 4th ootheca just
appearing. In the past 3 days the roach
had twice covered up the 3rd pod with
tufts of grass roots and had twice un-
covered it again. The humidity in the
cage was at saturation point. By 5:30
p.m. the 4th ootheca was almost com-
pletely extruded.

Dec. 24 From 1 1 a.m. to 3 p.m. carry-
ing a 5th egg pod which was a light red
colour instead of the usual dark brown.
Dec. 26. Either the 4th or 5th pod had
been eaten so the remaining one was re-
moved to another cage to see if the eggs
would hatch. They did not.

Dec. 28. A 6th pod had been laid over-
night and covered with a sloping shelter
alongside the paper shelter, of grass and
roots.

Jon. 2. A 7th pod was banked up in
a sort of lean-to up against the previous
one.

Jan. 5. An 8th pod was deposited over-
night, was partly covered with grass and

flour from the feed dish, and was placed
in the corner alongside ootheca, No. 3.

Jon. 12. A 9th pod, placed with the
Nos. 6 and 7, covered with an earthen

coat.

Jan. 16. A 10th pod, besides the above,
covered with foodstuffs, grass and earth.
All these materials for covering: had
been carried two to three inches. Pod
No. 8 was removed and examined and
proved to be shrivelled up.

Jan. 23. The 1 1th pod, deposited over-
night and covered with adobe alongside
the above.

Jan. 28. Extruding a small pod.

Jan. 30. Pod No. 12, laid, not covered;
eaten later the same day.

Feb. 8. Carrying a new pod, No. 13.

Feb. 9. Pod No. 13 deposited overnight,
placed away from the others and cov-
ered with adobe.

Feb. 20. The 14th pod deposited along-
side No. 13 on the floor, covered with
adobe.

Feb. 28. Pod No. 15 deposited loose on
the floor, not covered.

March 5. Carrying the 16th ootheca.
Deposited it during the day and later
covered it with adobe near Nos. 6 to 12.

March 10. The 17th egg pod, a very
small one, was deposited and covered
with adobe, at the hot end of the cage
near the radiator, at the opposite side of
the cage from all the others. Shortly
after this the roach died. None of the
eggs hatched.

We have here an unfertilized roach
depositing 1 7 egg pods in exactly 1 00
days: she may have laid eggs before
being confined in this cage. The egg
laying averaged 1 pod every 6 days;
most of them were covered with trash.

I find that the American roach also
has this habit of covering her oothecae
with trash and also of eating them now
and then although supplied with an
abundance of food and water.

Entomological Society of British Columbia

31

AN OCCURRENCE OF SCUDDERSA FURCATA FURCATA BRUNNER, ON
THE COAST OF BRITISH COLUMBIA (Orthopf-era: Tettigoniidae)

J. F. Davidson
Vancouver, B.C.

On October 1 1, 1937, two specimens
of the Fork-tailed Bush Katydid, (Scud-
deria furcata Brunner) were taken in
the Fraser River delta. Both specimens
were caught on the trestle of the Can-
adian National Railway, where the line
crosses the north fork of the Fraser River
to Lulu Island. Since the insect was not
immediately recognized as uncommon to
this region, no further specimens were
sought, but the following day, after
identification, another trip to the vicin-
ity was made.

Some search was made before any
were found, but a low purring chirp
led the party to a birch tree (Betula oc-
cidentals Hooker) where close examin-
ation showed one of the green Katydids.
It was almost indistinguishable from the
leaf on which it was resting, and this,
coupled with the fact that the chirping
always seemed to be farther away than
it actually was, accounts for the diffi-
culty in finding the insect. After dis-
covering the location of the singers,
judicious sweeping of the lower branches
yielded some twenty specimens of both
sexes.

The distribution in this area appears
to be very limited, since all of the in-
sects were taken in a narrow belt ex-
tending about twenty-five yards on both
sides of the railway, and within half a
mile of the river. Whether or not they
occur on the north bank of the river
was not determined, since the railway
bridge is usually kept open, and the north
bank at this point is rather difficult to
reach.

The distribution of this Katydid is of
considerable interest because this finding
of it practically on the sea-shore, extends
the range right across the continent. Mr.
Morgan Hebard records specimens from
the following States: New Hampshire;

Massachusetts; Rhode Island; New
York; New Jersey; Pennsylvania; Mary-
land; District of Columbia; Virginia;
North Carolina; South Carolina;
Georgia; Florida; Michigan; Wisconsin;
Ohio; Indiana; Missouri; Kentucky;
Tennessee; Alabama; Louisiana; South
Dakota; Nebraska; Kansas; Arkansas;
Oklahoma; Texas; Idaho; Washington;
Oregon; and California; in all thirty-
two states, and in Canada from Ontario;
Quebec, and British Columbia. Mr. Ron-
ald Buckell of Kamloops informs me
that he has collected it in British Colum-
bia from: Kaslo, Vernon, Salmon Arm,
Enderby, Oliver, Creston, Penticton,
Osoyoos and Lillooet.

This makes its distribution practically
as widespread as any one of the ubiquit-
ous Acridiinae although its altitudinal
distribution may not be so great. But
whereas such specimens as Camnula fel-
lucida (Scudder) and Melanoflus mexi-
canus (Saussure) are freely flying and
swarming forms, this, insect is secretive,
very local in distribution and frequently
nocturnal. This extraordinarily wide
range means therefore that the species
is either of very great antiquity or in-
dulges in hitherto undetected flights of
some distance, probably at night, or is
distributed by man in some way, per-
haps in the egg stage. . In this instance,
since the range of occurrence was re-
stricted to the above-mentioned area
bordering the railway^ ^ it is quite con-
ceivable that the original parent or
parents, arrived as adults via some open
form of railway car.

The question of its food in the local-
ity where I found it seemed worthy of
investigation, so the stomach contents
were examined microscopically. The fine-
ly comminuted plant material contained
an unusual number of stomata per unit

32

Proceedings for 1943. Vol. 40, September 20, 1943

area, and many peculiar club-shaped
bodies occurred everywhere. The type
and distribution of the stomata indicated
a marsh or aquatic plant, and the absence
of stomata on one of the leaf surfaces
indicated a floating water plant. The
leaves of the Yellow Pond Lily (Nym-
fhaea folysefala Engelm.) were exam-
ined and were found to correspond in
having the same stomatal distribution,

and in having club-shaped papillae on the
lower surface, identical with those found
in the stomach of the insects. Thus it is
logical to assume that this plant con-
stituted the food of the Katydid at the
time of capture. The birch trees were
apparently merely resting places, and the
insects must fly down to feed on the
aquatic plants, probably at night.

INSECTS ACTIVE THROUGHOUT THE WINTER AT VANCOUVER, B.C.
PART II: LISTS OF THE ORTHOPTERA, DERMAPTERA,
HOMOPTERA, HEMIPTERA, DIPTERA, AND HYMENOPTERA.

Ray E. Foster

1575 Kamloops St., Vancouver, B.C.

This report constitutes a partial list
of insects collected during the period
November 8, 1939 to March 28, 1940
at Vancouver, B.C. It supplements the
list published in Part I of this series
(Foster, 1942), and completes that por-
tion of the study which will serve as a
basis for. the ecological relationships now
being prepared for publication.

In Part I, lists of the Coleoptera and
Neuroptera were given and brief men-
tion was made of the Thysanura and
Collembola. To these four orders, eight
more are added at this time, bringing
the number of orders collected during
the winter survey to 12. The Lepidoptera
and Corrodentia are not given specific
consideration.

ORTHOPTERA

LOCUSTIDAE

Acrydium brunneri Bolivar

DERMAPTERA

FORFICULIDAE

Forficula auricularia Linn.

HOMOPTERA

CERCOPXDAE

Philaenus leucopthalmus Linn.

CICADELLIDAE

Balclutha manitou (G. & B.)

Typhlocyba commissuralis Stal.
Typhlocybini sp.

Dikraneura sp. Very common.

Helochara communis Fitch.

Idiocerus downesi B. & P. Very common.

PSYLLIDAE

Specimens of frequent occurrence. No
specific determinations made.

APHIDIDAE

Myzus ligustri? Mosley. Taken in immense
numbers in March.

HEMIPTERA

MIRIDAE

Lygus pratensis var. oblineatus Say

ANTHOCORIDAE

Anthocoris antevolens White

NABIDAE

Nabis roseipennis Reut.

Nabis alternatus Parsh.

LYGAEIDAE

Ischnorrhynchus franciscanus Stal. Very
common.

Lygaeus kalmii subsp. kalmii Parsh.

PENTATOMIDAE

Elasmostethus cruciatus Say Very common.
Podisus modestus Dali.

Banasa sordida Uhl.

Apateticus crocatus Uhl.

DIPTERA

AGROMYZIDAE

Phytomyza spp.

ANISOPODIDAE

Anisopus fenestralis Scopoli.

BIBIONIDAE

Bibio tristes Will.

BORBORIDAE

Borbbrus equinus Fallen
Leptocera sp.

Sphaerocera pusilla Fallen
Scatopihora carolinensis Desv.

Entomological Society of British Columbia

33

CECIDOMYIIDAE

Monardia canadensis Felt.

Phytophaga sp.

DIXIDAE

Dixa sp.

DOLICHOPODIDAE

Hydrophorus pensus Aldrich
Hydrophorus brevisetaf Thomson
Hydrophorus innotatus Lw.

DROSOPHILIDAE

Drosophila inversa Walker
Drosophila sp.

EMPIDIDAE

Rhamphomyia sp.

Hydrodromia stagnalis Hal.

EPHYDRIDAE

Scatella spp.

HELOMYZIDAE

Tephrochlamys sp.

Oecothea fenestralis Fallen
Suillia limbata Thomson

LONCHOPTERIDAE

Lonchoptera dubia Curran

MUSCIDAE

Spilaria lucorum Meigen
Musca domestica L.

Scatophaga stercoraria L. Very common.
Scatophaga furcata Say. Very common.
Scatophaga sp.

Quadrula lucorum Fallen
Anthomyiine

MYCETOPHILIDAE

Rolitophilinae

Bolitophila dubiosa Van Duzee
Bolitophila montana Coq.

Sciophilinae

Dziedzickia ( Syntemna of Joh.). Undescrib
ed species.

My corny ia terminata Garrett
My corny ia sigma Joh.

Mycomyia spp. Females and defectives.

Mycetophilinae

Boletina “ tricincta ” No. 501 of Joh.
Boletina spp. Females and defectives.
Coelosia lepicla Joh.

Gordyla. Undescribed species
Exechia. Undescribed species near E. avi-
culta Shaw.

Exechia clepsydra Fisher
Exechia fusca Mg. ( fungorum Deg. of Joh.)
Very common.

Exechia spp. Females and defectives.
Phronia sp. Female.

Phronia ( Telmaphilus of Joh.) tenebrosaf
Coq.

Phronia. Undescribed species near P. insula.
Rhymosia. Undescribed species near R.

seminigra Sherman.

Allodia sp. Defective.

Mycetophila fungorum Deg.

Mycetophila spp. Females.

Mycetophila mutica Lw.

Mycetophila fenestrata Coq. Very common.
Mycetophila lassata Joh.

Mycetopfiila maculosa Guthrie.

Mycetophila fatua Joh. Very common.

Sciarinae

Sciara (Neosciara) . Undescribed species

PHORIDAE

Megaselia sp ?

Triphleba pacyneura Loew
Triphleba varipes Malloch
Triphleba sp.

PIOPHILIDAE

Piophila nigricoxa Mel. & Sp.

PSYCHODIDAE

Pericoma spp.

SYRPHIDAE

Eristalis tenax Linn.

Epistrophe mentalis Will.

Melanostroma fallax Curran
Melanostroma stegnum Thoms.

TACHINIDAE
Gonia frontosa Say
Argenteopalpus signiferus Walker
Gyrtophleba nitida Curran
Calliphora erythrocephala Meigen
TETANOCERIDAE

Dictya sp.

TIPULIDAE

Limoniini

Limonia ( Rhipidia ) maculata Meigen

Pediciini

Pedicia ( Tricyphona ) diapihana Doane
Pedicia ( Tricyphona ) vitripennis Doane

TRICHOCERIDAE

Trichocera Columbiana Alexander. Very
common.

Trichocera colei Alexander

Trichocera sp., near T. annulata Meigen

Trichocera sp.

HYMENOPTERA

Andrena ( Andrena ) sp. Traces to A.
harveyi Vier. In Viereck’s synopsis
(Viereck, 1904).

Andrena ( Trachandrena ) sp. Traces to
A. salicifloris Ckll. var. a, in Viereck’s
synopsis.

Andrena ( Pter andrena ) sp. Traces to coup-
let 8 in Viereck’s synopsis.

Halictus sp. Traces to H. crassiceps Ellis
in Sandhouse’s key (Sandhouse, 1924).
Ophion sp.

Gelis keeni Hgtn.

Hemiteles ?

Aperleptus sp. Probably undescribed species.
Plectiscus orcael Ashm.

Orthopelma calif ornicum Ashm.
Orthocentrus sp.

Phaeogenes sp.

Pachynematus sp.

Pachynematus sp.

Dole; us neoaprilis kenowi Macq.

Xenotoma ?

The above specimens, with the ex-
ception of the following types, are in the
collection of the Department of Zoology
of the University of British Columbia.
Specimens of Sciara (Neosciara) were
retained by Dr. F. R. Shaw. All other

34

Proceedings for 1943. Vol. 40, September 20, 1943

undescribed Mycetophilidae are in the
possession of Dr. Elizabeth Fisher. Un-
described Hymenoptera are in the Can-
adian National Collection, Ottawa, Can-
ada.

Acknowledgments — I am indebted to the
many persons who assisted in the identi-
fication of the insects obtained during the
course of the survey: Dr. G. S. Walley,
Dr. O. Peck, Dr. Carl Atwood, Dept, of
Agriculture, Ottawa, Ont. (Hymenoptera) ;

Literature Cited

Foster, R. E. 1942. Insects active throughout the winter at Vancouver, B.C. Part I: In-
troduction and lists of the Coleoptera and Neuroptera. Proc. Ent. Soc. British
Columbia 38 : 19-23.

Sandhouse, Grace A. 1924. New North American species of bees belonging to the genus
Halictus (Chloralictus) . Proc. U.S.N.M. 65 (Art. 19): 1-43.

Viereck, H. L, 1904. Synopsis of bees of Oregon, Washington, British Columbia and
Vancouver. II. Canadian Ent. 36 (6): 157-161; III, (7): 189-196; III cont’d.,
(8): 221-232.

IN MEMORIAM

Dr. C. F. Adams, Jefferson City, Missouri,
(Chironomidae) ; A. R. Brooks, Dept, of
Agriculture, Ottawa, (Diptera) ; Mr. Geo.
Steyskal, Detroit, Michigan, (Diptera) ; Dr.
C. H. Curran, New York, (Diptera); Dr. E.
P. Felt, Stamford, Conn., (Cecidomyiidae) ;
Mr. W. Downes, Victoria, B.C., (Hemiptera,
Homoptera) ; Mr. R. Glendenning, Agassiz,
B.C., (Aphididae) ; Dr. E. G. Fisher, Roland
Park, Maryland, (Mycetophilidae) ; Dr. C. P.
Alexander, Amherst, Mass. (Tipulidae); and
Dr. F. R. Shaw, Amherst, Mass., (Sciaridae).

George O. Day, F.E.S

On February 5th, 1942, there passed
away at the age of 88 one of our
Society’s oldest and most valued members.
George O. Day came to British Columbia
from England in 1905 and made his
home at Duncan, Vancouver Island. Prior
to coming to this Province he was man-
ager of Parr’s Bank at Knutsford,
Cheshire, retiring in 1905. It has been
possible to gather only scanty information
regarding his early life but we are in-
formed that he was a Freeman of the
city of Chester, an honour only likely to
be bestowed for outstanding public service.
He was a fellow of the Royal Entmo-
logical Society. Apparently he had been
active in the study of other sciences also
and we learn with interest that his tutor
in botany was the Rev. Charles Kingsley.

Mr. Day became a member of the
Entomological Society of British Colum-
bia on April 19, 1906, and the 7th an-
nual meeting was held at his house in
April, 1908. He was elected vice-presi-
dent in 1912 and was president from
1913 to 1915. His particular interest

was in Lepidoptera and he had a fine
collection of the Vancouver Island species.
This collection is remarkable for the
beautiful mounting and condition of
every specimen, for its maker could tol-
erate nothing but the best. He had origin-
ated a method of setting Lepidoptera
which was largely responsible for the
beautiful condition of the specimens. The
wings were held in position on the setting
board by means of slips of glass hinged
to the edges of the board, the weight of
the glass in most cases being sufficient to
hold the wings in place until dry. This
collection is now in the possession of the
Shawn igan Lake boy’s school at Shawni-
gan, B.C., to which it was bequeathed,
as was also a collection of British butter-
flies and moths, brought by Mr. Day
from England, containing examples of
nearly every British species.

The late Mr. Day was noted for his
genial, kindly disposition, courtesy and
friendliness. Visiting entomologists never
failed to receive a warm welcome at his
beautiful home “Sahlatston” at Duncan,

Entomological Society of British Columbia

35

and he was always eager to show his
collection and enter into discussions re-
lating to his favourite hobby. Generous
in giving specimens to others and always
willing to help beginners, he was perhaps
the best type of amateur. He was a regu-
lar attendant at the annual meetings of
the Society until infirmity due to ad-
vancing years compelled him to cease

active participation. In his passing an-
other link with the early years of the
Society has been severed and those who
had the privilege of knowing him in-
timately have lost a valued friend.

A photograph of the late G. O. Day
was published in number 8 of the Society’s
Proceedings.

W. Downes,

List of articles by the late G. O. Day
published in the Proceedings of The Entomological Society of
British Columbia.

Proceedings

1911* Bombycia improvisa, Edw. and its congeners No. 1, p. 30-33

1913 Notes on Xanthia pulchella. Smith No. 2, p. 38-40

1913 Notes on Schizura unicornis, Smith and Abbot No. 2, p. 40-41

1913 President’s address . No. 3, p. 29-30

1914 President’s address No. 4, p. 39-44

1915 Notes on the early stages of Calocampa cineritia, Grote No. 5, p. 86-87

1915 Notes on the early stages of Epirrita dilutata, Denis and Schiff No. 5, p. 95-96

1915 Nomenclature and classification (Presidential address) No. 6, p. 99-110

1918 Larva rearing No. 8, p. 21-27

1919 Life-history of Perigrapha praeses Grt No. 12, p. 17-19

1921 Notes on Oporinia autumnata Gn No. 14, p. 16

1921 Early stages of Nepytia phantasmaria Strecker (Lepidoptera).... No. 18, p. 30-32

1929 On the early stages of Platyptilia punctidactyla

(Pterophoridae-Lepid.) No. 25, p. 14-15

* Re dates of publication, see Proceedings No. 38, p. 29-36. 1942.

DIRECTORS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY
OF BRITISH COLUMBIA

Honorary President

President

Vice-President (Coast)

Vice-President (Interior)

Hon. Secretary-Treasurer

Hon. Auditor

Advisory Board

Max H. Ruhmann
J. R. J. Llewellyn Jones
H. F. Olds
E. P. Venables
G. R. Hopping
J. W. Eastham

G. C. Carl
W. Downes

H. B. Leech
Allen Mail
G. J. Spencer

r H. B. Leech

Editorial Board i W. Downes

[ Allen Mail

The Proceedings of the Entomological Society of British Columbia are
published annually. Individual volumes may be had for 50c. Special rates on sets.
Address Secretary-Treasurer, Entomological Society of British Columbia, Box 308,
Vernon, B.C.

Black bugs in my garden patch,
And speckled bugs and red;

A funny little striped bug
With whiskers on his head;

And green bugs, purple bugs.

And bugs of salmon hue,

And all of them seem happy,

For none of them are blue,

(Author?)

Printed by

The Vernon News Ltd.
Vernon, B.C.

PROCEEDINGS

of the

ENTOMOLOGICAL
— SOCIETY of —
BRITISH COLUMBIA

Volume 41. Issued December 8, 1944

Page

Jones — Presidential Address 2

Jones — Some Pood Plants of Lepidopterous Larvae. List No. 10 4

Holland — The Distribution of Some Plague-Important Rodents
and Fleas in Western Canada (Mammalia: Rodentia and
Insecta: Siphonaptera) 5

Heriot — Comparison of The Injury to Apple Caused by Scales
and Aphids (Homoptera: Aphididae & Coccidae) -13

Hardy — Further Notes on the Cerambycidae of Vancouver
Island (Coleoptera) 15

Jones — Some Suggestions for those Interested in Breeding
Lepidoptera j . 19

Foxlee — Records of Some Flies and Wasps Collected at Robson,

B. C. (Diptera: Asilidae; Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) 26

Glendenning — The Parsnip Web worm (Depressaria herac-
leana) and its Control in British Columbia (Lepidoptera:
Oecophoridae) 26

Downes — Recent Experimental Work on the Control of the
Apple Sawfly, Hoplocampa testudinea (Hymenoptera:
Tenthredinidae) i .' 29

Gregson & Holland — Devices for Charting and Obtaining
Naturally Emerged Cattle Warbles (Diptera: Oestridae) 31

Venables — The European Red Mite in the Okanagan Valley
of British Columbia ( Acarina) ...... 33

In Memoriam — Max Hermann Ruhmann, 1880-1943 35

Notes 4, 25, 36

Recent Literature Inside, Front Cover

Corrections — Vols. 38 & 40 Inside, Front Cover

New Members Inside, Back Cover

RECENT LITERATURE

STONEFLIES OF SOUTHWESTERN BRITISH CO-
LUMBIA. By William E. Ricker. Indiana University
Publication, Science Series No. 12, 1943. Sold by the
Indiana University Bookstore, Bloomington, Ind., at
$1.50. — This fine paper of 145 pages and 129 text
figures includes keys for identification, from families
down to species. The following points are fully dis-
cussed: geography and climate of the region; the
streams; classification of the stoneflies; ecological
distribution of the species; environmental distribution
of related forms; fauna of neighbouring regions; des-
criptions of species. There is also a systematic check-
list of species and a list of literature cited.

BRITISH COLUMBIA DRAGONFLIES WITH NOTES
ON DISTRIBUTION. AND HABITS. By F. C. White-
house. Amer. Midland Naturalist 26: 488-557, ill.
Notre Dame, Ind., 1941. — This article gives many
interesting and useful data.. It will be of use chiefly
to those who have other mean§ of getting their species
identified, as it does not contain keys. Mr. White-
house may still have reprints for distribution; his
address is 1109 Burnaby St., Vancouver.

THE CADDIS FLIES, OR TRICHOPTERA, OF IL-
LINOIS. By Herbet H. Ross, Illinois Nat. Hist.
Survey, Bui. 23 (Article 1): [6+] 1-326, frontis-
piece and 961 text figs., many compound; p. 290,
302, 312 are blank. Natural Resources Bid., Urbana,
August 1944. $1.00. — This report, the result of 12
years of field work and study by Dr. Ross and his
associates, cannot be tpo highly praised. Dr. Ross
has long since proven himself a first rate taxonomist,
and his work is here enhanced by a series of beauti-
ful photographs and excellent drawings, the latter by
Dr. Carl Mohr and Miss Kathryn Sommermann.

In addition to the keys to and technical descrip-
tions of the species known from Illinois, the following
points are discussed and illustrated: biology; habitat
preference; distribution; collecting and preserving;
classification; key to the families (larvae, pupae,
adults. A nuritber of new species, not from Illinois,
are described in the text, p. 268-289; one is from
Vancouver, B.C.

“As the work progressed it became apparent that
a study of the entire North American Fauna was
necessary to identify properly the Illinois species . .
(from foreword by T. H. Frison). One result of this
is a fine “Check List of Nearctic Trichoptera,” p. 291-

i Since not all our members recive journals reviewing
the literature, attention is here drawn to several re-
cent papers which deal in whole or in part with Brit-
ish Columbia species, or which contain keys for the
identification of genera and higher categories. — H.B.L.

303. In this the arrangement is taxonomic; generic
and specific synonyms are given, many of the latter
being here announced for the first time. Each species
is followed by a reference to its original description,
an indication of its distribution, and the genus in
which it was originally described. There is a list of
literature cited and an excellent index.

COMPARATIVE EXTERNAL MORPHOLOGY, PHY
LOGENY, AND A CLASSIFICATION OF THE BEES
(HYMENOPTERA). By Charles Duncan Michener.
Amer. Museum Nat. Hist., Bui. 82 (Article 6): 151-
326, 246 text figs., 13 diagrams; p. 152, 156, 318
are blank. New York, April 10, 1944. — Here at last
is a work in which one may key out to genera the
North. American bees. Dr. Michener published his first 4
papers on bees while still a high school student; the
present article, is essentially his thesis for the Ph. D.
at the University of California, Berkeley.

The paper is divided into 4 parts: (1) External
morphology of Anthophora edwardsii Cresson. (2)
Comparative external morphology of bees. (3)
Phylogeny of the bees. (4) A classification of the
bees. The section on morphology is thorough. The
part pn classification includes a (phylogenetic) key
to the families^ 'with subsequent keys down to genera
and some subgenera. In addition there is an artificial
key to the North American genera. Numerous refer-
ences to the bees of other regions indicate the broad
basis of the study. The figures are grouped on p. 303-
317, and are noteworthy for the full naming of parts;
one does not have to consult a list of abbreviations!
The literature cited is given in full, and there is an
index of taxonomic names.

BRITISH COLUMBIA PROVINCIAL MUSEUM. HAND-
BOOK SERIES. — Officers of the Museum at Victoria
are to be congratulated on these informative book
lets, which though not dealing with entomology, are
of the greatest interest to naturalists of the Province.
They may be obtained from the Director, price 25
cents each.

Handbook No. 1. Fifty Edible Plants of British Co
lumbia. By G. A. Hardy. 54 p., 50 figs. December
1942. The illustrations in this are rather sketchy,
Handbook No. 2. The Amphibians of British Colum-
bia; By G. Clifford Carl. 62 p., 27 figs. June, 1943
This and No. 3 contain simplified keys for the
identification of species, and beautiful illustrations
by Staff Artist Frank L. Beebe.

Handbook No. 3. The Reptiles of British Columbia
By G. Clifford Carl. 60p., 18 figs. April, 1944. An
Appendix gives up to date information oh. the
treatment of rattlesnake bite, - and jon the care of
reptiles in capitivity.

CORRECTIONS, VOLS. 38 & 40

The past four volumes of the Proceedings contain
several errors in spelling, all of which may be
recognized and corrected by the readers. Three more
serious errors in Vol. 38, an$ one in Vol. 40, not
present in the original manuscripts, should be called
to your attention.

Number (—Volume) 38

(A) Page 12, line 13: “uncovered” should be

“covered.”

(B) Pages 14-15. The titles for Figs. 1 and 2 were
transposed; 50 copies were mailed before this
was noticed. Fresh titles on glued paper were
printed immediately and sent to those 50 sub-
scribers; all stock on hand was corrected. All
copies should thus have the illustration on p. 14
labelled as Fig. 2 and that on p. 15 as Fig. 1

(C) Page 31, line 17: “September” should be

“November.”

Volume 40

(D) Inside of front cover, List of Members: John
Stainer’s name should be preceded by an asterisk

proceedings

of the

ENTOMOLOGICAL
— SOCIETY of =
BRITISH COLUMBIA

Volume 41.

Issued December 8, 1944

Page

Jones— Presidential Address 2

Jones — Some Food Plants of Lepidopterous Larvae. List No. 10 4

Holland — The Distribution of Some Plague-Important Rodents
and Fleas in Western Canada (Mammalia: Rodentia and
Insecta: Siphonaptera) 5

Heriot — Comparison of The Injury to Apple Caused by Scales
and Aphids (Homoptera: Aphididae & Coccidae) 13

Hardy — Further Notes on the Cerambycidae of Vancouver
Island (Coleoptera) 15

Jones — Some Suggestions for those Interested in Breeding
Lepidoptera 19

Foxlee — Records of Some Flies and Wasps Collected at Robson,

B. C. (Diptera: Asilidae; Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) 26

Glendenning — The Parsnip Web worm (Depressaria herac-
leana) and its Control in British Columbia (Lepidoptera:
Oecophoridae) 26

Downes — Recent Experimental Work on the Control of the
Apple Sawfly, Hoplocampa testudinea (Hymenoptera:
Tenthredinidae) 29

Gregson & Holland — Devices for Charting and Obtaining
Naturally Emerged Cattle Warbles (Diptera: Oestridae) 31

Venables — The European Red Mite in the Okanagan Valley
of British Columbia (Acarina) 33

In Memoriam— Max Hermann Ruhmann, 1880-1943 35

Notes 4, 25, 36

Recent Literature Inside, Front Cover

Corrections — Vols. 38 & 40 Inside, Front Cover

Inside, Back Cover

New Members

9

Ent. Soc. of British Columbia, Proceedings, 1944, Vol. 41, Dec. 8, 1944

PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS

J. R. J. Llewellyn Jones, M.A., F.R.E.S.

It is my pleasure to welcome the mem-
bers of our Society to the 43rd Annual
Meeting, held unfortunately while still
under the shadow of war, but with the
increasing hopf! that victory and peace may
not be long delayed.

Since the last Annual Meeting our
Society has suffered the loss by death of
three of its senior members.

Mr. M. H. Ruhmann, our Honorary
President, who had been in ill health for
some little time and whose passing was
not entirely unexpected. He was well
known to many of you and will be greatly
missed by those who knew him best.

Mr. A. W. Hanham of Duncan, Van-
couver Island, who also for some few
years had been in failing health, was 86
years old at his death. For many years he
had shown a keen interest in many
branches of Natural History and was a
keen collector of Lepidoptera and of
other orders of insects, as well as in other
fields of Natural History

Mr. W. B. Anderson at the age of 87,
who in the past took an active interest in
our Society.

I refrain from further comment on
their work and leave that to more com-
petent members who had the privilege of
knowing them better than I.

I ask the meeting to rise as a token of
respect. May their souls rest in peace, and
may perpetual light shine upon them.

The Secretary-Treasurer will shortly
present his Financial Statement which I
think you will consider satisfactory under
the present difficult conditions due to the
prolongation of war. He reports a credit
balance of $44.91.

The Endowment Reserve Fund shows a
small increase, and I should like to take
this opportunity to put forward with a
view to discussion later, after you have
received the Statement, certain suggestions
as to the ways and means of making this
fund more worthy of our Society.

We are looking forward to the day
when we can publish the Proceedings

flEC.18 ' A

without assistance from outside the Society,
and it was to achieve this end that the Re-
serve Fund was primarily instituted some
few years ago. I should like however, if
I may be so bold, to indicate another use
for the fund, if and when it has reached
a reasonably large capital sum. I refer to
a scholarship for needy students in En-
tomology to be valid at the University of
British Columbia, or at some other Uni-
versity or College ;at the discretion of our
Society. As a learned Society it should in
some measure co-operate with the educa-
tional authorities in providing training for
the coming generation of scientific men.
It has been well said that “no man liveth
unto himself” and by establishing such a
scholarship the Society would be showing
in practical form its interest in the youth
of Canada,, out of whom will spring our
leaders in future years.

And now to return to the immediate
task before us, namely to investigate ways
and means of attaining our objective:

( 1 ) An increase in the membership dues.
I hesitate to recommend this in view of
the ever heavier financial burdens both in
the field of taxation and in the cost of liv-
ing imposed upon us by reason of the war.
But this possibility should not be over-
looked as a source of increased revenue.

(2) Increase of membership to a number
which would allow the dues received, to-
gether with other sources of revenue, to
cover the cost of publishing the “Proceed-
ings” and financing our Society, and yet
leave a reasonable sum to be transferred
to the Reserve Fund each year.

It will be necessary to go outside the
ranks of the professional entomologists,
remembering that anyone interested in the
scientific study and collection of insects
would be a welcome acquisition to the
Society. Our schools and universities to-
gether with the teaching profession should
form a source of supply. There are many
too in the learned professions who are in-
terested in scientific work.

Ent. Soc. of British Columbia, Proceedings, 1944, Vol. 41, Dec. 8, 1944

3

I am informed that there are nine
names of candidates put forward for
membership and that they will come up
for election at this meeting. I extend to
them, on your behalf, a hearty welcome.

(3) A contribution to the cost of publica-
tion of the “Proceedings” from those sub-
mitting papers for publication. This is in
force at least in principle at the present
time in that members requiring “separates”
of their papers are now charged for them
at a set rate.

(4) By means of bequests. For genera-
tions past this has been the means of pro-
viding endowments for schools, • colleges,
universities and learned Societies, and if
some of our members were to leave even
only a small sum to the Society in their
wills, eventually our goal would be
reached.

I commend these suggestions to your
careful consideration and comment later.

And now to pass from the considera-
tion of matters of concern only to our
Society. Let us consider together briefly
the part played by entomologists at the
present time and the part that they should
play in the future, after the war has been
won and peace has been restored.

As is only right in such times as these
economic entomology has been pressed
forward and redoubled efforts made to
promote the well-being both of the armed
forces and the civilian population. The
general public however, takes a good deal
of educating and unfortunately we are
still not very far remote from the attitude
of mind which some years ago caused the
will of a certain Lady Glanville to be
disputed on the grounds that, as she was
interested in butterflies, she was of un-
sound mind. True we have advanced a
little beyond this stage, but still, in the
minds of many, the entomologist is rather
a curious person and certainly a little ec-
centric, but not to the extent of being
dangerous.

Possibly we are somewhat to blame our-
selves in this respect in that we have not
sought sufficient publicity for our efforts
in the public good. However the labours of

entomologists, in co-operation with medical
science, to control and cope with tropical
diseases, many of which are spread by
various species of insects are being more
widely known and are receiving greater
publicity. Also the part that entomological
research plays in the protection of the
farmer’s crops and the preservation of his
herds, all so important at the present time,
is being more generally realised and ap-
preciated. On matters of public health too,
the entomologist keeps a watchful eye,
and from time to time gives warning of
trouble ahead to the public bodies con-
cerned, but unfortunately city Corpora-
tions and the like do not always lend a
sympathetic ear, however timely the warn-
ings, or however tactfully they may be
given. Despite these discouragements the
entomologist continues his labours hoping
for the co-operation of the authorities con-
cerned, and of course in many instances
getting it, and looking for the sympathetic
understanding of the general public to the
end that the health and well-being of the
community at home may be assured and
the fighting services protected abroad.

And now as to the place of entomo-
logical research after the war. Economic
entomology will continue to render service
as now, to the medical profession, to public
health authorities, to agriculture and to
forestry; the findings of entomologists
will be at the disposal of the departments
concerned without restriction or reserve.

There is however another side of en-
tomological research, which ought not to
be overlooked or shoved into the back-
ground, which is concerned more with the
advancement of scientific knowledge for
its own sake than for material results.

As a scientific society, do not neglect
the purely scientific side of the picture in
an eagerness for material results and the
plaudits of a public which unfortunately
is all too apt to judge its values by a norm
of dollars and cents.

Now science is a search after truth,
and truth is a fundamental element, if we
are to have after the war that “better
world” which many politicians and others
are promising us. Men of science are
seekers after truth in that they probe the

4

Ent. Sop. of British Columbia, Proceedings, 1944, Vol. 41, Dec. 8, 1944

laws whereby the universe and all that it
contains are governed. The more science
is able to tell us of the laws of nature the
better we shall be fitted to- face the prob-
lems which lie ahead, in that we shall
possess more enlightened minds, and less
narrow outlooks.

We hear much these days of inter-
national co-operation and of the greater
necessity for understanding other people’s
point of view, if we are to have a just and
lasting peace. Science and truth have this
attribute in common, that they know no
hindrance of race or creed and are thus
truly international, and therefore can be
of immense value in producing harmony

between the varied peoples and races of the
world. The scientist therefore has a great
and important duty to discharge for the
ultimate well-being of the race.

Our Society already realizes the value
of international friendship and co-opera-
tion as is evidenced by the number of
members from the United States of
America whose names appear on its rolL
This membership is highly esteemed and
augurs well for the future well-being of
the Society, and is indicative that its mem-
bers are fully aware of the part that they
may play, as messengers of good will, in
bringing into being that dream of a better
world.

SOME FOOD PLANTS OF LEPIDOPTEROUS LARVAE. List No. 10

J. R. J. Llewellyn Jones
Cobble Hill, B. C.

An asterisk (*) denotes that the species
has been mentioned in these lists previously,
and that the information now offered is
either additional, or is an amplification of
what has already been reported. Records
in this list are supplied by the author.

Heterocera

*Acronicta (Afatela) fragilis fragiloides
B. & Benj. June-berry (Amelanchier
alni folia Nutt.), and species of plum
(garden varieties).

*Acronicta ( Afatela ) funeralis G. & R.

Alder (Alnus rubra Bong.).

* Acronicta (Afatela) grisea revellata Sm.

Alder (Alnus rubra Bong.).

Acronicta (Afatela) lefusculina cyanes-
cens Hamp. Willows ( Salix scouleriana
(Hook.) Barr., Salix barclayi Anders.).
* Amfhidasis (Lycia) cognataria Gn. Eng-
lish oak (Quercus robur L.), hazel
(Corylus rostrata Ait.), species of
huckelberry ( V accinium )y species of
plum and raspberry (garden varieties).
*Dicentria semirufescens W Ik. (lanassa
semirufescens ) . English hawthorn
(Crataegus oxyacantha L.), and Judas
tree (Cercis canadensis L.).

Gabriola dyari Tayl. Douglas fir (Pseudo-
tsuga taxi folia (Lamb.) Brit.

*Paonias excaecata A. & S. June-berry
(Amelanchier alni folia Nutt.), species
of plum (garden varieties), and species
of cherry (ornamental varieties).

Sarrothrifus rev ay ana
lintnerana Sfeyer.

Sarrothrifus rev ay ana
columbiana Hy . Edw.

Sarrothrifus revayana
cinereana N. & D.

Willow
. (Salix
scouler-
iana (Hook)
Barr., Salix
hookeriana
Barr.) and
probably on
species of
oak.

*Schi%ura unicornis A. & S. June-berry
(Amelanchier alni folia Nutt.), and
species of cherry (garden varieties).
*Synaxis jubararia Hist. Red flowered
currant (Ribes sanguineum Pursh.).

VIRTUAL ABSENCE OF VESPINE WASPS IN THE
SUMMER OF 1944 (Hymenoptera, Vespidae). Un-
usual number of overwintered queens of Vespula spp.,
both the yellow and black “yellowjackets” and the
white and black “hornets”, were seen visiting the
flowers of cultivated currants and gooseberries in the
spring of 1944. Few of tthe queens succeeded in
establishing broods. The scarcity of wasps in the
southern interior of British Columbia has been com-
mented upon by entomologists, foresters and laymen.
The writer has seen but a single wasp and no nests
during the summer, while many persons have re-
ported not seeing any wasps at all. — Hugh B. Leech.

Ent. Soc. of British Columbia, Proceedings, 1944, Vol. 41, Dec. 8, 1944

5

THE DISTRIBUTION OF SOME PLAGUE-IMPORTANT RODENTS
AND FLEAS IN WESTERN CANADA
(Mammalia: Rodenfia, and Insecta: Siphonaptera ) 1

George P. Holland
Livestock Insect Laboratory, Kamloops, B. C.

Foreword. — In 1938, surveys of some
of the commoner species of rodents oc-
curring in British Columbia and Alberta
were initiated, with a view to determining
whether sylvatic (:=bubonic) plague had
become introduced to those two provinces.
Gibbons (1939) stated: “Most of the ob-
servers are of the opinion that the west
coast of North America became infected in
the course of the plague pandemic of 1894
which originated in Hong Kong and
reached America at least by 1900. Wild
rodents probably became infected through
contact with domestic rats and the infection
spread until it is now present in nine of
the western states, including Washington,
Idaho and Montana, which border
on the provinces of British Columbia and
Aloerta. The history of the progress of the
infection northward and eastward through
the western sections of the United States
forces us to consider that the infection
may have extended to Canada, or if not,
may be expected to do so within the next
few years.”

Accordingly, surveys were organized
by the Health Departments of these two
western provinces, under the direction and
advice of the Dominion Department of
Pensions and National Health and the
Livestock Insect Laboratory, of the Divi-
sion of Entomology, at Kamloops, B.C.
During the first season (1938), tissue and
flea specimens were tested at the George
Williams Hooper Foundation in San Fran-
cisco. In 1939, and subsequently, the tests
were conducted at the newly constructed
Laboratory of Hygiene at Kamloops.

In 1938 the attention of the Alberta
crew was drawn to the case of a mink
farmer of Stanmore, Alberta, who had
died the previous year of an acute septic-

1 Contribution No. 2315, Division of Entomology,
Science Service, Department of Agriculture, Ottawa,
Canada.

aemia resulting from an injury to his
finger incurred while skinning a mink.
This mink, with a number of others, had
died following the use of ground squirrels
( Citellus r. richardsonii (Sabine) ) from a
nearby area, as food. In 1939, Pasteurella
pestis was demonstrated in ground squirrels
and their fleas, from this particular locality,
and the infection was found to be present
over at least four townships, embracing an
area ' of 144 square miles (Gibbons and
Humphreys, 1941).

In 1941, plague was demonstrated in
Citellus r. richardsonii in Divide County,
North Dakota (Public Health Reports,
1942) immediately south of the Saskatche-
wan border. In 1942, a survey of southern
Saskatchewan, based on the system used in
British Columbia and Alberta, was in-
stituted by the Health Department of that
province and carried out under the super-
vision of the writer.

In 1943, the Royal Canadian Army
Medical Corps conducted an investigation
of the ground squirrels and rats occurring
in the vicinity of military camps in the
provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan and
Manitoba.

As a result of all these surveys, consid-
erable data have been accumulated on the
distribution of important rodents and fleas
and form the subject matter of the present
paper.

General Considerations. — W estern
Canada has been, and is, exposed to two
principal avenues whereby plague might
be introduced : ( 1 ) through the spreading
of the disease from infected ground squir-
rel or other native rodent colonies in the
adjoining states of Washington, Idaho,
Montana and North Dakota, where it is
known to be established (as has already
occurred in Alberta), and (2) through
the introduction of plague-infected rats,
conveyed by shipboard from foreign lands

6

Ent. Soc. of British Columbia, Proceedings, 1944, Vol. 41, Dec. 8, 1944

Ent. Soc. of British Columbia, Proceedings, 1944, Vol. 41, Dec. 8, 1944

to our Pacific seaports, all of which are
heavily infested With rats, the natural
carriers of plague.

Also to be considered is the possibility
of infected rats being brought north by
train from such cities as San Francisco,
Tacoma and Seattle, where plague has
been recorded in these rodents. Again,
there is the possibility of the disease spread-
ing from infected prairie ground squirrels
to the rat populations in certain southern
towns and cities.

However, the present article is concerned
primarily with the distribution of the
potential carriers and vectors of plague, as
revealed by the results of the surveys of
British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatche-
wan. Not sufficient data are available, as
yet, for a detailed account of the situation
in Manitoba.

While a fair number of rodents of both
native and introduced species have been
incriminated with regard to plague trans-
mission in the United States, investigations
in Canada have been restricted to com-
paratively few forms, such mammals as
the tree squirrels (T amiasciurus spp.), fly-
ing squirrels ( Glaucomys spp.) woodrats
(Neotoma spp.) and mice ( Peromyscus ,
Microtus y Musy etc.) being ignored, or col-
lected only as opportunity offered. How-
ever, much attention was given to ground
squirrels of several species (particularly
two), introduced European and Asiatic
rats, and, to a much lesser extent, marmots,
prairie dogs and chipmunks.

Distribution of the Rodents

A. Indigenous Species. — Fig. 1.

(1) Columbian ground squirrel, Citellus
columbianus columbianus (Ord).

The range of the Columbian ground
squirrel covers a large area in southeastern
British Columbia, and fringes the south-
west boundary of Alberta. It is, in fact,
rather closely confined to the Rocky, Selkirk
and Monashee mountain systems, with their
related foothills and valleys. Habitat types
vary from open fields in the bottomlands
to alpine meadows at 7,000 to 8,000 feet
altitude. According to local reports it is
I only in comparatively recent years that

these ground squirrels have been seen in
any numbers west of the North Thompson
River. They occur now as far west as Lac
la Hache and 150 Mile House along the
Cariboo Highway, and are very common
in the Horsefly Lake region. In the Col-
umbia and Kootenay valleys they fre-
quently occur in large, colonies, and in some
areas constitute a serious agricultural
menace.

Southward, these rodents extend into
Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana.
Eskey and Haas (1940) reported plague
in this species, from tissue samples and
fleas collected at Wallowa Country,
Oregon.

(2) Richardson ground squirrel, Citellus
richer dsonii richardsonii (Sabine).

This mammal, locally known as the
“prairie gopher” is the commonest and
and most conspicuous rodent of the great
plains of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Man-
itoba. Aside from its potentialities as a
disease carrier, its depredations to crops and
interference with irrigation combine to
make it an economic problem of prime im-
portance. Its distribution, and the areas
where plague infection has been demon-
strated are shown on Plate 1.

In the United States, plague has been
shown in this rodent in Beaverhead
County, Montana (Eskey and Haas) and
Divide County, North Dakota (Public
Health Reports, 1942). The status of this
mammal in Canada has recently been
treated by Brown and Roy (1943).

(3) Franklin ground squirrel, Citellus
franklinii (Sabine).

This rodent, sometimes known as the
“gray gopher,” “brush gopher” or “bushy-
tail” is widespread across the prairie prov-
inces, but is chiefly confined to the lightly
treed areas, rather than on the open plains.
In the United States, it is found in North
and South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas,
Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Illinois and
Indiana.

Very few specimens of this mammal
have been collected by the Canadian survey
crews, principally because plague investi-
gations have been conducted chiefly in the

8

Ent. Soc. of Britisfi Columbia, Proceedings, 1944, Vol. 41, Dec. 8, 1944

extreme south of the prairie, while the
Franklin ground squirrel is more abundant
farther north.

(4) Thirteen-lined ground squirrel, Citel-
lus tridecemlineatus tridecemlineatus (Mit-
chill).

This ground squirrel, usually known
locally as the “striped gopher,” is much
more widespread in the prairie provinces
than C . r. richardsonii , but in the areas cov-
ered by the survey crews, has not proved
to be common. Only a few specimens have
been collected, in scattered localities, in
Alberta and Saskatchewan. C . t. tridecem-
lineatus and related subspecies occur all
through the central United States.

(5) Mantled ground squirrels, Citellus
(Callospermophilus) spp.

Plague has been demonstrated in ground
squirrels of the subgenus C allospermophilus
in several counties of California (Eskey
and Haas). Flea species present were
Diamanus montanus (Baker), Oropsylla
idahoensis (Baker) and Monopsyllus
eumolpi (Rothschild), the last two of
which occur commonly in Western Can-
ada on a number of hosts.

The dusky mantled ground squirrel,
Citellus saturatus (Rhoads) is found in
the east Cascades, in the extreme south of
British Columbia. Hollister’s mantled
ground squirrel, C. lateralis tescorum
(Hollister) is found in the Rocky and
Selkirk mountain regions. Neither species
has been collected in any great numbers by
the survey crews.

(6) Pallid yellow-bellied marmot, Mar-
mota flaviventris avara (Bangs).

The yellow-bellied marmots or
“groundhogs” are confined chiefly to the
“Interior Dry Belt” of British Columbia,
in some localities of which they may occur
in considerable numbers, especially if large
rock piles are available for protection.
M. /. avara is found in the Fraser Valley
as far south as Hope, and extends to the
north as far as Williams Lake. It ranges
southward through the Okanagan Valley
into Washington, Oregon and northern
Nevada. Related subspecies are found in

all the western and Pacific States, with the
possible exception of Arizona. Fair num-
bers of M. f. avara have been collected
by the British Columbia survey crews, and
also a few individuals of M. caligata ssp.,
the hoary marmot, in areas at high altitude.

Plague has been demonstrated in mar-
mots (probably M. flaviventris nosophora
Howell) in Montana and Wyoming
(Eskey and Haas).

(7) Black-tailed prairie-dog, Cynomys
ludovicianus ludovicianus (Ord).

Prairie-dogs are known from one local-
ity in Canada, in a coulee bottom, thirteen
miles southeast of Val Marie, in southern
Saskatchewan, where a single large colony
exists. The Saskatchewan survey crey has
collected a number of these mammals.

In the United States, plague has been
demonstrated in Cynomys parvidens Allen
(Garfield County, Utah), C. leucurus >
Merriam (Uinta County, Wyo.) and C.
gunnisoni zuniensis Hollister in New !
Mexico and Arizona (Eskey and Haas).

(8) Chipmunks. Eutamias spp.

Chipmunks of many species and sub-
species occur in Western Canada. A small
number (mostly E. amoenus ajflnis (Al-
len), and E. amoenus luteiventris (Al-
len)) were collected by the British Col-
umbia crew. While these rodents occur j
in Alberta and Saskatchewan (mostly E.
minimus borealis (Allen)), very few were
collected due to the fact that they occur
principally in the lightly treed areas,
whereas the bulk of the survey work was
carried out on the open prairie.

Plague was recovered from Eutamias
spp. in various localities in California and
Nevada (Eskey and Haas).

B. Introduced Species.

(9) Norway rat, Rattus norvegicus
(Erxleben).

The Norway rat, house rat or sewer
rat, a native of the Old World, was in-
troduced to North America in the middle
of the 18th Century. Since that time, the
original stock has multiplied and spread,
and also there have been successive in-

Ent. Soc. of British Columbia, Proceedings, 1944, Vol. 41, Dec. 8, 1944

a

vasions of seaport towns of rats from
poorly tended vessels docking there. This
undesirable rodent has followed man to
nearly all corners of the globe and, once
established in any locality, is very difficult
to eradicate. Plague is a natural disease
of this and related species, and the fleas
of rats are ideally adapted to the dissemin-
ation of this disease, partly because of their
peculiar physiology, which renders them
readily infective, and partly because of
their readiness to bite man. These facts,
coupled with the rats’ tendencies to become
established around domestic households,
make the rat and rat flea situation a public
health menace of grave concern.

In Western Canada, rats are localized
to a certain extent. Apparently they occur
in most, if not all, seaport towns from
Vancouver to Prince Rupert, as well as on
Vancouver, Queen Charlotte, and doubt-
less other islands. They are found com-
monly in the lower Fraser Valley, around
Chilliwack, Hope, Harrison Bay, Agassiz,
etc.

They occur in garbage dumps, ware-
houses, waterfront docks, in lanes in the
residential areas where they feed on
garden refuse and garbage from poorly
tended tins, around stables, restaurants,
abattoirs, in houses, grain elevators, and
in fact, any place where an easy living
may be obtained.

In the Interior of British Columbia
they seem to be rare, and this apparently
holds good for most of Alberta also, al-
though we have records from Calgary.

Southern Manitoba is apparently well
populated, and Saskatchewan, while vir-
tually free of rats a few decades ago, now
shows a steady increase in numbers of these
rodents, and a very definite spreading
westwards and northwards. The Sanita-
tion Division of the Provincial Health
Department has prepared an interesting
map, showing the influx and advances of
rats, year by year.

Southern cities, such as Regina and
Moose Jaw, are now heavily infested, as
also is Saskatoon. In Estevan, rats and
Richardson ground squirrels were noted
in large numbers in the same garbage

dump, and this only ten miles or less from
the plague focus in North Dakota! Fur-
thermore, ground squirrel fleas (Orofsylla
rufestris (Jordan)) were recovered from
the rats. Here then is the ideal opportunity
for the rats to pick up the infection from
the ground squirrels!

(10) Black rat, Rattus rattus rattus (Lin-
naeus).

The black rat, a smaller and longer-
tailed species is comparatively rare in this
country, only a few specimens having been
collected, and these usually in waterfront
warehouses at the coast. It apparently has
to give way before the more powerful
Norway rat. They both carry the same
species of fleas, but R. r. rattus is not now
common enough to constitute a serious
problem.

(11) Roof rat, Rattus rattus alexandrinus
( Geoff roy) .

This rodent, like the black rat, is com-
paratively rare, and known only from the
coast areas.

Distribution of the Fleas

These rodents have been found to be in-
fested with a wide variety of fleas of
which fifteen species were fairly common
to very common, and which are of varying
importance as potential plague vectors.
Their relationship to the rodent hosts is
summarized in Table I.

A. Indigenous Species.

(1) Monofsyllus eumolfi (Rothschild).

M. eumolfi is a common and regular
parasite of western chipmunks (genus
Eutamias) and is found wherever these
mammals occur. In British Columbia it is
quite frequently collected on the Col-
umbian ground squirrel when habitat as-
sociation offers the opportunity. It has been
proved to transmit plague experimentally
in the laboratory (Eskey and Haas). We
have several records of this insect biting

man.

10

Ent. Soc: of British Columbia, Proceedings, 1944, Vol, 41, Dec. 8, 1944

TABLE I

Species of Fleas Found, and Relationship to Rodent Hosts

Hosts

to

Indigenous Species

1. Monopsyllus eumolpi .

2. Neopsylla inopina . .

3. Opisocrostis bruneri

4. Opisocrostis labis. .

5. Opiso.t.tuberculatus .

6. Oropsylla idahoensis .

7. Oropsylla rupestris . .

8. Rectofrontia fraterna

9. Thrassis acamantis. .

10. Thrassis bacchi

11. Thrassis petiolatus. . .

Introduced Species

12. Ctenocephalides canis .

13. Ctenocephalides felis . .

14. Nosopsyllus fasciatus .

15. Xenopsylla cheopis . . .

* 9 * * 9

.T

f True or typical parasites of the host concerned.

* Frequent records, but relationship due to habitat association.

(2) Neopsylla inopina (Rothschild).

N. inopina is a true ground squirrel flea
and as it is blind it may be chiefly con-
fined to the nests and burrows of the host.
It is common on Citellus r. richardsonii in
Alberta and Saskatchewan, and occurs on
C. c. columbianus in the extreme south-
east of British Columbia. It has not been
demonstrated to be a potential plague vector
—nor has it been recorded infesting man’s
person.

(3) Opisocrostis bruneri (Baker).

This flea, recently demonstrated to be

an efficient plague carrier (Prince, 1943)
also occurs on ground squirrels. While
sometimes taken on Citellus richardsonii
and Citellus 13-lineatusy it is more usually
found on the Franklin ground squirrel.

(4) Opisocrostis labis (Jordan and Roths-
child).

O. labis is a true parasite of C. rich-
ardsonii and is widespread and common
on the Canadian prairie. It has been shown
to transmit plague (Eskey and Haas). This

species does not occur on British Columbia
ground squirrels.

(5) Opisocrostis t. tuberculatus (Baker).
This, like the above species occurs on

the ground squirrels of Alberta and Sas-
katchewan, and is capable of transmitting
plague (Eskey and Haas). It is found
also on C . c. columbianus in the Kootenay
district of British Columbia.

(6) Oropsylla idahoensis (Baker).

This species is very common on the
Mantled ground squirrel ( Callospermo -
philus ) and also is one of the two com-
mon and regular siphonapterous parasites
of Citellus c. columbianus. In Canada it
seems confined to British Columbia and
the foothills of Alberta. According to the
experiments of Eskey and Haas (1940), ■
it seems resistant to plague infection.

(7) Oropsylla rupestris (Jordan).

This is the commonest flea of Citellus j
r. richardsonii , and its range is probably
coincident with the distribution of that
rodent. It has been taken on rats (R.

Ent. Soc. of British Columbia, Proceedings, 1944, Vol. 41, Dec. 8, 1944

11

norvegicus) where the two rodent hosts
are in contact (as in southern Saskatche-
wan). As it is capable of transmitting
plague (Eskey and Haas) it is probably
one of the most potentially dangerous of
our native fleas, as it offers the possibility
of this disease spreading from the native
ground squirrels back to- the rat population
of the southern prairie. Although we have
no records, it almost certainly occurs also
on the Franklin and 13-lined ground
squirrels where the ranges of these mam-
mals overlap that of the Richardson ground
squirrel.

(8) Recto frontia jraterna (Baker).

. R. jraterna is a small blind flea that
occurs on fair numbers on ground squirrels
and other rodents east of the Rockies. Like
N. inofina it may be chiefly a nest flea,
and like that species it has not been in-
criminated with disease transmission. It
also occurs (rarely) in British Columbia,
on a variety of hosts.

(9) Thrassis acamantis (Rothschild).

While on rare occasions this species is
faken on other hosts, it is an extremely
common parasite of the yellow-bellied
marmot (M. jlaviventris avara ) and occurs
throughout the range of this rodent in
British Columbia. It has been shown to be
infective under laboratory conditions
(Eskey and Haas).

(10) Thrassis bacchi (Rothschild).

T. bacchi occurs on all the prairie
ground squirrels, especially C. 1 3-lineatusy
but seems to be rather rare in Canada. It
is of potential significance as a plague
carrier (Prince, 1943).

(11) Thrassis fetiolatus (Baker)

T. fetiolatus is an extremely common
parasite of Citellus c. columbianus in. Brit-
ish Columbia. Like the other common flea
of this rodent ( Orofsylla idahoensis ) it is
resistant to plague transmission (Eskey and
Haas). In view of the fact that the two
most common fleas of this rodent are not
readily infected, the Columbian ground
squirrel is very likely not of so much po-
tential significance as the Richardson

ground squirrel, as the latter carries at
least five species of plague-important fleas.

B. Introduced Species.

(12) Ctenocef halides cams (Curtis).

(13) C tenocef halides felis (Bouche) .

These Two fleas are widespread in their
distribution, and commonly infest domes-
tic pets, particularly cats, dogs and rabbits.
Heavy infestations frequently occur in
households, and as both these species feed
readily on man, they are often a serious
domestic problem.

Large numbers of these fleas sometimes
occur on the rats in certain garbage dumps
in Vancouver.

(14) Nosofsyllus fasciatus (Bose d’ Antic) .

This, the European rat flea, is well es-
tablished in Canada and is probably coin-
cident in its distribution with Rattus nor-
vegicus. Though not as highly significant
as the next species, this flea is of definite
importance as a possible disseminator of
plague.

(15) Xenofsylla cheofis (Rothschild).

X . cheofis y the Indian rat flea or “plage
flea,” occurs more commonly in tropical
than temperate regions. However, it does
become well established in these latitudes
and wherever it occurs its presence is a
matter of gravest concern, as it is the most
important of the flea vectors of plague.

The possibility of its occurrence in Van-
couver was first suggested by Spencer
(1937), and in 1938 specimens were
recognized by the writer (1940). This
constituted the first Canadian record. In
1941 Holland discussed the status of this
flea in the coastal area in British Columbia.
It was found that a significant percentage
of the rat fleas in the Vancouver city garb-
age dump was of this species. It was also
recorded from New Westminster. Con-
tinued surveys since that time have shown
X. cheofis to be widely distributed through-
out the residential area of Vancouver,
where the spread of its rodent host is un-
doubtedly assisted by the carelessness of
the residents with reference to garbage

12

Ent. Soc. of British Columbia, Proceedings, 1944, Vol. 41, Dec. 8, 1944

disposal. X. cheofis also is known at North
Vancouver and Sechelt.

Summary and Discussion

The distribution and status of eleven
kinds of rodents and fifteen species of fleas
are briefly discussed with reference to the
possible dissemination of plague in West-
ern Canada. Both the mammals and their
parasites vary considerably as to their in-
fectivity. The host specificity, and relative
tendencies of fleas to bite humans are of
importance from a public health stand-
point.

Undoubtedly there are other mammals
in our fauna that might be considered as
possible carriers of this disease, and also
there are undoubtedly many other species
of fleas capable of transmitting plague
from host to host, or from host to man.
Records at the Kamloops laboratory in-
clude at least fourteen species of fleas pres-
ent in Western Canada which will bite
man readily. The plague-disseminating
propensities of most of these are not as
yet known.

Mice of various genera have not been

studied extensively in Canada with refer-
ence to plague, but, in the United States,
the white-footed mouse (Peromyscus spp.)
has been incriminated to a limited extent
(Eskey and Haas). The potentialities of
some of these smaller rodents should not
be overlooked.

Birds, especially hawks and owls, which
.prey upon mice and ground squirrels are
also a possible factor in the spread of in-
fection (Jellison, 1939). Small carnivores
such as weasels might be considered in a
like manner.

At the present time, concentrated eradi-
catory measures are being taken against the
rat population by various civic health au-
thorities. Also should be mentioned, the
very creditable effort at ground squirrel
control in the vicinity of the known plague
foci of Alberta, which has been conducted
by the Health Department of that Prov-
ince. It is to be hoped that these measures,
and the continued careful surveying of
native and introduced rodents and their
fleas, will achieve the desired result of
holding sylvatic plague in check to the
point where it does not affect Canadian
health and welfare.

Literature Cited

Brown, J. H. and G. D. Roy. 1943. The Richardson ground squirrel, Citellus richardsonii
Sabine, in southern Alberta: its importance and control. Sci. Agric. 24 (4): 176-197.
Eskey, C. R. and V. H. Haas. 1940. Plague in the Western part of the United States.
U.S.P.H.S., Pub. Hlth. Bui. 254: 1-83.

Gibbons, R. J. 1939. Survey of Rocky Mountain spotted fever and sylvatic plague in
Western Canada during 1938. Can. Publ. Hlth. Journ., April 1939. 4 pp.

Gibbons, R. J. and F. A. Humphreys. 1941. Plague surveys in Western Canada. Can.
Publ. Hlth. Journ., Jan. 1941: 24-28.

Holland, G. P. 1940. New records of Siphonaptera for British Columbia. Ent. Soc. Brit.
Col., Proc. 36: 11-12.

Holland, G. P. 1941. A survey of the rat fleas of the southern British Columbia coast
with relation to plague studies. Ent. Soc. Brit. Col., Proc. 37: 1-5.

Howell, A. H. 1938. Revision of the North American ground squirrels. N. Amer. Fauna.
56: 1-256.

Jellison, W. L. 1939. The role of certain birds in the epidemiology of plague. Pub. Hlth.
Repts. 54 (19) : 792-798.

Prince, F. M. 1943. Report on the fleas Opisocrostis bruneri (Baker) and Thrassis bacchi
(Roths.) as vectors of plague. Pub. Hlth. Repts. 58(27) .T013-1016.

(Public Health Reports). 1942. Plague infection reported in the United States during
1941. 57(24): 903-905.

(Public Health Reports). 1943. Positive plague and tularemia specimens reported in
Canada during 1942. 58(16): 646.

Spencer, G. J. 1937. The menace of rat parasites in Vancouver in 1936. Ent. Soc. Brit.
Col., Proc. 33: 44-45.

Ent. Soc. of British Columbia, Proceedings, 1944, Vol. 41, Dec. 8, 1944

18

COMPARISON OF THE INJURY TO APPLE CAUSED BY SCALES
AND APHIDS (Homopfera: Aphididae & Coccidae)1

A. D. Heriot

Dominion Entomological Laboratory, Vernon, B. C.

Both scales and aphids build up heavy
infestations on apple and pear and both
derive nourishment by piercing deeply into
the plant tissues with their stylets and suck-
ing up the plant juices. Although many
differences connected with feeding exist
between the fixed armoured scales and the
more mobile aphids, it is generally assumed
in the literature that injury to the tree is
due in both cases to the loss of sap incurred
by the mass feeding of these insects. Yet
for some unexplained reason, scale infest-
ation is much more injurious than aphid
infestation.

Prior to the development of effective
control measures, the ravages of the San
Jose scale (Aspidiotus perniciosus Com-
stock) were notorious. Newcomer as re-
cently as 1941 regards this scale, by reason
of its rapid increase, “as potentially cap-
able of doing more damage than any other
insect occurring in the orchards of the
Pacific Northwest.”

A rapid increase in scale population
without further qualification might imply
a rapid depletion of the host plant. It is
true that the San Jose scale with its 3 to 4
generations a season is the most prolific
scale attacking apples and pear, but with
its dependence on sexual reproduction in-
volving a considerable proportion of males
among its progeny, the scale cannot vie in
potential reproductive power with the
parthenogenetic apple aphid (Aphis pomi
Degeer) which Newcomer credits with
9 to 1 7 generations in a single season.

Greater protection against natural en-
emies and adverse climatic conditions, may
nevertheless sometimes enable the San Jose
scale to outstrip the apple aphid in self-
multiplication. This is less likely to occur
in the case of the oyster shell scale (Lep-

1 Contribution No. 2325, Division of Entomology,
Science Service, Department of Agriculture, Ottawa,
Canada.

idosaphes ulmi L.) which has only a single
annual brood of 40 to 80 individuals that
require 6 weeks to attain maturity. The
eggs hatch several weeks later than those
of the apple aphid and the adults after
ovipositing die some weeks before cold
weather puts a stop to aphid feeding. More-
over the scale confines its attention almost
exclusively to the woody growth of the
stems, while the apple aphid attacks both
the leaves and stems. Yet in spite of slower
development, inferior reproductive power
and a much shorter feeding period, oyster
shell scale infestation is definitely more in-
jurious to the tree than aphid infestation.
The outright killing of twigs and branches
frequently occurs in neglected scale in-
fested orchards and the same scale is
capable of causing the death of the hardy
native thorns and dogwoods of the In-
terior of British Columbia.

By comparison, the harm done by the
apple aphid is insignificant and perhaps the
worst feature of this orchard pest is the
dense smutting of the foliage and fruit,
indirectly due to the gross feeding of the
aphid and the quantity of honey-dew ex-
creted. The armoured scales on the other
hand, utilize their comparatively small
amount of waste material in the manu-
facture of their shells. It is possible that
young trees encrusted with this scurfy
material may suffer from an interference
with the respiratory functions of the
lenticels.

Be this as it may, it will be as well to
look for other causes than the extraction
of sap to account for the severity of scale
injury, for it is hardly reasonable to as-
sume that the slowly developing oyster
shell scale is a greater drain on the plant
than the more prolific aphid. In fact the
question arises as to whether any insect
can cause the death of a tree by the ex-
traction of sap alone.

14

Ent. Soc. of British Columbia, Proceedings, 1944, Vol. 41, Dec. 8, 1944

It would seem in the case of the aphid
that a state of equilibrium must inevitably
be established between the ability of the
plant to maintain the aphid and the ability
of the aphid to reproduce on a diminish-
ing food supply. In the case of the scale,
this equilibrium, if ever reached, may be
upset by some entirely different cause. It
is therefore suggested that the severity of
scale injury may be due, not as is gener-
ally assumed by what is taken out, but by
what is actually put into the plant by the
armoured scales. In this connection, the
belief has sometimes been expressed that
the San Jose scale injects a toxic substance
into the plant when feeding. The red
blotches on fruit and stems generally as-
sociated with the presence of this species,
seems to be the foundation for this sup-
position. A .less vivid discolouration occurs
around the punctures of the oyster shell
scale. Although it is quite possible that
this scale spotting is indeed caused by the
injection of a toxic secretion, it seems just
as reasonable to suppose that it may be
accounted for by something inserted that
is more substantial and more readily
demonstrated than a chemical agency.
Perhaps the discolouration of the fruit
known as “pansy spot” which has been
traced by Newcomer to the insertion of
a thrip’s egg in the growing tissue may be
an analagous injury.

In both scale and aphid infestations the
presence of a multitude of stylets invading
the tissues may conceivably be an encumb-
rance harmful to the plant. In heavy in-
festations, two or three young scales or
aphids may settle on an area only a milli-
meter in diameter. As demonstrated by
Weber (1930), each instar of the Hem-
iptera and Homoptera acquires a new set
of stylets at each moult, a fact incidentally,
that does not appear to have been accorded
recognition in either British or American
literature except by the author (1931 and
1934).

The replacement of the stylets at each
moult means that the small area cited
above will receive in the case of the scale
with its three instars, three separate punc-

tures from each of its occupants. The aphid
with five instars, has an advantage over the
stale in being able to move and distribute
its more numerous punctures in less con-
gested and probably more succulent areas
of the growing stem. It is not however, in
the number of punctures, but in the final
disposal of the stylets when moulting that
the scales differ so widely from the aphids.
In the case of the free-moving aphids, the
stylets are withdrawn from the tissues at
ecdysis and are invariably found intact and
attached to the cast skin. The scale cramped
beneath its shell, is unable to withdraw its
stylets. Instead, the old stylets are broken
off at the base and left like tenuous rivets
or stitches in the tissues of the bark and
cambium. Longitudinal sections of scale-
infested bark reveal the stylets of each
instar in the positions they would be ex-
pected to assume when allowance is made
for the slight movement permitted by the
insect’s confinement. The respective stylets
are thus close together and are easily dis-
tinguishable by the their different diam-
eters. Cross-sections of the infested bark
show that the passage of the stylets is
intra-cellular and the tips are frequently
observed to extend beyond the cambium
into the xylem.

Thus on a heavily scale-infested twig
there are three sets of stylets implanted by
every visible adult, but under conditions
where the young frequently settle beneath
the parent scale, the congestion of
abandoned stylets may be much greater
than might be estimated from the number
of scale present at a given time.

The extraction of sap or the injection
of a toxicant are only possible while the
insect is living, but the disposal of stylets
in the tissues by successive instars and gen-
erations evidently results in mechanical in-
jury to the plant the year round.

It seems therefore reasonable to believe
that this distinctive feature, namely the
accumulation of abandoned stylets in the
tissues hampering growth by a mat of
chitinous stitches, may have much to do
with the severity of scale injury in com-
parison to that inflicted by the aphid.

Ext. Soc. of British Columbia, Proceedings, 1944, Vol. 41, Dec. 8, 1944

15

Literature Cited

Heriot, A. D. 1931. Some notes on the oyster shell scale. Ent. Soc. Brit. Columbia, Proc.
28: 6-13.

Heriot, A. D. 1934. The renewal and replacement of the stylets of sucking insects during
each stadium, and the method of penetration. Can. Jour. Research, 11: 602-612, 14 figs.
Newcomer, E. J. 1941. Orchard insects of the Pacific Northwest and their control. U.S.D.A.

Circular No. 270, pp. 9, 23, 36.

Weber, Hermann. 1930. Biologie der Hemipteren. Berlin.

FURTHER NOTES ON THE CERAMBYCBDAE OF VANCOUVER ISLAND

(Coleoptercs)

George A. Hardy
Provincial Museum, Victoria, B. C.

The object of these notes is to bring to-
gether scattered records that have ac-
cumulated from time to time since the
1925-26 Museum Reports (Hardy 1926-
1927).

It is by no means claimed that all the
data have been examined, as the Coleoptera
of Vancouver Island have possibly been
investigated by students and collectors who
are at present unknown to the writer. In
that event, should this article result in
bringing hitherto unknown collectors to
light, this effort wlill have achieved a
definite purpose.

At the best, aside from the southern and
eastern coastal areas of the island, inform-
ation on the Cerambycidae is very meagre.
This cannot altogether be due to the ab-
sence of many species, but to the fact that
comparatively little intensive research has
been undertaken. It is true that the habits
of the members of this family are often
such as to make them exceedingly elusive
in relation to our affairs, so that they may
be unseen yet numerous. Hot sunshine
coupled with the fallen trees or newly-cut
wood at just the right stage of attraction,
the synchronization of favourite plant
blossoms, and time of appearance, or noc-
turnal habits of the species, are only some
of the limiting factors.

To the ardent collector, however, all the
above factors add a spicy attraction, for
perseverance often brings unexpected re-
wards. By being perennially beetle-con-
scious, “windfalls” occasionally occur at
most unexpected moments.

The following annotated list includes
only those species that seem to be of special

interest either as new records, extensions
of the known range, or from a biological
viewpoint.

( 1 ) Eumichthus oedifus LeC. New local-
ity records: Colwood, two specimens in a
collection formed during the years 1932-
36, and presented to the Provincial
Museum by Hedley Peake. This is the most
westerly Vancouver Island record known.
10 Mile Point near Victoria, specimens
taken by the writer on July 26 and August
9, 1935, as they were running over the
trunk of a newly-felled Douglas fir,
Pseudotsuga taxi folia (Lamb) Brit.

Most other specimens so far recorded
were obtained on the flowers of the ocean
spray, Sfiraea discolor Pursh., during the
month of June. It would appear that this
beetle has a longer period of emergence
than hitherto suspected.

(2) Pidonia quadrata Hopping. First des-
cribed and recorded for Vancouver Island
from Clayoquot by R. Hopping (1931).
The Clayoquot specimen is designated as
a paratype and was collected by G. J.
Spencer. Two additional specimens were
obtained by M. L. Prebble from the Great
Central Lakes area on June 27 and 29,
1941.

This very distinctive little species closely
resembles P. scrifta LeC. one of our most
abundant members of the genus, but of all
the hundreds collected from the eastern
and southern portion of the Island, none
has so far been noted to include this species.
It would seem therefore to favour the
more humid regions of Vancouver Island.

(3) Pachyta armata LeC. New locality

16

Ent. Soc. of British Columbia, Proceedings, 1944, Vol. 41, Dec. 8, 1944

record: Forbidden Plateau, on the flowers
of Heracleum lanatum , August 1943, G.
C. Carl. This constitutes a northern ex-
tension of its known Vancouver Island
range; previous records being from Mount
Arrowsmith (Hardy 1936).

(4) Evodinus vancouveri Csy. New local-
ity records: Forbidden Plateau, July 11,
1930, J. D. Gregson. Great Central Lakes,
May 17, 20, 22, 1941, M. L. Prebble
and K. Graham. These constitute a north-
ern extension of the known range on Van-
couver Island. Contrary to expectations
none of the specimens examined from the
Island include the black form, which from
specimens available appears to be of more
frequent occurrence on the adjacent main-
land of British Columbia.

(5) Lefturafrofinqua Bland. New local-
ity record: Beaver Creek, Alberni, July
27, 1934, W. H. A. Preece. This extends
its known ranger farther to the north,
Duncan being the only other Vancouver
Island locality record to my knowledge.
In general it is a mountain species; I have
records of its occurrence on Mount Cheam,
Mount McLean, Garabaldi Park and the
Olympics, on the mainland.

(6) Anoflodera nigrella (Say). First
record known to the writer for Vancouver
Island: Forbidden Plateau, July 11, 1930,
J. D. Gregson. This is one of those cap-
tures that give a zest to the examination
of hundreds of the cdmmon A. dolorosa
with which it might be confused in the
field. The species occurs throughout west-
ern Canada and the United States from
British Columbia to Nova Scotia.

Craighead (1923) records that adults
were taken in pupal cells on August 20,
in Oregon. It is not clear whether this in-
dicates a very late metamorphosis or nearly
a year in this condition. It breeds in Pinus ,
Piceay and Pseudotsuga.

(7) Anoflodera tibialis (LeC.). New
locality record: Forbidden Plateau, v Aug-
ust 28, 1943, G. C. Carl. The only other
known Vancouver Island locality record
is Duncan, based on one specimen in the
Hanham collection. It is a mountain species
having a wide distribution from British
Columbia to Newfoundland. Fall ( 1926)

records it from Skagway, Alaska. Speci-
mens from the mainland of British Co-
lumbia are represented in the Provincial
Museum from Mount McLean, Mount
Cheam, Vernon and Garibaldi.

(8) Anoflodera canadensis (Oliv.) New
locality records: Beaver Creek, Alberni,
July 27, 1934, W. H. A. Preece; two
males on flowers of carrot, Da ucus carota
L. Cowichan Lake, August 17, 1938, W.
G. Mathers, one male. Mr. A. W. Han-
ham has taken it on the flowers of tansy,
'T anacetum vulgare L.

All these examples are of the black,
red-shouldered form, which seems to be
the prevalent form here. I have records of
but two of the black phase and none of the
entirely red variety from the Island.

(9) Anoflodera dehiscens (LeC.). New
locality record: Beaver Creek, Alberni,
July 27, 1934, W. H. Preece. Two speci-
mens on flowers of carrot, Daucus carota
L. This is a northerly extension of the
known Vancouver Island range of this
decidedly scarce species. It is also very oc-
casionally taken in flight in woodland
glades.

(10) Pyrotrichus vitticollis LeC. This
elusive cerambycid seems worthy of com-
ment whenever it is noted on Vancouver
Island, which to date has been on only
four occasions, so far as I can ascertain.
The first is listed by Harvey (1907) with
“Victoria” as the only datum, and is prob-
ably the same specimen recorded by Hardy
in 1927. The second record is from a
specimen labelled “Duncan” in the col-
lection of the late A. W. Hanham. The
third, a male, was taken by W. Downes
on June 10, 1929, in flight at mid-day
about a maple tree. The fourth record
consists of a number of specimens reared
from larvae and pupae obtained by the
writer from a dead maple, Acer macro-
fhyllum j in January 1935.

The larvae and pupae were found in
some numbers in a spot twelve feet from
the ground and in the central decaying
heartwood. The larvae were feeding in
the adjoining solid wood, the pupal cells
being constructed near the inside surface
parallel to the grain of the wood. On

Ent. Soc. of British Columbia, Proceedings, 1944, Vol. 41, Dec. 8, 1944

17

emergence the adults would have to travel
some distance within the tree until a crack
or knothole provided an opportunity for
gaining access to the open air.

Pupae were fully developed by January
28; the adults emerged during the follow-
ing April. It was observed that the adults,
all females, evinced a decided aversion to
daylight; as soon as exposed to its influence
they burrowed into the friable rotten
wood. In reconciling the behaviour of the
two sexes as just stated, it would appear
that the male seeks out the more retiring
female. If further acquaintance with
vitticollis should demonstrate a preponder-
ance of females over males this could at
least in part account for the apparent rarity
of this species.

(11) Molorckus longicollis LeC. New

locality record: Goldstream, May 30,

1928, W. Downes. This is the most west-
ern extension of its range so far noted.
All other records are from the east coast
of the Island, from Sidney to Duncan
where it was observed from the end of
April until early in June. Mr. Preece has
taken this species in large numbers on a
species of cultivated spirea while the late
A. W. Hanham reported it on one oc-
casion as “swarming” on the blossoms of
the bay laurel.

(12) Hybodera tuberculata LeC. New
locality record: Cowichan Lake, October
8-19, 1940, M. L. Prebble. This is a
western extension of its reported range on
the Island, previously being taken at east
coast areas from Tod Inlet to Wellington.

This is one of those elusive species that
may never be seen for years and then sud-
denly turns up in considerable numbers at
unexpected places on or about its host tree,
Acer macrofhyllum.

The specimens above referred to com-
prise a nice series of 20 individuals. They
vary in length from 9 to 15 mm. and in
colour from unicolourous brown to the
marked distinction of the two gray bands
across the elytra so characteristic of the
species. All were taken from their pupal
cells in branches of the maple, Acer
macrofhyllum. They would overwinter in
the adult stage, the natural period of
emergence being April and May.

Another record, Elk Lake, April 29,
1931, has been reported by Mr. Downes
who* took a good series in flight about four
o’clock in the afternoon around a pile of
maple cordwood.

(13) Callidium hardy i Van Dyke. At-
tention is drawn to this species in order to
avoid any future uncertainty as to the
correct type locality. This is Gordon Head,
Vancouver Island, not Garden Head as it
is spelled in the original description (Van
Dyke 1928).

(14) C alhdium Vancouver ense Van Dyke.
New locality record: Cowichan Lake,
May 19, 1941, M. L. Prebble. This is a
westerly extension of its known Vancouver
Island range. Previous records ’are from
Duncan, Sidney and Victoria districts,

(15) Phymatodes obscurus LeC. New
locality record: Lakehill, Saanich, July 16,
1941, W. H. A. Preece, two specimens,
taken at “light.” This is the second record
of its occurrence on Vancouver Island.
The first consisted of eleven specimens
reared by the writer from Quercus garry-
ana Dough, on Mt. Tolmie, 1926. It is
of interest to note that the only members
of this species taken at large were night-
flying.

i(16) Atimia dorsalis LeC. New locality
record: Colwood, 1932-1936, Hedley
Peake. This is quite a rare species in col-
lections. The larval stage is passed in trees
belonging to the genera Cufressus , Juni-
feruSy Libocedrus and Thuja.

(17) Plectrura sfinicauda Mann. New
locality record: Cowichan Lake, August
31, 1941 and August 3-20, 1940, M. L.
Prebble.

This is perhaps the most intriguing of
the Cerambycidae departing as it does from
the general type to a very marked degree,
resembling a spider more than anything
else. It is wingless and therefore only to
be found as it crouches in some crack of
a tree. Many specimens in collections ap-
pear to have been dug out of their pupal
cells during the latter part of July to Oc-
tober. With the one exception., August 3,
1940, all of these groups were taken at
large, that is from the end of July to the
25th of August. I have records of others

18

Ent. Soc. of British Columbia, Proceedings, 1944, Vol. 41, Dec. 8, 1944

is from Lake Cowichan, August 3, 1940,
which thus constitutes a northern extension
of range on the Island.

There are also a couple of specimens in
the Hanham collection that may have been
taken by G. W. Taylor as they bear a
label in his handwriting, September 14,
1899, with no indication of locality, but
presumably in the vicinity of Nanaimo.

(20) Saferda fopulnea L. New locality
record: Lost Lake, Saanich, May 22, 1944,
G. A. Hardy. One specimen on leaf of
Salix sitchensis Bong. Dull windy day,
4 p.m. This appears to be the second r.ecord
for the Island; the first specimen was
taken at Duncan by the writer on July 4,
1926.

Acknowledgments. — I have much
pleasure in expressing my appreciation to
the following gentlemen for their ready
co-operation in giving permission to look
over their material and to make use of in-
formation freely submitted: Mr. W.

Downes, Mr. J. D. Gregson, Dr. M. L.
Prebble, and Mr. W. H. A. Preece.

I should like to pay tribute to the late
A. W. Hanham for the assiduousness and
constancy with which he collected the
Coleoptera of his district for a period of
over 30 years. A study of his specimens,
now in the Provincial Museum, gives a
very good cross-section of the cerambycid
fauna of the Duncan area and was an im-
portant factor in the preparation of earlier
lists of the Vancouver Island species.

Literature Cited

Craighead, F. C. 1923. North American cerambycid larvae. Canada Dept. Agric. Bui. (N.S.)
No. 27, p. 95.

Dillon, L. S. and E. S. Dillon. 1941. The tribe Monochamini in the Western Hemisphere
(Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) . Reading Public Museum and Art Gallery, [Reading, Pa.,]
Sci. Publications No. 1, p. 70.

Fall, H. C. 1926. A list of the Coleoptera taken in Alaska and adjacent parts of the Yukon
Territory in the summer of 1924. Pan-Pacific Ent. 2 (4), p. 202.

Hardy, G. A. 1926 and 1927. Cerambycidae of Vancouver Island. Provincial Museum Re-
ports: 1925, pp. 24-33; 1926, pp. 34-37.

Hardy, G. A. 1936. Notes on Vancouver Island Cerambycidae. Provincial Museum Report
(1935), pp. 34-35.

Hardy, G. A. and W. H. A. Preece. 1926. Notes on some species of Cerambycidae (Col.) from
the southern portion of Vancouver Island, B. C. Pan-Pacific Eht. 3 (1): 34-40.

Harvey, R. V. 1907. The British Columbia List. Quarterly Bulletin of the British Columbia
Entomological Society, No. 6, p. “4 continued” (p. 4 of the 1926 Reprinted edition).
Hopping, R. 1931. New Coleoptera from Western Canada. Canadian Ent. 63 (10) p.233.
Leech, Hugh B. 1938. Hibernation of the cerambycid Plectrura spinicauda Mann. Pan.-
Pacific Ent. 14 (2) : 69.

Van Dyke, E. C. 1928. Notes and descriptions of new species of Lucanidae and Ceramby-
cidae (Coleoptera) from western North America. Pan-Pacific Ent. 4 (3), p. 113.

taken from February to May inclusive.
This is a further confirmation of previous
observations that many if not all of the
adults hibernate during the winter out-
side their pupal cells. (Hardy and Preece
1926, Leech 1938).

(18) Monochamus maculosus latus Csy.
This is the British Columbia form hither-
to going under the name of maculosus
Haldeman of which it is the western rep-
resentative. This matter is thoroughly
dealt with in a recent study of the genus
(Dillon 1941).

A series of eight specimens from Co-
wichan Lake constitute the first- positive
record available to me of its occurrence
on Vancouver Island. They were collected
by M. L. Prebble on August 3, 1940,
ovipositing on the lodgepole pine, Pinus
contorta Dough

Two specimens in the Provincial Mu-
seum from the A. W. Hanham collection
bearing the date of September 9, 1899,
and presumed to have been taken by G. W.
Taylor of Nanaimo, might possibly be
the first examples of this species from the
Island and in part are recorded by Harvey
(1907), but lack of more definite data
would give precedence to those obtained
by Prebble. Of the hundreds of specimens
of this genus collected in the vicinity of
Victoria not one of this species has so far
been detected.

(19) Monochamus obtusus Csy. First
record for Vancouver Island by the writer
in 1935. A specimen in Prebble’s collection

19

Ent. Soc. of British Columbia, Proceedings, 1944, Vol. 41, Dec. 8,- 1944

SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN BREEDING

LEPIDOPTERA

J. R. J. Llewellyn Jones
Cobble Hill, B. C.

Introduction. — Why breed Lepid-
optera? There are several good reasons.

( 1 ) Anyone desiring a good collection of
Lepidoptera will find that breeding gives
him an ample supply of specimens for his
collection which are in the best possible
condition.

(2) In the case of species which are
liable to considerable variation, a better
opportunity is afforded of obtaining a good
series, which will show not only the ex-
tremes of variation, but also the inter-
mediate stages, thus making the series of
far greater interest.

(3) Breeding affords an opportunity to
observe, note carefully and record the
various stages in the metamorphosis of a
lepidopteron and to stress any peculiarities
noticed. Much of interest will be noted
in regard to the life histories thus obtained,
and this should be entered in the “breed-
ing records.” Hitherto unrecorded inform-
ation may be obtained and the sum total
of scientific knowledge enhanced.

(4) Occasionally the breeder will be re-
warded for his efforts by one or more un-
usual forms appearing in his cages as the
imagines duly emerge. As an example of
this, the author records that in breeding a
series of C osmotriche fototaria Linn., the
drinker moth, a British species, he obtained
a number of females whose colour was
brown rather than straw coloured, as is the
case in typical females.

The cause of the variation was not as-
certained, unless it was due to the fact that
the larvae, which had been collected in
varying degrees of maturity, were sub-
ject to near asphyxiation in tin boxes on the
way home and had to be resuscitated by
administering fresh air in quantity to re-
store the larvae to health. Could this have
been the reason for the unusual female
forms? Experiments of a similar nature
on other larvae might furnish the answer.

(5) An opportunity is afforded for ex-
periments in the field of hybridization.
With Lepidoptera this is a somewhat dif-
ficult task, and has only been successful
in some cases where closely allied species
were involved.

Hybrids have been recorded as resulting
from the mating of Smerinthus fofuli
Linn, a British species resembling very
much a small specimen of our Pachysfhinx
modesta Harris, and Smerinthus ocellatus
Linn., also a British species, resembling
very closely our Smerinthus cerisyi ofthal-
micus Bdv. The resultant moth is of an
attractive appearance and may be seen in
a few of the larger collections in Great
Britain, chiefly those in museums.

Another example is the crossing of
Malacosoma neustria Linn, and Malaco-
soma castrensis Linn., both British species.
A figure of the resultant larva is given
by South in his “Moths of the British Isles,
Part I,” together with brief remarks on
the experiments.

A few years ago1 the author succeeded
in crossing a male N otolofhus antiqua
badia Hy. Edw. with a female Hemero-
camfa fseudotsugata Me D. (Ent. Soc.
Brit. Col., Proc. 36:14-15. 1940.)

Enough has now been said to indicate
that the breeding of Lepidoptera is in no
sense a waste of time or energy, but on the
contrary possesses a very real scientific and
economic value apart from its being the
best method of obtaining a plentiful sup-
ply of specimens for the collection; . and
a good collection is in itself of consider-
able value educationally.

We now turn to the consideration of
ways and means to successful breeding.
These may best be considered under three
heads:

A. Concerning ova.

B. Concerning larvae.

C. Concerning pupae.

20

Ext. Soc. of British Columbia, Proceedings, 1944, Vol. 41, Dec. 8, 1944

A. Concerning Ova

The most valuable results will be ob-
tained by rearing from the egg. It en-
tails the expenditure of more trouble than
breeding from the later stages, but the
results from information and data of all
kinds, also in most cases the large number
of insects obtained, will well repay the
care needed.

Ova may be obtained in several ways.

(1) They may be searched for in likely
places, such as on foliage of trees and
shrubs, on twigs and branches, or in the
crevices of bark. Also they may be found
on the cocoons of apterous females as in
the case of N otolofhus antiqua badia and
H emerojcamfa fseudotsugata. In fact few
places should escape a search ; the best
requisites for success are keen eyesight and
patience.

(2) It is sometimes possible to follow a
female while she is engaged in laying her
eggs, note where she settles and after her
departure, collect the eggs. By this method
the author has obtained ova of Pafilio
eurymedon Luc., Poly goma oreas silenus
Edw. and Vanessa cardui L.

(3) By means of a virgin female.

A newly emerged female will often at-
tract one or more of the opposite sex. This
is a well known feature with certain
species, such as the British Lasiocamfa
quercus, the oak eggar, and Saturnia
favonia } the emperor moth, females of
which will attract males from a consider-
able distance; males will even enter houses
to get to the lady of their choice. The
apterous females of Notolofhus antiqua
badia and Hemerocamfa fseudotsugata
also have this power of attraction well
developed. Some species of N otodontidae^
the prominents, may be cited, for example,
Pheosia fortlandia Hy. Edw. A crippled
female was placed on the trunk of a
poplar; next day a male was found in
attendance and in due course fertile ova
were obtined and a fine series of imagines
reared.

(4) By persuading captured females to
oviposit. In some instances this is not at
all easy. In others it is comparatively

simple. Many moths deposit their eggs
freely even when confined in a match
box, chip box, or any other receptacle. This
is true of many of the Arctiidae, as Arctia
caja L., some Sphingidae as Smerinthus
cerisyi ofhthalmicus Bdv., many of the
Phalaenidae and Geometridae.

Butterflies are more difficult and re-
quire a large cage attractively furnished
to their liking. The old fashioned meat
safe is quite useful for this purpose. Air
and sunshine are essential. The former
must not be overlooked, as butterflies are
very subject to sun stroke, if the ventila-
tion system of the cage is bad. Glass is a
dangerous substance in the construction of
cages unless good ventilation is assured.
Other requirements are, the presence of
the food plant, some flowers to supply
nourishment to the butterflies, or failing
these a wad of cotton wool soaked in sugar
and water or a little honey; water too
should not be overlooked. This is probably
best introduced by placing on the floor of
the cage a layer of moss which can be well
dampened from time to time. In cases
where the female is disinclined to lay, it
has been suggested that the introduction of
one or more males might induce the recal-
citrant female to commence operations.

To sum up. Conditions should be made
as natural as possible and anything which
suggests itself to the lepidopterist as con-
ducive to oviposition should be included.
In the above manner Pafilio zelicaon Luc.,
Poly gonia satyr us Edw. and Vanessa cardui
to mention only a few, may be induced
to lay.

Some of the more difficult hawk moths
such as Celerio gallii intermedia Kirby, and
Celerio lineata Fabr. will oviposit if given
plenty of room and their food plant.

T elea folyfhemus Cram, and Platy-
samia euryalus Bdv. will lay fairly freely
in any good sized cage or container. The
ova are frequently deposited on the sides
of the cage or box.

Having then obtained ova, our labours
begin.

Eggs should be kept reasonably cool.
A porch or veranda is very suitable or
failing that, a room with a northerly as-
pect. This is especially important in- cases

Ent. Soc. of British Columbia, Proceedings, 1944, Vol. 41, Dec. 8, 1944

21

where the winter months are spent in this
state, as, if the ova are kept too warm,
there is grave danger of the larvae hatch-
ing before the food plant is available in
the spring.

Inspection should be frequent, and
daily if the ova are noticed to change
colour, as this often points to early hatch-
ing.

Fertile and Infertile Ova.— To
determine whether ova are fertile or
otherwise is not very difficult. Fertile eggs
usually show a change of colour after a
few days. Green eggs will turn pinkish
and later perhaps become purplish or black-
ish, or of a leaden colour. White eggs too
will frequently change to a darker hue.

Some ova are opaque. However, if
there is no sign of shrinkage or distortion,
the eggs are generally fertile. This applies
to all ova. In some cases, where the shells
are more or less transparent, the embryo
larva may be seen inside and a short time
before hatching the head is noticed as a
dark speck.

Warnings.- — (1) Do not attempt to
hasten the hatching of the larva at this
stage by introducing the food plant, but
keep the ova subject to the same conditions
as previously.

(2) Do not disturb a newly hatched larva
until it has left the vicinity of the egg
shell, as in many cases the first meal com-
prises this or a portion of it.

B. Concerning Larvae

Newly hatched larvae are best kept in
tin boxes with glass tops such as are sup-
plied by dealers in entomological supplies,
or if we have a large number of larvae, in
tins of a larger size (a “Crisco” tin is
very suitable) with a piece of glass placed
over the mouth to conserve moisture and
prevent the escape of the inmates. The
food keeps well under these conditions
and therefore it is not necessary to handle
the young larva so frequently. When this
has to be done, a camel’s hair brush should
be used.

The first problem is the provision of
suitable pabula. In many cases this will be
known, but if it is not, it will be necessary

either to obtain the information from
books, or from some other lepidopterist, or
from any lists of food plants that may be
at hand. Failing the above sources try by
experiment to ascertain the food required.
Take a roomy tin and place in it samples
of as many plants, trees, or shrubs as may
be deemed likely to be acceptable to the
larvae. In many cases they will quickly se-
lect one or more of the plants offered and
feed satisfactorily upon them. If this does
not happen, further efforts must be made
and other food tendered in the hope of
better success. Do not let failure dis-
courage, but persevere.

Sleeves. — As soon as the larvae are
large enough, and this must be left to the
discretion of the lepidopterist, they should
be placed in “sleeves” made of muslin,
cheese-cloth or, if it is expected that the
inmates will remain on the food plants
during the winter, of some stouter material
such as calico. These sleeves must be at-
tached to the food plant in such a way as
to prevent the escape of the larvae and
yet be easy of access for examination from
time to time. This is very necessary in
order to see that no intruders such as wasps,
ants, or earwigs, have gained access to the
interior of the sleeves and harmed their
precious contents, also to ascertain whether
or not the larvae are approaching maturity,
in which case it will be necessary to' provide
them with suitable conditions for pupation.

Flower Pots.— For mature larvae a
10-inch flower pot makes a very suitable
and convenient larvarium. In the author’s
opinion it is quite as good, if not superior
to, many of the more elaborate and more
expensive breeding cages on the market.
These latter cages however, are very use-
ful for keeping the chrysalids of many of
our butterflies. The glass fronts enable
the appearance of the imago to be noticed
before it has time to damage itself as fre-
quently happens if left too long to its own
devices. They are also useful for attracting
by means of the virgin female.

The flower pots should be filled just
over half full with earth of a suitable
texture. In this a bottle should be inserted
to contain water for the food plant;
“Ketchup” bottles are very convenient both

22

Ent. Soc. of British Columbia, Proceedings, 1944, Vol. 41, Dec. 8, 1944

as to size and shape. The bottle should be
wrapped in paper to allow of its with-
drawal later lest it break in frosty weather
and water therefrom harm the insects at
a time when they should be kept relatively
dry.

When placing the food plant in the
bottle care must be taken to ensure that
the stems fill the mouth of the bottle;
otherwise some of the larvae may find
their way into the water and perish. Larvae
are very prone to commit suicide in this
manner unless checked. If necessary a wad
of cotton wool, or any other suitable sub-
stance may be used to block the neck.

Moss should be placed over the earth,
and bark should not be overlooked. This
latter is essential for certain species of
Acronictay for example A. aim Linn., a
British species, and doubtless for its repre-
sentative in British Columbia, A . funeralis
G. & R. which frequently though not al-
ways chooses bark in which to make its
cocoon. It would also be indicated for
certain species of Notodontidae of the
genera Dicentria (Ianassa) , Schizura and
Cerura. If it is not supplied the larvae will
wander and eventually die of exhaustion
and fatigue.

A sleeve may be attached to the rim
of the flower pot outside and tied with
string or secured with a rubber band. It
should be supported by a wire cylindrical
frame which rests inside the pot. This
sleeve forms an airy and spacious com-
partment and prevents the crushing and
bruising of the food plant.

Generally speaking, the larvae which
spend the winter months as pupae cause
very little trouble. This is true also of
those which pass through the stage during
the spring and summer.

A plentiful and free supply of food
plant is most important in order to obtain
fine specimens of the imago. To put larvae
on short commons results in poor and small
specimens, if not in complete failure.

Hibernating Larvae. — These will
require more specialized treatment. They
fall into two classes.

( 1 ) Those which hibernate when mature,
not feeding again but appearing on sunny

days in the spring before finally deciding
to seek suitable quarters in which to pupate.
To this group belong the larvae of Isia
Isabella A. & S., Phragmatobia fuliginosa
Linn, and the British species Macrothylacia
rubi.

These larvae, being hairy, often cause
considerable trouble. They are subject to
attack by fungus, and the attack is usually
fatal. Preventative measures must there-
fore be taken. It will be noticed that these
larvae take every opportunity during the
early months of the year to sun them-
selves and in this manner to dry their long
hairy coats. Therefore, sun and air would
seem to be the best preventatives. Place
the larvae in a large flower pot which has
been filled with a generous supply of moss
and stand it outdoors in a sunny position,
but exposed to rain and snow. It is fatal
to take these larvae indoors, for if their
surroundings become dry, they will shriveL
and perish. Even with the above treatment,
results are likely to be disappointing.

Probably the best method for the col-
lector to adopt is to obtain the larvae of
this group on sunny days in the early
months of the year and proceed as above,
when the larvae will usually pupate in due
course without a high rate of mortality.
If however, a large number have been
collected in the fall, it might be worth-
while to attempt to induce them to pupate
early. Procedure as follows:

In January, bring the larvae, which
have been placed in a standard breeding
cage for the purpose, and which contains
a copious supply of moss, into the house
during a spell of cold weather and place
them over a radiator, or over the fire-
place in a warm room, or better still if
available, over the hot pipes in a green-
house. After a short time, possibly a few
hours, they will become active and start
to make their cocoons. The temperature
should be between 70° and 80° F. in the
cages. The moss must be kept well damped
during the whole period of forcing or the
larvae will dry up and die. It is of course
necessary to keep the pupae in the green-
house, or at least in a warm room, after
the forcing. The rate of mortality is like-
ly to be high, but this may be due to the

Ent. Soc. of British Columbia, Proceedings, 1944, Vol. '41, Dec. 8, 1944

23

fact that many of the larvae collected
have previously been parasitized,. The
author has not yet employed this method
in British Columbia but has met with fair
success in England with larvae of Mac-
rothylacia rubi and Phragmatobia fulig-
inosa obtaining his imagines about Febru-
ary, a few weeks after pupation.

For Isia Isabella forcing is unnecessary
as the larvae will winter well in a flower
pot with moss. All that appears necessary
is to stand the pot in the open in a sunny
position. In the spring, the larvae will re-
appear and eventually seek quarters in
which to spin up.

(2) Those which hibernate before reach-
ing maturity.

(a) For hairy larvae in this category
belonging to the Arctiidae similar condi-
tions as those mentioned above would be
indicated.

The question of forcing does not arise,
as the subject must be kept dormant till
sufficient food is available in the spring.
Again it must be emphasized that it is a
fatal mistake to bring such larvae indoors.
Plenty of moss in the containers, and the
inclusion of the growing food plant, if
possible, is necessary. The containers should
be kept in the garden in a sunny position.
In the spring they should be examined
frequently to ascertain whether the larvae
have resumed activity, and whenever this
is apparent care must be taken to ensure
that a plentiful supply of food is within
their reach.

Arctia caja F. has been successfully
reared in the above manner. Result of an
experiment with this species follows:

Out of 423 larvae obtained from ova,
212 were placed in a large breeding cage
with moss and growing plants of stinging
nettle. The cage was taken into the base-
ment of a house for the winter. Only 6
larvae survived. The remaining 211 larvae
were placed in a similar container and
provided with the same conditions except
that in this case, the cage was placed out-
side only slightly protected from excess of
rain. In the spring, 186 larvae re-appeared
and continued to feed. From these 150

pupae were obtained and a fine series of
moths resulted, many of them being of
the form which possesses the secondaries
yellow with black spots instead of the
typical red.

(b) For those which winter in a com-
munal tent, or singly in a small hiber-
naculum, all that would seem necessary is
to sleeve them whenever possible on their
food plant. If this is not practicable, the
tent or hibernaculum must be carefully
removed and kept in a cool place such as
a porch or outhouse until the spring, care
being taken to place it amongst the food
plant as soon as the shoots burst in the
spring, and before the larvae return to
activity.

Basilarchia lorquini burrisonii Mayn,
which constructs a tiny cone-shaped hiber-
naculum is easily wintered in the above
way, as the larva re-appears rather late in
the spring, usually well after the new
shoots have appeared on its food plant.
Larvae of the genera Argynnis, Brenthis,
Eufhydryas, and Melitaea are probably
best obtained in the spring, after hiber-
nation, when they can be found either
sunning themselves on banks or crawling
about in the vicinity of their food plants.

Moss should always be supplied in the
cages used for hibernating larvae. In sup-
port of this opinion, the author cites that
while visiting the island of Capri, in the
bay of Naples, during the latter part of
January 1929, he observed larvae of a
species of butterfly, probably of the genus
Eufhydryas or Melitaea, active on sunny
days and nibbling freely at moss growing
on stones and other places in the habitat.

(c) Geometers. Many species of. the
Geometridae hibernate when small, and
these seem to cause no special difficulty
beyond the possible necessity for a sleeve
of material stouter than the cheese-cloth
usually used. This is to prevent damage to
the sleeve by winter conditions. Amongst
others, Camfaea ferlata Gn. and Chlo-
rosea nevadaria Pack, can be reared in
this way. Of the latter species, out of 10
larvae obtained, six imagines resulted.

(d) Phalaenidae. These larvae, many
of which hibernate, will probably cause

24

Ent. Soc. of British Columbia, Proceedings, 1944, Vol. 41, Dec. 8, 1944

some trouble, and the author reports many
failures in this group.

The larvae in most cases burrow into
the soil and remain for long periods ‘rest-
ing’, as the term is; during this period
they should not be disturbed. Others will
creep under stones and roots, or will enter
moss where they are sometimes found dur-
ing gardening operations. If of a species
worth keeping, they may be placed in a
container with earth and moss, when they
will often enter the moss and in due
course, pupate. The containers, preferably
flower pots, should be kept outside, slightly
protected from rain. Do not bring the
larvae indoors.

On no account disturb larvae which are
about to change their skins or pupate.

Diseases. — These include injuries, the
stings of parasites and diarrhoea. For in-
juries little can be done. For the stings of
ichneumons and the like, it is sometimes
possible to remove the eggs, if they have
not hatched, and thus save the life of the
caterpillar. This may be accomplished by
the use of a needle and a pair of tweezers.
Great care however, is necessary or the
larva may die as the result of the opera-
tion.

For diarrhoea: If this condition is
caused, as frequently, by eating too suc-
culent or too damp food, it may be relieved
by supplying the older and tougher leaves
of the plant, at the same time attending
to the ventilating of the cages. If on the
other hand, it is caused by some virus or
epidemic infection, the author knows no
satisfactory remedy. This applies too in
the case of the fungus previously men-
tioned. The results in both these cases are
usually fatal. Prevention therefore is in-
dicated as the best course to adopt. This
would include good ventilation, together
with the admission of sunlight to the cages,
clean and healthy surroundings and the
removal of all substances likely to become
mouldy, or centres of infection. Spraying
with disinfectant should also help.

C. Concerning Pupae

Most of these present little difficulty.
In general they should be kept cool and
free from excessive moisture. For those

which spend the months of winter in this
stage, a north aspect on a porch, or a posi-
tion at least subject to the outside temper-
atures and the humidity of the atmosphere,
is best. Disturb as little as possible and in-
spect from time to time. Daily inspection
will be necessary as the time for the ap-
pearance of the imagines approaches.

Butterfly pupae: Those of the papilios
do well if wintered in standard breeding
cages. The pupae of Poly gonia, Vanessa ,
and Basilarchia which pupate during the
spring and summer months are also con-
veniently housed in this way. CAUTION.
Do not assume that a pupa is dead and
throw it away because the normal time for
the appearance of the perfect insect has
passed. Many species “lie over” one or
more winters, especially is this true of
certain Sphingidae, Notodontidae and some
others.

As an example of this, Smerinthus
cerisyi ofthalmicus Bdv., has been known
to spend three winters in the pupal stage.
During this year, 1 1 males and 4 females
have emerged after the third winter.
N a data gibbosa oregonensis Butl. has also
been reared after three winters as a pupa
and Paonias excecata A. & S., Pseudohazis
eglanterina Bdv., and Acronicta hesferida
Sm. after two winters. In the case of the
last named species, 5 adults were reared.

The case of Pheosia fortlandia is inter-
esting. This species would appear to be
multibrooded under suitable climatic con-
ditions. On the south part of Vancouver
Island at least it appears to be partially
double-brooded. From a single batch of
ova, 32 imagines were obtained in August
and September 1942, 4 in April and May
1943, one in August 1943, and one on
May 4, 1944.

Careful examination of pupae seldom
does harm. After examination they should
be placed on moss and lightly covered with
the same.

Damping. — This is recommended by
some authorities, but it is not, in the opin-
ion of the author, very desirable, especially
in cases where the pupae have either been
removed from their cocoons or dug up
during gardening or by “pupa digging.”
The natural humidity of the atmosphere _

Ent. Soc. of British Columbia, Proceedings, 1944, Vol. 41, Dec. 8, 1944

25

is usually all that is necessary. Mould must
never be allowed to appear in any con-
tainer for pupae.

A Few Difficult Species. — Some
hawk moths as Celerio lineata and C . gallii
intermedia frequently die in the pupal
stage. To winter these therefore is difficult
and Dr. H. Guard Knaggs in his. valuable
work “an Entomologist’s Guide” recom-
mends forcing.

The pupae are placed in a suitable re-
ceptacle on moss and lightly covered with
more. This is then well damped and the
container placed in a warm room, or better
still over the hot pipes in a greenhouse,
when the moths should shortly appear. The
temperature should be about 70°F.

Some of the prominents too may be
found a little difficult. It would appear
that the larvae of certain species of
Dicentria ( Ianassa ) and Schizura though
making their cocoons in the fall remain
“resting” during the winter months, only
pupating a few weeks before the time for
the appearance of the imago. Any break
in the cocoon, which consists of a more or
less transparent substance, seems to be fatal
to the larva within. Cocoons of the species
of Cerura must always be preserved un-
broken.

Preparation for Imagines. — It is
necessary to make some preparation for the
safe arrival of imagines in perfect condi-
tion, otherwise disappointment will result
through malformations.

( 1 ) The inside of the breeding cages and
containers should be somewhat rough to
enable the newly emerged insects to crawl
to a suitable place and dry their wings. A
few twigs are helpful.

(2) When the larva has cocooned in a
sleeve, it is often best to open the cocoon a
week or two before the insect is expected
to appear. The pupa may be left in the
cocoon provided that free access to the out-
side world is assured, or may be removed
and placed on a bed of moss. If this is not
done, it is likely that the insect will be de-
formed or even fail to get free from the
cocoon. This commonly happens with,
many species of Acronicta. It is sometimes!

advisable also to open the cocoons of
Platysamia euryalus.

Conclusion. — The requirements for
the successful rearing of Lepidoptera may
be briefly summed up as follows:

( 1 ) The careful observation of all mat-
ters of interest and the due recording of
the same.

(2) A plentiful use of a somewhat rare
commodity often spoken of as “common
sense.”

(3) An unlimited supply of patience.

Acknowledgments and Indebted-
ness.— The author acknowledges his in-
debtedness to Mr. E. F. Johns, sometime
Headmaster of Winton House School,
Winchester, England; to Mr. Denis H.
Clark an assistant master of the afore-
mentioned School, who gave much valu-
able advice and help in his early days of
collecting.

Also written works by the following:

H. Guard Knaggs— The Lepidopterist’s Guide
for the use of the Young Collector of
Butterfles and Moths. Revised and en-
larged edition, 1901. Gurney & Jackson.
Richard South — The Butterflies of the Brit-
ish Isles. 1906. Frederick Warne & Co.
The Moths of the British Isles, Part I.
1907. Frederick Warne & Co. The
Moths of the British Isles, Part II. 1908.
Frederick Warne & Co.

L. W. Newman & M. A. Leeds— Text Book of
Butterflies and Moths. 1913. Gibbs and
Bamforth Ltd.

NOTE ON DALOPIUS TRISTIS AND D. INSUL-
ANUS (Coleoptera, Elateridae). Little is known of
the habits of our native Dalopius; the following note
deals with tristis Brown, the commonest species in
the southern interior of British Columbia, and D.
insulanus Brown from the coast.

During the last week of September, 1943, adults
of tristis (det. W. J. Brown) were found in numbers
in the duff under western larch trees two miles south
of Needles, B.C. Many of the beetles were still teneral
and in their pupal cells; a majority of those fully
colored and hardened were males, and some of these
had already left their cells. The latter were loosely
constructed, unlined, and consisted of dead needles
and associated forest litter held together by a few
silken threads. They were placed about two inches
below the top of the duff. D. tristis is one of the
first elaterids to appear in the spring, and at Salmon
Arm is common on the flowers of Rocky Mountain
maple, Acer glabrum, in April.

Professor G. J. Spencer found D. insulanus (det.
H. B. L.) hibernating at Vancouver, B.C., on Nov
ember 3, 1942. The beetles were between boards in
the back yard of his city lot, congregated in numbers
up to 30 at a time. None was found on an exam-
ination of the same area in late January, 1944. —
Hugh B. Leech, Vernon, B.C.

26

Ent. Soc. of British Columbia, Proceedings, 1944, Vol. 41, Dec. 8, 1944

RECORDS OF SOME FLIES AND WASPS COLLECTED AT ROBSON, B. C.

(Diptera: Asilidae; Hymenoptera; Ichneumonidae)

Harold R. Foxlee
Robson, B. C.

Xorides calif or mens Cr.- — June 22.
Xorides cincticornis Cr. — July 13.

Pimfla -pedalis Cr. — July 20.

Pimfla sanguineifes Cr. — Aug. 24.
Lissonota montana Cr. — Sept. 1.

Lissonota frigida Cr. — Sept. 7.

Cryftus altoni D. T. — Sept. 7.

Cryftus luctuosus Cr. — Sept. 14.
Polistifhaga fulva Cr.— Aug. 1 7 and 3 1 .
Ichneumon variegatus Cr. — Aug. 24,
Sept. 7.

Angitia acuta Vier. — Sept. 7.

Exochus flavifrontalis Ds. — Sept. 7.
Efhialtes imferator Krb. — July 13.
Efhialtes manifestator L. — Sept. 7.

(10 additional species, apparently un-
described, were identified to genus
only).

THE PARSNIP WEBWORM ( DEPRESSARIA HERACLEANA) AND STS
CONTROL IN BRITISH COLUMBIA (Lepidopfera: Oecophomhe) 1

R. Glendenning

Dominion Entomological Laboratory, Agassiz, B. C.

This insect became important as a pest
in the lower Fraser valley in 1940, when
the growing of parsnips for seed became
more frequent.

It is an European insect that has long
been known on that continent as a pest.

It was known to Linnaeus, but was first
properly described by Degeer in 1752. In
North America it was first recorded by
Bethune, from Ontario, in 1869, when
it was described as a new species, Defres-
saria ontariella , but this has since been
placed as a synonym of heracleana. It was
recorded by C. V. Riley (1888) as first
found in the United States in 1875.

The moths, which measure one half
inch in length and have a wing spread of
one inch, are light buff in colour, with
lighter underwings margined with a thin

1 Contribution No. 2305, Division of Entomology,

Science Service, Department of Agriculture, Ottawa,

Canada.

dark line. The wings are held longitudin-
ally over the body when at rest. The pupae
measure three quarters of an inch in
length, are reddish brown in colour, and
are smooth and shining. The larvae are
yellowish-green, about one half inch long
when fully fed, and have a series of black
tubercles arising from each segment, which
also bear a few black hairs. The eggs are
spherical, greenish-yellow in colour, and
just visible to the naked eye.

Life-History. — This insect passes the
winter in the adult stage, the moths leav-
ing hibernation in May. They then fly to
any nearby host-plant coming into flower
and deposit their eggs, but they may travel
considerable distances in search of host
plants, as parsnip stecklings several miles
from any previous infestation generally
become infested during June.

The moths lay their eggs in the umbels
of the small flower heads as these are de-

The species listed were collected by me
at Robson, B.C. The as i 1 i ds were identi-
fied by Dr. S. W. Bromley; the ichneu-
monids, all collected in 1941, were named
by Dr. H. K. Townes.

Drpfero
Asilidae
Lafhria vivax Williston.

Asilus flacyteras Hine.

Cyrtofogon dassylloides Will.

Dioctria sackeni Will.

Nicocles sp. (Perhaps N. * dives Loew, at
any rate so det. by Prof. Melander).

Hymenoptera

Ichneumonidae

C oleocentrus occidentalis Cr. — July 13.

Ext. Soc. of British Columbia, Proceedings, 1944, Vol. 41, Dec. 8, 1944

27

veloping, but later emerging moths con-
tinue to lay after the seeds have begun to
form, in late June and early July.

The larvae on commencing to feed, im-
mediately web together the small umbels,
and feed on the flowers, bracts and young
seed heads. Feeding is completed in about
three weeks, when the larvae leave the seed
heads and descend to the base of the plant
where they bore into the main stem, gen-
erally near the axils of the lowest two
leaf stalks. Pupation chambers are then
hollowed out in the stem by the larvae con-
suming some of the soft white pith; they
pupate there, changing to moths in from
ten to fourteen days. Several larvae may
enter the stem by the same hole and use
the same pupation chamber. The moths
emerge from the stem through the holes
bored by the larvae on entering. This takes
place throughout July and early August,
and the moths immediately fly to their
hibernation quarters, which are usually the
nearest sheds, woodpiles or other situations
that offer dry, protected winter quarters.

In one instance, hundreds of moths
were found in August sheltering between
the folds of empty paper cement bags in
an open shed; other favoured locations
were piles of closely stacked stakes and
fence rails.

The essential feature of the habitat is
apparently a dry narrow crevice, one
quarten inch or- less in depth, which prob-
ably protects the moths from mice and
other enemies. Although the temperature
in the lower Fraser valley may vary from
80 degrees F. or over, to as low as zero,
the moths remain quiescent for over nine
months without undue mortality, until they
leave these winter quarters in May.

Riley mentions that the moths have the
habit of creeping into crevices in the soil,
but this may have been under cage condi-
tions, as they could hardly survive the
winter in such situations.

Host Plants. — In the lower Fraser
valley only cultivated parsnip, Pastinaca
sativa L., and the wild hog-parsnip Herac-
leum lanatum Mich., have been found in-
fested. The wild hog-parsnip is an import-

ant host however, and where it occurs in
any quantity, has been found to support a
large population of this insect. This plant
is confined chiefly to acid bogs, and in
such locations may be plentiful. It is un-
doubtedly responsible in large measure for
the almost certain infestation of new
plantings of cultivated parsnip stecklings,
through the free flying habits of the moths.

Close examination of native species of
umbel lifers, other than Heracleum ,viz.,
Oenanthe y Angelica , Cicuta and Siumy has
failed to show feeding by this insect, and
cultivated carrot has been free also. Riley
mentions larvae recovered from “the stem
of some cruciferous plant” but there is no
record of the larvae ever feeding on plants
of this family, and if correctly identified,
the larvae may have used it owing to the
absence of its usual host. Riley also' men-
tions an attempt to rear this insect on wild
carrot, but the caged larvae declined to
feed on the flower heads, turned to can-
nabilism or bored into the stem where
they pupated.

Natural Control. — In the lower
Fraser valley three natural control factors
have been noted, but none was sufficiently
important to prevent this insect from be-
coming a pest.

A mortality of 40 per cent took place
amongst some moths kept under cage con-
ditions in a natural environment through-
out the winter, and undoubtedly many
moths die, or are destroyed by predators
during this long hibernation period.

A few parasites, both dipterous and
hymenopterous have been noted in the
field, but none in sufficient numbers to
effect appreciable control. Several parasites
have been recorded in Europe, and it may
be possible for them to be introduced here
with advantage in the future.

In 1941, in one location near Fort
Langley, large numbers of bats were noted
by an observer to be feeding in the eve-
ning on the moths as they took flight from
the parsnip stems at the height of their
emergence. The destruction of the moths
would appear to have been almost com-
plete, as later no hibernating individuals
could be located in adjacent sheds, though

28

Ent. Soc. of British Columbia, Proceedings, 1944, Vol. 41, Dec. 8, 1944

at another farm, 4 miles distant, where
no bats were seen, the moths were found
plentifully in nearby sheds.

The hairy woodpecker, Dryo bates vil-
losus (L) was recorded by Bethune as
feeding on the larvae and pupae in the
stems.

Economic Damage. — Garden pars-
nips, grown for food are not attacked, the
damage by this pest consisting only of the
destruction of the flowers and seeds by
the feeding larvae.

Infestation has reached as high as 80
per cent of the seed umbels in portions of
fields adjacent to good hibernation quar-
ters, and when an umbel is infested, prac-
tically all the seed is destroyed. Average
infestations were about 30 per cent of the
crop, which would represent a loss of
$100.00 per acre. In one case a grower
burned his entire crop owing to a severe
and general infestation.

Control. — No cultural control meas-
ures that will entirely prevent serious in-
festation have been found practical, and
the application of chemicals is necessary
to protect the crop from severe loss. How-
ever, the following measures if carried out
intelligently will do much to obviate a
severe infestation.

Any wild hog-parsnips growing within
a mile or two of the cultivated acreage
should be scythed oflf before flowering each
year. If hibernating m'oths are found in
appreciable numbers in sheds or in piles of
lumber or logs, the sheds should be cleared
out of all rubbish and sprayed with diesel
or stove oil, and the piles of rails, stakes
or lumber re-stacked in cold, wet weather.

It is not possible to avoid infestation by
any seasonal planting of the stecklings,
owing to the necessity of timely harvesting.

If parsnip stecklings are raised from
seed on the same farm where the seed
crop is grown, they should not be nearer
the seed crop than 100 yards, as larvae
occasionally crawl to seedling parsnips and
bore into the crown to pupate, thus injur-

ing next year’s stecklings by increasing the
prevalence of rots.

In the past, arsenical sprays and dusts
have been recommended against this insect,
but owing to the webbing habits of the
larvae this has not been found satisfactory.
Dusts containing derris, pyrethrum ex-
tracts, and nicotine were tested in 1941
and 1942, but failed to show effective
mortality of the larvae in the webs.

In 1942 however, preliminary tests with
a proprietory barium fluosilicate dust gave
surprisingly good results, which were elab-
orated in 1943, when cryolite-talc dusts
of varying strengths were also tests.

As a result of these experiments it was
found that two> applications of cryolite-
talc dust, 1 part cryolite to 3 parts talc,
ten days apart, gave almost 100 per cent
control of the larvae in the webs. The
first application was made when about five
or six webs were noted per plant, and the
larvae were from one quarter to one half
grown.

The dust was applied by means of a
rotary hand duster, and good coverage was
obtained by walking down the rows, mov-
ing the spout up and down so as to treat
both low and high flower umbels.

From 50 to 100 pounds of dust are
needed per application to treat adequately
an acre of parsnips, according to the height
of the plants. The cost of this is approxi-
mately from $2.50 to $5.00 per acre per
application, which compared with an acre-
age value of $300.00 for parsnip seed, is
quite practical and economical.

The actual cause of the death of the
larvae when dusted with cryolite is not
known. It does not seem necessary to hit
the larvae in the webs, as frequently this
cannot occur when they are hidden
amongst the tightly folded bracts. How-
ever they appear to come in contact with
the dust on, or in their webs, and death
may occur within four hours of dusting,
though usually from 24 to 48 hours are
necessary for a 99 per cent mortality.

Literature Cited

Riley, C. V. 1888. The parsnip web-worm. (Depressaria heracliana DeG.) Insect Life 1 (4) :
94-98, fig. 13.

Ent. Soc. of British Columbia, Proceedings, 1944, Vol. 41, Dec, 8, 1944

29

RECENT EXPERIMENTAL WORK ON THE CONTROL OF THE APPLE
SAWFLY, HOPLOCAMPA TESTUDINEA (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae) 1

W. Downes

Dominion Entomological Laboratory, Victoria, B. C.

In a previous article on the apple saw-
fly published in the Proceedings of this
society (Downes and Andison 1942) ref-
erence was made to a preliminary trial of
summer oil combined with nicotine sul-
phate for control of this insect. The results
obtained in 1941 were encouraging and
it was decided to give this method as thor-
ough a test the following season as local
conditions would permit.

The chief difficulty in carrying out ex-
perimental trials was the fact that the'
area infested by the sawfly was almost en-
tirely composed of city and suburban lots
and not commercial orchards. The apple
sawfly shows strong preferences for certain
varieties, the chief of which, among those
which have been observed in our work at
Victoria, in order of choice are Hyslop
crab, Wealthy, Duchess, Gravenstein and
King. In the presence of favoured hosts
less attractive varieties may be almost en-
tirely neglected by the sawflies and, as few
backyard gardens contain more than one
or two apple trees of the same variety, it
was difficult to find a series of trees of any
preferred variety for a critical test.

In 1942 three small suburban orchards
were selected for spray trials. Two of
these were adjoining properties and the
third was close by, so for practical pur-
poses they could be regarded as one. Spray-
ing was carried out immediately after the
bloom had dropped. The following
formula was used:

Summer oil emulsion 2 gallons

(Union Mineral Seal, Vise. 55, S.S.U.

100° F. U.R. 80%)

Nicotine sulphate 1^ pint

Water 100 gallons

Lead arsenate 4J pounds

(Oil concentration 1.21% actual oil)

Powdered skim milk as emulsifier.

Lead arsenate has little effect, if any,
on the apple sawfly, but was included in
the- spray for the purpose of controlling

1 Contribution No. 2316, Division of Entomology,
Science Service, Department of Agriculture, Ottawa,
Canada.

various kinds of caterpillars. Several trees
were left unsprayed as checks.

The trees were examined for results
about one month after spraying when the
apples were about one inch in diameter. At
that stage the larvae are beginning to leave
the fruit and the exit holes, which are
quite large, are readily seen. In its early
stages a sawfly larva frequently damages
several apples in a cluster before finally
entering one in which it completes its
growth. Fruit scarred by external feeding
is included in the injured fruits. Only
susceptible varieties are included in the
tabulation.

TABLE I

Besults of Spraying Experiment in 1942

Variety

Sprayed Trees

Total Apples Per Cent Injury

Gravenstein

2421

3.3

Gravenstein

2106

7.8

Wealthy

1274

1.6

Wealthy

1262

2.6

King

865

6.0

King

400

2.2

lano

262

11.4

Red Astrakhan

471

1.3

Red Astrakhan

149

9.4

Average Injury .

Check

5.06

Trees

Duchess

2172

39.1

Wealthy

3165

58.7

Hyslop crab

5378

70.0

Hyslop crab

2002

22.4

Average Injury .

. . . . 47.5

In 1943 it was decided to increase
slightly the concentration of both oil and
nicotine sulphate to determine whether a
higher and more uniform degree of con-
trol could be obtained than in the previous
year’s test. In addition to Union Mineral
Seal Oil two other types of low viscosity
oils were used — Imperial “Mentor 29”
(Vis. 45 to 55 S.S.U. 100°F., U.R. 90%)
and Shell “Helix” (Vis. 62 S.S.U. 100°
F., U.R. 77%). For the trial a block of
34 trees was selected situated on adjoin-
ing lots which in former days had been
part of a commercial orchard. It consisted
of 8 King, 6 Duchess, 8 Alexander, 2
Gravenstein, 1 Cox’s Orange, 2 Wealthy,

30

Ent. Soc. of British Columbia,; Proceedings, 1944, Vol. 41, Dec. 8, 1944

1 Winter Banana and 6 unidentified trees.
Alexander and five of the unidentified
trees proved to be non-susceptible varieties
or only slightly so. Several trees did not
bear fruit. Oil emulsion was increased to
2 Yz gallons (1.50% actual oil) and nico-
tine sulphate to 1% pint per 100 gallons.
Arsenate of lead 4% pounds per 100 gal-
lons was added as before. The time of ap-
plication was immediately after blossom
fall. Non-susceptible varieties and trees
which produced too small a crop are not
included in Table II.

TABLE II

Results of Spraying Experiment in 1943

Sprayed Trees

Variety Total Apples Per Cent Jnjury

2 Gravenstein 1269 0.17

4 Duchess 3420 0.43

6 King 1318 0.41

1 Wealthy 524 1.15

2 Unidentified 1112 0.90

Average Injury 0.61

Check Trees

1 Duchess . 1358 35.03

2 King 1537 41.48

1 Wealthy 704 72.57

Average Injury 49.69

Trial of Quassia-Soap Spray. — In
Europe the most common method for con-
trolling apple sawfly and plum sawfly is to
use a quassia spray with or without soap.
An attempt made at Victoria in 1942 fail-
ed owing to the solution being made too
weak. In 1943 a formula mentioned by
Thiem (1937) which was used successfully
against the plum sawfly, was tried with
good results against the apple sawfly on a
few trees in a city garden. The quassia
solution is prepared as follows: Soak 3
pound of quassia chips in 3 gallons of wat-
er for 24 hours and boil for 1 hour; then
add % pound of soap and dilute to 10
gallons. The spray was applied on May
1 8 to seven trees of different varieties con-
sisting of one each of Yellow Transparent,
Gravenstein, King, Greening and three
unidentified varieties. Examined one
month later, the most susceptible variety,

Gravenstein, showed 2.69 per cent sawfly
attack; the remainder were not attacked or
only slightly.

The degree of control obtained with
quassia-soap compares favourably with that
obtained with oil-nicotine sulphate and the
slightly lower percentage of clean fruit
obtained (97 per cent compared with 99
per cent) is probably not significant. One
disadvantage of the quassia spray is that it
is more troublesome to prepare than an oil-
nicotine spray. It is also twice as expen-
sive. The comparative costs of the two
sprays per 100 gallons for materials at
1942 prices are: oil-nicotine $2.66, quassia-
soap $5.78.

Conclusion. — The results of experi-
mental work conducted by the Victoria
laboratory have shown that a spray of sum-
mer oil emulsion combined with nicotine
sulphate gives very satisfactory control of
the apple sawfly. The best results were
obtained with light petroluem oil 55 to
65 S.S.U. viscosity emulsified with pow-
dered skim milk at the rate of 2% gallons
of emulsion to 100 gallons of water
(1.50% actual oil) and 1J4 pint nicotine
sulphate. No apparent difference in re-
results could be observed among the
three different brands of light petroleum
oil used. On sprayed trees rather more
than 99 per cent of all apples set
were free from sawfly attack, whereas un-
sprayed trees showed more than 49 per
cent loss and in one case 72 per cent. Only
one spray is necessary; this should be ap-
plied within a week after petal fall. High
pressure is not required in order to get re-
sults with this spray; in our trials a bucket
pump was used and good results are being
obtained by residents with pint-size hand
pumps. The principal requirement is to
see that the nozzle is held close to the
calyces and that none are missed. The ad-
dition of lead arsenate makes an excellent
combination spray which will rid the trees
of caterpillars and other biting insects.

Literature Cited

Downes, W. and H. Andison. 1942. The Apple sawfly Hoplocampa testudinea Klug. on Van-
couver Island, British Columbia. Proc. Ent. Soc. British Columbia 39: 13-16.

Thiem, H. 1937. The successful control of plum sawflies with quassia (trans. title) Kranke
Pflanze 14 (4): 59-65. (Abstract in Rev. App. Ent. (A) 25 (8): 465. 1937).

Ent. Soc. of British Columbia, Proceedings, 1944, Vol. 41, Dec. 8, 1944

31

DEVICES FOR CHARTING AND OBTAINING NATURALLY EMERGED
CATTLE WARBLES (Diptera: Oesfridae)1

J. D. Gregson and G. P. Holland
Livestock Insect Laboratory, Kamloops, B. C.

With the increased attention now being
paid to the problem of cattle warbles, and
the need for economy in the use of derris
and other rotenone-containing roots, which
provide the only known practical means
of control, it has been considered neces-
sary to reconsider the life-history and
ecology of these insects in order to fill
certain gaps in our knowledge.

Numerous questions have been asked:
What is the average length of time in-
volved from the first appearance of the
grubs in the backs of cattle to their natural
emergence? Will grubs that emerge in
the very early spring survive frosts? How
many degrees of frost will they tolerate?
If only one treatment can be given when
is the optimum time? What proportion of

1 Contribution No. 2314, Division of Entomology,
Science Service, Department of Agriculture, Ottawa,
Canada.

normally emerging grubs matures to flies
under natural conditions? Grubs may
emerge while cattle are in the barn, while
the animals are in the pasture, in a muddy
lane, in sunny or shady spots, on dry hard
ground, etc.; what are their chances of-
survival under these various circumstances?
Is the puparium subject to mould and
parasites? Are mice or birds factors in
control? How long will warble flies live?
How far can they fly? How good a cattle-
finding sense do they possess? These are
only some of the questions that require
answers.

In attempting to find the solutions to
these problems, certain difficulties have
been encountered. To overcome some of
these, two simple pieces of apparatus have
been devised, and are here described.

(1) A Method of Charting
Warbles (Fig. 1).

Most of our studies are
conducted on local dairy
herds. A row of cows is
chosen for warble devel-
opment studies and at in-
tervals of a week or so,
each animal is checked to
see how the grubs are pro-
gressing, and whether any
new ones have appeared.
As there may be as many
as 70 grubs in the back of
a single beast it was found
difficult to' locate a parti-
cular warble on successive
visits.

To obviate this, a mea-
suring stick was made.
This consists of a piece of
thin wood five feet long,
with a cross bar two feet
long fastened one foot
from the end. The long
stick is marked at two-

Fig. 1. — Warble Charter in Use.

32

Ent. Soc. of British Columbia, Proceedings, 1944, Vol. 41, Dec. 8, 1944

inch intervals with numbers from 1 to 30.
The cross bar is similarly marked but the
divisions are lettered A, B, C, D, etc., on
each arm.

The stick is placed with the long mem-
ber running along the animal’s vertebral
column, and with the cross piece exactly
even with the projecting pelvis (hook)
bones. The location of any grub may then
be expressed by a number and a letter- —
on the right side or the left — as. 8 A, 10C,
17D, and so on. Furthermore, an arbitrary
series of numbers from one to five indicates
the relative development of the grubs as
follows:

Size 1 — barely perceptible to small

2 — small to medium

3 — half to three-quarter grown

4 — mature and ready to emerge

5 — empty cysts.

Cards have been printed on which to
record these data. On one side is a square
chart representing the cow’s back, lettered
and numbered in the same manner as the
stick. On the other side there is space for
the date, locality, name of herd, row and
stall of the particular animal, its breed,
colour, age and other pertinent details.

Thus a complete seasonal record may be
kept for each animal, and the development
of each grub traced from first appearance
to maturity.

(2) A Device for Securing Natur-
ally Emerged Grubs (Fig. 2).

In experiments using adult flies, or in
determining the normal pupal period, it
is necessary to have numbers of naturally
emerged grubs. In 1943 rearing experi-
ments were conducted with mature grubs
that had been squeezed out very carefully
and gently by hand. Due to the unavoid-
able mechanical injury these grubs did not
survive. As it is impractical to follow a
cow around, waiting for a grub to fall
out of its back, some means of obtaining
uninjured grubs in fair numbers had to
be invented.

Officers of the United States Depart-
ment of Agriculture overcame the diffi-
culty by enveloping the body of the animals
with bagging; others have applied capsules
over individual warble cysts (Bishopp et
al., 1926). The first method is awkward,
and the capsules are apt to be scratched off.

Our apparatus consists of two canvas
pouches, twenty- four inches long and
three inches deep, one on each side of the
animal. The inner margins of the pouches
— those against the sides of the cow — are
reinforced by one-eighth inch spring steel
rods: the type used by upholsterers for
spring work was found to be most satis-
factory. At the ends of the pouches these
rods are turned up at right angles for
about three inches, then terminated in

Ent. Soc. of British Columbia, Proceedings, 1944, Vol. 41, Dec. 8, 1944

33

small loops to prevent them tearing out
of the canvas into which they are sewn.

The outer walls of the pouches con-
tinue up as flaps, and are tied together over
the animal’s back. These canvas pockets
are kept in place and are tightly com-
pressed against the animal to which they
are shaped by three webbing girdles, which
are cinched around the belly. Each of
these straps has an elastic insert on each
side to accommodate the cow’s size before
and after feeding. The girdles are ad-
justed by double ring buckles. As the
warbles emerge, they roll down from the

back and are caught in the pockets, from
which they may be removed daily, and set
aside for rearing.

Heavily infested, long-haired beef year-
lings proved ideal for our use; as many
as thirty-five grubs were collected from
five animals in one day under these cir-
cumstances. Tame animals are a great as-
set to success, for under the best of con-
ditions the harness receives rough treat-
ment. For this reason it should be con-
structed strongly, and sewn with linen
thread.

Literature Cited

Bishopp, F. C., E. W. Laake, H. M. Brundrett, and R. W. Wills. The Cattle Grubs or Ox
Warbles, their Biologies and Suggestions for Control. U. S. Dept. Agric. Bui. 1369,
April 1926.

THE EUROPEAN RED MITE IN THE OKANAGAN VALLEY
OF BRITISH COLUMBIA (Acarina)1

E. P. Venables

Dominion Entomological Laboratory, Vernon, B. C.

This paper records certain observations
regarding the economic importance of the
European red mite Paratetranychus filosus
(C. & F.) and the effect that control
measures may have upon the development
of infestations in the Okanagan Valley
of southern central British Columbia.

The potential importance of the
European red mite has frequently been
stated in terms of devitalization of the
foliage resulting in loss of leaves, reduc-
tion in size and colour of the fruit, and
failure on the part of the tree to produce
fruit buds. The extent to which the en-
tomologist is justified in leading the or-
chardist to expect such cumulative injury,
should depend upon observations made in
his own particular district over a period
of years, rather than upon reports from
other parts of the country or from obsolete
literature.

In infested irrigated orchards of the
Okanagan Valley, it is very doubtful if
defoliation ever occurs, although yellow-

1 Contribution No. 2326, Division of Entomology,
Science Service, Department of Agriculture, Ottawa,
Canada.

ing and bronzing of the leaves is com-
monly observed where the mites are numer-
ous. Trees in this condition may lose many
of their leaves following the application
of summer oil. In non-irrigated orchards
on the other hand, defoliation may be of
common occurrence as noted by New-
comer (1941) in Washington State. In-
festations in Eastern Canada and the
United States, where irrigation is not usual,
are also accompanied by loss of leaves and
other resulting symptoms. It is well known
that the development of many orchard
insects is profoundly influenced by cultural
practices and there can be little doubt that
irrigation has an important bearing upon
injuries resulting from the attack of mites
and scale insects.

The effect of foliage injury upon fruit
bud formation would depend upon the
stage of bud development when the mite
population reaches its height. In the Okan-
agan Valley, the fruit buds are usually
well developed by late June or early July.
Heavy mite infestations during May and
June would therefore be more liable to
reduce bud vitality than later infestations

34

Ent. Soc. of British Columbia, Proceedings, 1944, Vol. 41, Dec. 8, 1944

which would rather affect the colour and
size of the fruit. Irrigation during these
critical periods would of course, do much
to reduce such injuries.

The control of the pest has been the
subject of many experiments and the liter-
ature dealing with the efficiency of various
spray materials is extensive. In drawing
conclusions form such experiments, con-
sideration should be given to a number of
factors the action of which often renders
results conflicting and unreliable. Certain
spray materials are known to have a repres-
sive effect upon mite predators. Spray
residues on the foliage in some cases, are
believed to favour mite survival or render
predatory forms inactive. In the Okan-
agan Valley, it has been observed that in
certain orchards, where early sprays have
been applied each season for mite control,
the winter eggs frequently become suf-
ficiently numerous in the fall to call for a
repetition of control measures the follow-
ing season, whereas in adjoining unsprayed
orchards of the same variety, the mite
population has remained at a uniformly
low level from year to year.

Many years’ observations in orchards
throughout the Okanagan Valley have led
to the following suggestions regarding
the probable development of red mite in-
festations under local conditions. Dor-
mant oil sprays may be relied upon to des-
troy most of the winter eggs, but infesta-
tions frequently develop on such trees later
in the season and winter eggs may again
become numerous. The application of sum-
mer sprays early in the season whilst con-
trolling the mites for a comparatively
short period are frequently followed by
infestations in later summer. On trees
where early sprays are used, the foliage
remains green and affords an adequate
food supply upon which the surviving mites
increase and are able to deposit a normal
complement of winter eggs. Sprays ap-
plied at midsummer, when the mite popu-
lation is already declining may produce
spectacular results hut examination of un-
sprayed trees in such an orchard will often
show that the mites have already disap-
peared. Ross and Robinson (1922) ob-
served that depletion of the leaves may

be considered as a most important natural
check. It by no means follows that a heavy
deposition of winter eggs will result in a
mite outbreak and it has been often noticed
that infestations may become serious on
trees with relatively few winter eggs.

On unsprayed trees, foliage injury be-
gins early and gradually increases in sev-
erity. The leaves on such trees become
depleted and the food supply reduced,
which is no* doubt the cause of the pro-
gressive reduction of the mite population
so commonly seen in such orchards. This
condition may also result in the deposition
of winter eggs which, as suggested by
Cottier (1934) may be laid by a brood
suffering from the scarcity of food. Lack
of nourishment may also cause such eggs
to be infertile and they are also exposed
to the attack of predators for a consider-
ably longer period than those on trees pro-
tected by early sprays.

Observations in three orchards in which
the intensive mite control program, which
had been in force for several seasons, was
abandoned in 1941, have shown that whilst
the population in 1941 and 1942 was
negligible, a very heavy infestation of
winter eggs developed in the fall of 1943
and dormant oil was resorted to the fol-
lowing year. The season of 1944 was evi-
dently favorable to the mite and several or-
chards in different parts of the valley were
heavily infested, most of these had suffered
from mite attack in 1940 and 1941.

A more careful study of mite activity
on unsprayed check trees over a period of
years may be of more ultimate value than
laborious counts to show the comparative
killing qualities of various spray materials.
Much information could be gained by ar-
ranging with growers who apply mite con-
trol sprays to leave a few trees unsprayed.
Such treesw would represent conditions in
a variety of localities and should include
different varieties of apples. Systematic
examinations in a number of such orchards
might be of greater value than the present
method of confining observations to single
experimental blocks in one locality and
would also provide the grower’ with a
direct comparison by which to judge the
effect of his own control measures.

Ent. Soc. of British Columbia, Proceedings, 1944, Vol. 41, Dec. 8, 1944

35

Literature Cited

Cottier, W. 1934. The European red-mite in New Zealand (Paratetranychus pilosus Can.
and Fanz.). New Zealand Jour. Sci. Tech. 16 (1): 39-56 (Cited in Rev. Applied Ent.,
Ser. A., 22 (11): 657. November, 1934).

Newcomer, E. J. 1941. Orchard insects of the Pacific Northwest and their control. U.S, De-
partment Agric., Circ. 270.

Ross, W. A. and W. Robinson. 1922. Notes on the plum spider mite or European red mite.
52nd Ann. Rept. Ent. Soc. Ont. (1921): 33-42.

31n J^emortam

MAX HERMANN RUHMANN, 1880-1943

It is with deep regret that I record the
death of Max Hermann Ruhmann, Prov-
incial Entomologist of British Columbia,
which occurred on December 4, 1943 at
Tranquille, B.C. Having
known him from the
time of his arrival in the
Okanagan until his death,

I may claim the privilege
of a long and valued
friendship with one
whose attainments and
knowledge in the field of
Dur own particular science
was quite unique.

Max Ruhmann was
born on September 9,

1880 at Hzehoe, Hol-
stein, Germany. His early
years were spent in Hol-
land and in 1886 his
family moved to England
where he attended Clare-
mont House School,

Wateringbury, Kent.

Subsequently moving to
Ireland, he attended the
Harcourt Street High
School, and later studied
medicine at Trinity Col-
lege, both in Dublin. On
the outbreak of the South
African War he enlisted
in the British Army and
saw active service with a
noted cavalary regiment. In 1902 he re-
turned to Ireland but owing to severe at-
tacks of malaria, contracted abroad, de-
cided to abandon medicine and devote
himself to horticulture and it was at Glas-

nevin Botanical Gardens, then under the
direction of his friend Dr. W. Moore,
that he laid the foundation of the wide
knowledge in pathology and entomology

which became his life’s work. By that time
he had made plans to become a fruit
grower in British Columbia, and was al-
ready seriously interested in economic en-
tomology.

36

Ent. Soc. of British Columbia, Proceedings, 1944, Vol. 41, Dec. 8, 1944

He was married in 1904 and moved to
Canada in 1907, residing in the Kootenay
district until 1909 when he came to Ver-
non. For four years he worked on fruit
ranches to gain practical experience. Then
in August, 1912, he was appointed to the
Provincial agricultural staff as Assistant
Plant Pathologist and Entomologist, which
position he held until the separation of the
pathological and entomological work in
1918. He then became Assistant Entom-
logist. In 1935 he was appointed Provincial
Entomologist and held this office until his
retirement due to ill health in December,

1942.

It is as an extension entomologist that
Mr. Ruhmann will be particularly missed
by the farmers and fruit growers in all
parts of the Province. The many well ar-
ranged exhibits of injurious insects and
plant diseases which he prepared for agri-
cultural exhibitions were of great interest
and value, and it was this phase of his work
which caused him to be so widely known
and so constantly referred to on all mat-
ters in which the correct identification and
control of insect pests was concerned.
Max was a skilled photographer; we are
still using illustrations and lantern slides
prepared by him when the Provincial and

THE BEETLE MELANDRYA STRIATA IN BRIT-
ISH COLUMBIA (Coleoptera: Melandryidae) . Mel-

andrya striata Say, a shiny black beetle with striated
elytra, is common in the eastern United States, but
Carr’s Alberta record (1920. An annotated list of the
Coleoptera of northern Alberta; Alta. Nat. Hist. Soc.
[Red Deer] 8 p.) seems to be the only one from
the north-west. I took a male striata at Courtenay,
Vancouver Island, B.C., on July 14, 1931; it was
identified by Hugh B. Leech, who questioned the
locality. However, another male was found at Court-
enay on June 30, 1932. Both beetles are now in the
collection of the Department of Zoology, University
of British Columbia, Vancouver. Unfortunately, I did
not keep any record of habitat but according to the
literature, the species occurs under bark. There is
an illustration of M. striata in Blatchley’s Coleoptera
of Indiana, page 1296, fig, 572. — J. D. Gregson,
Kamloops, B.C.

EUCORETHRA UNDERWOODI AT SUMMER-
LAND, B.C. (Diptera: Culicidae). This chaoborid fly
has been recorded from 6 localities in British Colum-
bia by Hearle (1928. Ent. Soc. Brit. Col., Proc.
24: 17-18), but only one of these, Kaslo, is east of
the coast mountains. A female of underwoodi (det.
A. R. Brooks) was taken on the wing March 31, 1942,
beside Trout Creek, about 4 miles west of West Sum-
merland, at an elevation of 2,000 ft. above sea level.
Excellent figures of the larva and pupa of this species
are given by Johannsen (1934. Cornell Uni. Agric.
Exp. Sta., Memoir 164, fig. 158-164). — Hugh B.
Leech, Vernon, B.C.

Dominion Entomologists shared the same
rooms between 1919 and 1930.

The large and well arranged insect col-
lection housed in the Department office
at Vernon was almost entirely the result
of his efforts, and bears witness to his
painstaking skill. Mr. Ruhmann’s personal
library included a most complete collection
of books and pamphlets, dealing with all
phases of entomology, the bulk of which
he bequeathed to the University of British
Columbia at Vancouver. His attainments
as a linguist enabled him to keep abreast
of entomological research in various coun-
tries and here again, his help in translating
and abstracting foreign literature was
freely given to all. The most generous of
men, one who in the goodness of his heart
was always ready to give practical help
and advice in matters which often covered
a range quite outside of the entomological
field, and whose personal interest were al-
ways held subordinate to those of his
friends in all matters, professional or
otherwise, he will be sadly missed.

He is survived by his parents, Mr. and
Mrs. W. N. Ruhmann of Vernon, B.C.,
a son William of Portland, Oregon, and
a daughter, Mrs. G. E. Clark of Vernon.

E. P. Venables

THE FLEA BEETLE ORESTIOIDES ROBUSTA IN
BRITISH COLUMBIA (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) .

In 1935 M. H. Hatch recorded robusta LeConte from
three localities in the State of Washington, two of
them at elevations a little above 5,000 feet (Ent. News
46 (10) : 276-278). Two specimens in the Hopping
collection carry the following labels: “Midday Val.,
Merritt, B.C., 3. VII. 1924, K. F. Auden” [Det. F. E.
Blaisdeil, Sr.] ; “Grouse Mt., 4,000 ft., Vancouver,

B. C., 7. VI. 1931 H. B. Leech” [teste H. C. Fall]”.—
Hugh B. Leech, Vernon, B.C.

CAMPYLENCHIA LATIPES ON ASTER (Homop-
tera: Membracidae) . W. Downes has thrice recorded

C. iatipes Say in this journal (12: 14; 14: 18-19;
23: 16), reporting it from Vernon and Penticton, B.C.,
on willow and goldenrod. On August 4, 1944, I found
a colony of adults on wild aster, Aster multiflorus Ait.,
at Vernon. Despite the hot weather the hoppers were
inactive and made no attempt to elude capture. —
Hugh B. Leech, Vernon, B.C.

THE BUG CORYTHUCHA PADI ON BRACKEN
FERN. (Hemiptera: Tingidae). On September 29,

1943. near Needles, B.C., adults of C. padi Drake
were found in numbers on the underside of the fronds
of brake, Pteris aquilina var. lanuginosa Bong. The
bugs were feeding, and not readily dislodged. Speci-
mens were identified with the aid of Downes’ key to
the British Columbian species (Ent. Soc. B.C., Proc.
22: 12-19, 9 figs. 1925), and later verified by Mr.
Downes, who said that bracken had not been recorded
as a host. — Hugh B. Leech, Vernon, B.C.

DIRECTORS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY
OF BRITISH COLUMBIA

Honorary President

President

Vice-President (Coast)

Vice-President (Interior)

Hon. Secretary-Treasurer
Hon. Auditor

Advisory Board

Editorial Board

The Proceedings of the Entomological Society of British
Columbia is published annually. Individual volumes may be had
for 50c. Special rates on sets. Address Secretary-Treasurer, En-
tomological Society of British Columbia, Box 308, Vernon, B.C.

NEW MEMBERS

A List of Members, as of May, 1943, was printed
on the inside cover of Vol. 40. The following new
members were elected at the Annual Meeting of Feb-
ruary 26, 1944.

Barss, A. F. — Department of Horticulture, University
of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C.

Braucher, R. S. — 316 Orange St., Riverside, Calif.

Francis, Joseph — Pennsylvania Salt. Co., Tacoma,
Wash.

Littooey, Edward — 2598 Taylor St., San Francisco,
Calif.

Mac Bean, Geo. — 937 W. 17th Ave., Vancouver,
B.C.

Smith, Gordon Stace — Creston, B.C,

Taylor, S. E. — 1624 W. 3rd Ave., Vancouver, B.C.

Turnbull, W. H. — Provincial Horticultural Office,
Vernon, B.C.

Associate Member

Levey, Archie — Kamloops, B.C,

H. R. Foxlee

J. R. J. Llewellyn Jones

H. F. Olds

E. P. Venables

G. R. Hopping

J. W. Eastham

M. L. Prebble
H. B. Leech
* W. Downes
G. J. Spencer
_ G. A. Hardy

f H. B. Leech
j W. Downes
L G. P. Holland

■ ; ,v.: I '

* -.4 / <{i ;, ;,, \

1

PROCEEDINGS

of the

ENTOMOLOGICAL
— SOCIETY of —
BRITISH COLUMBIA

Volume 42. Issued December 8, 1 945

Page

Hopping — The Lodgepole Pine Needle Miner in the Canadian
Rocky Mountain Parks (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae) 1

Hardy — Notes on the Life History of the Vapourer Moth ( No -
tolophus antiqua badia) on Vancouver Island (Lepidop-
tera, Liparidae) 3

Buckell & Spencer — A Preliminary List of the Flesh Flies of
British Columbia (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) 6

Turnbull — History of the Use of Bee Repellents in Orchard
Sprays in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia 7

Foxlee — A Preliminary List of the Heterocera of the Nelson-
Robson-Traii District of British Columbia (Insecta: Le-
pidoptera) 9

Spencer — Mental Insect Attacks 15

Hopping — A New Subspecies of Monochamus notatus (Coleop-
tera: Cerambycidae) 17

Spencer — On the Incidence, Density and Decline of Certain
Insects in British Columbia 19

Jones — Presidential Address. [Common Names for Insect
Species] 24

In Mkmoriam — Abdiel William Hanham 27

Scientific Notes 2, 8, 14, 16, 18, 23, 26, 28

Recent Literature Inside, Front Cover

New Members

28

DIRECTORS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY
OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
1945-1946

Honorary President

W. Downes, Entomological Lab., Victoria, B.C.

President

J. R. J. Llewellyn Jones, Cobble Hill, B.C.

V ice-President ( C oast )

M. H. Hatch, University of Washington, Seattle, Wash.

Vice-President ( Interior )

E. P. Venables, Vernon, B.C.

Hon. Secretary-Treasurer

H. B. Leech, Vernon, B.C.

Hon. Auditor

J. W. Eastham, Court House, Vancouver, B.C.

Advisory Board

H. B. Leech, Vernon, B.C. G. P. Holland, Kamloops, B.C.

G. R. Hopping, Vernon, B.C. E. R. Buckell, Kamloops, B.C.

M. L. Prebble, Sault St. Marie, Ont.

RECENT LITERATURE

AN ANNOTATED LIST OF THE SCOLYTOIDEA OF
WASHINGTON. By Gordon K. Patterson and Mel-
ville H. Hatch. University of Washington (Seattle)
Publications in Biology, 10 (4) :145-156 (p. 146, 155
and 156 are blank). February, 1945. Price 20 cents. —
An introduction names the collections and unpub-
lished files studied, and mentions the important liter-
ature. Ninety-eight species of Scolytoidea (bark
beetles) are listed, with localities and in most cases
the host trees. Anisandrus py'ri Peck, is discussed at
length.

FIELD CROP INSECTS IN THE PRAIRIE PROV-
INCES. Bulletin No. 5, published by Line Elevators
Farm Service, 763 Grain Exchange Bldg., Winnipeg,
Man., 64 p., 33 figs., 2 col. plates, (p. 2 is blank).
March, 1945. — This is an excellent handbook, well
written and illustrated, with many fine photographs
by R. D. Bird. It is “distributed free of charge to
farmers and rural schools in Manitoba; Saskatchewan;
Alberta; and Peace River Block, British Columbia.”
The text, except perhaps for the introduction, is by
specialists in the laboratories of the Division of En-
tomology, Science Service, Dominion Department of
Agriculture and in the Department of Entomology,
University of Manitoba. The insects are arranged by
orders, and for each species the recognition char-
acters, life history and habits, and control are dis-
cussed. Over 50% of the pests discussed occur also
in British Columbia, so the booklet should be of gen-
eral interest. Note the list of sponsors on the back
cover. Copies may be obtained from Line Elevators
Farm Service, 503 Herald Building, Calgary, Alta.

A SOURCE-BOOK OF BIOLOGICAL NAMES AND
TERMS. — By Edmund C. Jaeger, xvi+256 p., 94 text
figs. American ed. by Charles C. Thomas, 220 E. Mon-
roe St., Springfield, 111., (pub. simultaneously in Can-
ada by the Ryerson Press, Toronto) 1944. $3.50. —
Here is a fine book for those who like to know the
literal meanings of the scientific biological names and
terms they use or read; fully 12,000 are alphabetically
listed, usually with one or more examples. The intro-
ductory portion contains sections on “How words are
built”, “Types of names considered”, “Translitera-
tion”, and “concerning Greek prefixes.” Taxonomists
will be interested in p. xiii-xxii, in which are quoted
T. S. Palmer’s lucid and comprehensive statements on
the word-formation of generic names (from Index
Generum Mammalium. 1904). For those who wish to
propose new scientific names, a useful companion vol-
ume would be Roland W. Brown’s MATERIALS FOR
WORD-STUDY, 234 p. Van Dyck & Co. Inc., New
Haven, Conn. 1927. $1.15.

CHECKLIST OF THE COLEOPTEROUS INSECTS OF
MEXICO, CENTRAL AMERICA, THE WEST INDIES
AND SOUTH AMERICA. By Richard E. Blackwelder.
Smithsonian Institution (U.S. Nat. Museum) Bui. 185.
For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S.
Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. — Part 3,
comprising pages iv-f~ 343-550, has been issued. Like
Part 2 it continues the suborder Polyphaga; species of
the families from Lycidae to Tenebrionidae and Cisidae
are treated. Price 45 cents.

PROCEEDINGS

of the

ENTOMOLOGICAL
— SOCIETY of —
BRITISH COLUMBIA

Volume 42. Issued December 8, 1 945

Page

Hopping — The Lodgepole Pine Needle Miner in the Canadian
Rocky Mountain Parks (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae) . . . . . . 1

Hardy — Notes on the Life History of the Vapourer Moth (No-
tolophus antiqua baclia) on Vancouver Island (Lepidop-

tera, Liparidae) .- 3

Buckell & Spencer — A Preliminary List of the Flesh Flies of
British Columbia (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) 6

Turnbull — History of the Use of Bee Repellents in Orchard
Sprays in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia 7

Foxlee — A Preliminary List of the Heterocera of the Nelson-
Robson-Trail District of British Columbia (Insecta: Le-
pidoptera) 9

Spencer — Mental Insect Attacks 15

Hopping — A New Subspecies of Monochamus notatus (Coleop-
tera: Cerambycidae) 17

Spencer — On the Incidence, Density and Decline of Certain
Insects in British Columbia 19

Jones — Presidential Address. [Common Names for Insect
Species] 24

In Memoriam — Abdiel William Hanham 27

Scientific Notes . 2, 8, 14, 16, 18, 23, 26, 28

Recent Literature Inside, Front Cover

New Members

28

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1945), Vol. 42, Dec. 8, 1945

DEDICATED TO RESEARCH

RECENTLY this doorway to the
. Whitemarsh Research Laborator-
ies officially opened, and the new home
of Penn Salt’s Research and Develop-
ment Department was formally ded-
icated.

Here will be continued the important
work of Penn Salt’s rapidly growing
staff of chemists, engineers and other
technologists. With greatly enlarged
facilities, they will be well-equipped to

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Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1945), Vol. 42, Dec. 8, 1945

1

THE LODGEPOLE PINE NEEDLE MINER IN THE CANADIAN ROCKY
MOUNTAIN PARKS (Lepidopfera, Gelechiidae) 1

Geo. R. Hopping
Vernon, B.C.

The needle miner (Recurvaria milleri
Busck)2 attacks lodgepole pine (Finns con-
torta Douglas) and Jeffrey pine (Pinus
jeffreyi Greville and Balfour). An out-
break in lodgepole pine was noted as early
as 1903 in Yosemite Park, Calif., where
large areas were affected (Patterson, 1921).
This infestation has continued in varying
intensity up to the present time. Many trees
have been killed by repeated defoliation
and many others have been badly disfig-
ured. This miner has also been recorded
from the Deschutes National Forest in
Oregon (Doane, Van Dyke, Chamberlin
and Burke, 1936).

In Canada, a heavy infestation was
first noticed by park wardens in early June
of 1942 in Banff National Park, Alberta.
Over large areas lodgepole pine com-
menced to turn reddish-yellow in a band
on the slopes between the 5,000 and 6,500
foot elevations. This was in the midst of
a bark beetle control area and the wardens
at first thought it was a terrific increase in
bark beetle attack. In 1942, intensive in-
festation occurred on nearly all slopes on
the south side of the Bow River from Ver-
milion Pass eastward to Brewster Creek.
On the north side of the Bow Valley dis-
coloration was evident from Johnston
Canyon, westward to Castle Mountain. A
small area was also affected near Lake
Louise, Alta. By 1944, the area severely
affected was extended westward into Yoho
Park in the vicinity of Wapta Lake, B. C.,
and from Vermilion Pass southward into
Kootenay Park for a distance of eight to
ten miles. A few specimens were also col-
lected in the Sunwapta district of Jasper
National Park, Alta., but no outbreaks
have been reported from this locality.

Although the first outbreak was known
in 1903, eleven years passed before the

1 Contribution No. 2345, Division of Entomology,
Science Service, Department of Agriculture, Ottawa,
Ont.

2 This determination was not made by a specialist
in the group, but was made by the writer after check-
ing specimens with the description (Busck 1914).

moth was described (Busck, 1914). It is
a small grayish moth with a wing expanse
of 12 to 14 mm. The head, fore-wings
and thorax are silvery gray, irregularly
sprinkled with black scales. The front of
the head is silvery-white, the antennae gray
and black annulated. The abdomen is
mainly silvery-white, the legs more or less
barred with black.

Not all details of the life-history have
been observed at Banff, but the general de-
velopment follows that described by Pat-
terson (1921). The moths appear in al-
ternate years: in the odd-numbered years
in Yosemite and in the even-numbered
years in Banff. In 1942 the peak of moth
emergence/ occurred between July 19 and
24. By July 26 over 60% of the pupae
had produced adults. At that time, the
jarring of a young tree produced a swarm
of the tiny moths like a halo about the
crown.

The eggs are deposited usually at the
bases of the current year’s needles and are
generally concealed beneath the needle
sheaths. The eggs hatch in from twelve
to fourteen days. The emergence of the
larvae continues from early August to
about September 10.

The young larva enters a needle of the
current year’s growth and about one-third
of this needle is mined the first year be-
fore activity ceases for the winter. Feed-
ing is resumed in early spring of the fol-
lowing year. After mining about two-
thirds of the , original needle, the larva
moves to a needle of the new growth dur-
ing August. By the end of the second year
about one-half of this needle has been
mined and the larva settles down for an-
other winter. In the following spring the
mining of this needle is completed and the
larva goes to another needle of the same
year’s growth. After mining this one, it
pupates in the gallery. In years of moth
emergence the discolouration of the foli-
age is more pronounced due to the mining
of two needles of the same year’s growth

2

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1945), Vol. 42, Dec. 8, 1945

by each larva. This practically disappears
by the end of September because by then
most of the old mined needles have fallen
and the mines made by the young larvae
in the new growth are too small to cause
noticeable browning.

In intensified form the outbreak has
been in progress for four years, 1942 and
1944 being the moth flight years. Thus
far, the recovery of the trees has been
satisfactory except on a small area near
Lake Louise, where a few of the older
trees appeared to be dying when examined
in September, 1944. It is probable that
older trees are less able to withstand the
miner attack than young stands. In one
mature stand on Brewster Creek, the
needle miner attack appears to have com-
plicated the bark beetle control work. The
weakening of these trees seems to have
attracted beetles from surrounding areas

less affected by the miner. Consequently,
it has been necessary to cruise and burn
beetle-infested trees on the Brewster area
on three successive years, while other areas
required only two treatments.

At the present time it is impossible to
predict what the final outcome of this in-
festation by the needle miner will be. If
it should continue for another four years,
mortality in mature stands probably would
become severe. Fortunately, young repro-
duction occupies much of the affected
area. A more serious consideration is the
possibility of bark beetle attack on the ma-
ture trees weakened by the miner. As yet
there is no indication of any material de-
crease in the needle-miner population.
Several species of parasites have been re-
covered, but examination of over 12,000
needles showed parasitism to be less than
20%.

Literature Cited

Busck, A. 1914. Descriptions of new microlepidoptera of forest trees. Ent. Soc. Washington,
Proc. 16, p. 144.

Boane, R. W., E. C. Van Dyke, W. J. Chamberlin and H. E. Burke. 1936. Forest Insects,
McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York and London, P. 303-304.

Patterson, J. E. 1921. Life history of Recurvaria milleri, the lodgepole pine needleminer in
the Yosemite National Park, California, Jour. Agric. Res 21 (3) : 127-142.

POPULATION COUNTS OF POTATO FLEA BEET-
LES AT AGASSIZ AND CHILLIWACK, B.C. (Cole-
optera: Chrysomelidae) . — During the course of studies
of the new tuber flea beetle, Epitrix tuberis Gentner
in the lower Fraser valley, a remarkable diminution
in numbers of the common western potato flea beetle,
Epitrix subcrinita (LeConte) has been noted. Popula-
tion counts of adults on potato foliage have been
made each season since 1941 by means of sweeping,
the beetles being then killed , and counted in connec-
tion with our life history studies.

In 1941 75 per cent of those taken were subcrin-
ita. In 1942 subcrinita out-numbered tuberis until
June, after which the numbers were about equal. In
1943 the subcrinita collected in our sweepings were
less than 10% of the total at any time throughout
the season, and were usually so few that they were
disregarded in our population estimates. In 1944 sub-
crinta was even scarcer and although it emerges from
hibernation from two to three weeks earlier than
tuberis, it was not collected in appreciable numbers
even in May, before tuberis appears in any numbers,
and throughout the season formed less than 1% of
the beetle population at any time. These population
counts were made both at Agassiz and Chilliwack,
and the same conditions were found in both districts.

Although this reduction in numbers of subcrinita
might be due to a natural cyclical phase, pressure of
population by the great increase of tuberis in these
years may be responsible, though it is difficult to see
in what way one species could interfere with the
other except during copulation. Parasitism is negligible
in either species. — R. Glenndenning, Agassiz, B.C.

EROS THORACICUS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA (Cole-
optera: Lycidae). — On July 6, 1934, I took a specimen
of E. thoracicus (Rand) at Fernie, B.C., on herbage
along the bank of the Elk River. W. J. Brown, who
identified the specimen, advises me that G. S. Walley
found a specimen at Likely, B.C., on July -7, 1938. —
Hugh B. Leech.

THE WATER BEETLE AGABUS GRISEIPENNIS IN
OREGON Coleoptera, Dytiscidae). — H. C. Fall in his
revision of Agabus listed A. griseipennis LeConte as
inhabiting the Rock Mountain and Plateau region.
Localities were cited in Wyoming, Montana, New
Mexico, Nevada and California (Owens Lake). C. W.
Leng in his checklist of Coleoptera noted it from
Nebraska and California. H. B. Leech (1942 Canad.
Ent. 74(7) :131, fig 11) added Utah: Far West;
Skull Valley; Provo; California: Lone Pine, Inyo Co.;
Bodie, Mono Co. At the same time he questioned the
accuracy of the Montana determinations. I have two
specimens (det. Leech) from Burns, Harney Co.,
Oregon, taken June 26, 1941, from a roadside ditch.
This is a new record for the state and one I deem
worthy of note. — Kenneth M. Fender, McMinnville,
Ore.

APHODIUS ALTERNATUS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA
(Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) . — On April 19, 1942, a
specimen of the pretty, vittate Aphodius alternatus
Horn (det. W. J. Brown) was found floating in a
small pond on top of the Birney range, about a mile
south of Vernon. Though dead, the beetle was fresh
and in good condition; cattle were numerous in the
vicinity, and several species of dung-inhabiting Apho-
dius were in flight at the time. — Hugh B. Leech.

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1945), Vol. 42, Dec. 8, 1945

3

NOTES ON THE LIFE HISTORY OF THE VAPOURER MOTH
( NOTOLOPHUS ANTIQUA BADIA) ON VANCOUVER ISLAND
(Lepidoptera, Liparidae)

George A. Hardy
Provincial Museum, Victoria, B.C.

Introduction. — "The swiftly erratic
gyrations of N otolophus antiqua badia Hy.
Edw. have been abundantly evident to the
most casual observer in Victoria during the
autumn of 1944. While personal investi-
gations were confined to the grounds of the
Legislative Buildings and the Empress Ho-
tel, the moths were reported to be equally
common throughout the city and suburbs
as well as at up-island points.

Considering the extraordinarily large
numbers of the male adults it is remark-
able that no prognostication of their ap-
pearance in the Victoria area was indicated
by the presence of the larvae earlier in the
year, which by all the signs should have
amounted to a small plague at least. After
a search in likely places, about a dozen
cocoons of females were obtained, each
with its batch of eggs, but not one from
which a male could have emerged.

The Moth. — The vapourer moth is a
member of the family Liparidae to which
belong such notorious species as the gypsy
and satin moths. It is of wide distribution
and was originally described by Linnaeus
in 1758 as antiqua from Europe. The Am-
erican species was known by this name
until in 1874 Hy. Edwards designated the
western representative as the race badia .

The vapourer is a small brown moth
with a conspicuous white dot on each of
the forewings; the middle third of the
latter has a lighter band of bay-brown,
while the under side of the forewings and
both surfaces of the hindwings are of an
ochreous-brown colour. As already intim-
ated the flight is very erratic, and it is about
as easy to catch as a windblown leaf on a
gusty day. It alights as unpredictablv as
is its course in flight; suddenly dodging up
to the underside of a leaf where it reposes
with wings held flat, the forewings con-
cealing the hind pair in such a manner
as to give a triangular outline to the rest-
ing moth. The long hairy fore-legs from

which the insect will sometimes alone de-
pend, simulating a withered leaf, are ex-
tended straight out in front. The males
were ' flying during the end of August
reaching their maximum number in Sep-
tember and finally dwindling to zero by
the end of October.

No females were seen at large. The fe-
male averages 12 mm. in length and 5 mm.
in width with the vestigial fore and hind
wings measuring 3 and 1 mm. respectively.
These are flattened sacs, like the collapsed
finger of a glove; they, together with the
rest of the body are clothed with fine hairs.
In shape the newly emerged female res-
embles a fat grey grub tapering equally at
each end and with a lateral band of pale
yellow dividing the grey upper and lower
surface. The eyes are well developed, an-
tennae relatively short and mouthparts ru-
dimentary. She does not move from the
fabric of the cocoon but holds her body at
about an angle of 45 degrees until fertil-
ized; the dark chitin-tipped genitalia pul-
sates rhythmically in telescopic action. Egg-
laying begins immediately after copula-
tion. Firmly grasping a portion of the co-
coon with her legs and using this as the
centre of an arc the eggs are deposited in
orderly fashion, the forceps-like ovipositor
carefully exploring the place for each egg,
feeling out the angle between two other
eggs, never laying them off the fabric of
the cocoon. When all the space within
reach of her ovipositor is covered with the
eggs in a single layer, she moves ahead or
around the cocoon, anchors herself again
and continues until all the eggs are laid.
The egg-laying accomplished, she lingers
on for a few days and dies without ever
leaving the surface of the cocoon.

Eggs were laid at intervals of from 5
to 30 seconds, much depending on how
promptly the ovipositor found the exact
spot for deposition. In one case 90 eggs
were laid within two hours after mating.

4

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1945), Vol. 42, Dec. 8, 1945

What with changing position and an oc-
casional rest the complete batch of from
225 to 300 eggs was disposed of in 4 or 5
hours. The batch is not covered with froth
or scales as in some species that lay over-
wintering eggs.

The Egg. — The egg is shaped some-
what like a squat barrel, flattened above
and below, smooth in texture and of a
light beige colour with a central dot and
shoulder ring of a darker shade. When
first laid it is a pale jade-green, assuming
its final colour almost immediately after,
in 4 or 5 seconds.

The eggs from which this life-history
was worked out were collected at large in
September and kept at ordinary room tem-
perature, where they hatched and the lar-
vae were reared. Ova under observation in
natural out-door conditions do not hatch
nor are expected to until spring-time vege-
tation is available.

The Larva. — The caterpillars were
reared on various species of rose, the leaves
of R. nutkana being relished most. Al-
though the food plant was past its prime
and at times difficult to obtain, individuals
came through their metamorphosis in per-
fect condition.

(1) First Instar. — Eggs hatched on No-
vember 6th. Length about 2 mm. when
first emerged increasing to about 5 mm.
as growth proceded. The general colour
is a translucent blackish in the initial
phase. Towards the end of this instar the
three thoracic and the fifth abdominal seg-
ments assume a much lighter shade. The
whole body is covered with long black
hairs, as long as, or longer than the body.
The larvae are very active, crawling rap-
idly and dropping readily at the slightest
touch, supported by a silken thread which
serves the double purpose of breaking their
fall and as a guide to regain their original
position. The first meal is made of the
greater part of the egg-shell.

(2) Second Instar. — First moult Novem-
ber 21st. Length about 6 mm. Apart from
size the most marked development at this
stage is the intensification of the light col-
oured segments to a pale yellowish tinge
and the appearance on each of the dorsal

surfaces of the sixth and seventh abdomin-
al segments of an orange-coloured gland.

(3) Third Instar. — Second moult De-
cember 6th. Length about 10 mm. In ad-
dition to the uniform black hairs covering
the body of the preceeding instars the char-
acteristic tufts now make their appearance.
Two pencil-like ones on first thoracic di-
rected forward, one of the same kind on
the eighth abdominal pointing backward,
all of black hairs. On the first and second
abdominal segments the thick shaving-
brush-like tufts or tussocks appear in black,
while similar though shorter ones adorn
each of the third and fourth abdominals
but are of a white or greyish colour. Or-
ange tubercles as before.

(4) Fourth Instar. — Third moult Decem-
ber 11th. Length about 15 mm. Approach-
ing maturity is accompanied by an increas-
ing intensity of colour and perfection of
structural detail. The most conspicuous
change is in the four tussocks which are
now equal in size and of shades of yellow
varying from gold to lemon. Most of the
body hairs are of a yellowish grey colour.

(5) Full-Grown Larva.— Length 27

mm. The head is a shining jet black, the
general colour a smoky drab; a broad dor-
sal stripe is velvet black edged with brok-
en lines of yellow; the thoracic and fifth
abdominal has a further spotting of yel-
low. The spiracles are black with a whitish
dot just to one side of them. Until examin-
ed closely this dot could be mistaken for
the spiracle itself. The body hairs grow
from little raised pads, eight pads to a seg-
ment, two above and two below the spir-
acular line on each side; that immediately
above is of an orange colour, the remaind-
er are dusky. The longer central hairs of
each pad are black, the rest yellowish.

All the hairs are barbed; on the long
body hairs the barbs are short and dispersed
over the greater part of their length; on
the hairs of the dorsal tufts the barbs are
longer and more closely disposed; while
on the hairs composing the anterior and
posterior “pencils” the barbs are arranged
in such a manner as to give a spatulate out-
line to the tip of each hair.

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1945), Yol. 42, Dec. 8, 1945

5

The tubercles of the repugn A to ry glands
are thin-walled evaginations of the body
wall, thicker on the sides but very thin and
membranous at the apex. They are distend-
ed by an influx of the body fluid through
which the regular pulsations of the heart
action can be observed. When alarmed the
larva flips up the posterior segments, the
tops of the glands collapse and are drawn
down below the thicker side walls. In a
few seconds they are re-distended. No
spray could be seen, but the very moist ap-
pearance of the outer surface suggests a
slight exudation of fluid that may serve
some defensive purpose.

The caterpillars are not gregarious, but
go their own independent ways. The rest-
lessness of the newly hatched larvae sug-
gests that this habit ensures a rapid dis-
persal away from the nursery and each
other.

The Cocoon. — -The cocoon is fashion-
ed in the angle of a projecting ledge or
coping or in the crevice of rough bark;
sometimes among the twigs of bushes. It
is a light transparent structure; the greyish
silk being tinged with yellowish from the
incorporation into its mesh of the larval
hairs. This admixture of hairs is accidental
as far as the larva is concerned and is the
result of much twisting and turning dur-
ing the process of cocoon making, further
aided mechanically by the barbed nature
of the hairs themselves. About two days
elapsed between the beginning of the co-
coon and the assumption of the pupal garb.

The Pupa. — First pupation December
22nd. The pupa averages 10 mm. by 4
mm. in the male, 10 by 5 in the female,
with wing sheaths in proportion. It is a
shining jet black in colour, sparsely grey-
ish hirsute on the dorsal surface. In addi-
tion the dorsum of the first three abdom-
inal segments has a small dense patch of
short greyish scale-like hairs.

The first imago, a male, emerged on
January 18th; from then on emergences
continued until all had completed their
metamorphosis by February 1st, 1945.
The proportion of the sexes was about
equal.

Summary. — The eggs are normally

laid during the early autumn months, re-
maining dormant until the following
spring. A batch of ova brought indoors un-
der the influence of the higher tempera-
ture prevailing there hatched on Novem-
ber 6th. The larvae were fed on the
leaves of Rosa nutkana , completing their
metamorphosis in 70 days in one case,
averaging 78 days for those reared through
to the perfect insect.

The time required to complete each
stage was observed in one case to be as
follows: First instar, 15 days; second in-
star, 14 days; third instar, 6 days; fourth
instar, 10 days; pupal stage, 25 days.

A great variation in the rate of develop-
ment was evident, especially in the early
stages. While all the eggs hatched in two
days there was a spread of 23 days between
the first and last date of pupation. On the
other hand only 13 days elapsed between
the first and last emergences of the im-
agines.

Conclusions. — The possibilities of this
species becoming a serious pest could only
become a fact in the absence of an active
and persistent check such as appears to be
the case from the known parasitic infesta-
tion. Some such reason may account for its
abnormal abundance in 1944.

The number of eggs in a batch is suf-
ficient to quickly populate any given area
with larvae. Old egg masses examined
showed a 100 -per cent viability. Hence
the means of rapid increase are present;
it only needs a plentiful food supply, mild
weather and freedom from parasites or
disease to enable their number to reach
nuisance-proportions.

Later Note. — -In the field, -ova hatch-
ed on May 25, 1945. Thereafter the
larvae were kept in confinement in a cool
room. The first adult emerged July 24
making a total period of 60 days to com-
plete the metamorphosis as against 7 1 days
for the first emergence in the material
reared last fall. In addition an extra instar
appeared with the full fed larva measur-
ing 35 mm., as against 27 mm. in the
former lot; apart from size there was no
radical change in appearance.

Evidently the fresh young rose leaves

6

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1945), Vol. 42, Dec. 8, 1945

with their higher nutritive qualities as
compared with the old faded leaves of the
fall and early winter not only provided
the means of quicker growth but a short-
ening of the time to complete develop-
ment. Milder temperature also has some
influence for the pupal period was 1 1 days

as against 25 days in the fall rearing.

A condensed summary of the changes
from egg to adult in the spring and sum-
mer is as follows: First instar, 5 days;
second instar, 9 days; third instar, 7 days;
fourth instar, 15 days; fifth instar, 13
days; pupation, 11 days; total, 60 days.

A PRELIMINARY LIST OF THE FLESH FLIES OF BRITISH COLUMBIA

(Diptera: Sarcophagidae)

E. R. Buckell and G. J. Spencer
Dominion Entomological Laboratory, Kamloops, B.C.

In the course of efforts to unravel the
problems of natural control factors of
grasshoppers, it was necessary to rear
sarcophagid maggots that were killing
hoppers and to make field collections of
the flies. A paper on these flies is in course
of preparation, but in the meantime it
seems advisable to record the species that
have been captured and those that have
been reared from their acridiid hosts in
the Chilcotin, near Lytton, and on the
Lac du Bois ranges at Kamloops. The
nomenclature is according to Aldrich’s
Monograph “Sarcophaga and Allies”,
Thomas Say Foundation, 1916, brought
up-to-date through the kindness of Dr. A.
R. Brooks, Division of Entomology, Ot-
tawa.

^Indicates species recorded in literature as parasites
of grasshoppers in North America.'
tlndicates species reared in this Province from

Melanoplus mexicanus mexicanus Saus.

W ohlfahrtia meigenii Schiner
* A gria a finis Fallen
Sarcofahrtia ravinia Parker
‘ \Sarcofhaga sinuata Meigen
Sarcofhaga latisterna Parker
* Sarcophaga atlanis Aldrich
f Sarcophaga hunteri Plough
■ \Sarcophaga ofifera Coquillet
^Sarcofhaga caridei Brethes
f Sarcofhaga f alcif ormis Aldrich
f Blaesoxifhotheca coloradensis (Aldrich)

Sarcofhaga eleodis Aldrich
t Acridiofhaga aculeata (Aldrich)
t Acridiofhaga aculeata var. gavia (Al-
drich)

t Acridiofhaga aculeata var. taediosa (Al-
drich)

f Sarcofhaga reversa Aldrich
t Sarcofhaga rafax Walker
j Sarcofhaga tuber osa var. harfax Pandelle
t Sarcofhaga tuber os a var. sarracenioides
Aldrich

f Sarcofhaga tuber osa var. exuberans Pan-
delle

Sarcofhaga sulculata Aldrich
Sarcofhaga bullata Parker
Sarcofhaga nearctica Parker
Sarcofhaga flanifrons Aldrich
Sarcofhaga Iherminieri R.-D.

Sarcofhaga insurgens Aldrich
t Sarcofhaga kelly i Aldrich

A large number of female flies which
key out to the aculeata triplet has been
reared from maggots emerging from
grasshoppers; without males it is impos-
sible to assign them to a variety: males
have been reared only of S. aculeata. Fe-
male flies of the species Sarcofhaga flani-
frons and S. Iherminieri have been fre-
quently captured, pursuing flying grasshop-
pers and apparently larvipositing on them;
it is possible that they also will prove to be
parasites of these insects.

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1945), Vol. 42, Dec. 8, 1945

7

HISTORY OF THE USE OF BEE REPELLENTS IN ORCHARD SPRAYS IN
THE OKANAGAN VALLEY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA

W. H. Turnbull
Inspector of Apiaries, Vernon, B.C.

The Okanagan Valley of central south-
ern British Columbia is essentially a fruit-
growing area; with abundance of native
honey plants, orchard blossom and legum-
inous cover crops, it is well adapted to .
bee-keeping. There are some 24,535 acres
of bearing orchard and 3,786 colonies of
honey bees in the valley. In the past,
apiarists have suffered from loss of held
bees, and from poisoned brood, the result
of bees imbibing insecticidal poisons ap-
plied as orchard sprays.

This paper records the first experiments
with bee repellents to be carried out in the
Okanagan. Chemicals were added to
standard sprays in an attempt to make the
liquids unattractive to honey bees. The
present work has been done from the view-
point of the bee-keeper; the farmer is not
greatly interested in the fate of the bees
unless it can be proven that they are a
major factor in orchard pollination.

Brittain (1933:157) concluded that as
far as the apple orchards of the Annapolis
Valley of Nova Scotia are concerned, both
native and hive bees are important, and
that colonies of hive bees should be placed
in orchards in case seasonal conditions are
unfavorable to native solitary bees; also
that “Experimental evidence regarding the
value of bees for pollination purposes un-
der controlled conditions demonstrates
clearly the necessity of bees combined with
a supply of suitable pollen for all varieties.
Even the most self-fruitful varieties re-
quire bees in order to ensure adequate pol-
lination.”

Root (1919:338) has the following to
say for the danger of using poison in or-
chard sprays. “The poisonous spray applied
to the tree falls on the flowers of the cover
crop, and the bees visiting there are des
I troyed in immense numbers . . . The spray-
j ing of the cover crop presents a new and
serious problem . . . Unless protection can
be afforded bee-keepers they will be com-
pelled to move their bees away from or-
chards when the owners allow spraying to

be done at a time when it may fall on
cover crops which are in bloom.”

In the winter of 1942, the American
Bee Journal carried a report on the work
being done by the Massachusetts Depart-
ment of Conservation in adding bee re-
pellents to orchard sprays. A pint of oil of
creosote to 100 gallons of spray was used;
375,000 gallons of spray were applied in
a certain area, and a footnote says that
“beekeepers in the area covered reported
no loss of bees from poison spray when
the oil of creosote was used.”

This paper was brought to the attention
of A. W. Finlay, Provincial Apiarist, who
immediately wrote to Massachusetts for
a detailed report. In the meantime a bee-
keeper in Vernon drew the attention of
the Minister of Agriculture, Hon. K. C.
MacDonald, to the article in question and
he in turn instructed Morrice Middleton,
District Horticulturist at Vernon, to in-
vestigate the matter thoroughly.

Upon my arrival in Vernon in the spring
of 1942 with full information from Fin-
lay, I found the Department of Horticul-
ture all ready to co-operate on a practical
test. H. H. Evans and W. Baverstock had
a supply of oil of creosote ready and had
conducted some experiments with differ-
ent “spreaders” in order to have it evenly
distributed in the sprays. We then had to
find an orchard far enough from others to
remove any chance of the bees getting
poison from sprays that had not been mixed
with repellent. We finally chose one five
miles northwest of Armstrong.

Fred Bettschen of Vernon offered to
supply the bees for the test. We moved 10
colonies into the orchard, and Evans and
Baverstock then applied complete cover
sprays of two 400 gallon tanks of stand-
ard strength arsenate of lead at the same
time and at the same intervals that sprays
were applied in the orchards around Ver-
non. The bees were examined by the
writer and a committee appointed by the
British Columbia Honey Producers’ As-

8

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1945), Vol. 42, Dec. 8, 1945

sociation, both before and after every
spray was applied. No loss of bees or
poisoned brood was found in any exam-
ination, and at the close of the season
Bettschen harvested 2,160 pounds of honey
from the 10 colonies, and the bees had
ample winter stores. In an apiary several
miles distant, within flying distance of an
orchard sprayed without repellents being
added, the loss was very heavy, almost all
the field bees being poisoned.

We then found out that Evans and
Baverstock had only used oil of cresote
in one tank of spray each time. In the
other tank used they had substituted crude
carbolic acid at the rate of two ounces to
each 100 gallons of spray. This informa-
tion gave us two repellents that appar-
ently could be used with perfect safety
and equally good results insofar as bees
were concerned.

In 1943 the repellents were tested on
a larger scale in an orchard where there
was a good cover crop of alfalfa, sweet
clover, alsike clover and several native
honey plants. As in the 1942 tests, com-
plete cover sprays of arsenate of lead,
containing one pint oil of creosote to 100
gallons, were used. A second orchard, ad-
jacent to this, was under test with the
same number of sprays, but in this case
the repellent was crude carbolic acid. A
close check up of the thirty colonies of
bees in the orchard failed to show any loss
of bees.

The formula with oil of creosote was
given to several orchardists who were also
beekeepers, to be tried out under the usual

growers’ conditions. In every case a burn-
ing of foliage was reported, ranging from
slight to severe. This seems to have been
caused by the- incomplete mixing of the
creosote. No loss of bees was reported in
any case.

In 1 944 the officials conducting the tests
decided to abandon the oil of creosote as
being unsafe for use by growers and to
continue with the more stable crude car-
bolic acid as a repellent. The orchard used
was the one in which the creosote was
tested the previous .year. Four complete
sprays were put on using carbolic acid two
ounces to 100 gallons. The atmosphere
varied from very moist to very dry during
these tests. The cover crop was a heavy
one and was in full bloom during at least
two of the applied sprays.

The fourth spray varied from the others
in that four ounces of crude carbolic acid
were used in place of the usual two, to de-
termine if there would be any burning of
foliage. No burning whatever was noted.

Another test was carried out by a grower
at Peachland, who was supplied with crude
carbolic acid and it was applied in sprays
by his own men under grower conditions.
He had four colonies of bees on the edge
of the 48 acres of orchard which were
sprayed and the colonies were examined
after each spraying. No loss whatever was
noted and the bees built up to swarming
strength during the time the four cover
sprays were being applied.

Several other unofficial tests were car-
ried on by orchardists and in every case
“no loss of bees” was reported.

Literature Cited

Anon. 1942. Massachusetts Association obtains use of repellents in sprays. Amer. Bee Jour.
82 (3) :114.

Brittain, W. H., et al. 1933. Apple pollination studies in the Annapolis Valley, N.S., Canada.

1928-1932. Dominion Canada, Dept. Agrie., Bui. No. 162 (N.S.), 198 p., 73 figs., 41 tables.
Root, A. I. and E. R. Root. 1919. The ABC and XYZ of bee culture. A. I. Root Co., Medina,
Ohio.

BRITISH COLUMBIA AND ALBERTA RECORDS IN
E. C. LERCH’S “A LIST OF HOMOPTERA FROM
ONTARIO.” Lerch’s paper (Bull. Brooklyn Ent. Soc.,
28 (2): 76-78. April 1, 1933) lists a number of
Homoptera said to have been collected by J. F. Brim-
ley of Wellington, Ont. Actually it includes four species
received by Brimley from collectors in Western Can-
ada: Ceresa basalis Walker from Malakwa, B.C. (not
“Malorwa”!); Campylenchia latipes Say, Bythoscopus
robustus Uhler?, and Oncometopia lateralis Fabr., from
Medicine Hat, Alta.

The Medicine Hat specimens were collected by the
late F. S. Carr. The Malakwa example was taken in
1923 by J. H. Aubrey who at that time lived there
and was associated with the Forest Service. Like Brim-
ley, H. M. Speechly of Winnipeg and the late Norman
Criddle of Treesbank, Man., Aubrey was a meember of
the British Empire Naturalist Association. Most of the
insects he took were sent to Brimley, but his collection
of Coleoptera, left behind when he went to the anti-
podes, came into my hands in 1931. — Hugh B. Leech.

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1945), Vol. 42, Dec. 8, 1945

9

A PRELIMINARY LIST OF THE HETEROCERA OF THE NELSON-ROBSON-
TRAIL DISTRICT OF BRITISH COLUMBIA (Insecta: Lepidoptera)

Harold R. Foxlee 1
Robson, B.C.

The following list had its beginning in
a small collection of Lepidoptera made at
Nelson by the late Harry Cane, and now
in my possession; few of his specimens
show dates of capture. Localities other than
Nelson represent my collecting; most of
the species from Brilliant were taken at
light, chiefly at a number of 1,000-watt
flood lights.

The Nelson-Robson-Trail district is in
the southern part of the West Kootenay
region of British Columbia, adjacent to
the northeastern corner of the State of
Washington. The localities are as follows,
and all are within the quadrilateral be-
tween the 49th and 50th parallels of lati-
tude and the 117th and 118th meridians

of longitude; Warfield

is a

suburb of

Trail.

B. — Brilliant, Elevation ca.

1,550 ft.

N. — Nelson

fcc

1,774 “

R. — Robson

cc

1,410 “

T.— Trail

cc

1,400 “

W.— Warfield “

cc

1,900 “

The numbers preceding the

: names are

those of the recent McDunnough “Check
List of the Lepidoptera of Canada and
the United States of America,” vol. 1,
1938; vol. 2, 1939.

SPHINGIDAE

693 Herse cingulata Fabr. (R.) June

719 Sphinx chersis Hbn. (R.)

721 Sphinx mordecai McD.

(R.B.) June, July

730 Sphinx cirupiferarum utcihensis

Hy. Edw. (R.) June

740 Smerinthus cerisyi ophthalmicus Bdv.

(B.N.R.W.) . . . .May, June, July

741 Paonias excaecata A. & S.

(B.R.) 18.VI.40

742 Paonias myops occidentalis Clark

(R.) .26.VI.39

745 Pachysphinx modesta Harr.

(N.R.W.) July

770 Hemaris thetis Bdv. (R.) ..April, May
789 Proserpinus elarkiae Bdv.

(N.R.) April, May

1 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: I wish to extend my
grateful thanks to both Dr. J. McDunnough and Mr.
T. N. Freeman of the Division of Entomology, Ot-
tawa. Without their kindly co-operation it would not
have been possible to write this list.

790 Proserpinus flavofasciata ulalume

Stk. (R.) May

798 Celerio gallii intermedia Kby.

(B.R.W. ) June

799 Celerio Imeata Fbr. (R.) May

SATURNIIDAE

807 Platysamia euryalus kasloensis Ckll.

(R.) May

812 Telea polyphemus Cram.

(N.W.) 3.VI.43

841 Pseudohazis hera Harr. (R.) .13. IV. 41

AM ATI DAE

871 Scejysis fulvicollis pollens Hy. Edw.

(B.) 15.VII.44

NOLIDAE

891 Celama minna Butl. (B.) ll.^V-44

911 Cramhidia casta Pack (N.)

958 Hypoprepia miniata Kby. (N.)

980 Halisidota maculata angulifera Wlk.

(B.N.R.W.) 3. VI. 43

991 Cycnia tenera sciurus Bdv.

(N.R.W.) June, July

1023 Eubaphe ferruginosa Wlk.

(N.R.) June, July

1039 Apantesis ornata achaia G. & R.

(R.W.) ...May, June

1063 Leptarctia calif orniae Wlk.

(N.R.) May, June

1065 Diacrisia virginica Fabr. (N.R.W.)

1066 Diacrisia vagans kasloa Dyar

(N.R.) May

1069 Isia isabella A. & S. (B.N.R.)

1070 Estigmene acrea Dru.

(B.N.W.) May, June

1092 Parasemia parthenos Harr.

(B.N.) 12.VII.44

1096 Platyprepia guttata f. virginalis Bdv.

(B.N.) June

AGAR I ST I DAE

1109 Androloma mac-cullochi Kby (N.)

1116 Alypia langtoni Couper

(N.R.) May, June

PHALAENIDAE
1152 Acronicta hesperida Sm.

(N.W.) June, July, Aug.

1155 Acronicta innotata griseor Dyar

(R.) 11.VI.41

1160 Acronicta grisea revellata Sm.

(R.) 16.V.39

1166 Acronicta mansueta Sm.

(B.) June, July

1201 Acronicta impleta illita Sm.

(N.) 8.VI.04

1211 Acronicta perdita Grt.

(B.R.) May, June

1232 Euxoa Olivia Morr. (B.) 21. IX. 44

1246 Euxoa plagig era Morr. (B.) . . . 30.VII.44
1251 Euxoa near perolivalis Sm.

(B.) 14.VII.44

1257 Euxoa catenula Grt. (R.) 13.V.37

1274 Euxoa intrinta Morr. (R.) 2.IX.38

10

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1945), Vol. 42, Dec. 8, 1945

1282 Euxoa sp. in holoberba group

(B.) 18.VIII.44

1284 Euxoa sp. in sponsa group (B.) . 6.VII.44
1289 Euxoa perfusca cocklei Sm. (N.)

1310 Euxoa messoria Harr.

(N.R.) Aug., Sept.

1314 Euxoa ter rena Sm. (B.) 31.VII.44

1341 Euxoa tessellata illata Wlk.

(R.) 4. VI. 43

1351 Euxoa cleclarata Wlk. (R.) ..July, Aug.

1352 Euxoa campestris Grt. (B.) . . .21.VII.44
1354 Euxoa albipennis Grt.

(B.R.) Aug., Sept.

1366 Euxoa diver gens Wlk. (B.) ..21.VIII.44
1370 Euxoa obeliscoides Gn. (R.) . ...1.IX.37

1378 Euxoa ochrog aster Gn.

(R.) 25.VIII.43; 3.IX.43

form insignata Wlk.

(B.) 21.IX.44

1379 Euxoa excellens Grt. (B.) ...Sept., Oct.

Euxoa luteotincta McD. (B.) 29.VIII.44

1403 Pseudorthosia variabilis pallidior Ckll.

(N.R.) October

1416 Agrotis vetusta mutata B. & B.

(R.) 18.VIII.44

1426 Agrotis Vancouver ensis (typical) Grt.

(B.) 24.V.44; 8.VX.44

Agrotis vancouverensis semiclarata Grt.

(R.B.) May, June

1432 Agrotis volubilis fumipennis McD.

(R.) 5.V.39

1435 Agrotis ypsilon Rott. (N.R.) . . 30.VII.44

1442 Feltia ducens Wlk. (R.) 18.VIII.43

22.VII.42

Copckblepharon, po'ssibly new species

(B.) 7.VII.44

1475 Enrols occulta Linn (N.R.)

1476 Eurois astricta subjugata Dyar.

(B.R.) 30.VII.44

1477 Eurois nigra Sm.

(B.N.R.) . .11.VIII.39; 16.VIII.44
1480 Ochropleura plecta L.

(N.R.) June, July

1494 Metalepsis salicarum Wlk. (N.)

1496 Peridroma margaritosa Haw.

(N.R.) , 16.VIII.38

1499 Pseudospaelotis haruspica inopinatus
Sm. (N.)

1510 Diarsia rosaria Grt. (B.R.).. May, June

1511 Graphiphora c. nigrum Linn.

(R.) June, Sept.

1512 Graphiphora smithi Snell

(R. ), 13.VIII.37

1517 Graphiphora oblata Morr.

(B.N.) 31.VII.39; 27.VII.44

1544 Setagrotis planifrons Sm.

(B.) 16.VIII.44

1550 Anomogyna atrata Morr. (R.)

1569 Anaplectoides pressus Grt.

(B,.) 31.VII.44

1570 Anaplectoides prasina Schiff.

(B.N.) July, Aug., Sept.

1571 Protolampra rufipectus Morr. (N.)

1574 Pseudoglaea olivata Harv.

(R.) 19.IX.37; 16.IX.44

1575 Cryptocala acadiensis Beth. (N.)

1580 Hemigraphiphora plebeia Sm.

(B.N.) 8.VIII.43

1581 Abagrotis erratica ornatus Sm.

(B.) July, Aug.

1590 Abagrotis sambo Sm. (R.) . . . .29.VII.38

1597 Abagrotis nefascia Sm. (N.)

1598 Abagrotis variata Grt. (N.R.) . . 22.VI.38

1599 Abagrotis scopeops Dyar (R.) . . 8.IX.38
1614 TJfeus plicatus Grt. (B.R.) ....24. IV. 40
1633 Scotogramma trifolii Rott.

(B.R.) Aug., Sept.

1660 Mamestra configurata Wlk.

(R.) 5.VII.38

1662 Polia discalis Grt. (B.R.) . . . .July, Aug.
1669 Polia purpurissata crydina Dyar

(B.) 6. IX. 44

1672 Polia grandis Bdv. (N.R.) June

1673 Polia subjuncta G. & R. (R.) . . .12.VI.38
s. eleanora B. & McD.

(B.) 24.VI.44

1678 Polia nevadae canadensis Sm.

(B.R.) 9. VI. 44 ; 7.VII.44

1679 Polia radix Wlk. (N.)

1680 Polia segregata Sm. (R.) . .March, April

form negussa Sm. (B.) ....28.IV.44

1684 Polia tacoma Stkr. (R.) May

1689 Polia meodana Sm. (B.) 24.V.44

1691 Polia ad juncta, Bdv. (N.)

1694 Polia pulverulent a Sm. (R.) . . 14.VII.38

1697 Polia cristif era Wlk. (B.) 18.VII.44

1699 Polia lutra Gn. (B.W.).Mar., Apr., May
1709 Polia detracta (?) Wlk. (N.) . . .28.V.06
1711 Polia obscura (?) Sm. (B.) . . . . 17.VI.44
1716 Lacinipolia anguina larissa Sm.

(B.) 24.V.44

1735 Lacinipolia vicina acutipennis Grt.

(B.) 12.VII.44

1736 Lacinipolia pensilis Grt. (B.) . . 7.VII.44
1739 Lacinipolia stricta Wlk.

(N.R.) Aug., Sept.

1744 Lacinipolia lorea Gn. (N.R.) . . . 14.VI.44

1745 Lacinipolia olivacea lucina Sm.

(R.) 9. VIII. 39 ; 12.VII.39

1746 Lacinipolia comis Grt.

(B.R.) July, Aug.

c. rectilinea Sm.

(B.) 3. VII. 37 ; 4.VIII.34

1751 Lacinipolia illaudabilis restora Sm.

(B.R.) July

1800 Sideridis rosea Harv.

(N.R.) 25.V.38 ; 2.VI.44

1803 Astrapetis sutrina Grt. (B.) . . . . 17.V.44

1808 Anepia ectrapela Sm. (B.R.) May

1841 Orthodes curtica bostura Sm.

(R.W.) Aug., Sept.

1855 Orthodes oviduca Gn. (R.) 16.V.38

1886 Orthodes contrahens infidelis Dyar

(N.R.) July

1890 Orthodes furfurata uniformis Sm.

(R.) July

1891 Orthodes communis Dyar

(B.R.) July, Aug.

1906 Xylomyges hiemalis Grt.

(B.R.W.) March, April

1909 Xylomyges crucialis Harv.

(B.R.) 1.V.39

1914 Xylomyges dolosa Grt. (B.N.) 10.IX.44

1915 Xylomyges rubrica Grt. (N.)

1916 Xylomyges perlubens Grt.

(B.N.R.) 12.IV.40

1920 Stretchia plusiaeformis ? Hy. Edw.

(B.) 21.IV.44

1923 Acerra normalis Grt.

(B.N.R.) March, April

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1945), Vol. 42, Dec. 8, 1945

11

1925 Orthosia pulchella achsha Dyar

(B.) 21.IV.44

1943 Orthosia hibisci quinquefasciata Sm.

(B.N.R.) April, May, July, Aug.
1952 Dargida proeinda Grt. (N.R.)

1955 Zosteropocla hirtipes Grt. (N.R.)

1992 Leucania insueta heterodoxa Sm.

(B.N.) 20.V.44

1995 Leucania luteopallens minorata Sm.

(N.R.) ...June, July; 22.VIII.43

2026 Pleroma cibliquata Sm.

(B.) 10.IV.44

2027 Pleroma bonuscula Sm.

(R.) March, April

2029 Pleroma cinerea Sm. (B.) . .September
2041 Gucullia florea obscurior Sm.

(B.R.) Aug., Sept.

2106 Oncocnemis chorda extremis Sm.

(B.) 6. VII. 44

2122 Oncocnemis ftgurata Harv.

(B.) 24.VI.44

2133 Oncocnemis chandleri Grt.

(R.W.) Aug., Sept.

2154 Homohaclena fifta Dyar

(B.) . .' 4. VII. 44

2184 Feralia clecejjtiva ? McD.

(B.) 24.IV.44

2205 Bombycia redifasma Sm. (B.) ...July

2210 Brachylomia populi Stkr.

(B.) 21.IX.44

2215 Litholomia napaea Mor.

(N.R.) .. .18.111.45; spring and fall.

2216 Lithomoia solidaginis Hbn.

(B.) 19.IX.44

2221 Graptolitha innominata Sm.

(N.R.) 20. III. 38

2222 Graptolitha petulca Grt.

(B.) Sept., Oct.

— — ■ Graptolitha pertorrida McD.

(R.) 22.XI.43

2244 Graptolitha georgii Grt. (B.R.) March

2248 Graptolitha fcigina Morr.

(B.W.) 9.X.43 ; 15.X.44

2261 Xylena brucei Sm.

(B.) 1. III. 44; 18.X.44

2263 Xylena cineritia mertena Sm.

(B.R.) March, April, May

2264 Behrensia conchiformis Grt.

(B.R.) April

2268 Platypolia anceps Steph. (B.) ...3.X.44

2270 Platypolia loda Stkr. (W.) 9.X.43

2278 Fishia evelina hanhami Sm.

(R.) Aug., Sept.

2288 Anytus profunda S,m. (R.) 6.IX.38

2303 Eupsilia tristigmata Grt.

(B.R.) spring and fall

2310 Lycanades purpurea antapica Sm.

(R.) Sept., Oct.

2313 Rusina verberata Sm. (R.) . .2.VIII.37

2315 Rusina clecipiens Grt.

(B.R.) 13.VIII.38; 29.IX.43

2316 Xantliia lutea Strom. l

(N.R.W.) 28.IX.43

2318 Anathix puta dusca Sm. (N.)

2321 Eucirrhoedia pampina Gn.

(N.R.) Aug.; 4. IX. 37

2322 Homoglaea carbonaria Harv.

(B.R.) spring and fall

2323 Homoglaea dives Sm.

(B.W.) spring and fall

2342 Septis auranticolor sora Sm.

(N.W.) 5.X.43

2351 Septis arctica Frr. (R.) 9.X.43

2352 Septis castanea Grt. (N.R.) Aug., Sept.
2356 Septis centralis Sm. (B.) . . . . 12.VII.44

2362 Septis impulsa Gn. (B.) 1.VIII.44

2365 Septis finitima cerivana Sm.

(N.R.) May, June, July

2368 Agroperina dubitans Wlk.

(N.R.) June, July, Aug.

2375 Crymodes devastator Brace

(N.R.) July, Aug.

2393 Luperina passer Gn. (R.) ...30.VIII.38

2400 Aseptis binotata Wlk. (N.R.) 14.VII.44

2401 Aseptis adnixa ? Grt. (R.)

2413 Oligia indirecta Grt. (B.N.R.) 1.VII.44

2423 Oligia illocata Wlk.

(B.N.R.) 20.VI.37; 12.1X.44

2424 Oligia mactata allecto Sm.

(B.N.R.) ....20.IX.26; 24.VII.44
2467 Hydroecia pallescens Sm. (R.)

2533 Euplexia benesimilis McD.

(B.N.R.) 10.V.38 ; 20.VII.44

2536 Phlogophora periculosa Gn.

(B.N.R.) July, Aug.

2557 Chytonix divesta laticlava Sm.

(B.R.) August

2584 Ampliipyra pyramidoicles Gn.

(N.R.) 3.VIII.37

2602 Andropolia aeclon Grt. (B.R.) . . . .July

2603 Andropolia theodori vancouvera

Strand. (B.R.) Aug., Sept.

2609 Hyppa indistincta Sm. (N.R.) 1.VII.37
2640 Neperigea niveirena Harv.

(B.) 12.VII.44

2655 Platyperigea multifera Wlk.

(B.) 9. VI. 44 ; 18.VIII.44

2656 Platyperigea extima Wlk.

(B.) 5.VIII.37 ; 11.X.44

2657 Platyperigea meralis Morr.

(B.) 1.VIII.37

2662 Proxenus mirancla nitens Dyar

(B.) 15.VI.44

2685 .Enargia decolor Wlk. (B.N.) 20.IX.44

form infumata Grt. (B.W. 25.VIII.43

2686 Zotheca tranquilla f. viridula Grt.

(B.N.W.) 22.VII.43

2715 Pyrrhia umbra exprimens Wlk.

(N.R.) June; 12.VII.39

2885 Annaphila decia Grt.

(N.R.B.) 9. III. 41 ; April

2913 Melicleptria sueta Grt. (R.) April, May
2931 Heliothis phloxiphaga G. & R.

(N.R.) 3. IX. 37

3223 Marathyssa inficita Wlk. (B.) 9.VI.41
3235 Sarrothripus revayana Scop. (N.)

3254 Autographa red. nargenta Ottol.

(R.) 1.IX.37 ; VIII. 38

3256 Autographa angulidehs excelsana

Strand (R.) 30.VI.41

3257 Autographa alias interalia Ottol.

(B.) 9.VIII.44

3265 Autographa ampla Wlk.

(B.N.R.) 28.VIII.43

3266 Autographa seleda Wlk.

(R.) Aug., Sept.

3269 Autographa brassicae Riley

(R.) 7.VII.37

3286 Autographa mappa G. &. R. (N.)

3287 Autographa pseudogamma Grt. (N.)

12

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1945), Vol. 42, Dec. 8, 1945

3288 Autographa californica Speyer

(N.R.) 29.IX.43

3291 Autographa flagellum Wlk. (N.)

3292 Autographa metallica Grt.

(N.R.) Aug., Sept.

3295 Plusia aereoicles Grt.

(N.R.) July

3344 Catocala relicta elcla Behr.

(R.) Aug., Sept.

3355 Catocala californica Edw.

(R. ) Aug., Sept.

Catocala c. edwardsi Kus. (R.) August
3357 Catocala briseis Edw.

(B.R.) Aug., S,ept., Oct.

3359 .Catocala pura Hist. (R.) July

3360 Catocala nevadensis Beut.

(R.) July, Aug., Sept.

form montana Beut. (R.) July, Aug.

3426 Euclidina cuspidea Hbn.

(R.) May, June

3431 Caenurgina erechtea Cram.

(B.R.W.) July, Aug.

3484 Zale minerea norda Sm.

(B.N.R.W.) May

3538 Toxocampa victoria Grt. (N.R.)

3551 Melipotis jucunda Hbn.

(N.R.) May, Aug.

3569 Synedoida sabulosa nichollae Hamp.

(B.) 30.V.44

3572 Synedoida ochracea Behr.

(N.R.) May

3573 Synedoida divergens Behr.

(B.N.R.) June

3574 Synedoida hudsonica G. & R. (N.)

3578 Synedoida adumbrata Behr. ..

(B.N.R.) May

3615 Scoliopteryx libatrix L. (R.)

3684 Spargaloma sexpunctata Grt.

(N.R.) 17.VI.44

3690 Bomolocha palparia Wlk.

(B.) 17.VI.44; 12.VII.44

3706 Hypena humuli Harr. (N.R.)

3734 Camptylochila americalis Gn.

(R.) .23.VIII.44

3735 Camptylochila aemula Hbn. (B.) July

3746 Camptylochila lubricalis Geyer.

(B.) ! July

3765 Eptizeuxis lutalba Sm. (R.) ...23.VI.38

3766 Chytolita morbidalis Gn. (N.R.)

3797 Bleptina caradrinalis Gn. (N.R.)

3807 Paltliis angulalis Hbn. (N.R.) . . . .June

PERICOPIDAE

3817 Gnophaela latipennis vermiculata

G. & R. (N.)

NOTODONTIDAE
3822 Ichtihyura apicalis Wlk.

(N.R.W.) 30.IV.41; 4.VI.43

3827 Ichthyura albosigma specifica Dyar

(N.R.) 1.V.40

3829 Datana ministra Dru.

(B.N.R.) 24.VI.44

3847 Odontosia elegans Stkr.

(B.N.) 12.VII.44

3851 Pheosia rimosa Pack. (B.W.)

12.V.44 (Brill.); 4.IX.43 (Warf.)
3857 Nadata gibbosa Wlk.

(B.R.N.) May, June

3920 Scliizura ipomoeae Dbldy.

(B.R.N.W.) June, July

3924 Scliizura unicornis A. & S.

(B.) 30.V.44 ; 24.VI.44

3934 Cerura occidentalis gigans, McD.

(R.)-~ 24.V.38

3938 Cerura scolopendrina Bdv.

(B.N.R.W.) April, May

3939 Gluphisia septentrionalis Wlk. (N.)

3940 Gluphisia lintneri severa

form normalis Dyar (B.N.) 23. IV. 44

LIPARIDAE

3943 Notolophus antiqua L. (N.)

3954 Olene vagans B. & McD.

(B.R.W.) May, June

LASIOCAMPIDAE
3994 Malacosoma pluvialis Dyar

(B.N.R.W.) July, Aug.

3999 Epicnaptera americana Harr.

(B.N.R.W.) April, May

THYATIRIDAE
4004 Habrosyne scripta Gosse.

(B.N.R.W.) ....June, July, Aug.
4007 Pseuclothyatira cymatophoroides Gn.

(B.R.) June, July

form expultrix Grt. (W.) ..5.VII.38

Ceranemota albertae Clke.

(B.) ..? 21.1X.44

DREPANIDAE

4020 Drepana arcuata siculifer Pack. (N.R.)

4021 Drepana bilineata Pack. (R.) 19.IV.39

GEOMETRIDAE

4023 Breplios infans oregonensis Swett

(B.R.) March, April, May

4059 Nemoria darwiniata Dyar

(B.N.) 6. IX. 44

4090 Mesothea viridipennata , Hist. (N.)

4134 Xystrota rubromarg inaria P'ack.

(B.) 3.V.44

4144 Scopula quinquelinearia Pack.

(B.) 17.VI.44

4153 Scopula quaesitata Hist. (R.) 17. VI. 38
4180 Sterrha clemissaria Columbia McD.

(B.) .....15.VII.44

4195 Sterrha rotundopennata Pack. (N.)
4211 Cosymbia pendulinaria griseor McD.
(R.)

4223 Nyctobia limitaria nigroangulata Stkr.

(B.) ...23.V.44

4229 Lobophora magnoliatoidata Dyar

(B.) 7.V.44

4235 Neodezia albovittata Gn.

(B.N.R.W.) ....May, June, July
4239 Oporoplitera bruceata Hist.

(B.R.W.) Sept., Oct.

4243 Oporinia autumnata omissa Harr.

(B.R.W.) Sept., Oct.

4244 Triphosa haesitata Gn.

(N.R.) 22.X. 42 ; 10.XI.43

4248 Coryphista meadi f. badiaria Hy. Edw.

(B.R.) May, June

4267 Eupithecia misturata Hist. 2

(R.) 1.IX.37

4276 Eupithecia castigata Hbn. (N.)

4288 Eupithecia columbiata Dyar (N.)

2 Mr. Freeman reports that some Eupithecia iden-
tifications are tentative, and a few changes may result
from examinations of the genitalia.

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1945), Vol. 42, Dec. 8, 1945

13

4290 Eupithecia maestosa dyarata Tayl.

(Bj 19.V.44

4331 Eupithecia geminata Pack. (N.)

4335 Eupithecia perfusca kootenaiata Dyar

(,B.) 24.V.44

4338 Eupithecia multiscripta Hist.

(B.) 28.V.44

4341 Eupithecia georgii McD. (N.R. )

4378 Eupithecia probata S. & C.

(R.B.) 14.VII.44

4383 Eupithecia ravocostaliata Pack.

(N.R.) March

4393 Horisme intestinata Gn. (B.) . .1.VI.44
4398 Eystroma semiatrata Hist.

(B.N.R.W.) . . 27.V.44 ; 25.VIII.44
4402 Lygris propulsata Wlk. (N.)

4407 Lygris xylina Hist. (N.B.) ..13. VII. 44
4412 Plemyria georgii Hist. (N.)

4416 Dysstroma citrata Linn.

(B.R.N.) Sept., Oct.

c. mulleolata Hist. (W.) ...24.IX.43
4419 Dysstroma ethela kasloata Tayl.

(W.B.) 6. VIII. 43

4429 Ceratodalia gueneata Pack.

(B.N.R.W.) July, Aug., Sept.

4465 Hydriomena furcata Thun.

(B.N.) March, July

4485 Hydriomena renunciata /. pernigrata

B. & McD. (B.N.) 16.V.39

4511 Xantliorhoe designata emenclata

Pears. (B.) 21.VII.44

4513 Xanthorhoe munitata Hbn.

(R.) 14.IV.41

4515 Xanthorhoe defensaria Gn. (R.) 1.V.40

form mephistaria Swett

(B.) 31.VIII.41

4516 Xanthorhoe ferrugata Clerk

(B.N.R.) April, May

4541 Entephria multivagata Hist.

(N.R.) 16.VI.44

4546 Mesoleuca ruficilliata Gn. (N.R.)

4547 Mesoleuca gratulata latialbata

B. & McD. (N.R.W.) April, May
4551 Epirrhoe alter nat a Mull. (N.)

4555 Spargania magnoliata pernotata Hist.

(B.N.R.W.) Sept., Oct.

4556 Spargania luctuata Schiff.

(B.) 10.VII.44

Spargania l. obductata Moesch.

(R.N.) 26.VI.38

4558 Euphyia unangulata intermecliata Gn.

(B.R.) June, July

4561 Euphyia multiferata Wlk.

(B.N.R.) 16.VI.44

4574 Eulype albodecorata confusa McD.

(N.R.) July

4582 Perizoma costiguttata Hist. (R.) May
4587 Earophila vasiliata Gn.

(B.N.R.) April, May

4589 Venusia cambrica Curt. (N.)

4593 Venusia near pearsalli Dyar

(B.R.) April, May

4603 Eudule unicolor Rob. (N.)

4605 Bapta semiclarata Wlk.

(B.N.R.) May, June

4615 Deilinia pacificaria Pack. (B.) 11.VI.44

4616 Deilinia bryantaria Tayl. (B.) 10.VI.44

4617 Drepanulatrix rectifascia Hist.

(R.) 24.IV.38

4622 Drepanulatrix falcataria Pack.

(R.) 16.III.40

4628 Drepanulatrix pulveraria Hist.

(R.) April, May

4630 Drepanulatrix litaria Hist.

(B.R.) Sept., Oct.

4634 Drepanulatrix unicalcararia Gn.

(B.R.) May, Aug.

4645 Sericosema juturnaria Gn.

(B.N.R.) 1.VII.44

4688 Semioihisa denticulata Grt.

(R.) 14.VII.38

4725 Semiothisa neptaria sinuata Pack.

(B.R.) 5.VI.44

4757 I tame quadrilinearia Pack.

(B.W.) ..July, Aug.

4759 Itame anataria ? Swett (B.) 27.VII.44
4762 Itame prob. exauspicata Wlk.

(B.) July, Aug.

4768 Itame plumosata B. & McD.

(B.) 15.VII.44

4799 Elpiste lorquinaria Gn. (N.)

4801 Hesperumia sulphuraria Pack.

(N.W.R.) July, Aug.

form baltearia Hist. (B.W.) ..July

4809 Paraphia subatomarid Wood

(R.) 20.IX.37

4811 Paraphia piniata ? Pack. (B.) 1. VII. 44

4908 Vitrinella pampinaria Gn.

(B.N.W.) 13.V.44

4913 Anacamptodes emasculata Dyar

(B.N.R.) May, June

4918 Anacamptodes vellivolata ? Hist.

(B.) 9.VI.44

4927 Anacamptodes profanata B. & McD.

(B.R.) 21.IV.40

4945 Aethalura anticaria fumata B. & McD.

(R.) April, May

4946 Ectropis crepuscularia Schiff.

(N.R.) ....March, April

4955 Coniodes plumogeraria Hist.

(B.R.) 9. IV. 44; 21. III. 45

4963 Erannis vancouverensis Hist.

(B.R.W.) Sept., Oct.

4968 Amphidasis cognataria Gn.

(B.N.W.) 26.VI.43; 10.V.44

4998 Euchlaena mollisaria Hist.

(B.R.) August

5000 Euchlaena vinulentaria ochrearia McD.

(B.) May, June

5002 Euchlaena marginata - albertanensis

Swett (B.) 4.VI.44

5005 Euchlaena tigrinaria sirenaria Stkr.
(R.)

5012 Spodolepis substriataria clanbyi

Hist. (N.)

5015 Campaea perlata Gn.

(N.B.W. ) 8.VIII.43

5027 Philedia punctomacularia Hist.

( B.R. ) September

5034 Plagodis approximaria Dyar

(B.) 13.V.44

5042 Anagoga pulveraria f. occiduaria Wlk.

(B.) May

5043 Hyperetis amiearia H.-S.

(N.R.) May, June

5044 Nematocampa limbata Haw.

(B.N.) July

5050 Metarranthis duaria Gn.

(N.R.) 27.V.39; 21.IV.40

5058 Selenia kentaria G. & R. (R.) ..April

5059 Ennomos subsignarius Hbn.

(N.W.)

August

14

Entomological Soc. of British

5073 Pero giganteus Grossb.

(B.N.R.W.) . . . .July, Aug., Sept.
5077 Pero occidentalis Hist. (B.) ...30.V.44
5080 Pero morrisonarius Hy. Edw.

(R.W.) 9.Vi:43

5083 Phengommataea edivardsata Hist.

(B.W.) Aug., Sept.

5091 Enypia perangulata Hist.

(N.W.) 11.VIII.43

5094 Enypia moillieti Blkmre.

(W.) 11.VIII.43

5125 Caripeta divisata Walk. (N.)

5158 Neoterpes triangulifera Pack.

(B.N.) 24.V.44

5161 Sicya macularia agyllaria Wlk.

(B.N.) 8.VII.44

5189 Synaxis jubararia Hist.

(B.N.R.) 21.IX.44

5191 Synaxis cerviharia Pack.

(P.B.) May, June

5210 Prochoerodes forficaria Gn.

(N.B.) 24.VI.44

PYRALIDAE

5355 Desmia funeralis Hbn. (R.)

5436 Evergestis subterminalis B. & McD.

CB.) 18.VIII.44

5455 Nomopthila noctuella D. & S. (N.R.)

5479 Loxostege commixtalis Wlk.

(B.) .17.VIII.44

5576 Pyrausta pertextalis Led. (N.)

5602 Pyrausta fumoferalis Hist. (N.)

5625 Pyrausta ochosalis Dyar (N.)

5659 Noctuelia rufofascialis Steph.

(B.N.) 23.VII.44

5725 Scoparia centuriella D. & S-. (N.)

5747 Scoparia basalts fernaldalis Dyar

(B.) 20.VIII.44

5758 Pyralis farinalis Linn. (B.N.R.)

5769 Herculia florencealis Blkmre.

(B.) 20.VIII.44

5857 Crambus pascuellus Linn. (N.)

5883 Crambus hortuellus Hbn. (N.)

5892 Crambus vulgivagellus ? Clem.

(B.) 6. IX. 44

5907 Crambus oregonicus Grt.

(B.) .... ' 20.VIII.44

5919 Crambus trisectus Wlk. (B.) 26.VIII.44

6022 Jocara trabalis Grt. (B.) 12.VII.44

AGRILUS VITTATICOLLIS AT CRESTON, B.C. (Cole-
optera, Buprestidae) . — It is not generally known that
Agrilus vittaticollis Randall belongs on the British
Columbia list, but I have taken over 40 at Creston
(det. W. S. Fisher). They are beautiful little insects,
silver-grey, with bright bronzy thorax, and occur on
saskatoon (Amelanchier alnifolia). They prefer scrub
bushes, and open, rocky situations. One may collect
the place for years as I did, without suspecting the
presence of vittaticollis, as they are adepts at the
old trick of falling to the ground at the slightest
alarm ; even to stalk the bush and glance the eyes
around, the instant they are detected they drop, as
though they feel our look. But remain patient for
several minutes and they will return to the leaves,
either by flight or climbing, usually the latter. The
dates for my series are from July 9 to August 1. — ■
G. Stace Smith, Creston, B.C.

Columbia, Proc. (1945), Vol. 42, Dec. 8, 1945

6042 Tetralopha aplastella Hist.

(B.) 15.VII.44

6227 Laodamia fusca Haw. (N.)

PTEROPHORIDAE

6563 Oidaematophorus stramineus
Wlshm. (N.)

OLETHREUTIDAE
6654 Badebecia urticana Hbn. (N.)

6727 Olethreutes dejirecatoria Heinr. (N.)
6731 Olethreutes glaciana Moesch. (N.)

7109 Epinotia solandriana Linn. (N.)

7177 Anchylopera lamiana Clem. (N.)

7301 Carpoeapsa pomonella Linn.

(N.R.) June, July

TORTRICIDAE

7369 Platynota idaeusalis Wlk. (N.)

7378 Archips persicana Fitch (N.)

7388 Arcliips argyrospila Wlk. (N.)

7405 Archips rosaceana Harris (N.)

7408 Archips fumiferana Clem.

(B.) July, Aug.

7442 Eulia ministrana Linn. (N.)

7477 Peronea near caliginosana Wlk.

(B.) 24.IX.44

7481 Peronea variana Fern. (N.)

COSSIDAE

7667 Acossus populi ore ? Stkr. (N.)

OECOPHORIDAE
8460 Semioscopis inornata Wlshm.

(B.) 13.V.44

AEGERIIDAE

8708 Synanthedon tipuliformis Linn. (N.)
8789 Albuna pyramulalis Wlk.

(R.) May, June

PLUTELLIDAE

8878 Plutella maculipennis Curt. (N. )
TINEIDAE

9615 Scardia anatomella Grt. (R.)

HEPIALIDAE

9869 Hepialus novigannus mackiei ? B. & B.

(R.) 27.IX.37

THREE SILPHIDAE IN BRITISH COLUMBIA (Cole-
optera). — The following three records based on speci-
mens in my collection extend the ranges of the species
involved. Silpha (Thanatophilus) trituberculata Kby.:
Salmon Arm, B. C., Summer 1931 (from collection of
H. B. Leech); Nicrophorus nigritus Mann.; Vaseaux
Lake, Okanagan, B. C., 10-VIII-13; Nicrophorus

hybridus Hatch and Angell: Kamloops, B. C., 18 Aug.
1935, G. J. Spencer, collector (given to me by the
collector). — Melville H. Hatch, Seattle, Wash.

FLYCATCHER EATING THE PINE BUTTERFLY (Le-
pidoptera: Pieridae). — Several years ago, while col-
lecting butterflies here, I saw a flycatcher dart out
and catch three successive Neophasia menapia F. & F.,
as they came along. Such birds must be of some sig-
nificance in the natural control of this forest pest. —
Harold R. Foxlee, Robson, B.C.

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia. Proc. (1945), Vol. 42, Dec. 8, 1945

15

MENTAL INSECT ATTACKS

George J. Spencer

Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C.

In the last eighteen years I have been
consulted in connection with three cases of
serious mental insect plagues. Each in-
stance involved a middle-aged man, bach-
elor, in moderate or humble circumstances,
living alone in a cabin or little house, af-
flicted with the idea that he was persecut-
ed by small, fast-flying, tick-like insects
that in one instance at least, “burrowed un-
der the skin, causing intense irritation; the
insects affected the back of the head and
neck by day but at night got into bed and
bit all parts of the body; they could be de-
tected only as a streak when flying and
moved too fast to be caught.”. With minor
variations, the symptoms of attack and the
resultant hysteria, were alike in the three
cases.

Two men were from Vancouver and
one from the lower Fraser Valley; all
three suffered from irritation and burns
produced by the severity of various “dopes”
with which they had rubbed themselves;
none showed any spot or puncture that
could be attributed to insect .attack. No
control measures and soothing salves that
were suggested, were acceptable: the men
apparently revelled in their afflictions al-
though the hysteria and suffering were
genuine enough and rather pitiable. In one
case I recommended the “sweat” treat-
ment, “that sweat induced by hard work
was a sure cure against all such attacks,”
hoping to take the man’s mind off his
affliction but he did not report to me of the
success or failure of this prescription.

Messrs. W. Downes and J. D. Gregson,
of the Dominion Entomological labora-
tories at Victoria and Kamloops respective-
ly, have kindly supplied me with addition-
al records of this type. Mr. Downes’ case
concerned a lady in Victoria who, says Mr.
Downes, “imagined that she was being
bitten by small flies; she could see them in
the air but much to her astonishment al-
ways failed to catch one. The hallucina-
tion was particularly marked at night when
she imagined that she was being bitten

about the arms and neck on which red
spots appeared, said to be caused by the
bites. She had not had much unbroken
sleep for weeks on account of this and her
health was rapidly deteriorating. On inves-
tigation of the premises I found a spot-
lessly clean house, reeking of sundry in-
secticides and disinfectants but not a sign
of any insect. I suggested to her the use
of an ordinary mosquito repellent which I
assured her would keep all insects away.
She used this and immediately obtained re-
lief, getting unbroken rest for the first time
for a long period. The trouble returned,
however, after a fortnight and she was
then placed in charge of a doctor. After a
course of treatment for neurasthenia her
troubles disappeared.”

Mr. Gregson’s record concerned a man
62 years of age, who wrote in to the lab-
oratory from a town in Alberta, recount-
ing in great detail his persecution by ticks
which were “burrowing into his body and
reproducing their kind under the skin,”
drilling up the neck and into the skull.
He declared that he had cut out the first
attackers from under the skin, bit by bit
with penknife and forceps but later ones
bored too deeply for cutting out although
they could be distinctly felt; he was keep-
ing some from entering his skull by scrap-
them down under the skin of his neck,
with a blade of a penknife. He had con-
sulted a number of medical men and for-
warded the name of one who was treating
him at the moment. This doctor reported
to the Kamloops laboratory, that the man’s
body presented no skin disturbances or con-
stitutional troubles, that the affliction was
purely mental and was yielding slowly to
a mixture to be taken by mouth and to
abundant reassurance that the treatment
would be completely effective.

All these cases follow somewhat the
same pattern and course of development.
The trouble can hardly be called “Insect-
ophobia” because the sufferer did not hate
insects as such: it is a sense of being per-

16

Entomological Soc.. of British Columbia, Proc. (1945), Vol. 42, Dec. 8, 1945

secuted by one specific, though imaginary
type of insect and constitutes a mental fix-
ation or hallucination. All cases probably
started from genuine attacks at one time
or another, of lice or mosquitos or no-see-
ums ( Culicoides ) and perhaps true ticks,
which so worried them that the sense of
suffering remained to form a mental plague
when the insects themselves had passed.
This was definitely so- in the case supplied
by Mr. Gregson, for the man had visited
a mining property near Nelson, B.C., with
some companions and all members of the
party had been attacked by wood ticks
which they had completely removed from
their bodies and clothing. It was not until
several days later that the mental trouble
began in the man in question.

What was possibly an incipient case of
this kind was encountered in Vancouver
in an elderly couple, comfortably off fin-
ancially, who had rented their house for
the season. They returned to find it in-
fested by a few bed bugs which bit both
man and wife, and horror and disgust
seized them; they rented another house and
had their own home treated, cleaned and

NAPHTHA GASOLINE IN INSECT KILLING BOTTLES.
— When making population counts of grasshoppers by
sweeping, it becomes necessary to kill a large num-
ber in a short time. While working on these counts we
found that even a quart-size, cyanide bottle took too
long so we employed a large candy jar containing a
quart of methyl alcohol into which the whole tip of
the net was dipped. This worked well but the alcohol
soon became filthy and we substituted naphtha gaso-
line and have employed it ever since. It is the fastest
killing substance we have used; three seconds is
enough to penetrate a mass of grasshoppers as large
as a baseball. Large-mouthed jars are sometimes hard
to get so we now carry the gasoline in any quart
bottle, from which the fluid is poured directly on to
the mass of insects in the end of the net, whence it
drips into a small tin can. So long as the insects are
wetted they die immediately. The gasoline is poured
back into the bottle from the can.

Less convenient to carry but equally convenient to
use, is a one-inch diameter shell vial containing a little
gasoline, with a wire gauze disc shoved half way down.
Any insect caught in a net can be tapped into this
bottle, which should be inverted and righted again as
fast as possible and the insect removed with forceps.
Too long immersion induces a rigor which is apt to
snap off the legs, especially of grasshoppers whose
hind legs invariably come up over their heads.

The gasoline evaporates in a matter of seconds and

redecorated from basement to roof. The
fear and loathing; of the bed bugs follow-
ed them into the rented house and every
speck on the walls, on the furniture or in
their beds, turned into an imaginary bug
and any sudden irritation or feeling on the
skin developed into the intolerable itching
of a bite.

At this stage I was called in by a friend
who actually thought they had bed bugs. I
found both people suffering from burns
and irritation caused entirely by the num-
ber, variety and severity of the “dopes”
they had used; the furniture, sheets and
mattresses were stained by varied insect
sprays including creosote washes, and the
blankets had great holes burnt in them by
lye. There was not a sign of a bug any-
where in the house.

It took two days of demonstration and
persuasion to convince the old people that
they had no bed bugs and were not being
bitten and probably saved them from de-
veloping the same permanent mental de-
lusion and suffering which affected the
other people.

does not spoil the bloom on any dipteron, dragon fly
or wasp on which we have used it; in fact it cleans
insects by degreasing them, especially fresh bumble
bees. It should not, however, be used to clean old
dry bumble bees whose fur becomes matted when
soaked in it. — George J. Spencer, Kamloops, B.C.

ON THE DESTRUCTION OF ALL STAGES OF IN-
SECTS IN PULVERIZED CEREALS AND SPICES.—
Within the last two years there has been put on the
market a patented mechanical contrivance for steriliz-
ing all types of pulverized cereal products and spices
and possibly commercial fertilizers containing fish
meal, that are subject to attack by insects infesting
stored food products. It is called the “Entoleter” and
consists of a relatively simple hopper-fed machine
which hurls the material with forced draught through
a nozzle, up against a plate, thus destroying all stages
of any insect that might happen to be present.

According to the Canadian agent in Toronto, a
considerable number of these machines of varying
capacities has already been installed in cereal-manu-
facturing plants in the United States and in Canada.
They should prove a boon to the industry on this
coast and should reduce to a minimum, the instances
of infested foodstuffs attributable to infestations prior
to the goods leaving the factories and developing later
inside the packages. — George J. Spencer, Department
of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver,
B.C.

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1945), Vol. 42, Dec. 8, 1945 17

A NEW SUBSPECIES OF MONOCHAMUS NOTATUS
(Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) 1

Geo. R. Hopping
Vernon, B.C.

Monochamus notatus (Drury) occurs
in eastern Canada and northeastern United
States, its range extending as far west as
Lake Winnipeg and Minnesota. It has also
been reported from British Columbia (R.
Hopping 1922:258; Dillon and Dillon
1941 :7 5-7 6) . However, this western form
differs consistently from the eastern one
as to the elytral sculpture and pubescence,
and appears to warrant subspecific status.

Monochamus notatus morgani

Hopping n. subsp.

Male: Length 31 mm.; breadth across
humeri 10.5 mm.; colour brownish-grey
on elytra, more cinereous on the head and
prothorax, predominantly grey with black
flecks beneath and on the legs; first two
segments of antennae blackish-cinereous,
remainder dull black, becoming brownish
distally.

Head : Front with widely scattered

coarse punctures, with areas of fine punc-
tures interspersed which give rise to con-
densed cinereous patches of appressed short
vestiture; coronal suture deeply impressed
between antennal tubercles, fine and feebly
impressed but entire on the occipital areas,
this last fairly densely but not solidly cov-
ered with short appressed cinereous pubes-
cence arising from patches of fine punc-
tures; head beneath and genae moderately
densely cinereous pubescent, the genae
transversely carinulate laterally; antennae
about two and one-half times the body
length, the third segment a little more
than twice the length of first and second
combined and about one and one-fourth
times the length of the fourth which is
about equal to the fifth. Prothorax about
as broad as long, with marginal bead and
broad flat collar apically, transversely car-
inulate toward the sides; basal collar nar-
rower, also carinulate laterally; disc of
pronotum with median elevation devoid
of condensed vestiture, but condensed cin-

1 Contribution No. 2365, Division of Entomology,
Dominion Department of Agriculture Ottawa.

ereous vestiture nearly covering the lateral
tubercles, two smaller patches anterior and
two posterior on the disc. This condensed
pubescence arises from groups of rather
fine punctures, and in addition there are
widely scattered coarse punctures; lateral
tubercles large and blunt extending to
nearly the breadth of humeri, strongly
carinulate on the sides of pronotum be-
neath the tubercles. Elytra with side mar-
gins notably tapering from base to apex;
humeri coarsely tuberculate, rather abrupt-
ly rounded; elytral sculpture rough and
irregular with large and fairly dense punc-
tures and with condensed cinereous patches
interspersed with patches of black velvety
pubescence of a different character, these
last more scale-like and erect; apices evenly
rounded to suture, where there is a very
faint suggestion of prolongation. Under-
surface including legs, mostly covered
with appressed cinereous pubescence, but
flecked with black where, pubescence is ab-
sent; front of frosternum strongly trans-
versely carinulate, metasternum more fine-
ly so, somewhat obscured by the grey
vestiture1; last ventral abdominal segment
nearly straight across the hind margin at
middle and with a faint suggestion of
emargination.

Female: Length 26 mm., breadth
across humeri 8 mm. Differs from male
in having antennae more cinereous throug-
out, only slightly longer than the body,
faintly annulated; front of head propor-
tionately broader; margins of elytra nearly
parallel; front legs not longer than middle
or hind pair; last ventral abdominal seg-
ment strongly emarginate with a tuft of
long black bristles on each side of the
emargination.

Holotyfe male and Allotyfe female,
No. 5538 in the Canadian National Col-
lection, Ottawa. Type locality in both cases
Trinity Valley, B.C. July 31, 1942

(male) and Aug. 15, 1942 (female), C.
V. G. Morgan. Paratyfes 1 0 : two males and
two females in the Canadian National Col-

18

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1945), Vol. 42, Dec. 8, 1945

lection, Ottwa; three males and three
females in the Hopping Collection, Ver-
non, B. C.

Fifty-four specimens have been exam-
ined all from the white pine areas of the
interior of British Columbia. Cyanide-
killed specimens do not differ much in
colour from living examples, but those
preserved in alcohol lose much of the grey
effect and the general colour becomes
brown.

This subspecies differs from the eastern
notatus by having notably coarser sculp-
turing on the elytra and more and gen-
erally larger black patches of velvety
pubescence dispersed over the elytra. Ac-
tually these black tufts alternate with
cinereous patches in rows between the

costae. It is named for Mr. C. V. G.
Morgan who has made a study (unpublish-
ed) of the biology and parasites of M.
notatus morgani. His data suggest that it
breeds only in western white pine ( Pinus
monticola Dougl.) M. notatus notatus
breeds in Pinus strobus and has also been
reported from Pinus banksiana , P. resinosay
P. fonder os a , and Picea glauca (R. Hop-
ping, 1922). Discussing it under the syn-
onymical name M. confusor Kirby, Craig-
head (1923:107) states “As far as known,
it attacks only Pinus strobus . Packard . . .
and Hopkins record this species attacking
living balsam fir (Abies balsamea) at
Brunswick, Maine, probably confusing it
with marmoratorP

Literature Cited

Craig-head, F. C. 1923. North American cerambycid larvae. A classification and the biology
of North American cerambycid larvae. Dept. Agric. Canada, Bui. 27 (N.S.), 1-239, 8
text figs., 44 pis.

Dillon, Lawrence S., and Elizabeth S. Dillon. 1941. The tribe Monochamini in the western
hemisphere (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) . Reading Public Museum and Art Gallery,
Reading, Pa., Scientific Publications No. 1 [4-f ] 1-135, 5 pis.

Hopping, Ralph. 1922. A review of the genus Monochamus Serv. (Cerambycidae: Coleop-
tera). Canad. Ent. 53 (11) :252-258, incl. 2 pis. (This number of the Canadian Entomo-
logist, though the “November, 1921” issue, was in fact mailed on Thursday, February
23rd, 1922.)

A NOTE ON THE TANGLE-WINGED FLIES OF
BRITISH COLUMBIA (Diptera: Nemestrinidae). — In
1930 I reported to this Society, the occurrence of the
nemestrinid fly Parasymmictus clausus O.S. which I
found laying eggs in telephone poles, fence posts and
dried poplar trees on the cattle ranges at Riske Creek,
Chilcotin. I have taken it frequently but not every
year since, on the ranges at Lac du Bois, Kamloops.

The family Nemestrinidae consists of only some 150
species occurring chiefly in countries of hot dry clim-
ates with little rainfall; only 8 species have been
found in Europe and 12 in North America, most being
neotropical where they are well represented in Chile.
Dr. Jos. Bequaert of the Harvard School of Tropical
Medicine, the North American authority on these flies,
informed me that P. clausus was a very rare fly and
that its occurrence in the Chilcotin was the furthest
north for any representative of the family, in the
world.

Until 1943 this species was the only one of the
family I had found in the Province but in that year
Mr. E. R. Buckell and I found two males of a very
similar species Neorhynchocephalus sackeni Will, on
the dry cattle ranges near Kamloops and this year,
1945, it has been not uncommon.

As far as known, the larvae of the Nemestrinidae
are all parasitic upon other insects. I have reared both
our local species from grasshoppers, P. clausus chiefly
from Camnula pellucida Scud, but very occasionally
from other species of hoppers, and N. sackeni from
Melanoplus mexicanus mexicanus Saus.

Larvae of both flies are so-called “tubed” maggots,

breathing from the 2nd instar onwards by means of a
tracheal sheath or funnel attached to the thoracic
trachea of their hosts; the vortex of the funnel sur-
rounds the posterior third of the larvae which move
freely in the body cavities of their victims, as if teth-
ered by these tubes. — George J. Spencer, Kamloops,
B.C.

HOLOPLEURA MARGINATA IN BRITISH COLUMBIA
(Coleoptera: Cerambycidae). — A female of this lovely
crimson and black longhorn was taken at Arrowhead
on May 30, by Charlie Slade. He obtained it by beat-
ing the foliage of a Douglas fir tree. When first seen
by me the beetle was damaged, lacking head and pro-
thorax, but was still fresh and relaxed. Examples of
this species vary from 7 to 12 mm. in length, and the
pronotum and elytra from almost entirely crimson to
heavily marked with black. The beetles are rather flat,
and somewhat resemble the Lycidae. — Hugh B. Leech.

AGABUS CONFERTUS EATING CHIRONOMID
LARVAE (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae, Diptera). — Dissec-
tions of adults of Agabus confertus LeConte collected
at Los Altos, Calif., in June, 1937 (E. S. Ross), show-
ed that they had eaten large numbers of chironomid
larvae, the so-called “blood worms.” In each case the
great amount of fine silt in the beetle’s proventriculus
indicated that both the larvae and the thin protective
tubes in which they live had been eaten. The beetles
must be able to swallow surprisingly large fragments,
for the larval head capsules were found intact. — Hugh
B. Leech.

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1945), Vol. 42, Dec. 8, 1945

19

ON THE INCIDENCE, DENSITY AND DECLINE OF CERTAIN INSECTS

IN BRITISH COLUMBIA

George J. Spencer

Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C.

It is a well known fact, supported by
many records in literature, that certain in-
sects indigenous to this country such as
chinch bugs and some species of grasshop-
pers, bark beetles, cutworms and several
forest-defoliating caterpillars, have more
or less definite rythmic cycles of abund-
ance and decline: the factors governing
this increase are less well known than
those producing the decrease although a
great deal of research has been done upon
them.

In the case of insects which have come
in from a foreign country and have be-
come established in North America, the
pattern is somewhat different; after a peri-
od of often undetected establishment and
gradual or sudden rise in abundance, the
insect reaches a peak and then subsides to
a level which remains fairly constant ex-
cept for periodic or irregular minor fluc-
tuations which are common to both native
and to foreign insects. This is the case
with the Hessian fly, the Gypsy and brown-
tail moths, the cabbage butterfly, the San
Jose scale, the European corn borer and
the European earwig. Insects which may
be cited as not yet having reached their
level after importation, are the Jananese
beetle in some of the Eastern States and
southern Ontario, and the codling moth
in its relatively new territory, the Okana-
agan Valley of British Columbia.

To repeat, while the factors producing
an increase of any insect are not well un-
derstood, those bringing about the de-
crease may be one, or a combination of:
— unfavourable weather conditions (as op-
posed to climate), predators, parasites, or
sickness caused by fungous, bacterial, poly-
hedral or virus disease.

In the course of the last few years, a
number of instances in British Columbia
have come to attention in connection with
several insect species, of the rare occur-
rence of one or two individuals only, of
sudden rises in population followed by

rapid or slow decrease, and of the invasion
of an area by a species not hitherto record-
ed there.

In connection with the first item, name-
ly the taking of one or two specimens only
of a species in an area where systematic
collecting has been conducted for nearly
two decades, one is forced to ask “Why is
an insect rare? If only one or two speci-
mens are taken over a period of years, why
should not more of them occur in the same
place?” The rarity of an insect in any re-
gion is usually attributed to hostile weather
conditions or to the presence of its natural
enemies; on the other hand it may be at-
tributable to insufficient collecting or to
collecting at the wrong time, to the insect
being at its extreme range in that area or
to the fact that its Order or Family is
dying out at this time of the world’s
history.

One of the criteria that I find useful
for gauging the abundance or increase of
any insect, is the number of letters of en-
quiry concerning it, that are sent in to the
University; this is particularly true of in-
sects of the household which have periods
of increase and decrease in a normally
very uniform though highly artificial ha-
bitat, the human home.

Instances of the rarity of one species or
the fluctuation of others, can be cited in
practically all Orders and are familiar to
all entomologists, especially to those of this
Province which has a richer and more
varied insect population than any other
part of Canada. At this time it is possible
to select only a few outstanding instances
of the many which have come to my at-
tention.

Of the Order thysanura, the family
machilidae is represented by some 5
species in the Dry Belt, all apparently un-
described, which either occur very rarely
over a considerable area or in fair numbers
in very restricted spots sometimes of only
a few square yards in extent. Conditions

20

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1945), Vol. 42, Dec. 8, 1945

would seem to be ideal for their increase
and spread but this does not occur. At the
Coast a mottled species occurs rarely on
the damp forest floor. Dr. M. L. Prebble
informs me that he found an arboreal
form common at the Coast, and H. B.
Leech reports that speciments are sent in
constantly from forest rangers all over the
Province in connection with the Dominion
Forest Insect Survey; unfortunately the
latter are too battered to be identified.

Limited to one rocky headland at De-
parture Bay near Nanaimo, may be found
large numbers of Machilis maritima L. a
cosmopolitan species. It is difficult to see
why maritima does not spread up and down
the coast where conditions would seem to
be ideal for it.

For years I have hunted for Japyx of
the family japygidae but have never yet
found any; in Oregon it is not uncommon
under bark of dead forest trees. In Febru-
ary 1945 Dr. Saunders of the University
of Saskatchewan told me that he found a
Japyx at Brentwood, Vancouver Island in
1944, under the rosette of leaves of a fall
dandelion; intense search revealed only
one more specimen. As far as I can deter-
mine, this is a first record for this Prov-
ince.

Of the collembola, the late Dr. J.
Folsom told me that at least 100 species
should occur in this Province; at least a
dozen species have been abundant every
autumn for many years in the trash of the
forest floor at the University. They were
especially abundant in October 1943, but
at the same time in 1944 every last speci-
men seemed to have died out; not one
could be found in a large number of sam-
ples treated in the Berlese funnel. The
summer of 1944 was very dry at the
coast and this one season’s drought seems
to have wiped out the entire population of
these tiny insects.

Of the orthoptera, only 2 species
need be mentioned. The season of 1943
saw an increase of the lesser migratory lo-
cust Melanoplus mexicanus mexicanus
Saus. ; the autumn of that year was open
and fine: mexicanus was seen on the Nicola
ranges even until the first week in Decem-

ber. Every female must have laid her
full quota of eggs and every last egg must
have been fertile because 1944 saw an out-
break of this locust unparalleled in the his-
tory of this Province and it occurred in
areas where it has never been seen before.
Now we have had long, mild autumns be-
fore, and mexicanus is widely distributed;
what combination of factors produced this
devastating outbreak in 1944?

The other orthopteran under considera-
tion is the European house cricket Gryllus
do?nesticus L. which appeared first in Van-
couver about 1934, being suddenly report-
ed in numbers in two widely separated
apartment houses, and a few specimens
only, in one house in West Point Grey; it
has occurred in small numbers for years in
the locker rooms of a golf club on the out-
skirts of the city. No measures were taken
to control the 1934 populations and I
feared an outbreak of the cricket but it
seemed to disappear entirely until April
1944 when it turned up in swarms in the
furnace room of an apartment house at
the junction of Broadway and Granville
Street, several miles from the previous in-
festations. Where did it go during those
ten years and what , caused the 1944 out-
break?

About 1937, J. D. Gregson found
Grylloblatta campodeif ormis Walk, at
Kamloops in the talus slope of Mount Paul,
at an elevation of 1,400 feet only. The
face of this slope is one of the hottest spots
in the Dry Belt and Grylloblatta seems to
retreat into the cold interior of the rock
pile during summer, coming out to the sur-
face only when November cools down the
countryside with sharp frosts. Its previous
records were from Lakes Louise and Ag-
nes and on Rundle Mountain, in the Roc-
kies, Alberta, and in British Columbia, a
reported record from Forbidden Plateau
near Courtenay on Vancouver Island and
at the top of Grouse Mountain near Van-
couver. To find it in numbers at 1,400
feet at Kamloops, provides a most remark-
able record of discontinuous distribu-
tion. It is probable that further collecting
in this Province, in late autumn will
show that Grylloblatta is widely distributed

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1945), Vol. 42, Dec. 8, 1945

21

in locations similar to those occurring at
Kamloops. The insect must have followed
the skirts of the receding ice sheet 15,000
years ago and persisted in situations where
it could retreat in summer time to near-
frozen spots deep in rock piles.

Of the dermaptera, the European
earwig Forficula auricularia L., formed
a terrible plague in Vancouver as late as
1927-28. Since then it seems to have
reached an equilibrium at a rather low
level and though it becomes fairly num-
erous some years, it is far from being
the great plague it was two decades ago.
Moreover its reduction cannot be attributed
to the introduction of the tachinid fly Dig-
onochaeta , setipennis (Fallen) which is
only now becoming apparent in some
numbers in West Point Grey. This ear-
wig is a good example of an imported in-
sect increasing to outbreak proportions in
a new country and then sinking to a fairly
inconspicuous level. The conditions in the
country remain the same: what has pro-
duced the equilibrium?

Contrast with this the case of the ring-
legged earwig Euborieila annulifes (Lu-
cas) which has existed for over a decade
in the gardens of the Empress Hotel in
Victoria without spreading out into con-
tiguous gardens, let alone over the rest of
the city.

Concerning the isoptera or termites,
the damp wood species Zootermofsis angus-
ticollis (Hagen) which is widespread in
the Vancouver region, on the Gulf Islands
and on the mainland as far as Powell
River, seems to be slowly increasing in the
city of Vancouver where more and more
complaints are coming in about its invasion
of homes. One would think that with the
building-up of the city this inhabitant of
rotting timbers on damp ground, would
decrease, but such seems not to be the case.
The dry land termite Reticulitermes hes-
ferus Banks occurs along the upper Fraser
Valley from Lytton to Kamloops, up to
the 1,800 foot level on the ranges. I have
turned over literally hundreds of fallen
fence posts on the ranges and know of only
one post where a colony has existed for
over ten years, and not in the posts on each

side of it. What are the hazards which so
restrict the distribution of this insect up the
Fraser Valley?

Three records have come to hand in 1 8
years, of severe outbreaks of PsociDAE'or
book lice, originating in upholstered furni-
ture in homes and one record of its in-
crease from behind a damp draining board
in a kitchen. Two species of these insects
are common in practically every basement
in Vancouver. Why do not these outbreaks
become general all over the city?

Turning now to the mallophaga or
bird lice, to date we have one record only
of the biting cat louse Felicola subrostra-
tus (Nitzsch) occurring on a kitten born
and bred in Vancouver. Now cats are rath-
er promiscuous animals, yet this louse is
apparently rare in the city. The same thing
goes for the dog louse Trichodectes cants
Degeer, of which I have only two records
from dogs born and raised in Vancouver
and a number of records from dogs in
Kamloops. It is a different matter with
this louse on coyotes for on these animals
it extends from the Merritt district up to
the Bulkley Valley and sometimes in such
immense numbers that it literally shears
off all the fur from the poor beasts, leav-
ing them almost naked with fur only on
their tails so that trappers call them “flag-
tails.” Porcupines are widespread in the
Dry Belt but though I have examined
many specimens from widely scattered
places, only those from Quesnel to Bar-
kerville have harbored the louse Eutricho-
fhilus setosus Giebel, a species which is
specific to porcupines and which has been
reported outside of this Province, from
California to Alaska.

Again of the sucking lice anoplura, we
have the record published recently in our
Proceedings (35: 27-28. 1939) of the
yellow-bellied marmot collected by George
Holland at Kamloops, when the poor
beast was driven from its den in Novem-
ber by more lice than there were hairs on
its body. Holland collected a half ounce
bottleful of the insects and then threw
away the animal in disgust. Why should
this one marmot have had such an infest-
ation when the scores that the Kamloops

22

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1945), Vol. 42, Dec. 8, 1945

laboratory staff has collected^ usually have
very few on them? Another instance of al-
most unbelievable louse abundance occurr-
ed in 1943 w7hen a man living in a shack
in Vancouver was reported to have been
killed by the human body louse which left
the dead body and spread over the walls
and furniture and even crept out through
the cracks around the door and on to the
sidewalk.

Turning to more pleasant insects, the
odonata, we all know that dragon flies
occur everywhere in this Province, some-
times in considerable numbers in one place.
During the summer of 1943 there occurred
a three-day flight of one species of dragon
fly on the campus at the University in such
immense numbers as to attract the at-
tention of even the most unobservant;
on the" 4th day there was not one to be
seen. Unfortunately no one thought of
keeping a specimen for identification.
Whence came this migrating horde and
where did it go?

Of the homoptera, two records are
striking. The campus of the University
was landscaped and planted in 1923-24; in
1931 there occurred a most conspicuous
series of colonies of the giant aphid Ptero-
chlorus viminalis (Fons.) on one of two
similar willow trees whose branches al-
most touch one another. The aphid is rel-
atively huge, at least one half centimetre
long, with a conspicuous black tubercle on
the middle dorsum. Essig says that it occurs
throughout parts of Europe, Africa, Asia
and in North America, and in California
it is common on willow, rare on poplars
and occurs occasionally on apple, apricot
and peach. During the winter of 1931 the
colonies which were only on the trunk and
larger branches of the local tree, died out.
Every year since the tree has been exam-
ined but not until September 1941 did
the great patches of aphids appear again
and were shortly attacked by some disease
which literally liquefied the bodies into
black drops which fell to the ground. I
have never seen the aphids on any other
trees at any other time. Whence did it
come in such sudden great colonies? Mr.
R. Glendenning who very kindly confirm-

ed my tentative identification has told me
that he took it once, in 1925 at Agassiz,
on willow.

Again concerning aphids, in the autumn
of 1929 a silver-leaf Eleagnus argentata
transplanted to the campus in 1925, show- j
ed red aphid eggs covering all parts of the |
trunk so closely that the entire bush looked
is if it had been painted red. Something I
killed off the eggs during the winter and
they have never appeared since.

Of the HEMIPTERA, brief mention need
be made of two species only. Leftoglossus
occidentalis Heid., the large leaf-footed 1
bug, suddenly showed up in Vancouver
around Christmas time, 1939, in people’s \
gardens where it was apparently hibernat-
ing. Since then it has been reported in in-
creasing numbers and in 1944 it was sent
in from many parts of the city, reported
as crowding into houses for hibernation. .
Now K. F. Auden collected a specimen of
this conspicuous bug in Vancouver in
1924; for what reason is it suddenly and
steadily increasing?

The box-elder bug Leftocoris trivittcitus J
(Say) which feeds on Manitoba maple,
has been abundant in the Okanagan for at
least 1 5 years. In the last 3 years it has |
shown up at Kamloops in such great num-
bers as to cause considerable alarm. In the i
autumn of 1944 it was sent in from
Spence’s Bridge with the report that it was I
present in large numbers although it had
never been seen there before.

Instances of the abundance or scarcity j
of many species of the lepidoptera and
coleoptera are well known to every en-
tomologist present. To mention only one
instance of the latter, the varied carpet
beetle Anthrenus verbasci (Linn.) invaded
Vancouver apparently for the first time in
1937 and has since spread over the whole
lower mainland until it now constitutes I
one of the worst pests in homes in the city;
many people have had their homes cyanide-
fumigated against it. Yet Dr. Melville ,
Hatch, of the University of Washington,
at Seattle, informs me that it has been pres- J
ent in that city for many years and that it a
is relatively inconsequential there.

Of the hymenoptera, the species of

Entomological Soo. of British Columbia, Proc. (1945), Vol. 42, Dec. 8, 1945

23

Vespa ( V espula) both black and yellow
wasps, were so abundant in 1943 in many
parts of the Dry Belt that they proved a
plague of first magnitude, especially to
fruit pickers. In 1944 queens and dwarf
workers appeared in spring and then disap-
peared. (See p. 4 of the previous volume of
this journal.) In 1945, up to mid-July,
only 9 specimens of Vespa by careful
count have been seen by two of us who are
collecting them especially. This is the only
instance of sudden rise and disappearance
of insects where I dare to offer an explan-

THE CAPTURE OF CALENDRA AEQUALIS FORM
UNIVITTATA ON THE RUSH SCIRPUS ROBUSTUS
(Coleoptera, Curculionidae). — On the Heron sheep
ranges of the old Bulman lease north of Kamloops, at
an altitude of about 1800 feet, lies an alkaline pond
of some ten acres in extent. This contains from one
to two feet of water each spring, but dries up in sum-
mer leaving an expanse of white alkali, deeply cracked
and fissured. The pond is almost completely encircled
with a belt of the rush Scirpus robustus Pursh. which
is increasing each year forming in parts, a dense mat
of roots sending up stems almost two feet in height.

Sweeping a net over the thickest part of these
rushes in the third week in July, 1943, I got a speci-
men of the largest snout beetle I have so far collected
in the Province, so I immediately beat over the area
again but obtained only one more; however, on the
thinner patches of rush that fringe the pond, the
beetles were fairly common and I took thirty in all,
roughly in the proportion of two females to one male.
Both sexes vary in size from % to % inch in length.

The beetles were feeding on the upper part of the
rush stems and on the leaves, gouging out holes of
considerable size. None were found mating, no eggs or
egg punctures could be located, and slitting a number
of stems showed no tunnels where grubs might have
developed. The larvae probably live inside the root-
stocks ; if so, they must endure submergence in spring
when the lake bed is flooded.

The adults have long and very sharp tarsal claws
with which they cling so tenaciously to the smooth,
polished surfaces of the rush stems that it was found
necessary to grab them quickly and pull, all in one
movement; if the pull was slow they tightened their
grasp so effectively that they could be removed only
when all tarsi broke off. If dropped, they feign death
and then either dive down a crack in the mud ?or
quickly climb another rush stem.

In a week’s time they had practically disappeared,
only two being found over the whole area.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. I am greatly indebted to Pro-
fessor John Davidson of our University for naming
the rush and to Mr. H. B. Leech for identifying the
beetles for me. — George J. Spencer, Department of
Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver,
B.C.

ation satisfactory to me. The year 1944
was very dry, and aphids, normally so
widespread and abundant, were conspicu-
ously absent. Now wasps feed their young
on chewed-up animal food, largely insects,
but the adults can consume only liquid
food of which honey-dew is the main item
especially of the white-faced wasp V espula
maculata (Linn.) I suggest that the wasp
plague of 1943 died out in 1944 through
failure of aphids and the consequent honey-
dew crop.

CALOSOMA LUGUBRE IN QUEBEC (Coleoptera,
Carabidae). — Calosoma lugubre LeConte is a large
carabid beetle whose metropolis is Texas, with isol-
ated records as far north as Nebraska. I picked up
one at Duparquet, Quebec* (27-VIII-1936). It was
identified by A. S. Nicolay, who was amazed at the
record. The newness and remoteness of the locality
barred out the possibility of it being introduced by
man, but I have a single guess: — That summer a
dark pall spread over our sky; at first it looked like
smoke from distant fires, then more reminiscent of
volcanic dust. Then the Press began to take notice,
with reports of severe tornadoes in the States to the
far south, and explained the cause of the darkened
skies of our region as dust from the tornadoes. Had
this powerful insect, capable of strong flight in its
own right, been caught in the maelstrom of a tornado,
then landed back to earth exactly where it should
have — on the path of an entomologist? — G. Stace
Smith. Creston, B.C.

WHERE TO LOOK FOR LUDIUS LARICIS (Coleop-
tera, Elateridae).— Ludius laricis Brown is one of the
most distinctive and most localized click-beetles in
our fauna. It was described in THE CANADIAN EN-
TOMOLOGIST for February, 1939, from a series of
30 specimens collected by myself at Creston, B.C.,
within an area of two acres. A few subsequent catches
have been made, and all under unvarying circum-
stances. No other specimen is known. The field is

now about exhausted, and surrounded forests and
other likely places have been tested without result;
but collectors in other localities where larch occurs
might try their luck.

Adults of L. laricis are small, reddish-brown, with-
out maculation, about 8 mm. in length; that is,
slightly larger than L. triundulatus (Randall). They
are found in the thick trunk bark of large western
larch (Larix occidentalis) , living trees only, usually

about a foot from the ground, sometimes less, but
never over two feet ; they are well embedded in the
bark, where they pupate, from 3 to 6 inches from
the surface. I find no trace of them in the summer

months, and the collection dates are from late October

until early May. — G. Stace Smith, Creston, B.C.

24

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia. Proc. (1945), Vol. 42, Dec. 8, 1945

PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS

J. R. J. Llewellyn Jones, M.A., F.R.E.S.

I have pleasure in welcoming the mem-
bers of our Society to the 44th Annual
Meeting and trust that our deliberations
will be both profitable and interesting.

You have received the annual report
of the Secretary-Treasurer. It shows a
credit balance of $11.34 after the pay-
ment of all bills presented up to the date
of the closing of the books. However, in
order to do this, it has been necessary,
owing to the continued rise in the cost of
publishing the PROCEEDINGS to bor-
row from the Reserve Endowment Fund.
The accounts of this fund show a figure
of $76.17 which should he available for
transfer to the Reserve, 4 but unfortunately
at the moment this cannot be done. You
will at an appropriate time in our de-
liberations, be asked to approve some
measure to enable this indebtedness to be
met. The present value of the Reserve
Endowment Fund is reported at $85.00.
We should try to increase this sum an-
nually, if* only by a small figure and so
strengthen our Societv’s financial position.

It is reported that the increase in the
cost of publishing the PROCEEDINGS
is the chief factor at the moment in bring-
ing about this somewhat unsound and cer-
tainly unfortunate situation. It will I am
sure be agreed bv most of us present that
it is imperative that we should take meas-
ures to ensure that our publications com-
pare favourable with similar ones put out
by other societies both as regards the set
up and the contents, > and that we should
make them as interesting and informative
as our financial position will permit.

I notice that we are, scheduled to hear a
paper entitled “Our journal, The Pro-
ceedings” to be read by Mr. H. B. Leech
and I hope that, after hearing this and
after due consideration and discussion of
our finances, a satisfactory motion will be
passed to strengthen our position in this
respect.

Let us consider during the short time at
our disposal the use of scientific and popu-
lar names for insects. Being a lepidopterist,
the examples which I shall give will be

from the Lepidoptera, though I have no
doubt that many statements will also apply
equally well in the case of other orders of
insects.

Scientific names, both generic and speci-
fic, are for the most part derivations of
Latin and Greek and are often found to
be a combination of both. There are also F
names from other sources, some of doubt-
ful origin, and others which do not ap-
pear to have any meaning.

However, in many cases, the scientific
names give us certain information con-
cerning the insect under consideration. For
example a certain group of butterflies has
been given the name Poly gonia, a Greek
derivative signifying many pointed or
many angled, and it seems very appro-
priate as the wings of these insects are ;
adorned with many indentations producing J
an almost ragged appearance. In the case 3
of Vanessa cardui L. the specific name in-
dicates that the larva feeds upon thistles. |
With Hyfhantria textor Harr, the specific ;(
name points to the web constructed by the |
larvae. In other cases it will be noted that
the specific name points to some locality or
district or to some person. As examples of
this may be cited, Leftarctia calif orn'iae |
Wlk. the Californian tiger, Feltia van- |
couverensis Grt. the Vancouver dart, and .
Tolyfe dayi Blackmore, Day’s lappet. In
the cases of A grotis c. nigrum L., Cdlo- ^
calpe undulta L. and Bombycia recti- i
fascia Sm. it is to the markings on the F
wings that attention is drawn. Many names yjj
however are obscure and it is difficult, if
not impossible, to discover any intelligible y
significance and this is very regretable.

Authorsi should be most careful, when
blowing scientific names to ensure that j
the proposed name has some appropriate
significance. This is important insomuch
as scientific names are by international
agreement unchangeable once given; the
oldest name taking precedence if it is not
a homonym, and all others being reduced
to the status of synonyms, subspecies, etc.

It follows therefore that scientific names J
are the same in every language and in the

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1945), Vol. 42, Dec. 8, 1945

25

scientific literature of all countries and
this is the strongest argument in favour
of keeping them in active use.

For most people however, many of
whom have not had the benefit of a
“classical” education, or who know but
little of science as a serious study, these
names seem strange and bewildering, be-
cause they convey no intelligible meaning.
They are known only to the initiated few.
What then should we do with them? It
is doubtful whether anyone would seri-
ously consider the discontinuance of these
names, but many might favour limitations
in their use. It will be readily agreed that
scientific names are appropriate during the
deliberations of learned societies, in scien-
tific literature, or in lecturing to students
in scientific subjects. They should not be
used, at any rate exclusively, in addresses
or lectures given to the general public, in
popular literature, or in general conversa-
tion with the average individual.

Consider the reaction of someone, who
has brought for indentification an insect,
on being informed that he has caught a
specimen of Pseudothyatira cymatofhor-
been Pseudohazis eglanterina nuttalli Stkr.
Such a person is likely to be quite disap-
pointed because he has not been told any-
thing that he can understand. To him
the names sound strange and foreign and
he will doubtless forget them very quicklv.
Had English names been used and the
enquirer told that his specimen was the
“two-toned lutestring” or Nuttall’s sheep
moth (though I admit that the former is
not one of the best examples of a popular
name), interest would probably have been
maintained. Especially would this be true
of the young, who very often have a dis-
taste for any scientific names, chiefly be-
cause they do not understand their mean-
ing, and because they sound odd and un-
attractive. It will be agreed that we should
not neglect nor forget the young people and
they should be encouraged in every possible
way to become interested in scientific
studies and so fill up our ranks in the
future.

That a case exists for a more general
use of popular names will be granted by
most people, but there are certain difficul-

ties to be faced. Popular names are some-
times rather fanciful and not always very
appropriate. They are limited as to scope
of circulation and possibly may vary from
district to district, or province to province.
Only a prolonged period of general use
would correct this, the name gaining most
popular favour being the one eventually
accepted. This has now happened to some
extent in Great Britain where English
names have become standardized and are
in quite general use for the macrolepid-
optera at least.

As a basis for introducing popular
names for the macrolepidoptera of this
Province we have the check list prepared
by the late E. H. Blackmore and published
for the Provincial Museum in 1927. It
contains, thanks to the efforts of Francis
Kermode, a former Director of the
Museum, popular names for nearly all the
species found in this Province at that time.

Popular hames are als’o found in W. J.
Holland’s “Butterfly Book” and in his
“Moth Book”, also in J. A. Comstock’s
book “The Butterflies of California.” A
scrutiny of these works will show a meas-
ure of agreement, though, as is to be ex-
pected, there are a few differences. For
instance Vanessa atalanta L. generally
known as the red admiral and so called by
Holland and Blackmore, is by Comstock
named the alderman, who states that this
is an old English name for it, though at
the same time admitting that it is less
familiar and justifying his choice by stat-
ing that he wishes “to avoid confusion
with the true admirals of the Genus Basil-
archia.” These he names the admirals but
they are better called the white admirals
as is done by Holland and Blackmore.
However, Vanessa cardui L. is called the
painted lady by all three, and this is a well
established name. Among the moths
Aemelia roseata Wlk. is named by Hol-
land the rosy aemilia but by Blackmore
the rosy tiger; the latter is to be preferred.

Speaking generally of the Blackmore
list, the popular names there given follow
closely those adopted by British writers in
cases where either the genera or species
occur in both areas and this would seem
satisfactory, embodying as it does some

26

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1945), Yol. 42, Dec. 8, 1945

well established names. We find the
Sphingidae designated by the well
known term hawk-moths. However for
the genus Remans of this same family
the name clearwing has been used to re-
place the bee hawks of British authors.
This would seem regretable as it may
cause confusion with another large group
of lepidoptera, now relegated to a position
close to the microlepidoptera, for which
the name clearwings is extensively used
in Britain. The name tiger has been used
for the subfamily Arctiinae and this is a
well established popular name. Here we
find one slight variation. Arctia caja L.
is known in Great Britain as either the
garden tiger or the common tiger. Black-
more terms our local sub-species Arctia
caja americana Harr, the great tiger,
probably wishing to draw attention to the
status of our insect as a sub-species. Moths
of the family Notodontidae are styled
prominents, also - in accord with British
writers, having reference to the humps
and excrescences found adorning many of
the larvae in this group. Species of the
genus Cerura have been termed kittens
carrying on a tradition handed down by
British lepidopterists whereby a large
species of moth of an allied genus Dicra-
nura vinula was called the puss moth and
species of the genus Cerura , being similar
both in the larval and perfect stages but
at the same time being much smaller, were
called kittens. The origin of the name
puss moth is thought by some to be due to
the curious habit of the larva when dis-
turbed of hunching its back much after
the manner of an infuriated cat under
similar circumstances. Also it may be
noted that the colouring of the moths
much resembles that of a pale tabby cat,
in many of the species comprising this
group.

LIMONIUS RUFIHUMERALIS IN BRITISH COLUM-
BIA (Coleoptera: Elateridae) . — Some specimens of the
red-shouldered Limonius placed as crotchi (Horn) in
collections, prove to be the recently described L.
rufihumeralis Lane (1941. Pan-Pacific Ent. 17 (3):
133-139). Examples of this species in the Hopping

Among the geometers or loopers, moths
of the genus Hydriomena have been styled f
highflyers. Holland gives no popular name
here. Those of the genus Eufithecia have
been dubbed pugs. Both are well establish-
ed names for these genera.

We would do well to study the popular
names which we already have more care-
fully and try to make wider use of them,
hoping that where there are diversities of
name for one insect, usage will eventually
decide the issue.

In cases where there are no popular
names, such a name should be given. It
should be a comparatively simple one and
should preferably describe or point to some |
peculiarity or notable feature in the insect
during one of its stages. As an example, -
the family Drepanidae were named hook-
tips because in many of the species the 4
primaries have hooked tips.

Care however should be exercised not
to produce a meaningless name, which
might easily happen by attempting a mere |
translation of the scientific one. The best
popular names in use are in no way trans-
lations. There is a valuable list of over a ;
thousand names (“Common names of in-
sects approved by the American Association
of Economic Entomologists.’7 Jour. Econ.
Ent. 35(1) :83- 101. February 1942), ^
approved by a committee of both the J
A.A.E.E. and the Entomological So-
ciety of America. This paper lists the in-
sects alphabetically, first by their common
names, then by their scientific ones, and is |
thus an excellent quick reference medium.
Copies may be obtained from the business v
manager of the A.A.E.E., Dr. E. N.
Cory, College Park, Maryland, U.S.A.

To conclude: both scientific and popular
names are desirable, but care must be
taken to use the appropriate one at the op-
portune moment and on a suitable occasion.

Collection are labelled as follows: Vernon, June 5,
1921, and May 1, 1924 (Ralph Hopping); Aspen
Grove, May 30, 1931 (H. Richmond), and June 4, j
1931 (J. R. Howell); Midday Val., Merritt, June 14,
1926 (Wm. Mathers); Trinity Valley, June 25, 1929 j
(J. R. Howell).— Hugh B. Leech.

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1945), Vol. 42, Dec. 8, 1945

27

3n |©emoriam

ABDIEL WILLIAM HANHAM, 1857-1944

It is with deep regret that we record the
passing, on Jan. 18, 1944, at the age of
86, of another old and valued member of
our Society* Mr. A. W. Hanham became
a member of the British Columbia En-
tomological Society in 1905.

He came to North America from Eng-
land in 1881, landing at Philadelphia and
from there went to Missouri. Shortly af-
ter, he joined the Bank of British North
America in Montreal, but was moved al-
most at once to Kingston, Ont., and then
to Ottawa. From there he went to Paris,
Ont., then to Hamilton and Brantford,
Ont., thence to Quebec City in 1891, to
Winnipeg, Man., in 1893, to Victoria,
B.C., in 1901, and finally to Duncan,
B.C. In 1905 he was appointed manager
of the Bank of B.N.A. at Duncan, in
which post he continued until his retire-
ment in 1921. He made his home at
Quamichan Lake, near Duncan. From
late January to May, 1905, he was in
Southern California, collecting chiefly at
La Jolla, near San Diego, and also at
Avalon on Santa Catalina Island.

Mr. Hanham was a keen lepidopterist,
but was also interested in Coleoptera and
made extensive collections of both orders.
The greater part of his British Columbia
material was presented by him to the Pro-
vincial Museum, Victoria, B.C., shortly
before his death. His interests, however,
were not by any means confined to en-
tomology and he was even better known
as a conchologist, being a recognized auth-
ority on mollusca, both marine and ter-
restrial, and he accumulated a large and

important collection of shells. On one
occasion, when a collector sent some shells
to the United States National Museum for
identification, the specialist to whom they
were sent replied: “I do not know why you
send shells to me when the best authority
on the subject, Mr. A. W. Hanham, is
living in your own district.”

While not a frequent attendant at the
meetings of the Society, except in its early
years, nor a contributor to its Proceedings,
the late Mr. Hanham gave valuable aid
to fellow members or other students of en-
tomology or conchology. The Society’s files
contain many letters from him to mem-
bers of the executive, and show that his
interest and council were greatly appre-
ciated. Hospitable, generous, kindly and
full of unbounded enthusiasm for his fav-
ourite sciences, his knowledge and experi-
ence were always available to others, and
through his extensive collecting and studies
he has added much to our knowledge of
Canadian mollusca and insects.

— W. Downes

Species and Subspecies of Lepidoptera
Named in Honour of A. W. Hanham.

Melitaea hanhami Fletcher
Orthodes hanhami B. & McD.

Fishia evelina hanhami Smith
Eremohina hanhami B. & B.
Philometra hanhami Smith
Sterrha hanhami Hulst.

Eufithecia hanhami Taylor
Pyla hanhamella Dyar

28

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1945), Vol. 42, Dec.. 8, 1945

ENTOMOLOGICAL PUBLICATIONS BY A. W. HANHAM
All in the Canadian Entomologist (C.E.) and the Proceedings of the Entomological
Society of British Columbia (Proc.)

1884. Entomological notes. C.E. 16 (5) : 98-99.

1886. Entomological notes, Spring, 1886. C.E. 18 (7) : 137-139.

1894. Notes from my diary, Quebec, 1893. C.E. 26 (10) : 2 9 4 .

1894. Notes on Quebec Coleoptera. C.E. 26 (12) : 350-352.

1895. List of butterflies taken at Winnipeg, Man., 1894. C.E. 27 (5) : 123-124.

1897. Brephos middendorfi, Men. C.E. 29 (1) :3.

1897. A list of Manitoba moths. C.E. 29 (12) : 291-297.

1898. Notes on collecting “at light.” C.E. 30 (2) : 33-36.

1898. A list of Manitoba moths. C.E. 30 (3) : 65-69.

1898. Notes on collecting at bloom. C.E. 30 (7) : 188-190.

1899. A list of Manitoba moths. Part II. C.E. 31 (3) : 49-52. Part III, 31 (8) : 197-206. Part
IV, 31 (11) : 312-320.

1900. Additions to the list of Manitoba butterflies, with notes on other species. C.E. 32
(12) : 365-367.

1901. List of Manitoba moths. Part V. C.E. 33 (8) : 213-220.

1914. Sunflowers as a lure for the Plusiidae. C.E. 46 (4) : 145-147.

1924. Notes on collecting at flowers and blossoms. Proc. 21:15-19.

COLLECTING NEOCLYTUS PROVOANUS AND N.
BALTEATUS (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae) . — In 1931
when the late Ralph Hopping identified Neodytus pro-
voanus Casey for me he noted that it may be a variety
of balteatus LeConte. In the description Casey men-
tions that he at first thought it might be balteatus.
The question is still unanswered. There are several
characters separating the two and in a fairly good
series of both species these characters hold. The
most conspicuous difference is in the basal band of
the elvtra, which in balteatus is sharply defined, but
in provoanus extends over most of the base. Recently
C. A. Frost examined some of my material, and of
provoanus writes: “I think it is a very good species.”
But there is one suspicious point : both forms are
taken together on the same unexpected plant. Since,
at Creston, B.C., I discovered their hide-out I have
not had an opportunity to investigate if the same
holds good for other localities. They are found on the
underside of the large leaves of mullein (Verbascum
thapsus) in the late afternoon and evening. In this
way I have taken 10 balteatus (July 7-25) and 16
provoanus (July 13 -Aug. 10). Nothing is known of
the larvae. I have searched numerous plants, from
the roots upwards, and am convinced that Verbascum,
besides being an alien, is not the host. — G. Stace
Smith, Creston, B.C.

NEW MEMBERS

Elected at the 44th Annual Meeting, Feb. 24, 1945.

Baverstock, William — Provincial Horticultural Branch,
Vernon, B.C.

Guppy, Richard — R.R. 1, Marine Drive, Wellington,
B.C.

Muir, Mrs. Margaret A. — Ganges, Salt Spring Island,
B.C.

Palmer, B. F. — Kaslo, B.C.

Wisenden, MisS Grace — Box 236, Prince George, B.C.
Associate Member

Riedemann, Karl Anton — Alkali Lake Ranch, Alkali
Lake, B.C.

STENICHNUS OVIPENNIS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA
(Coleoptera: Scydmaenidae) . — Casey described ovi-

pennis from California as a species of Scydmaenus
(1897. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 9: 480-481). A single
specimen of this tiny reddish-brown beetle, slightly less
than 1.5 mm. long, was found about 5 miles north of
Lumby, B.C., September 16, 1943. It was under an
old board lying on the top of a coniferous stump on
the site of an abandoned mill; identified by W. J.
Brown. — Hugh B. Leech.

The Proceedings of the Entomological
Society of British Columbia is published
annually. Individual volumes may be had
for 50c. Special rates on sets. Address
Secretary-Treasurer, Entomological So-
ciety of British Columbia, Box 308, Ver-
non, B.C.

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1945), Vol. 42, Dec. 8, 1945

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PROCEEDINGS

of the

^55

ENTOMOLOGICAL
===== SOCIETY of —

BRITISH COLUMBIA

Volume 43. Issued February 4, 1947

Page

Marshall & Olds— The Pear Psylla in British Columbia 1

Gregson — Feeding Periods Prerequisite to the Mating of

Dermacentor andersoni. . ... .; . . 3

Spencer — An Unusual Record of the Wharf Borer, Nacerda

melanura, in Buried Piling at Vancouver, B.C . ... 7

Spencer — The 1945 Status of Digonochaeta setipennis, Tach-
inid Parasite of the European Earwig Forficula auricularia

Linn, in West Point Grey, Vancouver, B.C.... 8

Spencer— The Status of AnoMum punctatum, the Death Watch

Beetle, in the Lower Fraser Valley in 1946. 9

Buckell — A List of the Lepidoptera Collected in the Shuswap
Lake District of British Columbia by Dr. W. R. Buckell. . 11

Leech — List of Some Philonthus from British Columbia 23

Eoxlee— Further Records of Heterocera of the Nelson-Robson-

Trail District of British Columbia 24

Fulton — Natural Control of the European Pea Moth Laspey-

resia nigricana on Sumas Prairie, B.C 25

Guppy — Results of a Season’s Study of the European Earwig,

Forficula auricularia 28

Leech — Local Abundance of the Wasps Chlorion atratum and

Megastizus unicinctus 32

Richmond — Current Trend of the Western Hemlock Looper
(Lambdina f. lugubrosa) in the Coastal Forest of British

Columbia 33

Ward — Resume of Infestations and Control of the Colorado
Potato Beetle in British Columbia, 1911-1946 35

Murray — Commercial Application of Phenothiazine for Cod-

ling Moth Control 37

Jones — Presidential Address 38

In Memoriam — William Arthur Dash wood- Jones 41

Theodore Albert Moilliet 43

Harry Cane 45

Scientific Notes 10, 21, 22, 24, 36, 37, 46

Recent Literature Facing Page 1, and Page 46

New Members

Facing Page 1

DEDICATED TO RESEARCH

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JA. Whitemarsh Research Laborator-
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of Penn Salt’s Research and Develop-
ment Department was formally ded-
icated.

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work of Penn Salt’s rapidly growing
staff of chemists, engineers and other
technologists. With greatly enlarged
facilities, they will be well-equipped to

bear a substantial share of the in-
creased responsibility imposed on in-
dustry and agriculture by wartime’s
fast changing economy. Materials, not
even dreamed of yesterday, already
have become commonplace. And still
more remarkable things are in store
for the world of tomorrow.

This greai building symbolizes the
transformation that is taking place in
the field of practical research.

PENNSYLVANIA SALT

MAN u/f1/c TURING C Q^ll P A N V
1850 \^AjLjn-JuCuCUL4~- 1946
1000 WIDENER BUILDING, PHILADELPHIA 7, PA.

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PROCEEDINGS

of the

ENTOMOLOGICAL
SOCIETY of
BRITISH COLUMBIA

Volume 43, Issued February 4, 1947

Page

Marshall & Olds — The Pear Psylla in British Columbia 1

Gregson — Feeding Periods Prerequisite to the Mating of

Dermacentor anclersoni 3

Spencer — An Unusual Record of the Wharf Borer, Facer da

melanura, in Buried Piling at Vancouver, B.C 7

Spencer — The 1945 Status of DigonocJiaeta setipennis, Tach-
inid Parasite of the European Earwig Forficula auricularia

Linn, in West Point Grey, Vancouver, B.C 8

Spencer — The Status of AnoMum punctatum, the Death Watch

Beetle, in the Lower Fraser Valley in 1946 9

Buckell — A List of the Lepidoptera Collected in the Shuswap

Lake District of British Columbia by Dr. W. R. Buckell. . 11

Leech — List of Some Philonthus from British Columbia 23

Foxlee— Further Records of Heterocera of the Nelson-Robson-

Trail District of British Columbia 24

Fulton— Natural Control of the European Pea Moth Laspey-

resia nigricana on Sumas Prairie, B.C 25

Guppy — Results of a Season’s Study of the European Earwig,

Forficula auricularia 28

Leech — Local Abundance of the Wasps Chlorion atratum and

Megastizus unicinctus 32

Richmond— Current Trend of the Western Hemlock Looper
(Lambdina f. lugubrosa) in the Coastal Forest of British
Columbia 33

Ward— Resume of Infestations and Control of the Colorado

Potato Beetle in British Columbia, 1911-1946 35

Murray — Commercial Application of Phenothiazine for Cod-
ling Moth Control 37

Jones — Presidential Address 33

In Memoriam — William Arthur Dashwood-Jones 41

Theodore Albert Moilliet 43

Harry Cane 45

Scientific Notes 10, 21, 22, 24, 36, 37, 46

Recent Literature. Facing Page 1, and Page 46

New Members Facing Page 1

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1946), Vol. 43, Feb. 4, 1947

DIRECTORS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY
OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
1946 - 1947

Honorary President

A. W. Finlay, New Westminster, B.C.
President

G. R. Hopping, Vernon, B.C.

V Ice-President ( C oast)

M. H. Hatch, University -of Washington, Seattle, Wash.
V Ice-President ( Interior )

J. D. Gregson, Kamloops, B.C.

Hon. Secretary-Treasurer
H. B. Leech, Vernon, B.C.

Hon. Auditor

W. G. Mathers, Vernon, B.C.

Advisory Board

H. Andison, Victoria, B.C.

J. R. J. Llewellyn
J. Marshall, Summerland, B.C.

RECENT LITERATURE

tenthredinoidea of SOUTH EASTERN ASIA
WITH A GENERAL ZOOGEOGRAPHICAL REVIEW.
By Rene Malaise. Entomological Results from the
Swedish Expedition 1934 to Burma and British India.
Hymenoptera: Tenthredinoidea. Part I. Subfamily

Tenthredininae. Opuscula Entomologica, Supplementum
IV. p. iv — j— 1-288, 57 text figs., 20 plates. Lund, 1945.
— The first 90 pages of this paper are of great interest
to zoologists and botanists, and to entomologists in
particular. Under the title “Late Tertiary Geographical
Changes as Base of Recent Zoogeography”, a fundamen-
tal review with 17 figures is given. Wegener’s “Drift
Theory” is rejected, but much attention is given to
Odhner’s “Constriction Theory”, the latter apparently
almost unknown outside Sweden.

The discussion of past land bridges and climates, and
of the submarine topography of the oceans, are of broad
interest to entomologists. Of immediate value to hyme-
nopterists are the sections on ecology, general affinities
and zoogeography, and classification. There are illus-
trated keys (world fauna) to the Superfamilies of Hy-
menoptera .Symphyta, the Families of the Tenthredinoi-
dea, and the Subfamilies of the Tenthredinidae. On p.
14 is proposed Eopachylosticta, new generic name for
the fossil sawfly Amasis byrami Cockerell. Dr. Malaise is
at the Sweidsh Museum of Natural History, Stockholm
50.— H. B. L.

THE BUTTERFLIES OF WASHINGTON. By Ben V.
Leighton. University of Washington Publications in
Biology, 9 (2) :47-63. Seattle, November, 1946. Price
45 cents. — The first part cites the collections and lit-
erature on which the list is based, gives notes on the
life cycles and economic importance of butterflies, tells
where and when to collect in Washington, and tabulates
the location and elevation of certain localities. The
list proper includes 143 species and 81 varieties; for
each is given: the scientific and common name, refer-
ence to a published figure or other account, a list of
localities and a symbol reference to the collections
studied. — H. B. L.

G. P. Holland, Kamloops, B.C.
Jones, Cobble Hill, B.C.

G. T. Mockridge, Cloverdale, B.C.

THE NORTH AMERICAN CLEAR-WING MOTHS OF
THE FAMILY AEGERIIDAE. By George P. Engelhardt.
U. S. Nat. Museum Bui. 190. For sale by the Superin-
tendent of Documents, U. S. Government Printing Of-
fice, Washington, D.C. Price 75 cents. — This posthu-
mous work of 222 pages contains 16 black and white
plates showing wing venation and male and female
genitalia, and 16 plates in full color illustrating most of
the species. Seven new generic names are proposed.
There is a key to the groups, based on antennae and
male genitalia, a key to the North American genera,
and in certain cases keys to the species and forms.
Each genus and species is taxonomically described, with
remarks on the synonymy, distribution, hosts, habits
and economic importance. Thirteen species are record-
ed as from British Columbia, and the distribution of at
least 6 others suggest that they will be found along
the southern edge of the Province. An outstanding-
feature of this publication is the full listing of host
plants, the results of 40 years of patient investigation
by George Engelhardt and a few enthusiastic friends.
Entomologists are indebted to his widow and son who
have borne the entire cost of engraving and printing
the colored plates, from drawings by Mrs. Wm. Beuten-
muller and Mrs. M. F. Benson. — H. B. L.

NEW MEMBERS

Elected at the 45th Annual Meeting, February 23, 1946.
Ansell, Charles H. — Ansel' Laboratories, Vernon, B.C.
Farris, Sinclair H. — Forest Insect Lab., Vernon, B.C.
Fender, Kenneth M. — Route 3, McMinnville, Oregon.
Godfrey, Langford M. — Agricultural Chemicals Div.,
C.I.L., New Westminster, B.C.

Hammer, E. ( Leslie — P.O. (Box 339, Port Alberni, B.C.
King, Kenneth M. — Dominion Entomological Lab., Par-
liament Buildings, Victoria, B.C.

Nielsen, Axel H. — Kinnaird, B.C.

Parish, G. P.— McDonald & Wilson Ltd., Vancouver,
B.C.

Richmond, Hector A. — Dominion Forest Insect Lab.,
311 P.O. Bldg., Victoria, B.C.

Entomological Soe. of British Columbia, Prog. (1946), You. 43, Feb. 4, 1947

1

THE PEAR PSYLLA IN BRITISH COLUMBIA *

James Marshall

Dominion Entomological Laboratory, Summerland, B.C.

and

H. F. Olds

Dominion Plant Inspection Office, Vancouver, B.C.

Discovery of Infestations. — The
first British Columbia record of the pear
psylla Psylla fyricola Foerst., was that of
Treherne* 1 who reported it from Nelson in
1918. Despite extensive scouting and
trapping, however, the insect has not been
taken in the Kootenay Valley since that
time. Possibly this early record was a case
of misidentification.

In 1939 discovery of the pear psylla in
the Spokane Valley of Washington raised
fears for the pear industries of the western
states. Shortly after, operations were in-
cepted by the United States Bureau of
Entomology and Plant Quarantine with
the object of eradicating the infestation.
Concurrently, extensive scouting opera-
tions were ' undertaken which, with the
sanction and assistance of the Dominion
and Provincial Departments of Agricul-
ture, soon carried into the fruit-growing
districts of British Columbia.

Within a few years the pear psylla was
found in localities far from the Spokane
Valley and in 1942 captures were made
in an orchard near Oliver in the Okan-
agan Valley of British Columbia. Re-
checking indicated that in all likelihood
the insect was generally distributed from
Vaseaux Lake to the International Bound-
ary in the Okanagan Valley and in the
Keremeos-Cawston district of the Similka-
meen Valley twenty miles to the west. At
that time the area known to be infested
included some 500 acres of pear orchard
containing approximately 50,000 trees.
In order to protect their eradication opera-
tions in the neighboring state of Washing-
ton, the United States authorities under-

Contribution No. 2408, Division of Entomology,

( Science Service, Department of Agriculture, Ottawa,
Canada.

1 Treherne, R. C. (1918). Annual Report to the
Dominion Entomologist (typewritten) Page 2.

took tO' bring spray equipment across the
border, and the spring of 1943 thus saw
a considerable number of United States
Government spray crews operating in
Canadian orchards.

By the fall of 1943 it was evident that
three applications of nicotine sulphate —
soap or nicotine sulphate — summer oil-
soap had given excellent control of the
psylla, but, as was anticipated, had not
eradicated it. The same year, captures
were made as far north as Penticton,
so control operations were extended. Once
again, however, the spray treatments
served merely to reduce psylla popula-
tions with the result that in the fall of
1944, in addition to new records from
Summerland, recurring infestations were
detected in the sprayed areas. These new
records, augmented later by others near
Peachland and Westbank, brought about
such further extension of control activities
that in 1945 a fleet of United States power
sprayers was operating up to the Westbank
district some 75 miles north of the Inter-
national Boundary. By this time, exten-
sive scouting had included virtually all
pear orchards in the Province and at the
end of the season had provided evidence
of the existence of the pear psylla north
to Vernon, east to Midway, and west to
Hedley. For practical purposes, therefore,
the insect may now be considered gener-
ally distributed wherever pears are grown
over an area of about 4,500 square miles
in the province of British Columbia.

The methods of spread of the pear
psylla are not entirely clear. Doubtless its
dispersal is aided by air currents since it is
a small insect given to flight when adult.
It is not uncommonly • observed on the
clothing of individuals who have passed
through infested orchards, so that the

2

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1946), Vol. 43, Feb. 4, 1947

great amount of travel between pear
orchards incident to their inspection may
possibly have accelerated spread of the
insect. Unquestionably, however, if the
pear psylla is capable of persisting in
British Columbia it will merely be a
matter of time until it is present in all
pear orchards regardless of scouting or in-
spection operations.

Experiments in Chemical Con-
trol2.— Upon discovery of the first wide-
spread infestation at Oliver, it seemed
obvious that with known control measures,
eradication of the insect in British Colum-
bia was out of the question. This view
was expressed at the outset by W. A. Ross,
Chief of the Fruit Insects Unit, Domin-
ion Division of Entomology, who has had
long acquaintance with the habits of the
pear psylla and whose investigations on its
control had led to utilization of heavy
dormant oil as standard control practice in
Ontario. (The effectiveness of this pro-
cedure depends primarily on the fact that
heavy oil inhibits oviposition.) Three con-
siderations justified the conclusion that the
pear psylla probably would not prove a
serious menace to the British Columbia
orchardist; first, even in Ontario where
environmental conditions are generally
favourable for its multiplication, control
of pear psylla is not difficult if spraying is
timely and thorough; second, there were
grounds for hoping that since the psylla
thrives best in conditions of poor air drain-
age and fairly high humidity, it might not
prove to be generally prolific under the
arid or semi-arid conditions of the British
Columbia interior fruit belt. In the third
place, although no investigations on con-
trol had been carried out in Western North
America, there was little doubt that in ad-
dition to the known effectiveness of heavy
dormant oil, which incidentally is also
highly effective against San Jose scale, a
summer spray schedule could be developed
for simultaneous control of pear psylla and
codling moth.

2 Investigation of control methods was done jointly
with Messrs. Ben Hoy and R. P. Murray of the British
Columbia Department of Agriculture.

In 1942 an orchard near Oliver, consid-
ered at that time to be the most heavily
infested in the West, was selected for ex-
periments in chemical control of pear
psylla under arid conditions. As the Oliver
district, with an average annual precipita-
tion of only nine inches, frequently experi-
ences temperatures in excess of 100° F.,
the check plot that did not receive any pear
psylla spray treatment was of particular
interest. Results of the work were: (1)
Nicotine sulphate 40% 1 pint — summer
oil (79 S.S.U. Vis. 100° F., 73% U.R.)

1 gal. — soap (laundry type) 1 lb., gave
effective control. (2) Nicotine alkaloid
40% 1 pint — summer oil 1 gal. — VAT-
SOL K (dioctyl sodium sulphosuccinate
33%) 1 lb., appeared approximately as
effective as the nicotine sulphate mixture.
(3) Derris concentrate (VISKO D-40
containing rotenone 1%, petroleum 43
S.S.U. Vis, 92% U.R, 33% pine oil,
concentration unknown and a mutual sol-
vent, composition and quantity unknown)
1 pint — summer oil 1 gal. — VATSOL K
1 lb, was comparable in toxicity to the
nicotine-oil mixtures but less offensive to
handle and lower in cost. (4) Pear psylla
infestation on unsprayed check trees de-
creased markedly following a week with
maximum temperatures ranging from 95°
to 105° F. (5) Unsprayed trees did not
show any measurable loss of crop, although
some foliage injury was evident.

The investigation was continued in the
same orchard in 1943. With the object of
developing a grower’s spray schedule, only
two treatments Were applied, each to an
area of abdut two acres. By the end of the
season few psyllids were present even on
the check trees that neither in 1942 nor in
1943 had received a psylla spray. Evi-
dently by substituting nicotine sulphate-
summer oil for the regular first and sec-
ond codling moth cover sprays of lead
arsenate or cryolite, or by adding derris-
oil mixture to lead arsenate or cryolite,
control of pear psylla could, if necessary,
be accomplished at no great extra cost and
without additional labour. With this in-
formation on hand, investigation of sum-
mer control of pear psylla was discontinued

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1946), Yol. 43, Feb. 4, 1947

until the advent of DDT, when psylla was
included in the list of test insects for that
compound. Experiments in Kaleden in
1945 indicated fairly clearly that in stove
oil solution DDT, per unit weight of
toxicant, is less effective against pear psylla
than nicotine sulphate applied with sum-
mer oil and soap.

In order to utilize the Ontario recom-
mendation of dormant oil, investigations
on the effects of various petroleum frac-
tions on orchard trees were begun in 1942.
Since the time when dormant oil first be-
came generally used in British Columbia,
it had been felt that light oil of 100-110
S.S.U. viscosity at 100° F. was dess likely
to cause tree injury than a heavier oil of,
for example, 200-220 S.S.U. viscosity as
used in Ontario against pear psylla. There
appears to have been little experimental
evidence to support such a view. On the
contrary, four years’ experiments have in-
dicated that under British Columbia con-
ditions the heavy “psylla” oil is less likely
to cause injury to pear or apple trees than
its lighter counterpart.

What of the Future? — There is
every indication the pear psylla is in Brit-
ish Columbia to stay. It is very unlikely

that high temperature with low humidity
will prove sufficient to eradicate it, since
in many irrigated orchards there are pot-
holes or close plantings with poor air drain-
age and consequently fairly high humidity.
Furthermore, it is improbable that growers
will take special steps to control it unless
so forced by its activities. That would not
be efficient orcharding; nor would it be
human nature. Rather, from the stand-
point of difficulty of control, the pear
psylla in all likelihood will be classed with
the aphids and treated accordingly. Should
the insect flourish in this Province, adequate
commercial control may be attained by ad-
dition of derris concentrate, for example,
to one or two codling moth sprays. This
would require a total outlay of five to ten
dollars per acre of pear trees but no extra
labour. If control of scale insects becomes
necessary, simultaneous control of psylla
can be effected by applying a heavy dorm-
ant oil scale spray somewhat earlier than
usual. In that case there would be neither
extra outlay nor extra labour. The pear
psylla is certainly an unwelcome immi-
grant, but British Columbia fruit growers
will doubtless learn to live with it at no
great financial loss or inconvenience.

FEEDING PERIODS PREREQUISITE TO THE MATING OF DERMACENTOR

ANDERSONI (Acarina)1

J. D. Gregson

Livestock Insect Laboratory, Kamloops, B.C.

In a previous paper (Gregson 2) the
author mentioned that the feeding rates of
female D. andersoni Stiles were substanti-
ally increased by the presence of male ticks.
The experiments described in the present
article were planned to demonstrate
whether or not copulation is necessary to
promote this stimulated feeding, and, since
this species of tick only mates while feed-

1 Contribution No. 2409, Division of Entomology,
Science Service, Department of Agriculture, Ottawa,
Canada.

2 Gregson, J. D.. 1944. The influence of fertility on

the feeding rate of the female of the wood tick, Der-
macentor andersoni Stiles. Ent. Soc. Ont., 74th Ann.
Rept. (1943), 74:46-47; figs. 1-4.

ing, to determine if any initial engorging
period is necessary before this act will take
place.

Experiment A

On April 4, 1945, five capsules, each
containing about half a dozen male and
female D. andersoni were attached to a
sheep in the manner described by the
author 3. The males were moved succes-
sively from these capusules as indicated in
the following table. Another capsule con-
taining females only, served as the control.

3 Gregson, J. D., 1942. Notes on the laboratory rear-
ing of some Canadian ticks (Acarina). Ent. Soc. Brit.
Columbia, Proc. 39:32-35.

4

Entomological Soe. of British Columbia, Proc. (1946), Vol. 43, Feb. 4. 1947

TABLE I

Experiment A. — Dates of removal of male
ticks from each capsule. Host infested with
both sexes of ticks on April 24, 1945.

Cap. No.

Apr. 25 Apr. 26 Apr. 27 Apr. 28 Apr. 29

1

X

2

X

3

X

4

X

5

X

6

Control. Females only.

On May 1, at the end of seven days’
feeding, the surviving females were re-
moved, weighed and photographed. They
were then set aside in oviposition tubes
until October 1, when the fertilitv of the
eggs produced was checked.

Discussion. The only females which
fed rapidly were those with which males
had been left until the sixth day. These
were also the only ones to lay fertile eggs.
This appears to demonstrate that one or
both sexes must feed for at least six days
before copulation and subsequent accelera-
tion in feeding can take place.

Experiment B

This experiment was performed simul-
taneously with the preceding one. Six cap-
sules as before, but containing only fe-
males, were attached to a sheep. Males
were added to five of the capusules of fe-
males at such intervals that , the males of
each successive group would be deprived of
an additional day’s feeding by the time the
females were removed. In this way it was
hoped that it could be shown whether male
ticks require a feeding period prior to copu-
lation.

On the eighth day only the females ac-
companied by males that had had the op-
portunity to engorge for a six day period
were fully engorged.

Fertile eggs were subsequently laid by
all these females, but by only two of the
five females accompanied by males that
had fed for five days. All the remaining
females fed slowly and laid eggs which
later proved to be sterile.

TABLE II

Experiment A. — State of female ticks from capsules 1 to 6 on May 1. (See Table I.)

Capsule

No.

Average weight in Fertility of egg
grams of females masses

in each group October 1, 1945

0.209

All sterile

.145 All sterile

.238 All sterile

.227 All sterile

.667 All fertile

.198

All sterile 1

1 Control. No males present.

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1946), Vol. 43, Feb. 4, 1947

5

TABLE III

Experiment B. — Dates on which male ticks
were added to each capsule. Host infested
with females only on April 24, 1945.

Cap. No.

Apr. 25 Apr. 26 Apr. 27 Apr. 28 Apr. 29

1.

X

2

V

3

X

4

X

5

X

6

Control. Females only.

Discussion. The experiment appears to
demonstrate that the males must feed for
at least five days before they will mate
with feeding females.

Experiment C

The preliminary feeding period neces-
'Sary for male sexual activity having; b°en
noted, it remained to be shown if a similar
period was necessary before the female be-
came in a receptive condition.

On May 7 a series of males was allowed

to feed on a sheep. By May 14 it was as-
sumed that all had fed sufficiently to mate,
and at this date they were added to equal
numbers of unfed females which were dis-
tributed under four capsules on a sheep.
The males were then removed at daily in-
tervals from each successive group. The
fifth capsule contained females only as a
control.

By May 19 some of the females were
already engorged and dropping. Thus two
days less were required than for the short-
est feeding period during the preceding
month. To illustrate the maximum con-
trast in feeding, the entire series was re-
moved at this date, the fifth day after in-
festation.

Discussion. — The experiment illus-
trated clearly that engorgement in five days
is possible if females are mated with pre-
fed males. In this experiment, all females

TABLE IV

Experiment B. — State of female ticks from capsules 1 to 6 on May 1. (See Table III.)

Capsule

No.

Average weight in Fertility of egg

grams of females masses,

in each group October 1, 1945

1.

2.

4.

5.

6.

0.559

.196

.264

.237

.200

.255

All fertile

2 fertile

3 sterile

All sterile

All sterile

All sterile

All sterile!

1 Control. No males present.

6

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia. Proc. (1946), Vol. 43, Feb. 4, 1947

TABLE V

Experiment C. — Dates of addition and re-
moval of male ticks from each capsule. Host
infested with females on May 14, 1945.

Cap. No.

May 14 May 15

May 16

May 17 May 19

1

x 1

1 detached

2

x 1

2 detached

3

x 1

4 detached

4

x 1

2 detached

5

Control. Females

only.

0 detached

1 All males pre-fed.

fed rapidly with the exception of those of
the control, where there were no males,
and group one, in which the males were
removed within a day of being placed with
the females. In this group only one of the
five females fed rapidly. As with the
other experiments, the eggs of all the rap-
idly feeding ticks were fertile.

On May 20, an additional experiment
was carried out to support this supposition
that a brief feeding period is necessary be-
fore the female tick will mate. Two pre-
fed males of the above stock were placed

with two unfed females for three days,
after which' time the females only were
placed on a sheep. At the end of five days
they had become only half engorged, and
so presumably had not mated prior to feed-
ing. These results, and the fact that only
one of the five ticks of group 1 of Experi-
ment C engorged rapidly, suggests that one
day is the minimum feeding- period needed
to produce sexual maturity in the female
tick. The longer feeding period necessary
in the case of the male appears to be taken
care of in nature by the earlier activity and
appearance of the male at the commence-
ment of the tick season.

Summary. — Experiments involving the
feeding of Dermacentor andersoni ticks on
sheep were designed to illustrate that a pre-
liminary feeding period for both sexes is
necessary before this species of tick will
mate. It is shown that males require a
minimum feeding period of five days, and
females, one day.

TABLE VI

Experiment C. — State of female ticks from capsules 1 to 5 on May 19. (See Table V.)

Capsule

No.

Average weight in Fertility of egg

grams of females masses,

in each group October 1. 1945

1.

o

3.

4.

5.

1 fertile

0.179 4 sterile

.446

All fertile

.471 All fertile

.427 All fertile

.72 All sterile 1

1 Control. No males present.

Entomological Soc. of British Colombia, Proc. (1946), Vol. 43, Feb. 4, 1947

7

AN UNUSUAL RECORD OF THE WHARF BORER, NACERDA MELANURA,
IN BURIED PILING AT VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA.
(Coleoptera: Oedemeridae)

G. J. Spencer

Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C.

In October, 1945, three beetle grubs
were brought to me with the enquiry as to
whether or not they were teredos and
would prove of potential damage to new
piling. They were found in old piling at
the British Columbia Sugar Refinery at the
edge of tidewater and were uncovered
during excavations for a new powerhouse.
It was reported that they had been taken
from piling that had been covered for
thirty years. They turned out to be the
larvae of N acercla melanura (Linn.) the
wharf borer.

Finding it hard to believe the details
that accompanied them, I hastened down
to the refinery and interviewed the engi-
neer in charge of construction, who kindly
showed me the situation. Between us, we
dug out a number of larvae from thor-
oughly soggy piling in which the centre
only was of firm though very wet wood.
Tunnels were all through both rotten and
firm wood: no pupae were found. To my
astonishment, I found that the report sent
up to me was true and was only part of the
story. The beetle grubs occurred in piling
that had been driven thirty years ago into
an area of the sea that had been filled in
five years previously with furnace ashes
and earth; more ashes had been dumped
around and on top of the piles and on this
foundation, concrete had been poured for
a depth of from one to three feet to pro-
vide the floor for the erecting and sand-
blast shops. The heavy buildings had been
torn down less than two weeks before my
visit, the concrete floor dynamited out and
the area was being excavated for a boiler
room. The whole area had been re-
claimed, reinforced, solidified and built
over so long ago, that no one visiting it for
the first time, as I did, would have guessed
that it was not original solid ground.

The stub of piling from which I. dug
most grubs , had been covered by a depth of

fill, of four feet by actual measurement,
not counting concrete. The piles in the
area were from four to six feet apart and
in no instance did the top of one of them
protrude above the ashes and all of them
contained grubs and were thoroughly rid-
dled, and all had been covered with ashes
and with concrete.

How did the grubs get into those piles
and how long had they been there?

In the January 1937 number of Volume
69, The Canadian Entomologist, R. E.
Balch of Fredericton, New Brunswick,
published a detailed summary of literature
concerning N. melanura , and a careful ac-
count of his finding it in the wharf of the
Atlantic Sugar Refinery at Saint John,
N.B. He mentions that the beetle was re-
corded from Nanaimo, B.C., in 1928 and
from Vancouver, no date, so it not new
to this coast. His larvae when full grown
were 30 mm. long whereas those I ob-
tained were from 13 mm. to 26 mm. long
and were therefore apparently not full
grown. He says that the beetle is about 10
mm. long and flies during July and Aug-
ust; it is attracted to situations at tide
level and its grubs live in damp wood.

It appears that one of two theories
might account for this remarkable and ex-
tensive infestation at the British Columbia
Sugar Refinery: ONE, that it started in
piles soon after they were driven and that
the beetles are capable of developing, mat-
ing and reproducing in tunnels, year after
year, without having to come to the sur-
face; or TWO, that the larvae either
undergo a lengthy diapause or, in damp
wood that is shut off from the surface, are
extremely slow in developing. This second
theory has some support in Balch’s article
wherein he quotes Laing (1936) writing
in the “Entomologist’s Monthly” who
records an instance of living larvae being

8

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1946), You. 43. Feb. 4. 1947

found in wood which had been entirely
surrounded by concrete, for seven years.
Now Balch found that full grown larvae
are 30 mm. long and I found one, obvious-
ly only partly grown, that was only 13
mm. long. If damp conditions in an en-
closed space induce protracted development
of these larvae, how long could they re-

main under these conditions, without be-
coming beetles? Surely this constitutes a
record in any beetle larvae, of delayed de-
velopment, and provides material for long
term experiments in physiology and meta-
morphosis to determine the factors that en-
able larvae to survive under these condi-
tions.

THE 1945 STATUS OF DIGONOCHAETA SETIFENNIS, TACHIN1D-
PARASITE OF THE EUROPEAN EARWIG FORF5CULA AURICULARIA
LINN. IN WEST POINT GREY, VANCOUVER, B.C.

G. J. Spencer

Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C.

For at least fifteen years I have collected
earwigs every autumn around West Point
Grey for student instruction and have
maintained them alive in cages, taking
them out as required. Up to 1943, there
was no indication in this caged material
of parasitism by Digonochaeta setifennis
Fall., the tachinid fly that was introduced
from Europe about fifteen years ago, to
control this pest. However, in 1943, when
making the usual autumn collection by
placing sacking and rolled-up newspapers
in the crotches of trees in the garden, one
fly puparium was obtained, so in 1 944 the
catch was closely watched and four puparia
were obtained. In early October, 1945, the
usual catch of two nights’ collecting was
placed in a pint jar with leaves, dried grass
and crumpled paper for the earwigs to hide
in and in the process of collecting, sixteen
fly puparia were obtained from the sacking
and were placed with the earwigs in the
jar.

In the next few weeks some 30 earwigs
were used for class purposes and the rest,
numbering 58, were stored in the jar in an
unheated laboratory.

During the winter the earwigs died off
at intervals, but a few were still alive by
the end of January. Shortly afterwards all
were dead and when the mass was counted
on 16th February, 57 puparia were ob-
tained; deducting the 16 obtained at time
of collecting, 41 maggots had emerged

during the winter from 5 8 earwigs, giving
a parasitism of 70.7 per cent.

Unfortunately, the earwig collections of
1943 and 1944 were not counted, so the
percentages are not available for those
years. However, the sudden leap in infes-
tation in 1945 was most conspicuous since,
apart from those stored for observation,
setifennis puparia occurred freely all over
the garden wherever earwigs were shelter-
ing, in bits of dahlia and lupin stalks, be-
tween boards and under trash where none
had occurred in previous years.

The history of parasite release in Van-
couver since 1936 was sent to me by W.
Downes who was in charge of this work
and I am greatly indebted to him for the
following figures:

In May 1936, five thousand and nine-
teen setifennis puparia were placed out in
five sub-equal lots in north and south Kitsi-
lano. In July of the same year, 16,000
parasitized earwigs were released in thir-
teen locations all the way from Stanley
Park, the West End and Kitsilano, to Cen-
tral Park; of these, 1,000 were released at
8th Avenue and Tolmie, 1,000 at 10th
Avenue near Sasamat Street and 1 ,000 at
the University. These last three points are
distant 666 yards, 900 yards and two miles,
respectively, from where my collections
were made. In August, 10,000 were re-
leased at ten locations throughout Vancou-
ver, of which 1,000 were released near the

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia. Pkoc. (1946), Vol. 43, Pet?. 4, 1947

9

University, the nearest point to my col-
lecting ground.

In August 1937, two thousand para-
sitized earwigs were released in two spots
remote from my area and in July 1938,
four thousand were released in four loca-
tions also far removed from my area.

In all, 37,019 prospective D. setifennis
were released over a period of three years
in the Greater Vancouver area.

Concerning the recovery of these para-
sites, seven years after 2,000 infested ear-
wigs had been released in 1936 in my
neighborhood, one puparium showed up in
my garden; eight years afterwards, four
puparia were found under similar collect-
ing conditions, and nine years afterwards
they had increased enormously, by October
1945 occurring freely everywhere and
running up to 70.7 per cent in a given
number of earwigs counted.

A second series, of 7 1 earwigs, collected
in October 1945 in a garden at 20th
Avenue and Dunbar, was maintained un-
der similar conditions all winter and was
finally counted at the same time as the
above series. The collection point is 3,000
yards as the crow flies from my garden

and the only setifennis liberations made at
all near it in the past were the 1,000 para-
sitized earwigs released respectively at 10th
and. Sasamat and at 8th and Tolmie in
July 1936. This second series yielded
eleven puparia, giving 15.5 per cent para-
sitism.

Discussion: — Taking as a centre, a spot
halfway between the 1936 liberation points
at 10th and Sasamat and at 8th and Tol-
mie, in just over nine years the tachinid fly
Digonochaeta setifennis had spread south
and uphill about 1.26 miles and yielded
15.5 per cent parasitism of the European
earwig; north and downhill and about
0.45 miles away, it yielded 70.7 per cent
parasitism. Subtracting these percentages
from 100 and considering the distances
proportionately, from the liberation centre,
the 15.5 per cent obtained 1.26 miles away
is only 3.4 per cent decrease per mile less
than that obtained 0.45 miles away.

Thus radiating out from a common cen-
tre of liberation, the fly parasitized earwigs
south and uphill, only 3.4 per cent mile less
than it did north and downhill, in a fairly
uniformly built-over area of the city of
Vancouver.

THE STATUS OF ANOB1UM FUNCTATUM, THE DEATH WATCH
BEETLE, IN THE LOWER FRASER VALLEY IN 1946.
(CoSeopfera: Anohiidae)

G. J. Spencer

Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C.

In 1925 a round stick, apparently of
alder wood, was brought to me from a
farm on Lulu Island with the report that
it was a piece of an old handle found lying
around the barn. The wood was thorough-
ly perforated by borings and yielded a copi-
ous amount of fine dust. Three dead speci-
mens of Anobium functatum Degeer, the
European death watch beetle, were ob-
tained from the wood, but since I was new
to the Province I did not appreciate the
significance of the incident.

In a paper on Insects and other Arthro-
pods in buildings in British Columbia
(Proc, Ent. Soc. Brit. Col., 39 : 23-29) I
mentioned a record in New Westminster

of an insect infesting^ a piano which had
been brought around the Horn 50 years be-
fore. Specimens of the beetle were not
obtained but the account sent in of the bor-
ings and the dust extruded, suggested an in-
festation of A. functatum. Treatment
with orthodichlorbenzene was recommend-
ed and was apparently successful because
no further complaints were received.

Another record mentioned in that article
concerned the 3-ply hardwood back of a
china cabinet which had been so riddled by
borers that it collapsed and the owner had
torn it off and replaced it. The cabinet had
been purchased at an auction and had possi-
bly been imported from Europe.

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1946), Vol. 43, Feb. 4, 1947

10

From that time up to 1944 no further
infestations were encountered. In January
and February 1945, however, three records
were reported to me, two of them in one
day; in two of these I obtained beetles or
enough parts of beetles, to identify the in-
sects definitely as A. functatum. One rec-
ord concerns massive antique carved oak
chairs in a farm-house near Langley
Prairie, from which the owner tapped out
and sent to me a two-ounce bottle of bor-
ing dust which yielded the remains of ap-
proximately twelve beetles, all A. functa-
tum. The infestation seemed so active that
I recommended fumigation with methyl
bromide, which was apparently successful.
The chairs were family heirlooms sent out
from Germany some time ago, although
the infestation became serious relatively re-
cently.

The second of these 1945 reports con-
cerns all of the 3-ply wooden walls of a
basement room in a Vancouver home,
which began to show small round holes and
a little boring dust. There were relatively
few holes but the owner became alarmed
and began to tear out the 1/3-inch-thick
plywood, only to find it a mere shell with
the middle layer particularly, tunnelled in
all directions and crumbling away. He sent
in speciments of the damaged wood and
one beetle which proved to be A. functa-
tum> but could offer no suggestion what-
ever as to the origin of the infestation.

The final record includes the entire
basement woodwork of a house in North
Vancouver where the owners noticed an
increasing number of holes appearing in
the 2- by 4-inch studding and shiplap and,
on tapping with a hammer, found the tim-
ber a mere shell with the inside reducd
practically to dust. Bit by bit, they located
the worst areas of infestation and replaced
them, heavily creosoting new wood and
what remained of the old. Samples of
wood sent in with copious boring dust and
frass, showed that this same beetle was
concerned.

In none of these records have the owners
been bothered by adult beetles swarming
around the house; only a few seem to come
out of the timber and then only at odd
times so that they never become con-
spicuous.

In the last two records involving the
structural timbers, the owners declared that
no antique furniture had been stored in
the basements so it would appear that the
infestations were of local origin and that
this beetle has become established in the
Lower Fraser Valley where the mild cli-
mate would seem to favour its development.

A. functatum or the death watch beetle
is an insidious insect whose damage inside
timber is far greater than the small number
of exit holes would indicate, and the public
will have to be warned to be on the look-
out for it.

ON THE OVIPOSITION HABITS OF DARGIDA PRO-
CINCTA (Lepidoptera : Phalaenidae) . — At dusk on the
evening of July 10, I was watering my lawn in Van-
couver with a fine mist spray, when several moths
flew into the orbit of the spray and started ovipositing
in the short lawn grass. Each moth hovered a little
and then settled for five or six seconds with the tip of
her abdomen protruded and inserted into the bases of
the grass leaves and then moved to another spot a few
inches away to repeat the manoeuvre, always within
the limits of the falling water. By slowly shifting the
hose back and forth, I was able to govern the move-
ments of the moths which persistently followed the
zone of the spray. After proving that the falling water
was apparently a necessity for the act of oviposition,
I pounced on one of the moths and the others flew
away.

In the insect collections of the Museum of Zoology

1 Essig, E. 0., 1926. Insects of Western North
America, p. 684. MacMillans.

at this University, I found three specimens of this
moth taken, respectively, at Princeton, July 23, and
at Victoria, August 6 and September 15, and these,
with my record of July 10, show a wide range in this
Province, both in time and in territory.

The moth is Dargida procincta (Grote), the olive
green cutworm of which Essigl says — “(it) has a
wing expanse of 45 mm., is dark brown with olive
tints, and with cream cross and longitudinal lines on
the fore wings. The mature caterpillars are 30—35 mm.
in length, dark olive green with a pale dorsal line and
three greenish lateral lines separated by brownish grey.
They are often serious pests to wild and tame grasses
in meadows and pasturelands in Oregon, Washington
and British Columbia, but are also known in California
and Colorado.”

Judging by my record, the moths of the olive green
cutworm oviposit at dusk during- rain : egg-laying seems
dependent on the falling of the rain. — G. J. Spencer,
Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia,
Vancouver, B.C.

11

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1946), Vol. 43; Feb. 4, 194-7

A LIST OF THE LEPIDOPTERA COLLECTED IN THE SHUSWAP LAKE
DISTRICT OF BRITISH COLUMBIA BY DR. W. R. BUCKELL

E. R. Buckell1

Dominion Entomological Laboratory, Kamloops, B.C.

Nearly all the species listed below were
collected by Dr. W. R. Buckell on his own
small farm and orchard at South Canoe,
four miles southeast of Salmon Arm, B.C.
A few specimens were taken as far east as
Revelstoke and as far west as Chase.

The collection also contains a few
species from typical Dry-belt areas, such
as the Okanagan Valley and the Nicola-
Kamloops District, but these are not in-
cluded in the present list as it is the auth-
or’s intention to list only those found in

1 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS : Determinations of mater-
ial, had previously been made for Dr. W. R. Buckell by
Dr. J. McDunnough of the Division of Systematic En-
tomology, Ottawa, and by the late Mr. E. H. Blackmore
of Victoria, B.C. Recently Dr. J. McDunnough and
Mr. T. N. Freeman of the Division of Entomology
greatly assisted me in further determinations and in
correcting and bringing this list up to date, for which
I wish to extend my grateful thanks.

2 As some of the groups of microlepidoptera are un-
der revision, definite determinations were not always
possible and some species will be found to be marked

others recorded as “near” to a species; while
others are recorded as “undetermined species.

the Shuswap Lake District, a definite biotic
area typical of the humid transition zone.
This area is mountainous, and fairly uni-
formly covered with forests which are
typical of the Interior Douglas fir type
and thus occupies a climatic zone that is
intermediate in temperature conditions be-
tween the yellow pine of the Dry-belt and
the Engelmann spruce type of the higher
elevations.

All the specimens are beautifully spread
even to the smallest of the micros, and
many were reared from their larvae.

The list contains 773 species, varieties
and forms consisting of 541 macrolepidop-
tera and 232 microlepidoptera2.

The list is arranged according to the
“Check List of the Lepidoptera of Canada
and the United States of America,” Part
I, 1938, and Part II, 1939, by J. Mc-
Dunnough, and the dates after the species
name give the earliest and latest dates of
capture.

MACROLEPIDOPTERA

Suborder RHOPALOCERA (Butterflies)
Superfamily PAPILIONOIDEA
Family PAPILIONIDAE

Papiiio L.

1 8 zblicaon Luc. .... June 2-12

16 rutulus Luc. May 9, July 7

18 eurymedon Luc May 10-30

Parnassius Latr.

27 smintbeus magnus Wgt.. .June 6, July 7
Family PIERIDAE

Anthocharis Bdv.

34 sara flora Wgt April 4, May 25

Euchloe Hbn.

36 ausonides Bdv May 3-23

Colias Fabr.

47 alexandra emilia Edw. . . .May 5, Oct 3

Neophasia Behr.

76 menapia F. & F .Aug. 8-27

Pieris Schrank

80 sisymbrii flavitincta Comst. ...May 23

81 occidentalis calyce Edw. July 5, Aug. 25
83 napi gen. vern. marginalis

Scud April 28, May 5

86 rapae L. April 21, Aug. 17

Family DANAIDAE

Danaus Kluk

89 plexippus L June 6, Aug. 8

Family SATYRIDAE

Coenonympha Hbn.

109 inornata columbiana

McD May ,5, June 29

Minois Hbn.

117 alope Fabr ' July 14-29

e boopis Behr ...June 6, Aug. 4

Oeneis Hbn.

126 nevadensis F. & F May 23, June 20

Erebia Dalm.

150 epipsodea Bull. .May 2-31

Family NYMPHALIDAE
Subfamily NYMPHALINAE

Argynnis Fabr.

165 leto Behr .Aug. 8

171 atlantis, beani B. & B July 1

178 hydaspe sakuntala Skin. July 6, Aug. 14
184 bremnerii picta McD. . .Aug. 7, Sept. 21
191 nevadensis semivirida McD July 18

199 eurynome opis Edw. . . . Aug. 14

Bren this Hbn.

200 myrina Cram .... .May 31

212 bellona Fabr . .May 24

213 epitbore obscuripennis Gund. . . ..July 31

Euphydryas Scud.

222 anicia hopfingeri Gund.. .May 2, June 18

12

Melitaea Pabr.

246 palla Bdv May 2, July 7

Phyciodes Hbn.

265 tharos pascoensis Wgt.. .May 30, Aug. 9
267 campestiis Behr May 21, Sept. 29

Polygonia Hbn.

287 satyrus Edw March 23, Aug. 17

288 faunus rusticus Edw. .March 20, Aug. 21

291 zephyrus Edw. April 18, Aug. 21

Nymphalis Kluk

295 j-album watsoni Hall . .July 17, Aug. 21

296 californica Bdv June 12, Aug. 12

297 milberti furcillata Say. May 14, Sept. 30

298 antiopa L April 4, Aug. 19

Vanessa Pabr.

299 atalanta L July 1, Aug. 22

301 cardui L June 9, Sept. 12

Basilarchia Scud.

324 lorquini burrisonii JMayn June 6-27

Family LYCAENIDAE
Subfamily THECLIN.AE

Strymon Hbn.

380 titus Fabr July 7-18

382 californica Edw . .July 4, Aug. 14

392 saepium okanagana

McD July 19, Aug. 26

Incisalia Scud.

404 iroides Bdv April 11, May 21

409 polios Cook & Wats. . .April 18, May 16
412 eryphon Bdv April 10 May 5

Subfamily LYCAENINAE
Lycaena Fabr.

430 manposa Reak Aug. 14

432 helloides Bdv May 15, Sept. 18

Subfamily PLEBEIINAE

E veres Hbn.

448 amyntula Bdv May 21, June 10

Flebeius Kluk

449 scudderii Edw.

(Atypical) July 12, Aug. 14

450 melissa Edw May 5, Aug. 5

451 anna Edw Aug. 8

(Probably subspecies of scudderii
Edw. )

453 saepiolus Bdv May 5, July 3

455 icarioides montis

BTkmre. . May 22, June 23

Phaedrotes Scud.

472 piasus daunia Edw May 23

Giaucopsyche Scud.

473 lygdamus Columbia

Skin. . . .April 24, June 2

Lycaenopsis F..& F.

475 pseudargiolus

Bdv, & Lee April 8, May 5

c nigrescens Fletch April 19-26

Superfamily HESPERIOIDEA
Family HESPERIIDAE
Subfamily PYRGINAE

Thorybes Scud.

505 pylades Scud May 30, June 17

Pyrgus Hbn.

516 ruralis Bdv April 26, May 7

521 communis albescens Ploetz . . . .May 23

(1946), Vol. 43. Feb. 4, 1947

Erynnis Schr.

541 icelus Scud. & Burg.. . .April 28, June 4
546 persius fredericki

Freeman April 26. May 12

549 callidus G-rin May 24

Subfamily HESPERIINAE
Ochlodes Scud.

604 sylvanoides Bdv June 6, Sept. 5

Amblyscirtes Scud.

660 vialis Edw May 30. June 13

Suborder HETEROCERA (Moths)
Superfamily SPHINGOIDEA
Family SPHINGIDAE
Subfamily ACHERONTIINAE

Sphinx L.

721 mordecai McD May 19. Aug. 21

730 drupiferarum utahensis

Hy. Edw July. 2-7

Smerinthus Latr.

739 jamaicensis /. norm, geminatus

Say June 2, July 12

740 cerisyi ophthalmicus

Bdv June 2, Aug. 18

Paonias Hbn.

741 excaecata A. & S July 7

Pachy sphinx R. & J.

745 modesta Harr July 2-7

Hemaris Dalm.

770 diffinis rubens Hy. Edw. May 17, July 3
Subfamily PHILAMPELINAE

Proserpinus Hbn.

789 clarkiae Bdv May 9, June 2

790 flavofasciata ulalume Stkr. . . .May 5-10

Subfamily CHOEROCAMPINAE

Celerio Cken.

798 gallii intermedia Kby.. .June 28, July 3

799 iineata Fabr June 24 Sept. 4

Superfamily SATURNIOIDEA
Family SATURNIIDAE
Platysamia Grt.

807 euryalus kasloensis

Ckll May 1, June .6

Telea Hbn.

812 polyphemus Cram May 18, June 13

Pseudohazis G. & R.

840 eglanterina Bdv * .July 4-16

Superfamily NOCTUOIDEA'

Family NOLIDAE

Celama Wlk.

891 minna Butl April 7, May 6

Family ARCTIIDAE
Subfamily LITHOSIINAE
Lexis Wallgr.

905 bicolor Grt Aug. 1-18

Crambidia Pack.

911 casta Pack Aug. 10-27

Clemensia Pack.

952 albata Pack June 30. July 30

IPpoprepia Hbn.

958 nuniata Kiby July 19, Aug. 5

Subfamily ARCTIINAE
Halisidota Hbn.

980 maculata angulifera Wlk.

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc.

May 5-28

Emumological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1946), Vol. 43, Feb. 4, 1947

3 3

Cycnia Hbn.

991 tenera Hbn June 10-20

Euhaphe Hbn.

1023 ferruginosa Wlk June 29

a immaculata Reak June 1, July 27

Apantesis Wlk.

1034 intermedia form stretchii Grt. . . .Aug. 6

1035 parthenice Kby July 29, Aug. 13

1047 nevadensis superba Stretch . .Aug. 8-30

Leptarctia Stretch

1063 californiae Wlk April 26, May 30

Diacrisia Hbn.

1065 virginica Fabr. May 14, June 2

1066 vagans kasloa Dycir . . .May 24, June 10

Isia Wlk.

1069 Isabella A. & S June 26

Estigmene Hbn.

1070 acrea Dm May 4, June 18

1073 congrua Wlk May 16, June 21

Hyphantria Harr.

1075 cunea Uni May 28

Parasemia Hbn.

1092 parthenos Harr June 4-25

Platyprepia Dyar

1096 guttata Bdv June 24

form ochracea Stretch. .June 14, July 2

Family AGARISTIDAE

Alypia Hbn.

1316 langtoni Couper June 23

1317 ridingsi Grt May 21-June 11

Family PHALAENIDAE
Subfamily PANTHEINAE

Raphia Hbn.

1141 frater Grt June 23

Subfamily ACRONICTINAE
Acronicta Ochs.

1152 hesperiia Sm June 13-25

1155 innotata Gn May 20, June 13

1160 grisea revellata Sm June 3-18

1168 funeralis G. & R May 25, June 6

1175 furcifera Gn June 23

1185 fragilis minella Dyar . .May 16, July 22

1201 impleta illita Sm. June 6-15

1206 distans dolorosa Dyar May 10

1211 perdita Grt.

Subfamily PHALAENINAE

( Agrotinae )

Euxoa Hbn.

1243

andera Sm

. . .Aug. 27, Sept. 3

1250

ridingsiana Grt

Aug. 9-12

1252

flavicollis Sm

July 7

1274

intrita Morr

form strigilis Grt. . . .

form reuda Stkr

Aug. 9-21

1278

infracts Morr

Aug. 5-19

1280

infausta Wlk

1284

sponsa Sm

. .July 24, Aug. 20

1289

perfuses Grt

Aug. 2-25

a cocklei Sm

. .July 28, Aug. 25

1292

perpolita Morr

Aug. 9-16

1294

stigmatalis Sm

. . .July 19, Aug. 2

1309

mimallonis gagates

Grt

. .Aug. 19, Sept. 9

1310

messoria Harr

form atrifera Grt. . .

1318

atropulverea Sm. . . .

1322 Ontario Sm Aug. 7-19

1324 quinquelinea Sm Aug. 22, Oct. 9

■b incallida Sm Sept. 3

1341 tessellata Harr July 8-27

a atropurpurea Grt July 11

c flaviscapula Sm July 28, Aug. 4

d tesselloides Grt July 18, Aug. 12

1343 esta Sm Aug. 27

1351 declarata Wlk Aug. 6, Sept. 3

1352 campestris Grt July 25, Aug. 27

1353 verticalis Grt June 23, Aug. 17

1354 albipennis Grt Aug. 24, Sept. 3

1355 lillooet McD July 27, Aug. 22

1366 divergens Wlk June 22, July 23

1370 obeliscoides Gn Aug. 16-24

1371 redimicula Morr July 21, Aug. 16

1372 costata Grt June 25, July 25

a idahoensis Grt June 27, Aug. 3

1378 ochrogaster Gn July 26, Aug. 30

1379 excellent Grt Aug. 15, Sept. 15

1383 brocha Morr Aug. 10, Sept. 9

Chorizagrotis Sm.

1389 thanatologia Dyar Sept. 9

form perfida Dod June 17, Aug. 18

Pseudorthosia Grt.

1403 variabilis Grt Aug. 12-28

Agrotis Ochs.

1416 vetusta catenuloides Sm.

July 25, Aug. 28

1426 vancouverensis semiclarata Grt.

June 14-21

1432 volubilis Harv May 12, June 7

Feltia Wlk.

1442 ducens Wlk Aug. 10-30

1446 herilis Grt July 18-28

Actebia Steph.

1452 fennica Tausch June 23, Aug. 28

Spaelotis Bdv.

1472 clandestina Harr June 22, July 3

1473 havilae Grt July 9

Eurois Hbn.

1475 occulta Linn June 7-20

1476 astricta subjugata Dyar

July 23, Aug. 16

1477 nigra Sm Aug. 13, Sept. 19

Metalepsis Grt.

1494 salicarum Wlk Apr. 4

Peridroma Hbn.

1496 margaritosa Haw Sept. 1, Nov. 1

form saucia Hbn Sept. 9, Dec. 15

Pseudospaelotis McD.

1499 haruspica inopinatus Sm.

June 16, Aug. 1

Diarsia Hbn.

1504 cynica perumbrosa Dyar Aug. 12

1510 rosaria Grt May 21, Aug. 18

Graphiphora Ochs.

1511 c-nigrum Linn. June 6, Aug. 15

1512 smithi Snell June 22, Aug. 27

1517 oblata Morr June 11, Aug. 2

1522 collaris G. & R June 20, Aug. 25

Ancmogyna Staud.

1561 elimata Gn ...Aug. 17

1564 vernilis Grt ...July 22, Aug. 28

Adelphagrotis Sm.

1567 indeterminata Wlk. ..July 28, Aug. 15

Aplectoides Butl.

1568 condita Gn .June 6

14

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1946), Vol, 43, Feb. 4, 1947

/Vnaplectoides McD.

1569 pressus fales Sm. .....June 6, Aug. 24

1570 prasina Schiff July 30, Aug. 20

Pro t damp r a McD.

1571 rufipectus Morr. July 4, Aug. 8

Pseudo glaea Grt.

1574 olivata Harr Aug. 26, Sept. 15

Eueretagrotis Sm.

1577 perattenta Grt July 11

a inattenta Sm July 14

Abagrotis Sm.

1587 apposita Grt Aug. 8-11

1590 sambo Sm ..July 24, Aug. 11

1593 placida Grt Aug. 1, Sept. 10

1598 variata Grt. Aug. 12

1599 scopeops Dyar June 26, Aug. 19

Rhynchagrotis Sm.

1606 insularis Grt May 10, July 16

form confusa Sm June 17, Aug. 25

Ufeus Grt.

1610 electra Sm Oct. 13-28

1612 hulsti Sm. Feb. 1, Nov. 7

Subfamily HADENINAE.

Scotogramma Sm.

1633 trifolii Rott July 21, Aug. 23

1639 oregonica Grt May 17, June 18

Mamestra Ochs.

1660 configurata Wlk June 3, July 8

Pdia Ochs.

1662 discalis Grt .June 12, Aug. 20

1663 nimbosa Gn June 6, July 28

1669 purpurissata Grt July 2-31

& crydina Dyar July 3

1672 grandis Bclv. . May 19-25

1673 subjuncta G. <£- R June 12-19

1678 nevadae Grt June 24, July 21

1679 radix Wlk June 29, July 16

1680 segregata form negussa Sm.

April 20, May 19

1684 tacoma Stkr May 18, July 16

1689 meodana Sm June 9-20

1691 adjuncta, Bclv. June 7, July 9

1694 pulverulenta Sm May 19, June 22

1697 cristif'era Wlk May 19, June 18

1699 lutra Gn. .... June 12, July 1

1706 montara Sm ' June 4

1709 detracta Wlk June 10-28

a neoterica Sm. June 12-23

Lacinipolia McD.

1 714 lustralis Grt June 18-25

1716 anguina larissa Sm. . .June 12, July 23

1735 vicina Grt July 13, Aug. 28

1736 pensilis Grt July 24, Aug. 16

1739 stricta cinnabarina Grt. ....Aug. 8-21

1744 lorea Gn. .June 10-26

1746 comis Grt June 18, July 29

a obnigra Sm June 5 Aug. 25

& rectilinea Sm. July 30

Sideridis Hbn.

Ic00 rosea Harm March 18, June 3

1802 maryx Gn June 8

Protorthodes McD.

1841 curtica Sm Aug. 14-20

1855 oviduca Gn May 11, June 2

Anhimella McD.

1886 contrahens infidelis Dyar’''. .June 17-21
Nomorthodes McD.

1885 hanhami B. & McD June 11

1890 furfurata uniformis Sm,

June 13, July 19

1891 communis Dyar July 23, Aug. 6

1892 fractura mecrona Sm, . .June 2, July 1

Nephelodes Gn.

1895 emmedonia pectinata Sm.

June 19, Aug. 20

Xylomyges Gn.

1906 hiemalis Grt. ...April 19

1909 crucialis Harv April 3, May 16

1913 Candida Sm. .....April 23-28

1914 dolosa Grt April 4, May 14

1915 rubrica Harv. May 1-26

1916 perlubens Grt April 17, May 12

Stretchia Hy. Edw.

1920 plusiaeformis Hy. Edw. May 25

Acerra Grt.

1923 normalis Grt April 2

Orthosia Ochs.

1925 pulchella achsha Dyar April 22

1940 revicta Morr April 30, May 14

1942 pacifica Harv April 11

1943 hibisci quinquefasciata Sm.

March 18, May 25

Dargida Wlk.

1952 procincta Grt June 22, Sept. 23

Zosteropoda Grt.

1955 hirtipes- Grt June 13

Leucania Ochs.

1977 commoides Gn June 10-26

1984 farcta roseola Sm. . . . .June 18, July 20

1992 insueta heterodoxa Sm June 14-25

1995 luteopallens Sm June 18, July 31

Subfamily CUCULLIINAE

Pleroma Sm.

2026 obliquata Sm April 2-4

2027 bonuscula Sm April 10, May 1

2029 cinerea Sm Sept. 18, Get. 9

Cucullia Schrank

2041 florea obscurior Sm Aug. 10

2042 postera Gn ..July 1

2043 omissa Dod ...June 7, Aug. 4

Oncccnemis Led.

2073 pudorata Sm Aug. 10

2111 Columbia McD Aug. 12

2116 piffardi Wlk ..Aug, 17, Oct. 6

2132 major Grt ... - July 11

2133 chandleri Grt. ........ Aug. 12, Sept. 3

Feralia Grt.

2186 comstocki columbiana. Sm.

April 28, May 16

Bombycia Steph.

2205 rectifascia -Sm July 25-Aug. 2

Millia Grt.

2212 maida Dyar . . Aug. 29, Sept. 18

Litholomia Grt.

2215 napaea Mor. ....... .March 3, Nov. 22

Lithomoia Hbn.

2216 solidaginis Hbn Aug. 20-28

Graptclitha Hbn.

2221 innominata Sm March 18, Sept. 3

2222 petulca Grt Sept. 14, Oct. 8

2223 ferrealis Grt. Sept. 8-28

2235 vivida Dyar Aug. 18, Oct. 28

2241 tepida Grt Sept. 17, Oct. 19

2244 georgii Grt ...April 19, Sept. 27

5 holocinerea Sm ...Oct. 23

Entqmological.Soc. of British Columbia, Peoc. ( 1946), Vol. 43, Feb, 4, 1947

■ 15

2248 fagina Morr .March 12, Oct. 27

2253 . dilatocula Sm, ......April 26, Oct. 12

Xylena Ochs.

2260 eurvimacula Morr. .March 17, Sept. 30

2262 thoracica Put. -Gram. . .Sept. 26, Oct. 11

2263 cineritia Grt. . . . ... : . . .Sept. 19 Oct. 11
Xylotype Hamp.

2266 acadia B. d B . Aug. 28, Sept. 1

Platypolia Grt.

2268 anceps form aplectoides Gn. Sept. 16-20

2270 loda Stkr Sept. 8, Oct. 2

Mniotype Prancl.

2273 versuta Sm ..Aug. 1, Sept. 19

2276 miniota Sm May 8, July 30

Fishia Grt.

2278 evelina hanhami 8m. . .Sept. 8, Oct. 13

2281 yosemitae Grt. .Oct. 12-24

Anytus Grt.

2288 profunda 8m Aug. 28, Sept. 17

Eupsilia Hbn.

2303 tristigmata Grt March 3, Oct. 17

2307 fringata B. d McD. ..Sept. 15, Oct. 13
Parastichtis Hbn.

2309 discivaria Wtk. ......July 29, AUg. 15

Lycanades Franc.

2310 purpurea Grt. Aug. 25-30

a antapica 8m. .Sept. 18-26

Rusina Steph.

2313 verberata 8m July 29, Aug. 28

2315 deeipiens Grt Sept. 1-8

Xanthia Ochs.

2316 lutea. 8trom. ......... .Aug. 22, Sept. 1

Eucirrhoedia Grt.

2321 pampina Gn Aug. 5, Sept. 2

Homoglaea Morr.

2322 carbonaria Harv. ..March 31, April 18

2323 dives 8m March 19, Nov. 1

Subfamily AMPHIPYRINAE
Septis Hbn.

2336 antennata purpurissata B. & McD.

June 16, July 1

2342 auranticolor Grt June 2

b sora Sm July 16-26

2344 vultuosa Grt. .....Aug. 8-21

2351 arctica Frr June 18, July 28

2352 castanea Grt July 14, Aug. 10

2362 impulsa Gn July 23

2365 finitima cerivana 8m. May 11, June 16
Agroperina Hamp.

2366 lateritia Hufn. ....... .June 26, Aug. 1

2368 dubitans cogitata Sm. ..July 2, Aug. 5

Crymodes Gn.

2375 devastator Brace . . . .July 29, Aug. 22

2378 longula Grt July 24-28

Aseptis McD.

2400 binotata Wlk .July 20-30

Oligia Hbn.

2413 indirecta Grt June 27, July 31

2423 illocata Wlk Aug. 25, Sept. 2

2424 mactata allecto Sm. Sept. 3-8

2557 divesta Grt Aug. 16-21

Eremobina McD.

2430 claudens Wlk ...Aug. 15, Sept. 8

Ipimorpha Hbn.

2453 pleonectusa Grt July 16, Aug. 12

Helotropha Led.

2457 reniformis Grt Aug. 18, Sept. 6

Euplexia Steph.

2533 behesimilis McD June 15-21

Phiogophora Tr,

2536 periculosa form v-brunneum Grt.

July 31, Aug. 26

Achytcnix McD.

2558 epipaschia Grt Aug. 16-17

Amphipyra Ochs.

2584 pyramidoides Gn Aug. 13-17

2585 tragopoginis L. July 20-22

Andropolia Grt.

2602 aedon Grt ..July 21, Aug. 7

2603 theodori epichysis Grt. July 30, Aug. 16
Hyppa Dup.

2607 xylinoides Gn June 17, July 17

Elaphria Hbn.

2647 festivoides Gn. ...'...May 16, June 23
Platyperigea Sm.

2656 extima Wlk July 27, Aug. 12

2657 meralis Morr July 25, Aug. 8

Enargia Hbn.

2685 decolor Wlk Aug. 5, Sept. 6

Pyrrhia Hbn.

2715 umbra exprimens Wlk. l

May 27, June 12

Eutricopis Morr.

2871 nexilis Morr June 23

Subfamily HELIOTHIINAE
Melicleptria Hbn.

2913 sueta Grt May 22, July 31

2915 honesta Grt .May 23

Dysocnemis Grt.

2920 oregonica Hy. Edw June 26

Subfamily ACONTIINAE
Erastria Ochs.

3119 albidula Gn May 31, July 5

Subfamily NYCTEOLIDAE
Nycteola Hbn.

3235 frigidana Wlk ....Aug. 9-15

3235a cinereana N. & D. April 22, July 4

Subfamily PLUSIINAE
Syngrapha Hbn.

3254 rectangula nargenta Ottol. . .Aug. 7-14

3255 celsa Hy. Ed. .Aug. 8

3256 angulidens excelsana Strand , .Aug. 14

3257 alias interalia Ottol. . . June 10

3264 epigaea, Grt .Aug. 24, Sept. 6

3265 ampla Wlk. . . .July 7-19

3266 selecta Wlk .July 13, Aug. 26

Anagrapha McD.

3252 falcifera form simplex Gn. Aug. 22

Autographa Hbn.

3285 bimaculata Steph. .......Aug. 6

3286 mappa G. & R. .Sept. 18

32r 8 californiea Speyer ...April 23, Aug. 21
3292 metallica Grt. June 22, Sept. 29

Plusia Ochs.

3295 aereoides Grt .July 7

Subfamily CATOCALINAE
Ciatocala Sehrank

3344 relicta Wlk. Aug. 22, Sept. 8

3355 californiea Edw July 28, Aug. 13

3357 briseis Edw .July 25, Oct. 11

16

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1946), Vol. 43, Feb. 4, 1947

3360 nevadensis form montana Beut.

Aug 2-31

Euclidina McD.

3426 cuspidea Hbn May 15-25

Caenurgina McD.

3427 annexa Hy. Edw May 16

3430 crassiuscula Haw May 7, Aug. 5

Zale Hbn.

34 84 minerea norda 8m.. . .April 17, May 23
3489 benesignata Harv May 19, June 6

Toxocampa Gn.

3538 victoria Grt July 28, Aug. 8

Melipotis Hbn.

3551 jucunda Hbn May 25, June 2

Synedoida Hy. Edw.

3578 adumbrata Behr May 21, July 6

Sccliopteryx Germ.

3615 libatrix L July 31, Aug. 21

Subfamily HYPENINAE
Bomclocha Hbn.

3690 palparia Wlk June 17

3698 toreuta G?'t June 21

Hypena Schrank

3706 liumuli Harr -..April 4, Aug. 19

Subfamily RIVULINAE
Mycterophora Hist.

3711 lotigipalpata Hist July 31, Aug. 7

Rivula Gn.

3732 propinqualis Gn July 6

Subfamily HERMINIINAE
Epizeuxis Hbn.

3735 aemula Hbn July 8-21

Chytolita Grt.

3767 petrealis Grt May 28, June 28

Philometra Grt.

3770 metonalis Wlk June 23, July 25

Bleptina Gn.

3797 caradrinalis Gn. . . . .June 24, Sept. 16

Palthis Hbn.

3807 anguialis Hbn May 16, June 12

Family NOTODONTIDAE

Ichthyura Hbn.

3822 apicalis Wlk '...May 15, June 18

3827 albosigma specifica Dyar

3829 ministra D\ru May 21

Hyperaeschra Butl.

3^44 pacifica Behr May 5

Odcntosia Hbn.

3847 elegans 8tkr July 6

Naiata Wlk.

38o7 gibbosa oregonensis Butl. . .June 9-29
Schizura Dbldy.

3920 ipomoeae Dbldy Aug. 6

3921 concinna A. A 8 May 15, Aug. 9

3924 unicornis A. A 8. ... . June 24

Cerura Schrank

3.938 scolopendrina Bdv June 11

Gluphisia Bdv.

3940a scvera form normalis Dyar ...May 9

Family LIPARIDAE
Notolophus Germ.

3943 antiqua badia Hy. Edw. Aug. 22, Oct. 17

Hemerccampa Dyar

3945 pseudotsugata McD Aug. 19

Olene Hbn.

3954 vagans B. & McD July 1, Aug. 8

Superfamily BOMBYCOIDEA
Family LASIOCAMPIDAE
Tolype Hbn.

3978 velleda 8toll July 6

Malacosoma Hbn.

3989 americana Fabr July 3-14

3997 disstria Hbn June 27, July 17

Epicnaptera Ramb.

3999 americana Harr April 20, May 2

Superfamily DREPANOIDEA
Family THYATIRIDAE
Habrosyne Hbn.

4004 scripta Gosse June 10, July 7

Pseudothyatira Grt.

4007 cymatophoroides Gn. . . June 12, July 9
form , expultrix Gi't. ..June 20, July 21
Euthyatira Sm.

4010 pudens Gn April 20, May 19

Ceraremota Clarke

4014 tearlei Hy. Edw Sept. 5-12

Family DREPANIDAE
Drepana Schrank

4020 arcuata siculifer Pack. April 28, June 6

4021 bilineata Pack. May 5, Sept. 1

Superfamily^ GEOMETRQIDEA
Family GEOMETRIDAE
Subfamily BREPHINAE
Brephos Zinck.

4023 infans oregonensis 8wett

March 24, April 19

Subfamily GEOMETRINAE
(Hemitheinae)

Nemoria Hbn.

4059 darwiniata Dyar ....June 29, July 24
Synchlora Gn.

4074 rubrifrontaria Pack July 7

Mesofhea Warr.

4090 viridipennata Hist ..April 11, May 10

Subfamily STERRHINAE
( Acidaliinae)

Seel lophia Hist.

4127 hepaticaria Gn. April 21, May 15

Scopida Schrank

4144 quinquellnearia Pack June 8-21

4147 ancellata Hist July 7 Aug. 3

4157 subfuscata Tayl May 16, June 13

Sterrha Hbn.

4180 demissaria Columbia McD June 31

4195 rotundopennata Pack June 3-25

Cosymbia Hbn.

4211 pendulinaria Gn June 26, July 24

a griseor McD June 29

Subfamily LARENTIINAE
Nyctobia Hist.

4223 iimitaria nigroangulata Stkr.

Aril 17. May 14

Cladara Hist.

4225 atroliturata Wlk April 13, June 1

Lobophcra Curt.

4228 slm:ata Swelt ...... May 24, June 13

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia. Proc. (1946), Vol. 43, Feb. 4, 1947

17

Neodezia Warr.

4235 albovittata tenuifasciata B. cG McD.

June 4

Cpcrophtera Hbn.

4239 bruceata Hist Oct. 21, Noy. 14

Oporinia Hbn.

4243 autumnata lienshawi Swett

Sept. 5, Oct. 25

Triphosa Steph.

4244 haesitata Gn Sept. 13, Nov. 4

form pustularia Hy Edw.

March 23, Dec. 3

Calocalpe Hbn.

4247 undulata Linn .June 1, July 19

Coryphista Hist.

4248 meadi Pack ..April 26, July 31

form badiaria Hy. Edio. May 9, July 27

Eupithecia Curt.

4267 misturata Hist April 10, June 29

4276 castigata Hbn June 10-16

4287 palpata Pack May 5

4288 columbiata Dyar May 5, June 5

4290 maestosa dyarata Tayl. June 30, Aug. 8

4321 terminata Tayl June 11

4330 coagulata Gn May 12, Aug. 3

4331 geminata Pack June 26-31

4336 innotata kootenaiata Dyar June 7

4341 georgii McD May 24, June 16

4342 sobrinata niphadophilata Dyar Aug. 28

4346 annulata Hist March 18, April 17

4347 usurpata Pears March 28

4350 cretaceata Pack Aug. 14

4358 agnesata Tayl June 7

4363 tenuata Hist June 22

4383 ravocostaliata Pack May 7-11

Horisme Hbn.

4393 intestinata Gn June 11

Eustroma Hbn.

4398 nubilata Pack. . .

Lygris Hbn.

4407 xylina Hist.

Plemyria Hbn.

4412 georgii Hist

Dysstroma Hbn.

4416 citrata Linn. ....

b mulleolata Hist
Ceratodalia Pack.

4429 gueneata Pack July 16, Aug. 20

Hydriomena Hbn.

4465 furcata Thun June 25, Aug. 9

4477 pluviata Gn June 17, Aug. 16

4485 renunciata form pernigrata B. & McD.

June 1-3

Xanthorhoe Hbn.

4515 defensaria Gn April 16, Oct. 13

4516 ferrugata Clerk April 26, May 28

4519 incursata lagganata S. & C Aug. 4

4524 pontiaria Tayl May 14, June 31

Entephria Hbn.

4541 multivagata Hist July 4 Sept. 25

Mesoleuca Hbn.

4546 ruficillata Gn ....May 16-18

4547 gratulata latialbata B. & McD.

April 19, May 2

Epirrhoe Hbn.

4548 tristata Linn May 23

4549 plebeculata Gn May 25

4551 alternata Mull May 22, July 25

Spargania Gn.

4555 magnoliata pernotata Hist.

June 8, Aug. 7

Euphyia Hbn.

4558 unangulata intermediata Gn. June 26
4561 multiferata Wlk May 20

Eulype Hbn.

4573 hastata Linn May 21, July 2

Perizoma Hbn.

4581 curvilinea Hist May 19, June 13

Earophila Gumpb.

4587 vasiliata Gn April 9 May 25

Venusia Curt.

4593 pearsalli Dyar April 17, May 20

Hydrelia Hbn.

4597 albifera Wlk July 1

Subfamily ENNOMINAE
Bapta Steph.

4605 semiclarata Wlk April 28, May 16

Deilinia Hbn.

4612 variolaria Gn June 13, Sept. 5

4614 erythemaria Gn May 23

Drepanulatrix Gump.

4617 rectifascia Hist May 16, Aug. 8

4618 bifilata Hist March 20, July 3

4622 falcataria Pack April 27, May 13

4628 pulveraria Hist May 2-15

4630 litaria Hist April 4, Sept. 21

4634 unicalcararia Gn June 20, Aug. 12

Sericosema Warr.

4645 juturnaria Gn June 20, July 16

Isturgia Hbn.

4658 truncataria Wlk May 11-30

Philobia Dup.

4664 ulsterata Pears May 23, July 12

Semiothisa Hbn.

4675 adonis B. cG McD July 1

4680 granitata Gn May 31, Aug. 26

46:8 denticulata Grt May 25 July 5

4725 neptaria sinuata Pack. . .May 6, Aug. 5
I tame Hbn.

4757 quadrilinearia Pack. . .June 28, Aug. 28

4762 exauspicata Wlk July 4-31

4768 plumosata B. & McD. . .July 9, Aug. 12

4771 bitactata Wlk Aug. 13

4772 denticulodes Hist July 16

4782 matilda Dyar May 25, June 26

4784 hulstiaria Tayl June 3, Aug. 31

Elpiste Gump.

4799 lorquinaria Gn. July 16, Aug .28

Hesperumia Pack.

4801 sulphuraria Pack June 19, July 30

form baltearia Hist June 28

Dasyfidonia Pack.

4806 avuncularia Gn May 23

Paraphia Gn.

4809 subatomaria Wood ....June 12, July 4

IVIelanolophia Hist.

4859 imitata Wlk May 2, June 15

Protoboarmia McD.

4875 porcelaria indicataria Wlk.

May 10, July 29

. Stenoporpia McD.

4900 excelsaria Stkr May 31

4905 satisfacta B. & McD. . .July 24, Aug. 26

.May 17, Sept. 7

.June 20, Aug. 11

Aug. 10, Oct. 15

.June 8, Sept. 15
June 5-27

18

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1946), Vol. 43, Feb. 4. 1947

Vitrinella McD.

4908 pampinaria Gn May 16, June 10

Anacamptodes McD.

4913 emasculata Dyar ....May 17, June 21

Aethalura McD.

4945 anticaria fumata B. & McD.

April 11, June 7

Ectropis Hbn.

4946 crepuscularia Schiff. April 10 May 24

Coniodes Hist.

4955 plumogeraria Hist March 23

Erannis Hbn.

4963 vancouverensis Hist Oct. 3-16

Lycia Hbn.

4966 ursaria Wlk April 6, May 26

Amphidasis Tr.

4968 cognataria Gn June 11, July 11

Euchlaena Hbn.

4997 johnsonaria Fitch . . . .July 25, Aug. 11

4998 mollisaria Hist July 23-31

5001 astylusaria Wlk .June 11

5005 tigrinaria Gn June 7-28

Spcdolepis Hist.

5012 substriataria danbyi Hist.

April 9, May 19

Campaea Lam.

5015 perlata Gn June 21, July 17

Anthelia Hist.

5019 taylorata Hist May 15

Philedia Hist.

5027 punctomacularia Hist. Aug. 11, Sept. 18

Plagodis Hbn.

5034 approximaria Dyar July 27

Anagoga Hbn.

5042 pulveraria Linn May 8-29

Hyperetis Gn.

5043 amicaria H.-S May 16, June 26

Nematocampa Gn.

5044 limbata Haw. July 22, Aug. 24

Metarranthis Warr.

5050 duaria Gn May 16, June 7

Metanema Gn.

5054 inatomaria Gn June 20

Pero H. -S.

5073 giganteus Gross & Aug. 6-8

5080 morrisonarius Hy. Fdw. May 19 June 8
Phengommataea Hist.

5083 edwardsata Hist Aug. 8-10

Enypia Hist.

5091 perangulata Hist .Aug. 10-11

5095 packardata Tayl Aug. 11

Nepytia Hist.

5111 semiclusaria pellucidaria Pack.

Sept. 11, Oct. 9

Caripeta Wlk.

5125 divisata Wlk July 4-17

Besma Capps

5145 quercivoraria Gn May 27, July 25

Lambdina Capps

5146 fiscellaria lugubrosa Hist.

Aug. 24, Sept. 15

Neoterpes Hist.

5158 trianguliferata Pack. May 14, June 27
Sicya Gn.

5161 macularia Harr June 21, July 21

Deuteronomos Prout

5170 magnarius Gn Sept. 11-21

Synaxis Hist.

5189 jubararia Hist Sept. 17, Oct. 20

5191 cervinaria Pack June 7

Tetrads Gn.

5198 lorata Grt May 16-23

Prochoerodes Grt.

5210 forficaria combinata McD.

June 10, July 3

Superfamily URANIOIDEA
Family EPIPLEMIDAE
Callizzia Pack.

5223 amorata Pack June 10

MICROLEPIDOPTERA

Superfamily ZYGAENOIDEA
Family LIMACODIDAE
Tortricidia Pack.

5279 testacea crypta Dyar . .May 13, June 28

Superfamily PYRALIDOIDEA
Family PYRALIDAE
Subfamily GLAPHYRIINAE

Egesta Rag.

5338 eripalis Grt July 7-21

Subfamily PYRAUSTINAE
Sameodes Snell.

5427 elealis Wlk April 20

Evergestis Hbn.

5436 subterminalis B. & McD Aug. 8

5438 simulatalis Grt Aug. 9-20

Nomophila Hbn.

5455 noctuella D. cG .S May 5

Loxostege Hbn.

5462 chortalis Grt May 10, June 14

5478 sticticalis Linn May 31, Aug. 26

Perispasta Zell.

5545 caeculalis Zell June 10-24

Phlyctaenia Hbn.

5553 itysalis Wlk Aug. 12, Sept. 18

5564 tertialis Gn June 6, July 10

Pyrausta Schrank

5598 fumalis Gn July 23, Aug. 21

5602 fumoferalis Hist May 21, June 3

5607 unifaseialis Pack. ......... .June 18-26

5609 fodinalis Led .June 2, July 7

5621 borealis Pack May 23, June 13

5622 subsequalis Gn May 5, June 27

5625 ochosalis Dyar June 5

5633 signatalis Wlk June 17-24

5647 funebris Strom May 31, June 19

Subfamily SCOPARIINAE
Scoparia Haw.

5728 tricoloralis Dyar July 21

5730 rectilinea Zell July 29, Aug. 10

5747 basalis Wlk June 26, July 29

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1946), Vol. 43, Feb. 4, 1947

19

Subfamily PYRALINAE
Py rails Linn.

5758 farinalis Linn June 6, July 31

Subfamily CRAMBINAE
Crambus F'abr.

5857 pascuellus Linn June 14, July 5

5861 leachellus Zinck Aug. 10-28

5863 praefectellus Zinck May 7, June 5

5864 carpenterellus ? Pack Aug. 21

5878 myellus Hbn. . July 22, Aug. 16

5883 hortuellus Hbn Aug. 18-23

5887 innotatellus Wlk June 27, Aug. 10

5892 vulgivagellus Clem Aug. 9-24

5893 plumbifimbriellus Dyar June 28, Aug. 2

5911 murellus Dyar May 23, June 20

5915 nevadellus Kft May 11, Sept. 21

5919 trisectus Wlk. .. July 8, Aug. 14

Thauniatopsis Morr.

5942 repandus ? Grt .Aug. 22

1 undetermined sp Sept. 8

Subfamily EPIPASCHIINAE
Tetralopha Zell.

6042 aplastella Hist July 7, Aug. 16

1 undetermined ' sp July 7, Aug. 16

Subfamily FHYCITINAE

1 undetermined sp June 11-18

Myelois Hbn.

6063 obnupsella Hist May 24

Acrobasis Zell.

1 undetermined sp .July 28

Dioryctria Zell.

6129 near abietella D. & 8 July 30

6130 ponderosae ? Dyar .Aug. 9

6131 rendiculella Grt Aug. 10

Ambesa Grt.

6156 laetella Grt June 17, July 21

Nephopteryx Hbn.

6163 ovalis Pack June 28, July 21

6167 fasciolalis Hist Aug. 3

Meroptera Grt.

6185 nebulella Riley June 26

Laodamia Rag.

6227 fusca Haw May 24, July 25

Pyla Grt.

6235 scintilians Grt June 17-26

Epischnia Hbn.

6254 albocostaiialis Hist. . .May 23, June 17

Zophodia Hbn.

6303 grossulariae Riley ...April 11, May 16
Euzophera Zell.

6318 ochifrontella Zell July 24

Vitula Rag.

6324 serratilineellaRap. . .April 13, Sept. 30
Valdivia Rag.

1 undetermined sp May 23

Homoeosoma Curt.

6370 mucidellum ? Rag June 23

Ephestiodes Rag.

6379 gilvescentella Rag June 1, July 15

6380 near infimella Rag July 15

Ephestia Gn.

6399 kuehniella Zell Sept. 9

. 1 undetermined sp June 22

Family PTEROPHORIDAE
Pterophorus Geoff.

6471 delawaricus Zell July 3-24

Platyptilia Hbn.

6473 fuscicornis Zell Aug. 13

6474 tesseradactyla Linn June 1-20

6476 pallidactyla Haw June 1-18

6477 carduidactyla Riley . . May 18, Sept. 22

6482 albertae B. cG L July 31, Aug. 14

6484 punctidactyla Haw. .March 30, July 24

6490 edwardsii Fish June 2, Aug. 14

6491 albiciliata Wlshm Aug. 14

6495 orthocarpi Wlshm June 15, Aug. 4

6496 fragilis Wlshm Aug. 14

6498 near maea B. & L . . .May 22

Oidaematophorus Wallen.

6523 occidentalisWZsTim July 10, Aug. 2

6561 homodactylus Wlk. . .June 26, July 18

6563 stramineus Wlshm July 5

6578 corvus B. & L May 5-26

6588 monodactylus Linn Oct. 20

Family ALUCITIDAE
Alucita Linn.

6591 huebneri Wallen March 3

Superfamily TORTRICOIDEA
Family OLETHREUTIDAE
Subfamily OLETHREUTINAE
Radebecia Heinr.

6654 urticana Hbn June 3, July 20

Exartema Clem.

6678 quadrifidum Zell June 6

1 undetermined sp June 29

Olethreutes Hbn.

6716 albiciliana Fern June 18

6719 galaxana Kft June 18-23

6721 astrologana coronana Kft May 5,

June 18

6723 puncticostana major Wlshm. . .June 7

6728 cespitana Hbn May 5, Aug. 6

6731 glaciana Moesch June 18, July 12

6742 buckellana McD June 11-23

Subfamily EUCOSMINAE
Thiodia Hbn.

6773 awemeana Kft. May 8

6778 formosana Clem .May 27

6810 rupestrana McD May 12, June 20

6829 striatana Clem May 22-29

6841 infimbriana Dyar July 31

Eucosma Hbn.

6870 ridingsana Rob Aug. 1

6894 pergandeana Fern. ...May 23, June 12

6918 subflavana Wlshm June 20

6972 dorsisignatana Clem. .Aug. 27, Sept. 11

6974 juncticiliana Wlshm ..June 26

7004 cataelystianaWZfc June 10-28

Epiblema Hbn.

7042 illotapa Wlshm June 9-22

7043 culminana Wlshm July 21

7047 abbreviatana Wlshm. . .May 15, June 20

Gypsonoma Meyr.

7058 fasciolana Clem May 20, June 13

Pseudexentera Heinr.

7078 improbana oregonana Wlshm.

March 7, April 28

Rhopobota Led.

7105 naevana Hbn. ......June 25, July 13

20

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1946), Yol. 43, Feb. 4, 1947

Epinotia Hbn.

7109 solandriana Linn Aug. 6-10

7115 johnsonana Kft May 17

7130 solicitana Wlk May 22

7132 nisella Clerck June 20, Aug. 13

7135 transmissana Wlk July 20-26

7148 emarginana Wlshm June 20

7149 crenana forms Oct. 23, Feb. 14

7165 medioplagata Wlshm. June 20

7167 cruciana Linn June 22

7170 seorsa Heinr Sept. 14, Oct. 26

Anchylopera Steph.

7175 nubeculana Clem June 20

7178 discigerana Wlk May 13, July 16

7184 burgessiana Zell Aug. 17

Ancylis Hbn.

7193 comptana Froh May 19

7201 unguicella Linn May 3-15

7203 mediofasciana Clem. . .April 18, May 28

Hystricophora Wlshm.

7209 stygiana Dyar July 31, Aug. 5

Subfamily LASPEYRESIINAE
1 undetermined sp June 29

Dichrorampha Gn.

7219 kana Busck Aug. 1-4

7221 britana Busck May 29, June 17

7229 sedatana Busck May 24

Grapholitha Treit.

7245 prunivora Walsh July 1, Aug. 11

7252 lunatana Wlshm May 8

Laspeyresia Hbn.

7275 populana Busck July 7

72 A prosperana Kft May 23

Carpocapsa Treit

7301 pomonella Linn July 15, Aug. 12

Family TORTRICIDAE
Sparganothis Hbn.

7333 irrorea Rot) June 19, July 20

7336 violaceana Rob June 2

Piatynota Clem.

7369 idaeusalis Wlk June 22, July 11

Archips Hbn.

7378 persicana Fitch ..., ...June 18, July 9
7384 cerasivorana Fitch . . . .June 22, July 7

7388 argyrospila Wlk July 23-28

7405 rosaceana Harris June 17, July 3

7407 conflictana Wlk July 3

7408 fumiferana Clem July 12, Aug. 20

Tortrix Linn.

7410 pallorana Rob July 1-20

7415 alleniana Fern June 15, July 12

7417 lomonana Kft Sept. 26

7420 peritana Clem July 3, Aug. 3

7439 afflictana Wlk May 5-30

Eulia Hbn.

7442 ministrana Linn May 5, June 6

Cnephasia Curt.

7458 osseana Scop Aug. 6, Sept. 2

7459 argentana Cl June 11-13

7462 ednana Kft July 8

Argyrotoxa Steph.

7469 albicomana Clem July 12-30

Acleris Hub.

7473 fishiana Fern Sept. 26

7476 maximana B. & B Aug. 28, Oct. 28

7479 schalleriana Linn Sept. 19

7481 varianaFe7~?i Sept. 1

7485 celiana Rob Oct. 15

7493 brittania Kft Sept. 5

7494 fragariana Kft Sept. 26

7495 inana Rob May 1

7497 maculidorsana Clem Aug. 12

7501 bowmanana McD Oct. 19

7514 semiannula Rob March 22, Oct. 30

Family PHALONIIDAE
Phalonia Hbn.

2 undetermined spp. June 15, July 5

7530 deutschiana Zett July 30

7539 angustana Clem June 8

7555 near yoxcana Kft July 2

7584 albidana Wlk. June 6

Pharmacis Hbn.

7608 vitellinana Zell May 27, June 17

Hysterosia Steph.

7615 cartwrightana Kft June 14

Family CARPOSINIDAE
Bondia Newm.

7624 erescentella Wlshm. . .April 19, May 22
Family COSSIDAE
Prionoxystus Grt.

7670 robiniae Peck July 13

Superfamily GELECHIOIDEA
Family COSMOPTER Y GIDAE

2 undetermined spp April 7-30

Cyphophora H.S.

7738 tricristatella Cham Aug. 25

Walshia Clem.

7743 amorphella Clem Aug. 13

Mompha Hbn.

7758 unifasciella ? Cham May 15

Family GELECHIIDAE
10 undetermined spp.

Recurvaria Haw.

1 undetermined sp. . .April 26, July 12

Gelechia Hbn.

79.0 lugubrella Fabr July 11

7998 near mandella Busck . .June 30, July 7

8020 mediofuscella Clem May 19

Duvita Busck

8258 nigratomella Clem June 11-13

Compsolechia Meyr.

8272 niveopulvella Cham July 21

Family OECOPHORIBAE

Schiffermulleria Hbn.

8364 dimidiella Wlshm May 14* June 30

Hofmannophila Spuler

8376 pseudospretella Staint July 14

Depressaria Haw.

1 undetermined sp June 25

Agonopterix Hbn.

1 undetrmined sp May 5, Oct. 10

8431 rosaciliella Busck March 16-23

a echinopanicis ? Clarke . . . .Jan. 14-28
8435 klamathiana Wlshm. . . March 2* May 10

Semioscopis Hbn.

8460 inornata Wlshm March 31, May 5

8461 megamicrella Dyar April 11-28

Family BLASTOBASIDAE

4 undetermined spp.

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Pboc. (1946), Vol. 43, Feb. 4, 1947

21

Family ETHMIIDAE

Family SCYTHRIDAE

Ethmia Hbn.

8612 monticola Wlshm May 2-23

Eumeyrickia Busck

8390 trimaculella Fitch June 9-29

Superfamily YPONOMEUTOIDEA
Family GLYPHIPTERYGIDAE

Scythris Hbn.

8964 magnatella ? Busck Aug. 12

Superfamily TINEOIDEA
Family COLEOPHORIDAE
Coleophora Hbn.

9092 coruscipennella Clem June 3

Allononyma Busck

8645 vicarialis Zell. Aug. 14

Choreutis Hbn.

8664 balsamorrhizella Busck June 5-18

Ellabella Busck

8680 editha Busck June 8

Family AEGERIIDAE
Bembecia Hbn.

8684 marginata Harr Aug. 4-13

Albuna Hy. Edw.

8789 pyramidalis Wlk June 13-21

Family PLUTELLIDAE
Trachoma Wall.

8842 falciferella Wlshm. March 13, April 20
Ilarpipteryx Hbn.

8845 dentiferella form canariella Wlshm.

Aug. 29

Family GRACILLARIIDAE
Parectopa Clem.

1 undetermined sp: ? April 28

Gracillaria Haw.

— pulchella Cham, group May 3-16

Family TINEIDAE

Tinea Linn.

9644 near irrepta Braun . . June 27

Superfamily INCURVARIOIDEA
Family INCURVARIIDAE
Lampronia Steph.

9800 piperella Busck April 26, May 19

9803 sublustris Braun May 4-10

Chalceopla Braun

1 undtermined sp May 11, June 16

Suborder JUGATAE
Family ERIOCRANIIDAE

Cerostoma Latr.

1 undetermined sp March 30

8847 rubrella Dyar March 15, April 14

8853 near radiatella Bon Jan. 14

-1 — - radiatella forms ? March 13, April 19
Plutella Schr.

8875 interrupta Wlshm May 4

8878 maculipennis Curt Aug. 10

Mnemonica Meyr.

9853 aurosparsella Wlshm. . July 25

Family HEPIALIDAE
Sthenopis Pack.

9859 purpurascens Pack July 5, Aug. 6

Hepialus Fabr.

9868 mathewi Hy. Edio. . Sept. 20

Acronicta ftmeralis G. and R. Mature
larva from a specimen found on willow
at Vernon, B.C., August, 1935, and drawn

by the late Alex Dennys. Adult emerged
May, 1936. From a photograph by A. A.
Dennys.

REVISION OF CHECK LIST OF MACROLEPIDOP-
TERA OF B.C. — Any information intended to be in-
cluded in this revision should be sent direct to J. R. J.
LLEWELLYN JONES, “ARRANMORE,” R.M.D. No. 1,
COBBLE HILL, B.C., as soon as convenient. Records
of localities Jnot previously reported), larval food

plants and period of the year when imagines may be
obtained, will be welcome. It is hoped to make the list
as comprehensive and informative as possible. Any
new records (if authentic), of species appearing in the
Province will be especially welcome.

22

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1946), Vol. 43, Feb. 4, 1947

A LIST OF TWENTY SPECIES OF SPIDERS COL-
LECTED AT SALMON ARM, B.C.— The following spe-
cies were collected at Salmon Arm, B.C., May-October
1940, by my mother, Olive R. Leech. I am indebted
to Dr. W. J. Gertsch, who identified them in Novem-
ber, 1940, and brought the list up to date in 1946.

Pholcophora americana Banks.

Dictyna muraria Emerton.

Gnaphosa muscorum Koch.

Poecilochroa montana Emerton.

Drassodes neglectus Keyserling.

Anyphaena californica Banks.

Steatoda hespera Chamb. & Ivie.

Pityohyphantes sp.

Misumena calycina Linnaeus.

Philodromus alaskensis Keyserling.

Lycosa orophila Champ. & Gertsch.

Lycosa frondicola Emerton.

Phidippus johnsoni Peckham.

Metaphidippus aeneolus Curtis.

Paraphidippus marginatus Walckenaer.

Aranea dumetorum Villers.

Aranea solitaria Emerton.

Aranea gemmoides Chamb. & Ivie.

Aranea displicata Hentz.

Agelenopsis potteri Blackwall.

— Hugh B. Leech, Vernon, B.C.

POLLENIA RUDIS, THE CLUSTER FLY, IN VAN-
COUVER, B.C. (Diptera: Metopiidae). — Not until the
spring of 1940, did I first find a specimen of Pollenia
rudis (Fabr.) in Vancouver, although I had been on
the lookout for it for many years. In that year one
specimen was found shortly after 6 o’clock one bright
morning, apparently ovipositing on or near earthworms
on the lawn. Since then, several have been noted each
year on the lawn between 6 and 7 o’clock in the morn-
ing, similarly engaged, on the dew-covered grass.

The species, however, has apparently been present
in Vancouver for some time, since a complaint was re-
ceived in 1943 from a householder on the extreme east-
ern boundary of the city, concerning large numbers of
the flies which had come into the house and had win-
tei'ed there unnoticed until spring when they crowded
on the windows, seeking to escape outside. The citizen
lived on a very large lot with, a garden where much
manure containing many earthworms, was present. The
infestation was so extensive that it must have been
several years in developing. In the spring of 1944 the
citizen complained again of the trouble so I forwarded
a 3%, solution of DDT in “Varsol,” a wartime cleaning
fluid put out by the Imperial Oil Company, with in-
structions to spray it on all the woodwork of the win-
dow frames. The procedure was very successful for
the woman telephoned two days later to report that a
tremendous number of dead flies was on the floor below
the windows, with no survivors.— G. J. Spencer, De-
partment of Zoology, University of British Columbia,
Vancouver, B.C.

REARING OF AGROMYZA ALBITARSIS AND ITS

PARASITE OPIUS SP. (Diptera: Agromyzidae, and
Hymenoptera: Braconidae). — On August 1, 1943,

miners were noticed in the leaves of a seedling black
cottonwood (Populus trichccarpa T. & G.) in my gar-
den. The larvae could be seen clearly by holding a
leaf up to the light. On August 11 a leaf containing
two puparia was picked, and the parts containing the
insects torn out and placed in a small jar on my desk.

A fly emerged on August 28, and was subsequently
identified by A. R. Brooks as Agromyza albitarsis Mg.

Mould was growing on the outside of the second
puparium by September 2, so it was opened. It con-
tained a slightly teneral but living wasp, a delicate
little braconid. This specimen matured, and was iden-
tified by G. S. Walley as “Opius sp., probably unde-
scribed. Runs to amplus Ashm. in Gahan’s key.” The
fly and wasp are now in the Canadian National Collec-
tion.— Hugh B. Leech, Vernon, B.C.

GASOLINE FOR KILLING BEETLES.— The note by
G. J. Spencer in the December, 1945, issue of our
PROCEEDINGS (vol. 42, p. 16) on the use of gasoline
in insect killing bottles is interesting. I recall that in
World War I, during my term of service in the Imper-
ial Camel Corps in Egypt, I amassed a small collection
of beetles. Cyanide was unobtainable so other means,
fair or foul, had to be employed for killing and pre-
serving specimens. Gasoline was plentiful in army
trucks and cars and by employing stealth during the
hours of darkness it was a fairly simple matter to se-
cure enough for my purpose. After being killed in gaso-
line the beetles were placed in tin boxes with dry clean
sand, which if packed fairly tightly prevented the
specimens from rolling about in the box. Unfortunately,
owing to a “misplaced” Turkish shell, a camel plus
this collection was destroyed. I have used dry sawdust
for the storage of beetles and it is satisfactory for any
but small species. — E. P. Venables, Vernon, B.C.

A FEW RECORDS OF SPIDERS FROM BRITISH

COLUMBIA AND ALBERTA. — I am indebted to Dr.

W. J. Gertsch of the American Museum of Natural

History for identifying the following species of spiders,

which were sent to him from time to time.

Amaurobius severus Simon. Steelhead, B.C., summer of
1933, in log cabin (Hugh B. Leech) ; common.

Antrodiaetus sp., probably pacificus Simon. Oliver, B.C.,
May 1, 1940 (A. A. Dennys).

Hyptiotes gertschi Chamb. & Ivie. An egg sac spun on
a conifer needle; Brennan Creek, Adams Lake, B.C.,
1942 (P. T. Muskett).

Bathyphantes pallida Banks. Vernon, B.C., March 24,
1940 (Frances O. Leech).

Tetragnatha munda Chamberlin and Gertsch. Hope,
B.C., May 30, 1940. (Hugh B. Leech).

Tetragnatha laboriosa Hentz. Hope, B.C., May 30, 1940
(Hugh B. Leech).

Misumena caiycina Linnaeus. Penticton. B.C., April
19, 1940 (A. A. Dennys).

Xysticus pulverulentus Gertsch. Jasper. Alta., June 14,
1940 (E. H. Brasnett).

Coriarachne utahensis Gertsch. Kelowna, B.C., April
1940.

Neoantistea agilis Keyserling. Manson River, B.C.,
August, 1940 (Ray Gaul).

Arctosa emertoni Gertsch. Under stones edge of alkali
Buse Lake, east of Kamloops, B.C., September 11,
1945 (Hugh B. Leech).

Phidippus tyrrelli Peckham, Fernie, B.C.. August, 1939
(E. A. Quail).

Paraphidippus marginatus Walckenaer. Hope, B.C. May
30,1940 (Hugh B. Leech); Seebe, Alta., June 17,
1940 (J. McLcnahan).

Metaphidippus aeneoius Cu-rt s. Kelowna, B.C., April,
1940.

— Hugh B. Leech, Vernon, B.C.

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia. Prgc. (1946), Yol. 43, Feb. 4, 1947

LIST OF SOME PHILONTHUS FROM BRITISH CLUMBIA
(Coleoptera: Staphylinidoe) 1

Hugh B. Leech
Vernon, B.C.

In 1937 and 1938 I sent a number of
specimens of Philonthus to the Rev. C. E.
Tottenham of the Royal Entomological
Society of London, He identified and re-
turned most of the material, which includ-
ed the following species (the order is al-
phabetical). Specimens were collected by
me, unless otherwise stated; all localities
are in British Columbia.

(1) Philonthus aurulentus Horn (?)

Nicola, 10. IV. 35 (lakeshore, un-
der log).

(2) Philonthus cefhalotes Grav. Salmon

Arm, 4. V. 30.

(3) Philonthus co?icinnus Grav. Fernie,

26. VIII. 34 (faeces of horse),
Salmon Arm, May 1934 (I). H.
and O. Leech, Coll.).

(4) Philonthus cruentatus Gmel. Salmon

Arm, 9. VI. 29; 10. V. 30; 30.
IV. 31 ; 24. IV. 32 (under faeces
of cow). Vancouver, 20. IV. 31
(human faeces). Vernon, l.XII.
35 (under stones).

5 ) Philonthus debilis Grav. Salmon
Arm, April 1935 (D. H. Leech,
Coll.). Vancouver, 5. IV. 33 (un-
der stone).

(6) Philonthus ferreifennis Horn? Ver-

non, 1. XII. 34 (lakeshore, under
log)-

(7) Philonthus flavihasis Casey. Van-

couver, 20. IV. 31.

(8) Philonthus furvus Nordm. Fernie,

28. VIII. 34 (faeces of cow). Sal-
mon Arm, May 1929.

(9) Philonthus fuscifennis Mannh. (P.

folitus Horn). Agassiz, 7. III. 31.
Langley Prairie, 1931 (K. Gra-
ham, Coll.). Salmon Arm, 27.
VII. 34 (O. R. Leech, Coll.).
Vancouver, 14. VII. 32., 28. VI.

1 Contribution No. 2371, Division of Entomology,
Science Service, Department of Agriculture, Ottawa,
Canada.

33. Vernon, 20. VI. 38 (D. Wad-
dell, Coll.), Victoria, 10. VI. 31
(E. E. Peden, Coll.).

(10) Philonthus grandicollis Horn. En

derby, 15. IX. 34. Salmon Arm,
3. V. 35. Vernon, 15. VIII. 37.

(11) Philonthus instabilis Horn. Haney,

22. III. 30. Nicola, 10. IV. 35
(lakeshore, under log). Loon Lake,
between Salmon Arm and Ender-
by, 27. X. 34. Vernon, 20. X. 34
(edge of stream) 5. X. 35 (lake-
shore, under log).

(12) Philonthus lecontei Horn. Shuswap,

l.X. 33 (shore of small alkali
pond). Vernon, 30. X. 31 (lake-
shore, under log); 1. XII. 35.

(13) Philonthus lomatus Er. (?). Ver-

non, 7. VIII. 29 (immature).

(14) Philonthus occidentalis Horn. Ver-

non, 30. X. 31 (under log); 13.

X. 33 (under log, shore of alkali
lake); 28. VII. 38 (Deep Lake,
shore ) .

(15) Philonthus folitus L. ( aeneus Rossi,

of Horn). Vancouver, 23-25. III.
31. Salmon Arm, 8. IV. 34 (faeces
of cow).

(16) Philonthus frotervus Casey (?) Sal-

mon Arm, 31. III. 32 (lakeshore,
in earthen cell under log).

(17) Philonthus fuberulus Horn. Salmon

Arm, 5-6. X. 33 (gravel banks of
Shuswap River).

(18) Philonthus rectangularis Sharp. F er-

nie, 3. VIII. 34. Salmon Arm, 8.

XI. 3 3 (faeces of cow); 20. IV.
35 (under dead pheasant). Van-
couver, 18. III., 20. IV., 1 0.X. 31.

(19) Philonthus siegwaldi Mannh. Steel-

head, 19. VII. 33 (in rotting rhu-
barb). Vancouver, 11. VI. 31
(Stanley Park). Trinity Valley,
near Lumby, 29. VI. 37 (in human
faeces).

24

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1946), Vol. 43, Feb. 4, 1947

(20) Philonthus sordidus Gray. Kam-
loops, 3. II. 35 (on vegetables in
cellar of house). Salmon Arm, 30.
VI. 3 1 ; 1. IV. 32 (flying); 11.
V. 33; 8. XI. 33 (faeces of cow).
Vancouver, 4. IV. 31; 31. V. 31
(on snow, elev. 4,700 ft., Seymour
Mtn. ) ; 6. IV. 32 (in rotting cab-
bage). Vernon, 6. VI. 37 (in rot-
ting vegetables in cellar).

(21) Philonthus umbratilis Grav. Salmon

Arm, 21. III. 34 (barnyard, under
board) .

(22) Philonthus varians Payk. Vancouver,

20. IV. 31 (in human faeces).

(23) Philonthus varius Grav. Seymour

Creek, N. Vancouver, B.C., 12. V.
31.

FURTHER RECORDS OF HETEROCERA OF THE NELSON- ROBSON-TRA I L
DISTRICT OF BRITISH COLUMBIA (Insecfa: Lepidoptera) 1

Harold R. Foxlee 2
Robson, B.C.

AMATIDAE

872 See f sis fackardii cocklei Dyar

Robson 12.VII.45

PHALAENIDAE
1221 Merolonche ursina Sm.

Brilliant No date

1709 Polia deiracta neotenca Sm.

Brilliant 22.V.44

1984 Leucania farcta roseola Sm.

Brilliant 7. VII. 44

2641 Neferigea albimacula B. & Me. D.

Brilliant 21.VII.44

264 7 Elafhria festivoides Gn.

Robson 8. VI. 45

1 The original list, was published in this journal.
See Vol. 42, p. 9-14, 1945.

2 I wish to extend my grateful thanks to Dr. Mc-
Dunnough of- the Division of Entomology Ottawa for
determinations.

3763 Efizeuxis jacchusalis bryanti

Barnes. Brilliant 6.VII.44

GEOMETRIDAE
4147 Scofula ancellata Hist.

Robson 20. VII. 45

4225 Cladara atr oliturata Wlk.

Robson 19.V.42

4515 Xanthorhoe defensaria conciliaria

Swett. Robson 19. IX. 45

4573 Eulyfe hastata gothicata Gn.

Robson 22. VII. 45

LIMACODIDAE
5279 T ortricidia testacea Pack.

Brilliant 9.VI.44

5647 Pyrausta junebris Strom.

Robson , 23.V.45

6178 Tlascala sp. near umbnfennis

Hist. Robson 29.V.45

ADDITIONAL RECORDS OF TABANIDAE FROM
ROBSON, B.C. (Diptera). — Tha following species were
collected by me at Robson, B.C. I am indebted to Dr.
L. L. Pechuman of Lockport, N.Y., for the identifica-

tions.

Tabanus ae rotus O S 18. IX. 43

Tabanus sequax Will 24. VII. 45

at elev. of 4,000 feet

Tabanus rhornbicus O.S July

Tabanus melanorhinus Bigot July

Tabanus sonomensis O.S July

Tabanus sp. near haemaphorus
Apatolestes sp. nov.?

— Harold R. Foxlee, Robson, B.C.

HABITAT OF AGABUS BJORKMANAE (Coleoptera:
Dytiscidae). — On August 26, 1945, I was collecting
aquatics in the Goat River, Creston, B.C., when I took
my first A'jabus bjorkmanae Hatch (det. H. B. Leech).
I had just demolished a log jam under a steep bank,
close to shore ; the water rapidly cleared and I was

attracted by a number of small springs boiling up the
clean, fine sand. Suddenly a large Agabus (species then
unknown to me) was tossed into view, then others,
each frantically digging for cover into the sand. I re-
moved a few stones, stirred the sand, and captured 40
specimens. Then I partly restored the jam for future
visits which lasted until Nov. 4, with a take of over
100 specimens. In every instance they were submerged
in the fine sand until disturbed.-— G. Stace Smith,
Creston, B.C.

ANOPLIT1S INAEQUALIS ON EPILOBIUM (Coleop-
tera: Chrysomelidae) . — The taking of Anoplitis inae-
qualis (Web.) at Creston is a new record for British
Columbia. I picked up several in general sweeping
on a large meadow, but eventually traced them to the
true host: Epilobium adenocaulon; thereafter I took
them in quantity (June 3-Aug. 7, 1945). The speci-
mens are darker than eastern examples but are other-
wise identical, and have been closely examined by C. A.
Frost and H. B. Leech.— G. Stace Smith, Creston, B.C.

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia. Proc1. (1946), Vol. 43, Feb. 4, 1947 25

NATURAL CONTROL OF THE EUROPEAN PEA MOTH LASFEYRESIA
NIGRICANA ON SUMAS PRAIRIE, B.C. (Lepidoptem Olethreufridae) .

H. G. Fulton

Dominion Entomological

History of Area Involved. The area
now known as Sumas Prairie was a lake
before the reclamation scheme, sponsored
by the Provincial Department of Agricul-
ture, was completed in the year 1924. This
area, approximately ten miles long and
four miles wide was at one time covered
with water for the greater portion of the
year.

When dyking, draining and land- clear-
ing operations were completed and agricul-
ture took over, it was soetfi learned that
clover and peas were among the crops
which could be grown most successfully on
the sandy clay soil of the old lake bed.

Introduction of the Pea Moth. It
became the common practice to use peas
as a nurse crop, seeded down with clover,
or quite often peas were grown two and
three years in succession on the same field.
Soon large areas were devoted to pea grow-
ing. This procedure proved very suitable
for the multiplication of the pea moth,
Lasfeyresia nigricana Stephens, which was
apparently present in a nearbv pea growing
district south of the International Boun-
dary.

By 193 3, when 3,000 acres or more
were devoted to pea growing in the Sumas
area, infestation by the pea moth had be-
come very heavy and severe losses were
suffered by the growers.

In 1934, officers of the Agassiz Labora-
tory began a study of the conditions. Ac-
cording to literature Lasfeyresia nigricana
was accidentally introduced into Canada
from Europe sometime before 1893, and
became established without any of its na-
tural enemies. Since then it has spread to
most of the pea growing areas on this con-
tinent. Under conditions similar to those
found on Sumas Prairie the pest soon be-
comes epidemic. By experiments a rotation
control was demonstrated to be effective

1 Contribution No. 2438, Division of Entomology,
Science Service, Department of Agriculture, Ottawa,
Ont.

Laboratory, Agassiz, B.C.

and practical, but this was not adopted by
the growers.

Parasite Introduction. Since this
pest had several natural enemies in Eng-
land, a study of the situation there was
suggested by the Dominion Parasite La-
boratory at Belleville, Ontario. Ewen
Cameron of the Imperial Parasite Service
made a study of the situation in England
during the years 1936-37 and reported that
Ascogaster quadridentatus Wesm., an egg
parasite, was found in as high as 48 per
cent of the pea moth larvae and Glyfta
haesitator Grav. and a species of Angitia ,
larval parasites, were attacking as high as
24 per cent. Parasite material was collect-
ed in England and sent to Canada from
1936 to 1939, when the outbreak of war
caused this work to stop.

Before any imported European material
was available the Belleville Laboratory
propagated and made three shipments of
the parasites, Ascogaster carfocafsae Vier.
and Macrocentrus ancylivorus Roh., which
had been reared successfully on the orien-
tal fruit moth, Lasfeyresia molesta Busck.,
a close relative of the pea moth. Total lib-
eration of all parasites is shown in Table I.

Method of Transport. Until 1938
parasites were shipped in refrigerated cages
by railway express requiring four days to
make the trip from Belleville to Agassiz.
Only one shipment was received in which
undue mortality had occurred by this
method. Time, however, became an im-
portant factor, especially with shipments of
ego; parasite A. quadridentatus y as some
were received too late to be liberated dur-
ing the maximum egg laying period of the
pea moth, which occurs about the end of
June. By using non-re frigerated cages and
air express, parasites could be picked up in
Vancouver twelve hours after leaving the
east, and delivery from Vancouver to
Agassiz required an additional twenty
hours. This method was used for all ship-
ments made in 1939 without undue mor-

26

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Prgc. (1946), Vol. 43, Feb. 4, 1947

TABLE I

Liberations of Parasites Made in the Chilliwack and Sumas Areas

Liberations of the North American Species

Year

A. carpocapsae

M. ancylivorus

Liberation Point

1936

1266

1229

Chilliwack and Sumas

1937

50

Sumas

Total

1316

1229

Liberations

of Imported European

Species

Year

Ascogaster

quadridentatus

Glypta

haesitatoi

Angitia sp.

Liberation Point

1937

34

14

Sumas

1938

880

735

5

Sumas and Chilliwack

1939

2367

23

44

Chilliwack

1939

2010

662

Sumas

1939

124

Nicomen Island

Total

5291

1544

63

tality occurring. In eight shipments mor-
tality varied from 5 to 65 per cent with an
average of only 12 per cent. The follow-
ing table shows the mortality by species.

TABLE II

Mortality of Parasites During Shipment

Species

Range in %

Average %

A. quadridentatus

5-19

10

G. haesitator

19-45

25

Angitia sp.

36-65

57

One shipment of G. haesitator was pick-
ed up in Vancouver thus saving 20 hours
from a total of 32 hours en route. Only
13 per cent of this shipment had died at
the time of liberation as compared to the
average of 25 per cent in the other ship-
ments of the same species.

Recoveries of Parasites. Large num-
bers of pea moth cocoons were collected
each year to be used in the cultivation con-
trol experiments and some were also sent
to Belleville for the purpose of parasite
recovery checks. In the cultural experi-
ments cages of cheesecloth were used; con-
structed over plots of soil twelve feet by
three feet, artificially stocked with pea
moth cocoons to test the effect of various
soil cultivation practices on moth emer-
gence. A check was also kept of the para-
sites that emerged.

First signs of parasitism were observed
in 1938 when one speciment of Angitia
was taken on June 25 from the experi-
mental cages at Agassiz, in which 10,000
pea moth cocoons were being used in con-

nection with the cultivation control experi-
ments. A second specimen of the same
genus was captured in a field on Sumas
Prairie in early July. These recoveries
were rather surprising as only fourteen in-
dividuals of Angitia had been liberated the
previous year.

In 1939, six specimens of G. haesitator
and a few doubtful specimens of Angitia
were obtained from 8,000 cocoons used in
the experiments.

In 1940, one specimen of A. quadriden-
tatus was obtained from 6,000 cocoons at
Agassiz; and from 10,500 cocoons sent to
Belleville, 1 A. quadridentatus , 4 G. haesi-
tator and 92 Phanerotoma species emerged.
Phanerotoma is apparently a native hymen-
opteron which occasionally attacks the pea
moth. The record of A . quadridentatus
and G. haesitator was most encouraging as
these species are largely responsible for the
control of the pea moth in England.

In 1941, 6,000 cocoons at Agassiz,
yielded 1 Glyfta haesitator and 4 Phaner-
otomay and from 3,360 cocoons sent to
Belleville, 1 G. haesitator and 5 Phaner-
otoma were obtained.

In 1942, 2,000 cocoons at Agassiz gave
1 A. quadridentatus } 2 G. haesitator and
3 Phanerotoma; and from 3,350 cocoons
sent to Belleville, 7 A. quadridentatus , 3
G. haesitator and 25 Phanerotoma em-
erged.

In 1943 no further cage experiments
were carried on at Agassiz, but 4 A. quad-

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1946), Vol. 43, Feb. 4, 1947

27

ridentatus and 6 G. haesitator emerged
from 706 cocoons sent to Belleville.

In 1944, 3,000 cocoons were sent to
Belleville and these showed approximately
7 per cent parasitism, an appreciable in-
crease.

During the summer months of 1944,
specimens of Ascogaster and Glyfta were
occasionally caught in the net when sweep-
ing pea fields and roadside patches of
vetch. In the fall 3,800 pea moth cocoons
were sent to Belleville and it was reported
that 6 per cent of these were parasitized
by A. quadridentatus and 3 per cent by G.
haesitator.

In the pea flowering season of 1945 the
presence of A. quadridentatus was quite
noticeable, many specimens being captured
in net sweeping in several different pea

might not hold for the entire Sumas Prairie
area. Nevertheless the outlook is very fa-
vourable. In 1946 it is probable that one
of the most destructive insect pests of peas
will have been checked by its natural ene-
mies, which were originally imported from
England during the years 1937, 1938 ,and
1939.

We note that no recoveries were made
of parasites of the oriental fruit moth, lib-
erated in 1936 and 1937. Apparently the
pea moth was not suitable as a host. It is
also interesting to note that Phanerotoma
was not recovered until after 1942.

The foregoing data in tabular form,
show the gradual increase in percentage of
parasitism.

Summary. — 1. The pea moth was in-
troduced into the lower Fraser valley of

TABLE III

Percentage of Parasitism of the Pea Moth on Sumas Prairie

No. of
Cocoons

Ascogaster

Glypta

Angitia

Phanerotoma

Total
Per cent

Year

quadridentatus
No. %

haesitator
No. %

species
No. %

species
No. %

1937

10,000

0

0

0

0

1

.01

0

0

.01

1938

8,000

0

0

6

.07

?

?

0

0

.1

1939

6,000

1

.02

?

0

0

0

0

0 ]

.6

10,500

1

.01

4

.04

0

0

92

.88 J

1940

6,000

0

0

1

.02

0

0

4

.071

.12

3,360

0

0

1

.03

0

0

5

.14 J

1941

2,000

1

.05

2

.1

0

0

3

.151

.76

3,350

7

.2

. 3

.09

0

0

25

•74 J

1942

706

4

.56

6

.85

0

0

0

0

1.4

1943

3,000

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

7.

1944

3,800

0

6.0

0

3.0

0

0

0

0

9.

1945

20,000

0

77.5

0

8.3

0

0

0

0

85.8

fields.

A large

amount

of pea

moth

ma-

British Columbia

prior to

1933;

had be-

terial

in the form of

infested pods

was

come a serious pest by 1934,

2. Commenc-

therefore gathered in early August, from
which approximately 20,000 pea moth co-
coons were obtained and shipped to Belle-
ville in the fall. Dissection of some of this
material showed 77.5 per cent and 8.3 per
cent parasitism by A. quadridentatus and
G. haesitator , respectively. However, as the
material was all obtained, from only one
field, this high percentage of parasitism

ing in 1936 and continuing until 1939
parasites were imported from England and
liberated in the affected area. 3. A steady
increase in the percentage of parasitism was
observed since 1937. 4. Percentage of

parasitism reached 85.5 per cent in 1945;
indicating that a control of this important
economic pest would be effected by two of
its natural enemies.

Literature Cited

Fletcher, J., 1899. Injurious insects in 1898. 29th Ann. Rept. Ent. Soc. Ont. (1898); p. 75-87
(pea moth, p. 78-79).

Cameron, E., 1938. A study of the natural control of the pea moth, Cydia nigricana Step.
Bull. Ent. Res. 29 (3) :277-313.

Glendenning, R., 1943. The pea moth and its control in British Columbia. Field Crop Ins.

Investig. No. 222, Dom. Ent. Lab. Agassiz, B.C.

Wishart, G., 1944. Note on the establishment in Canada of imported parasites of the pea
mcth, Laspeyresia nigricana Steph. Can Ent. 75 (12) :237-238. (December, 1943, num-
ber, published January 17, 1944J

28

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1946), Vol. 43, Feb. 4, 1947

RESULTS OF A SEASON'S STUDY OF THE EUROPEAN EARWIG,
FORFICULA AURICULARIA (Dermaptera: Forficulidae)

Richard Guppy
Wellington, B.C.

Introduction— The following obser-
vations were mainly made from captive
earwigs. These were confined in glass jars
to allow for close study. Much use has
been made, largely for purposes of com-
parison, of the article by Geoffrey Beall
(1932. The life history and behaviour of
the European earwig, Forficula auricularia y
L. in British Columbia. Ent. Soc. Brit.
Col., Proc. 29: 28-43), and of the paper
by S. E. Crumb, P. M. Eide and A. E.
Bonn (1941. The European earwig U.S.
Dept. Agri. Bui. No. 766).

Life History — A short resume of the
life history of the European earwig in this
district may help to clarify the following
discussion.

From my observation it appears that two
batches of eggs from each female is the
rule rather than the exception. The first is
deposited during January and February,
and does not hatch until warmer weather
occurs. This is usually during the latter
half of April.

The parents of these early nymphs then
oviposit again in early June, the eggs in this
case hatching in about 20 days. Both the
early and late broods reproduce at about
the same time the following spring.

The nymphal stage comprising four in-
stars lasts under normal conditions between
two, and three months.

Brooding by Females — No doubt the
habit of earwigs which provokes the most
interest and discussion is the remarkable at-
tention paid by the females to their eggs
and young. It is generally assumed that
the purpose is to protect the eggs from pre-
dators. I am inclined to believe, though,
that very little can be accomplished in this
direction by so small and weak an insect.
On the other hand, it is clear that the habit
must in some way benefit the species as a
whole.

Crumb (p. 39) expresses the opinion

that the eggs of earwigs cannot develop if
deprived of the attentions of the parent in-
sect. Before reading Crumb’s 'work I had
myself arrived at the same conclusion.
Mould invariably appears on ova which are
kept alone more than 5 or 6 days. Even
packing them in sterile cotton in a steril-
ized vial does not prevent this trouble. Ap-
parently the mould spores are present on
the eggs themselves.

In nearly all cases which I was able to
observe, some moving around of the ova
was done by brooding females, due prob-
ably to the conditions under which they
were forced to nest. For example, an ear-
wig which at first had placed her eggs on
the surface of soil in a crowded jar, later
piled them on top of a small potato sup-
plied as food. This was doubtless a desper-
ate attempt to make the best of a bad situa-
tion, but it indicates an instinct which may
sometimes enable earwigs to preserve their
offspring. They might, for instance, move
the eggs deeper into the soil if conditions
become too dry, or to a higher spot in case
of flooding. When the eggs are exposed
to view the earwig will usually dig another
cell for them. This is sometimes done even
in rotten wood, a task requiring several
days.

The mother earwigs remain in the cell
with the nymphs for most of their first
stadium. Whether she carries food to them
or feeds them by some other means during
this period, I was unable to discover. Cer-
tainly she does not leave the cell for any
extended foraging trips. Crumb (p. 39)
states that both mother and young were
found to have full stomachs at this time,
but does not offer any suggestion as to how
this food was secured.

If the nymphs be deprived of their
mother directly after hatching, they can
fend for themselves, at least if food is
readily available. In such cases they leave
their cell almost at once and scatter. If the

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1946), Vol. 43, Feb. 4, 1947

29

adult be replaced, she reconstructs the cell
and gathers them together again.

Further Remarks on Ova — Very
moist conditions are necessary for the sur-
vival of eggs and young nymphs. The ova
soon shrivel if deprived of moisture, but as
a rule they will be deserted by their par-
ents before this occurs. Even adult earwigs
require moisture frequently. If kept in a
dry place and not given succulent food,
they will drink freely on gaining access to
water.

The nesting of earwigs in paper, as
described by Beall (p. 30), was likely due
to overcrowding, as suggested in the pre-
ceding section. I have noticed that very
little success attends the efforts of those fe-
males which are forced to nest in cages
crowded with earwigs not concerned with
brooding. The eggs in these cases are usu-
ally eaten, either by the other inmates of
the cage, or by their own parents. The last
mentioned habit is commented on both by
Crumb (p. 39) and Beall (p. 32).

Effect of Temperature on the
Development of Nymphs — My earwigs
were raised in an unheated building, in
which no doubt, temperatures more closely
approached those of the natural environ-
ment than do those in a laboratory. In no
case which I was able to check, was the
duration of an instar less than 14 days.
There was a distinct inclination for those
nymphs which did not transform after 14
days, to continue in the same instar for 27
days. Stadia which were prolonged beyond
this point, presumably because of low tem-
perature, might continue for a very long
period. Eventually, however, difficulty was
experienced in casting off the exuviae. It
is doubtful whether these individuals
would ever Survive under natural condi-
tions.

One nymph I raised, remained in the
fourth instar for a period of about 75 days,
when it finally died without having moult-
ed again. In another case the fourth instar
lasted 62 days. This insect attained the
adult stage but its wings were rumpled; it
did not survive the winter.

A few nymphs can easily be found even

at the end of summer. Whether these are
a very late, possibly a third, brood, or
whether they are the result of retarded
moulting, as in the examples noted, I can
not say. Six nymphs were taken in the field
on September 12, in the second and third
instars. They were not closely watched,
but their cage was examined early in the
following February: three were found
alive, all fully developed. These, it may
be assumed, reached the adult stage soon
after being imprisoned.

At Tofino', on the West Coast of Van-
couver Island, I found a few earwigs in
several stages of growth, late in November.
The youngest of these, still in the first in-
star, I kept alive. It attempted to trans-
form the next day, but could not free the
exuviae from its head, and shortly died.
This nymph had not been in my possession
long enough to suffer from unnatural con-
ditions, such as may have affected the others
under my observation.

Second Brood — Female earwigs taken
during May produced, in nearly every case,
a batch of ova during the first half of
June. Doubtless this was in most cases
their second laying. The improbability, as
shown above, of any examples of F. ciuri-
cularici passing the winter in an immature
state, makes it difficult to account otherwise
for oviposition taking place SO' late.

A few female earwigs which I kept un-
der careful observation after finding them
with their first brood, all produced a sec-
ond. Beall (p. 29-30), and Crumb (p. 35)
mention the occurrence of second broods,
but Crumb, at least, thinks that they are
produced by only a small percentage of fe-
males. Possibly a dry climate would tend
to prevent oviposition later in the spring.

In one case I was able to keep watch on
a particular female for several months.
This insect was taken May 1 in the act of
copulation. Oviposition took place on May
.29, and the nymphs appeared on June 19.
The adult was then placed again with a
male, and mating was observed on June
29. The second batch of ova was deposited
July 20, but unfortunately failed to hatch.

As will be noted, the breeding of this

30

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1946), Vol. 43, Feb. 4, 1947

individual was somewhat out of season.
Her first brood presumably was produced
a little earlier than the usual time for the
second. This fact suggests that it may have
been her second brood, but definite proof
is lacking.

Certainly if a third brood is ever pro-
duced it must be only in exceptional cases.
A few females that I kept after they had
hatched their second did not oviposit again,
although Some lived for a considerable
time. None died before mid-July. Deaths
occurred at various times up to the end of
November, and one insect survived until
the following April. Males are less long
lived, none of mine survived until the end
of July.

Beall (p. 30) assumes that both batches
of eggs are rendered fertile by copulation
prior to the first oviposition. Crumb (p. 35
and 41), states that the males leave the
hibernation cells in January, perhaps under
compulsion from their mates. I have not
been able, however, to find any evidence
in support of these theories.

The males are active earlier than the
females, but usually do not leave their cells
for some weeks after their mates have ovi-
posited. They can easily be found, either
in the cells with females, many of which
have eggs, or hiding nearby. In one .case I
am nearly certain copulation was taking
place in a cell containing ova. Unfortun-
ately the insects moved before I could
check closely. However, no attempt was
made by the female to drive out her mate.
Under these circumstances I see no reason
why. fertilization should not take place
while the females are attending their first
brood.

Hibernation — The hibernating of ear-
wigs in this climate could perhaps be
better described as a period of comparative
inactivity. They seem never to become
completely dormant. Those which I kept
in jars were perhaps protected from the
frost a little better than those under natural
conditions. Caged earwigs did not even
bother to construct cells in which to hide,
until early January, when they were nearly
ready to oviposit. On any nights when the

temperature was above 40° F., they could
be seen crawling around, but they fed very
little if at all.

Although the cover provided was far
from ideal according to Crumb’s data
(p. 36), very few of my adult earwigs
died during the winter. The jars mostly
contained an inch or so of pure sand, well
moistened. In one I used fairly fine saw-
dust instead, but the earwigs had difficulty
in constructing cells in this medium.

Under natural conditions earwigs seem
to prefer as winter quarters, cells dug un-
der partially embedded stones. I found a
great many in cells under loose bark of
rotting logs, and when the wood was very
soft, some distance into the log itself. The
fact that all these were alive and busy with
oviposition when discovered during Febru-
ary, goes to show that they found the latter
location quite suitable. On the other hand
some were found dead on January 8 under
loose bark on a cedar log.

Two females kept alone since September
23, and two others since December 20,
passed the winter safely, and three of them,
including the two former, produced fertile
ova. This observation is at variance with
the findings of Crumb (p. 37) who con-
cluded that the females seldom pass the
winter alive without the company of a
male. Admittedly I used very few insects
in my experiment but a survival of four
out of four is suggestive.

Food — Very wide differences of opinion
exist among authorities as to what consti-
tutes the chief food of the European ear-
wig. No doubt food preferences vary from
place to place, and even among individual
colonies living in close proximity. For
these reasons I expect that the list of food
plants following will meet with some criti-
cism, though I have checked with several
residents in this district and all agree with
my conclusions.

It was not possible for me to make use
of dissection in order to study the food
habits of earwigs. A good deal can be ac-
complished, when the insects are kept in
small containers, by offering them various
foods and watching to see which are most

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia. Proc. (1946), Vol. 43, Feb. 4, 1947

31

readily accepted. Also earwig damage in
the field can be readily recognized. Care-
ful examination of places near which they
congregate yields much information.

It does not appear to me that Euro-
pean earwigs are particularly adaptable to
changes of food. In fact, they appear,
when caged, to have a somewhat restricted
diet, and can easily be starved into canni-
balism, by depriving them of the plants
® they require. However, most common her-
baceous plants will be eaten under compul-
sion.

Of garden vegetables, carrots and beets
are the hardest to raise in earwig infested
land. Legumes, potatoes, and rhubarb come
in for much attention. Wild plants related
to these vegetables were readily eaten by
the insects. Cabbage is less susceptible and
lettuce seems never to be harmed. Al-
though wild Cruci ferae and Compositae
were eaten when the earwigs were not al-
lowed other food, I could never find evi-
dence of damage to these weeds in the
field. Colonies of earwigs living on waste
land seem to feed almost entirely on the
narrow leaved plantain (Plantago lanceo-
lata ) though they also feed to some extent
on clover.

Very few native trees and shrubs are at-
tacked with the exception of Cascara
(Rhamnus furshiana) of which they are
very fond. In cases where maple and wil-
low leaves are eaten there is usually some
evidence that circumstances forced the ear-
wigs to take to this diet. I found first in-
star nymphs to be fairly adaptable, but they
never seem to lose their preference for the
plants previously listed.

As regards animal food, earwigs eat
readily any sort of dead animal matter.
They seldom, if ever, kill insects, except
those that are very sluggish and do not pos-
sess a hard or leathery covering. The fact
that they often refuse to kill such easy
game as termites and small smooth cater-
pillars, indicates habits very far from pre-
datory.

I always found earwigs ready to accept
crushed insects, or insect ova. Often such
offerings were eaten at once, while I still

held in my hand the jar containing the
earwigs. I have seen them do the same
with pieces of potato, after they had been
starved in an attempt to make them take
unfamiliar food. But ordinarily they
would never eat vegetable food before
nightfall.

Injury to Gardens — Under this head-
ing I have put together a few remarks
which may prove of some help to garden
owners troubled by earwigs.

Mature breeding insects do not seem to
do much harm. Experiments went to show
that during this stage they feed little and
show an increased preference for animal
food. Most of the damage is done by
nymphs, and the chief sufferers are newly
sprouted seedlings. Often so many of these
are destroyed before they can get a start,
that the results are mistaken for poor germ-
ination of seeds. Earwig damage, how-
ever, is readily recognizable, due to the
fact that they first eat those seedlings near-
est to the cover which they use during the
day. This also gives a good clue to the
place where the culprits can be found.

The nymphs travel only a very short dis-
tance from their hideout. For this reason
much more trouble is experienced where
cover, suitable for hibernation and oviposi-
tion, and for concealment of developing
nymphs, is available to them. Rockeries
could well be named “Earwig Hotels”.
Nothing suits the breeding adults and the
first instar nymphs so well as a pile of
stones and soil. Shubbery, bushes, and
probably concrete walks are also used.
Nymphs in the later stages and non breed-
ing adults much prefer to be off the
ground, except where the surface is very
dry. At this time they are found under
loose bark, in cracks in fences, and such
places.

Seeds sown late in the season are very
liable to suffer damage. Earwigs much
prefer very young plants, and even if they
are of a species not usually attacked, will
turn their attention to them at a time when
most other herbage has made considerable
growth .

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Pkoc. (1946), Vol. 43, Feb. 4, 1947

LOCAL ABUNDANCE OF THE WASPS CHLORION ATRATUM AND
MEGASTIZUS UNICiNTUS ( Hymenoptera: Sphecidae and Bembscinae)1

Hugh B. Leech

Dominion Forest Insect Laboratory, Vernon, B.C.

On August 22, 1945, a small box con-
taining live wasps was received from Frank
Choveaux of Okanagan Landing, B.C. It
contained two species, one a black bembi-
cid with an orange-red band across the
abdomen, the other a blackish sphecid.
These were subsequently identified by G.
S. Walley as Megastizus unicinctus (Say)
and CMorion (Priononyx ) atratum ( Le-
Peletier), respectively.

According to an interesting account of
the habits of these species by H. E. Smith
(1915. The grasshopper outbreak in New
Mexico during the summer of 1913. U.S.
Dept. Agric. Bui. No. 293, 12 p., 2 figs.),
C. (P.) atratum is an important grasshop-
per parasite, stocking its nests with nymphs.
Many of the burrows are re-opened by M.
unicinctus females, which destroy the
C Morions’ eggs and replace them with
their own. Despite extensive outberaks of
hoppers in British Columbia, there is no
record of the wasps occurring here in num-
bers.

Mr. Choveaux reported hundreds of the
wasps to be congregated on heads of grain
and grasses each night, and he wondered if
they might damage the seeds. That eve-
ning we visited the area concerned, a field
about 3 miles from Vernon, just below
the upper Landing road and west of its
junction with the Commonage road.
Grasshoppers were abundant; 1945 was
the third successive year of an outbreak of
Melanoflus mexicanus mexicanus (Sas-
sure) (det. I. J. Ward). Mr. Chouveaux
said that though the blue CMorion was
present but rare in previous years, the Me-
gastizus had not been on his farm before.

A few strips of tall grasses had been left
when the seed crops were cut, and on the
tops of these grasses black clusters of the
wasps could be seen from a distance of
several hundred yards. They were in

1 Contribution No. 2417, Division of Entomology,
Science Service, Department of Agriculture, Ottawa,
Canada.

groups of from six to twenty, mostly on
the seed heads, but extending for some dis-
tance down the upper stem. At 7:30 p.m.
they were quiet, and easily captured. When
picked up in the fingers the male Megasti-
zus gave a most realistic show of stinging; *
the long spikes of the trident at the end of
the abdomen were extruded, and the center
one pressed against my skin strongly
enough to be felt — and what was worse,
it looked just like a sting. The simulated
attack was psychologically effective and I
found it hard not to drop the insect hur-
riedly.

The wasps were often in mixed lots,
though in any one group each species
showed a preference for its kind, e.g.,
where M. unicinctus were present they
usually made up at least 75% of the total
on that grass head. However, in all, the
CMorion outnumbered the Megastizus by
nearly three to one. Of several hundred
Megastizus examined, all were males.
Only a single female was present in a ran-
dom sample of 230 C. atratum: this de-
spite the lateness of the season, shown by
the fact that the wings of many of the
CMorion were faded and had ragged edges.
Indeed on September 5, by which time the
wasps were scarce, the proportion of the
two species was still nearly three to one,
and again all Megastizus were males and
only a few CMorion females were found.

I did not discover where the females of
the two species spend their nights. They
were not on the ground or under stones
and trash; neither were they roosting on
grasses or bushes within a quarter of a mile
of where the males congregated. Perhaps
the heavy clay in the field was unsuited for
burrows, and the actual nesting site was in
lighter soil some distance from the roosting
grounds. A few male wasps were seen in
tall weeds along the fence line and road-
side bordering the field, but no other roost-
ing ground was visible.

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1946), Vol. 43, Feb. 4, 1947

33

CURRENT TREND OF THE WESTERN HEMLOCK LOOPER
(LAMBDINA F. LUGUBROSA) IN THE COASTAL FORESTS OF BRITISH
COLUMBIA ( Lepidoptero, Geometridae) 1

H. A. Richmond

Dominion Forest Insect Laboratory, Victoria, B.C.

An outbreak of the western hemlock
looper (Lambdina fiscellaria lugubrosa
Hist.) reached serious proportions in sec-
tions of the coastal forests of British Co-
lumbia during 1945. Only in that year
was damage of this present cycle partic-
ularly noticeable and as indicated below
there was little evidence of any degree of
natural control. Further destruction of
timber is expected during 1946.

This current outbreak represents the
first appearance of the looper since the
large outbreak of 1930. Although records
of this insect date back to 1882 (de Gryse,
1934:523-527) it is only in recent years
that specific data have been recorded on
the prevalence of this insect in British
Columbia. While these records are not
necessarily complete, they indicate past
outbreaks as follows: Stanley Park 1911-
13 (Swaine, 1918); Vancouver Island
1913-14 (Jaenicke, 1929); Quatsino
Sound, Vancouver Island 1925 (recounted
by residents) ; south coastal mainland
1928-30 (Hopping, 1934: 12-13); and
in the Interior, the Big Bend of the
Columbia River and Nakusp region 1937-
38 (unpublished records).

The last coastal outbreak subsided in
1930> but records of the occurrence of the
hemlock looper have been obtained each
year since 1937, the year of the inaugur-
ation of the Forest Insect Survey in British
Columbia.

The present cycle first came into prom-
inence in 1944, when the looper appeared
in moderate numbers in the Lens Creek
valley (upper San Juan drainage) al-
though it was undoubtedly increasing in
other areas where severe defoliation oc-
curred in 1945.

1 Contribution No. 2442, Division of Entomology,
Scien-? Service, Department of Agriculture, Ottawa,
Ci n -ia.

During 1945 the major infestation
occurred on the south west portion of
Vancouver Island extending roughly from
San Juan River north to the Alberni In-
let, an area of some 900 square miles.
Throughout this region severe defoliation
was irregularly distributed as is typical of
looper attack. Viewed from the air in
March 1946, some 140 square miles of
timber appeared to be almost totally stripped
of foliage. The timber concerned is some
of the best of the west coast hemlock and
Douglas fir. The most widespread infesta-
tion occurred in the Caycuse River valley,
where extremely heavy defoliation ex-
tended from the mouth of the river on
Lake Nitinat to its headwaters at McClure
Lake and through to the headwaters of
Walbran Creek. From the Caycuse it
swept into the Nitinat valley where 400
million feet of timber are infested. North
of the Nitinat an infestation as serious as
that in the Caycuse valley, is centred in the
Klanawa River valley, and covers some
12 square miles. Further infestations occur
in the Pachena valley (moderate), lower
Sarita (very severe), and at Coleman
Creek (heavy). Endemic looper popula-
tions were recorded at the headwaters of
the San Juan River, Lens Creek, Port
San Juan, and Carmanah Creek. On the
mainland further attack was reported
from Clowhom Lake near Sechelt Inlet
and in two areas on the Greater Vancou-
ver watershed.

Cu; RENT Looper Situation. — Pres-
ent indications point to a very marked in-
crease in looper population in 1946 on the
bas s of overwintering egg counts. In
such examinations, four areas were con-
sidered, the Caycuse valley, Nitinat valley,
Pachena and Coleman Creek. While the
past history of these infestations is not
definite, Pachena alone appears to be of

34 Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1946), Vol. 43, Feb, 4y 1947

1945 origin, the others are probably two
years old. Egg population data were ob-
tained through the examination of moss
samples, taken from tree trunks at 20
foot intervals from ground level to the
top. Old egg shells were recorded as well
as sound eggs from which a ratio was
obtained between remaining egg chorions
of previous years, and the overwintering
eggs of the current year. While there is
no suggestion that such a ratio indicates
the true increase for 1946, it is of interest
in a relative sense in comparing one area
with another. Defoliation figures were
derived by examination of 1/5 acre plots
adjacent to trees analyzed for egg counts.
A summary of these averages follows:

aged 82% with an egg count of 226
sound eggs per square foot of moss at 80
feet elevation. At 1400 feet mean defoli-
ation was 10% with 0.3 eggs per square
foot of moss. The lack of a direct corre-
lation between absolute elevation and
looper abundance, however, eliminates
any hard and fast rule in sampling a stand
for mean defoliation.

There appears, furthermore, a marked
variation in population according to light
intensity. Dominant trees averaged 10%
higher defoliation than intermediate trees
and there was consistently greater feeding
and more eggs in trees near forest open-
ings adjacent to streams and swaynps.

TABLE I. — Defoliation and Eggs in Moss, Western Hemlock Looper.

AREA

Per Cent
Defoliation
of Hemlock

AV. EGGS PER SQ. FOOT MOSS
Old Chorions Current Eggs

Ratio

Between Old &
Current Eggs

Caycuse

62

12.0

96.0

1 : 8.0

Nitinat

51

7.5

95.2

1:12.7

Pachena

47

5.1

55.0

1:10,8

Coleman Cr. .........

81

22.0

96.0

1: 4.4

These figues represent conditions only
at the points sampled and defoliation per-
centages should not be considered as typ-
ical of the entire area. There is a sugges-
tion of a fairly serious situation for 1946,
since it is felt that these indications are in
no way an exaggeration of the overall
picture. Nevertheless* such calculations-
cannot be regarded as more than approxi-
mations without extensive and adequate
sampling, considering relative elevations,
forest density and light intensity.

In estimating populations, the absolute
elevation may not be as important as the
relative height in a valley system. Thus
the floor of the upper Caycuse valley, 750
feet elevation, was as severely defoliated
as that of the Nitinat at 80 feet. In higher
tributary valleys this characteristic was
still evident in the severe attack in the
gullies of small streams. That elevations
are of minor importance, however, is not
suggested, since in the Nitinat where 20
sampling points were selected with 92
moss samples examined, defoliation aver-

Natural Control.— R ecords ob-
tained from the Caycuse valley, the oldest
apparent infested region in 1945, showed
a larval parasitism of 5% and pupal para-
sitism somewhat less. No egg parasites
were found in 1259 eggs incubated in
January 1946. Of another 2000 eggs
collected in March 1946, 93% hatched
and no parasites were recorded. Neither
de Gryse (1934) nor Watson (1934) re-
ported parasites of primary importance in
looper outbreaks in eastern Canada. Hop-
ping (1934) recorded 14 species of para-
sites on the coast of British Columbia,
but a high of only some 2 1 % parasitism
of larvae and pupae combined. He did,
however, obtain 25% parasitism of eggs
in the Seymour Arm region. In the light
of the past records and in view of the
trend suggested by current winter investi-
gations, there appears to be little likeli-
hood of any immediate slackening in the
present hemlock looper situation. The
eventual termination of the current cycle
through the prevalence of disease is a

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1946), Vol. 43, Per. 4, 1947

35

strong possibility, since there were minor predict the trend of insect diseases and the

indications of the appearance of disease future of this present outbreak of the

in 1945. Iuis yet too early, however, to hemlock looper.

Literature Cited

tie Gryse, J. J. and K. Schedl, 1934. An account of the eastern hemlock looper, Ellopia
fiscellaria Gn., on hemlock, with notes on allied species. Sci. Agr. 14:523-539.

Hopping, G. R. 1934. An account of the western hemlock looper, Ellopia somniaria Hulst.,
on conifers in British Columbia. Sci. Agr. 15:12-29.

Jaenicke, A. J. 1929. The western hemlock looper. Pour L Lumber News 11:16-20.

Swaine, J. M. 1918. Insect injuries to forests in British Columbia, Chapter X, p. 220-37 in:
Forests of British Columbia by H. N. Whitford and R. D. Craig, Commission of con-
servation, Ottawa.

Watson, E. B. 1934. An account of the eastern hemlock looper, Ellopia fiscellaria Gn., on
balsam fir. Sci. Agr. 14:669-678.

RESUME OF INFESTATIONS AND CONTROL OF THE COLORADO
POTATO BEETLE IN BRITISH COLUMBIA, 1911-1946.

I. J. Ward

Provincial Entomologist, Vernon, B.C.

The potato beetle ( Leftinotarsa decem-
lineata (Say) ) was first recorded in Brit-
ish Columbia in 1911 at Newgate on the
International Boundary in the extreme
south-eastern portion of the . Province. It
appears that this infestation originated
from the adjoining State of Montana.

No systematic eradication or control
measures were adopted when the pest was
first observed and the area of infestation
grew considerably year by year. In 1922
E.C. Hunt, District Horticulturist, Nelson,
B.C., and J. W. Eastham, Provincial
Plant Pathologist, made a survey of the
Newgate country and recommended that
help be given to the growers. The follow-
ing year control measures were adopted to
a limited degree.

In 1926 the Dominion Entomological
Branch in co-operation with the Provincial
Department of Agriculture undertook to
investigate the extent of the potato beetle
infestation and to work out a systematic
conrol program. The district then infested
consisted of two areas:

(1) The larger area extended from
Newgate north to Fernie . and
north-west through C ran brook to
Premier Lake ‘in the Kootenay-
Columbia Valley.

(2) The smaller area extended from
Rykerts, B.C. on the International
Boundary north to Creston and
Wynndel.

It is. believed that this infestation
came to the Creston district, some
sixty (airline) miles west of New-
gate, from the State of Idaho to
the south during 1923 or 1924.

The total area infested in the two dis-
tricts amounted to approximately 665
square miles in which some 880 acres of
potatoes were grown.

Supervised control measures were under-
taken in 1927 and a total of 32,965
pounds of calcium arsenate 1-6 dust were
used during the year. The late A. A.
Dennys of the Dominion Division of En-
tomology was placed in charge. A reduc-
tion in the intensity of the infestation was
noted. During the following year a spot
infestation occurred 100 miles farther
afield near Golden, B.C., in the upper
Columbia Valley. This area was dusted
thoroughly by Mr. Dennys-, and up until
this year (1946) there has been no recur-
rence of the infestation.

In spite of improved and annual control,
new infestations have occurred from time
to time in isolated. parts of southern British
Columbia. In the early 1 930’s 'a 'spot in-

36

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1946), Vol. 43, Fer. 4, 1947

festation occurred in the Nelson area. Con-
trol work was undertaken by E. C. Hunt,
the infestation was completely cleaned out
and there has been no recurrence. During
1936 two infestations were reported at
Grand Forks, B.C., on the International
Boundary, and the pest spread considerably
in 1937. The late M. H. Ruhmann, Pro-
vincial Entomologist, took charge of con-
trol in this area and after five years of
thorough work the pest, so far as known,
was completely eradicated.

In 1944 an area of infestation was
found in the South Okanagan-Similka-
meen district just above the State of Wash-
ington. R. P. Murray of the British Col-
umbia Horticultural staff, Penticton, car-
ried out early control measures and a super-
visor was appointed for control work in
1945 and 1946. A definite improvement
in conditions has resulted.

The latest infestation in the Province
occurred during 1946 in the Kootenay area
between Trail and Nelson. Good control
was obtained during the year and this area
will be watched closely in 1947.

A check of a map will soon indicate that
all infestations have originated close to the
International Boundary. The neighboring
states are known to be infested. It is not
considered possible that the potato beetle
will ever be eradicated from British Col-
umbia, as frequent new infestations are al-
most certain to occur. There is every hope
that the total area infested from year to

CALIFORNIA TORTOISE-SHELL BUTTERFLY IN
BRITISH COLUMBIA, in 1945. (LEPIDOPTERA).— -
The California Tortoise-shell, Nymphalis californica
Bdv., ranges throughout the Rocky mountains from
sea level in southern British Columbia to California
where it is more of a mountain species.

The year 1945 has been a favourable one for this
notably erratic species. It occurred in large numbers
in various parts of the Province where in previous
years it was scarcely noticed.

John Sowerby of Tata Creek, some twenty miles
north of Cranbrook, reports that during the last thirty
years he has never seen them in such large numbers.
They were also observed by the writer swarming about
damp places along the roadside in Manning Park, about
the second week in August. In the vicinity of Victoria,
Vancouver Island, they were more numerous than any
other species of butterfly. From time to time during
the season, similar reports have come in from other
sections of the Province.

year will be held to a minimum and im-
portant potato growing areas may be free
of this pest for years to come. In recent
years there has been no economic loss of
potatoes due to the potato beetle.

British Columbia is broken up by high
mountain ranges and river valleys. These
serve as ideal barriers against the spread of
the beetle and break up agricultural land
into isolated areas. This has made it possible
definitely to eradicate the pest from some
areas.

New insecticides have provided improved
control throughout the years. Supervised
control has been carried out at a relatively
low yearly cost and undoubtedly has pre-
vented a much larger area of the Province
from becoming infested.

The overall area of infestation during
1946 was less than in 1926. During 1926
a total of 33,000 pounds of poison dust
was used in the East Kootenay district
alone compared with less than 10,000
pounds in 1946 for the entire Province.

It is possible to check the records of this
work done by the British Columbia De-
partment of Agriculture for the past twen-
ty years and to realize that the farmers
have been spared a large annual expense and
possible crop loss. This was accomplished
for less than $5,000 yearly. If infestations
had been ignored and the pest had become
general the estimated annual control cost to
the farmers would, by this time, have been
well over $100,000 annually.

A wood-pile affords an excellent hibernaculum.
Throughout the cold weather several specimens were
found snugly tucked between blocks of wood. One was
seen flying across a busy street in Victoria on January
5, while another was disporting about a wood-pile on
the 17th.

The larvae usually feed on Ceanothus, but sometimes
they resort to alfalfa, manzanita and other shrubs. —
George A. Hardy, Provincial Museum, Victoria, B.C.

TROPIDISCHIA XANTHOSTOMA FROM TOFINO, B.C.
(Orthoptera: Stenopelmatidae) . — During December,

1945 I took a specimen of the cave cricket Tropidis-
chia xanthostoma (Scudder) at Tofino on the West
Coast of Vancouver Island. E. R. Buckell, who identi-
fied the insect, advises me that this is the first record
from the West Coast of the Island, and that the speci-
men is immature. It was found in a subterranean
wooden drain used to carry off rainwater from a house.
— Richard Guppy, Wellington, B.C.

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1946), Vol. 43, Feb. 4, 1947

COMMERCIAL APPLICATION OF PHENOTHIAZINE
FOR CODLING MOTH 1 CONTROL.

R. P. Murray 2

Department of Agriculture, Penticton, B.C.

Although phenothiazine had been used
experimentally since 1934, not until 1945
was it applied on a commercial scale for
codling moth control either in British Col-
umbia or elsewhere as far as can be
learned. Experimental work undertaken at
Kelowna in 1937 by Ben Hoy3, District
Field Inspector of Kelowna and continued
by him and the Dominion Entomological
Laboratory staff4 until 1944 produced very
encouraging results.

jin working with phenothiazine they
found that the ordinary commercial grade
used as an anthelmintic was not sufficiently
toxic for codling moth control. When mi-
cronized, however, it was highly effective.
In fact micronized phenothiazine proved
to be about five times as effective as either
lead arsenate or cryolite. They also found
that if applied late in the season, either as
late first brood cover sprays or second brood
sprays phenothiazine interfered with nor-
mal coloration of red varieties of apples.
Furthermore, if applied during hot weath-
er it was capable of causing quite serious
skin burning on the spray men. Since the
material is not wetted by water it is neces-
sary first to wet it with oil, then to disperse
the oil-wetted phenothiazine in water by
means of a substance such as casein-lime
spreader. Because -ordinary summer oil re-
sulted in a heavy deposit that could not be
removed, stove oil was used as the wetting
agent.

As a result of this work the writer in

1 Carpocap-a pomoneila L.

2 District Field Inspector, British Columbia Depart-
ment of Agriculture, Penticton, B.C.

3 Hoy, Ben, 1943. Phenothiazine as a codling moth
insecticide. Ent. Soc. Brit. Columbia, Proc. 40:11-12.

4 Marshall, J., 1945. Phenothiazine in codling moth
control. Scientific Agriculture 25 (9):546-550.

LOCALITY LABELS. — Excellent labels in 3*4 or
4 point type, may be obtained from The Nature Com-
pany, P.O. Box 403, Covinton, La., U.S.A. Two, 3 or

1945 undertook to test the value of mi-
cronized phenothiazine on a commercial
basis at Penticton, B.C. Four orchards that
were heavily infested by codling moth in
1944 received early first brood sprays of
three-fourths pound micronized phenothia-
zine per hundred gallons wetted by one
quart of stove oil which, in turn, was
emulsified by approximately two ounces of
casein-lime spreader. About 50 acres were
involved and approximately 1,300 pounds
of micronized phenothiazine used in the
treatment. Each orchard received a calyx
spray of either cryolite or lead arsenate,
and first, second and third cover sprays of
micronized phenothiazine. The fourth and
fifth cover sprays were of cryolite-casein-
lime and second brood applications were
either of fixed nicotine or cryolite-casein-
lime. With the exception of one property
which was improperly sprayed the orchards
showed marked improvement in codling
moth control. Results are summarized
herewith :

1944 Infestation

1945 Infestation

Orchard

Per Cent

Per Cent

No. 1

60

4.3

No. 2

50

8

No. 3

No record, but only
portion of crop picked,
due to coddling moth
infestation.

12

No. 4

28

24

Because 1945 was a year during which
infestation in the Okanagan Valley as a
whole showed general increase in spite of
the heaviest spraying on record, these re-
sults are gratifying. It is anticipated that
upwards of fifteen tons of micronized
phenothiazine will be used for codling
moth control in British Columbia during
1946.

4-line white labels, all the same: 45c for 500; 70c for
1,000, and 45c for each additional thousand.

38

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1946), Vol. 43, Feb. 4, 1947

PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS

J. R. J. Llewellyn Jones, M.A., F.R.E.S.
Cobble Hill, B.C.

Again it is my privilege to welcome the
members of the Entomological Society of
British Columbia, this time to their 45th
Annual Meeting.

It is a desirable feature to hold our
meetings on occasion at varying points in
the Province, and it should help to diffuse
a better understanding of our Society’s
work and activities, many of which, in the
economic sphere in particular, are, of value
to the agriculturist, the horticulturist, the
fruitgrower and those dependent on fores-
try for their living. It also gives an oppor-
tunity for members who would otherwise
be unable to attend through difficulties of
travel and other causes, to be present when
the meeting is held near their home town,
or place of employment. Hence the choice
of Lytton this year, being, as it is, a reason-
ably easy journey both from the coastal
areas and the interior of the Province.

Since we lkst met, world events have
moved very swiftly and we now find our-
selves in a period of transition from a
world war to an era of peace, with its
visions of great opportunities and progress,
but also, let us not forget, beset with its
attendant difficulties and problems. As
touching our Society we look forward to a
period of expansion both in membership
and activities.

Membership — In the name of the Society
I welcome all those, whose names have
been put forward for nomination, and who
will shortly, in due course of procedure, be
elected members.

The Society extends a cordial welcome
to the men and women of the services on
their return to civil life and the resump-
tion of normal activities and invites, any
interested in the ways and habits of insects
to become members, and so give us and the
Province as a whole the benefit of their
discoveries, knowledge and ability.

Our universities and colleges are full to
overflowing and among these many stu-

dents there are some who no doubt are in-
terested in entomological research. We
should not overlook nor ignore these po-
tential entomologists, but make them feel
welcome in our midst and give encourage-
ment to them in their work.

Young people especially react favour-
ably when interest is shown by those of us
who are older and presumably therefore
possessed of greater learning and wisdom.
Sound advice and constructive criticism,
given in a kindly way, are valuable in help-
ing the inexperienced student, whereas de-
structive criticism merely blasts earnest en-
deavour. With so many returned men and
women in our colleges this would seem an
opportune time to offer a small prize, per-
haps a book or something of that nature, to
be awarded to a deserving student who
shows promise of distinguished achievement
in entomological research. By so doing the
Society would be showing in a practical
way its interest in the students of our Prov-

ince.

Activities — As to the Society’s activities,
now that peace time conditions lie ahead,
equal stress should be laid upon work of a
purely scientific value as upon economic re-
search. However it is only to be expected
that the latter will seem of greater import-
ance to many, especially the general public.

There is a wide scope in both fields. On
the purely scientific side, more informa-
tion would be welcome on such subjects as
hybridization, the causes which contribute
to colour variation in species, the reasons
for gynandromorphic specimens and
whether this can be produced artificially,
the diseases of insects, their causes and
cure, if any, and many other kindred sub-
jects. For those interested in taxonomy the
compiling and revision of check lists, lists
of host plants and of the geographical dis-
tribution of species, are but a few examples

of much needed work. On the economic

side, further experiments in the use of in-

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1946), Vol. 43, Feb. 4, 1947

39

secticides, such as the powerful DDT are
urgently required. Decisions will have to
be made in the light of available data as to
the advisability of wholesale and unre-
stricted use of any particular insecticide.
The question to be decided is whether the
advantages to be gained by an intensive ap-
plication of powerful insecticide in any one
area with the resultant death of all but a
few species of insects may be outweighed
by the destruction of many beneficial in-
sects and the balance of nature upset.

To turn to another topic, interest is be-
ing shown in some quarters of the Province
in the breeding for commercial purposes of
the silk-worm Bombyx mori Linnaeus. In-
formation as to the best methods of breed-
ing the larvae would doubtless be welcome.
Also in districts where its primary food
plant the mulberry is scarce, information
as to substitute food plants would be desir-
able. Currant and lettuce have been tried
by some and the larvae have been known to
feed on these plants and spin their cocoons.
Lettuce, however, is liable to cause di-
arrhoea and is therefore not very satisfac-
tory. Some of our members could perhaps
furnish more information on the above
lines.

There is another point which should not
be overlooked, that of instructing the pub-
lic. For the most part the average person is
very ignorant about the ways and habits of
insects. One common example will illus-
trate what I mean. About this time of the
year, or even earlier, it is not uncommon
to find references in the press to the early
appearance of butterflies. The insect is
frequently called “Amos,” and certain de-
ductions are made of a more or less erro-
neous nature. This year radio commenta-
tors have joined the press in mentioning the
early appearance of butterflies, and deduc-
ing from such appearances an exceptionally
early spring or specially favourable weather
for some place or other. There may be an
element of truth in all this, but the fact is
overlooked that many species of butterflies
such as Commas, Tortoise-shells, the
Mourning Cloaks and possibly in suitable
districts Red Admirals, hibernate during
the winter months in such places as barns,

outhouses, basements, wood piles and thick
brush. Consequently on a mild and sunny
day in winter or early spring they may fre-
quently be seen taking an airing as if en-
joying a brief spell of exercise in the sun’s
genial rays. There is no particular signifi-
cance in this. It is quite a normal habit.
On the other hand a report of the appear-
ance of a non-hibernating species such- as
an Orange Tip, a Blue, or Cabbage White
at a very early date would be of note and
worthy of press or radio comment. Mem-
bers of our Society could help to correct
such misconceptions as the one now under
review by giving accurate and interesting
information from time to time about our
insects, either by articles in the press,
through information supplied to the schools,
or in many other ways. Erroneous ideas
should whenever possible be dispelled by
someone competent to do so. One thing we
should remember when addressing the pub-
lic is to use language which they under-
stand so that they will benefit by the infor-
mation offered and we on our part will not
be misunderstood and perhaps ridiculed. It
is abundantly clear then that there is a wide
choice of activity open to our members in
the years that lie ahead.

Finances. — The finances of the Society
show a distinct improvement. They show
a credit balance of about $85.00. This is
very largely due to the successful advertis-
ing campaign conducted by Messrs. Ivor
Ward and Ralph Cudmore and the thanks
of the Society are due to them for their ef-
forts. The fears of those who thought that
the general appearance of the PRO-
CEEDINGS would be spoiled by the pres-
ence of advertisements seem quite unjusti-
fied.

It will be noted that the amount borrowed
from the Reserve Endowment Fund has
been recovered, but to replace this imme-
diately would leave only a few dollars in
the general account with which to carry on.
It would be unwise to take any action
which would leave the Secretary-Treasurer
with no adequate funds with which to start
the financial year. A similar result next
year and the year following should show a
satisfactory credit balance after all indebt-

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1946), Vol. 43, Feb. 4, 1947

edness to the Reserve Fund has been paid
up. This fund is now a separate account
into which all moneys earmarked for it
will be paid in future.

Now a word as to the ultimate use of the
Reserve Fund. It is desirable and neces-
sary that this fund should be augmented so
that the Society may have adequate and in-
dependent reserves with which to enlarge
and improve the PROCEEDINGS and
possibly to publish a quarterly journal and
to restore the privilege granted by many
contemporaries of 25 free copies of re-
prints. To be independent of any outside
assistance for our publications is a very
worth-while objective, and one which will
give complete freedom to our editorial
committee in its choice of material for
publication. At the present time it is under
obligation to give preference to economic
papers.

However we ought not to stop at the
mere provision of funds for our publica-
tions. As a learned Society we should do
something to justify that claim. For exam-
ple we should offer prizes and scholarships.
It would be much to our credit, and prob-
ably to our advantage, if we were to start
some such action in the immediate future.
A small prize could be offered now and a
larger one later on till we could see our
way clear to provide a scholarship. Such a
step seems eminently desirable. So again I
commend this fund to your notice, sympa-
thetic consideration and generous support
and remind you of my previous remarks
on this subject ( Presidential Address, in
1944 PROCEEDINGS, 41:2).

Library.— A learned society should be
in possession of a good library, and we are
fortunate in having a very good nucleus
upon which to build one. Unfortunately,
however, little use is made of it at the
present time chiefly because the books are
scattered, some at the Parliament Buildings
in Victoria and some at the office of the
Dominion Plant Inspection Department in
the Federal Building at Vancouver, and
also because there is no adequate catalogue.
The time appears to be ripe for some action
which will make the library accessible and
of real use to the members.

Probably a library committee should be
appointed to go into the ways and means of
bringing this about. The books should be
collected in to some central place where
they would be available to the greatest
number of our members and should be of
easy access; also a suitable catalogue .should
be compiled. It would be unwise, however,
to authorize any action which would allow
our library to become the property of some
other institution as a price for getting it
catalogued. Such action, if taken, would
probably be regretted later. This question
of cataloguing has been discussed before,
and various methods have been described to
us and we have been urged to choose one or
other method. Do we need an elaborate
form of catalogue? Ours is not a public
library and our membership is not large. A
simple and inexpensive catalogue would
seem to be all that is necessary to supply the
needs of the members. With these matters
attended to, members might be encouraged
to donate books to the library, or to direct
in their wills that their libraries of entomo-
logical books become the Society’s property.
Books might also be purchased with a grant
from the Society’s funds from time to time
to complete sets of such journals as the
“Canadian Entomologist” and to obtain
other desirable books.

Entomological Society of Canada.
— A proposition emanating from the En-
tomological Society of Ontario. It suggests
formation of an Entomological Society of
Canada to speak and act in the name of Ca-
nadian entomologists as a whole. You have
received copies of the proposals and I trust
that you have given them careful consid-
eration. Theoretically, the idea is eminent-
, ly sound and is in many respects desirable,
and is in keeping with the growing import-
ance and prestige of the Dominion. But
theories do not always work when put into
actual practice, and it is therefore my duty
to warn members not to make any hasty or
unwise decisions upon this important mat-
ter. Under the scheme, our Society remains
a branch of the new society, and it is as-
sumed that all or at least the majority of
our members will wish to join the new or-
ganization. It is very doubtful if this as-

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia. Prog. (1946), Vol. 43, Feb. 4, 1947

41

sumption is justified. It is a matter for
speculation as to whether the society will
ever be anything more than one on paper.
We are told that the existing societies and
new ones, which it is hoped to form, will
in fact constitute the new society. This Is
no doubt theoretically correct.

It is also questionable as to whether a
truly representative number of members
from each Province and district of Canada
could attend the new society’s meetings.
This very difficulty has arisen on a smaller
scale, with regard to our own society. At
the Coast meetings there is usually a pre-
ponderance of Coast members present, and

at meetings held in the interior of the
Province the reverse prevails. There is
therefore grave doubt as to whether we are
justified in expecting anvthing very differ-
ent in the case of a Dominion-wide society.
Then there is the question of the status of
our PROCEEDINGS under the new pro-
posals. The proposals seem ' somewhat ne-
bulous and in need of clarification. The
matter calls for our careful and serious
thought. However, we should take a broad-
minded attitude towards the proposition
and weigh the pros and cons very carefully
and after having done this express our
views clearly and unequivocably.

j u ti$emoriam

WILLIAM ARTHUR DASHWOOD-JONES, 1858-1928

My father, the late William Arthur
Dash wood- Jones, pioneer, and amateur en-
tomologist and horticulturist, was born on
March 25, 1858, at Kinson, Dorset, Eng-
land, the only son of Captain W. A. Dash-
wood- Jones, Royal Artillery, and Mrs.
Dashwood- Jones. He spent his childhood
under the guardianship of his uncle at Up-
ton House, Poole, Dorset. He was educat-
ed by private tutors and later went to
Wimbourne Grammar school, and was in
London at the University College school
preparing for Cambridge, when, on the
loss of his income, he decided to go to
British Columbia. He left England in
March, 1876, and arrived at . Portland,
Maine, where he took train for San Fran-
cisco, and came up the coast by boat to Vic-
toria, landing there on April 26. He made
his home at Nanaimo with his uncle, the
late Archdeacon Mason, Rector of St.
Paul’s, later Rector of Christ Church
Cathedral, Victoria and first Archdeacon
of Vancouver.

Father spent some time in Nanaimo and
Victoria, and ranched on Lasqueti Island
and at Duncan. In 1878 he went to take
charge of the Inverness cannery winter
quarters on the Skeena River where he

spent one winter alone but for one other
white man. Leaving there he went to Yale
before construction of the Canadian Paci-
fic Railway, then returned to Victoria. He
went then to Drynock, where he was at-
tached the Resident Engineer’s staff on
construction of the railway. The camp had
the honour of entertaining the Marquis of
Lome, Governor General of Canada, who
came that far on his way to British Col-
umbia. Father later went on to Spences

42

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1946), You. 43, Feb. 4, 1947

Bridge with the engineers and was with
them till construction was ended. Under
Onderdonk the contractor he became the
first express messenger on the division
which terminated at Port Moody. He
stayed with this work till the Canadian
Pacific Railway took over the road, and
was their first express messenger on the run
from Calgary to Port Moody, the end of
the line.

He left the railroad in 1888 and came
to New Westminster where he engaged in
business, in the course of which he shipped
the first salmon out of British Columbia
over the Rockies. He left the business
world to enter the Provincial Government-
service in 1894, joining the staff of the
Land Registry Office and later becoming
Deputy Assessor and Collector. After
twenty years’ service, he was superannuated
in the early twenties.

During all those years he took a keen
interest in horticulture and entomology. He
organized the first Chrysanthemum Show
in New Westminster about 1900. He was
a director of the Royal Agriculture Society,
and it was by his efforts the floral depart-
ment became outstanding. As a boy he had
been keenly interested in the out-doors and
his hobbies then were birds’ nesting and the
collecting of wild flowers, butterflies and
moths. At New Westminster he spent all
his leisure hours in his garden or in pursuit
of his entomological interests. He spoke
the Chinook jargon fluently arid often
acted as interpreter in court.

The years of his retirement were spent
in the enjoyment of his many interests. His
garden brought visitors from all parts of
the country. His big collection of butter-
flies, moths, etc., being too large to keep at
home was kept at the Court House and it
all went up in flames in the New West-
minster fire. He never made such a large
collection again and in later years gave
most of the latter collection away to dif-
ferent schools and to the Westminster
Club. I treasured four cases, but even with
moth balls, I found it impossible to keep
out pests, and they went the way of all

things, Wk,;S %

I think he, was the iflte^&ctiyei in ento-

mology during the first four years of the
century. He was a charter member of the
Entomological Society of British Colum-
bia, and carried on a world- wide corres-
pondence. Many collectors came out to
New Westminster to see him, perhaps the
most noted being Dr. Barnes of New York
and Decatur, 111., and the Hon. Charles
Rothschild of London, England, the own-
er together with his brother the Hon. Wal-
ter Rothschild, of Tring Museum. To this
museum which he had often visited as a
boy, father sent many specimens. I have
in my possession two volumes (author’s
copies) of “A Revision of the Lepidopter-
ous Family Sphingidae” by the Hon. Wal-
ter Rothschild and Karl Jordan, sent to
him by the authors. On page 614 of the
larger volume of this work he is mentioned
as having sent to the Tring Museum speci-
mens of Lefisesia ulalume of which they
wrote “a rare insect, of which we have not
seen many specimens.” These insects were
caught on the blossoms of apples and white
lilacs in my father’s garden at 627 6th
Avenue, New Westminster. When one
considers the number of individuals and
species of Sphingidae contained in the
Tring Museum, at that time nearly. 16,000
specimens belonging to some 660 species,.
ulalume was quite a catch and deserved the
special mention it got.

Collectors wrote from all over the world
for specimens. He sent many to the United
States, and also to England and Eastern
Canada. I might add that the only places
in British Columbia where ulalume was
reported by Tring Museum as being taken
were Enderby, New Westminster and
North Vancouver.

He died on October 8, 1928, from
shock, three weeks after his elder son Laur-
ence, a barrister at Vancouver, was killed
by an automobile. The family home is
still occupied by his youngest daughter,
Mrs. E. G. , Pearson at 627 6th Avenue,
New Westminster, where the family has
resided to date 52 years.

There were five children: Laurence,
Victor (627 6th Ave., New Westminster),
Edith (Mrs. M. M. Shore, Abbotsford,
B.C.), Grace (Mrs. S. M. Green, 721

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1946), Vol. 43, Feb. 4, 1947

43

6th Ave., New Westminster), and Kath-
leen (Mrs. Pearson). Each has a son, i.e.
Donald Dash wood- Jones, Edmund Dash-
wood- Jones, Kenneth Shore, Stanley Green
and Ernest Pearson; three of them served
in World War II. Victor, now Head
Revenue Accountant in charge of all
revenue of the British Columbia Electric

Railway Company, Vancouver, as his
father was, is greatly interested in en-
tomological and botanical activities, and
devotes all his spare time to these hobbies,
at his country home, “Seven Oakes,” on the
south side of the Fraser River in Surrey
Municipality.

■ — Grace Melville Green

THEODORE ALBERT MO ILL I ET, 1883-1935

My father, Theodore Albert Moilliet,
was born at Cheyney Court, Herefordshire,
England, May 1 1, 1883, and was educated
at Felsted School, Essex. He died at Kam-
loops, B.C., on December 21, 1935.

Although his father was fairly well-to-
do, Tam, being the youngest of five broth-
ers, had to depend largely on his own re-
sources. When he left school it was a toss-
up whether he would go to the South
African War or to Canada. He decided in
favor of farming in Canada, where he ar-
rived in 1 899. At first he was a pupil at a
farm near Orillia, Ont. He claimed that
he worked harder there than at any time
since, and learned how not to farm!

Leaving Ontario, he threshed grain in
Saskatchewan until the weather became too
cold, then worked his way west until he
reached Trail, B.C. Here he was employed
at the Smelter and became very interested
in the work but fell ill with a combination
of pneumonia and lead and mercury poison-
ing. Upon leaving the hospital he was ad-
vised to lead an out-door life. He worked
on several ranches, including W. C. Ricar-
do’s and Price Ellison’s near Vernon, and
Bostock’s at Monte Creek. Then one day,
he told me, he was sitting on a hill south
of Kamloops, looking up the North
Thompson River; the sight of the little
known river gripped his imagination and
he determined to explore it and possibly
take up land.

That fall he and his uncle, Hyde Finley,
went with a survey party timber cruising
as far as Tete Jaune Cache. He first
staked land at Cottonwood Flats, a large
natural meadow just below Hellsgate. The
hay they put up floated away in an un-
seasonable September flood. They realized
there was no controlling the river, or mos-
quitoes, so moved down to what is now
Vavenby, to a high clay bench some 300
Teet above the river. This turned out to be
too dry and with too little irrigation water
to be developed. In 1908 he moved to the
south bank of the Thompson where there
were several fine creeks with good land
adjacent, and pre-empted three quarter-
sections. At this time Tam was joined by
his brother Jack, and a store was started,
there being an influx of settlers) prospec-
tors, trappers, etc., and rumours of a rail-
way. As it was nearly 50 miles by river

44

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1946), You. 43, Feb. 4, 1947

or pack trail to Chuchua, the head of the
wagon road from Kamloops, my father
became an expert with canoe, raft and pack
horse. He had several narrow escapes on
the river and on one occasion was reported
drowned when an Indian found his raft
overturned. After Jack’s death in the war
(1915) the store was carried on by Mr.
Finley until sold in 1925.

In 1909 he married Mary T. Stephens
who came out from England. I was born
the same year, my sister Madeline in 1911,
and my brother John in 1919. In 1912-13
the Canadian Northern Railway was put
through and our first 50 sheep were driven
in over road, right-of-way, and trail from
Louis Creek. In 1915, 500 more sheep
were obtained from Lacombe in Alberta.
Owing to inexperience, lack of good help,
ravages by diseases, wood ticks and coyotes,
my father was nearly ruined. However, by
sheer determination he stuck to sheep and
was fortunate in getting as a partner a
skilled American shepherd Hiley Ladow.
They were among the first in British Col-
umbia to run sheep on the high ranges.
They grazed on McCorvie Mountain
(later called Mt. McLennan) at an eleva-
tion of 4,000 to 4,500 feet from 1917-22,
and on Foghorn Range, south of Birch
Island, at altitudes between 5,000 and 7,-
000 feet, from 1923 on.

It was about 1918, and partly to interest
me, that my father returned to collecting
Lepidoptera, a hobby of which he had been
fond as a boy. He joined the Entomologi-
cal Society of British Columbia in 1921.
Before that he contacted E. H. Blackmore
of Victoria, who agreed to set and name
us a complete series of all species we sent
him. A long and interesting correspond-
ence. between the two men resulted, and
they became great friends though they
never met, and Blackmore’s premature
death was keenly felt by us. We collected
fairly extensively during the period 1919-
24, after which I went away to school.
As Blackmore was chiefly interested in
“micros” we concentrated on them. There
was great excitement when my father
turned in a series of a minute pink creature
which Blackmore at first glance took

to be a new Order, but after much
research, it was discovered to be an al-
ready known Fulgorid. I think we found
only two species new to science, Enyfia
moillieti Blackmore and Efinotia scorsa
Blackmore, but a number of others such as
Hemaris thy she form cimbiciformis Steph.
Basilarchia arthemis Dru., and a certain
Blue, and many others were considered re-
markable either for their numbers or their
range. It was noticed that some forms pre-
viously known only from the Arctic were
found around timberline.

Our collection is still at Vavenby. Black-
more kept what specimens he needed, and
that material is presumably still in his col-
lection, most of which is now at the Uni-
versity of British Columbia.

I have mentioned the difficulties with
wood ticks. So far as I know ours were
among the first livestock losses from tick
paralysis in the' Province and led E. A.
Bruce and Seymour Hadwen, then of
Agassiz, to undertake a . study of the situa-
tion. As early as 1930 a virulent form of
of the tick-borne disease tularaemia was
isolated from Haemafhy salts leforis falu-
stris Banks, taken from a dying rabbit by
my father and forwarded by the late Eric
Hearle for testing in Montana.

A man of strong personality and phy-
sique, my father always took a keen inter-
est in community life. He helped- to or-
ganize the LJpper North Thompson Farm-
ers’ Institute in 1916, and was Secretary
of it and its successor, the Upper North
Thompson Live Stock Association, until
his death. He was Secretary of the local
School Board from its beginning in 1917
until his death in 1935. In 1913 he and
his brother started making meteorological
observations, and the weather records have
been kept here ever since. He even started
a Debating Society in the early 20’s, but it
did not survive a discussion on the respec-
tive merits of “Cattle Ranching versus
Sheep Ranching.” There has always been
much antagonism between the two inter-
ests, but my father succeeded in getting
what range he wanted. Since the grazing
land was being ruined by the growth of
brush, he became one of the British Col-

i

Entomologk at. Soc. of British Columbia. Proc. (1946), Yol. 43, Feb. 4, 1947

45

umbia sheep industry’s principal proponents
of the idea of improving range land by
burning. This ended in a battle with the
Forest Branch owing to their obdurate
position on the subject. On principle, dur-
ing the last few years of his life he refused
to pay grazing fees to the Crown, which
he contended was fast allowing the range
to become overgrown and useless.

A great conversationalist and an avid
reader, my father wrote many an interest-
ing and many a strong letter. It is worthy
of note that his liking for biology may
have stemmed partly from his knowledge
that he was directly descended from the

marriage of Francis Galton’s brother with
Charles Darwin’s sister. Incidentally, my
mother is related to George Crotch who
did some of the earliest insect collecting
on the coast of British Columbia.

He is survived by two older brothers and
a sister in England; his widow and his
uncle Mr. H. Finley, both of Aveley
Ranch, Vavenby; two sons, John and my-
self (who are carrying on the business of
sheep ranching at Vavenby); and his
daughter, now Mrs. E. A. Rendell of Ver-
non, B.C. There are five grandchildren.

— T. K. Moilliet,

Vavenbv, B.C.

HARRY CANE, 1860-1935

Harry Cane was born in Slinfold, York-
shire, England, on September 30th, 1860,
the son of Henry Cane, architect, and
Louisa Cane (a direct descendant of Sir
Christopher Wren). He received his early
education in England.

In 1877, his father, having been appoint-
ed to superintend the building of a palace
for the Maharajah of Cooch Behar, voung
Harry accompanied his parents to India.
There he studied architecture under his
father and assisted him later in the design-
ing and construction of the Normal School
at Cooch Behar. During his stay in India
he painted several beautiful landscapes, and
made a fine collection of butterflies which
he presented to a friend in England on his
return there in 1888.

In 1892 he came to the United States
and spent a few years in Oregon before
coming to Nelson, B.C., where he was
connected with a firm of local architects.
He again utilized his spare time in making
up a moth and butterfly collection, now
owned by H. R. Foxlee of Robson, B.C.
Though not complete, the collection gives
an idea of the many varieties to be found
in the Nelson district.

For many years his activities were cur-
tailed by failing sight, but until his death
in 1935, his cheerful courage, in the face
of this handicap, was an inspiration to all

with whom he came in contact. Always a
lover of the beautiful, he found great
pleasure in sketching and painting, and
many of his watercolours are now prized
possessions of various friends throughout
the Kootenay district of British Columbia.

* * *

The above was written by Mrs. Gordon
Allan of 1115 Ward Street, Nelson, from
data supplied by Mrs. Harry Cane and
from her own knowledge as a friend of
the family.

Mr. Cane’s collection was made I be-
lieve in the last decade of the last century

46

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1946), Vol. 43, Feb. 4, 1947

and the early years of the present one. The
insects are well mounted, though low on
the pins, in the English style; a few have
faded badly. There are about 600 speci-
mens, representing 220 species, a goodly

number considering that he caught them
all in the confines of his own garden. Fif-
teen or sixteen of the species I have not yet
seen from other parts of the Nelson dis-
trict.— H. R. Foxlee.

DYSLOBUS LUTEUS AS A PEST OF RASPBERRY
(Coleoptera: Curculionidae) . — In the summer of 1906
(date unknown) my attention was called to the ragged
condition of the leaves in a patch of cultivated rasp-
berries. The damage was distinctive and did not re-
semble that usually caused by lepidopterous larvae. In-
jured leaves had a series of long narrow areas, extend-
ing from the margin to the midrib, entirely removed;
the intervening portions of the leaf blade were quite
undamaged. There were usually three or four of these
injured areas on each side of the mid-rib thus producing
a very uniform type of damage. It was confined to
the large leaves near the bases of the canes.

No cause for the injury being apparent, it was con-
cluded that the insect responsible had deserted the
plants. However, a visit after dark with the stable
lantern revealed numbers of the weevils feeding on the
foliage, which in some cases was quite weighted down
by them. During the day they could be found hidden
beneath the surface soil and under the dead leaves
around the crowns of the canes. A specimen was re-
cently identified as Dyslobus luteus (Horn) by Peter
C. Ting, who is inaking a revisional study of the species
of this genus. A similar type of leaf injury has been
observed from time to time in raspberry plantations
throughout the valley. It is probable that this beetle is
quite generally distributed, although owing to its noc-
turnal habits it has escaped detection and avoided
punishment. — E. P. Venables, Vernon, B.C.

HYDATICUS' MODESTUS AT CRESTON, B.C. (Coleop-
tera: Dytiscidae). — In the summer of 1945 I reported
to H. B. Leech the capture of several Hydaticus modes-
tus Sharp at Creston, B.C. He replied that he knew
of only 7 other British Columbia specimens — from 6
different localities. Mine were taken in a pond of clear
water left by the rampant spring floods of the Goat
River, with gravel bottom, no vegetation and only a
sprinkling of small drift wood. The pond was exploited
throughout the season (Aug. 12-Sept. 18), with a
catch of 38 specimens. Males predominated and 3 of
the females were of the immaculate phase. — G. Stace
Smith, Creston, B.C.

BUPRESTIS CONFLUENTA IN BRITISH COLUMBIA
(Coleoptera, Buprestidae).1 — Buprestis confluenta Say
has a wide distribution in North America, being re-
ported from British Columbia to Ontario and from
California to Indiana. W. J. Chamberlin (Buprestidae
of North America, 1926: 107) cites Populus tremu-
loides as its host tree.

Two specimens of this species, rare in British Col-
umbia, have been received at the Provincial Museum
in recent years. One example, taken at Lac la Hache,
by George Forbes on July 18, 1943, near a stand of
Populus tremu.loides and P. trichocarpa, apparently con-
stitutes the most northern record for the Province;
the second specimen was collected by the writer in
Manning Park, between Hope and Princeton, on August
15, 1945, as it was Testing on an old fir log by the
roadside near a growth of P. trichocarpa.

G. R. Hopping informs me that he has two speci-
mens from Midday Valley, one from Aspen Grove and
one from Nicola Lake, while G. Stace Smith reports
that' he has taken two individuals at Creston, on or
near P. trichocarpa.

H. B. Leech has taken the species at Salmon Arm
while I understand that G. J. Spencer has additional
records.

From the available facts this species seems to be
partial to the fairly dry interior plateau region of the
Province.^1— George A. Hardy, Provincial Museum, Vic-
toria, B.C.

A NOTE ON THE ANT CRICKET MYRMECOPHILA
OREGONENSIS (Orthoptera: Gryllidae). — On Decem-
ber 30, 1945, I found in a ceil under loose bark on
a fir log, what was evidently a new colony of carpenter
ants, Camponotus Sp. It consisted of a queen, four
small workers, and a clump of very young larvae.

The interesting point is that along with these was a
small, perhaps nymphal, ant cricket, Myrecophila ore-
gonensis Bruner. This seems to indicate a remarkable
instinct, inherent in these crickets, of attaching them-
selves to ant colonies at a very early stage in their
formation.

I cut this log into stove: wood and there was no
established colony of ants therein. One other colony,
more advanced in that the workers numbered possibly
one hundred, was found a few feet away. I could find
no crickets with these. — Richard Guppy, Wellington,
B.C.

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF BIOGRAPHIES OF ENTOMOLO-
GISTS. By Mathilde Carpenter. American Midland
Naturalist, 33 (1):1-116. January, 1945. For sale by
the A.M.N., Notre Dame, Indiana, price $1.20. — The
author considers her paper to be a sort of second edi-
tion, enlarged and up to date, of J. S. Wade’s BIBLI-
OGRAPHY OF ENTOMOLOGISTS, WITH SPECIAL
REFERENCE TO NORTH AMERICAN WORKERS
(1928. Ann. Ent. Soc. Amer. 21 (3) :489-520) . Cer- ;
tainly it is enlarged, not only as to the number of
persons listed, but also by the number of references !
per name. In addition it includes all entomologists of
all countries and is intended to be complete through '
1943. The method of citing volume and page is as in
the example above. The given names when known, the
years of birth and death are included for each person
but all other data must of course be obtained from the
references cited. — H. B. L.

The Proceedings of the Entomological
Society of British Columbia is published
annually. Individual volumes may be had
for 50c. Special rates on sets. Address
Secretary, Entomological Society of British
Columbia, Box 308, Vernon, B.C.

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1946), Vol. 43, Feb. 4, 1947

rfynicuttane, . . .

In the rapidly expanding field of Agricultural Chemi-
cals C-I-L is endeavouring to do the best job possible.
While fertilizers still hold an important place of their
own, new chemicals for use in Agriculture now have be-
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this division of C-I-L to give the greatest possible ser-
vice not only in fertilizers, but also in fungicides, insec-
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These and many others are being deevloped by scien-
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Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc.

(1946), Vol. 43, Feb. 4, 1947

Just radiating happiness, this B.C. Apple
Giri owes much of her loveliness to the
sheer joy of living, for like her grand-
mothers before her, she fcwlQ.vsthe old
rule for keeping the doctor cwoyj

Not alone because they are "healthful &
nutritious but- because of their fine texture.

Fof real safbfachofl~~-im<$t'oft f>.G. Apples

. . . buy in smpii dBcnfst’iss . . . and serve

■v*

them crisp & cool from your refrigerator.

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1946), Vol. 43, Feb. 4, 1947

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Entomological Soc. of British Columbia; Proc. (1946), Vo l. 43, Feb. 4, 1947

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proceedings

of the

ENTOMOLOGICAL
— SOCIETY of —
BRITISH COLUMBIA

Volume 44. Issued February 16, 1948

Page

Fender — Systematic Entomology in the Pacific Northwest. ... 1

Spencer — 'Some Records of Mallophaga from British Columbia
Birds 3

Spencer — Notes on Some Dermestidae of B.C. 6

Spencer & Wellington — A Preliminary List of the Sphecinae
of B.C. ,10

Leech — Bidessus leachi, a New Species of Dytiscid Water
Beetle from Northern California 11

Gijppy — A Preliminary List of Ichneumonidae Collected in the
Wellington District of Vancouver Island, B.C 12

Downes — The Control of the Holly Leaf Miner Phytomyza
ilicis Curtis by means of DDT 14

Hatton — Notes on the Life History of Some Tabanid Larvae. 15

Guppy — Some Notes on the Habits of Arzama obliqua on Van-
couver Island 17

Spencer — A Preliminary List of Tipulidae from B.C 19

Spencer — Some Records of Collembola from B.C 22

Olds — 1946 Oriental Fruit Moth Survey in the Southern Okan-
agan Valley, B.C 23

Clark — An Annotated List of Coleoptera Taken at or near
Terrace, B.C. Part 1 24

Morgan — The Biology of Monochamus notatus morgard 28

Hardy — Some Beetles of the Families Cerambycidae and Bu-
prestidae from Manning Park, B.C 31

In Memoriam — Ivor Jesmond Ward 35

James Dalglei^h Inglis 35

Daniel Herbert Leech 36

Scientific Notes 9, 27, 30, 34, 38, 39

*pon, y<wi aynccultwial tteecU...

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Entomological Sou. of British Columbia, Proc. (1947), You. 44. Feb. 16, 1948

SMectcvt “Peat utizSl

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insecticide. Recommended as a
barn and livestock spray (or dip)
to control flies, mosquitoes, lice,
fleas, etc. DEENATE 50-W has also
proved highly effective for control-
ling codling moth, potato flea, bee-
tles and many other fruit and veg-
etable insects.

PERENOX. A highly concentrated
fixed copper spray. Recommended
for control of early and late blight
of potatoes, apple anthracnose and
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AMMATE. Destroys poison ivy and
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ALCOA CRYOLITE. A synthetic
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moth control and destruction of
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TROX. A fixed copper dust con-
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matoes, celery, cucumbers, etc.

FERMATE. An organic fungicide
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Agricultural Chemicals Division

NEW WESTMINSTER

Entomologic al Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1947). Vol. 44, Feb. 16, 1948

NICHOLS CHEMICAL

Advanced and Exclusive Insecticides
for All Established Horticultural Uses

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GENITOX S-50— 50% Spray Powder
DDT-GENICIDE — For codling moth and mites
GENICOP SPRAY— DDT and fixed Copper
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For full information, contact nearest Nichols Chemical

mumRtMi ' - vMnwuuvEiVM.tActgiivc jun Lilt; Diuyv mwimcui

Insecticide Division

Spray

Sales Office.

proceedings

of the

ENTOMOLOGICAL
— SOCIETY of
BRITISH COLUMBIA

Page

Fender — Systematic Entomology in the Pacific Northwest.... 1

Spencer — Some Records of Mallophaga from British Columbia
Birds 3

Spencer — Notes on Some Dermestidae of B.C 6

Spencer & Wellington — A Preliminary List of the Sphecinae
of B.C 10

Leech — Bidessus leachi, a New Species of Dytiscid Water
Beetle from Northern California 11

Guppy — A Preliminary List of Ichneumonidae Collected in the
Wellington District of Vancouver Island, B.C 12

Downes — The Control of the Holly Leaf Miner Phytomyza
ilicis Curtis by means of DDT 14

Hatton — Notes on the Life History of Some Tabanid Larvae. 15

Guppy — Some Notes on the Habits of Arzama obliqua on Van-
couver Island 17

Spencer — A Preliminary List of Tipulidae from B.C 19

Spencer — Some Records of Collembola from B.C 22

Olds — 1946 Oriental Fruit Moth Survey in the Southern Okan-
agan Valley, B.C. 23

Clark — An Annotated List of Coleoptera Taken at or near
Terrace, B.C. Part 1 24

Morgan — The Biology of Monochamus notatus morgani 28

Hardy — Some Beetles of the Families Cerambycidae and Bu-
prestidae from Manning Park, B.C 31

In Memoriam — Ivor Jesmond Ward 35

James Dalgleish Inglis 35

Daniel Herbert Leech 36

Scientific Notes 9, 27, 30, 34, 38, 39

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1947), Vol. 44, Feb. 16, 1948

l.

DIRECTORS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY
OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
1947-1948

Honorary President
E. P. Venables, Vernon, B.C.

President

R. Glendenning, Agassiz, B.C.

Vice-President (Coast)

H. Andison, Victoria, B.C.

Vice-President ( Interior )

J. D. Gregson, Kamloops, B.C.

Secretary-T reusurer
W. G. Mathers, Vernon, B.C.

A ssistant Secretary

G. P. Holland, Kamloops, B.C.

Honorary Auditor
W. Baverstock, Vernon, B.C.

Advisory Board

H. G. Fulton, Cultus Lake, B.C. V. E. I. Goddard, Victoria, B.C.

M. H. Hatch, Seattle, Wash. G. P. Holland, Kamloops, B.C.

J. Marshall, Summerland, B.C.

Editorial Board

G. P. Holland, Kamloops, B.C. R. H. Handford, Kamloops, B.C.

J. Marshall, Summerland, B.C.

NEW MEMBERS

Elected at the 46th Annual Meeting, March 15, 1947.

Barr, James C. — Commercial Chemicals, Vancouver,
B.C.

Billings, Fred L. — Commercial Chemicals, Vancouver.
B.C.

Boddy, Dennis W.— 11037 5th N.E., Seattle, Wash.
Bossley, Douglas B. — Dorn. Forest Insect Lab., Ver-
non, B.C.

Campbell, Douglas K. — Dom. Forest Insect Lab., Ver-
non, B.C.

Curtis, L. Colin — 1250 Monterey Ave., Victoria, B.C.
Davis, Leonard — Castlegar, B.C.

Evans, David — c/o University of British Columbia,
Vancouver, B.C.

Fiddick, R. L. — Dom. Forest Insect Lab., 311 P.O.
Bldg., Victoria, B.C.

Frechin, D. P. — 1504 N. Lafayette, Bremerton, Wash.
Graint, James — Dom. Forest Insect Lab., Vernon, B.C.
Handford, R. H. — Dom. Field Crop Insect Lab., Kam-
loops, B.C.

Harvey, Edwin G. — Dom. Forest Insect Lab., 311 P.O.
Bldg., Victoria, B.C.

Harvey, James K. — Dom. Forest Insect Lab., Vernon,
B.C.

Hatton, Gwladys N. — c./o University of British Col-
umbia, Vancouver, B.C.

Hughes, Kenneth T. — Dom. Forest Insect Lab., 311
P.O. Bldg., Victoria, B.C.

Hughes, Mel T. — Dom. Forest Insect Lab., 311 P.O.
Bldg., Victoria, B.C.

Malkin, Borys — c/o University of Oregon, Eugene, Ore.
McGuffin, W. Clayton — Dom. Forest Insect Lab., Uni-
versity of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Man.

Peterson, Lloyd 0. — Dom. Forest Insect Lab., Indian
Head, Sask.

Robinson, Anthony B. — P.O. Box 308, Vernon, B.C.
Sugden, Ben A. — Dom. Forest Insect Lab., Vernon,
B.C.

Taylor, D. William — Dom.' Forest Insect Lab., 311 P.O.
Bldg., Victoria, B.C.

Thomson, M. Gerry — 2228 W. 35th Ave., Vancouver,
B.C.

Thorgeirson, V. E. — R.R. 6, New Westminster, B.C.
Vey, Howard E. — Dom. Forest Insect Lab., 311 P.O.
Bldg., Victoria, B.C.

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1947), Vol. 44, Feb. 16, 1948

1

SYSTEMATIC ENTOMOLOGY IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST

Kenneth M. Fender
McMinnville, Oregon

The possibilities open to the entomologi-
cal taxonomist in the Pacific northwest are
legion. This has been most forcibly illus-
trated by an insect survey, in its second
year, conducted by the writer on Peavine
Ridge, McMinnville, Oregon. Genera
and species new to science have been dis-
covered in the few groups in which au-
thorities have been available. Of many
other groups, little or nothing is known
and the collector has difficulty getting his
material determined even to genus.

All of the methods known to the col-
lector have been used in this survey. Col-
lecting has been confined to about one half
to three quarters of an hour each day when
the weather permitted. All of the stations
are covered about once a week in this man-
ner during most of the collecting season.
To date general sweeping of the foliage
has been most productive and for this
reason has been most frequently used for
the initial stages of the study. Later on,
as determinations are received and knowl-
edge of the species is gained, rearing studies
may be taken up. Determination of the col-
lectoins is the prime objective at this time.

Peavine Ridge is almost due west of
McMinnville, Oregon. The area of the
survey extends for about four miles in a
general direction from the southeast to the
northwest. Five major stations are getting
the bulk of the work. These are num-
bered: 1, 2, 3, 3 A, and 4 for no good
reason save that station 3 A was added
after the project was started. Four of the
stations are along small water courses, sta-
tion 4 being the only dry station to date.

Station 1, at an elvation of 210 feet,
has the largest stream of the lot, a stream
that dries up in spots during a warm sum-
mer. The dominant tree is Oregon Ash
(Fraxinus ore gona Nutt..) with Broad-
leaf Maple ( A cer macrophyllum Pursh. )
and Garry Oak ( Quercus garryana
Dougl.) as subdominants. The shrub layer
is largely composed of Oregon Grape
(Berberis aqui folium Pursh.) and Salmon-

berry (Rubus spectabilis Pursh.). A fern
layer consisting of Swordfern (Polystich-
ium munitum Kaulf.) and rushes is pres-
ent. Water Hemlock ( Cicuta douglasii C.
& K.) and grasses abound in the herb
layer.

The elevation at station 2 is 600 feet.
This station is rather open, most of the
trees being young. The area was “cut
over” about 1914. Oregon Ash and Wil-
lows (Salix sp.) are the dominant trees.
The ■ most abundant shrubs are Western
Hazel (Corylus californica Rose), Poison
Oak (Rhus toxicodendron L.) and Sal-
monberry. Brake-fern ( Pteridium aquili-
num v. pubescens- Underw.), Snowberry
(Symfhoricarfus albus L.) and Swordfern
comprise most of the fern layer with
grasses, St. Johns Wort ( Hypericum per-
foratum L.), Water Hemlock and Com-
mon Monkey-flower ( Mimulus guttatus
D.C.) the majority of the herb layer.
Two small temporary streams converge at
this station and form a nice small meadow-
land.

Station 3, only a. short distance from
station 2, is very different from that sta-
tion. The elevation is 605 feet. A small
permanent spring rises in the middle of
the area. Douglas Fir ( Pseudotsuga mu-
cronata Raf.)’ and Broadleaf Maple are
the predominant trees. Sal monberry and
Willows are the most abundant shrubs with
Swordfern, Giant Chain-fern (Wood-'
wardia fimbriata Smith) and Oregon
Grape dominating the fern layer and as-
sorted grasses and Umbelli ferae the herb
layer. At this station is the first sign of
the encroachment of the Douglas Fir sub-
climax forest and the best example of that
forest in the area.

Station 3A, at an elevation of 980 feet
was overlooked for some time as it was
rather well camouflaged from the road. It
is the smallest of the five and to get to it
the collector has to push through a barrier
of low hanging fir branches. This station,
although small, has been one of the most

2

Entomologic al Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1947). Vol. 44, Feb. 16, 1948

productive in the variety of insects taken.
Oregon Alder ( A Intis rubra Bong. ) and
Broadleaf Maple are the dominant trees.
Important shrubs are Salmonberry, Ever-
green Blackberry ( Rubus laciniatus
Willd.) and Stink Currant (Rubus brac-
^w«w Dougl.) .The more abundant mem-
bers of the fern layer are Giant Chain-
fern and Brake-fern. The herb layer is
pretty well choked out but there is one
patch of Western Wild Ginger (Asarum
caudatum Lindl.) and occasional Smooth
Woodland Violets (Viola glabella Nutt.)
and Western Trilliums (Trillium ova-
tum Pursh.).

Station 4, at an elevation of 1085 feet,
is a dry station. It was “cut over” about
1916 but it is coming back to a nice young
stand of Douglas Fir and Garry Oak. The
shrub layer is composed largely of Snow-
berry, Western Hazel and very yoilng
Garry Oak. Brakefern is the chief con-
stituent of the fern layer. The herb layer
contains grasses, English Plantain (Plan-
tago lanceolata L.) and Heal-all (Prunella
vulgaris L.)

Each of the stations is comparatively
small, the combined areas covering scarce-
ly more than five acres. Considering the
restricted extent of the stations, quite a
number of interesting species have been
collected as indicated by the lists and notes
of the determiners.

Dr. C. P. Alexander of the University
of Massachusetts has discovered four or
five species of Tifulidae that are new to
science. Prior to this survey, some 50 spe-
cies of Tifulidae were recorded from Ore-
gon. By the end of the 1946 season, 125
species of craneflies had been taken from
Peavine Ridge alone.

Dr. Frank Shaw, also of the University
of Massachusetts, reports a probable new
genus of Mycetofhilidae and many inter-
esting things. He mentions the seeming
close relationship of western Mycetofhili-
dae with those of the Palaearctic region.

A list of the spiders from Dr. W. J.

Gertsch of the American Museum of Nat-
ural History indicates that three new gen-
era and nine new species of Arachnida
have been taken in the area.

Dr. H. H. Ross of the Illinois Natural
History Survey, commenting on the four
species of Trichoftera collected through
1946, mentions that one species has a wide
range. Another species is a new record for
the state and the second specimen taken.
The remaining two species are new to
science.

It would appear that as more and more
groups are studied, many more new species
will be discovered. In the Pacific North-
west are innumerable areas equally rich in
insect life and many that are more so.

No great aptitude is required to collect
insects, the essential condition being that
the collector be in the right place at the
right time. It is an indication of a notable
lack of knowledge of the insects of the
Pacific Northwest, that so many new gen-
era, new species and new locality records
are found in such a restricted area and in
such a short time.

There are many things to be done in
the Pacific Northwest. Local authorities
in many groups, especially the more ob-
scure ones, are needed. A central type or
paratype depository should be formed for
students of northwestern insects. Too
many types are in eastern collections where
they are not available to local students.
More western type material will be rep-
resented in these eastern collections before
we have the required systematists. This
is a regrettable state of affairs but one that
must be recognized. Frequently this loss
is somewhat compensated by the return of
paratypes to western collections.

More ardent general collecting and sur-
veys similar to that of Peavine Ridge
should be made of the diverse habitats; life
histories should be studied; local lists of
known species should be compiled and,
above all, this information should be made
available through publication as progress
permits. There is indeed much to be done.

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1947). Vol. 44. Feb. 16, 1948

3

SOME RECORDS OF MALLOPHAGA FROM BRITISH COLUMBIA BIRDS

G. J. Spencer

Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia.

The collections of Mallophaga of Brit-
ish Columbia birds, belonging to the Mu-
seum of Zoology at the University, con-
sist of two series of alcoholic material,
one of over 300 collections made from
1924 to 1928 and the other of some 200
collections made from 1928 to 1947. The
first series is in the hands of Professor A.
W. Baker of the Ontario Agricultural
College at Guelph, pending completion of
identification, while the second is at the
University in Vancouver. I find that there
is considerable difficulty in getting ma-
terial in this Order identified since but
few men are working on it in North
America and of these none has time to
make any identifications. Moreover, essen-
tial references are scattered back over one
hundred years and are very expensive so
that a considerable library is necessary to
identify even the most common forms.
Thus Professor Baker, to whom I sent the
first series in 1927-28, was able to send
me only ore set of identifications by 1933
and none since then. In the meantime the
collections are still in his possession.

The second series is being sent in small
shipments, to Mr. Gordon B. Thompson,
formerly of the British Museum, but now
at the Science Museum of the Institute of
Jamaica. When identifications come to
hand from these men, the lists will he pub-
lished from time to time and eventually
all the material on which the lists are
based, will be deposited in the museum of
Zoology at the University of British Co-
lumbia.

It is 23 years since I started this col-
lection, which is representative of the Mal-
lophaga of a large number of common
British Columbia birds with many records
from scarce or rare species, so I feel that
the publication of at least a partial list
should no longer be delayed. The list that
follows is the one sent to me by Professor
Baker in 1933 and has been held up all
this time pending the publication of his

monograph of the Mallophaga from Can-
adian birds which he has had in mind since
1911 but which his teaching duties and his
services in the recent war, have prevented
him from completing.

For convenience, the Mallophaga are
arranged alphabetically, followed in each
instance by the scientific and common
names of the host, the locality, date and
name of the collector. The names of the
bird collectors are of importance because
these men are (or were, in the case of the
late Mr. R. A. Cummings) well known
and reliable ornithologists of the Province
and their identifications may be relied
upon. In the few instances that I collected
the birds myself, they were shown to an
authority if there was any doubt about
their identity. In some cases the lice were
picked off by the men who shot the hosts
and were given to me either in vials of
alcohol or wrapped in cotton wool in
papers inscribed with full details; in
others, especially from 1940 onwards, the
birds were handed to me for picking over
before being made into skins. In all cases,
the lice passed through my hands for
washing, relaxing and final labelling.

The nomenclature of the Mallophaga is
that of Harrison1.

MALLOPHAGA AND HOSTS

Degeeriella biocellata Piaget 1880

Pica pica hudsonia (Sabine), Magpm.
Lake Ellswater, Alta.. 25 June, 1926. M.
Y. W. Kamloops, 1934-’35. G. J. S.

Degeeriella deficiens Piaget 1885

Cyanocitta stelleri steT'eri (Gmelin), Stel-
ler’s Jay. Tofino, V.I., 4 July, 1926. G. J. S.

Degeeriella fusca Nitzsch 1842

Buteo swainsoni Bonaparte, Swainson’s

Hawk. Okanagan Landing, 25 May, 1925.

K. R.

Degeeriella marginulata Harrison 1916

• Geopliloeus pileatus picinus (Bangs), West-
ern Pileated Woodpecker, Port Moody, 23
Jan., 1930. K. R.

(1) Harrison, Launcelot, 1916. The genera and
species of Mallophaga. Parasitology, Vol. IX, No. 1.
Cambridge.

4

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1947), Vol. 44, Feb. 16, 1948

Degeeriella straminea Denny 1842

Colaptes auratus Linn. Flicker. No data.
Asyndesmus lewisi (Gray), Lewis' Wood-
pecker. Vancouver, 2 May, 1931. R. A. C.
Dennyus truncatus Olfers 1816

Nephoecetes niger borealis (Kennerly),
Northern Black Swift. Vancouver, 6 Sept.,
1931. R. A. C.

Esthiopterum ardeae Linn. 1758

Ardea herodias fannini Chapman. North-
western Coast Heron. Tofino, V.I., 3 Aug..
1926. G. J. S.

Esthiopterum columbae Linn. 1758, the
pigeon louse.

Columba fasciata fasciata (Say), Band-
tailed Pigeon. Tofino, V.I., 26 Aug., 1926.
G. J. S.; Lulu Is., 1 Jan., 1926; 28 Aug.,
1929; 12 Aug., 1931. R. A. C.

Esthiopterum crassicorne Scopoli 1763. The
squalid duck louse.

Clangula hy emails (Linn.) Old Squaw
Duck. Sea Island, Vancouver, Feb., 1931.
R. A. C.

Glaucionetta islandica (Gmelin) , Barrow’s
Golden-eye. Bowen Is., N.d. M. Y. W.
Mareca americana (Gmelin), American
Widgeon. Sea Island, Vancouver, N.d. M.
Y. W.

Spatula clypeata (Linn.), Shoveller. Sea
Island, Vancouver, 5 May, 1928; Lulu Is.,
Oct., 1931. R. A. C.

Eureum cimicoides Nitzsch 1838

Nephoecetes niger borealis (Kennerly),
Northern Black Swift. Vancouver, 16
Aug., 1930. R. A. C.

Goniodes mammillatus Rudow 1870

Lagopus leucurus leucurus (Richardson),
White-tailed Ptarmigan. Alta Lake, 6
March, 1925. K. R.

Goniodes piageti Johnston & Harrison 1912

Columba fasciata fasciata (Say), Band-
tailed Pigeon. Tofino, V.I., 26 Aug., 1926.
G. J. S.

Laemabothrion buteonivorus Packard 1872

Buteo swainsoni Bonaparte, Swainson’s
Hawk. Okanagan Landing, May 1925. K.R.
Menopon giganteum Denny 1842

Columba fasciata fasciata Say, Band-tailed
Pigeon, Lulu Is., 28 Aug., 1929. R. A. C.
Myrsidea subaequalis Lyonet 1829

Corvus brachyrhynchos hesperis Ridgway,
Western Crow. Kamloops, April, 1926. K.
R.

Omithobius cygni Linn. 1758

Cygnus sp. probably columbianus Ord.,
Whistling Swan. Vancouver, 1 March,
1924. G. J. S.

Omithobius goniopleurus Denny 1842

Branta canadensis occidentalis (Baird),
White-cheeked Goose. Anyox, Feb., 1924.
G. J. S.; Lulu Is., March, 1931. R. A. C.
Branta canadensis minima Ridgway, Cack-
ling Goose. Pitt Meadows, 27 Oct., 1927.
R. A. C,

Philopterus agelaii Osborn 1896

Agelaius phoeniceus caurinus Ridgway,
Northwestern Red-winged Blackbird. Lulu
Is., April, 1927. G. J. S.

Philopterus californiensis Kellogg 1896

Dryobates villosus harrisi (Audubon),
Harris’ Hairy Woodpecker. Seymour Mt„
Vancouver, 29 April, 1929. R. A. C.
Philopterus dentatus Scopoli 1763

Anas platyrhynchos Linn., Mallard. Lang-
ley Prairie, Nov., 1926. G. J. S‘.

Branta canadensis occidentalis (Baird),
White-cheeked Goose. Anyox, Nov., 1924.
G. J. S.

Glaucionetta islandica (Gmelin), Barrow’s
Golden-eye. Bowen Is., 12 Jan., 1931. M.
Y. W.

Philopterus gonothorax Giebel 1871

Larus sp. Gull. Tofino, V.I., July, 1926;
22 Aug., 1926. G. J. S.

Larus californicus Lawrence, California
Gull, Vancouver, 1 Jan., 1929. R. A. C.
Larus hyperboreus barrovianus Ridgway,
Glaucous Gull. Vancouver, 11 Feb., 1931;
April, 1931. R. A. C.

Larus canus brachyrhynchus Richardson,
Short-billed Gull. Vancouver, 2 Jan., 1931.
R. A. C.

Larus philaelphia (Ord), Bonaparte’s
Gull. Sea Island, Vancouver, 18 April,
1929. R. A. C.

Larus glaucescens Naumann, Glaucous-
winged Gull. Departure Bay, V.I., 1 March,
1929, 17 March, 1929, J. A. M. Tofino, V.I.,
7 May, 1931. K. R.

Philopterus picae Denny 1842

Pica pica hudsonia (Sabine), Magpie. Lake
Ellswater, Alta., 25 June, 1926. M. Y. W.
Philopterus platysomus Nitzsch 1838

Buteo swainsoni Bonaparte, Swainson’s
Hawk. Okangan Landing, May, 1925. K.R.
Philopterus pustulosus Nitzsch 1866

Stercorarius pomarinus (Temminck), Po-
marine Jaeger. Lulu Is., Vancouver, April
1927. K. R.

Philopterus rutteri Kellogg 1899

Penthestes gambeli grinnelli Van Rossem,
Short-tailed Mountain Chickadee. Okan-
agan Landing, 10 Feb., 1926. K. R.
Philopterus subflavescens Geoffrey 1762
Bombycilla garrula pallidiceps Reichenow,
Bohemian Waxwing. Okanagan Landing,
14 Dec., 1926. J. A. M.

Cyanocitta stelleri annectens (Baird)-,
Black-headed Jay. Lumby, 3 March, 1926;
Okanagan Landing, 3 March, 1926. K.R.
Cyanocitta stelleri stelleri (Gmelin), Stel-
ler’s Jay. Vancouver, 9 Dec., 1931. R. A. C.
Hesperiphona vespertina brooksi Grinnell,
Evening Grosbeak. Vancouver, 10 April,
1926. R. A. C.

Lanius excubitor invictus Grinnell, North-
ern Shrike. Okanagan Landing, 17 Nov.,
1925; 22 Feb., 1926. K. R.

Pinicola enucleator alascensis Ridgway,
Alaska Pine Grosbeak. Okanagan Land-
ing, 13 Feb., 1926. K. R.

Ricinus diffusus Kellogg 1896

Junco oreganus oreganus (Townsend),
Oregon Junco. North Vancouver, 11 April,
1932. I. McT. C.

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1947), Vol. 44, Feb. 16, 1948

5

Trinoton anserinum Fabricius 1805

Branta canadensis minima (Ridgway),
Cackling Goose. Pitt Meadows, 27 Oct.,
1927. R. A. C.

Branta canadensis occiclentalis (Baird),
Western Canada Goose. Lulu Is., Vancou-
ver, March, 1931; 1 April, 1931. R. A. C.
Chen hyperborea (Pallas), Snow Goose.
Lulu Is., Vancouver, 5 March, 1926. G.J.S.
Trinoton lituratum Nitzsch 1838

Anas platyrynchos Linn., Mallard. Lang-
ley Prairie, Nov., 1926. G. J. S.

Trinoton querquedulae Linn. 1758

Anas acuta Vieillet, Pintail Duck. Vancou-
ver, Oct., 1931. R. A. C.; Pitt Meadows,
10 Dec., 1929. K. R.; Lulu Is., Vancouver,
Oct., 1931. R. A. C.

Anas tzitzihoa Vieillet, American Pintail.
Sea Is., Vancouver, 30 Jan., 1929. R. A. C.
Anas platyrhynchos Linn., Mallard. North
Vancouver, 14 Dec., 192:. I. McT. C.; Sea
Is., Vancouver, 17 Jan., 1930. E. E. P.

Anas strepera Linn., Gadwall. Lulu Is.,
Vancouver, 20 Nov., 1926. M. Y. W.
Mareca americana (Gmelin), Baldpate
Duck. Lulu Is., Vancouver, 1927. R. A. C.
Spatula clypeata (Linn.), Shoveller Duck.
Lulu Is., Vancouver, Oct., 1931. R. A. C.

HOST LIST WITH PARASITES

Order CICONIFORMES
Ardea herodias fannini Chapman, North-
western Coast Heron.

Esthiopterum ardeae Linn.

Order ANSERIFORMES

Cygnus sp. probably columbianus Ord.,
Whistling Swan.

Ornithobius cygni Linn.

Branta canadensis minima (Ridgway), Cack-
ling Goose.

Ornithobius goniopleurus Denny
Trinoton anserinum Fab.

Branta canadensis occidentals (Baird),
White-checked Goose.

Ornithctbius goniopleurus Denny
Philapterus dentatus Scop.

Trinoton anserinum Feb.

Chen hyperborea (Pallas), Snow Goose.

Trinoton anserinum Fab.

Anas acuta Vieillet, Pintail.

Trinoton querquedulae Linn.

Anas platyrhynchos Linn., Mallard.

Philopterus dentatus Scop.

Trinoton literatum Nitzsch.

Trinoton querquedulae Linn.

Anas strepera Linn., Gadwall.

Trinoton querquedulae Linn.

Mareca americana (Gmelin), American
Widgeon.

Esthiopterum crassicorne Scop.

Trinoton querquedulae Linn.

Spatula clypeata (Linn.), Shoveller Duck.

Esthiopterum crassicorne Scop.

Trinoton querquedulae Linn.

Glaucionetta islandica (Gmelin), Barrows
Golden-eye.

Esthiopterum crassicorne Scop.

Philopterus dentatus Scop.

Clangula hyemalis (Linn.), Old Squaw Duck.

Esthiopterum crassicorne Scop.

Order FALCONIFORMES

Buteo swainsoni Bonaparte, Swainson's Hawk.

Degeeriella fusca Nitz.

Laemobothrion buteonivorus Packard
Philopterus platysomus Nitz.

Order GALLIFORMES

Lagopus leucurus leucurus (Richardson),
White-tailed Ptarmigan.

Goniocles mammilatus Rudow

Order CHARADRIIFORMES

Stercorarius pomarinus (Temminck), Poma-
rine Jaeger.

Philopterus pustulosus Nitz.

Larus calif ornicus Lawrence, California Gull.

Philopterus gonothorax Giebel.

Larus canus brachyrhynchus Richardson,
Short-billed Gull.

Philopterus gonothorax Giebel
Larus glaucescens Naumann, Glaucous-
winged Gull.

Philopterus gonothorax Giebel

Larus hyperboreus barrovianus Ridgway,
Glaucous Gull.

Philopterus gonothorax Giebel
Larus Philadelphia (Ord.), Bonaparte’s Gull.

Philopterus gonothorax Giebel

Order COLUMBIFORMES

Columba fasciata fasciata (Say), Band-tailed
Pigeon.

Esthiopterum columbae Linn.

Goniodes piageti Johnston and Harrison
Menopon giganteum Denny
Columba sp., Domestic Pigeon.

Esthiopterum columbae Linn.

Order MICROPODIFORMES

Nephoecetes niger borealis (Kennerly),
Northern Black Swift.

Dennyus truncatus Olfers
Eureum cimicoides Nitz.

Order PICIFORMES

Colaptes auratus Linn., Flicker.

Degeeriella straminea Denny
Ceophloeus pileatus picinus (Bangs), West-
ern Pileated Woodpecker.

Degeeriella marginulata Harr.

Asyndesmus lewisi (Gray), Lewis' Wood-
pecker.

Degeeriella straminea Denny

Dryobates villosus harrisi (Audubon), Harris'
Hairy Woodpecker.

Philopterus calif or niensis Kell.

Order PASSERIFORMES

Cyanocitta stelleri anncctens (Baird), Black-
headed Jay.

Philopterus subflarescens Geoff.

6

Entomologic al Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1947), Vol. 44, Feb. 16, 1948

Cyamocitta stelleri stelleri (Gmelin), Steller’s
Jay.

Degeeriella cleficicns Piaget

Philopterus subflavescens Geoff.

Pica pica hudsonia (Sabine), Magpie.

Degeeriella biocellata Piaget

Philopterus picae Denny

Ccrvus brachyrhynchos hesperis Ridgway,
Western Crow.

Myrsidea subaequalis Lyonet

Penttiestes gambeli grinnelli Van Rossem,
Short-tailed Mountain Chickadee.

Philopterus rut ter i Kell.

Bombycilla garrula pallidiceps Reichenow,
Bohemian Waxwing.

Philopterus subflavescens Geoff.

Lanius excubitor invictus Grinnell, Northern
Shrike.

Philopterus subflavescens Geoff.

Agelaius plioeniceus caurinus Ridgway,
Northwestern Red-winged Blackbird.

Philopterus agelaii Osb.

Hesperiphona vespertina brooksi Grinnell,
Evening Grosbeak.

Philopterus subflavescens Geoff.

Finicola emicieator alascensis Ridgway,
Alaska Pine Grosbeak.

Philopterus subflavescens Geoff.

Junco oreganus cregainis (Townsend), Ore-
gon Junco.

Ricinus diffusus Kell.

Key to Collectors

I. McT. C Ian McTaggart Cowan

R. A. C (the late) R. A. Cummings

J. A. M J. A. Munro

E. E. P Ernest E. Peden

K. R Kenneth Racey

G. J. S G. J. Spencer

M. Y. W M. Y. Williams

Acknowledgments: I am deeply in-
debted to the various collectors who gave
me the lice or the birds to examine, to
Professor A. W. Baker for naming the
lice mentioned in this paper and to Mr. J.
A. Munro, Chief Federal Migratory Bird
Officer for British Columbia, for checking
over the bird list.

NOTES ON SOME DERMESTIDAE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA (Coleoptera)

G. J. Spencer

Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia

During the last 16 years in the dry belt
of this province, I have collected all the
Dermestidae I could lay hands on, but so
far have obtained only 13 identified, and
2 unidentified species ' belonging to the
Megatomini, The late Kenneth Auden,
a most assiduous beetle collector, also ob-
tained only 15 species so these few may
be fairly representative. Over 700 species
have been named in this family and Leng
lists 123 for America north of Mexico, so
further collecting may reveal several more
for British Columbia.

The numbers in which they occur at
any one time in the dry belt, vary greatly.
The best sources for adults of small spe-
cies are. flowers such as choke cherry, wild
spiraea, death camas, and water hemlock,
and for adults and larvae of larger species,
the hides of sheep that have died on the
ranges during the winter, and any carrion.

iDermestes rnarmoratus Say, our largest
species,, may be found under animal re-

mains on the ranges and under sheep skins
that shepherds have left lying about. Both
adults and larvae are most readily found
in such situations although any dry carrion
attracts them.

From the standpoint of numbers and
ease of collecting, two species head the
list, Dermcstes tqlfinus Mann, and Der-
mestes si gnatus Lee. These come to car-
rion after the first wave of carrion-beetles
and rnarmoratus has passed and the car-
casses are drying and not so smelly.

Dermestes frischii Kug. is' not common
but generally occurs singly or in small
numbers on carcasses that have been well
picked over by bears and coyotes.

I have never taken D. maculatus
DeGeer 1774 ( = vulfinus Fabr. 1781)
out of doors. The large series in our col-
lections was reared from a dried wolf car-
cass stored in the laboratory pending clean-
ing up. The larvae from the dried wolf
scattered in all directions, invading three

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1947), Vol. 44. Feb. 16, 1948

adjacent rooms where they pupated in all
manner of concealed places, some even
wandering between the drawers of insect
cabinets where they chewed out pupation
chambers in the woodwork of the drawers.
The infestation in the wolf apparently
arose from adults that escaped from the
beetle room where this species is main-
tained in large numbers for cleaning skele-
tons and skulls. The culture was imported
originally from California and has been
maintained in a large tin cage for several
years. The species is apparently not native
to this province and has not yet become es-
tablished in the dry belt.

Dermestes lardarius Linn, the larder
beetle, is best collected under old bacon
rind or an old ham bone to which they
generally arrive in pairs. In the same way,
a male and female often arrive during the
night to the bread box into which a freshly
baked loaf has been put and has fermented
or soured a little in the heat. I once reared
a few adults from the bodies of dried in-
sects in the laboratory at Kamloops where
the larvae had become established naturally

a rather unusual occurrence.

Attagenus ficeus Olivier, the black car-
pet beetle, occurs most freely under old
horse or cow skeletons which are nearly
dry and from which everything but shreds
of tendons has been picked. Stragglers oc-
casionally come into the cabin on the
ranges in late summer and may be found
on window frames. I once reared a small
series from each of the following: a sup-
ply of casein from Australia; trash, con-
sisting chiefly of particles of wool that oc-
curred between rather widely laid floor
boards in a public dance hall in the dry
belt; an old insect collection in the Kam-
loops laboratory.

Anthrerius scrofhulariae (Linn.), the
notorious buffalo carpet beetle of eastern
North America, apparently does not occur
in this province yet. What I formerly con-
sidered to be this species turns out to be A.
fimfinellae Fabricius, designated by Hin-
ton as var. occidens Casey. In 1942 I pub-
lished a note on Laelius sp. as a parasite of
A. scrofhulariae (Ent. Soc. of B.C. Proc.
39, 1942) from beetle material sent in

from Princeton. The beetles were identi-
fied for me by the late Mr. Ralph Hop-
ping and are so labelled in my collections,
but Mr. Hopping did not have the good
fortune, as I have had, to be able to con-
sult Hinton’s work and these beetles, also,
turn out to be A . fimfi?iellae var. occidens
Casey.

I have a large series of A . fim.finellae
collected in the dry belt from Kamloops
to the Chilcotin, occurring freely on flow-
ers of yarrow and on wild, short spiraea on
the ranges but never on hawthorn blos-
soms, on which adults of A. scrofhulariae
are sometimes so abundant in Ontario. Al-
though adults of fimfinellae are so com-
mon, I have not been able to find out
where the larvae develop. The one record
of larvae in trash from a home in Prince-
ton, is the only instance I have of its kind;
certainly it is not a household pest as is
scrofhulariae. Full grown larvae of fim-
finellae are armed with evenly but thinly
distributed stout, black, dorsal bristles and
lack the long caudal brush of brown hairs
that is characteristic of larvae of scrofhu-
lariae. When working on the fauna of re-
cently abandoned birds'’ nests, I have fre-
quently come across dermestid larvae but
have not yet reared any to adults; it is
possible that they may be those of fimfi-
nellae.

Anthrenus verbasci (Linn.), the varied
carpet beetle, first obtained as larvae in
homes in Vancouver in 1936 and reared
through to adults, has become the most
troublesome household pest in the lower
Fraser valley and up the coast as far as
Powell River. Once established in a house,
the larvae are extremely hard to eradicate
unless by cyanide fumigation and even
then there is no1 guarantee that they will
not turn up again next year. One house-
holder informed me that larvae re-ap-
peared only three months after fumiga-
tion, which would seem to indicate that
cyanide does not kill the eggs. For years
I have examined hawthorn and spiraea
blossoms each spring but have never found
verbasci adults out of doors on these or on
any other flowers. In mid-May, 1947,
however, two citizens who' had consulted

8

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1947), Vol. 44, Feb. 16, 1948

me about the control of these larvae, found
adults out of doors and called me up to
report it; one picked 13 beetles off a white
blanket which she had washed and hung
out to dry and the other found several
on tulip and pyrethrum flowers in her
next-door neighbor’s garden. The adults
apparently feed on white garden flowers
and fly into homes to lay eggs. They breed
also in feathers of discarded birds’ nests
for I found several larvae in a humming
bird’s nest which had been given me in
September; the larvae were almost full
grown so they must have been in the nest
for several months.

That adults of A. verbasci do not re-
quire pollen or nectar from flowers in or-
der to mature their eggs, is proved by the
fact that I have reared a strong culture in
a glass-topped tin box for 11 years, start-
ing from the first few larvae that I re-
ceived in 1936. It was from these larvae
that I identified the species (which was
new to me). They were fed on crushed
Purina Fox Chow biscuits and generation
after generation has developed in that box
ever since, with food being renewed when-
ever necessary. For one six-month period
they were fed wheat grains and for an-
other similar period, oat grains, and ap-
parently thrived on the change. If wheat
and oat grains are nicked with a knife, all
the starchy contents are soon consumed.
One small larva, supplied one nicked
grain of wheat, gradually ate its way into
the grain as into a cave, leaving a semi-
circular wall of frass and cast skins behind
it. Generations seem to overlap, but one
wave of adults appears in March to April
and a second in September to November.
In one experiment some 50 beetles of both
sexes were removed from this tin shortly
after emergence and were placed in a
similar tin on 14th March, without any
food. They mated and laid eggs plenti-
fully and gradually died. Some eggs shri-
velled but most hatched and by 15 th May
a large brood of larvae was active in the
box and had consumed the bodies of all but
five of their parents without, however,
having eaten the shrivelled unhatched eggs.

This means that an infestation of
A. verbasci in a home, can maintain itself
indefinitely without the adults having to
fly outside to feed on flowers. Screening of
windows to keep beetles out of a house
would seem a hopeless task because few
screens have frames sufficiently tightly fit-
ting.

The larvae of A . verbasci are highly
resistant to* DDT powder. A number of
them placed without food in a tin which
had the poison dusted on the bottom,
walked over it for two weeks without any
of them dying and finally the lot died of
starvation. A five per cent solution of
DDT in Varsol (a cleaning fluid put out
by the Imperial Oil Co.), sprayed on the
backs of larvae seemed to have no effect
on them for some hours but by next day
they had become paralyzed and incapable
of moving around although the legs
twitched spasmodically. Some remained
for 13 days in this condition before dying.
However, those hit with spray on the un-
der side of the body, died in a few hours.

A few grains of hexachlorocyclohexane
(666) of 13 per cent gamma isomer con-
tent, in the same type of tin as employed
with DDT powder, killed all larvae in
48 hours, apparently by fumigation.

The infestation is definitely spreading
in greater Vancouver and it is difficult to
see what factors will ultimately level it
off.

Adults of Orfhilus niger (Rossi) are
best obtained in the Dry Belt off flowers
of choke cherry; I have no idea what the
larvae feed on.

Megatoma ( Perimegatoma ) vesfulae
Milliron used to be a pest in our insect,
bird or mammal collections at the Univer-
sity from 1931 onwards until 1943, when
I sprayed the outside of all our cabinets
with five per cent DDT in Varsol about
the third week in May. The spray has
been repeated each year since, and the in-
festation has now died out. In rearing ex-
periments with this species I find that lar-
vae placed singly in tin salve boxes with a
variety of foods including dead insects,
invariably shrivel up and die even after

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia. Proc. (1947), Vol. 44, Feb. 16, 1948

9

six months of captivity. On the other hand
I have reared them in bulk with a mass of
dried insects, and they developed into
beetles. As soon as adults emerge they
should be removed from a culture if
speciments for pinning are desired, other-
wise the ensuing larvae eat the bodies of
their dead parents, as do those of A. ver-
basci. All my pinned specimens were reared
in the laboratory in Vancouver with the
exception of one beetle which occurred on
a window of the Dominion Entomologi-
cal Laboratory in Kamloops. I have never
captured it out of doors in the dry belt
although I suspect that it came to the
University originally from Upper Hat
Creek where I was working in 1931 and
whence I brought down much dried,
pinned material, which, I think, became
infested during the process of drying be-
fore the specimens were pinned away into

boxes. Milliron, who described this species
in 1939 from Minnesota, obtained his
material from an old demonstration nest
of the wasp, V e sputa arenaria. However,
I have put both adults and larvae into a
glass jar containing a nest of V e sputa
which contained an abundance of wasp
larval faeces and dried larvae and pupae
but was not able to establish a colony in
this medium. Neither will larvae develop
on Fox Chow dust which has proved so
successful for A. verb as ci. The bodies of
dried grasshoppers, fat moths and especi-
ally dried marine Crustacea, are excellent
food for this P. vespulae.

In addition to these listed above, I have
a few specimens only of each of two fur-
ther species of Der?nestidaey near Mega-
toma> but have not been able to get them
identified as yet.

Literature Cited

Hinton, H. E., 1945. A monograph of the Beetles associated with stored products. Vol. 1,
British Museum, London.

Milliron, H. E., 1939. A Parthenogenetic New Species of the Genus Perimegatoma Horn
(Coleoptera: Dermestidae). Annals Ent. Soc. of Am., 32 (3):570-574.

THE CLAY-COLOURED WEEVIL, BRACHYRHINUS
SINGULARS, IN WEST POINT GREY, VANCOUVER.
(Coleoptera: Curculionidae). — The clay-coloured wee-
vil, Brachyrhinus singulars (L.) first reported in this
Province from Victoria by Mr. Harry Andison (Ent.
Soc. B.C. Proc. 38, 1942) appeared in West Point
Grey in October 1944, when one specimen was cap-
tured in my house. The next year, four beetles were
taken on the kitchen and pantry windows, also in
October. Now in the spring of 1944 I had first noticed
holes eaten out of the leaves of purple iris bordering
the sidewalk alongside the house and in 1945 the
holes had noticeably increased until many leaves showed
extensive damage: on both occasions the plants were
inspected by daylight but no insects could be found on
them . In the first week of May 1945, the irises were
examined at night with a flashlight, at intervals from
8 o’clock onwards and several weevils were found
chewing holes in the leaves. By 9 o’clock they had
increased in numbers and remained fairly constant for
the next half hour, so the worst infested portion of
the bed, a strip some 35 feet alongside the house, was
carefully swept with a net and many weevils were
taken; a further strip of some 105 feet alongside the
garden fence where the irises were but little damaged,
yielded about a dozen more. In all, 131 clay-coloured
weevils, 2 strawberry-root weevils (Brachyrhinus
ovatus (L.) and 4 others (sp. indet.) were collected

from off the iris leaves.

Apparently this sweeping removed practically all the
beetles because in October 1946, only one iris leaf
was found to have been recently damaged and no
beetles could be located.

During the first week in May, 1947, the iris plants
in these two beds and other clumps inside the garden
walls, which hitherto had not been touched, showed
signs of being attacked. Sweeping at 9 p.m. on May
10th yielded 23 beetles, and no subsequent damage
occurred.

The garden contains a considerable range of an-
nuals and perennials but only irises seem to be at-
tacked and, of several varieties of these, the purple
is most susceptible. The weevils apparently range
widely since one was taken in May, on a limb of a
sweet cherry tree, 25 feet from the trunk and 6 feet
off the ground, so their damage will probably soon
extend to other plants besides iris. Andison (loc. cit.)
records them as extensively injuring laurel leaves in
Victoria. There are no laurels in my garden but for
several years I have noticed the lower leaves of sev-
eral laurel bushes in the next block, to be extensively
damaged: it is therefore very likely that this same
insect is concerned and that its distribution in West
Point Grey is far more extensive than is at present
realized. — G. J. Spencer, Department of Zoology, Uni-
versity of British Columbia.

10

Entomologic al Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1947). Vol. 44. Feb. 16, 1948

A PRELIMINARY LIST OF THE SPHECINAE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA

( Hymenoptera)

G. J. Spencer and W. G. Wellington
Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C.
and Dominion Forest Insects Laboratory, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario

With the idea of recording for this
Province, at least a few of the enormous
number of species of Hymenoptera with
which we are blessed, we present a first list
of 3 tribes of digger or thread-waisted
wasps, called also mud daubers. The soli-
tary or aggregated mud nests of some
species, resembling heavy tubes, are not
uncommon under eaves of barns; others
build nests in the ground. All of them
provision their nests with other insects
such as caterpillars (largely cutworms),
well-grown nymphs of grasshoppers, or
spiders. The steel-blue Chlorion, or Cha-
lybion , or blue or black Podalonia are
common sights on the ranges of the in-
terior of the Province as they nervously,
with short rushes, hunt their prey. The
senior author once took 39 paralyzed spid-
ers from the nest of, I think, Sceliphron
caementarium Dr. These mud nests read-
ily disintegrate if they become rain-soak-
ed, hence the care with which the mother
insect places them in dry, sheltered places.

The best collecting grounds for these
sphecoids is a patch of umbelliferous
plants in full flower, such as water pars-
nip, which they frequent in large numbers.
The giant of this group, Chlorion ichneu-
monium Linn, is very partial to flowering
heads of milkweed.

The 210 specimens upon which this
paper is based are the greater part of these
insects occurring in the University collec-
tions. Most of them were collected by G.
J. Spencer who has written the script of
this paper; the task of listing the species
and arranging the names was done by W.
G. Wellington. Cordial thanks are offer-
ed by Dr. Don Murray, University of
Minnesota, for identifying these wasps.

Tribe CHLORIONINI

Chlorion atratum LePeletier, Kamloops,

Summerland.

Chlorion bif oveolatum Taschenberg, Lyt-

toni Kamloops, Summerland.

Chlorion axtecum Saussure, Summerland.

Chlorion laevive?itris (Cresson), Lytton,
Winslow.

Chlorion ichneumonium Linnaeus, Sal-
mon Arm, Vernon, Kamloops, Sum-
merland, Penticton.

Tribe SPHECINI

Podalonia ( Psammophila ) luctuosa Smith,
Vernon, Summerland, Kamloops, Chil-
cotin.

Podalonia (Psarnm.) valida Cresson, Nic-
ola, Chilcotin.

Podalonia (Psamm.) robusta Cresson,
Lytton, Summerland.

Podalonia (Psam<m.) communis Cresson,
Vancouver, Kye Bay, Sooke, Com ox,
Mt. Tolmie, Departure Bay, New-
castle Is., Milner, Salmon Arm, Ver-
non, Penticton, Midday Valley, Kam-
loops, Fairview.

Sphex mediatus Cresson, Vancouver, Ha-
ney, Lytton, Chilcotin.

Sphex pilosus pilosus Fernald, Victoria,
Departure Bay, Newcastle Is., Van-
couver, Osoyoos, Vernon, Summerland,
Lytton, Kamloops, Chilcotin.

Sphex kennedyi Murray, Midday Valley,
Kamloops, Chilcotin.

Sphex aberti Haldeman, Summerland.

Sphex politus Cresson, Chilcotin.

Sphex procerus Dahlbom, Lytton, Kam-
loops, Lillooet.

Sphex placidus F. Smith, Kamloops, Chil-
cotin.

Tribe SCELIPHRONINI

Chalybion cyaneum Klug, Salmon Arm,
Walhachin, Cherry Creek, Vernon,
Summerland.

Sceliphron caementarium Drury, Saanich-
ton, Royal Oak, Cowichan, Courtenay,
Departure Bay, Mt. Tolmie, New-
castle Is., Bowen Is., Vancouver, Sal-
mon Arm, Midday Valley, Vernon,
Summerland, Kamloops.

to Mo MO LOGICAL Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (19.47), Vol. 44, Feb. 16, 194.8 11

BIDESSUS LEACH I, A NEW SPECIES OF DYTISC1D WATER BEETLE
FROM NORTHERN CALIFORNIA (Coleoptera) 1

Hugh B. Leech
Vernon, B.C.'

Bidessus Seachi n. sp.

A large species, black broadly maculate
with yellow; resembling and most closely
allied to B. flicifennis (Crotch). Male
shining above, female alutaceous. Belongs
to Clyfeodytes.

Fig. 1. Bidessus leachi n. sp., holotype male.

Male. Length 2.12 mm., width 1.15
mm. Elongate-oval, widest at middle,
moderately convex, disk of elytra flattened.
Head dark brown, four basal antennal seg-
ments yellow, remainder infuscate. Prono-
tum yellow, except for a basal area be-
tween plicae (see fig. 1) which is reddish
brown to piceus, and two lateral lunules

i Contribution No. 2497, Division of Entomology,
Department of Agriculture, Ottawa, Ontario.

indicating internal muscle attachments.
Elytra black to piceous, broadly marked
with yellow as in figure 1 ; the ante- and
post-median yellow areas may be joined
laterally along the elytral margin, but not
discally. Underparts pale to dark brown,
sides of abdominal sternites piceous.

Head faintly reticulated, finely irregu-
larly punctate, punctures densest on sides
and posteriorly; clypeus distinctly mar-
gined at middle anteriorly. Pronotum
polished between punctures, the latter rath-
er coarse and densely but not regularly dis-
tributed on disk, finer and sparser between

Fig. 2. Aedeagus of Bidessus plicipennis (Cr.), dor-
sal view of apical two-thirds on left, profile on right.

Fig. 3. Same, of B. leachi n. sp. Both figures drawn
to the same scale.

plicae and sides; lateral marginal bead
fine, progressively wider posteriorly; pli-
cae extending midway across pronotum.
Elytra flattened and depressed from base
to declivity on disk, from just within pli-
cae, giving the illusion of a carina con-
tinuing back from near each plica; plicae
subequal to those on pronotum. Puncta-
tion of disk denser and a little coarser than
that of pronotum, sometimes forming
chains, becoming finer apically and espe-

12

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1947), Vol. 44, Feb. 16, 1948

dally toward sides; each puncture giving
rise to a fine golden recumbent hair; su-
tural margin slightly raised and more
finely punctate, suggesting a poorly defined
sutural stria. Prosternal process slightly
widening apically, sharply margined to
near tip, median area depressed, sparsely
pubescent, apex broadly pointed. Metas-
ternum and metacoxal plates coarsely
punctate, punctures separated by less than
their own widths and tending to form
chains; first two visible abdominal stern-
ites coarsely punctate at sides; epipleurae
finely irregularly punctate. Pro- and me-
sotarsi slightly wider than in female, pro-
tarsal claws simple; metacalcaria simple.

Female. Differs from the male in sexual
characters, in its alutaceous dorsal and
ventral sculpture, and by virtual absence
of any indication of a sutural stria.

Holotyfe male and allotyfe female from
Mendocino Co., California, May 29,
1922 (E. R. Leach, collector), Nos. 5837
and 5838, Museum of the California
Academy of Sciences, Entomology. One
male and one female faratyfe y Mendocino
Co., California, July 20, 1928 (E. R.
Leach); the male paratype in the Cana-
dian National Collection, the female in
the British Museum (Nat. Hist.).

Bidessus leachi is dedicated to its col-
lector, Mr. E. R. Leach of Oakland,
Calif., in apreciation of his encourage-

ment of entomology in California, espe-
cially with regard to the journal “The
Pan-Pacific Entomologist”. It is most
closely allied to flicifennis (Crotch), fic-
todes Sharp, and quadrifustulatus Fall. In
Hatch’s key (1929. Studies on Dytisci-
dae. Brooklyn Ent. Soc., Bui. 23 (5):
217) it runs to flicifennis if the elytra
are considered to be carinate, which they
are not in either species (vide supra)
though they are truly SO' in exiguus
(Aube). In fictodes and quadrifustulatus
the elytra are evenly inflated, not flat or
carinate discally. B. leachi is distinguished
from flicifennis by the fact that the mar-
gins of the depressed area start sensibly in-
ward from the elytral plicae (fig. 1), not
directly behind them; in addition the yel-
low areas are more extensive, the puncta-
tion less dense, and the antemedian longi-
tudinal impression at the sides above the
true lateral margin, is hardly apparent.
There are obvious differences in the male
genitalia, compare figs. 2 and 3. My con-
cept of flicifennis is based on a series of
specimens of both sexes, from Bear Creek,
Indian Gulch, Mariposa Co., Calif.,
March 2, 1940 (B. E. White); the male
whose aedeagus is shown in fig. 2 was
compared with a cotype of the species in
the LeConte Collections by Dr. Frank N.
Young in 1940.

Acknowledgment. I am indebted to
Mr. B. A. Sugden, of Armstrong, B.C.,
for the drawing of the holotype.

A PRELIMINARY ANNOTATED LIST OF ICHNEUMONIDAE COLLECTED
IN THE WELLINGTON DISTRICT OF VANCOUVER ISLAND,
BRITISH COLUMBIA ( Hymenopfera)

Richard Guppy
Wellington, B.C.

Owing to the incomplete state in which
revision of this family remains at present
many species could be named to genus
only. Determinations are by Dr. Henry
K. Townes, to whom I express my thanks.
Remarks included in quotation marks and

initialed H. T. are by Dr. Townes. Other
notes are from my own observations. For
the purpose of this preliminary list the or-
der is alphabetical by genera.

A mblyteles ormenus Cr. (date lost).
Amblyteles subrufus Cr. 19. IV. 45.

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1947), Vol. 44, Feb. 16, 1948

13

Aflomerus n. sp. 17.IV.45. Dead in pu-
pal cocoon in borings of Buprestidae in
dry fir.

A f tests decor ata Prov. 25. V.46. On win-
dow.

Bathytkrix claviger Tasch. 2. VIII. 46.

C amfoletis argentifrons Cr. .5. V. 46. On
window.

C amfoflegidea filosa Wly. II- VIII. 46.
“Common in North West” (H. T.).

C dccy gomimus sanguineifes Cr. 5. VIII.
45.

Coelichneumon sp. 21. V. 46. “A new one
to me” (H. T.).

C ratichneumon unif asciatorius Say. 24. V.
45, 7. IX. 46. Reared from pupa of
moth, probably Arctiidae. “Common
and widespread with a number of host
records including several species of Arc-
tiidae” (H.T.).

CubpcefhaluS ater Ash. 20. VI. 46, 14.
VII. 46. On windows. “Recorded from
Colorado and Victoria, B.C. Presum-
ably parasite of Coleoptera larvae in
wood.” (H.T.)

Helcosti'zus yukonensis Ash. 2$ 15. V. 45.
Bred from pupae taken during the win-
ter in borings of Cerambvcidae in dead
willow. 'The appearance of these bor-
ings and of larvae found in them were
identical with those from which I have
repeatedly reared Plectrura sfinicauda
Mann. 1 $ 20. V. 45. Bred from pupa
under the same conditions except that
no attempt could be made to identify
the borings. “Recorded only from Fort
Yukon, Alaska. No host record.”
(H.T.)

Megarhyssa mortoni Cr. 26. VIII. 46. A
large striking, insect with long external
ovipositor. “Parasite on Siricidae. Rec-
orded from B.C.” (H.T.)

Metofius n. sp. 27. IX. 46. On cabbage.
“Members of this genus are scarce in-
sects.” (H.T.)

Netelia macro glossa Tow. 19. IX. 46, 22.
IX. 46. Both at light after dark. “The
second and third specimens known.
Type is from Nevada.” (H.T.)

Netelia sp. $ 19. X. 46. On window.
“Probably macro glossa Tow. Male is
needed for certain determination.”

(H.T.)

Netelia deceftor Mori. 19. IX. 46. Noc-
turnal at light. “Recorded from B.C.”

(H.T.)

Netelia calif ornica Cush. 12. VIII. 46,
31. VIII. 46, 4. IX. 45, 23. IX. 46.

Nocturnal at light. “Common on the
West Coast. Recorded from B.C.”
(H.T.)

Platylabus clarus Cr. 2. VII. 46. “Wide-
spread but uncommon. Not recorded
from the West.” (H.T.)

Phy gadeuon aciculatus Prov. 8. V. 45.
Bred from a dipterous puparium taken
from rotten log. “Recorded only from
Juebec. No host record.” ( H.T.)

P seudamblyteles sp. $ 20. V. 46, 5. VI.
46, 14. VI. 46. “Probablv new, need to
see the $ .” (H.T.)

Rhyssa lineolata Kby. 20. VIII. 46. A
large and handsome insect with very
long ovipositor. Taken while oviposit-
ing in a dead fir sapling. “A parasite of
wood boring beetles and Siricidae. Rec-
orded from B.C.” (H.T.)
Sternocryftus bitinctus Grav. II- VII. 46,
28. VII. 46. PA European species rec-
orded in America only from Maine.”

(H.T.y

Therion circumY exuni L. 2 specimens 8.
VIII. 45. Reared from larvae of A cro-
ny eta hesferida , or related species (Le-
pidoptera, Phalaenidae) . Both speci-
mens were found dead without having
escaped from the cocoon formed by the
caterpillar. “A widespread species of
Eurasia and North America. Taylor in
1884 reported it reared from a Pha-
laenid. This is the onlv record for B.C.
and only North American rearing.”
(H.T.)

X or ides insularis Cr. 2 specimens 22. VIII.
46. On dead cedar. “A parasite of
wood boring Coleoptera. Vancouver Is-
land is the type locality.” (H.T. I
'Labrochyfus slossonae Ds. I-VI. 46. On
window. “A parasite of spiders. Not
recorded from B.C.” (H.T.)

In addition to the above records, a
number of species, apparently new to
science, and belonging to the genera Aof-
lusy Eriflanus y Ofhiony Pseudamby teles
and PterocormuSy were collected.

14

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1947). Vol. 44, Feb. 16, 1948

THE CONTROL OF THE HOLLY LEAF MINER PHYTOMYZA SLICES CURTIS
BY MEANS OF DDT (Diptera: Phyf-omyzidae)

W. Downes
Victoria, B.C.

After more than twenty years, during
which many attempts were made to con-
trol the holly leaf miner (Phytomyza
ilicis Curtis), usually with indifferent suc-
cess, the problem now appears to be nearer
solution than ever before through the use
of DDT. Initial trials on a few trees in
1945 were encouraging and indicated that,
provided proper timing was observed, a far
greater measure of success was possible
with this material than with any insecti-
cide hitherto tried.

In 1946 plans were made at the Do-
minion Entomological Laboratory, Vic-
toria, for large scale spray trials. A plan-
tation containing 182 trees from ten to
twelve feet high was secured for this pur-
pose. Only one preparation of DDT was
tried ,a powder containing 20 per cent
DDT ground in pyrophyllite. This was
used at the rate of 10 lbs. to 100 gallons
of water to make a spray containing 2 lbs.
of actual DDT per 100 gallons. A block
of 70 trees was sprayed with this strength
and a block of 56 trees with 1 lb. of ac-
tual DDT per 100 gallons. Another block
of 56 trees was left unsprayed as a check.
Orvus, at the rate of 110 grams per 100
gallons was used as a spreader. This
amount was found excessive and caused
considerable frothing which slowed down
the pump and caused too much run off.
Spraying was carried out on May 1 1th. At
this date the flower buds on the majority
of the trees were just beginning to open
but three were a few trees of earlier
blooming varieties - which were in full
bloom. Only one application was made.

The results from these trials were taken
on February 26th, 1947. The mined
leaves are scarcely noticeable until the be-
ginning of winter and the mines do not
reach their maximum size until February
when they assume the form of a large ir-
regular blotch. It is at this time of year
therefore, that observations can be most
accurately made.

In the block of trees sprayed with 2 lbs.

per 100 gallons many trees were found
showung 100 per cent control and it is
probable that had the spray been applied
a few days earlier the results would have
been even more conclusive. At the time
of spraying a few Phytomyza adults were
observed on the wing and as opposition
occurs within a few hours after emergence
it is probable that these early individuals
were responsible for some of the mines
which were found in the sprayed plots.

No interference with pollination ap-
peared to be caused by the use of DDT as
an excellent crop of holly was harvested.
In the initail experiment carried out in
1945 some of the trees were nearly in full
bloom but nevertheless a full crop of ber-
ries was produced. Bees visiting these trees
did not remain long. They were observed
to visit a few flowers but soon became un-
easy and took flight. As they were in con-
tact with the sprayed surfaces for only a
short period, it is unlikely that the DDT
would have any permanent effect on them.

Conclusion: From the experience gained
in these experiments it is apparent
the holly leaf miner can be satifac-
torily controlled with a single application
of DDT spray. While 2 lbs. of actual
DDT to 100 gallons appears to give near-
ly perfect results, further experimental
work may show that a weaker spray is
commercially practicable. The spray should
be applied not later than the beginning of
May in most seasons and it may be found
preferable to apply it during the last week
in April.

My thanks are due to Mr. Lawrence
Hafer of Brentwood for the use of his
holly plantation and to Mr. H. Andison
who gave valuable assistance in checking
the results of the experiments.

TABLE OF RESULTS

lbs. DDT
100 gals.

per

Leaves counted

Mined leaves %

2 ,

4,000

26 .60

1

4,000

249 6.20

Check

4,000

2442 61.05

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1947), Vol. 44. Feb. 16, 1948

15

NOTES ON THE LIFE HISTORY OF SOME TABANID LARVAE (Dipteral '

Gwladys N. Hatton
Livestock Insects Laboratory,, Kamloops, B.C.

A considerable number of tabanid larvae
were collected during June and July in
1946 by the staff of the Dominion Live-
stock Insects Laboratory, Kamloops. These
were kept alive in the laboratory by differ-
ent rearing methods and detailed notes
were made on the feeding habits, number
of molts, and the activity, of each indi-
vidual larva. In addition, a survey of lo-
cal ponds was made for tabanid egg masses
and pupae.

In 1934, the late Mr. Donald Cam-
eron* * reported finding four tabanid larvae
on the margin of Moose Lake near Kam-
loops. He kept them alive for several
months, remarking that “they were very
resistant to dry conditions and sometimes
when apparently dead and dried up, would
immediately become active when moisten-
ed again”.

Nineteen larvae and one pupa were col-
lected on two trips to this lake in June
1946, and during successive trips to other
likely ponds around Kamloops, a total of
sixty-one larvae was found. Tabanid
larvae were taken from Stake Lake on the
Lac le Jeune road, Strawberry Heights
(Rayleigh, B.C.), ponds on the highway
near Savona, and from a slough on the
Lac du Bois range.

Pupae were more difficult to find as
they were usually on the surface of the
ground and well protected by their brown
colouring. The first evidence of pupa-
tion was on June 15, and during the re-
mainder of June and July, seven pupae
were found — of which four emerged.
These were kindly identified by Dr. C. B.
Philip of the Rocky Mountain Laboratory,
Hamilton, Montana, as Chrysofs furcatus
Walk. $ , Hybomitra sp. near hoema-
fhora Mart. $, Hybomitra sp. $ , and
Hybo?nitra illotus y O. S., $ .

1 Contribution No. 2514, Division of Entomology,
Science Service, Department of Agriculture, Ottawa,
Canada.

* Formerly of the staff at the Livestock Insects
Laboratory, Kamloops, B.C.

The ideal shoreline for collecting tab-
anid larvae is a fairly steep slope covered
with moss and loose black humus soil.
They are probably easier to find in a steep
bank because of the concentration of lar-
vae in a smaller area due to the moisture
gradient.

Moose Lake on the Tranquille range
where the larvae were most easily found
in June, is a small alga covered pond in
the timber, bordered with tall grasses and
damp mossy hummocks. By searching
steadily through the black mud with a
trowel a few inches from the water’s
edge, and parting the clods of earth and
roots with the hands, it was possible to

find about three larvae an hour. Most of

these were at a depth of from one to three
inches, but later on some were found just
under the moss on the surface of the mud
and several large larvae were taken from
some fairly dry moss a foot above the
water. There is some evidence that the
larvae usually move to a dryer area to
pupate; this was also noted in the labora-
tory.

On July 12 a slough on the Lac du

Bois range was found to provide a much

easier collecting area. Along the shore
line a thick mat of grass and debris had
been washed up, and by turning this over,
the tabanid larvae could be picked out al-
most at the rate of one a minute.

The first larvae collected were main-
tained in the laboratory under the follow-
ing conditions: some in damp mud, some
in damp sand as recommended by Isaac
(1924), and others in large vials contain-
ing half an inch of water and a short roll
of rough paper towelling, following
Philip’s (1928) modification of Mar-
chand’s technique. The first two methods
were discarded for the third, as the larvae
escaped repeatedly from the dishes of
mud and sand. In the vials the larvae
crawled between two layers of the paper
and remained at the bottom completely

16

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1947), Vol. 44, Feb. 16, 1948

submerged in water with their respiratory
siphons extended to the surface.

Continuing to use Philip’s method, the
larvae were kept alive very successfully by
feeding them every two or three days on
fly maggots and pieces of earthworm.
Each larva was fed individually between
two pieces of damp towelling on the table
top. It was necessary to keep them cov-
ered while feeding as they are thigmotro-
pic and tend to refuse food in order to
crawl in search of cover. Notes were kept
on their feeding habits. When offered a
piece of food they actually pounced on
it, making a sharp clicking noise, and
often they have been observed to attack
one another in the same way when being
fed. When collecting the larvae, each
one was placed in an individual vial since,
if they were all together, several would be
killed by the time they reached the labor-
atory.

The activity and amount eaten by
each larva varied considerably from day
to day. One large larva which had been
inactive for a week escaped from a vial
through two layers of cheese-cloth, and
when discovered two days later, was ac-
tively crawling along the hall two flights
of stairs below. Immediately before a
molt they became very active and refused
any food. In one instance a larva escaped
through a cheese-cloth cover, continued
through a water bath and ended up in the
folds of a cardboard box where it was
found the next day. However, although
dried out, it was still alive, and ultimate-
ly pupated.

Three of the larvae fed in the labora-
tory pupated and emerged. The pupal
periods lasted nine, ten and thirteen days.
In July and August several larvae molted,
but none pupated. The majority remained
active all winter, feeding every few days
on earthworms.

Dr. Philip has determined these last
emergences as: Chrysofs furcatus Walk.

S , Hybomitra sp., near sonomensis , $ ,
and A ty lotus incisuralis Walk. $ .

The first search for egg masses was
made on August 9 around the Lac du

Bois slough and although the larvae were
abundant around the margin, no egg
masses could be found. The water plants
forming a fringe about four feet wide
around the slough, and growing in black
mud with water three to four inches deep,
to all appearances provided ideal oviposi-
tion sites. A week later, after a very
thorough search of this area, two egg
masses were found on the under and upper
sides of the leaves of the water parsnip,
seven inches above the water. They were
both brown with a flat surface and 0.7
cm. and 1.5 cm. long in the shape of a
triangle. The eggs were laid in a single
layer.

Short pieces of plant bearing the eggs
were placed in separate vials and kept on
moss in a glass covered aquarium to keep
them moist. Thirty larvae emerged from
the larger egg mass six days after collec-
tion, and three days later, on August 23,,
minute parasitic flies emerged from the
remaining unhatched eggs. They contin-
ued to emerge for the next four days and
appeared to occupy the greater part of the
egg mass.

McQueen Lake on the same range
proved to be a better collecting area, and
in two trips there, thirteen egg masses were
found on the tall sedges along the margin.
These were of at least two species, as ten
were shiny coal black, built up in a round-
ed mass, three layers of eggs deep, and
located on the under side of the blade.
The other three were brown and deposited
on the upper side of the blade with a flat
sloping surface to their triangular shaped
mass, and no distinct layers of eggs appar-
ent. Larvae emerged from two of these
egg masses, but the remaining eleven were
parasitized.

The parasites were determined by Dr.
C. F. W. Muesebeck of the United States
National Museum as Telenomus emer-
soni (Girault). This species has been
stated by Cameron (1926:38-39) to be a
fairly common parasite of Chrysofs moe-
rens Walk, and Chrysofs mitis O. S. in
Saskatchewan.

The newly hatched larvae fed well

Entomological Soe. of British Columbia, Proc. (1947), Vol. 44, Feb. 16, 1948

17

when placed on pieces of earthworm. The
midgut showed red in the almost trans-
parent young larvae after they had fed,
and even in these minute larvae the black
chitinous jaws were apparent. They were
very resistant to dry conditions; a small
larva left overnight on some towelling re-
vived when moistened with a little water.
However, no larvae hatched from egg
masses were successfully reared through
to the adult stages.

As the majority of the collected larvae
have been feeding all winter, it will be

interesting to note whether this forced ac-
tivity in any way modifies their develop-
ment, since under natural conditions they
would remain dormant during the winter.

Much yet remains to be learned about
the early stages of many of our tabanid
species, to say nothing of such mysteries as
what happens to the minute adult parasites
from one fall until the following mid-
summer’s egg supply, and further studies
in this field should bring to light interest-
ing data.

Literature Cited

Cameron, A. E., 1926. Bionomics of the Tabanidae (Diptera) of the Canadian Prairie. Bui.

Ent. Res. 17 (1) : 1-42; plates 1-5; text-figs. 1-18.

Isaac, P. V., 1924. Papers on Indian Tabanidae. Agr. Res. Inst., Pusa, India, Dept. Agr.
Memoirs, Ent. series, Calcutta, 8:53-62.

Philip, C. B., 1928. Methods of collecting and rearing the immature stages of Tabanidae
(Diptera). Journ. Parasitol. 14 (4): 243-253; text-figs. a-b.

SOME NOTES ON THE HABITS OF ARZAMA OBLIQUA
ON VANCOUVER ISLAND. ( Lepidoptera: PhaSaemdae)

Richard Guppy
Wellington, B.C.

Arzama obliqua Walk, belongs to a
group of Phalaenid moths which, though
neither abundant nor conspicuous, have at-
tracted attention because of the peculiar
habits of the larvae. These mine in the
stems of their food plants instead of feed-
ing on the leaves in the ordinary manner.

The species of the genus Arzama are
known by the common name of “cattail
moths”, from their usually recognized
food plants, Tyfha lati folia or related
“cattails”.

Prof. J. H. Comstock in his “Introduc-
tion to Entomology”, gives some data re-
garding Arzama obliqua which I reproduce
in part on account of its bearing on my
observations.

“Two or more species of noctuids in-
fest the cat-tail plant, Tyfhay in this coun-
try. The larvae of both are at first leaf-
miners, later they bore in the stalks. Our
most common species is Arzama obliqua.
According to the observations of Classen
(1921) the full-grown larva overwin-
ters in its burrow in the cat-tail plant and
transforms in the spring. But the late

Prof. D. S. Kellicott, who made a special
study of this species, informed me in a
letter written in 1882, that the larva
leaves the cat-tail plant in the fall and
conceals itself under bark, in old wood and
even in the ground until spring when it
pupates, and emerges as a moth in May. It
is evident therefore, that individuals of
this species differ as to the location in
which they pass the winter.”

I found these larvae to be quite abund-
ant in a low lying swampy area near my
home, while they were wintering under
loose bark on fallen cedar logs. There
are no cattails anywhere in the vicinity;
later I ascertained the caterpillars were
feeding in the leaf stems of skunk cabbage
( L \sichiton kamts chat cense ) .

I have not been successful in rearing
these larvae from the egg. Possibly it is
necessary that the ova should be deposited
on growing leaves of the food plant.

When taken from Lysichiton stems in
late August of 1946 they were evidently
far past the leaf mining stage, though still
quite small. This however appears to have

18

Entomological Soc. of Bbitish Columbia, Proc. (1947), Vol. 44, Feb. 16, 1948

been a late season. In all stages of growth
except the final instar, these larvae have a
waxy semi-transparent appearance. The
color at this time is a light brown, with a
dark patch on the first thoracic segment.
When full grown they lose the transpar-
ency and become dark gray, the mark on
the thorax is still in evidence. At this stage
they resemble the typical Phalaenid larvae
known as cutworms, except in size, being
up to 50 mm. in length.

In his description of the related genus
Bellura , Prof, Comstock describes a modi-
fication of the hind end of the caterpillar
which supposedly allows these aquatic lar-
vae to breathe while only the caudal ex-
tremity is held against the surface of ghe
water. Briefly, this consists of a reduction
in size of the last abdominal segment
which allows room for two large spiracles
on the posterior part of the preceding seg-
ment.

Though Comstock does not mention
this arrangement as being common to
Arzama spp. also, it could be clearly ob-
served in all the A. obliqua larvae which
I examined. The extraordinarily large
size of all the spiracles is also very notice-
able. The Arzama larvae could not be
described as aquatic, and the use, if any, to
which this specialization is put is a matter
for conjecture. It may indicate a close re-
lationship with, and derivation from, the
genus Bellura. The feeding of these
larvae on such widely different plants as
Lysichiton and Tyfha y indicates great
adaptability, and they may on occasion
take to water lilies, or other truly aquatic
plants.

Their burrows in the stems of Lysichi-
ton leaves extend from below the ground
level, and are from 1 to 2 feet in length
according to the size of the leaf. No open-
ing can be found in the upper end of the
boring. It is difficult to ascertain whether
the lower end is open, owing to the leaves
being bunched together and attached be-
low the ground level to a tough rootstock.
My observations lead me to believe that
there is usually an opening at the lower
end, which would at least account for the
absence of excrement, which I never found
in the borings. The insects evidently tra-

verse the length of the burrows several
times during their larval life, enlarging it
each time to suit their increasing girth.

These Lysichiton feeding larvae must
of necessity abandon their leaf stem homes
on the approach of winter, since the fleshy
leaves, on withering, soften and disinte-
grate almost at once. During winter I
found the caterpillars nearly always under
the loose bark on fallen cedar trees. Some
digging in the soft decayed cambium is
usually done in order to construct an oval
hibernation cell. The material chewed out
is used to plug up any space between the
bark and cambium, including the aperture
by which the larva entered. I have also
found them under the bark of dead wil-
lows and alders, and occasionally in the
wood of much decayed fir logs. My ac-
tivities in stripping all the bark from cedar
logs in the area under observation, must
be considered as having some effect in
forcing them to take to second choice lo-
cations.

I was not able to ascertain just when pu-
pation takes place, but at least it is not
until the spring, a short time before the
adult insects appear. Occasionally a larva
may leave its hibernation cell in order to
search for a better hideout, but no feeding-
takes place at this time. As a rule pupation
takes place in the cell in which the winter
was passed.

The adult moths appear during the hat-
ter half of June in this locality. I have
one record for June 10th; others are from
June 27th to July 5th. Mr. J. R. J. Llew-
ellyn Jones of Cobble Hill; to whom I
sent several larvae, informs me that adults
emerged on June 1st and June 8th.

From such information that I have been
able to gather, it appears that the species
is widespread in North America, but not
abundant anywhere in Canada.

Acknowledgments. I am indebted
to Mr. Llewellyn Jones for determination
of specimens of Arzama obliqua , and also
for information regarding the habits of
the species which led me to make the re-
searches described above. My thanks are
also due to Floyd L. Caesar for informa-
tion on the habits of the moth in Eastern
Canada.

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia. Proc. (1947), Vol. 44, Feb. 16, 1948

19

A PRELIMINARY LIST OF TIPULIDAE FROM BRITISH COLUMBIA

( Dipfera)

G. J. Spencer

Department of Zoology. University of British Columbia

Along with collections in all orders
which I have made since coining to this
province, for seven years I gathered all the
Tipulidae I could find and in 1932 sent
some 1130 specimens to Dr. C. P. Alex-
ander, Massachusetts Agricultural College,
Amherst, the world authority on these
flies, who had very kindly agreed to identi-
fy them for me. Dr. Alexander informed
me that he could not name many of them
without referring to the types and since
the types of some fifty western species were
in Pulman and San Francisco and the in-
stitutions housing them could not send
them to him, the identification of my ma-
terial would have to wait until he could
travel to inspect them; in the meantime,
the collections are still in his possession.
For several reasons, namely, ill-health, be-
reavement, teaching load and added duties
during the war years, Dr. Alexander has
not been able to resume the study of this
material, but when he does, it will be pos-
sible to issue a more up-to-date list and,
when the specimens are returned, the
University will have a basic collection of
these flies for reference purposes.

For the present therefore, I can sub-
mit only the following list of 84 species
which up to June 1, 1933, have been
recorded from all sources, including the
Canadian National Collection. I am very
grateful to Dr. Alexander for generously
and laboriously compiling the list which is
produced herewith as he sent it to me. It
will be noted that only seven records bear
my name and since most of the specimens
in the collection were taken by me, it
means that there must be great difficulty
in placing British Columbia Tipulidae.

In view of the fact that over 700
species of this family have been recorded
from the Province of Quebec alone, I feel
that at least that number, if not more,
will eventually be found in this Province
which has a far greater climatic and veg-
etational variation than has Quebec.

CRANE-FLIES OF BRITISH COLUMBIA

(Based on identifications of collections
of Dr. C. P. Alexander, Mr. H. B. Leech
and others: also printed records.)

Family TANYDERIDAE
Protanyderus vipio (O.S.)

Cranbrook, Aug. 2, 1920; 1 $ .

Family PTYCHOPTERIDAE
Ptyclioptera lenis (O.S.)

Hector, July 15, 1928 (Bryant). Salmon
Arm, April 29, 1931; May 4, 1930 (Leech).
Rittacomorphella sackeni (Roder)

Queen Charlotte Islands, n.d. Stanley
Park, Vancouver, flying beside stream,
Sept. 3, 1930 Leech).

Family TRICHOCERIDAE
Diazosma subsinuata Alex.

Vancouver, July, 1931 (Leech).
Paracladura trichoptera (O.S.)

Vancouver, Oct. 9, 1931 (Leech).
Trichocera columbiana Alex. (Can. Ent. 50:
70, 1927)

Prince Rupert, June 17, 1919 (Dyar). Vic-
toria, March 28, 1916 (Treherne). Vic-
toria, March 8, 1920 (W. B. Anderson).
Metlakatla, Nov. 9, 1908 (J. H. Keen).
Trichocera garretti Alex. (Can. Ent. 59: 71
72; 1927)

Marysville, 5,500 ft., May 11, 1919 (Gar-
rett). Lillooet, May 3, 1916 (Tom Wilson).
Cranbrook, April 5, May 5, Oct. 21, Nov. 9
(Garrett). Salmon Arm, Feb. 12, 1932
(Leech) ; reared.

Family TIPULIDAE
Sub-family TIPULINAE

P tenophora angustipennis Lw.

Agassiz, May 11, 1922 (R. Glendenning) .
Wellington, May il, 1898. Victoria, April
24, 1904 (Hanham). (Vancouver Island
Rec. Bergroth, Vien. Ent. Zeitg. 7: 201).
Holorusia rubiginosa Lw. (grandis Bergr.)
Departure Bay, July 5, 1913 (J. B. Kur-
ata) ; Univ. Toronto Coll. Vancouver, July
28, 1931 (Leech; 1 $ . U. Brit. Col., July 2,
1931 (Leech); 1$.

Tipula (Cinctotipula) dorsolineata Doane
New Lake, Cranbrook, Aug. 26, 1919 (Gar-
rett). Cranbrook, Aug. 5-Sept. 4, 4,000 ft.
(Garrett) .

Tipula accurata Alex (Can. Ent. 59: 184-
185, 1927)

Keremeos, June 26-July 15, Aug. 1-2, 1923
(Garrett).

Tipula calif ornica (Doane, 1908) (as Pacliy-
rhina)

Gordon Head, June 15, 1920 (W. Downes).
Victoria, May 16 1916 (Treherne). Vic-
toria, May 3, 1919 (W. B. Anderson). Vic-
toria, June -28, May 5, 1919 (W. Downes).

20

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1947), Vol. 44, Feb. 16, 1948

Tipula dorsimacula Walk. ( angustipennis
Lw.)

Agassiz, May 8, 1926 (H. H. Ross). Cran-
brook, May 12-20, 1933 (Garrett) ; May 8,
June 16. Oliver, May 15, 1923 (Garrett).
Douglas, June 6, 1922 (E. R. Buckell).
Lillooet (A. Phair). Salmon Arm, April
29, 1931 (Leech).

Tipula imbellis Alex. (Can. Ent. 59: 186-187,
1927)

Osoyoos, May 18, 1923 (Garrett).

Tipula leechi Alex. mss.

Vancouver, July 11, 1930 (Leech); ^ in
poor shape.

Tipula pubera Lw.

Vancouver, July 7, 1931 (Leech: 1 .

Tipula retussa Doane.

Gordon Head, June 14, 1919 (Downes) on
strawberry.

Tipula streptocera Doane.

Nanaimo, July 1, 1925 (Spencer); 1 $ .
Departure Bay, July 24, 1913 (E. M. Wal-
ker) ; Univ. Toronto Coll.

Tipula trypetophora Dietz.

Victoria, July 6, 1912 (type-locality). Van-
couver, May 28, 1931; June 30, 1931; July
7-23, 1931 (Leech).

Prionocera fuscipennis Lw. (Stygeropis)
Cranbrook, 4,000 ft., May 7-20, July 14
( Garrett ) .

Nephrotoma altissima erythrophrys (Will.)
(Pachyrrhina)

Cranbrook, 3,500 ft., June 26 (Garrett).
Field, 4,800 ft., July 1, 1908 (J. C. Brad-
ley). Carbonate, 2,600 ft., July 7-12, 1908
(Bradley) .

Nephrotoma excelsior (Bergr. ) (Wien. Ent.
Zeitg. 7: 239)

Cascade Mountains (type-locality).
Nephrotoma lineata (Scop.) (Ibid. 7: 239)
Brit. Col. (Recorded by Bergroth); iden-
tity somewhat doubtful.

Nephrotoma occidentalis (Doane) (Pachyr-
rhina)

Vancouver, July 17-Aug. 21, 1931 (Leech),
abundant.

Sub-family CYLINDROTOMINAE

Phalacrocera Vancouver ensis Alex. (Can.
Ent. 59: 180-190, 1927)

Vancouver, April 10, 1922 (W. B. Ander-
son). Vancouver, Nov., 1929 (G. J. Spen-
cer).

Gylindrotoma splendens Doane (juncta Coq.)
Westholme, May 10, 1918 (W. Downes).
Victoria, May 28, 1917 (A. E. Cameron) ;
reared. Vancouver, May 15, 1917 (Cam-
eron). Mt. McLean, 6,000-7,200 ft., Lillooet,
July 12, 1926 (McDunnough) ; Can. Nat.
Coll.

Sub-family LIMONIINAE
Tribe LIMONIINI
Antocha (Antocha) monticola Alex.

Seton Lake, Lillooet, May 28, 1926 (J. Mc-
Dunnough); C.N. Coll.

Elliptera astigmatica Alex. (Psyche. 19: lil-
ies, 1912)

Rogers Pass, July 30, 1908 (Bradley), Ko-
kanee Mt., 8,000 ft., Aug. 10, 1903 (Cur-
rie). London Hill Mine, 7,000 ft., July 21,
1903 (Currie). Hector, July 15, 1928 (Owen
Bryant).

Dieranoptycha occidentalis Alex.

Vancouver, June 30, July 20-29, Aug. 11-
12, 1931 (Leech). Cranbrook (Garrett).
(NOTE: This is the D. sobrina OS record
in Garrett’s East Kootenay List, Can. Ent.
52: 108, 1920.)

Limonia (Limonia) bestigma (Coq.) (Journ.
N.Y. Ent. Soc. 13: 57, 1905)

Bear Lake, July 29, 1903 (Currie).
Limonia (Limonia) calif ornie a (OS)

Vancouver, Aug. 18, 1931; feeding on

molasses moth-bait (Leech).

Limonia (Limonia) concinna (Will.)

Cranbrook, 3,5q0 ft., April 28, 1919 (Gar-
rett).

Limonia (Limonia) maculicosta (Coq.)
(Journ. N.Y. Ent. Soc. 13: 57, 1905)
Kokanee Mt., 8,000 ft., Aug. 10, 1903 Cur-
rie).

Limonia (Limonia) nitidiuscula Alex.

Vancouver, May 7, 1932 (Spencer); Aug.
11-14; Sept. 9-16, 1931 (Spencer).

Limonia (Limonia) sciophila (O.S.)

Smith Fork, Aug. 11, 1903 (Caudell). Kas-
lo, Aug. 16, 1903 (Caudell). Kokanee Mt.,
Aug. 10, 1903 (Caudell). Powder Is., July
25, 1905 (J. M. Aldrich). Victoria, June
20, 1917 (Cameron). Roger’s Pass, Aug.
9, 1914 (J. C. Bradley). Hector, July 15,
1928 (O. Bryant). Duncan, Sept. 3, i.914;
Aug. 9, 1914 (J. C. Bradley). Vancouver,
Sept. 16-17, 1931; July 25; Aug. 11, 1931
(Leech) .

Limonia (Limonia) tripunctata (Fabr.)
Recorded from Brit. Col. by Bergroth.
Wien. Ent. Zeitg, 7: 239, 1888. Identity
probably O.K.

Limonia (Discobola) argus (Say)

Kaslo, Aug. 20, 1903 (Caudell and Currie).
Limonia (Geranomyia) canadensis (West-
wood)

Wasa, 6,000 ft. (Date, Coll. ?). Cranbrook,
6,000 ft. (Garrett).

Limonia (Rhipidia) maculata (Meig.)

Kaslo, Aug. 20, 1903 (Dyar and Caudell).
Limonia (Dicranomyia) badia (Walk.)

Seton Lake, Lillooet, June 3, 1926 (Mc-
Dunnough) ; Can. Nat. Coll.

Limonia (Dicranomyia) halter ata (OS)
Duncan, Vancouver Is., Sept. 3, 1913 (J. C.
Bradley). Cranbrook, Sept. 26 (Garrett).
Limonia (Dicranomyia) morioides (OS)
Hector, July 15, 1928 (O. Bryant).

Limonia (Dicranomyia) vulgata (Bergr.)
Bear Lake, July 20, 1903 (Currie) ; as de-
termined by Coquillett.

Limonia ( A lexandriaria ) intermedia (Gar-
rett)

Cranbrook, July 6, 10, 15, 1920 (Garrett) ;
types.

Limonia (Alcxandriaria) kooteniensis (Gar-
rett)

Cranbrook, July 15, 1920 (Garrett) ; type.
Limonia (Alexandriaria) suffusca (Garrett)
Cranbrook, 2,950 ft., Oct. 9, 1920 (Gar-
rett) ; type.

Tribe PEDICIINI
Ornithodes harrimani Coq.

Hector, July 15, 1928 (O. Bryant); (vide
Bull. Brooklyn Ent. Soc. 26: 179-180,

1931).

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1947), Vol. 44, Feb. 16, 1948

21

Pedicia (Pedicia) magnified (Hine) (as Pe-
ditia)

Port Renfrew, July 27, 1902 (R. C. Oz-
burn) ; type. Cypress Creek, Vancouver,
Aug. 16, 1931 (Leech); 1 broken $ .
Pedicia (Pedicia) parvicellula Alex. n. sp.
mss.

Cypress Creek, Vancouver, Aug. 16, 1931
( Leech ) .

Pedicia (Tricyphona) ampla (Doane)

Duncan, Vancouver, Sept. 3, 1914 (J. C.
Bradley). Revelstoke, Aug. 22 (H. G.

Dyar). Vancouver, Aug. 2, 26, 1931; Sept.
10, 1931 (Leech).

Pedicia (Tricyphona) aperta (Coq.) (Journ.
N.Y. Ent. Soc. 13; 59, 1905)

Kaslo, May 29, 1903; June 10, 1903 (Dyar) ;
types. Hector, July 15, 1928 (O. Bryant).
Pedicia (Tricyphona) cons tans (Doane)
Vancouver, Aug. 4, 1931 (Leech) ; May 17,

1930 (Spencer). Departure Bay, May 22,
1925 (Spencer). Langley, April 16, 1931
(K. Graham). Duncan, Sept. 13, 1914 (J.
C. Bradley).

Pedicia (Tricyphona) protea (Alex.)

Prince Rupert, June 17, 1919 (H. G.

Dyar). Vancouver, May 7, 1932 (Spencer).
Pedicia (Tricyphona) rubiginosa Alex.

Hector, July 15, 1928 (O. Bryant) ; types.
Pedicia ( Tricyphona ) vit ripen nis (Doane)
Vancouver, April 16, 1931; May 4, 1931
(Leech); April 11-18, 1930, May 17. 1930
(Spencer). Campus, U. Brit. Col., Oct. 18,
1928 (M. H. Campbell). Lowe Inlet, June
3, 1897 (T. Kincaid); Coquillett Record.
Dicranota (Dicranota) montana (Alex.)
Salmon Arm, April 29, 1931 (Leech). Hec-
tor, July 15, 1928 (O. Bryant).

Dicranota (Rhaphi do la his ) nepmexicana
(Alex)

Cranbrook, 3,500 ft., July 21 (Garrett).
Dicranota (Rhaphidolabis) subsessilis ( Alex)
Hector, July 15, 1928 (O. Bryant).
Polyangaeus maculatus Doane
Alta Lake, Mons, June 11, 1926 (McDun-
nough); Can. Nat. Coll.

Tribe HEXATOMINI
Adelphomyia sp., near americana Alex.
Cypress Creek, Vancouver, Aug. 16, 1931
(Leech); 1 $ only, $ $ greatly needed.
Epiphragma (Epiphragma) picta (Fabr.)
Recorded from Brit. Col. by Bergroth
(Vien. Ent. Zeitg. 7: 239, 1888). It is prob-
able that the identity is O.K.
Pseudolimnophila badia (Doane)

Kaslo, June 11, 1903 (Dyar).
Archilimnophila subunica (Alex.)

Grouse Mt., Vancouver, 4,000 ft., June 14,

1931 (Leech).

Dactylolabis hortensia Alex. (Proc. Acad.
N.S. Phila. 1914: 591-592, 1914)

London Hill Mine, Bear Lake, 7,000 ft.,
July 29, 1903 (Caudell) ; types.

Dactylolabis pteropoecila (Alex.)

Seymour Creek, Vancouver, May 12, 1931
(Leech).

Phyllolcubis bryantiana Alex.

Hector, July 15, 1928 (O. Bryant); types.
Limnophila (Prionolabis) cressoni Alex.

Prince Rupert, June 17,1919 (H. G. Dyar).
Limnophila (Phylidorea) columbiana Alex.
(Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 72, art. 2; 12-13,
1927)

Prince Rupert, June 17, 1919 (Dyar) ;
type.

Limnophila (Phylidorea) fiavipila Doane
Vancouver, May 4, 1931 (Leech). Holly-
burn Ridge, Vancouver, 3,000 ft., June 28,
1931 (Leech).

Limnophila (Phylidorea) fuscovenosa Alex.
(Can. Ent. 59: 190-191, 1927) Revelstoke,
5000-6000 ft., July 20-21, 1926 (McDun-
nough); type.

Limnophila antennata Coq.

Kaslo, Jun. 11-22, 1903; July 11, 1903 (Cur-
rie & Dyer); types.

Tribe ERIOPTERINI

Chionea alexandriana Garrett

Cranbrook, Feb. 22, 1921, 3500 ft.; Feb. 13,
1920 (Garrett). Canal Flats, Kootenay
Valley, March, 1921; types.

Gladura (Cladura) oregona Alex.

Vancouver, Sept. 16-Oct. 6, 1931 (Leech).
Langley Prairie, Nov. J, 193q (K. Gra-
ham).

Pterochionea bradleyi Alex. (Proc. Acad.
Nat. Sci. Phila. 1916: 530-531) Roger’s

Pass, Aug. 9, 1915 (JC Bradley); type.
Neolimnophila ultima (OS)

Cranbrook, 3500 ft., Oct. 20 (Garrett).
Gonomyia (Ptilostena) California Alex. (Can.
Ent. 1916: 324-325)

Peachland, May 19, 1912; June 24, 1903.
(The B. Col. record of G. blanda — Proc.
Acad. N.S. Phila, 1914: 586-587 — pertains
to californica.)

Rhabdomastix (Sacandaga) monticola Alex.
(Proc. Acad. N.S. Phila. 1916: 528-529,

1916)

Kokanee Mt., 8000 ft., Aug. 11, 1903 (Cur-
rie) ; type.

Rhabdomastix (Sacandaga) subcaudata Alex.

Hector, July 15, 1928 (O. Bryant).
Erioptera (Psiloconopa) aperta (Coq.)
Journ. N.Y. Ent. Soc. 13: 59, 1905) as
Gnophomyia.

Kaslo, July 11 and 18, 1903; types.

Helobia hybrida (Mg.)

Cranbrook, May 2, 1919 (Garrett).

Ormosia diver gens (Coq.) (Journ N.Y. Ent.
Soc. 13: 57-58, 1905).

Kaslo, Jun. 18 and 29, 1903 (Currie). Lon-
don Hill Mine, Bear Lake, 7000 ft., Jul..
21, 1903 (Caudell). Kokanee Mt., 9,000 ft.
on snow, Aug. 10, 1903 (Currie).

Ormosia subcornuta Alex.

Langley, March 22, 1931 (K. Graham).
Molophilus colonus Bergr.

Hector, July 15, 1928 (O. Bryant).
Molophilus falcatus Bergr.

Prince Rupert, June 17, 1919 (Dyar & Al-
drich).

22 Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1947), Vol. 44, Feb. 16, 1948

SOME RECORDS OF COLLEMBOLA FROM BRITISH COLUMBIA

G. J. Spencer

Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia.

Collembola are mostly restricted to
damp situations where the sun does not
strike; a few, however, occur under shel-
ter in dry conditions during the day and
wander out at night when the dew is on
the ground.

The species mentioned here represent a
collection made in 1933 by Mr. J. D.
Gregson who very kindly presented them
to the University. They were identified by
the late Dr. Justus Folsom. The only
specialist in this order in North America
is Dr. Harlow B. Mills, Chief o'f the
Natural History Survey of Illinois, who is
too busy to determine specimens, so my
further personal collections must remain
unidentified for the present. Dr. Folsom
informed me that at least 100 species of
Collembola should occur in this Province:
only 16 species are recorded here. With
three exceptions (of my collecting, labelled
G.J.S.) all these records were made by
Mr. J. D. Gregson, whose annotations are
appended in each case.

Suborder ATHROPLEONA Boerner, 1901
Family PODURIDAE Lubbock, 1870
Subfamily PODURINAE

1. Podura aquations Linn.

In colonies on leaves by edge of a rain
puddle. Courtenay, V.«I., 11 May, 1933.
Mills (1934) says “this species is the
only representative of the subfamily; it
is often present in immense numbers on
the surface of stagnant water.”

Subfamily ACHORUTINAE Boerner, 1901

2. Xenylla humicola (Fabricius)

In, on and around damp moss on a rock
by the water’s edge; curl up when ex-
posed to the sun. Brown’s River, Cour-
tenay, V.I. 7 May, 1933.

3. Achorutes armatus Nicolet

“Colour pattern extremely variable, from
a dark blue to a canary yellow, with vari-
ous arrangements of spots and irregular
stripes.” (Mills).

On water, Foghorn Mt., North Thompson
River valley, at 5000 feet, 5 July, 1933.
Under mould, Mt. Washington, Forbid-
den Plateau, Courtenay, V.I:, 8 Aug.,
1933.

4. Achorutes pseudarmatus Folsom
Under debris on Mt. Washington, Forbid-
den Plateau. Courtenay, V.I., 8 Aug.,
1933.

5. Anurida maritima (Linn.)

On seashore, Nanaimo, V.I., July, 1926.
G. J. S.

Family ENTOMOBRYIDAE Tomosvary, 1883
Subfamily ISOTOMINAE Schaffer, 1896

6. Folsom, ia fimetaria var dentata Folsom
From potato cellar, Vancouver. 1 Dec.,
1933. G. J. S.

7. Isotoma viridis Bourlet

Under wet log by a pool, Kamloops, 9
June, 1933.

8. Isotoma viridis var catena Guthrie
Damp earth floor, Brown’s carnation
house, Vancouver, 25 May, 1933. G. J. S.

9. Isotoma pains iris Muller

Under dry board on swampy ground,
Courtenay, V.I., 17 May, 1933.

10. Entomabrya multifasciata (Tullberg)
Under dry stone in dry pasture, Vaven-
by, North Thompson River valley, 5 June,
1933.

11. Entomobrya triangularis Schott.

No data.

12. Sira buski Lubbock

“A rather common resident of dwelling
houses; occasionally under bark.” (Mills)
Alongside dry road, under boulders in
dry conditions. Barriere, North Thomp-
son River valley, 2 June, 1933.

13. Lepidocyrtus cyaneus Tullberg
“Generally extensively common.” (Mills)
Victoria, V.I., 16 July, 1933.

Subfamily TOMOCERINAE Schaffer, 1896

14. Tomorerus flare scens var. arcticus

Schott

Under bark of big tree, Courtenay, V.I.r
12 May, 1933; under bark at snowline.
Courtenay, V.I., 10 April, 1933, when dis-
turbed are active a short time then lie
at various angles in snow crevices; un-
der damp wood on Point Grey golf
course, Vancouver, 22 April, 1933; under
wet leaves at edge of rain pond, alder
swamp, Courtenay, V.I., 14 May, 1933.

Subfamily SMINTHURINAE Boerner, 1906

15. Bourlettiella spinata (MacGillivray)

On lily leaves in Lost Lake, Victoria,
V.I., 25 July, 1933.

16. Phenothrix unicolor (Harvey)

“On agarics and in humus.” (Mills).
Under damp stones, Camp 4, Forbidden
Plateau, Courtenay, V.I., 8 Aug., 1933.

Literature Cited

Mills, Harlow B., 1934. A monograph of the Collembola of Iowa. Colleg. Press. Inc., Ames
Iowa.

23

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia. Pboc. (1947), You. 44, Feb. 16, 1948

1946 ORIENTAL FRUIT MOTH SURVEY IN THE SOUTHERN
OKANAGAN VALLEY, B.C.

H. F. Olds

Division of Plant Protection, Science Service, Department of Agriculture,

Vancouver, B.C.

At the 1945 Annual Meeting a paper
was presented showing the extent of the
Oriental Fruit Moth Grapholitha molesta
(Busck.) in the United States and Canada.
With the exception of California, which
conducted its own, surveys were super-
vised by the United States Bureau of En-
tomology and Plant Quarantine and came
immediately under the direction of the
Domestic Plant Quarantines.

With the results of the 1945 survey
known, the Bureau of Entomology felt
that sufficient data had been obtained, and
should any further surveys be required,
they should be assumed by the States con-
cerned.

Horticultural officials in the State of
Washington communicated with our Di-
vision and informed us that they required
further information relative to' the spread
of this insect within the State, and asked
for the co-operation of our Division in
determining if the insects were present in
the southern portion of the Okanagan Val-
ley in British Columbia.

Arrangements were made, therefore,
whereby the Washington State Depart-
ment of Agriculture would conduct sur-
veys north and south of the town of Wen-
atchee, while our Division would conduct
similar investigations in British Columbia.
The area surveyed in British Columbia
was all that portion north of the Interna-
tional Boundary from Osoyoos to Pentic-
ton, a distance of approximately fifty
miles, thence westward to take in the
Cawston-Keremeos district. Most of the
traps were concentrated along the Inter-
national Boundary at Osoyoos and in the
peach orchards long the main highways.

Any moths collected which came within
the size and colour range of Grapholitha
molesta (Busck.) were submitted to Dr.

t Contribution No. 67, Division of Plant Protec-
tion, Science Service, Dominion Department of Agri-
_ culture, Ottawa, Ontario.

James Marshall for identification. None
of these interceptions proved to be the
Oriental Fruit Moth.

Surveys in the State of Washington and
British Columbia will continue during
1947, as it is important not only to know
the annual spread of this pest in that State
but should an incipient outbreak occur in
British Columbia, it should be made
known as soon as possible.

Preparation of Oriental
Fruit Moth Bait

At the rate of one quart per trap five
gallons of bait will fill 20 traps. This
quantity is prepared by adding 4 pounds of
sugar to’ 9 quarts of water, stirring until
dissolved, then adding 1/3 ounce of ter-
pinyl acetate and 1/5 ounce of saponin
powder, and making up to 5 gallons with
water. After the sugar has been dissolved,
add 10 cc. or about 1/3 liquid ounce of
terpinyl acetate, and then add saponin
powder. Care should be taken in handling
saponin as it is a very light powder and
will be blown away if opened in a strong
breeze or dropped into the solution from
too great a distance above the surface.
The plastic screw cap on a two ounce bot-
tle can be used as a measure. In making
up 5 gallon quantities 3 level caps are add-
ed, pour the dissolved materials into a
large can, and then add water to make up
five gallons. In the event that it may be
desirable to make smaller quanties of bait,
the following proportions are for one
quart which is the quantity for one trap:

Water 472 cc.

Sugar 3.2 ounces

Terpinyl acetate 0.5 cc.

Saponin 0.25 grams

Water to make total - 944 cc.

Precautionary Measures

All Customs officials at boundary ports
and importers, as well as United States
Department of Agriculture officials in the

24

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1947), Vol. 44, Feb. 16, 1948

State of Washington, have been advised
that all fresh host fruits from known in-
fested areas must be certified at shipping
points, showing that such fruits have been
fumigated with methyl bromide, with
stated dosage, length of exposure, and
temperature. Host fruits from free areas
must be so certified — certificates to be sign-
ed by an officer of the State or Federal De-

partment of Agriculture.

Railway companies co-operated with
our Division in taking special care in
cleaning cars which had previously carried
host fruits of the Oriental Fruit Moth
from the United States, particularly if
such cars were intended to be re-allocated
and sent to the Okanagan Valley for re-
loading.

AN ANNOTATED LIST OF COLEOPTERA TAKEN AT OR NEAR
TERRACE, BRITISH COLUMBIA. PART I.

M. E. Clark1
Massett, B.C.

Terrace is adjacent to the northern
coast of British Columbia, on the Skeena
River, at an elevation of 225 feet above
sea level (latitude 54° N., longitude 128°
W.). All species here listed were taken at
or near Terrace, except for the following
localities: Thornhill Mountain is at the
head of Thornhill Creek, and most speci-
mens were collected at about 5,000 feet
elevation; Lake Lakelse, some 5 miles
long, is south of Terrace; Prince Rupert
is the northwestern terminus of the Can-
adian National Railway, on the coast 95
miles west of Terrace.

A few of the species were mentioned in
my previous paper (Mrs. W. W. Hippis-
ley, 1922. Notes on Northern British Co-
lumbia Coleoptera. Can^d. Ent. 54 (3)
:63-66). The fauna is undoubtedly far
richer than the present list indicates, for
my collecting has suffered from my hav-
ing the use of but one arm. The beetles
were taken as a side issue to the work
about the ranch, or when I was on the way
to town, for I never had the opportunity
to make purely collecting trips.

I am very greatly indebted to Mr. C.
A. Frost, of Framingham, Mass., for en-
couragement over the years. Except for a
few lots sent direct to Col. T. L. Casey,
all species listed here have been through
his hands. The majority he identified, but
many were sent to specialists for verifica-
tion or naming, and their comments were
forwarded to me with the returned insects.

1 Mrs. A. H. Clark, formerly Mrs. W. W. Hippisley.

CICINDELIDAE

Cicindela longilabris Say. — Identified with
the comment that it was true to type.
Scarce, found on lodgepole pine flats on
the 4th of June, 1920. I do not remember
finding it elsewhere.

Cicindela oregona LeC. — Taken on the occa-
sion of a walk up Green’s Hill, at the back
of Terrace, scarce; June, 1919.

Cicindela oslari var. terracensis Csy.

Cicindela repanda Dej. — Returned with the
remark that it was a new record for the
north and west.

Cicindela 12-guttata Dej. (—edmontonensis
Carr) — Also a new record for the west;
verified by W. Horn and H. C. Fall.

CARABIDAE

Trachypachus inermis Mots.— Returned to
me marked “rare.”

Brennus angusticollis Fisch. — Commonly
found under loose bark in the fall of the
year.

Brennus marginatus var. fallax Roesch. —
Scarce, in rotten wood and stumps; check-
ed by A. J. Kistler.

Brennus marginatus var. confusor Csy. — Ex-
amined by Kistler.

Brennus marginatus var. fulleri Horn— Seen
by Kistler and P. J. Darlington.

Brennus gracilis Gehin-— So identified by T.
Casey, but called fulleri by Kistler; rare.

Carabus granulatus L.- — Taken on a cinder
walk above the fire hall in Prince Rupert.
Also Terrace, 1932.

Carabus taedatus Fab. — Some typical, others
non-typical, as to color; seen by Darling-
ton. Taken on Thornhill Mountain by Fred
Michaud, who kindly collected for me while
pursuing his duties as a fire warden on
the above mountain in 1939. He told me
some were taken under loose flakes of
rock, but mostly on patches of snow. I re-
ceived the notice of Mr. Michaud’s death
on the 11th of November, of a stroke com-
plicated by pneumonia. He was something
over 70, a great personal friend and I
think the quietest, kindliest gentleman I
ever knew.

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1947), Vol. 44, Feb. 16, 1948

25

Calosoma sp. near frigidum Kby. — Only two
specimens. One was taken in a clearing
near a garden, the other along the railway
track at Copper City, five or six miles
from Terrace.

Loricera deeemjmnctata Esch. — Scarce, on
mud, edges of ponds, June; with Elaphrus
about algal scum. Verified by E. C. Van
Dyke.

Opisthius riehardsoni Kby.— Common among
reeds and under stones on the banks of
the Skeena River in spring and fall. I
have taken it among debris at Lake Lak-
else, and Kalem, and my notes list a
bronze form taken May 22nd, 1938.

Elaphrus clairvillei Kby. — Scarce, under
bark at edges of pond.

Elaphrus clairvillei var. frosti Hippisley —
Found with the typical form.

Elaphrus riparius L. — Common under dry-
ing algal scum, same pond.

Elaphrus punctatissimus Lee. (riparius L.?)
Common under flakes of algae.

Elaphrus bituberosus Csy. (riparius L.?) —
Sent to Casey by Mr. Frost, from my
material.

Elaphrus pallipes Horn — Rare; one speci-
men at roadside by a trickle of drainage
water, and one at Lake Lakelse.

Notiophilus near sylvaticus or nemoralis, or
a new species. — Very scarce, mostly found
in green moss just above the waters of
Alwaine Creek; sometimes taken in chunks
of wet, pulpy, rotten wood in November.

Leistus nigropiceus Csy. ? — Very rare.

Nebria eschscholtzi Men.— Taken under a
piece of driftwood on the west bank of the
Skeena River, on a large sand and gravel
spit, late in October.

Nebria hippisleyi Csy/ — Described by Casey
from Terrace specimens.

Nebria paradisi Dari. — Verified by Darling-
ton. A flightless species taken on Thorn
hill Mountain (5,000 ft., at forestry look-
out station) by F. Michaud, 1939. Origin-
ally described from Mount Rainier, Wash.

Nebria crassicornis Van D. — -A small vari-
ety, on Thornhill Mountain. Seen by Dar-
lington.

Nebria sahlbergi Fisch. — With the remark
“I presume,” by Darlington. Thornhill
Mountain.

Dyschirius aeneolus LeC. — As I remember,
this was taken from a rotten stump.

Dyschirius sp. — Mr. Fall was unable to iden-
tify this.

Nomius pygmaeus Dej.

Psydrus pieeus LeC. — As I remember, this
was taken from a rotten stump.

Bembidion lacustre LeC. — Scarce; June to
August, on mud flats.

Bembidion bifossulatum LeC.

Bembidion nitidum Kby.

Bembidion vacivum Csy. — Recorded as taken
by J. H. Keen, near Terrace, near the
Skeena River.

Bembidion funereum LeC.— Verified by Dar-
lington.

Bembidion planatum LeC.— On river bank
and lake shore. Checked by Darlington.

Bembidion sp. near simplex LeC.

Bembidion planiusculum Mann.

Bembidion maeJclini Hayw., or near.

Bembidion quadrifoveolatum Mann. — Iden-
tified by Fall.

Bembidion quadrulum LeC.

Bembidion transversale Dej. — Identified by
Darlington.

Bembidion speculinum Csy. — D a r 1 i n g t o n
thinks that innocuum Csy. may be a dark
speculinum. and that they may both be
atronitens Csy.

Bembidioii grapii Gyll.— Fall considered this
to be picipes Kby, as “ grapii is said to be
from Greenland.” Some of my specimens
were identified as nitens LeC.

Bembidion substrictum LeC.— Compared by
Frost with New Brunswick and Colorado
specimens so named by Darlington.

Bembidion swbinflatum Mots.

Bembidion exiguiceps Csy. — Topotypical,
identified by Darlington.

Bembidion rickseckeri Hayw. — Identified by
Frost.

Bembidion nigripes Kby.— Taken in garden
and on lower flats. Fall agreed with
Frost’s identification. See note on imitar
tor , below.

Bembidion umbratum LeC. — Teste Ralph
Hopping.

Bembidion appro xi matum var. suspectum
Blaisd. — Determined by Van Dyke, but
Darlington considers Terrace specimens to
be incrematum LeC.

Bembidion imitator Csy. — Darlington says
“at best a variety of nigripes, which I
think equals patruele Dej.”

Bembidion intermedium Kby. — Fall remark-
ed “Probably; not typical.”

Bembidion convexulum Hayw. — Determined
by Darlington.

Bembidion incrematum LeC.— Common on
muddy spots, June to August.

Bembidion concitatum Csy.

Bembidion subexiguum Csy.

Bembidion terracense Csy. — Described by
Casey from my material, but not returned.

Bembidion timidum LeC. — Some specimens
were identified as versicolor LeC. Fre-
quent about muddy ponds, June to Aug-
ust.

Bembidion gregale Csy.

Bembidion caseyi Leng.

Bembidion dubitans LeC. — Compared with
the type by Frost.

Bembidion connivens LeC. — Some specimens
were first identified as sulcatum LeC.

Bembidion sulcatum LeC. — Fall wrote “con-
sider it sulcatum’’’ of a specimen called
peregrinum Csy. by Frost.

Bembidion sp. near invidiosum Csy. — Speci-
mens identified by Frost, but Fall’s com-
ment was “can’t separate from cautum .”

Bembidion spp.- — Several were unidentified.

Tachyta falli Hayward — Taken under the
bark of fallen logs.

Trechus chalybeus Dej. — Frequent under
feathers and boards,

Pterostichus terracensis Csy. — Named from
my material.

26

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia. Prog. (1947), Vol. 44, Feb. 16, 1948

Pterostichus herculaneus Mann. — Frequent
under bark about poplar roots in the
spring and fall; identified by Darlington.

Pterostichus brunneus Dej. — Found with
herculaneus in rotting wood; identified by
Darlington.

Pterostichus castaneus Dej. — This and the
next also identified by Darlington.

Pterostichus calif ornicus Dej.

Bothriopterus saxatilis Csy. — Frequent un-
der boards, logs and stones, in spring-
time. Identified by Casey.

Cryobius sp.

Celia erratica Sturm. — F r e q u e n t among
weeds in yards, under boards, and run-
ning about on roads. Identified by Fall.

Celia farcta LeC. — Scarce. This and the next
two identified by Fall.

Amara litt oralis Mann.— Scarce.

Amara fallax LeC. — Frequent about gardens,
around turnips.

Amara sp. — Fall said “Not in Hayward’s
table; not confusa LeC.”

Amara cupreolata Putz., or near.

Calathus qucidricollis LeC.

Platynus sinuatus Dej.

Platynus piceolus LeC. — Taken in 1931.

Platynus sp., lascivus Csy., or frigidulus
Csy., vide Casey.

Platynus melanarius Dej., or near.

Platynus metallescens LeC. — Scarce, beneath
cover.

Platynus cupripennis Say — Quite rare.

Platynus placidus Say.

Platynus terracense Csy. — Named from my
material.

Platynus strigicollis Mann. — Both this and
the preceding may be the same as boge-
manni Gyll.

Platynus quadripunctatus Dej. — Common
early in the spring, on mossy humps.

Platynus bembidioides Kby. — Frequent about
charcoal or burnt-over land; strange to
say, I never found them anywhere else.

Platynus ruficornis LeC. — Taken in a swamp,
1935. Checked by Fall,' who thought it a
new record for B.C.

Platynus sp., unknown.

Lebia virid.s Say — Rare; on willow, only
three or four taken.

Dromius piceus Dej. — About rotten wood,
scarce.

Metabletus americanus Dej. — Scarce; iden-
tified by Fall.

Cymindis reflexa LeC. — Checked with the
type by Frost. Taken on sandy banks of
river.

Harpalus herbivagus Say. — Some specimens
were identified as blanditus Csy., which
may be a synonym.

Harpalus sp. near fugitans Csy.

Harpalus carbonatus LeC.?

Harpalus spp. — Two unidentified species.

Catharellus cordicollis LeC.

Tachycellus nigrinus Dej. — Bo identified by
Casey, Frost and Fall.

Trichocellus ruficrus Kby. — Found in num-
bers in mouse nests, in rotten grass, and
under boards, in the late fall and early
spring.

11 A L I PL I D AE

Haliplus lee phi Wallis — A paratype. From
backwaters of Lake Lakelse.

Peltodytes sp., unknown.

DYTISCIDAE

Bidessus affin is Say? — Identified by Fall,
1934.

Bidessus sp.

Hydroporus appalachius Sherm.? — Identified
by Fall, 1934.

Hydroporus occidentalis Slip.

Hydroporus longiusculus G. and H., or near.
Common. Determined by Fall, 1935.

Hydroporus despectus Shp.

Hydroporus vilis LeC.? — Identified as pos-
sibly this species by K. F. Chamberlain.

Deronectes depressus Fab.

Agabus hypomelas Mann . — Identified by
Frost and Fall.

Agabus vancouverensis Leech — Taken on
Thornhill Mountain, 5,000 ft. elevation,
with the preceding. Identified by Frost,
Fall and Leech.

Agabus austini Shp.

Agabus strigulosus Cr.

Agabus tristis Aube — Taken in roadside pud-
dle, June and November, 1937.

Agabus erichsonii G. and H. — Determined
by Frost and Fall.

Agabus phaeopterus Kby.

Hybius quadrimaculatus Aube.

Bantus binotatus Harr. — Found with fiavo-
griseus.

Bantus hopping i Wallis— One of the moun-
tain species 1 think.

Bantus flavogriseus Cr. — Scarce; in old
wells, roadside puddles, small streams and
sloughs, in early spring and late fall.

Colynibetes seminiger LeC. — In pools, July.

Colymbetes strigatus LeC.

Dytiscus fasciventris Say?

Dytiscus sublimbatus LeC.

Dytiscus dauricus Gebl.

Acilius semisulcatus Aube — Frequent in
pools in May.

GYRIN1DAE

Gyrinus bi farms Fall — One pail*.

Gyrinus picipes Aube — Roadside ditches and
shallow pools.

Gyrinus sp., unknown. One female.

HYDROPHILIDAE

Helophorus inquinatus Mann.? — In little
ditches, muddy ponds, etc.

Helophorus linearis LeC. — Rare.

Helophorus lineatus Say — In water puddles.

Helophorus auricollis Eseh. — Verified by K.
F. Chamberlain who is revising the genus;
he has not reported on the others.

Helophorus sp.

Hydrobius fuscipcs Linn. — In ponds, every-
where frequent.

Hydrobius scabrosus Horn — In very rapid
water of a cold spring, which never be-
came warmer than 45 degrees F. If the
half-submerged clumps of moss' were pull-
ed from the logs and sunken boughs and
laid on the bank in the sun, these beetles
struggled out of it. There were never
many in one place, but always some, al-
most any month in the year.

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1947), Vol. 44, Feb. 16, 1948

27

Crenitis moratus Horn — Closely resembles
the eastern digestus LeC.

Crenopliilus paradigma d’Orch. — Identified
by H. B. Leech, verified by A. d’Orchy-
mont.

Paracymus subcupreus Say.

Cymbiodyta vindicata Fall — Identified by

Fall.

Cymbiodyta fimbriata Melsh.— Identified by
Winters, but Leech suspects a lapsus me-
moriae.

Laccobius ellipticus LeC. — Wet sand, Lake
Lakelse, June, 1923.

Laccobius agilis Rand., or near. — Determin-
ed by Fall.

Laccobius sp.

Sphaeridium scarabaeoides Linn.

Cercyon quisquilius Linn. — In numbers.

Cercyon fulvipennis Mann. — Taken in 1931.

Cercyon convexiusculus Steph.

Cercyon tristis Illig.

Cercyon minusculum Melsh. — Taken in a
swamp.

Cercyon analis Payk. — Checked by Fall in
1938.

Cercyon sp.

Megasternum posticatum Mann. — Taken in
1931.

Cryptopleurum minutum Fab.

LIMNEBIIDAE

Hydraena vandykei d’Orch., or a new species,
fide Winters.

Hydraena pensylvanica Kies.

SILPHIDAE

N ecrophorus orbicollis Say — Scarce.

Necrophorus vespilloides Hbst. — Scarce.

N ecrophorus nigritus Mann.

CHRYSIS SMARAGDICOLOR FROM THE NEST OF
OSMIA LONGULA (Hymenoptera: Chrysididae and

Megachilidae). — On September 5, 1945, while searching
for the wasps Chlorion (Priononyx) atratum (LeP.)
and Megastizus unicinctus (Say) in the upper fields of
Frank Choveaux’s farm near Vernon (see Ent. Soc.
British Columbia, Proc. 43:32. 1947), I found a
cluster of mud cells on the side of a large stone. They

were sheltered by
an overhang, and
just out of con-
tact with the
ground (fig. 1).
The warmth of my
hand started a
buzzing and vi-
bration in one of
the cells.

The nest was
kept outside until
January 30, 1946.
The next day it
was put in an in-
cubator at 74°F. and 90-95% relative humidity. On
February 24th a yellow-haired male bee emerged, and
in the 25th. a pair of ehrysidid wasps. All came out

N ecrophorus pustulatus Hersch. — Under
dead mouse, August.

Silpha lapponica Hbst. — Taken from under
a dead salmon, and from under pig guts.

Pelatines Ictus Mann.

Agyrtes longulus LeC.

LEPTODIRIDAE

Catoptrichus frankenhaeuseri Mann. — Rare;
taken from rotting fish and from fungus
in November.

Ptomophagus sp.

Catops basilaris Say — From rotting hen
feathers.

Catops egenus Horn — From rotting hen
feathers.

Catojjs terminans LeC.

Colon magnicolle Mann.

LEIODIDAE

Hyd?iobius substriatus LeC.

Hydnobius sp.

Leiodes strigata LeC. — Identified by Fall,
1934.

Anisitoma spp. — Three species, one taken in
a box of old hen feathers outdoors.

Agathidium californicum Horn.

Agathidium concinnum Mann.

Agathidium revolvens LeC., or near.

Agathidium spp. — Two undescribed species.

CLAMBIDAE

Empelus brunnipennis Mann.

SCYDMAENIDAE

Lophioderus n. sp.

Gonnophron flavitarse LeC.

Stenichnus calif ornicus Mots. — The third
specimen known; taken in 1920.

through the back, where there was cocoon only, and
no mud covering. On opening the remaining cell I
found a male bee, dead but fresh and relaxed, with
darker hair than the first specimen. The male chry-
sidid was more blue-green than the female, which had
hardly any blue reflections.

E. G. Linsley’s identification of the bees as Osmia
(Acanthoides) longula Cresson was verified by C. D.
Michener; the wasps were determined as Chrysis
(Chrysura) smaragdicolor Walker by W. G. Boden-
stein. I am indebted to these gentlemen for the iden-
tifications, and to Ben Sugden for the sketch of the
nest. — Hugh B. Leech, Vernon, B.C.*

* Contribution No. 2496, Division of Entomology,
Science Service, Department of Agriculture, Ottawa.

REVISION OF THE CHECK LIST OF THE MACRO-
LEPIDOPTERA OF BRITISH COLUMBIA— Any re-
cords intended for inclusion in the pending revision of
this check list should be sent as soon as possible to
J. R. J. LLEWELLYN JONES, “ARRANMORE”, R.
M.D. No. 1, COBBLE HILL, B.C. Information relating
to date of capture of imagines, localities, and larval
food plants will be especially welcome.

Fig. 1. Mud nest of Osmia long-
ula Cresson on a large stone.

28

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1947), Vol. 44, Feb. 16, 1948

THE BIOLOGY OF MONOCHAMUS NOTATUS MORGAN!

(Coleoptera: Cerambycidae1)

C. V. G. Morgan

Dominion Entomological Laboratory, Summerland, B.C.

About 1940, localized infestations of
bark and timber beetles appeared in the
Lumby district of the interior of British
Columbia. The character of the outbreaks
indicated that these insects were on the in-
crease, and in several instances officials of
lumber mills expressed concern over the
loss which might be incurred. Recognition
of the situation led the writer to make a
biological study of the timber sawyer,
Monochamus notatus morgani Hopping at
Trinity Valley, B.C., from 1940 to 1944.
In 1945, morgani was described as a sub-
species of M. notatus Drury by G. R. Hop-
ping (Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C., 42:17-18).

So far as is known this timber sawyer
infests only western white pine, Pinus
monticola Dougl. In several trials where
a choice of hosts was provided oviposition
took place only on logs of this tree. It has
been known for a long time that these
beetles will attack only certain trees, es-
pecially those which have been weakened
in some manner or other. Various state-
ments have been made as to what time
must elapse after trees are cut before the
logs become susceptible to infestation by
sawyer beetles. At the height of the flight
period in 1942, M. n. morgani was found
attacking trees two days after felling.

The life history of the beetle in wes-
tern white pine logs requires two years for
its completion.

Adult : The ashen-grey, square-shoul-
dered beetle with its long antennae is a
conspicious forest insect during July,
August and September. Examinations of
a number of logs in 1 942 revealed that
emergence extended throughout a period
of 30 days, from about July 9 to August
10. The first adults were formed in the
pupal chambers between July 2 and July
9. On the latter date the first two emer-

1 Contribution No. 2517, Division of Entomology,
Science Service, Department of Agriculture, Ottawa,
Canada.

gence holes were located. The last adults
emerged from heavily shaded portions of
logs on August 10. Apparently the beetle
lives for a considerable period of time as
the last adults were seen in a weakened
condition attempting to oviposit in logs on
October 1. In the latter half of September
the beetles were scarce and appeared only
during the warmest periods of sunny days,
usually between one and three o’clock in
the afternoon. The majority of these were
females. Adults kept under artificial con-
ditions and provided with food lived for
at least one month; many survived for 50
days or more. One female kept in a wire
cage and fed on white pine branches lived
for 82 days.

So far as we know the only food nor-
mally taken by the adult during its life is
the outer bark and phloem of living twigs
and branches of western white pine,
Douglas fir, Engelmann spruce, western
hemlock and western red cedar. White
pine is preferred; cedar is eaten only oc-
casionally. The xylem of attacked twigs
is not eaten but it may be severely scored
by the mandibles. Feeding occurs only af-
ter sunset. At that time nearly all adults
fly from oviposition sites to standing trees
close at hand. The height to which they
fly may be 40 feet or more. In the latter
part of September a small amount of feed-
ing by old and weak adults sometimes oc-
curs on the logs. When confined on cut
logs, adults feed voraciously on the bark.

During the peak of the flight period
the male is usually found in attendance
with the female. Copulation occurs quite
frequently immediately before and after
oviposition, but once the female begins to
form an egg scar, the male seldom inter-
venes until oviposition is completed. Males
of M. oregonensis have been observed in
copulation and in attendance with females
of M. n. morgani while the latter were
depositing eggs.

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia. Proc. (1947), Vol. 44, Feb. 16, 1948

29

M onochamus , a sun-loving insect, pre-
fers to lay its eggs on areas of logs ex-
posed to sunlight. The presence of bark on
the log is a prerequisite to oviposition, and
thick bark rather than thin is preferred.
The egg scars are not necessarily made in
crevices as is often the case with other
species of this genus. The type of scar
made prior to oviposition is characteristic
of both M. notatus and M. oregonensis.
It consists of two punctures and a narrow
slit, and is made as follows: selecting a
place in the log where the young are
likely to develop, the female begins to dig
out a slit, invariably starting with the left
mandible, the right mandible serving as a
fulcrum which produces one puncture.
Then the mandibles are switched to the
left so that the left mandible forms a ful-
crum (and the second puncture) while
the right mandible completes the slit into
which the ovipositor will eventually be
placed. The depth of the punctures varies
with the softness of the bark and the
effort expended in digging out the slit.
The slit is about 2 mm. in length, and
the thickness of the mandibles in width.
The bark dug from the slit is cast aside.
Having completed the egg scar, the adult
turns around, usually clockwise, and with
the aid of tactile hairs on the end of the
abdomen finds the scar into which she
forces her ovipositor. Sometimes, after
much effort, the egg scar is not located
and she wanders off in search of other
grounds to begin all over again. In most
cases, the egg scar is made nearly parallel
with the grain of the wood. Only one egg
is deposited in each scar. It is placed in
the soft succulent secondary phloem close
to the cambium layer. No matter at what
angle to the grain the scar is constructed,
the egg is always placed with its longitudi-
nal axis parallel with the grain of the
wood. The phloem around the slit in
which the egg is deposited soon turns
brown making it easy to find the position
of eggs when the bark, including the
phloem, is peeled from the log.

Egg : The egg is elongate oval, with a
tendency to be somewhat sausage-shaped.

The micropyle end is slightly flattened
and depressed. Close to this end, the egg
has its greatest width, and then tapers,
slightly towards the opposite end which
is more pointed. The outer surface is very
lightly but profusely patterned probably as
a result of the impressions of the folli-
cular cells. The length and width of the
eggs are fairly constant, averaging 4.46
m.m. and 1.22 mm. respectively. Of 26
eggs examined, the length ranged from
3.34 to 4.81 mm. and the width from
1.12 to 1 .28 mm.

The eggs hatch within 9 to 15 days de-
pending upon weather conditions and po-
sition of the egg with respect to the
amount of direct sunlight. Emergence of
the larva takes place at the micropyle end,
but somewhat on the side. The first signs
of hatching are minute swellings on the
surface of the egg, these being the outer
manifestation of pressure applied by the
mandibles of the young larva. The chorion
is soon broken and the larva emerges from
a very ragged hole. As many as five hours
may elapse from the first signs of hatching
until the larva is completely free from
the egg.

Larva: The larva is an elongate, foot-
less, white grub. Motion is achieved
through the use of dorsal and ventral am-
pullae which, when contracted to the an-
terior end of the body, serve to move the
larva along its tunnel.

The size of the larvae varies consider-
ably according to age, individual, and sex.
A larva just emerged from the egg meas-
ures 4.24 mm. long, 1.28 mm. wide at
the prothorax, and 1.20 mm. thick. Lar-
vae taken from galleries on Dec. 15, 1942,
approximately four months after hatch-
ing, varied from 11.5 mm. to 22 mm. in
length and from 4.03 mm. to 5.72 mm.
in width. At maturity some measure as
much as 60 mm. or more.

Immediately upon hatching,, the larva
begins to feed. It soon makes its way to
the cambium region, mining between the
bark and sapwood, considerably scoring the
latter. The chips and excrement are packed
between the bark and the wood so that

30

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Pkoc. (1947), Vol. 44, Feb. 16, 1948

eventually the bark becomes separated
from the wood. About two months after
the first eggs are laid, the first extrusion
holes are formed from which the chips are
emitted. These oblong .holes are approxi-
mately 4 mm. long and 2 mm. wide and
occur in the majority of cases on the lower
surfaces of a log. At about the time the
extrusion holes are formed, the larvae be-
gin to excavate holes in the wood. Of 23
living larvae, the progeny of two females,
only eight had begun to make galleries
into the sapwood on Sept. 15, 1942. Dur-
ing the first fall, the holes are extended
into the wood to a maximum depth of
about two inches. As in the case of the
extrusion holes, the mouths of the wood
galleries are found generally on the sides
and lower surfaces of logs. Feeding con-
tinues throughout the following year and
by the spring of the second year a U~
shaped tunnel is formed. By this time the
larvae are practically full grown.

Pufa : The pupa is formed in a cham-
ber at the end of the larval gallery. This
chamber is oblong in cross section and
varies from 6.3 to 12.7 mm. in thickness
and from 11.0 to 25.4 mm. in width.
It may be 50.8 mm. or more in length.
The pupal chamber usually extends to
within about 6.3 mm. from the surface of
wood; some, however, extend to within
only 25.4 mm. while others have been
found as close as 1.6 mm. or less. Gener-
ally the chamber is constructed on a slope
so that the pupa rests on one side.

The prepupal stage must be exceedingly
short, since from all galleries examined
in June and July of 1942, only one speci-
men was taken. Minor changes occurred
in this specimen during the 20 minutes

A COLONY OF TROPIDISCHIA XANTHOSTOMA

NEAR WELLINGTON, B.C. Orthoptera: Stenopelma-
tidae). — On September 28, 1946, while examining a
shallow well near Hammond Bay, B.C., I found it oc-
cupied by a colony of the strange spidery cave cric-
kets, Tropidischia xanthostoma (Scudder). I counted
six adults, and noted that there were several times as
many nymphs, although I could not make an exact
check of these. One pair of adults I noticed in coitu.

When alarmed the insects leaped or fell into the
water, where they were evidently quite at home. They
swam powerfully to the sides of the well, and re-

between its removal from the gallery and
its preservation. The first signs of pupal
transformation were observed on June 5
when only one pupa could be found in
many galleries examined. The duration of
the pupal stage is approximately one month.

As the pupa matures, the first signs of
true adult characters become evident in
the eyes. These organs change colour from
a yellowish-white to a bright pink and
soon after assume the black pigment of
the adult. Subsequently, blackening of the
cuticular surfaces becomes evident, first at
the extremities of the appendages such as
the claws, the distal ends of the mandibles,
the edges of the wings, and also around
the joints of the legs. Blackening continues
progressively backwards, especially on the
mandibles.

Parasites'. Only one parasite of M. n.
morgani is definitely known. It has been
tentatively placed in the genus Ichneumon.
Another icheumonid belonging to the
genus Doryctes has been found in the lar-
val galleries of Monochamus , but its re-
lationship with the host is not definite.

In 1941 a dipterous maggot was taken
from a gallery in which the sawyer larva
was partially destroyed. An attempt to
rear this specimen was unsuccessful. Para-
sitism by Diptera has not been observed
since that time.

Disease: Apparently M onochamus is

relatively free from disease. Over a two-
year period, only two specimens showing
definite symptoms of disease were found.
Both were dead adults in their pupal cells
and at the time of examination (July 29,
1942) were entirely black and reeked
with a strong sickly odour.

mained quietly clinging to the concrete below the
water level without showing any signs of anxiety to
regain the surface.

Normal water level is not over six feet down. The
well is completely lined with concrete, the masonry
extending a foot or so above ground level, where it is
covered with rough planks. Many of the immature
crickets were clinging upside down to these planks
when I first disturbed them.

" I had descended the same well on a previous occa-
sion. during May of 1945, but at that time no cric-
kets were seen. — Richard Guppy, Wellington, B.C.

Entomological Soc. op British Columbia, Proc. (1947), Vol. 44, Feb. 16, 1948

31

SOME BEETLES OF THE FAMILIES CERAMBYCIDAE AND BUPRESTIDAE
FROM MANNING PARK, BRITISH COLUMBIA

George A. Hardy
Provincial Museum, Victoria, B.C.

Introduction- — The following notes
are the result of investigations conducted
in Manning Park, B.C., during the sum-
mer of 1945, as part of a general biologic-
al survey covering the period from jnlv
20 to August 16.

Manning Park, comprising 171,500
acres, lies across the divide of the coastal
mountains where the humid western and
the dry interior climatic regions overlap
and merge into the alpine zones at the
higher levels. It is therefore of consider-
able interest from a distributional and
ecological point of view.

For the most part it is a mountainous
and heavily forested region with western
red cedar and western hemlock predomin-
ating in the western parts, and yellow pine
in the eastern, while extensive tracts of
the intermediate area are occupied by
Iodgepole pine on the drier slopes, and
Englemann spruce in the moist Valleys. At
higher elevations alpine fir becomes more
prevalent, with scattered stands of Lyall’s
larch and white-barked pine. Willows,
poplars, alders and associated plants line
the streamsides and swamp borders. Such
conditions are very favourable to the de-
velopment of wood-boring beetles.

The present annotated list is of neces-
sity a provisional one, for not only were
the early appearing species missed alto-
gether, but the park area will require a
more extended study in order to obtain an
accurate conspectus of its Cerambycid and
Buprestid fauna.

Four camps were established, each the
centre of a distinct floral association.

(1) Forest Branch Cabin on the main
road some 40 miles west of Princeton at
an elevation of 4,000 feet and on the
banks of the Similkameen River. Char-
acteristic trees here are Iodgepole pine and
Englemann spruce.

(2) Allison Pass, about 6 miles west
of the Forest Branch Cabin, on the divide
between eastern and western flowing

streams, at an altitude of 5,000 feet.
Characteristic trees are, in addition to
those mentioned, western red cedar and
hemlock, particularly in the western part
of the district.

(3) Timberline Valley, an extensive
tract of alpine meadow land at the foot of
Mt. Three Brothers, at an altitude of
6,500 feet, about 15 miles north of P'orest
Branch Cabin. Prevailing trees here are
alpine fir and Englemann spruce, together
with scattered white-barked pine.

(4) Goodfellow Creek, seven miles
east of Forest Branch Cabin, at an alti-
tude of 3,500 feet. Yellow pine reached
its western limit here, while Iodgepole
pine, was dominant.

At all these points willows, alders and
poplars were about equally distributed
along the streams and wet places, though
to a lesser extent and of different species
in Timberline Valley.

Species Account. The sequence of
species is based on C. W. Leng’s 1920
“Catalogue of the Coleoptera of Amer-
ica, North of Mexico,” and Supplements.

Abbreviations s Forest Branch Cabin
(F. B. C.), Allison Pass (A. P.), Tim-
berline Valley (T. V.), Goodfellow
Creek (G. C.). The North American dis-
tribution is briefly indicated: “B.C.” in-
cludes Vancouver Island. “B.C. main-
land” not, so far as known, recorded from
Vancouver Island.

CERAMBYCIDAE

Tragosoma defsariuni v ar. harrisi LeC.
Two specimens, F.B.C., Aug. 8 and 9.
Flying at dusk, one in pail of water.
B.C. to eastern N. America.

Sfondylis uf if or mis Mann. One speci-
men. T. V., Aug. 6, In flight by day,
near newly felled Abies lasiocarfa. B.C.
mainland, Alaska to California, and
east to Labardor and Lake Superior.

32

Entomological Soe. of British Columbia, Proc. (1947), Vol. 44, Feb. 16, 1948

Asemum moestum Hid. Four Specimens,
F. B. C, July 26, A. P, July 27,
T. V., Aug. 6. In flight and on newly
felled Pinus contorta and Abies lasio-
carpa. B.C. to eastern N. America.

T etr opium velutinum LeC. One, X. V.,
Aug. 6, on Abies lasiocarpa. B.C. south
to California.

Stenocorus inquisitor L. One, A.P., July
27, on side of an old shack. B.C., N.
America in general.

Leptalia frankenhaeuseri Mannh. One,
F.B.C., July 22, on rose flower. West
coast B.C., Alaska to California.

Pachyta armata LeC. Common, F.B.C.,
A.P., T.V., July 25 to August 13. On
flowers of Heracleum lanatufn and
Cicuta vagans. A mountain species of
the coastal range, B.C. to Washington.

Pachyta lamed Linn. Nine, A.P., T.V.,
July 22 to Aug. 5. Flying about newly
cut Abies lasiocarpa. B.C., Alaska to
California, east to the Atlantic.

Evodinus vancouveri Csy. Five, F.B.C.,
A.P., July 22 - 30. On flowers of
Heracleum lanatum and Cicuta vagans.
South-western B.C. This is the western
representative of E. monticola which
has a continent wide distribution.

Leptacmaeops longicornis (Kby.). Five,
F.B.C., July 22 to 23. On rose flowers.
Interior plateau region. B.C., south to
Colorado.

Acmaeops pratensis (LAich). Abundant,
F.B.C., A.P., July 25 to Aug. 13. On
white flowers of the Compositae and
Umbelliferae. B.C., North America in
general, wherever coniferous forests oc-
cur.

Acmaeops proteus (Kby.) Nine, F.B.C.,
A.P., T.V., July 25 to Aug. 8. On
newly felled Abies lasiocarpa and Pinus
contorta , also on flowers of Cicuta
vagans. Mainland of B.C., Alaska to
California and in the north to Lake
Superior. Five of these are black in
colour.

Gaurotes cressoni Bland. Six, F.B.C.,
A.P., July 22 to 28. On rose flowers.
One crawling over branch of newly cut
Pinus contorta. Southern mainland in-
terior of B.C. to California.

Anoplodera sexmaculata (L.) Common,
F.B.C., A.P., July 23 to Aug. 12. On
flowers. B.C., North America.
Anoplodera instabilis (Hald.) Four,
F.B.C., A.P., July 24 to Aug. 12.
Flowers of Heracleum lanatum and
Cicuta vagans. B.C. mainland, east to
Ontario.

Anoplodera nigrella (Say) One, G.C.,
Aug. 16. On driftwood, edge of stream.
B.C. east to New York.

Anoplodera laetifica (LeC.) Two, A.P.,
July 28. Flowers of Achillea mille-
folium. B.C. to California.

Anoplodera sanguinea (LeC.) Common,
A.P., F.B.C., G.C., July 24 to Aug.
12. Flowers, B.C. to California, east to
Pennsylvania.

Anoplodera canadensis (Oliv.) One, G.C.,
Aug. 15. In flight. B.C., North Ameri-
ca. This is the black phase.

Anoplodera crassipes (LeC.) Common,
F.B.C., A.P., G.C., July 25 to Aug.
15. Flowers of Cicuta vagans. B.C. to
California.

Anoplodera tibialis (LeC.) Three, F.B.C.,

A. P., July 26 to Aug. 12. Flowers of
Cicuta vagans and Heracleum lanatum.

B. C. east to Michigan.

Anoplodera aspera (LeC.) Common,
F.B.C., A.P., July 23 to 28. Flowers
of Heracleum lanatum. B.C. to New
Mexico.

Anoplodera chrysocoma (Kby.) Very
common, at all stations,' July 25 to Aug.
12. Flowers of Heracleum lanatum and
Cicuta vagans. B.C. to N. Mexico, east
to Newfoundland. Most abundant of
all the species.

Grammoptera filicornis Csy. Common,
F.B.C., July 22 to 23. On rose flowers.
B.C. to Mexico.

Leptura obliterata Hald. Three, F.B.C.,

A. P., T.V., July 26 to Aug. 6. On
flowers, Heracleum lanatum and in
flight about newly cut Abies lasiocarpa.

B. C. to California.

Leptura propinqua Bland. Common,
F.B.C., A.P., G.C., July 24 to Aug.
12. Flowers of Heracleum lanatumy
Cicuta vagans and Spiraea lucida. B.C. to
California, in the mountains.

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Prog. (1947), Vol. 44, Feb. 16, 1948

33

Gonocallus collaris (Kby.) One, F.B.C.,
July 25. In flight by day. B.C. east to
Lake Superior.

Xylotrechus undulatus (Say) Seven,
F.B.C., G.C., July 26 to 31. Running
over newly felled Pinus contorta. B.C.
mainland and north to eastern N.
America.

M onochamus maculosus latus Csy. Six,
F.B.C., July 24 to 26. Flying about and
at rest on newly cut Pinus contorta .
B.C. to California.

J ionochamus oregonensis LeC. Common,
at all stations, July 25 to Aug. 5. At
rest on newly felled Pinus contorta and
Abies lasiocarpa. Observed ovipositing
in an incision made in the bark by the
jaws. B.C., Alaska to California.

There are two species of the genus Lep-
tacmaeops at present undetermined; one
specimen of each.

BUPRESTIDAE

Buprestis aurulenta L. One, F.B.C., Tuly
24. Flying near Pinus contorta. B.C.
to California.

Buprestis maculativentris var. rusticorum

(Kby.) Two, A.P., G.C., July 28 to
Aug. 15 in flight. B.C. to California.
The western form of the species.

Buprestis confluenta Say. One, G.C., Aug.
15. Resting on old log by roadside, in
vicinity of Populus trichocarpa. B.C.
mainland, east to Ontario and south-
wards.

Buprestis fasciata Fab. One, A.P., July
28. In flight, B.C., across continent to
the Atlantic.

Melanophila drummondi Kby. Common,
F.B.C. T.V., July 26 to Aug. 6. On
newly cut Pinus contorta and Abies
lasiocarpa. B.C. to the Atlantic.

Anthaxia aeneogaster Cast. Common,
F.B.C., A.P., July 22 to Aug. 8. On
flowers of Rosa nutkana> Achillea mil-
lefoliumj Heracleum lanatum and
Cicut'a vagans. B.C., transcontinental.

Chrysobothris pseudotsugae Van D. Six,
F.B.C, T.B, G.C, July 26 to Aug. 6.
On newly cut Pinus contorta and Abies
lasiocarpa. B.C. to California.

Chrysobothris trinervia Kby. One, F.B.C,
July 26. On newly cut Pinus contorta.
B.C. mainland and transcontinental.
Agrilus politus Say. Two, F.B.C, Aug.
13. On Salix sitchensis. Widely dis-
tributed throughout North America,
wherever willows occur.

Discussion.

CERAMBYCIDAE
The Manning Park Cerambycid fauna,
so far examined, appears to contain no
especially marked divergence from that
of the adjoining territory, but constitutes
part of a general northwest by southeast
strip of a humid coastal association which
for convenience of expression is known as
the Vancouver strip, extending from
Alaska to California and roughly includes
the Cascade and Coast mountain ranges.
It is, however, of local interest, in that
here are to be found an intermingling of
the humid coastal species with those of the
dry interior forms; but with the former
by far predominating. From this point of
view, the park area may eventually be
found to have species of the dry belt
forms, which here reach their western or
near western limit of distribution.

In a consideration of the species re-
corded for the park it is well to include
or to at least take account of a list of
Cerambycidae collected by Mr. G. Stace
Smith at Copper Mountain, which lies just
outside the eastern boundary of the park.
Of the 48 species so listed 23 were found
in Manning Park during our short visit,
while of the remainder, the majority will
probably be found there in more extended
seasonal collections.

Among the 33 species taken in the park,
only three are not listed in the Copper
Mountain group, but may eventually be
found in that area also.

As far as the park collections are con-
cerned, about 12 per cent of the species
are characteristic of the dry belt, and ap-
parently reach their western limit within
the area. This group includes Gaurotes
cressoniy Leptacmaeops longicornis and
Anoplodera instabilis. Twenty-four per
cent are typically humid coastal species and
include Leptalia frankenhaeuseriy which

34

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1947), Vol. 44, Feb. 16, 1948

is also an endemic genus of the Vancou-
veran strip, Leftura obliterata. T etrofimn
velutinum and Pachyta arm at a. Fifty -
three per cent or by far the larger propor-
tion are of northern origin and of circum-
polar or wide North American distribu-
tion. This percentage includes Tragosoma
harrisiy Pachyta lamedy Anoflodera cana-
densis and A. chrysocomay to mention only
a few.

BUPRESTIDAE

This family has much the same relation
to the adjoining territory as the Ceram-
bycidae. The species have a wide contin-
ental range, with the exception of Chry-
sobothris fseudotsugae and Bufrestis auru-
lentay which are confined to the Pacific
coast. B. confluenta appears to reach its
western limit in the park area.

Mr. Stace Smith lists 22 species from
Copper Mountain, as compared with nine
Copper Mountain species will eventually

from Manning Park; probably all of. the
be found to occur in the park area.

Summary.

Thirty-three species of Cerambycidae
and nine species of Buprestidae were taken
in the area during the period of July 21
to August 1 6, 1945.

From a distributional view point the
Cerambycidae constitute about 30 per cent
west coast or Vancouveran strip. The re-
maining 70 per cent are composed, for the
most part, of holarctic elements of wide
distribution and of comparatively recent
specific origin. One genus, NeoclytuSy is of
neotropical origin. Three species are ‘dry
belt” forms not, so are as known, recorded
west of the park boundaries. Two species
remain to be identified.

Only four species of Cerambycidae and
one of Buprestidae listed here have not yet
been recorded for Vancouver Island.

Literature Cited

Smith, Stace G. 1929, 1930. “Coleoptera” Museum and Art Notes (Vancouver, B.C.) 1929.
4 (2) : 73-74 ; 1930, 5 (l):24-25.

Lindley, E. G. 1939. The Origin and Distribution of the Cerambycidae of North America,
with special reference to the fauna of the Pacific slope. Proc. Sixth. Pac. Sci. Congress
1939.4:269-282.

THE HIBERNATION OF NYMPHALIS CALIFORNICA

(Bdv.), THE CALIFORNIA TORTOISESHELL BUT-
TERFLY; A QUERY — In the summer of 1945 (as
noted by Hardy, Ent. Soc. B.C.(Proc. 43:36) enormous
numbers of this butterfly occurred throughout south-
ern British Columbia. They do not breed on Vancou-
ver Island but arrive here late in the summer and
remain for the winter. On May 11th, 1946, while en-
gaged in experimental spraying at Brentwood on the
Saanich peninsula, I observed thousands of these but-
terflies passing overhead in a north-easterly direction.
They travelled in small parties of ten or a dozen, al-
ways in the direction of the southern mainland. This
return migration had been continuing for at least a
week or ten days previous to my observing it and was
so noticeable that it was the subject of correspondence
in the local press. The point that occurs to me is that
it is unusual for an insect to breed in one part of the
province and hiberate in another. It would be inter-
esting to know whether the habit of hibernating in the
more salubrious climate of southern Vancouver Island
rather than in the region where it breeds is the usual
custom of this species or whether it occurs only in
years of excessive abundance. In this connection the
observations of entomologists on the mainland would
help to clear up the point. Have hibernating speci-
mens of this species been found on the mainland in
the regions where Ceanothus, the food plant, occurs?
— W. Downes, 2056 Granite Street, Victoria, B.C.

SPRING FLIGHT OF NYMPHALIS CALIFORNICA

NEAR NELSON, B.C. (Lepidoptera : Nymphalidae). —
While driving near Coffee Creek on the road between
Nelson and Kaslo, B.C., April 14, 1947, I came upon
a swarm of tortoiseshell butterflies. There were tens
of thousands of them along the road and they seemed
to be moving southward though I could not be sure of
this. Every few yards there were groups of approxi-
mately 100 settled, and the air was full of them. They
did not extend south beyond Queens Bay, though a
few were noted across the lake, between Gray Creek
and Creston. I am indebted to Dr. T. N. Freeman of
Ottawa for identifying one of the butterflies as N.
CALIFORNICA (Bdv.).— H. J. Coles, Golden, B.C.

ELM GALL APHID EATEN BY EVENING GROS-
BEAK (Aphididae: Eriosoinatidae). — For about a week
each year flocks of noisy evening Grosbeaks (Hesperi-
phona vespertina) invade the American elm trees
lining Some of Vernon’s streets. This season (1947)
they were busy by May 15, and the sidewalks were
soon littered with bits of leaves. Examination showed
that the birds were picking only the rolled leaf-galls
filled with maturing Eriosoma americana (Riley),
which they soon stripped out. The coxcomb galls of
E. crataegi (Oest.), equally common on the trees,
were not attacked in any of the cases observed. I am
indebted to E. P. Venables for identification of the
aphids. — Hugh B. Leech, Vernon, B.C.

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1947), Vol. 44, Feb. 16, 1948

35

3jtt .ipbmoriam

IVOR JESMOND WARD, 1908-1947

It is with deep regret that we record the
death of Ivor Jesmond Ward, Provincial
Entomologist for British Columbia, which
occurred on February 5, 1947, at the age
of 38 years. Born in England, he came
out to Vernon, British Columbia, with his
parents, 35 years ago. In 1926 he joined
the staff of the Dominion Entomological
Laboratory in Vernon, and after obtaining
his Bachelor of Science degree in 1938
from the University of Alberta, was em-

ployed continuously on field crop insect
investigations in Vernon and Kamloops,
until, in 1943, he accepted the position of
Provincial Entomologist.

With Ivor Ward’s passing, the Ento-
mological Society of British Columbia lost
a member and a friend, and the Provincial
and Dominion Departments of Agricul-
ture, a valued worker. As Provincial Ento-
mologist he might have had a long and
valuable career, for few men had better
ability for making friends than did Ivor
Ward, and he had a personality particu-
larly suited to the field of extension ento-
mology.

He will long be remembered by the
stockmen of the British Columbia cattle
ranges for the part he played in the study
of their grasshopper problems, and the or-
ganization of the grasshopper control
zones.

After his appointment as Provincial
Entomologist he had charge of suppression
work for the Colorado potato beetle, and
was interested in devising better control
methods for the various fruit, vegetable,
and seed insects throughout the province,
and in preparing Provincial publications
on insect control.

He is survived by his wife, formerly
Marjorie Glover of Kamloops; his father,
Fred Ward, of Vernon; and two sisters,
Mrs. K. Burnham of Vernon, and Mrs.
Sid Walker of Vancouver.

— E. R. BuckelLj Kamloops, B.C.

JAMES DALGLEISH INGLIS, 1909-1933

How often must recognition of some gleish Inglis, whose enthusiasm in ento-
potential contributor to science be lost or mology showed every promise of taking
omitted through his untimely death. An him far in this field, but whose short
example of such might well be James Dal- period of membership in the Entomologi-

36

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1947), Vol. 44. F*eb. 16, 1948

cal Society of British Columbia left him
little time to make an impression by print
or person.

My first recollection of Jim Inglis dates
back to 1927, when, as a newcomer to
Courtenay, Vancouver Island, he con-
tacted me one day at school and enthusiasti-
cally talked of his interest in butterfly col-
lecting. Since that day we had many a
fine collecting excursion up the Puntledge
River, where parnassians, orange-tips and
fritillaries abounded, and where, at a cer-
tain hidden alder swamp rhinoceros bee-
tles ( Sinodendron rugosum ) and laurel
longhorns (Rosalia funebris) could be col-
lected by the ‘dozen.

Jim was an ardent amateur naturalist

DANIEL HERBERT

Daniel Herbert Leech was born at
Manchester, England, on September 6,
1878, the fourth son of the late Sir Bosdin
Thomas Leech and Lady Mary (Booth)
Leech of Manchester. He died at his home,
“Tyn-y-Coed,” Salmon Arm, B.C., on
May 17, 1941, in his 63rd year.

Keenly interested in natural history,
and a great walker, he thoroughly covered
the country around his schools, Hunstan-

and took an infectious delight in his col-
lections of insects, fossils, and flowers.
This intense love of nature and fondness
for hiking, his devotion to religion, and
his keen sense of humour created in him a
highly estimable personality and made him
a staunch and delightful companion.

In addition to his biological interests
was his appreciation of music which found
expression in song or clarinet, both of
which often contributed to a family circle
of good Scottish melody. He was unusu-
ally thorough in anything he undertook,
and this trait prevailed even in the culinary
art, and it was not uncommon to find him
in the midst of a fine array of freshly
bottled preserves or concocting some tasty
dish to help out at the stable of a merry
household of nine.

Following his matriculation, Jim at-
tended the University of British Columbia
in 1931 with the intention of specializing
in entomology. After completing his second
academic year, he spent the summer as
cook in the Chalet at Lake Louise, Al-
berta, where his death while climbing for
some biological specimens in the Rockies
terminated a promising young career.

He left to mourn his death, August 9,
1933, his father, mother, four brothers
and two sisters, and a host of friends who
at the name “Jim” will always think of a
curly headed Scottish youth, laughing and
carefree as he excitedly pursued some new
trophy for his collection of “wee beasties.”
— J. D. Gregson, Livestock Insects La-
boratory, Kamloops, B.C.

LEECH, 1878-1941

ton, Sedbergh, and the Agricultural Col-
lege at Cirencester. He collected eggs,
and learned the birds first hand. Much
additional information he got from
poachers, who would tell an eager boy of
the habits, especially the night habits, of
birds and animals. Insects too he collected,
and fossils, mosses and ferns; one of the
latter proved to be a new Country record
and brought him local recognition.

Entomological Soc. of British Colombia. Proc. (1947), Vol. 44, Feb. 16, 1948

37

He wished to be a farmer, but bis
father thought otherwise; so he trained
first in an architect’s office, then at Ciren-
cester as a surveyor. It was as a surveyor

and draughtsman that he came to Canada
in 1905, obtaining work with the Can-
adian Pacific Railway in Montreal. The
next year he went to Alberta for the com-
pany, and returned the two following
seasons; there he had charge of a survey
camp of 30 men on the big irrigation pro-
ject near Gleichen. In those days the
prairie lakes and sloughs were full of
water. Ducks and upland game birds were
abundant. He told of hawks so overfed on
water fowl that they could not rise from
the ground, and had many photographs of
these and similar subjects. Blackfoot In-
dians were numerous, and he obtained fine
examples of their bead-work moccasins
and blanket throws. Twenty years later,
in Kelowna, B.C., he met his former camp
cook, but that gentleman was far from
cordial, for he was now a prominent
citizen and had told other stories of his
earlier days.

Like many another Englishman, my
father had heard of the well-advertised
Okanagan Valley, and planned to settle
in it, despite the presence of rattlesnakes.
However, his fiancee asked him to look at
the Salmon Arm district first to see if it

was as beautiful and fruitful as a Mont-
real acquaintance, Lionel B. Pangman,
kept saying. As a result, in 1908, he stayed
for a while with Mr. Pangman who had
been in Salmon Arm for some years, and
bought 10 acres from him. This was the
nucleus of his farm, which at the time of
his death comprised 85 acres.

In 1909 he married Miss Olive Roberta
Shepherd of Montreal and “Riversmead,”
Como, Quebec, and settled on his bush
farm, or stump ranch as he often called it.
With the aid of Hindu workmen he cleared
land for pasture and orchards. Always a
powerful man he enjoyed clearing land,
especially slashing bush, for he could
daily see his fields expand. Apiaries were
added, and a well-known herd of regis-
tered Jerseys, a number of which won
silver medals in R.O.P. tests. Interested
in scientific farming, he paid more atten-
tion to production than show-ring types in
his cattle. In 1928 he was one of the
delegates representing Canada at the
World’s Dairy Congress in London. This
trip was combined with a needed vaca-
tion, and gave opportunity to visit his
brothers and sister, for though he twice
returned to England prior to his marriage,
he had not stayed long.

In 1939 and 1940 he operated his farm
as an Illustration Station, in conjunction
with the Dominion Experimental Farms.
Time and service were given to local or-
ganizations. His knowledge of surveying
and road building was valuable tO' the
district, especially in the early days. His
abilities as a mathematician were also put
to good use. I well remember the excite-
ment at home when, from an annual
statement, he discovered that the manager
of a local co-operative store was falsify-
ing the books. With a clear handling of
facts and figures, father was able to prove
his suspicions to the shareholders.

He was a member of the Entomological
Society of British Columbia from 1914
to 1922. His boyhood interest in nature
persisted, and though he made no formal
collections in Canada, other than of
prairie water fowl eggs, he could identify
all local birds and plants, and had a re-
markably broad yet detailed knowledge of

38

Entomological Soc. of Britlsh Columbia, Proc. (1947), Vol. 44, Feb. 16, 1948

the families and habits of insects. To him,
and to my mother with her love of flowers,
books and the beauty of the countryside,
my geologist brother Geoffrey and I owe
constant encouragement in our studies.

Father’s hobbies were fishing and stamp
collecting. Farm life did not leave much
time for the former, but long winter
evenings and Sundays were happily spent
with his albums, adding rarities, or puzz-

NEW DISTRIBUTIONAL RECORDS FOR DERONEC-
TES SPENCERI (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae), — In Febru-
ary, 1947, I had the pleasure of meeting J. B. Wallis
in Winnipeg, and of seeing his collection of water
beetles. Amongst some unidentified material I noted a
specimen of D. spenceri Leech, labelled “Atlee, Alta.
25. IX. 24. Carr”. Later the same month I had the
privilege of spending several days examining the aqua-
tics in the Canadian National Collection, to which W.
J. Brown generously gave me free access. In it I saw
a spenceri labelled ‘‘Lethbridge, Alta., 20. V. 1930. J.
H. Pepper.” Professor G. J. Spencer took a series in
Round Lake at the foot of Opax Mt., about 10 miles
northwest of Kamloops, B.C., on July 22, 1945.

— Hugh B. Leech, Vernon, B.C.

SERICA SERICEA AND S. ANTHRACINA DEFOLI-
ATING WILD ROSE (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)— In
the last week of April, 1947, J. Grant and A. B.
Robinson found Serica sericea (111.) by the thousand
on Butters’ Range five miles north of Lumby, B.C.
The beetles were defoliating various small shrubs, but
chiefly Rosa spp. On June 18 B. A. Sugden found S.
anthracina LeC. to be equally common at Round Lake,
about two miles northeast of O’Keefe, B.C., where the
adults were completely stripping wild rose bushes, and
on June 26 he and D. K. Campbell found them less
numerous but also' defoliating roses, near Chase, B.C.
— Hugh B. Leech, Vernon, B.C.

ling over shades, surcharges, and water
marks.

He is survived by two brothers and a
sister in England, Ernest of Manchester,
William of Falmouth, and Lady Rachel
Fraser of Peaslake; by his widow at Sal-
mon Arm; and by two sons and four
grandchildren. — Hugh B. Leech, Cali-
fornia Academy of Sciences, San Fran-
cisco.

ANQPLODERA CARBONATA (Coleoptera: Ceramby-
cidae).— On June 28, 1931, I discovered a host tree
of Anoplodera carbonata (Lee.) at Creston, B.C. It
was a stub of some 30 feet of a large, dry Populus
trichocarpa, and 5 specimens were found under the
loose bark. I returned the next day to hack the tree
into chips, and another 18 adults were taken from
pupal-cells, and a vial of larvae from the burrows.
This is still the only record for the Province. The fe-
male is entirely black; the elytra of the male are red-
dish brown and abdomen is red. This latter fact I
have not seen mentioned in the literature. — G. Stacc
Smith. Creston, B.C.

SWARMS OF CONFLUENT SHARPSHOOTER,
CICADELLA CONFLUENS (UHL.) ANNOYING
WORKMEN (Homoptera: Cicadellidae). — During the
construction of a new tower and lookout building at
the Elk Falls Forest Lookout site, Campbell River,
B.C.. November 13th, 1946, the progress of the work
was interrupted by swarms of hoppers. G. S. Walley
has kindly identified speimens as Cicadella confluens
(Uhl.). They settled on the new tower construction
in numbers sufficient to obscure the timbers and in
addition molested the men by getting in their eyes,
nostrils and mouths. As daylight faded and tempera-
tures dropped to freezing they clustered in swarms
similar to those of bees. The following day they were
not seen. — D. B. Taylor, District Foresters Office,
Vancouver, B.C.

NOTICE

The Annual Convention of the Pacific
Coast Division of the American Society
of Economic Entomologists will be
held in 1948 in Vancouver, B.C. Dates
are June 16-18 inclusive; place, Hotel
Vancouver. The Divisional Committee in-
cludes Mr. James C. Barr of Commercial

Chemicals, Mr. Lang Godfrey of C.I.L.,
Mr. Arthur1 Laing of Buckerfield’s and
Mr. Walter Leckie of Harrison and Cros-
field’s. All amateur and professional en-
tomologists, or others that may be inter-
ested, are Cordially invited to attend these
meetings.

•Entomological Soe. of Bhttisii Columbia. Proc. (1947), Vol. 44, Feb. 16, 1948

39

ANTHIDIELLUM ROBERTSONI AND ITS NEST ( Hy-
rnenoptera: Megachilidae) . — While splitting part of

my winter’s wood supply on September 15th, 1945,
a, I found a curious

'■ f '' little waxen cell
A • 011 the underside
#of a piece of

Douglas fir. It

was 13 mm. long,
including the ven-
tral spike (fig. 1),
warty, greenish
black with a vit-
reous surface.
Thin flakes of

some yellowish
white material
stuck to the sur-
face formed two
irregular bands.
The nest Was
left outside until January 30, 1946; the next day it
was placed in an incubator operating at 74°F. and
90-95% relative humidity. A pretty black and yellow
bee emerged on March 19, and was subsequently iden-
tified as a female of Anthidiellum robertsoni (Ckll.)
by 0. Peck of Ottawa. I am indebted also to Mrs. D.
K. Campbell (nee Rita Beckingham) for the illustra-
tion of the bee and to Ben Sugden for that of the
nest. — Hugh B. Leech, Vernon, B.C.*

* Contribution No. 2495, Division of Entomology,
Science Service, Department of Agriculture, Ottawa.

SECOND SUPPLEMENT TO A LIST OF THE
HETEROCERA OF THE NELSON-ROBSON-TRA1L
DISTRICT OF BRITISH COLUMBIA (Lepidoptera)

AGARISTIDAE

1117 Alypia ridingsi Grt. Robson 29.V.46

PHALAENIDAE

2025 Pleroma apposita Sm. Robson 26.III.46

GEOMETRIDAE

4680 Semiothisa granitata Gn. Robson . . .12.V.46
4687 Semiothisa sexmaculata incolorata Dyar

Robson 24.V.46

AEGERIIDAE

8693 Sanninoidea graefi Hy.Edw. Robson 25.VII.45
3724 Thamnosphecia americana (Beut.)

Robson 11.V.41, 24.V.46

I am much indebted to Dr. T. N. Freeman of the

Division of Entomology, Ottawa, for making the iden-
tifications.— Harold R. Foxlee, Robson, B.C.

CYCHRUS RICKSECKERI (Coleoptera: Carabidae).—
The first British Columbia record of Cychrus ricksec-
keri Lee. was on May 20, 1923, when Chas. Lallamand
took a few (3?) specimens of this rare, beetle at
Creston. Then I took one at Sanca on May 17, 1933.
In 1946 I discovered a small “patch” of them at
Wynndel. It was in a deep, wooded ravine, on one
side only of a mountain stream, a strip of about 500
feet that had been run over by fire and grown up to
weeds and grass. Here, under loose stones and drift-
wood, they were found. Frequent visits were made,
collecting them again under stones I had turned be-
fore, with a total catch of 19 between May 3 and June
16. Several individuals were observed feeding on
snails, crushing the shells with their great jaws. —
G. Stace Smith, Creston, B.C.

THE W. H. A. PREECE COLLECTION OF CERAMBY-
CIDAE, containing many British Columbia specimens,
is now in the Canadian National Collection at Ottawa,
through the kindness of W. Downes. Mr. Preece was
a member of our Society for some years, and did much
of his collecting in company with George A. Hardy.
Some of them findings were published in the “Pan-
Pacific Entomologist” and in the Annual Reports of
the Provincial Museum of Natural History, Victoria.
— H.B.L.

/

Fig. 1. Nest of Anthidiellum rob-
ertsoni (Cockerell) attached to
the underside of a piece of wood.

The Proceedings of the Entomological
Society of British Columbia is published
annually. Individual Volumes may be had
for 50c. Special rates on sets. Address Sec-
retary-Treasurer, Entomological Society of
British Columbia, Box 308, Vernon, B.C.

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1947), Vol. 44, Feb. 16, 1948

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ENTOMOLOGICAL
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BRITISH COLUMBIA

Page

Campbell, as Presented by Spencer — Notes on Grylloblatta at
Kamloops 1

Jones — An Experiment with Larvae of Lambdina fiscellaria
somniajria Hulst . . . , 6

Holland — A Revised Check List of the Fleas of B.C 7

Gregson— Notes on the Occurrence of Ornithodoros hermsi in
B.C., and its Probable Relation to Relapsing Fever 15

Hopping — Parasitic Coleoptera 16

Hardy — Notes on the Life History of Xanthorhoe defensaria
Gn . . . . 17

Clark — An Annotated List of the Coleoptera Taken at or near
Terrace, B.C. Part 2 21

Leech — The Occurrence of a Hollyhock-Seed Eater, Noctuelia
rufofascialis at Vernon, B.C 25

Buckell — Record of Bees from B.C. (Andrenidae) , . 27

Curtis — The Effect of DDT Emulsions on Trout Fry. ........ 31

In Memoriam — L. E. Marmont 32

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New Literature 26

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Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1948), Vol. 45, July 28, 1949

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Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1948), Vol. 45, July 28, 1949

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Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1948), Vol. 45, July 28, 1949

TOXAPHENE

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NX9-21

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1948), Vol. 45, July 28, 1949

DIRECTORS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY
OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
1948-1949

Honorary President

A. D. Heriot, Vernon, B.C.

President

G. J. Spencer, Vancouver, B.C.

V ice-President ( C oast )

G. A. Hardy, Victoria, B.C.

Vice-President ( Interior )

J. Marshall, Summerland, B.C.

Hon. Secretary -Treasurer
W. G. Mathers, Vernon, B.C.

Hon. Assistant Secretary

G. P. Holland, Kamloops, B.C.

Hon. Auditor

W. Baverstock, Vernon, B.C.

Advisory Board

H. G. Fulton, Cultus Lake, B.C. J. D. Gregson, Kamloops, B.C.

M. H. Hatch, Seattle, Wash. J. R. J. L. Jones, Cobble Hill, B.C.

K. M. King, Victoria, B.C.

Editorial C ommittee

G. P. Holland, Kamloops, B.C. R. H. Handford, Kamloops, B.C.

J. Marshall, Summerland, B.C.

NEW MEMBERS

Elected at the 47th Annual Meeting, March 13, 1948.

Corner, J. — Dom. Experimental Farm, Prince George,

B.C.

Didkson, R. J. — Dom. Forest Insect Lab., Vernon, B.C.

Ferguson, Frederick F. — University of Washington, Se-
attle, Wash.

Foster, L. H. — Commercial Chemicals Ltd., Vancouver,
B.C.

Johansen, Carl. — Experiment Station, Puyallup, Wash.

*Larnder, George H. — Errington, B.C.

Leckie, Walter A. — Harrison & Crosfield Ltd., Van-
couver, B.C.

MacKay, Margaret. — Dominion Forest Insect Lab., Ver-
non, B.C.

McLeod, J. H. — Dom. Parasite Laboratory, Belleville,
Ont.

Malcolmson, G. H. S. — Canadian Industries Ltd., New
Westminster, B.C.

*Mayers, Neville — Dom. Plant Inspection Service,
Vancouver, B.C.

Neilson, C. L. — Dom. Field Crop Insect Lab., Kam-
loops, B.C.

Proverbs, M. D. — Dom. Fruit Insect Lab., Summer-
land, B.C.

Shanahan, F. P. — Shanahan’s Ltd., Vancouver, B.C.

Simms, W. G. — Dom. Forest Insect Lab., Vernon, B.C.

Re-elected.

proceedings

of the

ENTOMOLOGICAL
— SOCIETY of —
BRITISH COLUMBIA

Volume 45. Issued July 28, 1 949

Page

Campbell, as Presented by Spencer — Notes on Grylloblatta at
Kamloops 1

Jones — An Experiment with Larvae of Lambdina fiscellaria
somniaria Hulst 6

Holland — A Revised Check List of the Pleas of B.C 7

Gregson — Notes on the Occurrence of Ornithodoros hermsi in
B.C., and its Probable Relation to Relapsing Fever 15

Hopping — Parasitic Coleoptera 16

Hardy — Notes on the Life History of Xanthorhoe defensaria
Gn 17

Clark — An Annotated List of the Coleoptera Taken at or near

Terrace, B.C. Part 2 21

Leech — The Occurrence of a Hollyhock-Seed Eater, Noctuelia
rufofascialis at Vernon, B.C 25

Buckell — Record of Bees from B.C. (Andrenidae) 27

Curtis — The Effect of DDT Emulsions on Trout Pry 31

In Memoriam — L. E. Marmont 32

Scientific Notes 14, 20, 26, 30

New Literature 26

■

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1948), Vol. 45, July 28, 1949

1

NOTES ON GRYLLOBLATTA AT KAMLOOPS

By the late Matthew Geddes Campbell, presented by G. J. Spencer
University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C.

In the autumn of 1938 it was my good
fortune to get into correspondence with
Mr. M. G. Campbell who worked in the
post office at Kamloops. Mr. J. D. Greg-
son of the Dominion Entomological La-
boratory had told me that Campbell was
a keen amateur entomologist who had be-
come interested in Grylloblatta , which
Gregson had recently found at the foot
of Mount Paul, Kamloops, so I wrote to
him in connection with this insect. For
one reason and another, the correspond-
ence lapsed until September, 1940, when
Campbell happened to listen to a broad-
cast in which I had mentioned Grylloblat-
tay and wrote again, this time from New
Westminster where he had been transfer-
red for over a year. A letter came from
him on October 7th and in the evening
paper of that day, appeared a notice of his
death. The notice read: “New Westmin-
ster, Oct. 7. — Fatally injured in a traffic
accident shortly after midnight Saturday
at Sixth Street and Eighth Avenue, Mat-
thew Geddes Campbell, 47, postal clerk,
of 1009 Fourteenth Ave., Burnaby, died
in the Royal Columbian Hospital at 6:55
a.m. Sunday.”

Shortly afterwards I wrote to his widow
concerning his observations and notes on
Grylloblatta , but received no reply; I
wrote again in autumn 1947 to the same
address, and since there has been no1 an-
swer, it is possible that Mrs. Campbell has
moved elsewhere. Because his letters to
me in 1938 contained interesting records
on Grylloblatta , I feel that they should
be published, especially since he gave me
permission to do so. From his correspon-
dence I have picked out sections to make
a fairly consecutive narrative, with a lit-
tle editing.

“Last Sunday (6 Nov. 1938) I was
successful in capturing a number of Gryl-
loblatta camfodeiformis on the slopes of
Mount St. Paul and brought them home
alive. (The bottom edge of Mount St.

Paul, Kamloops, where Grylloblatta oc-
curs, is only about 1,400 ft. above sea
level. G. J. S.) I have prepared a case
for them and will ship them to you. . . .
As you know, these insects are very sus-
ceptible to changes of climate and can
live only between 30 °F. and 40°F. . . .
There are 15 or 20 specimens. I had
about 25 originally but some may have
been killed or injured by larger ones or by
jolting, on the way over. A friend of
mine, Mr. Consett Davis of the Univer-
sity of Sydney, Australia, who is at pres-
ent studying at the University of Califor-
nia, Berkeley, will be returning to Aus-
tralia on the ‘Niagara’ leaving about 20
Dec. I promised him some time ago that
I would try to get him some live Gryllo -
blatta } so if you do not mind taking care
of them until his arrival, I would suggest
that you divide them equally. — There is a
bare possibility that Mr. Davis may have
time to come up here but we may get a
cold spell and then Grylloblatta goes away
down under tons of rock and is difficult
to find. Snow or zero weather may drive
them down before I can make another
raid. If they reach you in good condition,
I would suggest that you keep them in
soft rotted humus, between 30°F. and
40°F. They will freeze at about 26°F.

(19 Nov. 1938). “I was much re-
lieved on receiving your letter of 16th
inst., to know that the Grylloblatta arrived
safely. I probably shot them at you rath-
er suddenly and it requires a little prepar-
ation to receive such guests properly. . . .
I intend to go out tomorrow (Sunday)

afternoon Mr. Davis will be in

Montreal for a few days before the 28th
Nov. and I am planning to send him two
lots, one by express and one by air mail.
I understand that they can keep them at
about the right temperature on the fish
rack in the express cars. ... I have a
batch in my basement that I can send Mr.
Davis if I am unsuccessful in my hunt

jyjGie 1945

2

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1948), Vol. 45, July 28, 1949

tomorrow. Usually I go out hunting in
the morning but for your purpose (to ex-
amine the stomach contents soon after a
meal) it will be better if I catch one in
the evening and send it on the night train.
... no use examining the gut of those
two large females I sent you because one
or other devoured a good big male nearly
as lar^e as they are, just before I sent
them off.”

(21 Nov. 1938). “I am sending to
you by this mail, two specimens of Gryl-
loblatta which I caught about 10 a.m. this
morning and killed in 70% alcohol. . .
they are not quite as big as I would have

liked Had a busy morning and

caught about 25 though they were mostly
small. About 20 of these, I am sending
off tonight by air mail, special delivery to
Mr. Davis at Montreal. It is a long
chance but worth the risk. I could not go
out on Sunday as planned ; the train wreck
delayed me at my work but I made good
this morning. Mr. Gregson and three
others were out Saturday afternoon but
drew a complete blank. I still have a
number of specimens on hand.”

(5 Dec. 1938). “I have handed my re-
maining specimens over to Gregson. . . .
as I work in the post office I will be very
busy for the next two or three weeks. . .
Mr. Davis sent me word from Montreal
that he had received the batch I sent him.
Some perished on the trip and not relish-
ing the responsibility of looking after them
on an 18,000 mile trip, he “dunked” the
lot in Carnoy’s fixative. (The Shirker).

“As you know, I am very interested in
this strange insect and have collected quite
a file (of notes) on him. Last winter I
kept a number in captivity, some of which
died and were pickled and sent to Davis.
Gregson also kept a few but I understand
they too died when the weather became
hot. Therefore I hope you will not mind
my offering some suggestions from the ex-
perience I gained last winter. I have made
many trips to Mount St. Paul and must
have collected more than a hundred speci-
mens. ... I trust you will find my observa-
tions of some value. . . .You are quite at

liberty to use or quote any of this (ma-
terial) you wish. It is merely my hobby,
something I play at and I have had a lot
of fun and interest out of Grylloblatta
and expect (to have) lots more.

“A great deal of sheer bunk has been
written about this poor creature. I am
thinking of a picture of him that appear-
ed in an Alberta paper, showing the in-
sect on a block of ice and stating that if
removed from the ice he would have con-
vulsions and die in a few hours. Some I
caught early last March survived until the
end of June with never a bit of ice, just
in a glass biscuit jar in my basement. I
had difficulty in persuading even Gregson
that they would perish if exposed to five
or six degrees of frost, at the same time
as the newspapers were making quite a
song about the poor things ‘roasting’ to
death in a refrigerator. I lost all of a
dozen specimens before the truth dawned
on me. Or, as I explained to Davis, it
does NOT need to be cold enough to
freeze the appendages of a brazen simian,
in order to suit Grylloblatta. Altogether
too much has been made of this tempera-
ture angle, ever since he was badly mis-
named ‘Ice Bug,’ A ‘Rock Louse’ would
be a much more appropriate term. Give
them lots of well-rotted humus to prowl
in, a few rocks to hide under and you will
have no more trouble with them than
with a bunch of earthworms. Here (in
Kamloops), we have sub-zero tempera-
tures to protect them from as well as tem-
peratures over the century mark, but down
there (in Vancouver), with the exception
of a little ice in July and August, they
should live in your normal, outside, tem-
peratures. Mine were alive and active
when the thermometer on the verandah
showed 75°F., but the temperature in the
basement [where they were kept. (G.J.
S.)] was about 60°F. I am convinced
that if they had had more humus to pro-
tect them, they would have survived [all
summer. (G.J.S.)]. I did not give them
more humus because I could not then have
observed their reactions.

“I will put the remainder of this on

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1948), Vol. 45, July 28, 1949

separate sheets so that you can file, or re-
fer to them apart from this letter.”

Mr. Campbell's "NOTES ON GRYL-
LOBLATTA" (Transcribed with a few
changes, and translocations of sentences,
by G. J. Spencer).

On Habits of Grylloblatta. —

“Since most of the work hitherto done
on this insect has been of a laboratory na-
ture, and as I have no equipped laboratory,
I have concentrated more on his habitat
and plant and insect associations. Much
may be learned about him from a study
of his extraordinary habitat. Here (in
Kamloops), he occupies a range of rock
slides about a mile in length and I have
found Grylloblatta all along these slides
from one end to the other; amongst large
boulders so big as to require a crowbar to
turn them over and amongst gravel the
size of a small pea. Generally speaking,
the large ones are found amongst the
large rocks and small ones amongst the
small rocks but I find it more convenient
to divide his habitat into three zones.

A. “The front part or edge of the
slide (farthest from the talus slope),
where vegetation begins amongst the large,
loose, scattered boulders. This is where
the large, amber-coloured adults are to be
found. Sage brush is here the dominant
plant ( Artemisia tridentata ) and sage
seeds are scattered all through the humus
(duff). Here also occur several species of
grasses, Saskatoon bushes (Amelanchier) ,
Oregon grape {Berber is prob. nervosa)
and an occasional Jack pine (yellow pine,
Pinus fonder os a).

B. “Area about one foot in from the
edge of the slide where winds have blown
in a light covering of leaves and humus
(has formed amongst the rocks). This is
the home of the medium-sized, grey ones
and, in springtime, of white (nymphs in)
early instars.

C. “In area deeper down amongst the
older, deeper humus, are found little
white nymphs of early instars.

“When disturbed, Grylloblatta always
goes UPWARDS, that is, towards the

mountain, further into the shelter of the
rocks. Even when trapped with a spoon,
they will not turn outwards but will climb
over the spoon in their attempts to get
into the shelter of the hill.

“After searching in one place for a
little time, even though several specimens
may have been found there, further search
is generally fruitless; the disturbance
caused by moving rocks, alarms them and
they scatter deeper into the hill. Here I
quote Dr. Norma Ford: ‘The next morn-
ing I exfected to take at least forty speci-
mens, and literally no stone was left un-
turned in the swampy ground as I worked
in ever increasing circles from the point
of the first capture. But not a specimen
was found.’ Dr. Ford seemed to obtain
hers in boggy, wet soil; most of my cap~
tures have been made under conditions of
drizzly ‘Scotch mist.’

“This autumn I was due for another
surprise. Thinking that I was really clev-
er, I decided that since the summer had
been very dry, Grylloblatta would be
found in the little gullies that run down
from the tops of the cliffs where water
would trickle down and settle (in tem-
porary low spots). Strangely enough I
had no luck in these places, but found
him away out on ‘bone dry’ spurs under
exceedingly dry, dusty conditions. More-
over, while prowling over the hills on
the west side of the North Thompson
river in the spring (of 1938) I found
one specimen, about two miles west of
Mount St. Paul and on the other side of
the river. [Note: this would be on the
east slope of the Batchelor hills which
drop abruptly to the North Thompson
Valley; there is little or no talus on these
hills which are extremely dry. (G.J.S.)].
However, I was foolish enough to put
him into a can with a large silver fish
[Machilidae (G.J.S.)] and when I got
home there was only one very fat silver
fish. I never found him in a high, either
hot or cold wind, nor when the thermo-
meter was above 50°F. although I have
found him when it was as low as 15° or

4

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1948), Vol. 45, July 28, 1949

20°F., buried in a deep bed of humus.
That was cold hunting.

“That he can survive and get along
nicely when temperatures are below zero,
(as sometimes happens at Kamloops), does
not surprise me much. An inch or two of
snow and a few inches of humus give
him all the protection he needs.

“But where does he go in summer,
when there isn’t a drop of rain for months
and the rocks at the foot of the talus slope
sizzle in temperatures up to 120°F. for 12
or 14 hours a day? He must have cer-
tain selected places deep down, covered
with two or three feet of rock, with a
layer of humus available and a means of
retaining moisture. That he goes into a
sort of dormant state (aestivation) in
summer, I have no doubt.

“Of the insects that occur in the Gryl-
loblatta association (may be mention),
a small green fly; the aeroplane moth that
folds itself up to look like a monoplane
or like a cross of two pieces of dry stick
[Pterophoridae. (G.J.S.)]; a few centi-
pedes, an occasional nest of termites [ Re -
ticulitermes hesperus (G.J.S.)], the occa-
sional silver fish and several species of
spiders. I have not seen any true ants in
his direct neighborhood but in the autumn,
plenty of grasshoppers, wasps and bees
crawl amongst the rocks for shelter from
the cold nights. While adult Grylloblatta
are out hunting grasshoppers stiffened by
cold, the large, swift-moving spiders are
in turn, hunting Grylloblatta-, spiders are
really the most dangerous enemies of
adult Grylloblatta until the weather gets
too cold even for them. . . . Full-grown,
adult Grylloblatta are distinctly carnivor-
ous, and are fiercely combative prowlers
and hunters . . . although the earlier
stages may eat decaying vegetable matter
... as of moss and other primitive plants
. . . However there is hardly any moss on
Mount St. Paul and I have not noticed
any where Grylloblatta is found; higher
up the mountain where there is some moss,
I have never found him.

“We know that even medium-sized
ones will devour grasshoppers, wasps, bees

and cockroaches. I tried some ants on
them and also ant pupae but Grylloblatta
was not interested after the first smell.
(However) on several occasions I have
found adults (apparently) waiting at the
top of a burrow of termites. Whenever
I found a termite run I would turn over
a couple of rocks above it and usually
found one or two Grylloblatta. Although
Dr. Ford claims she found three adults
under one flat stone, I have rarely found
more than one at a time.

“I wish I could get over to the moun-
tain about this season (6 December).
After devouring all the frozen (autumn)
insects, Grylloblatta will undoubtedly go
on to reproduction. I feel sure that in
this locality, this is his mating season.”

Care of Grylloblatta in Captivity,

“My temperature records are not in
any sense scientific, but I did observe (the
creature) under many and varied condi-
tions, summer and winter, in captivity and
in his (natural) habitat. ... I feel cer-
tain that a study of his life would add
much to biology. How I regret now the
opportunities I passed up of qualifying
myself to make such a study. . . I do not
see how I, an untrained man, can add
much to the work that has been done by
Drs. Walker and Mills and Pepper. How-
ever, if anything I can do will benefit
science in the smallest degree, you are
more than welcome to it.

“ ... In simulating natural tempera-
ture conditions here (in Kamloops) the
range would approximate: October to
April, day 80°F. to 0°F.; night, 50°F. to
— 20°F. May to September, day 120°F. to
50°F.; night, 75°F. to 40°F. ... (To
meet these conditions) I would suggest
that the insects be stored in two chambers:

(1) A large bucket (of wood) or a can,
for general storage. (This should have
on the bottom) a layer of clay, then a
layer of stones of about one inch diame-
ter, 3 or 4 deep, and on top of this, a
deep layer of moist, loose humus. This
large container can be stored in a cool
dark basement and provided with a per-

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1948), Vol. 45, July 28, 1949

5

f orated tin lid for holding ice in sum-
mer, and will provide shelter from exces-
sive heat or cold. If ice is used, a drain-
age hole should be provided in one side
just below the rocks, above the layer of
clay. (Paraphrased. G.J.S.).

(2\ An observation chamber. A glass-
sided box, 12 inches square and 2 inches
wide, with wooden or metal ends and
bottom, open at the top. This should con-
tain two layers of stones of one inch di-
ameter, continued up one side; on top of
the stones, a layer of clay an inch thick
to hold the stones in place, especially those
up the side. Then another layer of inch-
diameter stones with several layers of
small pebbles on top (and finally, the
narrow chamber should be) filled up with
loose, damp humus.

“The stones up one side of the cham-
ber are for summer use; on them should
be placed a small perforated can contain-
ing ice whose dripping can leak down the
stones and along the bottom to keep the
whole chamber cool and moist without
making the humus marshy. A draining
hole on one end, at the rock level and
below the clay, will let out excess water.
This observation chamber should be kept
on a solid bench or on a table where
slamming doors or other vibrations will
not disturb the insects, and should be
sprayed at intervals with a fine mist of
water to simulate rain. Since this cham-
ber is so narrow, the insects can be ob-
served through the glass sides as they move
up and down. As they are very sensitive
to light, a red light should be used for
observations. (Paraphrased by G.J.S.)

Concerning Fossils. —

“That fossil forms of Grylloblatta
have not been found to date, is not very
surprising since Grylloblatta himself has
been known to science only since 1913.
Most of our fossils are ‘split out5 from
layers of sedimentary rock. But Gryllo-
blatta will not be found in such layers;
he will be found in a ‘hard conglomerate
since he was swept down the hillsides

by slides and avalanches and buried. I
have been working a little on that angle
during the summer but with so little time
to do it in, of course I have little success
to report. I found no Grylloblatta (in
the rocks), only leaves and twigs.”

Postscript by G. J. Spencer. —

In his last letter to me written on
October 4, 1940, Mr. Campbell said . . .
“Since I came down here (to New West-
minster) I have had a notion to explore
the foothills near the Lions and Grouse
Mountain or the hills north of a line
(drawn from) Sardis to Chilliwack where
I believe Grylloblatta may be found, or
even around Yale and Hope. If you have
any students keen enough and possessing a
car, I wouldn’t mind making a two- or
three-day trip, sharing the expenses, when
I get my holidays. If you have any en-
thusiasts along this line I would be glad
to hear from them and make arrange-
ments.” He was killed three days later.

We have here a remarkable series of
observations by a man, who, while deplor-
ing his lack of education, had sufficient
enthusiasm and enterprise to spend many
hours of his limited free time, combing
the Kamloops hills for an insect which
fascinated him. Never once in his origin-
al notes does he call Grylloblatta an “in-
sect” or speak of it as “it”; it was al-
ways “he,” “him,” or “ Grylloblatta ,”
a real personality, and he maintained cul-
tures in his basement in the face of some
slight hostility from his family.

Mr. Campbell’s notes bring up many
points for discussion, but I would empha-
size only two at this time; one, that the
Kamloops Grylloblatta is apparently a
separate race from the Banff-Jasper high-
altitude, snow or ice-edge form, and one
which can tolerate temperatures far above
those of the mountain form, and, if Mr.
Campbell’s records are correct, it is a
form that freezes to death with only 6
degrees of frost, and two, that precise and
detailed studies of the Kamloops Gryllo-
blatta are long overdue.

6

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1948), Vol. 45, July 28, 1949

AN EXPERIMENT WITH LARVAE OF LAMBDINA FiSCELLARIA

SOMNIARIA HULST

J. R. J. Llewellyn Jones
Cobble Hill, B.C.

As long ago as 1905 it was recognized
that there was a close connection between
the oak looper, then known as Therina
somniaria Hulst, and the hemlock looper,
Therina fiscellaria Guenee.

In the Bulletin of the British Colum-
bia Entomological Society, 1906, No. 3,
September, page 3, in an article entitled
(( Therina s omniaria at Victoria,” Dr. J.
Fletcher is quoted as saying that, during
an outbreak the previous year, larvae of
somniaria were observed feeding on west-
ern hemlock, spruce and Douglas fir. Also
the Rev. G. W. Taylor is reported as con-
sidering somniaria Hulst, to be a variety
of fiscellaria Guenee.

More recently a paper has been pub-
lished by H. W. Capps entitled “Some
American Geometrid moths of the sub-
family Ennominae heretofore associated
with or closely related to Ellofia Treit-
schke” (Proc. United States Museum, 93
(3159) :1 15-150, Washington, 1943) in
which the writer regards somniaria Hist.,
as a regional race of fiscellaria Guenee
and places them in a new genus Lamh-
dina Capps. He states that examination
of the genitalia confirms his arrangement.
The oak looper therefore becomes Lamb-
dina fiscellaria somniaria Hist., and the
western hemlock looper Lambdina fiscel-
laria lugubrosa Hist.

In support of this view, I submit the
following notes on an experiment carried
out last season with larvae of somniaria y
obtained during a severe but local out-
break in the Saanich District of Victoria
on Garry oak, Quercus garryana Douglas.

Eleven hundred larvae were obtained
in varying stages of growth. Of these
two hundred were placed in a container

and fed with western 'hemlock, Tsuga he-
terofhylla Sargent. The larvae readily
accepted this and fed to maturity. Sixty-
three imagines were obtained during Sep-
tember and October, a percentage of 31.5.
Of the remaining 900, which were allow-
ed to continue feeding on Garry oak, 473
imagines were obtained, a percentage of

52.5.

Both groups of insects showed the same
range of colour variation, but there was
an appreciable difference in the size of
the imagines. Those which had been giv-
en hemlock were smaller and more close
the normal size of fiscellaria lugubrosa
Hist.

Average measurements were as follows:

1. Fed on oak 1.75 inches.

2. Fed on hemlock 1.50 inches.

The converse experiment was not so
successful due chiefly to the lack of heal-
thy specimens. Some 70 larvae of the
hemlock looper, L . fiscellaria lugubrosa
Hist., were received from Mr. G. R.
Wyatt, early in August from the Sarita
River area on Vancouver Island. They
were heavily parasitized and also were suf-
fering from a virus infection, consequent-
ly mortality was great. Only one imago
was obtained, a rather small sized male.
The larvae survived long enongh how-
ever to satisfy me that they would readily
accept oak as a food plant. About 20 lar-
vae were supplied with oak, which they
promptly ate.

In conclusion, it would seem reasonable
and, I deem, desirable, to accept H. W.
Capps’ re-arrangement of this group, about
which, in the past, there has been some
disagreement and speculation.

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1948), Vol. 45, July 28, 1949

7

A REVISED CHECK LIST OF THE FLEAS OF BRITISH COLUMBIA

George P. Holland
Livestock Insects Laboratory, Kamloops, B.C.

Harvey (1907) gave the first published
account of the fleas of this province, list-
ing six species, three of which had recent-
ly (1896-1904) been described from the
Queen Charlotte Islands, B.C., by Dr.
Carl F. Baker. Over the period 1902-
1933 many other species from British
Columbia were described by the Hon. N.
Charles Rothschild and/or Dr. Dr. Karl
Jordan of the Zoological Museum, Tring,
Herts., England. The type series of most
of these were collected in the Fraser Delta,
the Okanagan Valley, the Upper Colum-
bia River and the Rocky Mountains. Spen-
cer (1936) presented to this Society a
briefly annotated list of 61 species offleas
known to occur in British Columbia, based
partly on his own extensive collections of
these insects (identified by Dr. Julius
Wagner of Belgrade, Yugoslavia) and
partly on information received through
correspondence with Dr. Jordan. Subse-
quent papers by Spencer, Wagner and the
present writer in various journals have im-
proved our knowledge of British Colum-
bia fleas by adding records and descriptions
of new species on one hand, and by sub-
tracting proved synonyms on the other. In
a paper entitled “The Siphonaptera of
Canada” (not in print at the time of writ-
ing) the writer discusses 127 species and
subspecies of fleas, of which 89 were col-
lected within the political boundaries of
British Columbia. While this paper gives
all available data on the siphonapterous
fauna of British Columbia as well as other
provinces, up to December 31, 1946, the
following account is presented here for
convenience of reference, and following
the useful policy of this journal of pub-
lishing lists of various groups of insects
occurring within the provincial boundar-
ies. In addition, some supplementary data
and four new records are included, bring-

* Contribution No. 2569, Division of Entomology,
Science Service, Department of Agriculture, Ottawa,
Canada.

ing the British Columbia list up to 93
species and subspecies, of which 88 are in-
digenous, and five evidently introduced
within historic times.

The fleas constitute a small order, Costa
Lima and Hathaway (1946) recording
only 1193 known species and subspecies
for the World — and their list contains
many synonyms! It will be seen then, that
British Columbia is well endowed, sup-
porting about one-thirteenth of the total
known flea fauna. Of course, future col-
lecting in the more remote and inaccessi-
ble parts of the World may well alter this
proportion.

There are now 134 species and subspe-
cies of fleas known from the whole of
Canada. Seventy percent of these are re-
corded from British Columbia. This rela-
tively extensive proportion is in part a re-
flection of the tremendous variety of mam-
mal, and especially small mammal, life of
the west. This again is a product of the
numerous climatic and altitudinal regions
of this rugged province, which, coupled
with other factors, have had such a pro-
found influence in developing the diver-
sity of plant cover on which all animals
depend, directly or indirectly. Munro and
Cowan (1947) define and trace 13 ter-
restrial and 2 marine biotic areas, distin-
guished by readily demonstrable peculiari-
ties of weather, vegetation, animal life,
etc., from contiguous areas. Thus the tre-
mendous size, range of latitude, mountain-
ous topography and variable climatic re-
gions of the province, as well as its recent
geological history, including land connec-
tions with Asia, have brought us an envi-
able botanical and zoological heritage, and
this exceptional richness of indigenous flora
and fauna is traceable even in the lowly
fleas.

The following account of the fleas of
British Columbia gives all known syno-
nyms, aside from changes in generic as-
signment, of the various indigenous spe-

8

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1948), Vol. 45, July 28, 1949

cies. These details are not included with
the introduced species. The preferred host
or hosts, where known, are indicated, and
brief statements relating to the known
range in British Columbia. References to
biotic areas follow Munro and Cowan.
Data on the “type host” (frequently not
significant in any case), “type locality”
and literature citations relating to original
descriptions of the species are not provided,
this information being readily available in
one or more of the publications listed in
the short bibliography at the end of this
article. Host records refer to British Col-
umbia only. Subspecific names of hosts
are not included in this list.

Order SIPHONAPTERA
Family PULICIDAE

1. Hoplopsyllus glacialis lynx (Baker)

True host: Varying hare, Lepus ameri-
canus group.

Recorded hosts: Lepus americanus,

Lynx canadensis , Lynx fasciatus.

Range: General, through most of prov-
ince.

2. Ctenoeephalides canis (Curtis) (Intro-

duced)

True host: domestic dog (?).

Recorded hosts: domestic dogs and cats,
tame rabbits, monkeys, man, Procyon
lotor, rats, Rattus norvegicus, R. rat-
tus.

Range: Limited records at hand from
south of province, but probably wide-
spread on dogs and cats.

3. Ctenoeephalides felis felis (Bouche) (In-

troduced)

True host: domestic cats.

Recorded hosts: same as for C. canis.
Also' Spilogale gracilis.

Range: Probably same as for canis.

4. Pulex irritans irritans Linnaeus

True host: unknown; Artiodactyla (?).

Recorded hosts: man, Rattus norvegi-
cus, Odocoileus hemionus, Speotyto
cunicularia.

Range: Fairly general.

5. Xenopsylla cheopis (Rothschild) (Intro-

duced)

True host: domestic rats, Rattus spp.

Recorded hosts: Rattus norvegicus ,

Rattus r. rattus, Rattus r. alexand-
rinus.

Range: Confined at present to extreme
southwestern mainland of province
(Puget Sound lowlands).

Family VERMIPSYLLIDAE

6. Arctopsylla ursi (Rothschild)

True host: grizzly bears, Ursus spp.

Recorded hosts: Ursus spp.

Range: Probably general, especially
in Alplands, and northern B. C.

7. Chaetopsylla setosa (Rothschild)

True hosts: various large carnivores.

Recorded hosts: Canis latrans, Euarc-
tos americanus, Ursus spp., Lynx
canadensis, Gulo luscus.

Range: Probably general.

Family HYSTRICHOPSYLLIDAE

8. Atyphloceras artius Jordan

True host: Cricetidae.

Recorded host: Peromyscus manicula-
tus.

Range: Known only from Kelowna.

9. Atyphloceras multidentatus (C. Fox)

True host: various Cricetidae.

Recorded hosts: Spilogale gracilis,

Peromyscus maniculatus, Microtus
oregoni, Microtus townsendii, Rattus
norvegicus.

Range: Puget Sound Lowlands, Van-
couver Island.

10. Hystrichopsylla dippiei Rothschild

True host: small Rodentia.

Recorded hosts: Sorex sp., Mustela

vison, Spilogale gracilis, Citellus col-
umbianus, Tamiasciurus hudsonicus,
Eutamias sp., Peromyscus manicu-
latus, Clethrionomys gapperi, Micro-
tus longicaudus, M. montanus.

Range: Fairly general. Not common.

11. Hystrichopsylla n. sp.

A new species, to be described from
western B. C. in “Siphonaptera of
Canada.”

12. Hystrichopsylla n. sp.

A new species, to be described from
Vancouver, B. C., in “Siphonaptera
of Canada.”

13. Hystrichopsylla schefferi Chapin

( =H . mammoth Chapin)

True host: mountain beaver, Aplodontia
rufa.

Recorded hosts: Mustela vison, Spilo-
gale gracilis.

Range: Southwest mainland.

14. Catallagia charlottensis (Baker)

(=C. motei Hubbard)

True host: white-footed mouse, Pero-
myscus maniculatus.

Recorded hosts: Scapanus orarius, Neu-
rotrichus gibbsii, Peromyscus manicu-
latus, Clethrionomys gapperi, Micro-
tus townsendii, M. oregoni, M. penn-
sylvanicus, M. longicaudus, Rattus
norvegicus, Tamiasciurus hudsonicus.

Range: Coastal islands, and Pacific

slopes, west of the Coast Range.

15. Catallagia decipiens Rothschild

(=(7. moneris Jordan)

True host: White-footed mouse, Pero-
myscus maniculatus.

Recorded hosts: Mustela frenata, Citel-
lus columbianus, Tamiasciurus hud-
sonicus, Peromyscus maniculatus,
Neotoma cinerea, Microtus longi-
caudus, M. pennsyivanicus, M. mon-
tanus, Phenacomys intermedius, Cle-
thrionomys gapperi, Eutamias sp.,
Thomomys talpoides, Ochotona prin-
ceps.

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1948), Vol. 45, July 28, 1949

9

16. Catallagia sculleni Hubbard

(=G. chamberlini Hubbard, G. von-
bloekeri Augustson, G. rutherfordi
Augustson) .

True host: Cricetidae, especially Pero-
myscus maniculatus.

Recorded hosts: Scapanus orarius,

Eutamias sp., Microtus richardsoni,
Glethrionomys gapperi, Peromyscus
maniculatus.

Range: Southern Coast Range; parts of
Fraser Valley; Vancouver Island.

17. Delotelis telegoni (Rothschild)

True host: Cricetidae.

Recorded hosts: Microtus pennsylvani-
cus, M. longicaudus, M. townsendii,
M. oregoni, Glethrionomys gapperi,
Peromyscus maniculatus.

Range: Southern part of province, from
Rockies to coast. Rare.

18. Epitedia scapani (Wagner)

(=E. jordani Hubbard, E. stewarti
Hubbard) .

True host: White-footed mouse, Pero-
myscus maniculatus ; also common on
Insectivora.

Recorded hosts: Scapanus orarius, S.
townsendii, Neurotrichus gibbsii,
Sorex spp., Mustela sp., Microtus ore-
goni, Peromyscus maniculatus, Rat-
tus norvegicus, Aplodontia ruf a.
Range: Puget Sound Lowlands.

19. Epitedia wenmanni (Rothschild)

( =Neopsylla similis Chapin).

True host: White-footed mouse, Pero-
myscus maniculatus.

Recorded hosts: Microtus pennsylvani-
cus, Peromyscus maniculatus, Neo-
toma cinerea, Tamiasciurus hudson-
icus.

Range: Coast Range to Rockies, but not
Pacific slopes.

20. Neopsylla inopina Rothschild

True host: ground squirrel, Gitellus
spp.

Recorded host: Gitellus columbianus.
Range: Southern Kootenays, through
Crow’s Nest Pass.

21. Phalacropsyila alios Wagner

True host: woodrat, Neotoma cinerea.
Recorded host: Neotoma cinerea occi-
dentalism

Range: Probably restricted to Osoyoos-
Arid biotic area.

New record: 12 miles west of Hedley,
B.C., on banks of Similkameen River,
23.IV.48, coll. Gr. P. Holland.

22. Meringis shannon! (Jordan)

True host: pocket mouse, Perognathus
spp.

Recorded hosts: Perognathus parvus,
Peromyscus maniculatus.

Range: Okanagan Valley, from Vernon,
south to border.

23. Micropsylla sectilis sectilis (Jordan and

Rothschild)

G==Micropsylla peromyscus Dunn)
True host: white-footed mouse, Pero-
myscus maniculatus.

Recorded hosts: Gitellus columbianus,
Tamiasciurus hudsonicus, Peromys-
cus maniculatus, Mus musculus.
Range: Southern B.C., east of the

Coast Range.

24. Micropsylla sectilis goodi Hubbard

True host: white-footed mouse, Pero-
myscus maniculatus.

Recorded hosts: Mustela erminea, Spi-
logale gracilis, Tamiasciurus doug-
lassi, Microtus oregoni, Peromyscus
■maniculatus, Rattus norvegicus.
Range: Southern B.C., west of the

Coast Range.

25. Rectofrontia fraterna (Baker)

(=Neopsylla hamiltoni Dunn)

True host: small Rodentia.

Recorded hosts: Martes americana, Ta-
miasciurus hudsonicus, Phenacomys
intermedius, Neotoma cinerea, Ocho-
tona princeps.

Range: Scattered over southern B.C*
Rare.

26. Trichopsylloides oregonensis Ewing

( —Phaneris hubbarcli Jordan)

True host: mountain beaver, Aplodon-
tia ruf a.

Recorded host: Mustela vison.

Range: Puget Sound Lowlands.

27. Corrodopsylla curvata curvata (Roths-

child)

True host: shrew, £ 'or ex, spp.

Recorded hosts: Sorex obscurus, Sorex
spp.

Range: East of Cascade Mountains.

28. Corrodopsylla curvata obtusata (Wagner)

( =Doratopsylla jellisoni Hubbard)
True host: shrew, Sorex spp.

Recorded hosts: Sorex spp., S. trow-
bridgii, S. vagrans, Neurotrichus gib-
bsii, Microtus oregoni.

Range: West of Cascades, including
Vancouver Island.

29. Callistopsyllus terinus (Rothschild)

( =Callistopsyllus paraterinus Wag-
ner)

True host: white-footed mouse, Pero-
myscus maniculatus.

Recorded hosts: Gitellus columbianus,
Peromyscus maniculatus.

Range: Columbia Forest.

30. Megarthroglossus divisus divisus (Baker)

( =Pulex longispinus Baker)

True host: squirrel, Tamiasciurus ;

woodrat, Neotoma.

Recorded hosts: Microtus longicaudus,
Neotoma cinerea.

Range: Southern B.C., east of Selkirks.

31. Megarthroglossus divisus exsecatus Wag-

ner

True host: red squirrel, Tamiasciurus
hudsonicus.

Recorded hosts: Tamiasciurus hudson-
icus, Glaucomys sabrinus, Peromys-
cus maniculatus.

Range: Southern B.C., Cascades to Sel-
kirks.

10

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1948), Yol. 45, July 28, 1949

32. Megarthroglossus procus Jordan and

child

True host: Chickaree, Tamiasciurus

douglassi.

Recorded hosts: Spilogale gracilis , Ta-
miasciurus douglassi, Glaucomys sab-
rinus, Rattus norvegicus.

Range: Coast Forest (southern main-
land only).

33. Megarthroglossus pygmaeus Wagner

True host: probably woodrat, Neotoma
cinerea.

Recorded host: Neotoma cinerea.
Range: Known only from Nicola.

34. Megarthroglossus sicamus Jordan and

Rothschild

True host: unknown, probably wood-
rat, Neotoma.

Recorded hosts: Canis latrans, Lynx
fasciatus, Neotoma cinerea.

Range: Probably restricted to Dry

Forest biotic area.

35. Megarthroglossus similis Wagner

True host: probably woodrat, Neotoma.
Recorded host: Neotoma cinerea.
Range: Known only from Beaverdell.

36. Megarthroglossus spenceri Wagner

True host: unknown.

Recorded host: Ochotona princeps.
Range: Known only from Nicola.

37. Corypsylla omata Fox

True host: mole, Scapanus spp.
Recorded hosts: Scapanus orarius, S.
townsendii, Microtus oregoni, M.
townsendii.

Range: Puget Sound Lowlands, north
and south of Fraser River.

38. Corypsylla jordani Hubbard

True host: shrew-mole, N eurotrichus
gibbsii.

Recorded host: N eurotrichus gibbsii.
Range: Puget Sound Lowlands. New
record: Silver Creek, 15. III. 48, coll.
G. P. Holland.

39. Corpsylloides kohlsi ( Hubbard)

(— C. spinata Fox)

True host: shrew, Sorex spp.

Recorded host: Sorex obscurus.

Range: Puget Sound Lowlands. New
record: Silver Creek, 11.X.47, coll. G.
P. Holland.

40. Nearctopsylla brooksi (Rothschild)

True host: unknown, probably Sorex;
possibly Mustela.

Recorded hosts: Mustela erminea, M.

frenata, M. vison, Martes americana.
Range: Widespread over province.

41. Nearctopsylla hyrtaci (Rothschild)

True host: shrew, Sorex spp.

Recorded hosts: Sorex obscurus, S.

cinereus, Mustela vison, M. frenata,
Martes caurina, M. americana, Cle -
thrionomys gapperi.

Range: Southern half of province, in-
cluding Vancouver Island.

42. Nearctopsylla jordani Hubbard

( =N . hygini columbiana Wagner)
True host: mole, Scapanus spp.

Recorded hosts: Scapanus orarius, N eu-
rotrichus gibbsii.

Range: Puget Sound Lowlands.

FAMILY CERATOPHYLLIDAE

43. Ctenophyllus terribilis (Rothschild)

True host: pika, Ochotona spp.

Recorded host: Ochotona princeps.

Range: Southern Alplands, and some
contiguous areas. Coincident with
host.

44. Dolichopsyllus stylosus (Baker)

True host: mountain beaver, Aplodon-
tia rufa.

Recorded host: Aplodontia rufa.

Range: Puget Sound Lowlands.

45. Oropsylla arctomys (Baker)

( =Aetheopsylla septentrionalis Stew-
art and Holland)

True host: woodchuck, Marmota monax.

Recorded hosts: Marmota monax, M.
caligata.

Range: Boreal Forest, Columbia For-
est.

46. Oropsylla idahoensis (Baker)

( =Ceratophyllus poeantis Rothschild,
C. bertholfi Fox)

True host: ground squirrel, Citellus
spp.

Recorded hosts: Mustela frenata, Cit-
ellus columbianus, C. lateralis, Ocho-
tona princeps.

Range: Coincident with ground squir-
rels in southern half of province.

47. Thrassis acamantis (Rothschild)

True host: yellow-bellied marmot, Mar-
mota flaviventris.

Recorded hosts: Mephitis sp., Marmota
flaviventris, Citellus columbianus, Eu-
tamias sp., Tamiasciurus hudsonicus.

Range: Dry Forest, Cariboo Parklands.

48. Thrassis petiolatus (Baker)

True host: Columbia ground squirrel,
Citellus columbianus.

Recorded hosts: Citellus columlbianus,
Eutamias sp., Thomomys talpoides.

Range: Coincident with range of C.
columbianus from Shuswap Lake
south, especially in areas at low ele-
vation.

49. Thrassis spenceri Wagner

True host: Alpine marmot, Marmota
caligata group.

Recorded hosts: Gulo luscus, Ursus sp.,
Marmota monax, M. caligata, M. van-
couverensis.

Range: Alplands and some contiguous
areas.

50. Amphalius necopinus (Jordan)

True host: pika, Ochotona spp.

Recorded host: Ochotona princeps.

Range: Southern Alplands.

51. Dactylopsylla comis Jordan

True host: Pocket gopher, Thomomys
spp.

Recorded host: Thomomys talpoides.

Range: Known only from Okanagan
Landing.

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1948), Vol. 45, July 28, 1949

11

52. Foxella ignota recula (Jordan and Roths-

child)

True host: pocket gopher, Thomomys
spp.

Recorded hosts: Mustela frenata, Citel-
lus columbianus, Thomomys tal-
poides.

Range: Dry Forest.

53. Opisocrostis tuberculatus tuberculatiis

(Baker)

True host: ground squirrel, Citellus
spp.

Recorded host: Citellus columbianus.

Range: Southern Kootenays, through
Crow’s Nest.

54. Opisodasys keeni (Baker)

True host: white-footed mouse, Pero-
myscus maniculatus.

Recorded hosts: Mustela sp., Microtus
sp., M. townsendii, Clethrionomys
gapperi, Peromyscus maniculatus ,
Zapus sp.

Range: Apparently general, through

province.

55. Opisodasys pseudarctomys (Baker)

( =Ceratophyllus acasti Rothschild)

True host: flying squirrel, Glaucomys
spp.

Recorded hosts: Tamiasciurus hudson-
icus, Glaucomys sabrinus.

Range: Scattered; southern B.C. east
of Coast Range.

56. Opisodasys vesperalis (Jordan)

True host: flying squirrel, Glaucomys
spp.

Recorded hosts: Mustela sp., Lynx sp.,
Glaucomys sabrinus.

Range: Dry Forest and southern Coast
Forest.

57. Orchopeas caedens caedens (Jordan)

True host: red squirrel, Tamiasciurus
hudsonicus.

Recorded host: Tamiasciurus hudson-
icus.

Range: (Roughly) north of 53°.

58. Orchopeas caedens durus (Jordan)

True host: red squirrel, Tamiasciurus
hudsonicus.

Recorded hosts: Mustela frenata, M.
erminea, Lynx canadensis, Tamias-
ciurus hudsonicus, Glaucomys sabri-
nus, Eutamias sp.

Range: (Roughly) south of 53°.

59. Orchopeas leucopus (Baker)

(— Ceratophyllus aeger Rothschild)

True host: white-footed mouse, Pero-
myscus maniculatus.

Recorded host: Peromyscus manicula-
tus.

Range: Probably northern half of

province.

60. Orchopeas nepos (Rothschild)

True host: Chickaree, Tamiasciurus

douglassi.

Recorded hosts: Mustela vison, M. er-
minea, Spilogale gracilis, Tamias-
ciurus douglassi, Glaucomys sabri-
nus.

Range: Coast Forest (southern main-
land only).

61. Orchopeas sexdentatus agilis (Rothschild)

True host: woodrat, Neotoma cinerea.
Recorded hosts: Mustela frenata, Spilo-
gale gracilis, Clethrionomys gapperi,
Neotoma cinerea, Ochotona princeps,
Sylvilagus nuttalli.

Range: Through most of province.

62. Tarsopsylla coloradensis (Baker)

(=Opisodasys jellisoni Fox)

True host: squirrel, Tamiasciurus and
Glaucomys.

Recorded hosts: Martes americana, Ta-
miasciurus hudsonicus, Glaucomys
sabrinus.

Range: In mountains, and probably

throughout much of northern part
of province.

63. Ceratophyllus adustus Jordan

True host: unknown. A bird?

Recorded host: Erethizon dorsatum.
Range: Known only from Atlin.

64. Ceratophyllus celsus celsus Jordan

True host: bank swallow, Riparia ri-
paria.

Recorded host: Riparia riparia.

Range: Known only from Kamloops
and Okanagan Falls.

65. Ceratophyllus diffinis Jordan

(— C. rileyi Liu)

True host: many birds.

Recorded hosts: Bonassa umbellus, Me-
lospiza melddia.

Range: Probably southern half of prov-
ince.

66. Ceratophyllus garei Rothschild

(=C. utahensis Chapin, C. quebecen-
sis Fox)

True host: ground-nesting birds.
Recorded host: Erismatura jamaicensis.
Range: Probably widespread. One rec-
ord available, from Kamloops.

67. Ceratophyllus idius Jordan and Roths-

child

True host: tree swallow, Iridoprocne
bicolor.

Recorded hosts: Asio otus, Iridoprocne
bicolor.

Range: Known only from Okanagan at
present.

68. Ceratophyllus niger Fox

( =C . niger inflexus Jordan)

True host: various birds.

Recorded hosts: Phalacrocorax pelagi-
cus, Gallus gallus, Otus asio, Crypto-
glaux acadica, Acridotheres crista-
tellus, Vermivora celata, Turdus mi-
gratorius, Passer domesticus, Tami-
asciurus hudsonicus.

Range: Common in southern half of
province.

69. Ceratophyllus petrochelidoni Wagner

True host: cliff swallow, Petrochelidon
pyrrhonata.

Recorded host: Petrochelidon pyrrhon-
ata.

Range: Known only from Chilcotin and
Kamloops.

12

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1948), Vol. 45, July 28, 1949

70. Ceratophyllus riparius Jordan and Roths-

child

True host: bank swallow, Riparia rip-
aria.

Recorded host: Riparia riparia.

Range: Known only from Kamloops

and Okanagan Valley.

71. Dasypsyllus gallinulae perpinnatus

(Baker)

True host: Passeriformes.

Recorded hosts: Thryomanes bewicki,
Sphyrapicus ruber , Cyanocitta stel-
leri, Vermivora celata, Lanivireo so-
litarius, Pheucticus melonacephalus,
Hylocichla guttata, H. ustulata, Pip-
ilo maculatus, Parus atricapillis, Pi-
ranga ludoviciana, Regulus calendula,
Empidonax difficilis, Turdus migra-
torius, Junco oreganus, Zonotrichia
coronata, Melospiza melodia, Tamias-
ciurus douglassi, man.

Range: Coast Forest (west of Cascades
only ) .

72. Dasypsyllus stejnegeri (Jordan)

True host: unknown. A sea bird?

Recorded host: Hylocichla guttata na-
nus.

Range: Probably northern Coast Lit-
toral. New record: Langara Island,
Queen Charlottes, 20.V.47, coll. C. J.
Guiguet.

73. Malaraeus euphorbi (Rothschild)

True host: white-footed mouse, Pero-
myscus maniculatus.

Recorded host: Peromyscus manicula-
tus.

Range: Widespread, though rare, in
southern half of province.

74. Malaraeus penicilliger ssp. (dissimilis Jor-

dan?)

True host: Microtinae.

Recorded hosts: Clethrionomys gap-

peri, Peromyscus maniculatus.

Range: Northern part of province, and
southern Alplands.

75. Malaraeus telchinum (Rothschild)

True host: white-footed mouse, Pero-
myscus maniculatus.

Recorded hosts: Sorex sp., Citellus co-
lumbianus, Microtus longicaudus, Cle-
thrionomys gapperi, Peromyscus ma-
niculatus.

Range: General, throughout southern
half of province.

76. Megabothris abantis (Rothschild)

(=Megabothris adversus Wagner)

True host: Microtinae.

Recorded hosts: Mustela erminea, M.
frenata, Vulpes fulva, Citellus colum-
bianus, Microtus longicaudus, M.
pennsylvanicus, M. oregoni, Clethri-
onomys gapperi, Phenacomys inter-
medins, Synaptomys borealis, Pero -
my sens maniculatus, Neotoma cin-
erea, Rattus norvegicus, Zapus prin-
ceps, Z. trinotatus, Lepus americanus,
Ochotona princeps.

Range: General over province, espe-
cially in humid areas.

77. Megabothris asio megacolpus (Jordan)

True host: meadow mouse, Microtus
pennsylvanicus .

Recorded host: Microtus pennsylvani-
cus.

Range: Probably occurs throughout

most of province.

78. Megabothris lucifer (Rothschild)

True host: gray vole, Microtus mon-
tanus.

Recorded hosts: Mustela frenata, Mi-
crotus montanus.

Range: Dry Forest.

79. Megabothris quirini (Rothschild)

True host: Microtinae.

Recorded hosts: Tamiasciurus hudsoni-
cus, Microtus p. drummondi, Clethri-
onomys gapperi, Peromyscus manicu-
latus.

Range: General, east of Coast Range.

80. Monopsyllus ciliatus protinus (Jordan)

True host: squirrel, Tamiasciurus.

Recorded hosts: Mustela erminea, Mar-
tes caurina, Spilogale gracilis, Tami-
asciurus douglassi, T. hudsonicus,
Glaucomys sabrinus, Eutamias town-
sendii, Peromyscus maniculatus, Le-
pus americanus.

Range: Southern part of Coast Forest,
including Vancouver Island.

81. Monopsyllus eumolpi eumolpi (Roths-

child)

True host: chipmunk, Eutamias spp.

Recorded hosts: Mustela frenata, Citel-
lus columbianus, Tamiasciurus hud-
sonicus, Eutamias amoenus, E. mini-
mus, Clethrionomys gapperi.

Range: Throughout province, east of
Coast Range.

82. Monopsyllus vison (Baker)

( =Ceratophyllus lucidus Baker)

True host: red squirrel, Tamiasciurus
hudsonicus.

Recorded hosts: Mustela frenata, Mar-
tes americana, Citellus columbianus,
Tamiasciurus hudsonicus, Glaucomys
sabrinus, Ochotona princeps.

Range: Throughout province, east of
Coast Range.

83. Monopsyllus wagneri wagneri (Baker)

( =Ceratophyllus peromysci Sitewart)

True host: white-footed mouse, Pero-
myscus maniculatus.

Recorded hosts: Mustela frenata, Mi-
crotus longicaudus, Clethrionomys
gapperi, Peromyscus maniculatus,
Phenacomys intermedius, Reithrod-
ontomys megalotis.

Range: Southern B.C. from Cascades
to Rockies.

84. Monopsyllus wagneri ophidius (Jordan)

True host: white-footed mouse, Pero-
myscus maniculatus.

Recorded hosts: Sorex sp., Spilogale
gracilis, Peromyscus maniculatus.

Range: Southern B.C., from Cascades,
west, including Vancouver Island.

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1948), Vol. 45, July 28, 1949

13

85. Nosopsyllus fasciatus (Bose d’Antic) (In-

troduced)

True host: rat, Rattus spp.

Recorded hosts: Sorex sp., Tamiasciu-
rus douglassi, Mus musculus, Rattus
rattus, R. norvegicus.

Range: Apparently pretty well restrict-
ed to lower coastal region.

86. Leptopsylia segnis (Schonherr) (Intro-

duced)

True host: house mouse, Mus musculus.
Recorded host: Mus musculus.

Range: One record, from Kelowna.

87. Peromyscopsylla hesperomys ssp.

A new subspecies, to be described from
southern Coast Forest, in “Siphonap-
tera of Canada.”

88. Peromyscopsylla ravalliensis (Dunn)

True host: woodrat, Neotoma cinerea.
Recorded hosts: Neotoma cinerea, Pe-
romyscus maniculatus, Ochotona prin-
ceps.

Range: Rare in southern part of prov-
ince.

89. Peromyscopsylla selenis (Rothschild)

True host: Microtinae.

Recorded hosts: Sorex sp., Mustela

frenata, Microtus longicaudus, M.
oregoni, Clethrionomys gapperi, Phe-
nacomys intermedius, Peromyscus
maniculatus, Eutamias sp., Rattus
norvegicus.

Range: General, throughout province,
especially in mountains and humid
forests.

Family ISCHNOPSYLLIDAE

90. Eptescopsylla vancouverensis (Wagner)

True host: silver-haired bat, Lasionyc-
teris noctivagans.

Recorded host: Lasionycteris noctiva-
gans.

Range: Known only from Vancouver.

91. Myodopsylla gentilis Jordan and Roths-

child

True host: little brown bat, Myotis lu-
cifugus.

Recorded hosts: Myotis lucifugus, M.
yumanensis.

Range: West of Selkirks.

92. Myodopsylla insignis (Rothschild)

{—Ceratopsyllus crosbyi Baker, Myo-
dopsylla subulata Chapin)

True host: little brown bat, Myotis lu-
cifugus.

Recorded host: Myotis sp.

Range: Known only from Cariboo

Parklands in B.C.

93. Myodopsylloides palposus (Rothschild)

( =M . piercei Augustson )

True host: big brown bat, Eptesicus
fuscus.

Recorded host: Eptesicus fuscus.
Range: Scattered records from south-
west B.C.

Erroneous Records

1. Ceratophylhis gallinae (Schrank)

Recorded by Harvey, 1907, ex poultry.
The specimens Harvey had were pre-
sumably Ceratophyllus niger Fox
1909, now known as the “western hen
flea.” C. gallinae is restricted to
eastern North America, having been
introduced from Europe.

2. Diamanus montanus (Baker)

Recorded by Holland 1941 from Eagle
River, B.C., ex Gulo luscus.

Erroneous determination — the speci-
mens were Thrassis spenceri Wagner.

ALPHABETICAL INDEX OF HOSTS

Acridotheres cristatellus — Crested mynah
Aplodontia rufa — Mountain beaver
Asio otus — Long-eared owl
Bonassa umbellus — Ruffed grouse
Canis latrans — Coyote
Citellus columbianus — Columbian ground
squirrel

Citellus lateralis — Mantled ground squirrel
Clethrionomys gapperi — Red-backed mouse
Cryptoglaux acadica — Saw-whet owl
Empidonax difficilis — Western fly catcher
Eptesicus fuscus — Big brown bat
Erethizon dorsatum — Porcupine
Erismatura jamaicensis — Ruddy duck
Euarctos americanus — Black bear
Eutamias amoenus — Allen chipmunk
Eutamias minimus — Least chipmunk
Eutamias townsendii — Townsend chipmunk
Gallus gallus — Domestic hen
Glaucomys sabrinus — Flying squirrel
Gulo luscus — Wolverine
Hylocichla guttata — Hermit thrush
Hylocichla ustulata — Swainson thrush
Iridoprocne bicolor — Tree swallow
Junco oreganus — Oregon junco
Lasionycteris noctivagans — Silver-haired bat
Lepus americanus — Varying hare
Lynx canadensis — Canada lynx
Lynx fasciatus — Bobcat
Marmota caligata — Hoary marmot
Marmota flaviventris — Yellow-bellied marmot
Marmota monax — Woodchuck
Marmota vancouverensis — Vancouver Island
marmot

Martes americana. — Pine marten
Maries caurina— Vancouver Island marten
Mephitis sp. — 'Striped skunk
Melospiza melodia — Song sparrow
Microtus longicaudus — Long-tailed vole
Microtus montanus — Grey vole
Microtus oregoni — Creeping vole
Microtus pennsylvanicus — Meadow vole
Microtus richardsoni — Alpine water vole
Microtus townsendii — Townsend vole
Mus musculus — House mouse
Mustela erminea — Short-tailed weasel
Mustela frenata — Long-tailed weasel
Mustela vison — Mink
Myotis lucifugus — Small brown rat
Myotis yumanensis — Yuma bat
Neotoma cinerea — Woodrat
Neurotrichus gibbsii — Gibb’s shrew mole
Ochotona princeps — Rocky Mountain pika
Odocoileus hemionus — Black-tailed deer
Otus asio — Screech owl

14

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1948), Vol. 45, July 28, 1949

Parus atricapillis — Black-capped chickadee
Passer domesticus — English sparrow
Perognathus parvus — Pocket mouse
Peromyscus maniculatus — White-footed
mouse

Petrochelidon pyrrhonata — Cliff swallow
Phalacrocorax pelagicus — Pelagic cormorant
Phenacomys intermedins — Lemming mouse
Pheucticus melanocephalus — Black Jieaded
grosbeak

Pipilo maculatus — Spotted towhee
Piranga ludoviciana — Western tanager
Procyon lotor — Raccoon
Rattus norvegicus — Norway rat
Rattus rattus alexandrinus — Roof rat
Rattus rattus rattus — Black rat
Regulus calendula — Ruby-crowned kinglet
Reithrodontomys megalotis — Harvest mouse
Riparia riparia — Bank swallow
Scapanus orarius — Coast mole
Scapanus townsendii — Townsend mole
Sorex cinereus — Cinereus shrew

Sorex obscurus — Dusky shrew
Sorex trowfbridgii — Trowbridge shrew
S or ex vagrans — Vagrant shrew
Speotyto cunicularia — Burrowing owl
Sphyrapicus ruber — Red-breasted sapsucker
Spilogale gracilis — Spotted skunk
Sylvilagus nuttalli — Cottontail rabbit
Synaptomys borealis — Bog lemming
Tamiasciurus douglassi — Douglas chickaree
Tamiasciurus hudsonicus — Red squirrel
Thomomys talpoides — Pocket gopher
Thryomanes bewicki — Bewick wren
Turdus migratorius — Robin
Ursus sp. — Grizzly bear
Vermivora celata — Orange-crowned warbler
Vulpes fulva — Red fox

Zapus trinotatus — Northwest coast jumping
mouse

Zapus princeps — Rocky Mountain jumping
mouse

Zonotrichia coronata — Golden-crowned spar-
row

Selected References

Harvey, R. V., 1907. British Columbia fleas. Bull. Ent. Soc. B.C., No. 7, p. 1.

Holland, G. P., 1940. New records of Siphonaptera for British Columbia. Ent. Soc. B.C.,
Proc. 36:11-12.

1941. Further records of Siphonaptera for British Columbia. Ibidem, 37:10-14.

1942. Synonymy of some fleas from western North America (Siphonaptera). Can. Ent.
74(9): 157-158.

The Siphonaptera of Canada (in press).

Hubbard, C. A., 1947. Fleas of western North America. Iowa State College Press; pp. I-IX
plus 1-533, 5 half-tone plates; many text figures.

Lima, A. da Costa and C. R. Hathaway, 1946. Pulgas, Bibliografia, Catalogo e Hospedadores.

Monografiias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, No. 4, pp. 1-522.

Munro, J. A., and I. McT. Cowan, 1947. A review of the bird fauna of British Columbia.

B.C. Prov. Mus. Special Publication No. 2; pp. 1-285; figs. 1-42.

Spencer, G. J., 1936. A check list of the fleas of British Columbia, with a note on fleas in
relation to sawdust in homes. Ent. Soc. B.C. Proc. 32:11-17.

1938. Further notes on the fleas of British Columbia. Ibidem, 34:36-38.

Wagner, J., 1936. The fleas of British Columbia. Can. Ent. 68(9) : 193-207; figs. 1-10.

1940. Beitrag zur kenntnis der Flohe von Brit.-Kolumbien. Zeits. f. Parasitenk. 11(4)

: 463-467; figs. 1-7.

NOTE ON LONGEVITY OF CERTAIN TICKS (Ixo-
doidea). — Among the tragedies of the flood of 1948
were the premature deaths of several dozen aged ticks.
These represented the survivors of several species and
stages undergoing longevity tests at the Dominion
Livestock Insect Laboratory, Kamlooups, B.C. Each
group had been kept within unopened, cotton plugged,
shell vials since they had emerged from eggs or their
preceding instars. Except for brief periods, they were
always kept in the dark below ground level under one
of the laboratory buildings. Since observations have
now come to an end, it is fitting to publish the records
as they stand. Ixodes texanus Banks nymphs and
adults, while commencing to die of senility, were 103
and 101 months old respectively. Larvae of this spe-
cies had previously died at the age of 96 months.
This makes a total life cycle of at least 300 months,
though this period must be theoretical since these va-
rious stages may not have had the vigor to perpetu-
ate themselves beyond a certain age. Ixodes hearlei
Gregson adults and Ornithodoros turicata (Dugas)
third nymphs were drowned at the ages of 80 and
100 months. — J. D. Gregson, Kamloops, B.C.

UNUSUAL RECORD OF IXODES SORICIS (Ixodoi-
dea: Ixodidae) — An intresting new host (?) record
for Ixodes soricis Gregson has occurred in the collec-
tion from Silver Creek, Hope, British Columbia, March
29, 1948, of a male of this tick attached to a female
of its own species! The hypostome of the male (yet
undescribed) was firmly embedded in the integument
of an engorged female, ex Sorex obscurus, the site of
the male’s attachment being slightly laterad to the
hind coxa. — J. D. Gregson, Kamloops, B.C.

ANTHAXIA PRASINA Horn (Coleoptera:Buprestidae).
— Anthaxia prasina is recorded from California, but
we can add British Columbia to its range. I found
them once only, at Copper Mountain in 1930, on
flowers of Rosa nutkana, when 35 speciments were
collected: July 12-13. The stem species, A. aeneo-
gaster, was common in the region, usually on various
yellow flowers, but was not associated with this col-
ony. A prasina is a beautiful blue-green insect; the
individuals of my series vary considerably in size, but
are constant in colour and other respects. — G. Stace
Smith, Creston, B.C.

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1948), Vol. 45, July 28, 1949

15

NOTES ON THE OCCURRENCE OF ORNITHODOROS HERMSI IN
BRITISH COLUMBIA, AND ITS PROBABLE RELATION TO RELAPSING
FEVER. ARGASIDAE, IXODOIDEA.*

J. D. Gregson

Livestock Insects Laboratory, Kamloops, B.C.

A new distributional and host record
has been established by the recent discov-
ery of the soft tick Ornithodoros hermsi
Wheeler, Herms and Meyer, at Summer-
land, British Columbia. Two engorged
adult specimens of the tick were forward-
ed to the Dominion Livestock Insect Lab-
oratory at Kamloops on August 4th, 1948,
by Mr. C. V. G. Morgan of the Domin-
ion Fruit Insect Laboratory, Summerland,
who, in turn, had received them from a
local resident. This person had been bit-
ten some dozen times in bed since April
by nocturnal creatures which she believed
to be bedbugs. Finally she captured two
of the culprits and opened the way for
this interesting discovery.

Investigation by the writer revealed her
residence to be an old building situated in
an orchard on a West Summerland bench-
land. The occupant and her mother kept
no' animals and knew of no- rodents being
present, with the exception of a packrat
that had visited her basement the previous
fall, and a mouse that she had caught
there recently. There was, however, a
bluebird nest in an old woodpecker hole in
the eaves over an upper verandah. This
was examined, and yielded, besides five
fledgling bluebirds, a large number of
avian bedbugs, Oeciacus vicarius Horv.,
and twenty-six specimens of Ornithodoros
hermsi. The majority of the ticks had re-
cently fed, and were found in the main
nesting material. Since this was without
doubt the source of the infestation it is of
interest to note that the initial specimens
captured had migrated over a distance of
two storeys, including accents up wooden
and steel bed legs. After the contents
of the nest were removed, the enclosure

* Contribution No. 2575, Division of Entomology,
Science Service, Department of Agriculture, Ottawa,
Canada.

was sprayed with DDT and sealed. How-
ever, it is expected that the occasional
specimen may still appear in crevices in the
well kept but old residence. To date, sev-
eral feedings on laboratory mice have
failed to reveal spirochetes. The human
bites produced no effects other than a se-
vere and prolonged local reaction.

This tick record bears two points of
considerable interest. Firstly, the biotope
records of O. hermsi , as stated by Cooley
and Kohls, (1935), consist of chipmunk
nests in either fir snags, stumps or hollow
logs or cabins, but never ground burrows.
These observations, together with the
marked localization of observed infesta-
tions would suggest a possibility that the
tick is primarily spread and maintained by
an avian host. Secondly, this species is
known to bite man, and because of known
cases of relapsing fever originating from
infested areas, with subsequent isolation of
spirochetes from specimens captured there,
it has been proven a vector of this disease
in California, Colorado, Nevada, Oregon,
northern Idaho and Washington (Davis
1942, 1945). In 1930 and 1932 there

occurred a series of six human cases of
relapsing fever in the Kootenay District of
British Columbia, (Palmer and Crawford
1933). Considerable speculation arose as
to what the vector could be. Hearle
(1934) advanced the theory that one of
the Argasid ticks must be involved, though
a careful search by staff members of this
laboratory failed to find any indications
of these parasites. Again, in 1937 this
laboratory was informed by Dr. Campbell
Brown of Vernon, British Columbia, that
two loggers from Okanagan Centre had
been suffering from a series of relapses.
A further search for vectors once more
proved futile. Thus it is seen that an
Argasid tick has long been suspected as oc-

16

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1948), Vol. 45, July 28, 1949

curring in British Columbia, and as point-
ed out by Davis (1945), the presence of
O. hermsi in the contiguous areas of nor-
thern Idaho and eastern Washington sug-
gested that this species may have been re-
sponsible for the above cases. While at-

tempts to find it had failed, the search had
been directed only towards rodent hosts
and ground burrows. The final discovery
of O. hermsi in a bird’s nest in the prov-
ince consequently throws an interesting
light on the whole picture.

Literature Cited

Cooley, R. A., and G. M. Kohls, 1935. The Argasidae of North America, Central America
and Cuba. The Amer, Midland Nat. Monograph No. 1., U.of Notre Dame, pp. 1-152; text
figs. 1-57; plates 1-14.

Davis, G. E., 1942. Tick Vectors and Life Cycles of Ticks. A.A.A.S. Monograph No. 18, pp.
67-76.

Davis, G. E., 1945. In Mackie, T. T., Hunter, G. W., and C. B. Worth, Manual Trop. Med.,
Saunders.

Hearle, E., 1934. Vectors of Relapsing Fever in Relation to an Outbreak of the Disease in
British Columbia. Can. Med. Assoc. Journ. 30:494-497.

Palmer, J. H., and J. M. Crawford, 1933. Relapsing Fever in North America with Report
of an Outbreak in British Columbia. Can. Med. Assoc. Journ. 28:643-647.

PARASITIC COLEOPTERA

Geo. R. Hopping

University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C.

Parasitism in the Coleoptera is so rare
that when a parasitic species is discovered
it is an event of considerable note. There
are five known species of beetles parasitic,
or suspected of being parasitic on birds and
mammals. The collection of the Univer-
sity of British Columbia contains four of
these species which is rather remarkable
and a tribute to Professor G. J. Spencer
who has persistently and assiduously built
up this collection.

The species of parasitic Coleoptera rep-
resent three families and four genera in
the super-family Stafhylinoidea. The
family Platyfsillidae contains one species
only, Platyfsyllus castoris Ritsema. This
curious insect has been known since 1869
and has been taken a considerable number
of times both in Europe and America, on
beaver, where it is a permanent, obligate
parasite.

The head of the adult is provided with
a comb-like row of spines near the hind
margin. There are no eyes, and the man-
dibles are vestigial. The maxillae are well
developed and are similar to those of oth-
er Coleoptera. This insect was placed in
a separate order by Westwood, but the
larval characters are unmistakably coleop-
terous Its place within the order is some-

what in doubt. A careful, morphological
study of all stages might yield a perman-
ent solution to the problem.

In the family Leftinidae there are two
genera and three species. Leftinus testa-
ceus Mull., often has been recorded from
the nest of bumble bees and once has been
recorded as occurring on mice and once
from shrews. More recently J. D. Greg-
son took it on a species of Sorex from Sil-
ver Creek, B.C., April 26, 1940. This
species if correctly determined, is about
2.5 mm. long, reddish brown in colour,
with 1 1 segmented antennae and 5 seg-
mented tarsi. There are 6 visible abdominal
segments. The entire body is covered with
short setae, sparsely and uniformly distri-
buted. The mouth parts were difficult to
distinguish but obviously the maxillae are
well developed while the mandibles ap-
pear to be vestigial and the eyes are want-
ing. The front coxae are contiguous, the
intercoxal piece acuminate. The elytra
completely or nearly cover the abdomen,
and there are no hind wings.

The genus Leftinillus is represented by
two species, L. validus Horn and L. aflo-
dontiae Ferris. The former species was
described in 1872 and has been recorded
from Alaskan beaver skins by C. V. Riley

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1948), Vol. 45, July 28, 1949

17

(Insect Life 1, 1888). Recently this spe-
cies has been received from Mr. O.
French of Lempriere, B.C. These speci-
mens also were taken from beaver skins.

The mandibles appear to be vestigial but
the maxillae are well developed with a
fringe of recurved spines around the mar-
gin of the galea. The antennae are 1 1
segmented, the abdomen with 6 visible
segments as in Leftinus but the intercoxal
piece of the prosternum separates the front
coxae and the tip is blunt, not acuminate
as in Leftinus. There is also a long tuft
of hairs projecting from the tip. This
species is nearly 5 mm. long. It is appar-
ently blind as is Leftinus.

L. aflodontiae was described by Ferris
in 1918. It was taken from a species of
Aflodontia or mountain beaver, a genus
of rodents peculiar to the Pacific Coast.
The type locality is Fallen Leaf Lake,
Plumas Co., California, the host animal

being taken in August, 1917, by W. R.
Fisher. The fifth species here dealt with
is in the family Silphidae with only one
member of the genus, Lyrosoma ofaca.
Mann. It resides in the nests of certain
maritime birds and may not be parasitic
in the strict sense although it apparently
utilizes the birds for transportation pur-
poses. This species does not have the ex-
treme modifications of the other forms
.such as excessive flattening, blindness, and
vestigial mandibles. The compound eyes
are well developed but the facets are rath-
er coarse and there are only about 200 to
each eye. It is suggested that this may be
a species in process of acquiring a para-
sitic habit, but as yet not strictly parasitic.

I am indebted to Professor Spencer for
making certain records available to me in
connection with some of these species of
parasitic Coleoptera.

Literature Cited
Ritsema, C., 1869. On Platypsyllus. Pet. Nouv. Entom. 1.

Horn, W., 1872. Description of some New North American Coleoptera. Trans. Am. Ent. Soc.
5, 143-152.

Ferris, G. F., 1918. An apparently new species of Leptinillus. Can. Ent. 50, 125-128.

Muller, 1817. Bemerk u. einige Insekten. Germar Mag. Zool. 2, 266-289.

Mannerheim, 1853. Dritter Nachtrag der Aleutischen Insulen Bull. Moscou 26, 95-273.

NOTES ON THE LIFE HISTORY OF XANTHORHOE DEFENSARIA GN.

(Lepidoptera: Geometridae)

George A. Hardy
Provincial Museum, Victoria, B.C.

Several specimens of the geometrid
moth, X anthorhoe defensaria Gn., were
taken at light on September 19-21, 1947
in the Municipality of Saanich, Vancouver
Island, B.C. From one of the specimens
a batch of eggs was obtained and half of
the resulting caterpillars were reareed to
maturity. Since no account of the life-
history of this species was available, it is
thought that the following notes may be
of interest as a confirmation or supplement
to what may already be known about this
species.

Ovum. Laid on September 20, 1947, in
a glass phial in ones and twos, or in small,

irregular groups promiscuously disposed on
the sides or in the angles of the contain-
er. A total of 25 eggs was deposited.
They were subsequently kept at a cool
room temperature.

The egg is oval, smooth and whitish in
colour with a pearly lustre, becoming dark-
er towards hatching time. It is attached
to the substratum by an adhesive substance
at the small end. Length 0.75 mm. Width
0.5 mm.. The shell is not consumed by
the newly emerged caterpillar.

Larva. Eggs hatched on October 8, after
an average incubation period of 18 days.
As I was not aware of the food plant,

18

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1948), Vol. 45, July 28, 1949

and little choice being available at this
season of the year, recourse was made to
chickweed (5 tellarla media) which was
reluctantly accepted by the caterpillars.
Twelve out of tweny-five were succeess-
fully reared; the remainder died during
their first instar from unknown causes.

1st Instar. October 8. Length on em-
ergence from egg, 2 mm. General ap^
pearance, translucent with a tinge of green.
Head oval, light pinkish cinnamon; oceilli
conspicuously black; thoracic and prolegs
colourless. Each segment with a few
very short, slightly knobbed setae, less no-
ticeable on the anterior and posterior seg-
ments. Towards the end of this instar
a tinge of cinnamon stains the first six
abdominal segments. When disturbed, the
caterpillar raises the body vertically, curl-
ing the anterior portion in a loop, head
uppermost. Stadium, 13 days.

2nd Instar. October 21. Length 6 mm.
Apart from an increase in size, the colour
is more definite, though not pronounc-
edly so. A light translucent green, tinged
as before with pale cinnamon, prevails,
with more distinction in shade between
dorsal and ventral surfaces. Stadium, 7
days.

3rd Instar. October 27. Length 12-17
mm. Development is irregular, some
moulting a few days ahead of others of
the same instar. Color still somewhat in-
decisive; head mottled brown on greenish
background and furnished with short de-
pressed hairs; the thoracic and last abdom-
inal segments green, the remainder pale
cinnamon, which now shows a definite
pattern of small black spots on the dor-
sum of the second to fifth abdominal, in-
clusive. These spots mark the outline of
an X and are in the form of four black
dots with a central longitudinal black dash
between them. The X mark is most dis-
tinct on the fifth abdominal segment, be-
coming progressively less toward the sec-
ond, where it is represented by only two
dots.

A loose epidermal fold is now discern-

able along each side just below the spir-
acles. Spiracles, almost invisible whitish
dots. Stadium, 7 days.

4th Instar. November 4. Length 20-22
mm. In addition to the same general pat-
tern as noted in the previous instar there
is a noticeable increase in opacity. An in-
terrupted wavy lateral line of dark brown
is now evident, becoming continuous on
the last three abdominals. Numerous, very
fine longitudinal whitish lines appear on
both dorsal and ventral surfaces. These
lines are grouped in threes and fours, each
group bounded by a more strongly marked
line. Spiracles whitish with a faint dusky
outline, set on a lighter ground colour.
Some caterpillars are more strongly mark-
ed than others, or have a more greenish
tone throughout. The green, in all cases,
prevails to a greater or lesser extent in the
thoracic and anal segments. When dis-
turbed, the caterpillars still adopt the curled
attitude, but also have developed a habit
of straightening and remaining quiet in
the typical twig-resembling characteristic
of geometrid larvae. If forcibly knocked
off the food plant, they feign death by
lying stiffly straight like bits of sticks.

They feed at night, and at all times
show a decided avoidance of daylight,
keeping well to the base of the food plant
during the day. Just before pupation, the
greatest length of the caterpillars was 23
mm. Stadium, 7 days.

Pupa. Pupated November 1 1 th- 1 8th.
Length 10 mm. Width 3 mm. A very
slight silken cocoon is made, either among
the leaves of the food plant, which are
lightly drawn together to form a small
cubicle, or as in one case observed, by
burrowing just beneath the surface of the
soil and spinning a cocoon of grains of
soil held together by silken strands. When
the cocoon is completed the caterpillar re-
mains quiescent for a period of four days,
as noted specifically in one case and as-
sumed to be so in others. The pupa is
green at first, changing to a dark ma-
hogany colour in five hours’ time. The
pleura of the pupa are much lighter in

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1948), Vol. 45, July 28, 1949

19

colour. Abdominal segments are finely
punctate. The cremaster is composed of
two long and several very short bristles,
each with a strongly recurved hook at the
tip. These hooked bristles allow the pupa
to hold on to the silken strands of the co-
coon. Period of pupal stage averages 25
days.

Adult. Emerged December 6-12. The
reared specimens average a wing expanse
of 27.88 mm. as compared with 24.55
mm. for those taken under natural condi-
tions. These measurements include both
sexes, which were approximately equal in
numbers.

Remarks. No doubt the temperature of
the room was responsible for the unex-
pected hatching of the eggs, laid so late in
the season. It is presumed that under nor-
mal conditions these would not have
hatched until the following spring, or if
the larvae emerged in the fall they would
have hibernated in the early stages. No
adults have been observed under natural
conditions, at or since the emergence of
the reared specimens, which would sug-
gest that overwintering in the egg or young
larval stage is the rule.

I am indebted to Mr. J. R. Llewellyn
Jones for a list of the food plants known
to him. These are Salix spp., Alnus ru-
bra, Ribes sanguineum and Acer macro-
fhyllum. He adds that the species prob-
ably feeds on a wider range of food
plants than indicated above, a surmise
substantiated in the present instance. All
these plants had shed their leaves before
the larvae could have utilized them this
season, further evidence against normal
hatching of the eggs in the fall.

The fact that the bred specimens were
larger than their parents is of some signi-
ficance, for they closely match the form
gigantaria Swett. which is the normal

spring brood. As this species is said to be
many brooded, the three other named
forms, all from the same district and
named by the same authority, may be sea-
sonal varieties. Further breeding along
these lines would be interesting and might
test the theory that all the forms could be
produced from one set of parents in suc-
cession during the course of the year.
The several variations of this species were
pointed out by Blackmore (1917) and
described by Swett (1916). Blackmore
suggested that they may be seasonal forms
of the same species, a status that can only
be proved by life history and genitalia
studies. The present life history is sub-
mitted as a contribution towards a solu-
tion of the first of these objectives.

Summary. A female of Xanthorhoe de-
fens aria Gn. captured in the Municipality
of Saanich, Vancouver I., B.C., on Sep-
tember 20, 1947, laid 25 eggs. These
hatched 18 days later and half of the re-
sultant larvae were brought to maturity
on the common chickweed ( Stellaria me-
dia). Food plants hitherto recorded are
all shrubs. The first instar lasted 13 days;
second, 7 days; third, 7 days; fourth, 7
days; a total of 34 days. Pupation took
place on December 6-12, and lasted for
25 days. The complete life history from
oviposition to adult is therefore 77 days.
The reared adults averaged larger than
their parents.

Under natural conditions it is assumed
that the egg is the overwintering stage and
that those laid in confinement developed
prematurely owing to the artificial stimu-
lus of ordinary room temperature.

The theory is advanced that all the
named forms of this species are seasoned
variations, and could be produced in one
season by successive breeding from one
set of parents.

Literature Cited

Blackmore, E. H., 1917. Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C., Syst. Ser. 10:17.
Swett, L. W., 1916. Can. Ent. 48(10 : 349.

20

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1948), Vol. 45, July 28, 1949

SCAPHINOTUS (NEOCYCHRUS) ANGULATUS
SUBSP. MARITIMUS FROM DEPARTURE BAY, B.C.
(Coleoptera, Carabidae). — During October 1946, I
found by chance at Departure Bay a specimen of that
rather scarce carabid beetle Cychrus tuberculatus
Harr. While this in itself was a worthwhile find, it
led to a still more notable discovery.

Being anxious to secure a series of C. tuberculatus,
I returned shortly to the spot and conducted an ex-
tensive search. Although unable to find any more
Cychrus, I came across two examples of Scaphinotus
(Neocychrus) angulatus subsp. maritimus Van Dyke.

Several ensuing searches over the same area pro-
duced no further results of note. However, just about
a year later, the discovery of remnants of C. tuber-
culatus in an empty beer bottle gave me the idea of
trying out traps. Small pickle jars, sunk in the
ground, and baited with fermented quince jelly and
honey, proved extremely effective. I kept the traps
going for about a month, visiting them as a rule once
in two or three days. In this time they yielded a
large number of beetles of the genera Scaphinotus,
Pterostichus, and Holiciopiiorus, among which were
twenty-one examples of Scaphinotus angulatus, all of
the rare black phase maritimus.

Only over a very small area were the traps effec-
tive in securing S. angulatus. If set more than a few
yards from an old maple stump, which apparently
harbored a colony of these beetles, only common spe-
cies were taken.

Dr. Van Dyke writes, 1 “The typical phase of the
species is listed from Vancouver Island, Western Wash-
ington, east of Puget Sound and Portland, Oregon.
Numbers were at one time found by Professor O. B.
Johnson near Seattle, though it is quite rare in col-
lections.”

“The subspecies is but a color phase of the preced-
ing though all specimens found within its area of dis-
tribution are similar. It is entirely black and shining
and seems to be confined to the Olympic Peninsula of
Washington. My type, I collected near Port Angeles.
Others seen, are from Melbourne, Hoquiam and the
Olympic National Forest. It is also very rare.”

Acknowledgments: I am deeply indebted to Mr. H.
B. Leech and Dr. Edwin C. Yan Dyke for determina-
tion of material and also to Dr. Van Dyke for send-
ing me the literature from which the above extracts
were taken. — Richard Guppy, Wellington, B.C.

1A review of the subgenera Stenocanthoris Gistel
and Neocychrus Roeschke of the genus Scaphinotus
Dejean — Entomologica Americana 24(1) :1-19, 1944.

POECILONOTA MONTANUS Chamb. ( Coleoptera :Bu-

prestidae). — In 1945 I discovered a host tree of Poe-
cilonota montanus at Creston, B.C. It was a large liv-
ing tree of Populus trichocarpa, with the trunk bark
.riddled with fresh and old exit holes, and 19 speci-
mens were collected on the trunk: July 22 to August
14. Hoping the next season to discover the earliest
date of appearance, the tree was closely watched, but
no specimens were seen. This suggested a two-year
cycle, so the same watching was followed in 1947,
and 13 specimens were gathered: July 13 to August
17. P. montanus is larger than californica, and much
scarcer, and in color exactly matches the bark of the
host tree. — G. Stace Smith, Creston, B.C.

THE EGG-POTENTIAL OF ERGATES SPICULATUS

Lee. (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) . — On August 1, 1944,
I was given a large, heavily -gravid specimen of Er-
gates spiculatus Lee., the long-horned fir stump borer
which a citizen had picked up in Riverside Park,
Kamloops. The beetle was sluggish on account of the
tremendous distension of its abdomen. After cyanid-
ing it, I dissected out the eggs, of which there were
494 in all. They were remarkably uniform in size,
averaging 4 mm. in length and 2 mm. diameter at the
middle; a very few were slightly smaller, being 3.6
mm. by 1.9 mm. They- were uniformly cream colored,
shaped like a rugby football but proportionately broad-
er in the middle, with more pointed ends. The mi-
cropilar end was slightly indented like a minute cra-
ter. The whole surface of the chorion was coarsely
and uniformly beaded like the surface of a beaded
projector screen.

Since the beetle had been captured and not reared,
it was impossible to tell whether or not it had al-
ready laid any eggs ; certainly the abdomen was so dis-
tended that it could not have laid very many, if any
at all. The condition of the acrotrophic ovarioles indi-
cated that in this species, all the eggs mature at about
the same time because there were no smaller ones
developing in the germaria as occurs in the panoistic
ovarioles of our common grasshoppers which lay their
eggs at intervals, in pods. — G. J. Spencer, Depart-
ment of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Van-
couver, B.C.

GASTRALLUS MARGINIPENNIS Lee. (Coleoptera:
^.nobiidae). — A new record for British Columbia is
Gastrallus marginipennis, though two specimens have
been in my collection since 1932, but only recently
identified by H. B. Leech. Before spring of that year
I discovered a host plant, Clematis ligusticifolia, on
the banks of the Kootenay River at Creston. The
stems were riddled with small holes containing larvae.
I tried to rear these but only one adult emerged
(March 19) ; later (July 5), the second specimen
was taken on the same bush. They are small, com-
pact, brown beetles, resembling Throscidae, and have
been recorded from California and Colorado. — G. Stace
Smith, Crestin, B.C.

HUMMING BIRDS VISITING APHIDS.— In July.

1947, I was watching a red-throated humming bird
visiting the flowers in my garden and noted one in-
dividual which left the flowers and hovered up and
down the large limbs of a nearby apple tree. As no
leaves or blossoms occurred on the limb, I made a
closer examination and saw the bird introducing its
beak among the colonies of woolly apple aphids which
were present around the stubs where side shoots had
been cut from the main limbs.

The colonies were small, but the bird visited each
in turn, being evidently attracted by the drops of
honey-dew which are always plentiful on colonies of
the aphid. On the other hand, it may have been
feeding on the aphids themselves, but I could not de-
termine this point. The waxy covering of the aphids
was much torn and disturbed by the activities of the
bird. — E. P. Venables, Vernon, B.C.

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1948), Vol. 45, July 28, 1949

21

AN ANNOTATED LIST OF THE COLEOPTERA TAKEN AT OR NEAR

TERRACE, BRITISH COLUMBIA. PART 21

M. E. Clark
Massett, B.C.

ORTHOPERIDAE

Sacium lugubre LeC. — Vidit H. C. Fall.

STAPH YLINIDAE

Micropeplus costatus LeC. — Vidit H. C. Fall.

MicropepTus sp. — On fungus. Unknown to
Fall, and not in his collection.

Emalus nigrella LeC. — Taken under pine
bark, from tunnels of hark beetles.

Proteinus basalts LeC. — Near one in the
LeConte collection; November 3, 1923.

Proteinus n. sp. — Taken June and July, 1931.
Probably now in the Fall collection.

Megarthrus sinuatocollis Boisd. — Taken June
and July, 1931; vidit H. C. Fall.

Megarthrus sp, — Unknown species, taken in
rotten leaves, March 19, 1937.

Anthobium pothos Mann. — June 12, 1920;
vidit H. C. Fall and E. C. Van Dyke.

Anthobium sp. — An unknown species.

Acrulia tumiclula Makl. — Vidit H. C. Fall.

Phyllodrepa sp. near megarthroides Fauv.;
det. H. C. Fall.

Phyllodrepa n. sp.

Omalium rivulare Payk. — June and July, by
sifting and in fungus; vidit H. C. Fall.

Omalium humerosum Fauv.? — Vidit H. C.
Fall, who said “vicinity of.”

Omalium n. sp., near longulum Makl.; det.
H. 0. Fall.

Omalium spp. — Four unknown species.

Phloeonomus lapponicus Zett.

Porrhodites fenestralis Zett. — Vidit H. C.
Fall.

Lathrimaeum pictum Fauv.

Lathrimaeum humerale Csy. — Taken Novem-
ber 3, 1923.

Lathrimaeum reflexicolle Csy. — From mouse
nest, March 19, 1935; vidit H. C. Fall.

Lathrimaeum sp. — An unknown species from
Thornhill Mountain; vidit H. C. Fall.

Arpedium sp. — Three specimens, November
3, 1923, and in 1927; unknown to H. C.
Fall.

Acidota sp. — An unknown species taken in
1931.

Amphichroum maculatum Horn — On spathes
of skunk cabbage.

Pelecomalium testaceum Mann. — June, 1928,
on skunk cabbage; vidit E. C. Van Dyke.

Tilea rufitarsis Csy. — From Thornhill Moun-
tain; vidit R. E. Blackwelder.

Ancyrophorus biimpressus Makl. — Taken on
November 24, 1923.

Trogophloeus sp. — An unknown species.

Aploderus linearis LeC. — Taken March 15,
1937; det. H. C. Fall.

Oxytelus fuscipennis Mann.

1 Part I appeared in the previous issue of this
journal, pp. 24-27. I am again greatly indebted to
Mr. C. A. Frost, who has checked the manuscript, and
who in past years submitted many of my beetles to
the late Dr. H. C. Fall and others for identification
or verification.

Oxytelus nitidulus Grav., or possibly suspec-
tus Csy. — Collected March 18, 1937; det. H.
C. Fall.

Platystethus americanus Er.

Bledius mysticus Fall.

Bledius sp. — An unknown species.

Stenus vexatus Csy. — From muddy puddle
of drainage on flat.

Stenus insularis Csy. — From moss on flats.

Stenus corvus Csy. — Taken at Lakelse Lake.

Stenus convictor Csy. — Taken at Lakelse
Lake, and in moss, November 5, 1923.

Stenus sp., near convictor. — Taken Febru-
ary, 1940.

Stenus nanulus Csy. — Taken at Lakelse
Lake, March, 1927, and in rotten leaves.

Stenus sp. — Undescribed species; Lakelse
Lake.

Stenus maritimus Mots. — In moss, March,
1935.

Stenus pterobrachys G. & H. — Scarce, June,
1931, and February, 1940.

Stenus alpicola Fauv. — In moss, March 21,
1937.

Stenus egenus Er. — Taken in 1927.

Stenus n. sp. — Collected February, 1940.

Stenus n. sp., nearest curtus Csy. — Taken in
1933.

Stenus punctiger Csy. — Taken while sifting,
August, 1927.

Stenus sectator Csy.

Stenus sp., near sectator. — Vidit H. C. Fall.

Stenus mammops Csy. — Taken in June, 1931.

Stenus reconditus Csy.

Stenus rugifer Csy.

Stenus austini Csy.— In moss, March 18,
1935.

Stenus juno Fab. — Two females and one
male; June, 1938.

Stenus pollens Csy. — Taken in 1939.

Stenus sp. — A new species near monticola
Csy.

Euaestethus sp. — “Species seems new”; det.
M. W. Sanderson. Taken by sifting, June
and July, 1931.

Paederus pugetensis Csy. — Rare.

Lathrobium rigidum Csy.? — Or near rigi-
dum ; taken in 1933 and 1938.

Lathrobium sp. — Species near simile LeC.
Taken in 1938.

Tetartopeus finitimus LeC— Collected June
1, 1920; one sent to Casey.

Lathrotropis sp. — An unknown species.

fMedon sp. — “Or near”; March 4.

Orus punctatus Csy. — Vidit H. C. Fall.

Stilicus oregonus Csy. — Rare; taken in 1931.

Astenus longiusculus Man.

Nudobius cephalus Say. — Rare.

Nudobius spp. — Two unknown species.

Gyrohypnus fusciceps LeC.

Gyrohypnus sp. near fusciceps.

Gyrohypnus obsidianus Melsh. — Rare, taken
in 1931; vidit H. C. Fall.

Gyrohypnus obscurus Er. — Species vera,
teste H. C. Fall.

22

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1948), Vol. 45, July 28, 1949

Leptacinodes nigritulus LeC. — February 6,
1926.

Hesperolinus piceus Csy. — One pair taken in
1933.

Hesperolinus brunnescens LeC.

Parothius californicus Mann. — Vidit H. C.
Fall.

Baptolinus macrocephalus Nordm.

Philonthus — (All species passed on by H. C.
Fall).

Philonthus furvus Nordm.

Philonthus sp., near politus Linn.

Philonthus sip., near atratus Grav. — Under
grizzly bear bones.

Philonthus varians Payk.

Philonthus sp. — Unknown to C. A. Frost and
H. C. Fall.

Philonthus sordidus Grav.

Philonthus crotchi Horn, or near.

Philonthus nigritulus Grav. — Scarce.

Philonthus nigritulus Grav., or near. — In
numbers in old sacks, March, 1937.

Philonthus longicornis Steph. — Rare.

Philonthus aurulentus Horn.

Philonthus tetragonoceplialus Notman. —
Scarce.

Philonthus agilis Grav. — Taken in 1931.

Philonthus punctatellus Horn. — Taken in
1937.

Philonthus micro phthalmus Horn. — Taken
in 1937.

Philonthus quadricollis Horn. — Taken in
1937.

Philonthus debilis Grav. — Taken in 1937.

Philonthus sp., near quadricollis. — Taken in
1937.

Staphylinus fossator Grav. — About stables.

Staphylinus pleuralis LeC. — On dung, and
under boards.

Staphylinus caesar eus Cederhj.

Ontholestes cingulatus Grav. — Frequent, on
cow and horse dung.

Creophilus villosus Grav. — Scarce; on car-
rion.

Heterothops californicus LeC. — Taken in
1931; vidit H. C. Falk

Heterothops carbonatus ' Fall. — Vidit H. C.
Fall.

Quedius sp., near marginalis Makl. — Taken
in 1931.

Quedius laevigatus Gyll.

Quedius mesomelinus Marsh.

Quedius aenescens Makl., or near — Under
grizzly bear bones.

Tachinus maculicollis Makl. — From fungus,
November, 1919.

Tachinus basalis Er.

Tachinus crotchi Horn.

Tachinus circumcinctus Makl. — Taken in
August, 1927.

Tachinus nigricornis Mann. — Taken by sift-
ing in 1927 and 1931.

Tachinus instabilis Makl. — Taken in 1931.

Tachinus tachyporoides Horn. — Taken in
1931.

Tachyporus acaudus Say. — Under bits of
wood, loose bark, etc., frequent in spring;
det. Blackwelder.

Tachyporus nitidulus Fab. — Det. Blackwel-
der.

Tachyporus rulomus Blkwr. — Taken March
9, 1927; det. Blackwelder.

Tachyporus jocosus Say.?

Bolitobius cincticollis Say.

Bolitobius poecilus Mann.

Bolitobius o bsoletus Say., or near. — H. C.
Fall remarked “No concusion.”

Bolitobius n. sp., near intrusus Horn.

Bolitobius intrusus Horn.

Bryoporus rufescens LeC.

Mycetoporus flavicollis LeC. — Taken by sift-
ing; June and July, 1931

Mycetoporus humidus Say. — In rotting fun-
gus, June and July, 1931.

Mycetoporus splendidus Grav. — According to
H. C. Fall.

Deinopsis spp. — Several unidentified species.

Myllaena sp. — Not identified.

Datomicra zosterae Thoms.

Acrotona fungi Grav. — Taken on decayed
soft fungus.

Aleochara bimaculata Grav.

Aleochara sp. — Taken in 1938. Species not
known to H. C. Fall.

PSELAPHIDAE

Sonoma corticina Csy. — Rare; found under a
board in April.

Sonoma parviceps Makl. — -Rare; taken by
sifting in June and July; vidit A. S. Nico-
lay.

Cupila clavicornis Makl. — Very rare; det. A.

S. Nicolay.

Actium retractum Csy. — Two specimens;
vidit A. S. Nicolay.

Actium pacificum Csy., “or near”. — Det. H.
C. Fall.

Reichenbachia spp. — Two undescribed spe-
cies; vidit H. C. Fall.

Tychus tenellus LeC.— Rare; shaken from
moss, November, 1920.

Tychus cognatus LeC. — Rare; taken by sift-
ing, June and July, 1931.

Pselaphus bellcix Csy. — Rare; taken by sift-
• ing, June and July, 1931; vidit H. C. Fall.

PTILIIDAE

Ptenidium pullum Makl., “or near; legs
lighter” (note by H. C. Fall). From a
squirrel’s nest, February 4 and March 18,
1935.

Acratrichis spp. — A large and a small species
in moss in November, both unidentified.

Ptiliidae — A dozen specimens of an uniden-
tified species, from a mouse nest.

SCAPHIDIIDAE

Scaphium castanipes Kby. — Taken in 1932.

Scaphisoma convexum Say? — Taken under
bark.

Scaphisoma castaneum Mots. — Vidit H. C.
Fall.

Scaphidiidae — An unidentified species.

SPHAERITIDAE

Sphaerites politus Mann. — Rare; taken be-
side Alwynne Creek, on bleaching bear
bones.

HISTERIDAE

Hister umfrilicatus Csy. — “Not quite typical,”

T. L. Casey said of one sent to him.

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1948), Vol. 45, July 28, 1949

23

Hister umbrosus Csy. — Found about the
stable. Fall called this a synonym of the
above.

Hister immunis Er. — On sand near the
river, 1934. Vidit H. C. Fall, but called
fidelis Csy. by C. G. Siepmann.

Isolomalus mancus Csy. — In numbers under
spruce bark, August, 1927.

Plegaderus sp. — Unknown species; vidit II.
C. Fall. Very rare under hemlock bark on
fallen trees from which bark is stripping.

Saprinus estriatus LeC. — Scarce, sand bank
on slough near Skeena River, August, 1927.

Saprinus oregonensis LeC.

Saprinus bigemmeus LeC. — Mr. Frost wrote
“Not quite like some from California sea
coast.”

LYCIDAE

Eros simplicipes Mann. — Frequent in the
woods; May 25, 1929; June; det. E. C.
Van Dyke.

Eros aurora Hbst. — Scarce; in the woods,
June.

Eros nigripes Schaeff. — Scarce; in flight,
first week of May; det. by C. Schaeffer
and E. C. Van Dyke.

Eros thoracicus Rand. — Scarce; vidit H. C.
Fall.

Plateros sp. — An unknown species:

Plater os calif ornicus Van Dyke? — Vidit H.
C. Fall.

LAMPYRIDAE

Lucidota corrusca Linn. — Common on flow-
ers and herbage in the spring, and on wild
everlasting flowers in the fall.

Lucidota lacustris LeC.— One of my speci-
mens was compared with the type.

CANTHARIDAE

Podabrus piniphilus Elsch. — Scarce; flying in
May, June and July.

Podabrus comes LeC.

Silis pallida Mann. — June 14, 1920.

Maltliodes sp.-^-May have been humidus Fen-
der or oregonus Fender.

MELASIDAE

Melasis rufipennis Horn. — Rarely found, but
was breeding in numbers in a confined
spot in punky hemlock.

Isorhipis ruficornis Say. — “New record for
the west.” Taken in 1933.

Microrhagus pectinatus LeC. — “New record
for the west.”

Epiphanis cornutus Esch.

THROSCIDAE

Pactopus hornii LeC. — Scarce; flying; under
moss in November, under cover in June;
vidit H. C. Fall.

Throscus carinicollis Schaeff. — Det. H. C.
Fall.

HETEROCERIDAE

Heterocerus brunneus Melsh.? — H. C. Fall’s
note: “runs to, but not the true one.”

DASCILLIDAE

Macropogon piceus Horn? — “May be dubius
Brown.” Scarce; under dry moss flakes
in May; on rocks of Little Canyon, Ter-
race.

Araeopidius monachus LeC.

Eucinetus terminalis LeC. — “New record for
the west”; det. H. C. Fall, 1937.

Eucinetus sp. — An undescribed species; in
Mr. C. A. Frost’s collection.

HELODIDAE

Cyphon variabilis Thunb.

Cyphon concinnus LeC.

BYTURIDAE

Byturus bakeri Barber? — Vidit H. S. Barber;
a bad pest on the wild blackcaps and rasp-
berries.

DERMESTIDAE

Dermestes lardarius Linn. — A common pest;
also taken on Thornhill Mountain.

Dermestes signatus LeC. — Scarce; a speci-
men compared with the type by C. A.
Frost.

Dermestes talpinus Mann.

Orphilus subnitidus LeC.?

Orphilus aequalis Csy.?

BYRRHIDAE

Tylicus subcanus LeC.

Listemus acuminatus Mann. — By sifting
moss.

Simplocaria tessellata LeC.

Gytilus alternatus Say. — Along roadsides,
and on flats.

Byrrhus concolor Kby. — May, 1920.

ByrrTnus difficilis Csy. — From Thornhill
Mountain.

Byrrhus americanus LeC. — Found among
grass roots, and on flats.

Byrrhus cyclophorus Kby. — From Thornhill
Mountain.

Curimopsis setulosa Mann. — Vidit H. C. Fall.

Lioligus striolatus . Csy. — Vidit H. C. Fall.

OSTOMIDAE

Ostoma pipping skoeldi Mann. — Rare; on
pine, and from Thornhill Mountain.

Ostoma nigrina Csy. — December 10, 1920, on
rotten wood, spruce and hemlock. Rare.

Ostoma columbiana Csy.

NITIDULIDAE

Cercus pennatus Murr. — Scarce on elder
bark and bush; vidit Parsons.

Colopterus truncatus Rand. — Under edges of
bark on freshly cut brush, June, 1931.

Nitidula nigra Schfr. — A subspecies of
rufipes L.; teste Parsons.

Nitidula rufipes L. — Rare under edges of
bark on freshly cut brush, June, 1931.

Omosita discoidea Fab. — Frequent on bones,
March 13 to June; vidit C. T. Parsons.

Omosita colon L.

Epuraea planulata Er. — (All species of this
genus vidit Parsons.)

Epuraea truncatella Mann.

Epuraea spp. — Two new species, one near
avara Rand.

Epuraea terminalis Mann.

Epuraea adumbrata Mann.

Epuraea integra Horn.

Gryptarcha ampla Er.

G-lischrochilus quadrisignatus Say. — Found
on stale bread.

24

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1948), Vol. 45, July 28, 1949

Glischrochilus vittatus Say. — Vidit C. T.
Parsons.

Glischrochilus moratus Brown. — Vidit C. T.
Parsons.

RHIZOPHAGIDAE

Rhizophagus sculpturatus Mann. — Vidit H.
C. Fall.

Rhizophagus remotus Lee. — Rare; in sap on
cedar stump.

Rhizophagus dimidiatus Mann. — Vidit H. C.
Fall.

Rhizophagus brunneus Horn. — Vidit H. C.
Fall.

MONOTOMIDAE

Monotoma picipes Herbst. — Taken on a barn
window in July, 1931.

CUCUJIDAE

Oryzaephilus surinamensis L. — Beneath
bark.

Cathartus sp. — An unknown species.

Cathartus advena Waltl. — Det. C. A. Frost.

Pediacus fuscus Er.

Pediacus depressus Hbst. — Rare, under hem-
lock bark.

Cucujus clavipes var. puniceus Mann. — Un-
der bark.

Dendrophagus glafoer LeC. — Frequent under
loose bark.

EROTYLIDAE

Triplax thoracica Say.

Triplax californica LeC. — Vidit H. C. Fall.

DERODONTIDAE

Derodontus trisignatus Mann. — On white
fungus in November.

CRYPTOPHAGIDAE

Salebius octodentatus Makl.

Cryptophagus lepidus Csy. — Taken by sift-
ing.

Cryptophagus bidentatus Makl.

Cryptophagus cellaris Scop. — March 6, 1937 ;
vidit A. S. Nicolay.

Cryptophagus sp. — An unknown species, on
cabbage in the cellar, March 18, 1937.

Cryptophagus brevipilis Csy., or near.

Cryptophagus spp. — Two unknown species;
vidit H. C. Fall. One occurred on cabbage
in the cellar, March 8, 1937.

Cryptophagus saginatus Sturm., or near.

Henoticus serratus Gyll.

Caenoscelis ferruginea Sahib. — Taken when
sifting fermenting grass in June and July,
1931; vidit H. C. Fall.

Atomaria fallax Csy. (In the catalogue as
Anchicera fallax Csy. — Eds.)

Atomaria sp. — An unknown species, taken
in June, 1931.

Atomaria vespertina Makl. — Vidit H. C. Fall.

Anchicera n. sp. — Taken on February 4 from
a squirrel dump. Now in C. A. Frost’s col-
lection.

Anchicera ephippiata Zimm.

Anchicera ochracea var. pennsylvanica Csy.
— Compared with type by Nicolay.

MYCETOPHAGIDAE

Mycetophagus californicus Horn. — Taken in
1933, and on Thornhill Mountain.

LATHRIDIIDAE

Lathridius costicollis LeC.

Lathridius liratus LeC.

Lathridius lardarius Deg. — In flight at win-
dows.

Coninomus constrictus Gyll. — November 3,
1923; also by sifting, June and July, 1931.

Enicmus tenuicornis LeC.

Enicmus protensicollis Mann. — On cabbage
in cellar, March 17, 1934; vidit H. C. Fall.

Enicmus fictus Fall. — On cabbage in cellar,
March 6, 1937; vidit H. C. Fall.

Enicmus cordatus Bel. — June, 1931, rare.

Enicmus minutus L. — Taken while sifting,
June and July, 1931; also on cabbage in
cellar, March 18, 1937; vidit H. C. Fall.

Enicmus suspectus Fall. — Sifted from fer-
menting grass, 1937.

Corticaria ferruginea Marsh. — Sifted from
moss.

Corticaria sp. — An unknown species, but “not
similata Gyll.”; vidit H. C. Fall.

Corticaria dentigera LeC. — “ Columbia Fall a
possibility”; vidit H. C. Fall.

Corticaria serrata Payk.

Melanophthalma sp. — An unidentified spe-
cies.

Melanophthalma gibbosa Hbst. — A female.

Melanophthalma americana Mann. — Vidit H.
C. Fall.

Melanophthalma cavicollis Mann.

Melanophthalma sp., near distinguenda
Com.?

ENDOMYCHIDAE

Mycetina idahoensis Fall. — Taken from birch
root, September, 1920, and June, 1931.

COCCINELLIDAE

Hyperaspis dissoluta Cr. — Rare; taken in
May.

Microweisea misella LeC.? — On poplar.

Microweisea marginata LeC. — Taken in 1933
and 1934; det. H. C. Fall.

Scymnus n. spp. — Two new species.

Scymnus marginicollis Man..

Scymnus monticola Csy. — Taken while sift-
ing, June and July, 1931; det. Wilson.

Scymnus sp. near nanus Csy. — Fall says east-
ern and western specimens are probably
different.

Psyllobora viginti-maculata Say.

Hippodamia tredecimpunctata tibialis Say. —
Scarce, on alder.

Hippodamia glacialis var. lecontei Muls. —
On everlasting flowers.

Coccinella perplexa Muls. — On wild ever-
lasting flowers.

Coccinella transverse guttata Fald.

Coccinella transver so guttata var. nugatoria
Muls.

Coccinella transversoguttata var. californica
Mann.

Coccinella monticola Muls.

Coccinella perplexa var. juliana Muls.

Adalia bipunctata var. quadrimaculata Scop.
According to C. Schaeffer.

Adalia frigida Sehn., near var. disjuncta
Rand.

Adalia annectans Cr., var.

Neomysia subvittata Muls.

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1948), Vol. 45, July 28, 1949

25

THE OCCURRENCE OF A HOLLYHOCK-SEED EATER, NOCTUELIA
RUFOFASCIAIIS, AT VERNON, BRITISH COLUMBIA
( Lepidoptera :Pyrafidse )

Hugh B. Leech

California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco

An adult was seen in the garden on
August 12, and infested plants were no-
ticed in other gardens in Vernon.

Either my collecting in 1945 was too
thorough, or the following winter was un-
suited to the species. During the period
from May to August, 1946, not a single
larva was found on the 20 or more holly-
hock plants at my house. However, on
September 8, Miss Glorianne Stromberg, a
neighbour, found one mature larva in her
garden, and kindly gave it to me. Mr. Ben
Sugden sketched it the next day (Fig. 2).

p-vjr i • f

Fig. 1. Noctuelia rufofascialis Stephens.

Day after day in June, 1945, attractive
red and white moths (Fig. 1, Noctuelia
rufofascialis Stephens) were seen in my
garden in Vernon. Some sat on the leaves
of hollyhocks, others on the walls of ad-
jacent buildings. They were not easily
disturbed, and at rest held the wings in a
typically pyralid manner, the whole insect
having a triangular outline.

No particular attention was paid to the
moths, other than to admire the live speci-
mens. By mid- July damage to the buds
of hollyhocks ( Althaea rosea Cav.) was
obvious, and many of the seed heads show-
ed an exudation of messy brown frass.
On July 21 a number of infested buds
and heads were examined. Each contained
a fine caterpillar, white with wine-red
bands. The almost continuous series from
youngsters 4.5 mm. long to apparently
mature larvae of 15 mm., suggested eith-
er an overlapping of broods or a long egg
laying period.

A few heads were kept in a jar; from
them two fully grown larvae emerged on
July 26, and entered the damp soil pro-
vided. Three days later each had formed
a silken cocoon, thin and somewhat irre-
gular, but commodious. They pupated on
August 2, and the moths emerged on the
tenth, both females. On the same day a
freshly transformed male was caught in
the room, no doubt originating from the
mass of flower and seed heads thrown into
the waste-basket on July 21.

m t J;|«i

Fig. 2. Mature larva of Noctuelia rufofascialis.

In the hollyhock there is an almost
regular progression of flowering, from the
lower to' the upper part of the main stem,
and along each lateral branch. The first
sign of the presence of caterpillars is that
many of the young flower buds, those of
about 10 mm. long, turn brown and are
obviously dead. Small larvae can be found
in most of them, feeding on the flower
parts, especially near the bases. Later, by
the time some buds are ready to open, they
leave the dead ones, crawl under the bracts
of fresh buds, and bore inwards. Here
again they feed chiefly on the lower parts,
indeed not always preventing the flowers
from opening. Later still, many are found
to have migrated to the seed heads, choos-
ing those in which the bracts still tightly
close the tops. There they tunnel in the
green seeds, going completely around
through the ring of them, hollowing the

26

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1948), Vol. 45, July 28, 1949

head out and leaving only a tube. It is at
this time, when the larvae are nearly ma-
ture, that the untidy blotches of faeces
pushed from the entrance hole are most
obvious.

With one exception, all the larvae seen
had these habits. The individualist was in
the open, during the day, feeding, on the
upper surface of a hollyhock leaf.

At Vernon, hollyhock was the only ob-
served host. Heinrich (1921. Some Le-
pidoptera likely to be confused with the
pink boll worm. Jour. Agric. Research 20
(1 1) :807-836, pis. 93-109. Noctuelia y p.
829-830), recorded N. rufofascialis lar-
vae from the pods of Abutilony Malvas-
trumy Wissadula y and Siday all malvaceous

plants, at Brownsville, Texas. He report-
ed that the larvae pupate in a thin cocoon,
either in the empty seed pod or on the out-
side of the plant. He gave no figures of
the insect, but it is possible he was dealing
with the typical subspecies. All the speci-
mens seen at Vernon were smaller and
more brightly colored than the typical
form, white and red instead of ash gray
and reddish brown. The larval colors
were almost exactly those of the adults.

Acknowledgments — I am indebted
to Dr. T. N. Freeman of Ottawa, Ont.,
for identifying the reared moths and cit-
ing Heinrich’s paper; and to Mr. Ben Sug-
den of Armstrong, B.C., for the illustra-
tions.

INTRODUCTION INTO BRITISH COLUMBIA OF TWO
SPECIES OF JAPANESE CERAMBYCIDAE (Coleop-
tera). — Semanotus japonicus Lacordaire. — On April 3,
1917, the late Max H. Ruhmann collected a fine cer-
ambycid at the outskirts of Vernon, B.C., on the flow-
ers of a native shrub. This specimen was given to
the late Ralph Hopping of Vernon, specialist on the
Lepturini, who marked it as a new species but re-
mained suspicious and did not describe it. While ex-
amining materials in the collections of the California
Academy of Sciences recently, I recognized it as S.
japonicum. Dr. E. C. Van Dyke tells me that in Japan
the species breeds in a cupressine tree, Cryptomeria

japonica. Since there are a number of Japanese far-
mers ip the Vernon district, it is probable that the
Ruhmann specimen emerged from furniture or crating
lumber in some settler’s effects.

Callidium rufipenne Motschulsky. Professor G. J.
Spencer has kindly allowed me to record that in
March, 1927, at Vancouver, B.C., he reared a series
of small reddish cerambycid from some wood of Jap-
anese origin. One of these beetles is now in the Lins-
ley Gressitt collection in the California Academy of
Sciences, and agrees perfectly with Japanese examples
of C. rufipenne. — Hugh B. Leech, Calif. Acad. Sci.,
San Francisco, Calif.

NEW LITERATURE

CATALOGUE OF THE ODONATA OF CANADA, NEW-
FOUNDLAND AND ALASKA.— Francis C. White-
house. Reprinted from the Transactions of the Royal
Canadian Institute, Vol. XXVII, No. 57, October,
1948.

In the author’s words in his introduction, “this is
a recapitulation of the recorded data on the odonate
fauna occurring north of the international boundary;
giving distribution ; life zones within the territory cov-
ered ; a list of the papers from which the records are
taken, or are cited, in the text ; flight periods, and
selected references to descriptions and figures . . . for
full bibliographies of species described prior to 1910,
the reader is referred to the indispensable pages of
Muttonski’s Catalogue, to which the second numbers
in this list refer.” The first numbers are presumably
the author’s own, since he does not state their source.

One hundred and eighty-six species are recorded
from Newfoundland and Labrador, every province and
the Northwest Territories, to the Yukon and Alaska;
British Columbia is represented as the Mainland, Van-
couver Island and the Queen Charlotte Islands. The
zones used are those of Merriam. “Capitals are used
where the species finds optimum conditions in the zone
indicated; lower case where the species extends only
part way into the zone or is scarce there.” This last

feature constitutes a very useful item in any catalogue
and so do the flight periods which have been taken
from all records; where these “are too scant to repre-
sent the flight period fully, then first and last dates
are given in suggestion that the imago life centres
upon these.”

The list of references includes over 156 titles, the
latest distributional lists of the various specified areas
being printed in heavy type. At the end of the cata-
logue is an index containing genera alphabetically ar-
ranged with species in each genus also alphabetically
arranged.

Beyond a couple of trifling typographical errors, the
compiling, editing and printing is perfect to the last
punctuation mark, which is a real achievement in so
detailed an undertaking. The paper is heavy and ser-
viceable as it would need to be, or it would be worn
to shreds in the hands of any working odonatist.

The author pays a glowing tribute to Dr. E. M.
Walker, Dean of Canadian students of Dragon flies,
whose past efforts constitute at least 80 percent of
the material in this Catalogue. In the opinion of the
reviewer, all entomologists in Canada owe an equally
heavy debt of gratitude to Mr. Whitehouse for this
extremely painstaking and inclusive piece of work.

— G. J. SPENCER

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1948), Vol. 45, July 28, 1949

27

RECORD OF BEES FROM BRITISH COLUMBIA ( Andrenidae) 1

E. R. Buckell

Dominion Entomological Laboratory, Kamloops, B.C.

This list of 56 bees of the family An-
drenidae has been compiled from a collec-
tion in the Field Crop Insect Laboratory,
Kamloops, and material loaned by Profes-
sor G. J. Spencer of the University of
British Columbia.

The Andrenidae, or acute-tongued bur-
rowing bees, are solitary, constructing their
burrows and cells in the ground. Although
solitary, some species congregate in regu-
lar colonies. Sometimes a clay or silt cliff
will contain innumerable burrows in close
proximity. Their cells are stocked with
nectar and pollen and these bees are bene-
ficial plant pollinators. Willow blossoms
are particularly attractive to Andrenidae,
and a majority of the specimens collected
in April and May by the author were
taken visiting willow.

The names are arranged alphabetically
and the collection points are listed, num-
bered, and placed on the accompanying
map. Some localities have been heavily
collected, while other areas, particularly in
northern British Columbia, have had little
or no attention, and the distribution record
therefore, is far from complete.

The collectors are designated by initials
only in the text, but a list of their names
is included at the end of the paper.

The author wishes to thank Mr. P. H.
Timberlake, Agricultural Experiment Sta-
tion, University of California, Riverside,
and Mr. U. N. Lanham, University of
California, Berkeley, California, for the
determination of material; and Professor
G. J. Spencer for the loan of his collec-
tion.

Family ANDRENIDAE
Subfamily ANDRENINAE
Genus ANDRENA Fabricius

Andrena albihirta (Ashmead)
kaslo, April 7, 1907, 1 $ ; April 13, 1913,
l£ (L.W.C.). penticton, April 12, 2$, 21,
1$ 1$, 30, 1 $, 1919; April 9, 6 <£ , 24, 18$,
1929 (E.R.B.). vernon, April 17, 1930, 2 $,

1 Contribution No. 2566, Division of Entomology,
Science Service, Department of Agriculture, Ottawa,
Canada.

April 5, 1939 1 $ (E.R.B.): April 9, 1925,
1$ (M.H.R.). minnie lake, May 19, 1943,
1$ (E.R.B.). chilcotin, May 4, 1921, 1$
(E.R.B.). Vancouver, March 22, 1$, April
4, 1$, 1903; March 25, 1906, 1$ (R.C.T.).
Andrena amplificata Cockerell
penticton, May 2, 1919, 1 $ ; April 24, 1929,
1$ (E.R.B.): April 8, 1920, 1 $ (M.H.R.).
kelowna, April 8, 1930, 1$ (E.R.B.). ver-
non, April 29, 1930, 3 $ (E.R.B.) : April 20,
1920, 1 $ (R.C.T.), minnie lake, May 19,
1943, 2 $ (E.R.B.). douglas lake, April 23,
1930, 4 $ (E.R.B. ). chilcotin, June 15,

1920, 2 $ ; May 15, 1921, 1 $ ; May 28, 1929,
2$ (E.R.B.).

Andrena bella Viereck

kaslo, April 16, 1907, 1 $ (L.W.C.).
Andrena binarea Viereck

vernon, May 19, 1928, 1 $ (P.N.V.).

Andrena buckelli Viereck

penticton, May 5, 1920, 1$ (M.H.R.);

April 24, 1929, 1$ (E.R.B.). vernon, May
1, 1929, 1 $; April 25, 1932, 1$ (E.R.B.).
kamloops, April 18, 1929, 1 $ (E.R.B.).

Andrena Candida Smith

penticton, April 9, 1 $ ; 24, 2 $ , 1929

(E.R.B.). kamloops, April 18, 1929, 2 $
(E.R.B.).

Andrena chlosura Cockerell

nanaimo, May 11, 1930, 1 $ (G.J.S.).
Andrena cleodora (Viereck)

kaslo, June 10, 1906, 1 $ (L.W.C.). pentic-
ton, June 5, 1920, 1 $ (M.H.R.).

Andrena colletina Cockerell

chilcotin, April 16, 1921, 2$ (E.R.B.).

Andrena crataegi Robertson

penticton, May 9, 1919, 1$ (E.R.B.). ver-
non, June 5, 1923, 2$ (M.H.R.); May 16,
1927, 1 $ (D.G.G.) : May 31, 1929, 1 $ ; April
29, 1930, 1 $ (E.R.B.). salmon arm, May
1, 1922, 2$ ; July 4, 1943, 1 $ (E.R.B.).

Andrena cressonii Robertson, subsp.

vernon, May 20, 1904, 1 $ ; May 16, 1920,
1$ (E.P.V.) : April 22, 1929, 1$ (I.J.W.):
May 1, 1929, 1 $ (E.R.B.). salmon arm,
July 4, 1943, 6 $ (E.R.B.). Vancouver, May
23,1930,1 $ (H.B.L.).

Andrena epileuca Cockerell

kaslo, May 22, 1910, 1$ (L.W.C.). cres-
ton, May 17, 1926, 1 $ (A.A.D.). vernon,
June 1, 1913, 1$ ( E.P.V. ). kamloops,

June 13, 1943, 1 $ (E.R.B.). Vancouver,

June 3, 1943, 1 $ (E.R.B.).

Andrena errans Smith

Oliver, May 4, 1943, 1 $ (E.R.B.). pentic-
ton, April 30, 1 $ ; Oct. 30, 1 $ , 1920
(E.R.B.). vaseaux lake, June 14, 1919, 1$
(E.R.B.). naramata, May 2, 1920, 1$
(M.H.R.). vernon, April 25, 1932, 1$
(E.R.B.). salmon arm, May 14, 1929, 1$
(H.B.L.). kamloops, June 13, 1943, 1$
(E.R.B.). minnie lake, June 19, 1930, 1$ ;

28

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1948), Vol. 45, July 28, 1949

May 19, 1943, 1$ 1$ (E.R.B.). chilcotin,
June 13, 1921, 3$; May 28, 1$ 6$; June
14, 1$, 1929; June 5, 1 $ 3$, June 14,
19, 1930; April 28, 1944, I9 (E.R.B.).
yale, May 30, 1943, 1 $ (E.R.B.). milner,
May 25, 1930, 1 $ (K.G.). Vancouver, May
22, 1930, 1 $ (G.J.S.): May 23, 1930, 19
(H.B.L.): June 3, 1943, I9 (E.R.B.).

ladysmith. June 18, 1$; June 30, 1$,
1930 (G.C.C.).

Andrena erythrogaster (Ashmead)

chilcotin, May 27, 1929, 8 $ ; May 3, 1930,
I9 (E.R.B.). vernon, April 18, 1929, 1 $
(I.J.W.).

Andrena extensa Viereck

vernon, May 9, 1930, 29 (E.R.B.).

Andrena flavoclypeata Smith

vernon, April 18, 1923, 1$ (M.H.R.).
Andrena forbesii Robertson

kaslo, May 2, 1906, 1£ (L.W.C.). kel-

owna, May 28, 1921, I9 (M.H.R.). vernon,
May 1,1 $ ; June 4, 1 9 , 1929 (E.R.B.).
Andrena sp. near fulvinigra Viereck
& Cockerell

okanagan falls, April 24, 1920, 1 9

(M.H.R.). penticton, April 24, 1929, I9
(E.R.B.).

Andrena gibbiris (Viereck)

penticton, April 11, 1919, 1 9 ; April 24,
1929, 19 (E.R.B.). kamloops, April 17,

1943, I9 (E.R.B.). chilcotin, May 27,
1929, 19 (E.R.B. ) .

Andrena grandior Cockerell

chilcotin, June 14, 1929, I9 (E.R.B. ).

Andrena harveyi Viereck
victoria, June 14, 1917, 1 9 .

Andrena indecisa Cockerell

CRANBROOK, Aug. 15, 1928, 1 $ 3 9 (A.A.D.).
invermere, July 18, 1928, 19 (A.A.D.).

Andrena medionitens Cockerell

chilcotin, June 13, 1929, I9 (E.R.B.).

Andrena melanochroa Cockerell

salmon arm, April 19, 1919, 1 $ (W.R.B.).

Andrena microchlora subalia Cockerell

Oliver, May 4, 1943, I9 (E.R.B.). vernon,
April 26, 1920, 29 (R.C.T.); April 6, 1925,
19 (M.H.R.).

Andrena milwaukeensis Green

penticton, May 9, 1919, 39 (E.R.B.).

Andrena miranda Smith

kaslo, May 14, 1906, I9 (L.W.C.). vernon,
May 1, 1929, 19 9 (E.R.B.); May 3, 1907,
19; May 6, 1913, 19 (E.P.V.) ; May 5,
1921, 19 (M.H.R.).

Andrena montrosensis Viereck & Cockerell

okanagan falls, June 3, 1919, 1 9 (E.R.B.).
penticton, April 6, 1 9 ; May 15, 1$ ; June
4, 19; June 5, 1 $ , 1919 (E.R.B.). sum-
merland, June 4, 1919, 19 (E.R.B. ). ver-
non, May 1, 1908, 19 (E.P.V.) : May 1,

1929, 1 $ ; May 9, 5 9 ; May 25, 19, 1930;
May 17, 1937, 19 (E.R.B.). kamloops,

June 13, 1943, 1 <£ 7 9 (G.J.S.). chilcotin,
May 28, 1921, 1 9 ; June 13, 1929, 5 9
(E.R.B.). agassiz, Sept. 11, 1925, 1$
(G.J.S.).

Andrena nivalis Smith

kaslo, May 28, l£ I9; June 2, 19, 3,
19; July 17, 19, 1906 (W.L.C.). saanich,
June 25, 1917, 29 (W.D.).

Andrena nubicula Smith

vernon, Aug. 14, 1942, I9 (E.R.B.).

Andrena pallidifovea Viereck

vernon, May 3, 1 $ , July 20, 1$ , 1912
(E.P.V.). yale, May 30, 1943, 19 (E.R.B.).

Andrena perarmata Cockerell

penticton, April 24, 1929, 7 9 (E.R.B.).

vernon, March 31, 1930, 2 $ (E.R.B.).

Andrena placida Smith

kaslo, May 15, 1910, 19 (L.W.C.). oso-
yoos, May 8, 1928, 19 (E.R.B.). penticton,
April 11, 1919, I9 (E.R.B.). vernon, May
3, 1907, I9; May 1, 1913, 19 (E.P.V.):
April 22, 1929, 19 (I.J.W.) : May 31, 1929,
I9 (E.R.B.). chilcotin, May 15, 1921,
19 ; May 24, 1929 (E.R.B.).

Andrena sp. near politissima Cockerell

penticton, April 6-21, 1919, 4 $ 29

(E.R.B.). kelowna, April 8, 1930, 2$
(E.R.B.). vernon, April 17, 1929, 1$
(I.J.W.) ; April 17, 1930, 19 (E.R.B.):

April 13, 1907, 49 (E.P.V.). kamloops,

April 18, 1929, 3^29; April 17, 1943, 1 $
19 (E.R.B.). Nicola, May 3, 1943, 1 $ 29
(E.R.B.). Minnie lake, May 19, 1943, 1$
19 (E.R.B.) . chilcotin, June 13, 1921,

1 9 ; May 27, 29; May 28, 1 9 , 1929
(E.R.B.).

Andrena prunorum kincaidii Cockerell

kaslo, May 24, 1905, 1 $ ; June 5, 1 9 , 10,
19, 30, l£, 1906 (L.W.C.). CRANBROOK,

May 12, 1926, I9 (A.A.D.). osoyoos, May
8, 1928, 19 (E.R.B.). Oliver, April 25, 2 $ ;
May 4, 1 $, 1919 (E.R.B.). penticton,

April 11, 1 $, 17, 1$ ; May 5, 1$, 1919;
April 24, 1929, I9 (E.R.B.). vernon, June

15, 1918, 19, May 14, 1$, June 6, 1 $ ,

1921; July 6, 1922, 19 (D.G.G.).: May 31,
2$ I9; June 4, 2 $ 1$, 1929; April 29,
19; May 9, 8$, 1930 (E.R.B.). salmon
arm, July 4, 1943, 3 9 (E.R.B.). kamloops,
July 23, 1939, 1 $ (G.J.S.): April 17, 1943,
19 (E.R.B.). Nicola, May 2, 1943, 1$

( E.R.B. ). walhachin, July 10, 19, 16, 39,
23, 19, 1918 (E.R.B.). chilcotin, April

16, 1921, 1 $ ; June 13, 1929, 19 (E.R.B.).

agassiz, June 6, 1939, 1$ (A.B.D.). Van-
couver, May 23, 1930, I9 (H.B.L.). vic-
toria, June 8, 1916, 1 9 ; June 17, 1917, 1 9
(R.C.T.): April 8, 1916, 19 (H.H.).

saanich, June 15, 1917, 19 (W.D.).

Andrena pyrrhacita Cockerell

penticton, April 4, 19, 8, 19, 12, 39, 1919
(E.R.B.). kamloops, April 17, 1943, 5 9
(E.R.B.). Nicola, May 3,1943,4 9 (E.R.B.).
chilcotin, May 4, 19, 9, 39, 1921; May
27, 1929, I9 (E.R.B.).

Andrena regularis Cockerell

yale, May 30, 1943, 19 (E.R.B.).

Andrena runcinatae Cockerell

kaslo, Aug. 19, 1906, 1# (L.W.C.). inver-
mere, July 18, 1928, I9 (A.A.D.).

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1948), Vol. 45, July 28, 1949

29

Andrena saccata Viereck

kaslo, May 4, 1905, 1 $ ; May 6, 1 $ , 10,
1$, 30, 1$; June 3, 1 $ , 1906 (L.W.C.).
penticton, May 9, 1919, 1$ (E.R.B.).

chilcotin, June 13, 1929, 1$ (E.R.B.).

Andrena salicifloris Cockerell

kaslo, May 18, 1905, 1 $ ; May 5, 1908, 1 $ ;
May 1, 1910, 1 $ (L.W.C.). vernon, April

13, 1907 (E.P.V.): April 24, 1929, 1$;
April 17, 1930, 3$ 2$ (E.R.B.). salmon
arm, April 26, 1943, 1$ (E.R.B.).

Andrena salictaria Robertson
vernon, April 4, 1904, 1 $ (E.P.V.) : April

22, 1929, 1 $ (I.J.W.). douglas lake, April

23, 1930, 1 $ (E.R.B.) .

Andrena seneciophila Cockerell

vernon, May 20, 1904, 1$ (E.P.V.): May
4, 1$, 31, 1$, 1929 (E.R.B.) . salmon
arm, May 26, 1943, 1 $ (E.R.B.). chil-

cotin, May 28, 1921, 1 $ ; May 28, 1929,
1$ (E.R.B.).

Andrena sladeni Viereck

penticton, April 24, 1929, 3 $ (E.R.B.).

vernon, May 9, 1930, 2 $ ; May 17, 1937,
1$ (E.R.B.).

Andrena sola Viereck

penticton, April 24, 1929, 1 $ (E.R.B.).

Andrena striatifrons Cockerell

fairview, May 4, 1919, 1$ (E.R.B.). pen-
ticton, April 7, 1 $ , 17, 1 $ , 21, 3 $ , 23,
1$; April 24, 1929, 1 $ (E.R.B.) . kelowna,
April 8, 1930, 1 $ (E.R.B.) . vernon, April

14, 1907, 1$ (E.P.V.): April 17, 1929, 1$

1$ (I.J.W.): April 17, 1930, 4 $ (E.R.B.).
kamloops, April 18, 1929, 3 $ 2 $ ; April
17, 1943, 4 $ (E.R.B.). nicola, May 3, 1943,
2$ 4$ (E.R.B.). MINNIE LAKE, May 19,

1943, 1$ 4$ (E.R.B.). chilcotin, May 9,
2$, 13, 7$, 1921; May 27, 1929, 3 $
(E.R.B.).

Andrena subaustralis Cockerell

kamloops, April 17, 1943, 1 $ (E.R.B.).

Andrena subtilis Smith

kaslo, May 6, 1910, l£ (L.W.C.). Oliver,
May 4, 1943, 3$ 4$ (E.R.B.). fairview,
May 18, 5$, 19, 1$, 1919 (E.R.B.): April
20, 1$; May 18, 5$, 1920 (M.H.R.).

okanagan falls, May 13, 1920, 1 $

(M.H.R.). kelowna, May 28, 1921, 2$
(M.H.R.). penticton, April 24, 1929, 1 £
(E.R.B.). vernon, April 22, 1904, 1$; 15,
1906, 3 $ ; May 3, 1907, 3$ ; May 27, 1913,

2 $ (E.P.V.): April 26, 2$: May 1, 1$,

1920 (R.C.T.): April 14, 1921, 1^; May 7,
1921, 1$ (M.H.R.): April 18, 1$, 22,

3 $ , 24, 1$ (I.J.W.): May 31, 3$; June

4, 1$, 1929 (E.R.B.). kamloops, June

13, 1943, 4$ (G.J.S.). nicola, May 2, 1943,
2$ (E.R.B.). lytton, May 30, 1943, 1$

(E.R.B.). 100 mile house, June 14, 1943,
1$ (E.R.B.). Vancouver, June 3, 1943, 1 $
(E.R.B.).

Andrena surda Cockerell

INVERMERE, July 29, 1926, 1 $ (A.A.D.).

Oliver, July 10, 1929, 1$ (E.R.B.).

Andrena swenki Viereck & Cockerell

vernon, May 1, 1920, 1$ (M.H.R.). chil-
cotin, May 15, 1921, 1 $ ; June 13, 1929,
1$ (E.R.B.).

Andrena transnigra Viereck

kaslo, June 5, 1906, 1$ (L.W.C.). Oliver,
May 4, 1943, 1$ (E.R.B.). kamloops, June
13, 1937, 1$ (G.J.S.). minnie lake, May
19, 1943, 1$ (E.R.B.). salmon arm, May
17, 1914, 1$ ; April 11, 1915, 1$ (W.R.B.).
chilcotin, June 13, 1921, 2 $ ; May 28, 1929,
4$; June 5, 1930, 1 $ (E.R.B.).

Andrena trevoris Cockerell

departure bay, June 9, 1$, 24, 1$, 1925
(G.J.S.). NEWCASTLE IS., NANAIMO, June
1925, 1 $ (G.J.S.).

Andrena vicina Smith

kaslo, May 14, 1906, 1$ (L.W.C.). fair-
view, May 18, 1919, 3$ (E.R.B.); May 19,

1920, 1 $ (M.H.R.). penticton, April 6,

1919, 1$ (E.R.B.): April 30, 1^ 1$; May
10, 1 1920 (M.H.R.). kelowna, May 28,

1921, 1$ (M.H.R.). vernon, May 20, 1904,
1$ (E.P.V.); June 14, 1921, 2$; May 20,
1924, 1 $; May 1, 1925, 1 $ (M.H.R.) : May
10, 1927, 1$ (D.G.G.): May 31, 1929, 5$
(E.R.B.). lytton, May 30, 1943, 15 $
(E.R.B.). salmon arm, May 3, 1$, 14,
1$, 1914 (W.R.B.). chilcotin, May 24,

1929, 1$ (E.R.B.). Vancouver, May 22,

1930, 6 $ (G.J.S.).

Andrena walleyi Cockerell

vernon, May 12, 1920, 1 $ (M.H.R. ). kam-
loops, June 13, 1943, 1 $ (G.J.S.). chil-
cotin, June 13, 1929, 1$ (E.R.B.).
Andrena washingtoni Cockerell, var.

kaslo, June 2, 1905, 1$; May 17, 1906,
1$ (L.W.C.). chilcotin, May 28, 1$;

June 13, 1$, 14, 1$, 1929 (E.R.B.). alexis
creek, June 30, 1943, 1$ (E.R.B.).

Genus DIANDRENA Cockerell
Diandrena nothoealaidis Cockerell

Oliver, May 4, 1943, 1$ (E.R.B.).

Genus PARANDRENA Robertson
Parandrena triangularis (Viereck)

kamloops, April 18, 1929, 1$ (E.R.B.).

nicola, May 2, 1943, 1$ (E.R.B.).

LIST OF COLLECTORS

Mentioned by initials in the text.

A.A.D. — Dennys, A. A.

A.B.D. — Dickson, A. B.

E.P.V.— Venables, E. P.

E.R.B.— Buckell, E. R.

D.G.G.— Gillespie, D. G.

G.C.C.— Carl, G. C.

G. J.'S. — Spencer, G. J.

H. B.L.— Leech, H. B.

I. J.W.— Ward, I. J.

K. G. — Graham, K.

L. W.C.— Cockle, L. W.

M. H.R. — Ruhmann, M. H.

P.N.V.— Vroom, P. N.

R.C.T.— Treherne, R. C.

W.D. — Downes, W.

W.R.B.— Buckell, W. R.

30

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1948), Vol. 45, July 28, 1949

Arranged alphabetically: the numbers corresponding to those on the accompanying map
(V.I.: Vancouver Island).

1.

Agassiz

10. Invermere

19. Naramata

28.

Summerland

2.

Alexis Creek

11. Kamloops

20. Newcastle Is., V.I.

29.

Vancouver

3.

Chilcotin

12. Kaslo

21. Nicola

30.

Vaseux Lake

4.

Cranbrook

13. Kelowna

22. Okanagan Falls

31.

Vernon

5.

Creston

• 14. Ladysmith

23. Oliver

32.

Victoria

6.

Departure Bay, V.I.

15. Lytton

24. Osoyoos

33.

Walhachin

7.

Douglas Lake

16. Milner

25. Penticton

34.

Yale

8.

Fairview

17. Minnie Lake

26. Saanich, V.I.

9.

100 Mile House

18. Nanaimo, V.I.

27. Salmon Arm

A FURTHER NOTE ON THE WHARF BORER, NA-
CERDA MELANURA (L.) (Coleoptera: Oedemeridae).
— In the Proceedings of our Society, Vol. 43, 1947,
I recorded an unusual occurrence of Nacerda melan-
ura (L.) in long-buried piling at Vancouver. At the
time of investigating this infestation, in October,
1945, I saved a few pieces of riddled wood, appar-
ently still infested, from the buried piles and placed
them in a glass battery jar in my laboratory with
coarse gravel all around them and wetted the whole
mass with tap water so as to make it uniformly damp.
The culture was examined in the autumn of 1946
and again in 1947 and, when fresh boring by a larva
was noted, the wood was buried again in the damp
gravel.

On March 10, 1948, the culture was examined
again and one or two pieces of wood were broken
open. In one of them occurred a fairly large tunnel
containing an apparently healthy, full-grown larva and
alongside of it, a female beetle which had died in the
tunnel and was somewhat soft but intact enough to
be successfully mounted on a card. The wood was re-
buried and will be examined again at intervals to see
if the larva has transformed. Even under the harsh
conditions of being removed from piling surround by
brackish water and then buried in sand moistened
with fresh water, one larva at least survived and
completed its development, two years and five months
after being first disturbed. — G. J. Spencer, Depart-
ment of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Van-
couver, B.C.

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1948), Vol. 45, July 28, 1949

31

THE EFFECT OF DDT EMULSIONS ON TROUT FRY

L. C. Curtis
Victoria, B.C.

During the past year, the staff of the
Dominion Livestock Insect Laboratory at
Kamloops achieved success in the control
of Simuliid larvae in running water by
the addition of a DDT emulsion. The
terial used was a stock solution of 10%
DDT, 10% Triton XI 00*, and 80%
Xylene, which was added to the running
water at a controlled rate. Effective con-
trol of the pest was obtained by a final
dilution of one part DDT to 20,000,000
parts water.

As always in work of this nature, there
arose the question of the effect of this
treatment upon other fresh water life,
particularly game fish, and this the writer
attempted to determine during a brief visit
to Kamloops.

The apparatus used consisted of a sheet
metal trough, divided by a partition into
two parallel channels, provided with a
flow of running water from Cold Creek.
At the upper end of the trough was situ-
ated the dropping apparatus which deliv-
ered the DDT solution beneath the sur-
face of the water at a controlled rate.
Below this, the water passed through a
series of baffles to ensure thorough mix-
ing of water and larvicide, while further
down the trough, removable screens of fine
mesh formed pens in which were held the
fish under test. The reserve supply of fish
was held in screened troughs in the nearby
bed of the creek, which also served as the
source of an unlimited supply of Simuliid
larvae. The fish were one-inch trout fry,
obtained from the Provincial Hatchery
at Pinantan Lake.

Test No. 1

A batch of 100 fish was penned in the
trough, together with a stone covered with
Simuliid larvae, and subjected to a flow of
water containing one part DDT to 30,-
000,000 of water.

*Triton X100 is an emulsifier, product of P. N.
Soden & Co., Montreal and Toronto.

After twenty minutes, the larvae showed
signs of distress, and in less than an hour
they had all become detached from the
substratum and carried away. The fish
appeared to be unaffected, but were re-
moved to a trough in the stream bed for
observation. After twenty-four hours they
still showed no sign of distress.

Test No. 2

The strength of the emulsion was in-
creased to one part DDT in 5,500,000 of
water. All other conditions were as be-
fore. Ninety-five percent of the larvae
became detached at the end of one hour,
and 100 percent after 1 hours. The
fish remained lively, and showed no mor-
tality after a period of 48 hours, when
placed in the creek.

Test No. 3

A one percent DDT emulsion was used,
giving a final dilution of one part DDT
in 2,700,000 of water. The effect upon
the larvae was as before, and the fish
showed no immediate effect. However,
they showed a mortality of ten percent
after 24 hours in clear water, and fifteen
percent after 48 hours.

Test No. 4

A dilution of one part DDT in 5,-
500,000 was maintained for three hours.
At the end of that time, all the fish were
active. After 24 hours, however, there
was a mortality of 50 percent.

Test No. 5

In this test, a 5 percent DDT emulsion
was added, to bring about a concentration
of one part DDT in 550,000 of water.
This was sufficient to bring about a mark-
ed cloudiness. After fifteen minutes, fifty
percent of the fish were in distress, and
were held by the current against the low-
er net. After one hour, all the fish were
rendered helpless. The emulsion was turn-
ed off, and clear water allowed to run
over the fish. After thirty minutes, eigh-

32

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1948), Vol. 45, July 28, 1949

ty percent of them were again active, but
at the end of 24 hours, all were dead.

Test No. 6

The appearance of the fish used in the
previous test, particularly during their
temporary recovery, suggested mechanical
clogging of the gills rather than DDT
poisoning as the immediate cause of their
stupefaction. To test this theory, equal
batches of fry were placed in parellel
troughs. Group A were treated with the
same concentration of DDT as in Test
No. 5, while Group B were subjected to
a straight Xylene-Triton mixture without
DDT, at the same rate. At the end of
one hour both groups were rendered sense-
less, although the DDT emulsion appear-
ed to act a little more slowly. After the
dropping of the emulsion had been discon-
tinued, Group A showed the more rapid
recovery, eighty percent of them being ac-
tive after thirty minutes, compared with
sixty percent for Group B. Both groups
were left in clear water overnight. After
24 hours, all of Group A were dead,

while ninety percent of Group B were
alive and active.

Summary:

It has been found that DDT is effec-
tive for the control of Simuliid larvae at
a concentration of one part in 20,000,-
000, and it was demonstrated that small
trout are able to withstand the effect of a
dosage nearly four times as strong with-
out harmful effect and one nearly eight
times as strong with but slight mortality.

A very heavy concentration of Xylene
causes immediate distress, which is relieved
by prompt return of clear water condi-
tions. Actual DDT poisoning occures at
higher concentrations, but is slower in its
action than the Xylene.

In conclusion, I very much appreciate
the courtesy of Mr. J. D. Gregson of the
Dominion Livestock Insect Laboratory,
Kamloops, who made available the facili-
ties for carrying out this series of tests,
and that of the officer in charge of the
Pinantan hatchery, who supplied the trout
fry used in the experiment.

JHemoriam

L. E. MARMONT, 1860-1949

Lindsay Edgar Marmont, a native of
Gloucestershire, England, came to Can-
ada when 20 years old, and farmed in
Manitoba for a number of years.

In 1907 he came to British Columbia,
taking up residence at Maillardville, serv-
ing that community as a justice of the
peace, and reeve of Coquitlam for many
years. He was a life member of the West-
minster Club, and a prominent Elk.

As an entomologist, Marmont special-
ized in lepidoptera including the so-called
“micros.” He was a member of our par-
ent body in Ontario around the turn of

the century, and transferred his member-
ship to this society upon its resuscitation in
1911, and took a keen and steady interest
in its welfare, as can be realized by read-
ing his “Presidential Addresses” in years
gone by. President from 1921 until 1925,
he filled the chair with distinction, dry
humour, sound advice, and tolerance of
other members’ opinions.

He was the last of the old brigade —
the Aurelians of B.C. — who did so much
for the society in its early days, and the
gap will not now be filled.

R. Glendenning, Agassiz, B.C.

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1948), Vol. 45, July 28, 1949

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ENTOMOLOGICAL
— SOCIETY of —
BRITISH COLUMBIA

Volume 46 Issued May 15, 1950

Page

MOILLIET — Some Preliminary Observations on the Life-History

of Cuterebra tenebrosa Coq I 1

GREGSON — Additional Notes on the Life- History of Cuterebra

tenebrosa Coq. 3

HOLLAND — Notes on Some British Columbian Fleas with Remarks

on Their Relationship and Distribution 5

HARDY — Notes on the Life-History of the Garry Oak Looper,

Lamdina fiscellaria somniaria Hist 13

GUPPY — Biology of Anisotabis maritima (Gene) , the Seaside

Earwig on Vancouver Island. J. — 14

HARDY — Notes on Vancouver Island and West Coast Coleoptera____ 18

CUNNINGHAM — Ship Inspection in the Port of Vancouver 19

BUCKELL — Records of Bees from British Columbia — Megachilidae 21

TOUZEAU — Entomological Notes from the Division of Plant

Protection 3 1

ZUK — Achatina fulica (Fer.) — An Interesting Interception from

the Philippines 32

BUCKELL AND SPENCER — The Social Wasps ( Vespidae ) of

British Columbia 33

Book Review 40

SCIENTIFIC Notes — Guppy, Leech, Jones 4, 41

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Chemicals

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1949) , Vol. 46, May 15, 1950

Effective Pest Control with

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Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1949) , Vol. 46, May 15, 1950

NICHOLS CHEMICAL

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ENTOMOLOGICAL SOC. OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, PROC. (1949) , VOL. 46, MAY 15, 1950

Toxaphene Will
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Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1949) , Vol. 46, May 15, 1950

MONSANTO

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PROCEEDINGS

of the

ENTOMOLOGICAL
— SOCIETY of —
BRITISH COLUMBIA

Volume 46 Issued May 15, 1950

Page

MOILLIET — Some Preliminary Observations on the Life-History

of Cuterebra tenebrosa Coq 1

GREGSON — Additional Notes on the Life-History of Cuterebra

tenebrosa Coq. 3

HOLLAND — Notes on Some British Columbian Fleas with Remarks

on Their Relationship and Distribution 5

HARDY — Notes on the Life-History of the Garry Oak Looper,

Lamdina Rscellaria somniaria Hist 13

GUPPY — Biology of Anisolabis maritima (Gene) the Seaside

Earwig on Vancouver Island 14

HARDY — Notes on Vancouver Island and West Coast Coleoptera. 1 8

CUNNINGHAM — Ship Inspection in the Port of Vancouver 19

BUCKELL — Records of Bees from British Columbia — Megachilidae 21

TOUZEAU — Entomological Notes from the Division of Plant

Protection 3 1

ZUK — Achatina fulica (Fer.) — An Interesting Interception from

the Philippines 1 _1 __ 3 2

BUCKELL AND Spencer — The Social Wasps ( Vespidae ) of

British Columbia 1_ 33

Book Review 40

SCIENTIFIC Notes — Guppy, Leech, Jones 4, 41

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1949) , Vol. 46, May 15, 1950

DIRECTORS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY
OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
1949-1950

Honorary President
A. D. HERIOT, Vernon, B. C.

President

G. J. Spencer, Vancouver, B. C.

Vice-President (Coast)

R. Glendenning, Agassiz, B. C.

Vice-President ( Interior )

R. H. HANDFORD, Kamloops, B. C.

Hon. Secretary -Treasurer
J. D. Gregson, Kamloops, B. C.

Hon. Assistant Secretary (Editor)

W. Downes, Victoria, B. C.

Hon. Auditor

C. L. Neilson, Kamloops, B. C.

Advisory Board

M. H. Hatch, Seattle, Wash. J. R. J. L. JONES, Cobble Hill, B. C.

K. M. King, Victoria, B. C. J. H. McLeod, Vancouver, B. C.

W. D. Touzeau, Vancouver, B. C.

Editorial Committee

W. Downes, Victoria, B. C. J. Marshall, Summerland, B. C.

W. G. Mathers, Vernon, B. C.

NEW MEMBERS

Elected at the 48th Annual Meeting, March 18, 1949.

Miss E. A. Baird — Dom. Livestock Insect Lab., Kamloops, B. C.

I. C. Carne — University of B. C.

K. W. Clarke — Forest Insect Ranger, Vernon, B. C.

C. R. S. Cunningham — Dom. Plant Protection Division, Vancouver, B. C.
R. S. Downing — University of B. C.

D. G. Finlayson — University of B. C.

R. E. Fitzpatrick — Dom. Plant Pathologist, University of B. C.
^Kenneth Graham — Dept, of Zool., University of B. C.

R. H. McCarthy — University of B. C.

A. P. Randall — University of B. C.

Norman Sieffert — Dom. Plant Protection Div.

Lloyd L. Stitt — Western Wash. Exp. Sta., Puyallup, Wash.

Norman V. Tonks — Victoria, B. C.

W. H. Wilde — University of B. C.

Alfred T. Wilkinson — University of B. C.

Peter Zuk — Dom. Plant Protection Div., Vancouver, B. C.

* Re- elected.

ENTOMOLOGICAL SOC. OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, PROC. (1949) , VOL. 46, MAY 15, 1950

1

SOME PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS ON THE LIFE-HISTORY OF
CUTEREBRA TENEBROSA COQUILLET1

T. K. Moilliet2

Livestock Insect Laboratory, Kamloops, B. C.

On August 23, 1934, E. P. Venables,
Vernon, B. C., captured a large, dark
blue oestrid in a cabin at Sugar Lake,
near Vernon, B. C. The writer has
since compared this fly with specimens
of warble flies of various rodents, in the
reference collection established at Kam-
loops by the late Eric Hearle, and iden-
tified it as a female of Cuterebra tene-
brosa Coq. During the next two days
the fly laid over 400 eggs in its card-
board container, and on September 10
Mr. Venables sent the two largest egg
masses, numbering 395 eggs in all, to
the Kamloops laboratory in the hope
that some rearing could be attempted.

The eggs had been laid in two patches
covering unevenly about four or five
square inches. No particular care seems
to have been taken in their arrangement
by the female, except that each was se-
curely cemented, along its entire ventral
surface, to the cardboard and overlap-
ping of the eggs had been almost entirely
avoided. The colour of eggs and adhe-
sive material is light yellow. As in most
oestrids, the egg is equipped with a “lid”
which the larva forces open like a trap
door when ready to emerge.

The eggs were kept in the laboratory
at 70°F. and about 25 per cent relative
humidity. By September 20 no hatch-
ing had occurred. On September 27
several eggs had hatched. Some half-
dozen of the tiny maggots, 1 >4 mm. in
length, were seen erect upon the card-
board and egg-shells, waving their
heads to and fro. The larvae are very
quick to stick to any object with which
they come in contact, and are able to
move about by looping, as both head
and tail appear to be sticky. The larva
is transparent except for series of black
spines on each segment. When an egg
was opened with a needle it was ob-
served that the larva usually squirmed
out, although in many cases when not

1 Contribution No. 2634, Division of Entomology,
Science Service, Department of Agriculture, Ottawa,
Canada.

2 Resigned 1936.

sufficiently developed it either died or
waited a day or two before emerging.

By October 31, 43 eggs had hatched,
about half of these artificially. During
the next two weeks about one-quarter of
the remaining eggs hatched. Natural
hatching reached its peak about the sec-
ond week of November and practically
ceased by the middle of December, when
about 80 per cent of the eggs had
hatched. One larva, which emerged
naturally on December 3, lived until
December 13 at an average room tem-
perature of 60°F. and a relative humid-
ity as low as 15 per cent.

To determine whether or not the eggs
would survive below-freezing tempera-
tures, the larger egg mass was placed out
of doors between December 1 1 and 3 1 ,
during which period temperatures went
considerably below freezing. The min-
imum recorded temperature was — 5 . 5 °F.
on December 25. On December 31,
eight of these eggs were opened at room
temperatures. At first the grubs were
inactive, but after exposure to the
warmth of a desk lamp for 30 minutes,
six showed normal activity which was
maintained for an hour, when they
were placed on a host. Eggs opened at
this time from the uncooled mass yield-
ed active larvae. On February 8, 1935,
five eggs from the previously cooled
mass were opened. Two immediately
yielded normal, active larvae, which
lived three days in an incubator at 75 °F.
and 70 per cent relative humidity. By
February 9, 90 per cent of all the eggs
had hatched and 4 per cent had shriv-
elled.

Infestations: The following is an ac-
count of such rearings as have been
attempted up to the time of writing
(1935). To infest an animal, the mag-
gots were simply lifted with a needle
and placed on the hair of the back and
sides of rats. Chloroform was used to
quiet the rats because of the danger of
infection from rat bites.

Rat No. 1 (brown female, half-

2

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1949) , Vol. 46, May 15, 1950

grown) . — This rat was infested on
September 28 with 12 larvae from eggs
mechanically opened. The animal was
very uneasy and scratched herself inces-
santly the same day. By October 5 the
rat was hiccoughing continually and
was little interested in food (oats).
Weakness and distress increased and by
October 14 the animal had gnawed half
its tail away and Was paralyzed in one
hind leg. On October 15 the rat was in
a coma all day and died about 5 p.m.

Necropsy was made at 1 1 p.m. Ema-
ciation was extreme ; several matted
patches of hair when pulled off revealed
holes in the skin one mm. in diameter.
Skinning revealed ten such holes, and
eight grubs, varying in length from one-
quarter to one-half of an inch, were
removed from the muscles of the legs,
back, and diaphragm. In some cases
they had pierced into the coelom. These
grubs do not form true cysts, as do ox
warbles, but lie between the layers of
muscle.

Rat No. 2 (brown female, mature) .
— This rat was infested on October 16
with four artificially hatched grubs. On
October 21 she was scratching herself
and seemed in pain. On October 23 it
was apparent that one grub had estab-
lished itself on the neck, just in front of
the left shoulder. On November 1 6 the
grub was nearly full-grown, and in an-
ticipation of it’s dropping the rat was
isolated. The rat was found dead on
November _1 7 and the grub was cut out
from under the skin and placed in a jar
of damp earth, in which it immediately
buried itself.

Rat No. 3 (white female, mature) . —
This rat was infested on October 16
with four grubs, two naturally and two
artificially hatched. When the rat was
examined under chloroform on October
31, no grubs were found. Three very
small scabs on the neck may have been
caused either by fighting or by ineffec-
tual entry of the maggots.

Rat No. 4 (white female, half-
grown) . — This rat was infested on Oc-
tober 1 8 with six grubs, three naturally
and three artificially hatched. It was
examined under chloroform on October
31 and no grubs were found. The rat

was re-infested on December 3 with six
artificially hatched maggots. It was
examined under chloroform on Decem-
ber 20 and found to have two grubs,
one behind each front leg. The rat was
chloroformed on January 7 and the
grub removed from under the left front
leg. That under the right shoulder
dropped on January 11, but w/as lost
and perished. In this case the grub,
unable because of a hard scab to leave its
host through the breathing hole, bored
its way out head first about half an inch
in front of the original hole.

Rat No. 5 (brown and white male) .
— This rat was infested on December 4
with six grubs. By December 20, five
grubs were embedded, four in the back
and one on the right side of the breast.
The rat died on December 3 1 , and three
well-grown grubs were removed from
the body, which was already badly de-
composed in the areas of infestation.
One grub was found in the tray, as well
as the remains of another which had
been bitten out by the rat. The live
grubs were placed in a jar of damp sand
for pupation.

Rat No. 6 (white female, mature) . —
This rat was infested on December 4
with five grubs which hatched from eggs
opened the previous day. The rat was
examined under chloroform on Decem-
ber 20 and no infestation was found.

Rat No. 7 (brown male, half-
grown) . — This rat was infested on
January 8 with four grubs artificially
hatched. It was examined under chlor-
oform on January 20 and only a small
black spot was noted on the back. By
January 30 it was noticeable that two
well-grown grubs were established in
the back; these were nearly mature by
February 8.

Rat No. 8 (brown female, mature) .
— This rat was infested on January 8
with three grubs artificially hatched
from the egg mass which had been sub-
jected to below-freezing temperatures.
The rat was examined under chloroform
on January 20; there was no sign of
infestation.

From these rearings no information
was secured on the duration of the pupal
stage. One of several fairly well matured

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1949) , Vol. 46, May 15, 1950

3

larvae taken by the writer at Nicola,
August 25, 1932, in a pack rat, was
allowed to pupate in earth in the out-
of-doors insectary at Kamloops, and
emerged in mid- August, 1933.

Conclusions: Some of the foregoing
observations suggest the following de-
ductions regarding the habits of C. tene-
brosa.

It is usually assumed that the female
fly lays her eggs on the hair of the host
animal. The extreme viability of the
egg and the longevity and motility of
the unfed maggot are specializations
which would seem unnecessary were the
above assumption true. It seems, there-
fore, more probable to suppose that the
eggs are laid among the rocks, logs,
nests, or burrows frequented by pack
rats, chipmunks, and ground squirrels,
the commonest hosts. In support of
this, H. B. Leech has told the writer
that he captured in 1929 a female of
this species in the mouth of a burrow
of a ground squirrel or groundhog at
Vernon, B. C.

The growth in the host is amazingly
rapid, little over a month being required
for larval development. The pupal
stage, on the other hand, is extraordi-
narily long and may last a year, but in
order for the life-cycle to be completed
in a year, the average duration of this
stage cannot be more than 10 or 11

months. A two-year cycle, however,
does not seem impossible when the via-
bility of the eggs, even in cold weather,
is considered. It may have been because
of room temperatures, about 70°F., that
so many eggs hatched within three
months, although the humidity of the
room, about 20 per cent, may have been
an adverse factor. According to our
records of grubs taken from rodents,
flies of this group thrive best in localities
such as Nicola, Salmon Arm, and Ver-
non, which have a relatively heavy
snowfall. They are rare at Kamloops.

The mortality of rats in the foregoing
experiments suggests that this fly may
cause the death of small mammals in
nature in certain localities, although a
general infection may be induced by the
grubs less easily in mountain rats than
in those used in the laboratory. If they
do constitute a factor in reducing popu-
lations of wild rodents, then they be-
come a factor in the control of wood
ticks, and deserve further study.

Acknowledgments. — The writer is
indebted to E. P. Venables, Vernon,
B. C., for the material for these experi-
ments. Thanks are also due to H. B.
Leech, California Academy of Science,
San Francisco, for his record, and to
George J. Spencer, University of British
Columbia, for reading this manuscript.

ADDITIONAL NOTES ON THE LIFE-HISTORY OF CUTEREBRA TENEBROSA

COQUILLET1

J. D. Gregson

Livestock Insect Laboratory, Kamloops, B. C.

At the 1935 meetings of the Entomo-
logical Society of British Columbia, T.
K. Moilliet read a paper entitled “Notes
on the life-history of Cuterebra tene-
brosa Coquillet/ ’ In that paper, which
is being published concurrently with
this one, he reported his observations on
some 400 eggs laid by a fly captured on
August 23, 1934. Larvae commenced
hatching from these eggs on September
27, reaching a peak in November. Some

1 Contribution No. 2635, Division of Entomology,
Science Service, Department of Agriculture, Ottawa,
Canada.

of the remaining unhatched eggs yielded
active larvae when mechanically opened
in February. Numbers of these larvae
were used to infest rats, in which they
matured in about a month. Since none
of these were followed through their
pupal period to emergence of adults, the
following notes may prove of value in
further studies of this parasite.

The material for these subsequent
observations was provided by a batch of
850 eggs deposited by a fly on July 26,
1943. The first of these hatched on

4

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1949) , Vol. 46, May 15, 1950

August 20. Further larvae did not ap-
pear normally until the following May.
By June 15 all remaining eggs had
hatched. Larvae kept in the damp cel-
lar of the insectary lived for about three
weeks after hatching. After the appear-
ance of the first larva, it was found that
eggs could be readily induced to hatch
by pricking open the operculum with a
sharp needle, or even by merely dislodg-
ing the egg from its attachment.

In September, 1943, 43 white rats
were each infested with from one to four
larvae which had been obtained by me-
chanical hatching. Of the 89 cuterebrid
larvae planted on these hosts, 23 ma-
tured and dropped out after an interval
of about five weeks. The mortality of
the infested rats was approximately 30
per cent, although it must be admitted
that some of these animals were the vic-
tims of as many as four grubs at once.
Most of the grubs were localized in
regions about the head and shoulders.

Upon being placed on loose soil the
mature grubs burrowed, pupated, and
remained quiescent until August 1,

SOME RECORDS OF PARASITIC DIPTERA FROM
WELLINGTON. B. C.

BOMBYLI I DAE

Villa alternata, Say Aug. 10, 1946. Bred from a
large phalaenid larva, species unknown.

TACHINfDAE

Bombyliopsis abrupta (Wied.), June 8, 1945. Bred
from larva of Diacrisia virginica (Lepidoptera, Arctii-
dae). 14.VI.45. Taken on woodland path.

Rileymyia n. sp., Mar. 3, 1945. Bred from larva of
Halisidota argentata (Arctiidae). The adult form of
H. argentata appears in the summer, after a very short
period as a pupa. Thus the parasite in this cgise does
not follow the life cycle of its host, but must attack
the partly grown larvae in spring. Mr. A. R. Brooks s
advises me that the same species has been bred from
Malacosoma sp., which passes the winter in the egg
stage. ■

Peleteria obsoleta Cn., Aug. 18. 1946. Taken on
flowers of Anaphalis margaritacea, Aug. 5; 1947. Bred
from, the larva of an. unknown phalaenid moth oh
grassy foreshore.

Peleteria campestre, Cn., Aug. 18, J 946. Taken on
flowers of Anaphalis margaritacea.

Bonellimyia tessellata, Brooks, Sept. 26, 1946. This
specimen taken in the house during early autumn, was
probably seeking a place for hibernation. I. am indebted
to Mr. Brooks for the following information on the tax-
onomy of B. tessellata^— “Bonellimyia is a. segregate of
the old genus Linnaemyia Des. and tessellata is one
of three species which were formerly 'known as Linnae-
myia haemorrhoidis Fall.’’

Uromacquartia halisidotae (Tns. ), two specimens,
June 6, 1946. Bred from larvae of H. argentata. The
caterpillars were taken the previous August while very
small and kept in a cotton sleeve over winter. In this

1944, when the insects of the earlier
infestations commenced to emerge as
adults. With a pupal period of nearly
1 1 months, the life-cycle of this cutere-
brid is just the opposite of those of the
cattle warbles, as the periods spent with-
in the host as a larva and in the ground
as a puparium are approximately re-
versed. The fact that up to nearly a
year after oviposition the eggs may re-
main viable and even hatch with the
mechanical aid of a host brushing by
suggests that the cycle of the warble fly
of this rodent may on occasion last as
long as two years.

As surmised by Moilliet, it appears
probable that this fly does not oviposit
on the hairs of its host but deposits its
eggs upon debris about the entrance of
its burrow. From evidence gained at
this laboratory that mice readily eat
puparia of cattle warbles, and the fact
that gnawed shells of cuterebrid puparia
are frequently seen about pack rat nests,
it seems likely that this stage of the fly
is particularly vulnerable to this means
of natural control.

case infestation must take place soon after the host
larvae are hatched, the parasite following nearly the
same life cj^cle. The emergence date is somewiiat
earlier than is common fof the moths. :

Lydella riigrita Tns., June 24, 1946, also two speci-
mens, May 28, 1947. Both bred from larvae , of
Arzama obliqua (Phalaenidae). The caterpillars in-
fested with this parasite die in the autumn without
pupating, and the maggots leave the body of the host
to pupate. Emergence dates in spring coincided with
the appearance of the host adul-ts. ■■

Tachinomyia variata Cn., April 24, 1947. Bred from
pupa of Malacosoma pluviale (tent caterpillar). This
species also over-winters as a pupa. •

Argentoepalpus significus (Wlk.), April 27, 1947.
All the above determinations were kindly made by
Mr. A. R. Brooks, Ottawa. — Richard Guppy, Wellington,
B. C.

A WINTER CRANE-FLY, TRICHOCERA ANNULATA,
AT VERNON, B. C. (Diptera: Trichoceridae) — -In

Volume 44 of this journal, G. J. Spencer listed two
species of Trichocera as occurring in the province. In
the late fall of .1944 my wife and I took a series of, a
third species, dancing in a swarm about four feet above
our lawn at Vernon, B. C.

Examples were sent to C. P. Alexander, who replied
in a letter dated February 23, 1945: “Your species is
Trichocera annulata Meigen, which has been known to
me in North America only from Bergroth’s record from
Sitka, Alaska. Strange to say, since receiving your
specimens, it has turned up in Galifomia. The species
has been carried by commerce to many parts of the
world . . .” — Hugh B. Leech, Calif. Acad. Sci., San

Francisco, Calif.

ENTOMOLOGICAL SOC. OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, PROC. (1949) , VOL. 46, MAY 15, 1950

5

NOTES ON SOME BRITISH COLUMBIAN FLEAS, WITH REMARKS ON
THEIR RELATIONSHIP AND DISTRIBUTION*

George P. Holland

Livestock Insects Laboratory, Kamloops, B. C.

Any attempt to piece together the se-
quence of post-Pleistocene repopulations
of life in the area now called British
Columbia will require the concerted
knowledge of the geologists, palaeontol-
ogists, botanists and zoologists, an im-
pressive array of which are assembled
here today. The contribution that a
discussion of fleas will make to the
theme of this symposium will be but
small. However, I am pleased indeed to
have this opportunity of presenting
some generalities on these parasites, with
some notes which I hope will be of in-
terest, and have some bearing on the
general discussion.

While, for centuries, the butterflies
and other conspicuous forms have at-
tracted the attention of amateur natur-
alists and professional investigators, the
lowly and despised fleas have been woe-
fully neglected. Only since the turn of
the twentieth century has serious atten-
tion centred on these insects, over 90 per
cent of the known species having been
described since that time. This belated
appreciation has stemmed partly from
recognition of their role as disease vec-
tors, and partly from the intensive
studies of Rothschild and Jordan, and,
to a lesser extent, Baker and Wagner.
These men were not moved primarily
by economic considerations, but loved
the fleas for themselves alone! To the
ardent siphonapterologist, no insect,
however gaudy, can compare with a flea,
under the microscope, especially when
full justice has been done the specimen
by proper preparation in mounting. As
Dr. Karl Jordan is reported to have said
“They are indeed the jolliest of all in-
sects. ”...

Now, although a succession of taxon-
omists has provided names by the hun-
dreds for these jolly insects, and while

j * Contribution No. 2543, Division of Entomology,
Science Service, Department of Agriculture, Ottawa,
Canada. Read at the Biological Section Symposium on
“Distribution of Plants and Animals in British Colum-
bia .following the Retreat of the Ice Cap,” 2nd Confer-
ence of the British Columbia Academy of Sciences,
Vancouver, B. C., April 16, 1948.

their unsavoury association with such
diseases as plague and murine typhus,
has prompted exhaustive analyses of the
bionomics of certain species, little has
been published on the phylogeny of the
order, its origin, and the history of its
association with mammals and birds.
Actually, only now is knowledge of the
world fauna approaching the point
where the data on which such research
would be based could be considered
representative. ;

My own studies of fleas, during the
last few years, have related principally
to their taxonomy and distribution in
Canada. It became apparent at the
commencement, of course, that an ade-
quate understanding of the geographical
distribution of these insects would not
be achieved without serious attention
being given the host animals. However,
investigation soon revealed that the
presence of preferred hosts Was not neces-
sarily the sole factor governing the range
of flea species. Thus, consideration of
geographical restriction by selective host
requirements or circumstances indepen-
dent of these has complicated the study
of nearctic fleas, and drawn attention to
numerous problems which await solu-
tion. The immediate need is for more
material. An accurate understanding of
the story these little parasites have to tell
will require access to long series of speci-
mens from representative localities, and
from all hosts. This; should be acom-
panied by biological studies of the spe-
cies, with critical analysis of microcli-
matological conditions in the larval
habitat. At the present time this ideal
abundance of material and information
is not available, although possible lines
of investigation are suggested.

The fleas, or Siphonaptera are funda-
mentally mammaLian ectoparasites, with
a few forms now associated with some
birds. Not all mammals have fleas.
Apparently the prime criterion govern-
ing the suitability of a particular mam-
mal as a potential flea host concerns the

6

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1949) , Vol. 46, May 15, 1950

stability and type of its dwelling place.
As a general rule, fleas are parasites of
terrestrial mammals of nesting habits.
There are exceptions, but in most in-
stances mammals living in burrows,
dens, or other confined quarters, tend to
be more or less populated with these
insects. This is to be explained by the
fact that it is only the adult flea which
is an animal parasite feeding upon the
blood of the host, the larvae being leg-
less, maggot-like creatures which live
upon a variety of organic materials, in-
cluding the faeces of adult fleas; such
materials, in fact, as are to be found in
greatest abundance in the hosts' perma-
nent bedding. The presence of a nest
then, or reasonable alternative, is a fun-
damental requirement, the larvae, nor-
mally, never occurring upon the host.
Nearctic fleas are found in greatest num-
ber and variety on the Insectivora, Ro-
dentia and Lagomorpha, nearly all of
which are of nesting habits. Chiroptera,
or bats, also have fleas, and while these
flying mammals do not make nests in
the accepted sense, they do tend to con-
gregate in caves, attics or other places
where suitable conditions (of humid-
ity?) exist, and where the availability
of organic substances for larval suste-
nance, and hosts for the freshly emerged
adults assure opportunity for complet-
ing and repeating the life cycle.

Certain Carnivora such as bears
(which live in “nests” at least during
the winter) have their own fleas, but as
a rule, true carnivore-fleas are rare.

The host specificity of fleas varies con-
siderably. Some are very selective in
this respect, and are rarely collected from
any but a particular genus or species of
host. Any occurrences recorded from
other hosts are explainable by predation
or other secondary or accidental associa-
tion. Other species of fleas are able to
exist upon a variety of hosts, and (pre-
sumably) to reproduce in their nests.
Several genera of mouse-fleas appear to
fall into this category, as they are col-
lected equally commonly on various
genera of Cricetidae and Zapodidae.
Some of these exhibit interesting limita-
tions in geographical range which ap-
parently have nothing to do with the
lack of availability of particular hosts.

With these, it must be presumed that
other ecological factors restrict the dis-
tribution of the flea, probably by affect-
ing the larva.

It must not be presumed that one
kind of animal harbours only one spe-
cies of flea, although sometimes this is
so. Our pocket mice ( Perognathus
parvus) , groundhogs ( Marmota flavi-
ventris) and chipmunks ( Eutamias
spp.) for example, have but one species
each, but the mountain beaver (Aplo-
dontia rufa) has three, and white-footed
mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) may
have as many as eight species occurring
upon a single individual! The coast
squirrel ( Tamiasciurus douglassii) has
three, while the red squirrel (Tamias-
ciurus hudsonicus ) has another three,
belonging to the same genera, and a
fourth occurring in the mountains and
farther north. Some of these species are
chiefly nest fleas, and are rarely collected
upon the host, while others seem to
enjoy touring the outside world as pas-
sengers.

In British Columbia, 88 species of
fleas are known. Of these, 70 are re-
garded as monotypic, and 18 polytypic,
with 23 subspecies represented, making
a total of 93 forms recorded at present
in the province (Holland, 1949:7-14).
Five have been introduced within his-
toric times, so that the total of indige-
nous species and subspecies of British
Columbian fleas now stands at 88. It
seems likely that future studies will tend
to equalize the present disparity between
monotypic and polytypic species, partly
through the reduction of some named
species to subspecific rank, and partly
through recognition of the advisability
of splitting other species, which show
consistent geographical variation. How-
ever, there are a number of species of
very stable character, and sometimes of
wide distribution, e.g., Monopsyllus
vison (Baker) , which occurs without
apparent geographical variation over
much of the range of red squirrels,
Tamiasciurus hudsonicus, which will
probably retain their monotypic status.

The 88 species and subspecies men-
tioned belong to 41 genera, only 5 of
which remain monotypic. Among the
others, sympatry may be demonstrated

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1949) , Vol. 46, May 15, 1950

7

by species of a common genus, occurring
on a single host (as various species of
Megabothvis which may be taken on, or
collected from the nest of, a single
Microtus ) and species of a common
genus occurring in the same geographical
territory, but ecologically isolated by
very selective host preferences (as
Corypsylla ornata Fox which occurs on
moles, Scapanus, and C. jordani Hub-
bard, a true parasite of shrew moles,
Neurotrichus) . Typical examples of
allopatric species are the various species
of Catallagia, parasites of white-footed
mice, Peromyscus maniculatus, which
replace each other geographically.

The indigenous flea fauna of British
Columbia is at present most satisfactor-
ily classified into five families and about
12 subfamilies, although there is wide
disagreement among siphonapterologists
as to the definition and scope of these
categories. Because of the peculiar
structural modifications of fleas, result-
ing from a highly specialized parasitic
existence, their phylogenetic relation-
ships with each other and with other
orders of insects are difficult to interpret.
Further, and for obvious reasons, tjae
fossil record of fleas is so scanty as to be
almost non-existent. None-the-less,
there is ample evidence that the fleas are
an ancient group, and that their associa-
tion with mammals dates back to the
early history of that Class. The prime
evidence for this contention lies in the
fact that today, divergent groups of host
animals are usually infested by fleas of
widely different character, suggesting
that the fleas have evolved with the
hosts. However, during the Cenozoic
epochs, when certain groups of mam-
mals evolved, flourished, declined and
became extinct, leaving at least a fossil
record, the fleas associated with them
are almost completely unknown. Simp-
son (1945:34-35) points out that of
the 32 recognized orders of mammals,
14 are now extinct; also that 54 per
cent of the families and 67 per cent of
the known genera of mammals are ex-
tinct. Thus the modern flea fauna, be-
reft of genera and families which must
have depended upon these vanished
mammals constitutes a number of tag
ends of evolutionary lines, and leaves

but an irregular, disjointed picture of
the story of the Order. To make mat-
ters even more difficult, inferences and
analogies which might be drawn are
fraught with pitfalls in the form of
complications arising from habitat asso-
ciations and transference of hosts, which
have occurred at various times in the
more recent past. Thus, although we
may postulate that fleas evolved with
the mammals so that, in general, mod-
ern primitive mammals are infested with
relatively unspecialized fleas, and some
of the higher mammals with fleas which
may be regarded as more highly special-
ized, there are inter-relationships, result-
ing from contacts amicable or otherwise,
between the ancestors of the host ani-
mals, which obscure the clarity of the
picture. For example, there are at least
two genera of fleas occurring on certain
burrow-inhabiting sea birds which
show obvious affinities With the rabbit-
fleas. On the other hand, bats are in-
fested by a special family of fleas
(Ischnopsyllidae) no species of which is
to be found on members of any other
order of hosts. Thus, while it is, per-
haps, reasonable to speculate that the
Ischnopsyllidae are of ancient lineage,
originating at the time when the bats
themselves were splitting from the prim-
itive mammalian trunk, the sea-bird fleas
are almost certainly to be explained by
the practice of some birds taking over the
burrows of fossorial mammals for nest-
ing purposes, with subsequent oppor-
tunity for transfer of ectoparasites. Evi-
dently, some of the rabbit-fleas found
the birds an adequate substitute for their
normal hosts, and while the processes of
evolution, perhaps accelerated by the
new environment have brought; about
their present generic distinctions, the
ancestral affinities remain obvious today.
Other bird-fleas, including two genera
known from British Columbia, are as
obviously derived from rodent-fleas
(Ceratophyllinae) .

Orchopeas sexdentatus (Baker) a
packrat ( Neotoma ) flea frequently oc-
curs on pikas ( Ochotona ) in talus
slopes occupied by both mammals.
Given sufficient time, it is possible that
a form of Orchopeas peculiar to the
pikas might evolve. Mice and insecti-

8

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1949) , Vol. 46, May 15, 1950

vores, which frequently use each others’
runways and burrows are regularly
found to be temporary hosts to each
others’ fleas.

At the present time there are at least
three species of fleas occurring on nearc-
tic weasels or mink and which belong to
genera most of the species of which
occur on groups of animals forming the
normal prey of these small carnivores.
These fleas are Nearctopsylla brooksi
(Rothschild) (the other species of Ne-
arctopsylla occur on shrews) , Cerato-
phyllus tundrensis Holland (the genus
associated with birds) and Megabothris
atrox (Jordan) (the genus ordinarily
associated with the Microtinae) . Thus
far, none of these fleas has been recorded
from the type of host that one would
expect. This may be explained by the
fact that collections are yet limited, but
it is possible that these fleas, or their
ancestral representatives, originating on
the prey, have now transferred their
entire attention to the genus Mustela.
Future study should reveal the answer.
An interesting fact is that all three
species are larger and more deeply pig-
mented than others in their respective
genera, and this may have some relation
to conditions on the new host, condi-
tions which have brought about this
evolutionary modification in three unre-
lated genera.

Continuing with general discussion,
it may be noted that fleas, like other
parasitic forms, evolve more slowly
than do their mammalian hosts. Local
proof of this statement is provided by
the known flea fauna of some islands off
the coast. Although nearly all the small
mammals of the Queen Charlotte and
Vancouver Islands are regarded as racial-
ly or specifically distinct from corres-
ponding forms on the adjacent main-
land I have been able to detect no mor-
phological difference in the small series
of fleas (about 16 species from Vancou-
ver Island; 3 from the Queen Charlotte
Islands) available for study from these
regions.

As Jellison points out (in litt.) fleas
appear to be approximately one taxo-
nomic category behind their hosts in
evolution. Although zoological sub-
species and species have a demonstrable

actuality in Nature, other taxonomic
categories, while attempting to demon-
strate natural groups, are in general only
concepts, facilitating development of the
classifications, sometimes rather arbitra-
ry, by means of which we pigeon-hole
animal life. Nevertheless, on the basis
of classifications now existing, it appears
that species of fleas are frequently associ-
ated with genera of mammals; genera of
fleas with families of mammals; families
with orders, and finally, the order
Siphonaptera with the class Mammalia!
For example, the fleas Monopsyllus
vison (Baker) and Monopsyllus eumol-
pi (Rothschild) infest the genera
Tamiasciurus and Eutamias respectively.
Thus, the genus Monopsyllus is associ-
ated with the family Sciuridae. The
Ceratophyllidae, to which Monopsyllus
belongs, includes many genera, mostly
associated with the order Rodentia. In
the same manner, the genus Corypsylla
is associated with the Talpidae and the
family Hystrichopsyllidae with the
order Insectivora. Similarly Arctopsylla
is a genus associated with Ursidae, and
the Vermipsyllidae with Carnivora.

A survey of holarctic mammalian
fauna reveals that many of the British
Columbian forms have closely allied
Asiatic counterparts. Many of these
indeed, are regarded as congeneric, and
are accepted as definite evidence of inter-
continental migrations and countermi-
grations which have occurred across the
intermittent Siberian-Alaskan land
bridge from Miocene times to as recently
as only a few thousands of years ago. As
might be expected, many of the fleas in-
festing western Canadian and Alaskan
mammals too have close Asiatic rela-
tives, and occur on the corresponding
hosts. Some of these fleas are regarded
as only racially distinct, and are appar-
ently attributable to late Pleistocene
contacts.

Of the 4 1 genera of fleas recorded
from British Columbia, 20 also occur in
Asia (see Tables 1 and 2). These
genera occur principally upon the
shrews, bats, bears, marmots, ground-
squirrels, tree-squirrels, meadow voles,
red-backed mice, hares and pikas, which
correspond closely in the New and Old
Worlds. Two of the holarctic genera

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1949) , Vol. 46, May 15, 1950

9

are restricted to birds, and some of the
species of these fleas are circumpolar. Of
the 21 genera not recorded from the
Palaearctic region (Table 2), 6 at least
are very closely allied to Old World
forms, and only owe their present iden-
tity to recent generic splittings.

The remaining 15 genera are some-
what more remote, and, not surprising-
ly, are associated principally with strict-
ly nearctic genera of mammals. Notes
on a few of these follow.

Corypsylla is associated with western
nearctic moles, Scapanus and Neurotri -
chus, and the related Corypsylloides and
Nearctopsylla are found on New World
Sorex. At present no palaearctic equiv-
alents of these fleas are known, so it may
be that the group originated on some
nearctic Talpidae, subsequently spread-
ing to the ubiquitous Sorex. Sorex also
has fleas of the genus Corrodopsylla,
common in Asia and North America.

Most of the species of Opisocrostis are
associated with the mammalian genus
Citellus. As Opisocrostis is not known
from palaearctic ground-squirrels, it
may be (as Jellison suggests, 1947:65)
that the genus originated on prairie dogs
( Cynomys ) , a group of nearctic fos-
sorial rodents which also harbour two
species of Opisocrostis, the fleas spread-
ing to Citellus in the New World in
comparatively recent times. However, a
representative of Opiscrostis tubercula-
tus (Baker) has recently been collected
from Citellus parryi (a relict species, and
not now in contact with more southerly
populations of Citellus or with Cyno-
mys) . A similar situation occurs with
the genera Orchopeas and Opisodasys,
also apparently strictly nearctic and with
no close palaearctic relatives. Most of
the species of Orchopeas occur on arbo-
real squirrels, Sciurus and Tamaisciurus,
which have close relatives in the Old
World. However, the two remaining
species, Orchopeas leucopus (Baker) and
O. sexdentatus (Baker) are true para-
sites of the nearctic mammalian genera
Peromyscus and Neotoma, and it ap-
pears likely that the genus Orchopeas
originated on nearctic Cricetinae, spread-
ing subsequently to the squirrels. It
should be noted that northern New
World tree-squirrels also have the fleas

Monopsyllus vison (Baker) and Tar-
sopsylla coloradensis (Baker) which
show obvious affinities with the palae-
arctic squirrel fleas, Monopsyllus sciuro-
rum (Schrank) and Tarsopsylla octo-
decimdentatus (Kolenati) .

The genus Megabothris is associated
primarily with the Microtinae, and a
sequence of the described species, ar-
ranged to show the progressive evolu-
tion of the spiniform setae on the male
clasper processes shuttles us back and
forth between the Old and New Worlds
in a manner that suggests a succession of
contacts and dispersals.

Anomiopsyllus, Callistopsyllus, Ste-
nistomera and Megarthroglossus belong
to a group of primitive nest-fleas, all the
genera of which appear to be entirely
Nearctic. Again the prime association
seems to be with white-footed mice and
pack rats, with some species of Megar-
throglossus having spread to tree-squir-
rels.

The nearctic genus Meringis is entire-
ly restricted to pocket mice ( Perogna -
thus) and pocket rats ( Dipodomys ) .
The related Phalacropsylla occurs on
pack rats ( Neotoma ) .

Trichopsylloides and Dolichopsyllus
(both monotypic genera) are found
only on the “mountain beaver’' ( Aplo -
dontia) and like their host, are without
close relatives.

Foxella and Dactylopsylla, blind
ceratophylline fleas, are restricted to
pocket gophers ( Thomomys and Geo-
mys).

Some of the fleas of certain northern
Microtinae ( Microtus , Clethrionomys,
and presumably Lemmus and Dicros-
tonyx, although from the lemmings,
but little material is available as yet)
show closer affinities wit,h the Asiatic
fauna than they do with the fleas of
temperate North America. Malaraeus
penicilliger dissimilis Jordan and Am-
phipsylla sibirica pollionis (Rothschild)
are considered only as nearctic races of
palaearctic species. Recently, nearctic
representatives of Megabothris calcarifer
(Wagner) and Catallagia dacenkoi Ioff
have been collected from microtines in
Alaska and the Mackenzie delta of
Canada.

A further note of interest concerns

10

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1949) , Vol. 46, May 15, 1950

the New World representatives of Ma-
laraeus penicilliger (Grube) which oc-
cur on red-backed mice, Clethrionomys,
and other microtines, across sub-Arctic
North America from Alaska to Labra-
dor. Although Clethrionomys ranges
well to the south and may be found in
woodland habitats at low altitude as
well as high, there is a representative of
this flea which (apparently) is restricted
to that part of the mouse’s range which
occurs in alpland and subalpine forest.
Records are available from Maligne
Lake in the Rockies and Tenquille Lake,
and Anahim Lake, in the Coast Range.
It is not known as yet if the species is
of continuous distribution from the
Arctic to the southern mountain ridges
or whether the northern and southern
populations are separated. In any case,
it illustrates the general situation, that
the fleas of Arctic and sub-Arctic Alaska
and Yukon show closest affinity with
the modern flea fauna of northeastern
Asia, and are followed next by those of
the mountains and then the great Boreal
Forest of British Columbia. However,
many of the fleas of the bottomlands
and valleys of the southern part of the
province, even on holarctic genera of
hosts, represent strictly nearctic genera,
and are obvious intrusions from the
south. A single example may suffice.
Oropsylla idahoensis (Baker) is the
dominant flea of Citellus columbianus,
but only in the northern part of its
range, and in localities at high altitude
in the southern part. In the low valleys
of the Okanagan and the Kootenays,
where Columbian ground-squirrels also
occur, the dominant flea is Thrassis peti-
olatus (Baker) , belonging to a purely
New World genus, which has its great-
est centres of abundance and variety on
marmots and ground-squirrels in the
Western United States. In areas where
Thrassis petiolatus occurs, Oropsylla
idahoensis is rare to absent, and vice
versa.

Diamanus presents an interesting ex-
ample of a flea genus which, in times
prior to the last ice inundation probably
was represented in Canada. The genus
is quite distinct, and associated with
ground-squirrels of the genus Citellus.
Two species are known today. One,

Diamanus montanus (Baker) is record-
ed from California, Oregon, Nevada,
Utah, Arizona and Mexico, where it
occurs most commonly on Citellus
beecheyi ssp. and C. variegatus ssp.
The other, Diamanus mandarinus (Jor-
dan and Rothschild) is knowln only
from China, where it occurs on Citellus
dauricus mongolicus. Diamanus is not
known from any of the ground-squir-
rels now occurring in Canada, and we
must presume that while Western Can-
ada has become populated by Citellus
since the ice retreated, certain factors
now preclude the re-establishment of
Diamanus. The nature of these cannot
be stated with certainty at this time, but
ecological factors of a climatic nature,
the time element and perhaps some as-
pect of species competition all may have
had contributory effect. The element
of competition in fleas is one concerning
which virtually no information is avail-
able. Little or nothing is known of the
interrelationships between the flea spe-
cies themselves, and the manner or
means whereby certain species might be
crowded out either as larvae or adults.

The genus Geusibia provides another
example. G. torosa Jordan, the geno-
type, was described from China where it
was collected on pikas, Ochotona cansa.
Another species, Geusibia ashcrafti Au-
gustson has now been described from
California and Colorado from Ocho-
tona schisticeps. Although pikas are
common in the British Columbian
mountains, the genus Geusibia has not
come to light, and it may be that it no
longer occurs there. The Rocky Moun-
tain pika, O. princeps does carry charac-
teristic fleas of two genera, Amphalius
and Ctenophyllus, both of which are
found in Eastern Asia today.

Of interest too, among the fleas which
apparently do not occur in British Co-
lumbia are representatives of Ctenoph-
thalmus, Stenoponia, Saphiopsylla,
Odontopsyllus and Doratopsylla, genera
associated with various mice, rabbits
and insectivores. These five genera occur
also in the Palaearctic region, and are
undoubted evidence of former faunal
contacts. In Canada, they are restricted
to the southern part of the Eastern
Provinces with the exception of two

ENTOMOLOGICAL SOC. OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, PROC. (1949) , VOL. 46, MAY 15, 1950

11

which range westward into Alberta. If
one subscribes to theories of recent At-
lantic continental connections, the pres-
ent distribution of these genera, perhaps,
constitutes no particular problem. If,
however, as seems probable, the ancient
avenue whereby the ancestors of these
fleas were exchanged (either way) was
the Alaska-Siberian land bridge, then
we must deduce that the fleas, with their
hosts, were exterminated across most of
“Canada,” with a residual fauna re-
maining in the southeast, and the Mid-
dle and Eastern “United States” and
that (as with Diamanus and Geusibia)
they have been unable to re-establish
themselves over their entire former
range. Certainly these genera appear
now to be completely lacking from the
whole of British Columbia and most of
the rest of Canada.

According to Jellison and Kohls
(1939:2022) and Jellison (1945-96)
Alaskan specimens of the Parry ground-
squirrel, Citellus parryi, were infested
with Oropsylla idahoensis (Baker) ,
which, in typical form is common on
our Citellus columbianus. However,
the Alaskan fleas they ascribe to this
species were stated to be somewhat
larger, darker and with slight differences
of vestiture, characters indeed which
might well be considered of subspecific
value.* If Citellus parryi and C. colum-
bianus have a common ancestry, or a
history of former contiguity such simi-
larity in their fleas might readily be ex-
plained. There is no contact between
these rodents today, but in the past, it
seems there must have been. Another

* Study of this situation might indicate the advis-
ability of reinstating bertholfi Fox 1927 (synonymized
by Jordan 1933:74), described from Citellus plesius
nebulicola, Nagai Island, Alaska, as a subspecies of

idahoensis.

example showing that the progenitors
of the mammals now separated into the
northern and southern alplands of
Munro and Cowan (1947) had a point
of contact prior to the last glaciations is
Amphalius necopinus (Jordan) , a flea
recorded by Hubbard (1947:172)
from the northern collared pika, Ocho -
tona collaris and well known from the
Rocky Mountain pika, O. princeps.
Munro and Cowan (1947:32) explain
their definition of northern and south-
ern alpland biotic areas on the basis of
repopulations of the two areas from
northern and southern residual faunae,
subsequent to the melting of the Pleisto-
cene ice cap. The mammals, and others,
in the time that has elapsed since, have
evolved good specific distinctions, but
the relative recentness of their contact is
suggesed by the possession of common
species of fleas.

Other interesting examples of flea
distribution and relationship might be
cited, but time does not permit. In
closing, I should like to stress the desir-
ability of saving fleas in the course of
mammalogical studies. Careful collec-
tions from territories recognized as the
sites of Pleistocene refugia may readily
bring to light fleas of great importance
as phylogenetic missing links. Although
many of the known fleas are of wide
distribution, there are others that are ex-
tremely local, and a search over the vast
northern part of this continent (practi-
cally virgin territory insofar as fleas are
concerned) and especially from isolated
species of mammals such as the Vancou-
ver Island marmot, Marmota vancouver-
ensis and the Sitka white-faced mouse,
Peromyscus sitkensis, which may them-
selves be pre-Pleistocene relicts, should
bring to light valuable material.

12

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1949) , Vol. 46, May 15, 1950

TABLE 1

A List of Holes rcf-ic Genera of Fleas

(Genera known from B. C. marked with an asterisk*)

FAMILY

GENUS

PREFERRED HOST

PULICIDAE

* Pulex

Man? Artiodactyla?

* HoplopsyHus

Hares ( Lepus )

VERMIPSYLLIDAE

* Arcf-opsyEia

Bears ( Ursus )

^Chaetopsyilo

Carnivora (Euarctos, Lynx, Felis, Canis, Gulo,
Procyon )

HYSTRICHOPSYLLIDAE

* Hysfrricfoopsyllo

Insectivora, Mice

Saphiopsylla

Insectivora, Mice

St-enoponia

Insectivora, Mice

*CataUagia

Mice

*Neopsylla

Ground-Squirrels (Citellus)

* Reciof rontia

Small Rodentia

Ctenophthafmus

Insectivora, Mice

Doratopsylla

Shrews (Sorex, Blarina)

*CorrodopsySla

Shrews (Sorex)

CERATOPHYLLIDAE

Amphipsylfa

Microtinae ( Microtus, Ctethrionomys)

Odoratopsyllus

Rabbits (Sylvilagus, Oryctolagus)

Geusihia

Pikas (Ochotona)

*CtenophyISus

Pikas (Ochotona)

* Amphalius

Pikas (Ochotona)

*CeraS,ophyllus

Many birds

*Dasypsyllus

Many birds

Mioctenopsylla

Arctic gulls

*MonopsylIus

Rodentia (Sciurus, Tamiasciurus, Eutamias,
Peromyscus )

*Megab©frhns

Microtinae ( Microtus , Clethrionomys, Lemmus,
Dicrostonyx )

*Malaraeus

Cricetidae (Microtus, Clethrionomys, Peromys-
cus, Apodemus, Lemmus)

*Tarsopsy!!a

Sciuridae (Sciurus, Tamiasciurus, Glaucomys)

Diamanus

Ground-Squirrels (Citellus)

*Oropsylla

Sciuridae (Marmota, Citellus)

*Peromyseopsyila

Cricetidae (Microtus, Clethrionomys, Peromys-
cus, Neotoma, Apodemus)

ISCHNOPSYLLIDAE

*MyodopsylIa

Bats (Chiroptera)

TABLE 2

A List of Purely Nearctsc Genera of Fleas Occurring in B. C.

FAMILY

GENUS

PREFERRED HOST

HYSTRICHOPSYLLIDAE

Afyphloceras

Cricetidae (Peromyscus, Microtus)

Delotelis

Cricetidae ( Peromyscus , Microtus)

Epitedia

Small rodents and insectivores

Phalacropsylla

Woodrats ( Neotoma )

Meringis

Pocket mice (Perognathus)

Micropsylla

White-footed mice (Peromyscus)

Trichopsylloides

Mountain beaver ( Aplodontia)

Callisfopsyllus

White- footed mice (Peromyscus)

Megarfhroglossus

Neotoma and Tamiasciurus

Corypsylla

Moles (Scapanus and Neurotrichus)

Corypsylloides

Shrews (Sorex)

Nearctopsylla

Shrews (Sorex)

CERATOPHYLLIDAE

Doliehopsyllus

Mountain beaver (Aplodontia)

Thrassis

Sciuridae (Citellus and Marmota)

Opisocrosfis

Ground-squirrels (Citellus)

Foxella

Pocket gophers (Thomomys)

Dactylopsylla

Pocket gophers (Thomomys)

Qpcsodasys

Mice (Peromyscus) ; squirrels (Glaucomys)

Orchopeos

Sciuridae and Cricetidae (Tamiasciurus, Neo-
toma and Peromyscus)

ISCHNOPSYLLIDAE

Eptescopsylla

Bats (Lasionycteris)

MyodopsyHoides

Bats (Eptesicus)

13

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1949) , Vol. 46, May 15, 1950

LITERATURE CITED

Holland, G. P., 1949. A revised check list of the fleas of British Columbia. Ent. Soc. B C.
Proc. 45 : 7 - 1 4 .

Hubbard, C. A., 1947. Fleas of western North America. Iowa State College Press; pp. i-ix +
1-533; 5 plates; many text figures.

Jellison, W. L., 1945. Siphonaptera; the genus Oropsylla in North America. Journ. Parasitol.
25:413-428; plates I-III. 1947. Siphonaptera: host distribution of the genus Opisoccos -
tis Jordan. Trans. Amer. Microscop. Soc. 66:64-99; plates I, II.

Jellison, W. L. and G. M. Kohls, 1939. Siphonaptera: a list of Alaskan fleas. Pub. Hlth.

Repts. 54:2020-2023.

Jordan, K., 1933. A survey of the classification of the American species of Ceratophyllus s. lat.
Nov. Zool. 39:70-79.

Munro, J. A. and I. McT. Cowan, 1947. A review of the bird fauna of British Columbia. B. C.
Prov. Mus. Special Publication No. 2; pp. 1-285; figs. 1-42.

Simpson, G. G., 1945. The principles of classification and a classification of the mammals. Amer.
Mus. Nat. Hist. Bui. 85 :i-xvi + 1-350.

NOTES ON THE LIFE-HISTORY OF THE GARRY OAK LOOPER, LAMBDSNA
FISCELLARIA SOMNJARIA Hist.

(Lepidoptera Geometridae)

G. A. Hardy

Provincial Museum, Victoria, B. C.

The following notes on the life his-
tory of this notorious species which has
caused such devastation to the Garry
oak, Quercus garryana Dough in Vic-
toria and vicinity during the past two
years, were made from reared specimens.

Ovum. Laid September 18, 1947, in
a jar in which pieces of lichen and moss-
covered bark were placed together with
bud-bearing twigs. Two pairs of moths
each taken in coitu were put into sepa-
rate jars. One female laid 115 eggs,
scattered indiscriminately on the lichen,
moss, twigs and sides of jar, singly or
in small groups and clusters without any
evident order or sequence. The other
female deposited 78 eggs in like manner.
The ova were kept throughout the win-
ter in an equably cool room temperature.

The egg is elongate, oval, slightly
flattened at the end by which it was
fixed to the substratum by an adhesive
fluid. It is quite smooth and shiny.
Colour a pastel shade of blue or green
matching that of the lichens or moss on
which the eggs are commonly laid. To-
wards hatching time the egg assumes a
dark leaden hue. Size 1 mm. by 0.75
mm.

1st Instar. Ova hatched May 2,
1948. Length of larva, 3 mm. Head,
black or fuscous; body, alternately
ringed with fuscous and light bluish
bands; egg-shell not eaten. When dis-
turbed the larva spins a light silken
thread to which it clings. Stadium, 6
days.

2nd Instar. May 8. Length 6 mm.
Similar in every way but size to the
preceding instar, but with the bands
showing a tendency to break up into a
different pattern. Stadium, 10 days.

3rd Instar. May 18. Length 10 mm.
General colour a pale blue-grey. The
fuscous bands now resolve into a more
restricted and definite pattern; head,
fuscous. Most of the segments are blue-
grey with four small blackish spots ar-
ranged on the dorsal surface in the form
of a square; underside of each abdominal
segment 2 to 6 bearing large dark central
spot. Three dark parallel interrupted
lateral lines give the appearance of 10
black hyphens or dashes on each side of
body. Stadium, 13 days.

4th Instar. May 31. Length 25 mm.
General colour and pattern as in third

14

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1949), Vol. 46, May 15, 1950

instar, but with markings more decided.
There is a certain amount of variation in
the size and intensity of the black mark-
ings on the dorsal surface and especially
the lateral hyphens which are sometimes
fused to form solid black lines but
slightly interrupted between segments.
Head pale sea-green, with small black
dots arranged in four vertical rows, two
on each side. The larva ceased feeding
on June 19, three days before the pupal
stage was assumed and spins a very thin
webbing either between two leaves,
among the moss on the trunk, or on the
ground at the base of the tree. Length
of larva just before pupation, 40 mm.
Stadium, 22 days.

Pupa. Pupation June 22. Length of
pupa 28 mm., width 4 mm. ; wing cases
fuscous; abdominal segments beige with
small black dots; anal segment black;
cremaster consisting of two stout ter-
minal hooked setae and two to six
smaller ones at the base. The pupa is
held in place chiefly by the entanglement
of the cremaster among the fibres of the
web spun by the larva. Pupal period,
24 days.

Imago. First emergence on July 16.
There was considerable variation in
length of instars among individuals.
Under natural conditions the larvae
averaged 25 mm. on July 22 or about
the same stage of development which
had been reached on May 3 1 by those
under control. The larvae remain very
quiet except when feeding; they rest
along the midrib on the underside of the
leaves or on moss and bark often with
the head shielded from daylight.

Summary. Ova laid under confined
conditions on September 18, 1947, were
kept in an equably cool room tempera-
ture throughout the winter. The larvae
emerged May 1, 1948, and were fed on
Garry Oak, Quercus garryana, complet-
ing their life cycle in 75 days from time
of emergence from the egg. The first
instar was completed in 8 days; second
instar, 10 days; third instar, 13 days;
fourth instar, 22 days and pupa, 24
days. Each instar was progressively
longer than the preceding one. The last
instar, however, included three or four
days devoted to spinning and lying
quiescent prior to pupation.

BIOLOGY OF ANISOLABIS MARITIMA (GENE) THE SEASIDE EARWIG, ON
VANCOUVER ISLAND (Dermaptera, Labiduridae)

Richard Guppy

Wellington, B. C.

Introduction — Anisolabis maritima
(Gene) , a large and fearsome appearing
apterous earwig, inhabiting a restricted
zone at the line of highest tides, is not
likely to escape notice for very long
where it occurs in settled districts. E.
R. Buckell has given a resume of its
known range, and an account of its
discovery on Vancouver Island by
Professor G. V. Spencer in 19261, and
it will not be necessary to go over this
information here. The species in 20
years or more does not seem to have be-
come very generally distributed on the
British Columbia coast. It is now very
abundant on the shore of Vancouver
Island from Departure Bay where it was
reported first to at least as far as the cove

beyond Neck Point, a distance of only
six or seven miles along the tortuous
shore line.

After fairly careful search at several
points along the coast, I found speci-
mens in only one other locality, a few
small islets known as Dayman Id. lying
close to Kuper Id. I made unsuccessful
searches at Separation Point, near Cow-
ichan Bay; Dodd Narrows, south of
Nanaimo; and French Creek, near
Qualicum Beach. It is interesting to
note that Professor Spencer found them
on a small island, possibly Snake Id.,
three miles from Departure Bay. It ap-
pears that these earwigs are more apt to
travel by water than along the shore.
There is a record in the Report of the

ENTOMOLOGICAL SOC. OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, PROC. (1949) , VOL. 46, MAY 15, 195 0

15

Provincial Museum for 1947 of two
examples of “seaside earwigs” found
near Vancouver. I am indebted to G.
H. Hardy for the information that
these specimens were taken at Tsawavas-
sen Beach by Mr. F. Goertz. Unfor-
tunately they were not preserved, but
the record must be accepted as fairly
definite proof that Anisolabis is now
also established on the British Columbia
mainland.

Resume of Life History — A study of
the life history of Anisolabis leaves little
doubt that it is a species adapted for life
in tropical regions. Due to its ability to
endure long periods of suspended devel-
opment it survives in temperate climates,
where the winters are not too long or
severe. In this respect it differs strongly
from, ForRcula, which grows rapidly at
rather low temperatures and so appears
much better suited for northern condi-
tions.

On Vancouver Island seaside earwigs
mature in two years. Ova are deposited
during spring or summer as soon as tem-
perature is suitable. This is seldom
earlier than July, although unusually
warm weather in the spring may result
in oviposition taking place before the
end of May. Under normal summer
temperature on Vancouver Island ova
will hatch after 30 to 45 days. C. B.
Bennett2 reported that on the New York
coast ova hatched in 1 7 days, but he did
not mention what temperature was
required to produce this result. The
nymphs attain only the first or second
instar by the time winter conditions
force them into hibernation. The re-
maining three or four stadia are usually
completed during the second summer,
but many pass a second winter as fifth
instar nymphs.

One of my captive seaside earwigs,
kept under constant high temperatures,
oviposited 43 days after reaching ma-
turity. This evidence shows that indi-
viduals which winter during their fifth
stadium would reproduce next summer,
the dormant period being unnecessary.
It also indicates that Anisolabis under
tropical conditions may maintain a con-
tinuous and quite rapid cycle of growth
and reproduction.

Brooding by Females — As is usual
with Dermaptera, female Anisolabis
watch over and care for their eggs and
young nymphs. An elaborate cell is
prepared by the insect when she is
nearly ready to oviposit, several nights
being devoted to the task. This cham-
ber appears to the observer much larger
than necessary, plenty of room is al-
lowed for the insect to move around and
to spread out her eggs. A favorite loca-
tion for cells is under the bark of rotten
logs, though they are often in sand
under driftwood. The earwigs show a
strongly developed instinct in selecting
suitable sites which will remain con-
stantly moist, and yet be above the
reach of ordinary summer tides. The
brooding females are very aggressive in
protecting their ova, much more so than
ForRcula. They will not permit others
of their own kind to enter the cell. The
forceps are used as weapons, the insect
striking over her back with such force
as to throw herself completely on end.
They have, however, a sense of propor-
tion. The hand of an observer ap-
proaching the cell causes immediate re-
treat.

Two female seaside earwigs have
hatched their ova under my observation.
The first batch, deposited on July 13,
hatched without artificial aid in 30 days.
At this time I did not keep a record of
temperatures but fairly constant warm
weather prevailed. Another lot depos-
ited August 1 8 were kept without arti-
ficial heat until September 18. Average
temperature during this period, arrived
at by taking readings twice daily, was
63 °F. By this time well-developed
embryos could be seen in the eggs. As
progress seemed to be very slow the
temperature was increased to 75 °F. or
higher, which resulted in the first
nymph appearing on October 4, an in-
cubation period of 47 days. Several
more days were required to complete the
hatching, and a total of 62 days elapsed
before the parent insect was seen to
leave the cell to search for food. The
nymphs did not appear on the surface of
the soil until they were four or five
weeks old. They remained in seclusion
in a system of burrows constructed by

16

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1949),Vol.46, May 15, 1950

their mother, and into which she
dragged all the food provided for her
use.

During 1947, when unusually warm
weather occurred both in April and May,
I found on June 30 females with ova
nearly ready to hatch. None of the ear-
wigs which I kept in captivity that year
oviposited before mid-August. At that
time a period of cool weather set in but
artificial heat was not provided and
after periods ranging from 45 to 60 days
all the parent earwigs ate their own eggs,
even though well-developed embryos
could be seen in some cases. This must
be a common occurrence under natural
conditions on Vancouver Island.

I have found no evidence to indicate
that female Anisolabis oviposit a second
time, as is the case with ForRcula. The
former are long-lived insects, especially
the females. Two which had oviposited
in captivity were kept through the win-
ter and up to July of the following year,
when they died at an age of approxi-
mately three years.

Growth of Nymphs — As indicated
above, Anisolabis pass through five
nymphal instars, instead of only four
as with ForRcula. The length of each
stadium varies greatly according to the
temperature. My observations indicate
that the rate of growth increases very
rapidly as the temperature is raised.
Below 60°F. little or' no progress seems
to be made. Unfortunately I was not
able to keep heat steady enough to make
any exact calculations. A nymph kept
at temperatures ranging from 55°F. to
70°F. completed its second stjadium in
90 days, its third in 37 days at slightly
higher temperature and the fourth in 19
days with temperatures from 85°F. to
1 05°F.

My observations of the life cycle of
seaside earwigs under natural conditions
showed clearly that if a five-month
hibernation period is disregarded, the
average stadium is of two calendar
months’ duration. Thus an individual
hatched, as is usual, early in August will
reach the adult stage during October of
the following year, after the lapse of
fifteen months. Of this period five

months, November to March inclusive,
are too cool for any growth to take
place. Except for size the external ap-
pearance of Anisolabis nymphs alters c
very little during their entire develop-
ment. Tegmina and wings are absent
even in the adult. The forceps are well
formed in the first instar, differing in
this respect from those of ForRcula,
which are straight and threadlike at
birth.

Although the antennae of ForRcula,
show an increase in the number of seg-
ments with each moult, those of a few
exuviae of Anisolabis nymphs of un-
known instars which I examined num-
bered 17 in nearly every case. Two
specimens known to be of the first and
last nymphal instars had 15 and 17
antennal segments respectively. Buckell
stated that the antennae of adult Aniso-
labis carry from 20 to 24 segments, so
some variation must be expected in the
nymphs also. The adults can be easily
distinguished from immature forms
with the unaided eye. Adult females
have only six abdominal sterna visible,
instead of eight as with nymphs and
adult males. The forceps of adult males
are distinctive.

Behaviour of Adults — The depend-
ence of seaside earwigs on damp condi-
tions and their strict confinement to a
narrow belt at high tide level, has been
somewhat exaggerated by writers. I
have found many of the insects under
bark of logs and amongst trash even
well above the line of winter tides. Here
they were associated with many Euro-
pean earwigs. If able to find water
when abroad at night Anisolabis are evi-
dently able to stand dry conditions as
well as ForRcula, but they do not so
persistently avoid damp situations as the
latter species. The zone which Aniso-
labis normally inhabits is also the home
of spiders, oniscoids, several species of
beetles and other common terrestial
arthropods. During mild weather, even
in winter, seaside earwigs may be found
below the tide level, but near freezing
temperature will drive them into com-
plete dormancy. At such times they in-
variably seek cover well above the line

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1949) , Vol. 46, May 15, 1950

17

of highest tides. I have found many
individuals in all stages of growth,
hibernating under logs and boards in
company with European earwigs and
various beetle larvae.

The chief occupation of adult Aniso -
labis seems to be the digging of burrows.
Two inches of damp sand in a quart jar
will be converted into such a maze of
tunnels that it is difficult to understand
what prevents the whole affair from col-
lapsing. Digging is accomplished with
the mandibles alone, grains of sand and
small stones being dislodged and carried
to the surface. Food is often taken into
these tunnels, by non-brooding adults,
as well as those with young. It thus
appears that the feeding of young
nymphs by their mother may be by
chance rather than design. Nevertheless
their is no doubt that the habit is of
great use in providing a supply of food
for the nymphs during the first part of
their lives.

Food — Anisolabis jyaritima must be
considered a carnivorous species. Any
vegetable food they take is so little as to
be negligible. In captivity they ate any
sort of dead animal matter. I fed them
chiefly on crushed tiny crabs and dead
flies. I have never noticed them killing
any active insects, though they ate ova
and sluggish larvae. As a result of many
tests, I have concluded that they never
eat herbage or seaweed of any kind.
They are fond of wheat softened by
soaking, and hollow out the grains until
a neat shell remains. On rare occasions
I have seen them eat potato. Their
natural food is doubtless gleaned from
the shore where small crustaceans and
drow'ned insects are thrown up by the
waves. The eggs and larvae of Diptera
which breed in decaying seaweed may
provide them with a great part of their
sustenance.

Methods of Rearing and Observa-
tion — Seaside earwigs will thrive in
glass jars with nearly tight covers. They
are unable to climb out of ordinary jars,
but if these are left uncovered when
rearing at high temperatures, constant
attention must be paid to replenishing
moisture. I provide the nymphs with

very little cover, a quarter inch of sand
is sufficient, but care must be taken to
keep this moist as the insects will soon
die if it becomes quite dry. Excessive
litter makes it impossible to keep a close
check on ecdyses.

For the purpose of recording moults,
three methods may be considered. First,
since earwigs are absolutely white im-
mediately after ecdysis, and do not re-
cover full pigmentation for some hours,
checking twice daily is nearly certain to
result in nymphs being noticed while
still pale. Second, as earwigs do not as
a rule eat the exuviae, these can be found
without difficulty if litter is kept to a
minimum. Third, the most positive
method is to clip off part of one of the
forceps. If this is done soon after a
moult, the part will be found partly or
wholly restored after the next trans-
formation. It is necessary to quieten
the insects in order to perform this
operation, or when counting abdominal
segments. This is most easily done by
exposing them to low temperature. A
temperature of 35°F. will in a few hours
render them quite immobile. Failing
this, they can be placed in a cyanide
killing vial, and taken out immediately
they become quiet.

When observing brooding females,
an inch or more of packed sand or soil
must be provided. If unable to construct
a proper cell the earwigs will eat their
eggs. With luck, the cell may be built
against the side of the jar, which was the
case with the insect whose family life is
described in this paper. These insects
seem to know by instinct when night
has fallen, and pay little or no attention
to artificial light. For this reason their
habits are easily observed. With a hun-
dred watt light bulb not over ten feet
from the jars, I have frequently watched
them feeding, and constructing cells or
burrows. Even by daylight they are
quickly able to detect the presence of
food in their cages. A few moments
after a dead fly is dropped in, the sensi-
tive antennae will be seen at the burrow
entrance, waving slowly as their owner
decides whether the coast is clear. If all
remains quiet the earwig comes into the

18

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1949) , Vol. 46, May 15, 1950

open and seizes the fly with its mandi-
bles. I have never seen the forceps used
for this purpose. The food may be
carried at once into the burrow, or

tucked under any convenient stone or
chip.

1 Buckell E. R. 1930 Ent. Soc. B. C., 27: 22-23, also,
Spencer G. J. 1926 Can. Ent. 58 (8): 183-184.

2 Bennett C. B. 1904 Psyche, II (3): 47-53.

NOTES ON VANCOUVER ISLAND AND WEST COAST COLEOPTERA

G. A. Hardy

Provincial Museum, Victoria,

B. C.

The following notes concern certain
coleoptera belonging to the families
Carabidae, Lucanidae and Cerambycidae
and include references to new locality
records and to matters of biological or
ecological significance.

mens of this characteristic species were
taken from the crop of the same screech
owl. While common, the mode of cap-
ture is somewhat unique. This is also a
first record for Goose Island.

CERAMBYCIDAE

CARABIDAE

Zacotus matthewsii LeC. As this
handsome species is comparatively rare
in collections, its occurrence is worth
passing mention, particularly as in the
present instance, when it was found in
the crop of a screech owl taken on Goose
Island, B. C., by G. J. Guiguet during
the summer of 1948. Three specimens
were extracted from the crop, all suffi-
ciently well preserved to make identifi-
cation certain. The crepuscular habit of
this species is no doubt one reason why
it is not more common in collections.
Evidently the owl, .whose appearance
abroad coincides with that of the beetle,
had no difficulty in finding it in num-
bers.

Z. matthewsii was originally described
by LeConte in 1868 from specimens
collected on Vancouver Island by Mr.
Matthews, for whom the species was
named. So far as I am aware the above
is the first record for Goose Island and
provides a considerable northern exten-
sion of the known range for the species.
Goose Island lies off the mainland just
south of parallel 52° and some 80 miles
to the north of Cape Sutton, Vancouver
Island.

LUCANIDAE

Ceruchus striatus LeC. Two speci-

Plectrura spinicauda Mann. A wing
case and head of this unusual Ceramby-
cid were found in the crop of another
screech owl collected at the same time
and place. This species is reported along
the coast from Alaska to California,
though not known formerly from
Goose Island.

Eumichthus oedipus LeC. A single
specimen of this scarce beetle collected at
Buttle Lake, Vancouver Island, on July
22, 1948, by E. G. Harvey of the Vic-
toria Forest Insect Laboratory estab-
lishes a new locality record.

Dicentrus bluthneri LeC. One indi-
vidual of this apparently very local
British Columbia species was obtained
on Valdez Island by E. G. Harvey, May
14, 1948. This constitutes a new
locality record and to my knowledge,
only the third for British Columbia.
All three places are quite close together,
Duncan, Valdez Island, and Pender
Island. In connection with the last-
named place, I have a note made from a
conversation with G. R. Hopping, to
the effect that he took it in numbers at
Pender Harbour in May, 1926, where
it was running about and pairing on
poles of recently cut hemlock Tsuga
heterophylla.

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1949) , Vol. 46, May 15, 1950

19

SHIP INSPECTION IN THE PORT OF VANCOUVER

Cyril R. Cunningham

Division of Plant Protection, Science Service, Department of Agriculture, Vancouver, B. C.

Each day ships of many nations ar-
rive at Vancouver and New Westmin-
ster to load grain and cereal products for
export to the United Kingdom, India,
South America, the Orient, and many
other parts of the world. Each day
thousands of citizens view these ships
steaming majestically up the harbour to
their allotted berths without giving a
thought to the fact that the application
of entomological knowledge is an in-
creasing necessity before loading of these
products can be commenced.

A few years ago the British Ministry
of Food were very much concerned over
the fact that a number of cargoes of
grain were arriving in Britain badly in-
fested with granary weevil, Tribolium,
Cadelle, and other grain insects. Some
cargoes were so badly damaged that the
grain could not be used for human con-
sumption. The shortage of grain in
Europe at that time, combined with the
terrific losses, prompted the Ministry to
request that the Canadian Government
inspect all ships’ holds prior to loading,
to make sure that cargo areas were insect
free and in fit condition to carry wheat.
The government consented to carry out
this suggestion and a marked difference
in the condition of grain cargoes on ar-
rival at destination was immediately
evident. Consequently, it was decided
to extend this service to all ships loading
cereal products for any part of the
world. Inspectors of the Division of
Plant Protection, Science Service, Do-
minion Department of Agriculture,
board each vessel as soon as docking
operations are complete. Vital informa-
tion regarding previous cargoes, loading
areas, construction details, prior fumiga-
tions, and many other facts are obtained
from the captain or chief officer before
actual inspection of the ship. Armed
with this knowledge, each hold is en-
tered and a thorough examination is
carried out. Most of the trouble has

Contribution No. 7 5, Division of Plant Protection,
Science Service, Dominion Department of Agriculture,
Ottawa, Ontario.

been found to be due to improper clean-
ing of holds. It is quite common for a
ship to load wheat in, say, Australia,
and to carry this cargo to Britain, then
to proceed to Canada and carry a similar
cargo back to the United Kingdom.
This process may be continued for pos-
sibly two years, each time a residue of
wheat being left in the holds eventually
to become infested. Unless meticulous
cleaning is carried out after each cargo,
especially between the ribs of the ship,
box beams, bilges, etc., trouble is sure to
develop.

An actual inspection is carried out
thus: Hold No. 1 is normally entered
first and a careful examination made of
bilge bays, areas between ribs of ship,
fore and aft bulkheads and ceiling square
in the centre of the lower hold. The
tw"een-deck area is then entered and box
beams, hatch coamings and rib areas are
scrutinized. The same procedure is car-
ried out in holds 2 and 3. Holds 4 and
5 vary considerably by virtue of the fact
that the tunnel which houses the propel-
ler shaft penetrates both these holds,
necessitating a very careful inspection of
both sides and top of same. The average
time required to complete an examina-
tion of a ship varies from one to four
hours, depending largely on the cleanli-
ness of the ship and the prevalence of
insects or grain residue in particular. In
winter the operation is considerably
lengthened due to the dormant condition
of any insect life that may be discovered.
Should very light evidence of insects be
found, a good physical cleaning is or-
dered. Sometimes rather heavy evidence
is found in one or two remote corners.
This type of infestation is taken care of
by spot spraying with a combination of
DDT and 5 per cent pyrethrum mix-
ture. Of course, in cases where heavy or
general infestations occur, a “Detention
Notice” is given to the ship’s captain or
chief officer and fumigation ordered.
However, should the holds be found in-
sect free a “Release Certificate” is issued.
The release certificate must be presented

20

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1949) , Vol. 46, May 15, 1950

to the elevator operator before grain may
be loaded. This procedure eliminates the
danger of any ship being loaded without
inspection.

Until recently hydrocyanic acid gas
was used exclusively as a ship fumigant,
and about a year ago methyl bromide
was tested at Montreal, giving results
which proved it to be superior to HCN,
and thus the adoption of its use in Van-
couver seemed a certainty. During Sep-
tember, 1948, the writer visited Mont-
real to view the work being conducted
with methyl bromide in that port. In-
struction was given by H. A. U. Monro,
in charge of the Fumigation and Re-
search Laboratory operated by the Divi-
sion of Plant Protection in that city.
Fortunately, eight ships were fumigated
during the visit, so that ample oppor-
tunity was given to become familiar
with the procedure. Test insects (gran-
ary weevil) were used on each ship and
some interesting data were obtained.

Upon return to Vancouver, fumiga-
tion companies were instructed in the
use of methyl bromide as a space fumi-
gant. They were, however, rather re-
luctant to change to a gas 3.1 times
heavier than air, in view of the aeration
problem. Further to this, it meant a
considerable outlay of money for expen-
sive equipment such as blowers and fans.

But this reluctance was soon dispelled
and the first ship was fumigated with
methyl bromide on November 20, 1948.

Granary weevil cultures were started
in Vancouver to provide test insects for
most fumigations carried out. Four sets
of these test insects, comprising new and
old eggs, 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th instar
larvae and adults were placed in each
hold. In order to get an indication of
the effectiveness of the gas at any given
level, adults were inserted in small cap-
sules which were tied at five-foot inter-
vals to a wire forty feet in length. After
fumigation, test insects were removed
and mortality counts of adults com-
pleted, the immature stages and eggs,
with controls, being forwarded to
Montreal for incubation. The Cadelle,
due to its resistance to HCN and methyl
bromide, is an excellent test insect, but
due to the difficulty in rearing is limited
in its use. The above procedure, to-
gether with the collection of infested
wheat from ships’ holds prior to and
after fumigation, gives a complete cross
section of the entire operation and pro-
vides material on which to base future
recommendations.

Before gas is released into the ships’
holds, temperatures are recorded, and
from 1 to 2 lb. of gas used according to
the following table:

Fan circulation
10 hr. Desirable

10 “ Essential

12 “

12 “

Above 60°F.

5 1 °F. to 60°F.
32°F. to 50°F.
Below 32°F.

1 lb. per 1,000 cu. ft.

1 “ “ “ “ “

135 " “

2 “ “ “ “ “

A few statistics round out the general picture of vessel inspection at

Vancouver:

Number of ships inspected for the 1948-49 fiscal year, to date 310

Number of ships fumigated with HCN 37

Number of ships fumigated with methyl bromide 18

Total number of ships fumigated with both gases 53

Number of ships spot sprayed 21

Number of ships requiring treatment, either spraying or fumigation 76
Number of ships free of infestation 234

Regarding insect interception, the
granary weevil still appears to retain its
position as the w'orst offender, with
Tribolium running a close second. It
is hoped that by constant instruction,
ships’ officers will eventually realize that

“good housekeeping’’ in relation to
ships' holds will pay big dividends in
cutting to a minimum the chances of in-
festation, thereby saving thousands of
dollars and endless trouble to everyone
concerned.

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. ( 1 949) , VOL. 46, May 15, 1950

21

RECORDS OF BEES FROM BRITISH COLUMBIA: Me gachilidae1*

E. R. Buckell

Dominion Laboratory, Kamloops, B. C.

This list of 1 1 5 species and subspecies
of the family Megachilidae has been
compiled from collections in the Field
Crop Insect Laboratory, Kamloops, the
University of British Columbia, Van-
couver, and the National Collection at
Ottawa.

A map is included showing the loca-
tions of collection points. It should be
realized that the scarcity of records from
the northern half of the province does
not necessarily denote the absence of
these bees in that area, but is due to the
fact that it is practically uninhabited and
without transportation facilities. There
are doubtless interesting distribution
records to be obtained in the north,
when transportation becomes available.

( C.N.C .) placed before the locality
records denotes that all the specimens for

Family MEGACHILIDAE

Subfamily MEGACHILINAE

To the Megachilidae belong the
mason-bees, as well as the leaf-cutter
bees with the bees parasitic upon them.

Their nests are built in solid, or in
rotten wood, in hollow plant stems, at-
tached to stones or twigs, or in the soil.

Tribe ANTHIDIINI
Genus DIANTHIDIUM Cockerell

The species of this genus use resin in
cementing the linings of their nests and
are known as “resiniers.”

Dianthidium pudicum (Cresson)

LYTTON, July 19, 1931, Id (G.J.S.) .

Genus ANTHIDIELLUM Cockerell
Anf-hidiellum robertsoni (Cockerell)

VERNON, March 19, 1945, Id (H.B.L.) .
Reared from a pupal cell. Leech (1948).
Anthidium divisum Cockerell

CHILCOTIN, June 26, 1930, 1 d (E.R.B.) ;
July 29, 1930, if (G.J.S.) . ALEXIS

CREEK, June 30, 1943, Id- (E.R.B.) .
KASLO, June 3, 1?, 21, 1?, 1906 (L.W.C.).
OSOYOOS, July 5, 1920, 1 cT (E.R.B.). PEN-
TICTON, June 29, 1919, 1? (E.R.B.).
CRANBROOK, May 12, 193 9, Id (E.R.B.).
Anthidium tenuiflorae Cockerell

CHILCOTIN, July 20, 1930, Id; June 12,
1931, 1? (G.J.S.) . LYTTON, July 19, 1931,
1? (G.J.S.). WALHACHIN, June 29, 1918,
1$. MT. MCLAINE, July 12, 1926, 1?.

that particular locality are to be found
in the Canadian National Collection at
Ottawa. The collector is designated by
initials only in the text, but a list of col-
lectors’ names is included at the end of
the paper.

The author wishes to thank Dr. T.
B. Mitchell, University of North Caro-
lina, and Dr. C. D. Michener, American
Museum of Natural History, for the
determination of material; Dr. O. Peck,
Systematic Entomology, Ottawa, for
supplying the records of British Colum-
bia material in the genus MEGACHILE
and COELIOXYS, in the National Col-
lection, and Professor G. J. Spencer for
the loan of the University collections.

1* Contribution No. 2565, Division of Entomology,
Science Service, 'Department of Agriculture, Ottawa,
Canada.

MINNIE LAKE, Aug. 4, 1942, 1C ALEXIS
CREEK, June 30, 1943, 1 d (E.R.B.).

Anthidium mormonum Cresson

KASLO, May 28, 1906, Id (L.W.C.) .

Anthidium nebrascense Swenk

KASLO, June 1 1, 1905, lH June 3, 1906,
Id (L.W.C.) .

Anthidium wallisi wallowana Schwarz
KASLO, June 3, 1910, 1? (L.W.C.).

Anthidium palliventre Cresson

PENTICTON, June 29, 1919, 1? (E.R.B.).

Anthidium emarginatum Say

KASLO, June 1 1, 1905, 1 ? (L.W.C.).

Anthidium banningense Cockerell

KASLO, May 28, Id; June 23, 1?, 1906;
June 24, 1913, 1? (L.W.C.). PENTICTON,
May 30, 1919, 1?; June 3 and 7, 1919, 2d
(E.R.B.).

Anthidium wyomingense Schwarz

KASLO, June 5, '1906, 1 ? (L.W.C.).

Genus STELIS Panzer

Stelis (Chelynia) rubri Cockerell

CHILCOTIN, June 5, 1930 1 ? (E.R.B.).

KASLO, June 3, 1906, 1 ? (L.W.C.).

Stelis (Chelynia) monticofa Cresson

HAT CREEK, June 27, 1943, 1? (E.R.B.).

Stelis ( Pavostelis ) montana Cresson
OLIVER, June 9, 1943, 2? (E.R.B.).

Tribe MEGACHIL1NI
Genus HERIADES Spinola

Heriades (Neotry petes) variolosa Cresson
KASLO, July 23, 1906, ]d 2? (L.W.C.).

Heriades (Physostetha) carinata Cresson

LYTTON, July 19, 1$, 26, 4? (G.J.S.).

KAMLOOPS, June 13, 1943, Id (G.J.S.).

22

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1949) , Vol. 46, May 15, 1950

LILLOOET, July 27, 1943, 1 1c? (E.R.B.).
CRANBROOK, June 21, 1926, 1 c? (A.A.D.) .
INVERMERE, July 29, 1?, 1926 (A.A.D.) .
VERNON, July 10, 2 c?, 23, 5?, 1920

(N.L.C.) ; July 23, 1?, 25, lc? (M.H.R.) .
PENTICTON, June 21, 1919, Id" (M.H.R.) .

The 11^ taken at Lillooet were
caught from a swarm of these little bees
flying low over the soil around a plant
of Russian thistle, Salsola kali Linn.

Genus ASHMEADIELLA Cockerell

Ashmeadiella curriei curriei Titus

Michener (1939) records that typical
curriei occurs from British Columbia to
California and Colorado and that the
type ? in the U.S. Nat. Museum^ was
from Kaslo, B. C. This would no
doubt have been collected by Mr. L. W.
Cockle.

Ashmeadiella bucconis denticulata (Cresson)
VERNON, July 6, 1929, 4c? 3? (H.B.L.) ;
June 12, 193 6, Id" (I.J.W.) . PENTICTON,
July 21, 1916, 1? (R.C.T.). WALHACHIN,
July 21, 1917, 2? (E.R.B.).

Ashmeadiella cactorum cactorum (Cockerell)
KASLO, July 23, 1906, 1 ? (L.W.C.).
Ashmeadiella californicc californica (Ashmead)
CRANBROOK, June 21, 1926, 1 ? (A.A.D.).
VERNON, July 6, 1929, 1 c? (H.B.L.) .

Genus HOPLITIS Klug
Hoplitis albifrons Kirby

CHASE, June 6, 1937, 2c? (E.R.B.). ALEXIS
CREEK, June 30, 1943, 1 ? (E.R.B.). PEN-
TICTON, June 7, 2 d", 2 1 , 1 c? (E.R.B. ). KAM-
LOOPS, June 13, 1?; Aug. 8, 4c?, 1943
(E.R.B.) ; June 12, 1943, 1 c? (G.J.S.).
CHILCOTIN, June 13, 1929, 3c? 1?; June
5, 2c?, 26, 3c? 1?, 1930 (E.R.B.). June 7,
1931, lc? (G.J.S.). 'CRANBROOK, June 15,
lc? 19, 21, lc?, 1926 (A.A.D.). VICTORIA,
V. I., June 10, 1916, 29 (R.C.T.) . KASLO,
May 30-July 1, 1905, 1 c? 3 9 ; May 6-June
30, 1906, 5c? 79 (L.W.C.).

Hoplitis fulgida (Cresson)

CHILCOTIN, June 5-14, 1929, 1 c? 5 9 ; June
26, 1930, 3d" (E.R.B.). PENTICTON, June
5, lc?, 29, 19, 1919; July 4, 1930, 2d"
(E.R.B.). VERNON, May 1, 1929, 1 9

(E.R.B.). KASLO, June 20, 1905, 19

(L.W.C.).

Hoplitis louisae Cockerell

CHILCOTIN, May. 28, 1929, Id" (E.R.B.).

Dr. C. D. Michener, who determined
this bee, stated that it had hitherto been
unknown north of Oregon and Idaho.
The specimen was collected at an eleva-
tion of 3,500 ft. Lat. 52.

Hoplitis producta subgracilis Michener

CHILCOTIN, June 13, 1929, 1 9 (E.R.B.).
VERNON, July 7, 193 0, 1 9 (I.J.W.) .

Hoplitis grinnelli septentrionalis Michener

CRANBROOK, May 12, 1926, 1 9 (A.A.D.).

Hoplitis sambuci Titus

OLIVER, June 9, 1937, 1 c? (E.R.B.). KERE-
MEOS, June 20, .1943, 1 9 (E.R.B.).

Genus ANTHOCOPA Lepeletier and Serville

Anthocopa copelandica Cockerell

PENTICTON, July 4, 1930, 1 9 (E.R.B.).
Genus OSMIA Panzer

The bees of this genus are known as
mason-bees. They construct nests of
clay and sand in holes in fence posts,
trees, walls, etc.

Osmia (Osmia) lignaria Say

VERNON, May 1, 1920, 1 cT 4 9 (R.C.T.) ;
April 25, 19; May 8, 1 9, 1920; May 14,
1921, 19 (M.H.R.).; April 15, 1906, 3c? 9
(E.P.V.) ; June 4, 1929, 1 9 (E.R.B.);

April 22, lc? 19, 24, 2c?; May 6, 2c?, 1929
(I.J.W.); May 10, 1 9, 16, lc?, 1927 7

(D.G.G.). SALMON ARM, April 25, 39;
May 1-8, 29, 1929 (H.B.L.); April 26,
1943, Id" 29 (E.R.B.) ; Aug. 9, 1 920, 1 9 ;
April 5, 1925, 1 c? (W.R.B.). NANAIMO,

V. I., May 1 1, 1930, 139 (G.J.S.); June
23-24, 1920, 29 (E.P. Van Duzee) . PEN- 'j
TICTON, April 10-13, 1919, 2c? 19; April
24, 1929, lie? 23 9 (E.R.B.). KASLO, April
20, 1904, 19; April 7-June 1 1, 1905, lc?«
39; April 28-June 5, 1906, lc? 79; April
26, lc?; May 9, 1 9, 1908; May 6-June 24,
1910, 2c? 29 (L.W.C.) . KAMLOOPS, April
18, 1929, 3c? 39; April 17, 1943, 2c? 29
(E.R.B.). NICOLA, May 2, lc? 19, 3, lc?

1 9, 1943 (E.R.B.). CHILCOTIN, May 28,
29; June 13, 1 9, 1929 (E.R.B.) ; July 23,
lc?, 1929; June 9, 1931, lc? (G.J.S. ).
COURTENAY, V. I., April 2, 1931 (J.D.G.)'.
MILNER, May 4, 1930, 1 9 (K.G.) . GOLDEN,
May 17, 1915, 19 (F.W.L.S.). GRINDROD,
May 27, 1927, 1 9 (D.G.G.) . OKANAGAN j
FALLS, April 24, 1919, 19 (E.R.B.); May
24, 1920, lc? (M.H.R.). VANCOUVER, May !
22, 1 930, 1 9 (H.B.L.).

This is by far the most numerous
species of Osmia found in British Co-
lumbia.

Osmia (Chalcosmia) coerulescens Linnaeus
(C.N.C.) CHILCOTIN, May 15, 1920, 1 9
(E.R.B.). KEREMEOS, June 18, 1919, 1 c?
(E.R.B.). VICTORIA, May 20, 1906, 1 c?
(R.C.T.). ROYAL OAK, May 13, 1917, Id"
(R.C.T.).

Osmia (Chalcosmia) coloradensis Cresson

SALMON ARM, May 10, 1928, 1 9 (H.B.L.);
May 26, 1943, 1 9 (E.R.B.). CHILCOTIN,
July 8, 1931, 19 (G.J.S.). OLIVER, July

9, 1943, 1 9 (E.R.B.). KASLO, June 20,
1905, 1 9; June 30, 1906, 29; June 18,
1910, 2 9 (L.W.C.) . VERNON, July 23-28,'
59; Aug. 3, 1 9. 1920 (M.H.R.) ; July 27, '
1920, 1 9 (R.C.T.). PENTICTON, April 23,
1920, lc? (M.H.R.). INVERMERE, May 19,
1915, 4 9 (F.W.L.S.) . GOLDEN, May 17,
1915, 19 (F.W.L.S.). REVELSTOKE, May
16, 1915, 1 9 (F.W.L.S.). FAIRVIEW, May
L8, 1919, 19 (E.R.B.). LILLOOET, June j

10. 1920, 1 9 (A.W.A.P.) . SHAWNIGAN

LAKE, June 7, 1914, 19 (F.W.L.S.).

23

ENTOMOLOGICAL SOC. OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, PROC. (1949) , VOL. 46, MAY 15, 1950

Osmia (Chalcosmia) texana Cresson
OLIVER, July 9, 1943, 2? (E.R.B.).

Osmia (Cephalosmia) montana Cresson

VERNON, May 15, 1920, 1 ? (R.C.T.) ; May

14, 1921, 3? (M.H.R.) . ; April 25, 1932,

Id; May 31, 1929, 1 ? (E.R.B.). CHIL-
COTIN, May 28, 1929, 1 ? (E.R.B.). PEN-
TICTON, June 7, 1919, 1? (E.R.B.). OKA-
NAGAN FALLS, June 3, 1919, 1? (E.R.B.) .
KELOWNA, May 20, 1917, 1? (R.C.T.) .

INVERMERE, May 30, 1914, 1? (F.W.L.S.).
OLIVER, July 9, 1943, 1 ? (E.R.B.) .

Osmia (Cephalosmia) subaustralis Cockerell
CHILCOTIN, June 15, 1920, 1 ? (E.R.B.).
INVERMERE, June 30, 1914, 1? (F.W.L.S.) .

Osmia (Cephalosmia) pascoensis Cockerell
CHILCOTIN, June 14. 1929, 1? (E.R.B).
KALEDEN, April 14, 1919, 1 d (E.R.B.).
OLIVER, May 4, 1943, 1? (E.R.B.). KAM-
LOOPS, May 1 1, 1935, Id" (E.R.B.). PEN-
TICTON, April 13, Id", 23, 1?, 1919; April
24, 1929, 10d 2? (E.R B.) ; April 12, Id",
23, 2d", 30, Id",. 1920 (M.H.R.) . VERNON,
April 17-25, 2d" ; May 31, 2?; June 4,1?,
1929 (E.R.B.); April 25, 2d; May 9, 1?,

15, 1?; July 20, 1?, 1920; May 14, 1921,

Id 1? (M.H.R.).; April 24, 1929, Id

(I.J.W); April 14, 1?, 15, Id", 1906
(E.P.V.). VASEAUX LAKE, April 9, 1921,
2? (FAV.L.S.). LiLLOOET, May 28, 1917,
1? (A.W.A.P.) .

The male taken at Kamloops
( 1 1 . V. 3 5 ) was found in a cell in a dead
jack-pine, Pinus contorta Loud.

This appears to be an early species
and most of the collection dates are in
April and May.

Osmia (Cephalosmia) californica Cresson

(C.N.C.) OKANAGAN LAKE, April 23, 1914,
2? (T.W.). LYTTON, July 6, 1913, 1?
(T.W.).

Osmia (Cephalosmia) marginipennis Cresson
KEREMEOS, May 5, 1943, Id" (E.R.B.).

PENTICTON, April 30, 1919, Id (E.R.B.).
VASEAUX LAKE, April 19, 1921, 2d

(F.W.L.S.). SUMMERLAND, April 7, 1921,
Id (F.W.L.S.). VERNON, May 25, 1919,
Id (W.B.A.). KAMLOOPS, Aug. 8, 1943,
1? (E.R.B.). NICOLA, May 16, 1922, Id
(P.N.V.). CHILCOTIN, May 12, 1920, Id
(E.R.B.).

Osmia (Melanosmia) nigriventris (Zetterstedt)
KAMLOOPS, Aug. 8, 1943, 1? (E.R.B.).

Osmia ( Melanosmia ) bucephala Cresson

CHILCOTIN, July 12, 1921, 1? (E.R.B.).
KASLO, May 10, 1905, 1 ? (L.W.C.). DE-
PARTURE BAY, V. I., June 27, 1925, Id
(G.J.S.). PRINCE GEORGE, Aug. 12, 1946,
1? (G.J.S.). INVERMERE, May 8, 1915,
1? (F.W.L.S.).

Osmia ( Acanthosmioides) odontogaster

Cockerell

VICTORIA, May 6, 1919, 5d (W.D.) ; April
6, 1916, 1? (R.C.T.). SIDNEY, May 8,
1915, Id (F.W.L.S.). SAANICH, May 4,
1914, 1? (T.W.). SALMON ARM, May 10.

1930, Id (H.B.L.). KAMLOOPS, May 13,
1943, Id (E.R.B.).

Osmia (Acanthosmioides) longula Cresson
CHASE, June 6, 1937, 1 ? (E.R.B.) . NICOLA,
June 29, 1922, 1 ? (P.N.V.). VERNON,
May 24, 1946, 1? (H.B.L.) . INVERMERE,
June 30, 1914, 3? (F.W.L.S.). ROYAL OAK,
May 24, 1917, 1? (R.C.T.).

Osmia (Acanthosmioides) hicksi Sandhouse
OSOYOOS, June 10, 1919, Id (E.R.B.).

Sandhouse (1939).

Osmia (Acanthosmioides) physariae Cockerell
CHILCOTIN, June 13, 1929, Id (E.R.B.).
VICTORIA, V. I., May 5, 1919, Id (W.D.) .
Osmia (Acanthosmioides) nifoata Cockerell
(C.N.C.) PENTICTON, June 5, 1919, Id
(E.R.B.). VICTORIA, May 5, 1919, 2?

(W.D.) . CHILCOTIN, June 9, 1920, Id
(E.R.B.).

Osmia (Acanthosmioides) int-egra Cresson

KAMLOOPS, May 26, 1935, Id (G.J.S.) .
REVELSTOKE, May 16, 1915 (F.W.L.S.).
CHILCOTIN, May 14, 1920, 1 ? (E.R.B.).
Osmia (Acanthosmioides) hendersoni Cockerell
CRESTON, May 28, 1926, 1 ? (A.A.D.).
Osmia (Acanthosmioides) kenoyeri Cockerell
(C.N.C.) ROYAL OAK, May 20, 1917, 2?
(R.C.T.).

Osmia (Acanthosmioides) nigrifrons Cresson
PENTICTON, May 7, 1919, 1? (E.R.B.).

VERNON (White Man’s Creek) , July 1, 1920,
1? (N.L.C.). SALMON ARM, May 21,

1915, 1? (W.R.B.). CHILCOTIN, July 29,
1930, 1 ? (G.J.S.) . VANCOUVER, April 15,
1920, 1? (G.J.S.). NANAIMO, V. I., June
24, 1920, 1? (E. P. Van Duzee; Sandhouse,
1924). INVERMERE, May 19, 1915, 1?
(F.W.L.S.). OSOYOOS, June 10, 1919, 1?
(E.R.B.).

Osmia (Acanthosmioides) sedula Sandhouse
NANAIMO, V. I., June 4, 1920 (Mrs. E. P.
Van Duzee; Sandhouse, 1924). PENTIC-
TON, April 5, 1920, 1 ? (M.H.R.).

Osmia (Acanthosmioides) giliarum Cockerell
ALEXIS CREEK, June 30, 1943, 1 ?

(E.R.B.).

Osmia (Acanthosmioides) pellax Sandhouse
LILLOOET, June 16, 1929, 1 ? (E.R.B.).

Osmia (Nothosmia) brevis Cresson

KAMLOOPS, June 13, 1943, 1 ? (E.R.B.).
CRANBROOK (St. Mary’s Lake), July 12,
1926, 1 ? (A.A.D.). KASLO, July 3, 1916.
1? (F.W.L.S.). MARA, June 15, 1920, 2?
(R.C.T.). VERNON, May 20, 1907, 3?
(R.C.T.). PEACHLAND, July 21, 1909

(J.B.W.). PENTICTON, June 29, 1?, July
5, 1?, 1919 (E.R.B.). VICTORIA, May 27,
1915,1? (R.C.T.). SIDNEY, July 6, 1914,
2? (F.W.L.S.). NANAIMO, July 21, 1917,
1? (F.W.L.S.).

Osmia ( Nothosmia ) penstemonis Cockerell
(C.N.C.) KASLO, July 3, 1916, 1?

(F.W.L.S.).

Osmia (Nothosmia) universitatis Cockerell
(C.N.C.) PENTICTON, June 5, 1919, Id
(E.R.B.).

Osmia (Nothosmia) integrella Cockerell
NICOLA, May 2, 1943, Id (E.R.B.).

24

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. ( 1 949) , Vol. 46, May 15, 1 950

Osmio (Nothosmia) pagosa Sandhouse
VERNON, May 25, 1930, 1 ? (I.J.W.) .
Osmio (Nothosmia) simillima Smith

CHILCOTIN, May 24, 1 d, . 2 7, Id, 1929
(E.R.B.). VERNON, July 2, 1920, 2?
(M.H.R.) ; July 28, 1920, 1 ? (R.C.T.).
PENTICTON, June 21, 1919, Id (E.R.B.) .
Osmio ( Nothosmia ) seclusa Sandhouse

VANCOUVER, June 16, 1896 (Livingston).
Sandhouse (1924).

Osmio (Nothosmia) nemoris Sandhouse

VASEAUX LAKE, June 14, 1919, Id

(E.R.B.) . FAIRVIEW, May 18, 1919, Id
(E.R.B.) . Sandhouse (1924).

Osmio (Nothosmia) densa Cresson

KASLO, May 30, 1905. 1 ?; June 3, 1906,
2?; May 10. 1909, 1? (L.W.C.) . KAM-
LOOPS, July 25, 1943, 1 ? (E.R.B.).

OLIVER, May 4, 1943, Id (E.R.B.). PEN-
TICTON, April 24, 1929, 2d (E.R.B.). LYT-
TON, June 28, 1931, 1 ? (G.J.S.). TOFINO
IS., May-July, 1926, 1 ? (G.J.S.). CHILCO-
TIN, June 13, 1929, 1 ? (E.R.B.) ; July 15,
1 9, 29, 29, 1930 (G.J.S.). VERNON, June

6, 1903, 1 9 (E.C.V.D.) . ; May 25, 1919,

I'd (W.B.A.) . NANAIMO, June 24, 1920,
19 (E.C.V.D.); July 18, 1912, 19

(W.B.A.) . NEWCASTLE, July 18, 1913, 19
(W.B.A.) . INVERMERE, June 30, 1916,
89 (F.W.L.S.) . GOLDEN, May 17, 1915,
4d (F.W.L.S.). REVELSTOKE, May 16,

1915, 19 (F.W.L.S.). SICAMOUS, May 16,

1916, Id (F.W.L.S.). SALMON ARM, July
4, 1914, 19 (F.W.L.S.). PRINCETON, June

7, 1916, 19 (W.B.A.). OKANAGAN FALLS,

June 3, 1919, 19 (E.R.B.). LILLOOET,

June 11, 1916, 19 (E.M.A.).

Osmio (Nothosmia) juxfa Cresson

VERNON, July 26, 1920, 1 9 (R.C.T.) ;

June 23, 1926, 1 9 (I.J.W.) : May 13, 1930,
19 (A.A.D.). CHILCOTIN, June 15, 1920,
19; May 28, 1929, 1 9; June 5, 1930, 1 9
(E.R.B.); July 29, 1930, 29 (G.J.S.) .

KASLO, July 1, 1905, 29; June 3, 1906,
19 (L.W.C.) . PENTICTON, April 24, 1929,
3d (E.R.B.). KAMLOOPS, June 13, 1943,
Id (E.R.B.). NANAIMO, June 24, 1920,
19 (E.C.V.D.). KEREMEOS, June 18,

1919, 19 (E.R.B.). LILLOOET, May 21,
1916, Id (E.M.A.). CRANBROOK, May 16,
1922, Id (C.B.G.).

Osmio (Nothosmia) otrocyonea Cockerell

VERNON, July 23, 1920, 1 9 (M.H.R.) .

KASLO, Aug. 3, 1916. 29 (F.W.L.C.).

ROYAL OAK, May 13, 1917, Id (R.C.T.) .
SHAWNIGAN LAKE, July 7, 1914, 19

(F.W.L.S.).

Osmio (Nothosmia) vollicolo Cockerell

(C.N.C.). CRANBROOK, May 18, 1 922, 3d
(C.B.G.).

Osmio (Nothosmia) cyonella Cockerell

( C.N.C .) VICTORIA, May 20, 1918, Id

(R.C.T.). VANCOUVER, April 12, 1934,
19 (W.M.).

Osmio (Nothosmia) tersulo Cockerell

BRITISH COLUMBIA, Sandhouse (1939).

Osmio (Nothosmia) trevoris Cockerell

VERNON, May 25, 1930, 1 9 (I.J.W.). WAL-
HACHIN, July 8, 1918, 1 9 (E.R.B.)

Osmio (Nothosmia) alboloterolis Cresson
CLINTON, Aug. 10, 1943, 1 9 (E.R.B.).

ALEXIS CREEK, June 30, 1943, 1 9 (E.R.B.).
VERNON, May 31, 1929, 19 (E.R.B.);

May 26, 1923, 1 9 (M.H.R.); July 17,
1926, 1 9 (D.G.G.). PENTICTON, April 5,
1920, 1 9 (M.H.R.). CRANBROOK, May 12,
1926, Id (A.A.D.). VICTORIA, V. I., June,
1916, 19 (R.C.T.). DEPARTURE BAY,

V. I., June 10, 1925, 19 (G.J.S.) . NEW-
CASTLE IS., June 10, 1925, 1 9 (G.J.S.).
KAMLOOPS, June 12, 1943, 2d (G.J.S.) .
KASLO, May 6, 3 9, 28, 1 9 ; June 3, 3 9,
1906 (L.W.C.). INVERMERE, May 27,

1915, Id (F.W.L.S.).

Osmio (Nothosmia) doSerosa Sandhouse

Sandhouse (193 9) gives the following
records for British Columbia: KASLO, 1903,
49 (R.P.C.). BON ACCORD, May 10, 1909,
19 (R.). REVELSTOKE, July 4-6, 1905,49
(J.C.B.). HOWSER LAKE, June 24, 1905,
l9 (J.C.B.). HOWSER, Selkirk Mountains,
June 22, 1905, 1 9 (J.C.B.) . DOWNIE

CREEK, Selkirk Mountains, Aug. 14, 1905,
19 (J.C.B.) . GOLDSTREAM, Selkirk Moun-
tains, Aug. 7-1 1, 1905, 1 9 (J.C.B.). CAR-
BONATE, Columbia River, July 7-12, 1908,
19 (J.C.B.). VANCOUVER, June 26, 1896,
19 (L.).

Osmio (Nothosmia) otriventris Cresson

(C.N.C.) . SIDNEY, April 23, 1915, IM
(F.W.L.S.).

Osmio (Nothosmia) inurbane Cresson

(C.N.C.). VERNON, June 18, 1917, Id
(R.C.T.). VICTORIA, May 6, 1919, 3d
(R.C.T.): May 16, 1916, Id (W.D.) .
ROYAL OAK, May 20, 1917, Id (R.C.T.).
SIDNEY, April 23, 1915, Id (F.W.L.S.).

Osmio ( Nothosmia ) nonuio Cockerell

(C.N.C.). KASLO, July 3, 1916, 19 Id
(F.W.L.S.). OSOYOOS, June 10, 1919, 19;
(E.R.B.). PENTICTON, July 21, 1919, 19
(E.R.B.). SALMON ARM, July 4, 1914, 19
(F.W.L.S.). VICTORIA, June 3, 1916, 19
(R.C.T.). SIDNEY, May 8, 1915, 19

(F.W.L.S.). SAANICH, June 3, 1919, 19
(W.D.) . NANAIMO, June 23, 1920

(E.C.V.D.). Sandhouse (1924).

Osmio (Nothosmia) proximo Cresson

KASLO, May 3, 1906, Id (L.W.C.). CHIL-
COTIN, June 7, 1920, 1 9 (E.R.B.). SIDNEY,
June 18, 1916, 19 (F.W.L.S.). SHAWNI-
GAN, July 8, 1914, 19 (F.W.L.S.).

Osmio (Nothosmia) tristello Cockerell

(C.N.C.). INVERMERE, June 30, 1914, 3 9
(F.W.L.S.). KASLO, July 3, 1916, 2 9

(F.W.L.S.). AGASSIZ, May 11, 1915, 19
(F.W.L.S.).

Osmio (Nothosmia) mert-ensioe Cockerell

(C.N.C.) LILLOOET, May 3, 1916, Id
(E.M.A.).

Osmio (Nothosmia) bruneri Cockerell

KEREMEOS, May 5, 1943, Id (E.R.B.).

KASLO, May 6, 1906, Id (L.W.C.). VAS-
EAUX LAKE, June 14, 1919, 19 (E.R.B.).
PENTICTON, April 30, 1919, Id (E.R.B.).
ARMSTRONG, May 20, 1915, Id (F.W.L.S.).
LILLOOET, May 25, 1916, I'd (E.M.A.) .

Osmio ( Nothosmia ) coboltino Cresson

KASLO, May 6 -June 23, 5 d 7 9, 1906; May

Entomological Soc. of British Golumbia, Proc. (1949) , Vql. 46, May 15, 1950

25

14, 1905, Id 1? (L.W.C.): July 3, 1916,
4? (F.W.L.S.) . OLIVER, June 4, 1943, 1?
(E.R.B.). PENTICTON, June 7, 1919, 1?;
July 4, 193 0, 2 9 (E.R.B.) . PEACHLAND,
July 24, 1909, 1 9 (J.B.W.). VERNON,
July 9, 1920, 1 9 (M.H.R.) . WALHACHIN,
June 27, 1918, 2 9 (E.R.B.) . LYTTON,

June 30, 1931, 1 9 (G.J.S.). LILLOOET,
May 3, 1916, 19 (E.M.A.). CHILCOTIN,
May 29, 1 9, 30, 1 9, 1921 (E.R.B.). SHAW-
NIGAN LAKE, July 7, 1914, 19 (F.W.L.S.) .
Osmsc (Nothosmia) cello Cockerell

VERNON, July 10, 1920, 1 9 (N.L.C.).

Os mi a ( Nothosmia ) kincaidii Cockerell

VERNON, June 6, 1903, 1 9 ; April 21, 1906,
Id (E.P.V.); May 6, 1907, 1 9 ; May 14,
1921,29 (M.H.R. ). OLIVER, May 4, 1943,
19 (E.R.B.). PENTICTON, April 30, 1919,
Id; April 30, 1919, Id; April 24, 1929,
Id (E.R.B.). KASLO, June 1, 1 9, 2, 1 9,
1 905 (L.W.C.); Aug. 3, 1916, 29

(F.W.L.S.). CRANBROOK, May 16, 1919,
19 (C.B.G.). SUMMERLAND, Aug. 10,

1916, 19 (F.W.L.S.). LYTTON, May 21,
1919, Id (W.B.A.). VICTORIA, June 3,

1916, 2 9 (R.C.T.). ROYAL OAK, May 5,

1917, Id. (R.C.T.).

Osmia (Nothosmia) spp.

In addition to the above named
species Dr. T. B. Mitchell marked three
as new species, and several others were
undetermined.

Genus MEGACHILE Latreille

The bees of this genus are leaf-cutter
bees that make tubular cells out of semi-
circular pieces of leaves which they cut
out of various plants.

Some of the species are of great eco-
nomic importance to farmers as they are
among the few insects that are able to
trip and pollinate the flowers of alfalfa,
thereby increasing the seed yield.

Sladen (1918) observed these bees
tripping the flowers of alfalfa at an aver-
age rate of 17 per minute. In observa-
tions made at Summerland and Kere-
meos, B. C., he found that M. perihirta
Ckll. was by far the most valuable
species in this respect, but that M.
melanophoea calogastev Ckll. and M.
brevis also were active in alfalfa fields
and assisted in the tripping of blossoms.

Megachile (Xanthosarus) perihirta Cockerell
VERNON, Aug. 13-20, 1923, 49; Aug. 6-
23, 1926, Id 29 (D.G.G.) : July 9-27, 5d
25 9; Aug. 3-9, 69, 1920 (R.C.T.) ; Aug.
28, M;. 19; Sept. 9-10, Id 19, 1926
(I.J.W.) . ; Aug. 8-24, lcf 109, 1904

(E.P. V.) . ; July 1 1, 1929, 1 9 (H.B.L.) ;
July 7-24, 39; Aug. 5, 1 9, 1 920 (N.L.C.) ;
Aug. 13, 1918, 19; July 21-28, 129; Aug.
2-23, 109, 1920; July 19-27, 89; Aug. 1,

19,1921; July 26, 49; Aug. 13-23, 49,
1922 (M.H.R.).; July 1 3-25, 4d 5 9, Aug.
25, 49, 1917 (F.W.L.S.). KAMLOOPS,

July 4, 1937, 1 / ; June 26, 193 8, Id
(G.J.S.) ; July 25, 2d, Aug. 8, 1 id, 1943
(E.R.B.). NICOLA, Aug. 28, 1923, 1 9;
July 26, 1925, 1 d 19 (P.N.V.). MERRITT,
July 20, 1918, 19 (W.B.A.) . OSOYOOS,
June 10, 1919, 2d (E.R.B.). OLIVER, June

3, 1923, 1 9 (C.B.G.) ; July 9, 1943, l.d
(E.R.B.). FAIRVIEW, July 8, 1919, 3 9
(E.R.B.). WALHACHIN, June 27, 1917,
29; July 17, 1918, Id (E.R.B.). MINNIE
LAKE, Aug. 12, 1942, 1 9 (E.R.B.). SAL-
MON ARM, July 4, 1928, 1 9 (H.B.L.) ; June

4, 1943, Id (E.R.B.). PENTICTON, June

7-19, Id 19; Aug. 7, 19; Sept. 3-7, 6d
39, 1919 (E.R.B.); Aug. 7, 1916, 19
(F.W.L.S.). SUMMERLAND, Aug. 10, 1916,
Id 79; Aug. 20, 1919, 2d 69 (F.W.L.S.) ;
Aug. 22, 1914, Id (T.W.). KEREMEOS,
July 2, 1917, Id (F.W.L.S.). CRESCENT,
July 14, 1916, Id (F.W.L.S.). INVER-
MERE, £ug. 11, 1914, 1 cT (F.W.L.S.). VAN-
COUVER, Aug. 15, 1916, Id (F.W.L.S.).
LILLOOET, June 9, 1921, 2d (A.P.) ; June
28, 1926, 2d (J.D.McD.) . vasseaux

LAKE, June 19, 1919, Id (W.B.A.) ; June
13, 1919, 1 d (R.C.T.) . OKANAGAN FALLS,
July 21-24, 1917, 2d 29 (F.W.L.S.) ; June
16, 1919, 19 (W.B.A.). PEACHLAND,

Aug. 21, 1904, 1 9 (J.B.W.). AGASSIZ,
July 24, 1922, 1 9 (R.G.) ; July 22, 1926,
19 (H.H.R.). ENDERBY, Aug. 3, 1918

(W.B.A.). CHILCOTIN, June 20, \d ; July
12, Id 1920 (E.R.B.) ; July 1, 1929, Id;'
July 29, 1930, 49 (G.J.S.) . HAT CREEK,
Aug. 26, 1933, 1 9 (R.D.B.) . CRANBROOK,
June 12, 1926, 1 d (A.A.D.) . KASLO, June
25, 1905, Id; July 10, 1906, 1 9 (L.W.C.).
LYTTON, June 21-28, 29; July 5, Id", 1931
(G.J.S.). QUESNEL, Aug. 12-19, 1 d 19,
1946 (G.J.S.). VICTORIA, V. I., July 17,
1909, 1 9 (J.B.W.); Aug. 13, 1916, \d
59 (F.W.L.S.); Sept. 16, Id* 39; 30, 1 '
19, 1917 (W.B.A.); Aug. 3, 1938, 2d
(G.S.W.) ; July 5, 1927, 29 (G.J.S.).

DEPARTURE BAY, V. I., June 4, 1925, 1 9
(G.J.S.). SIDNEY, V. I., July 22, 1925, 1 d
129 (G.J.S.); Aug. 15, 1916, 19

(F.W.L.S.).

This bee is probably the commonest
of the genus Megachile in British
Columbia and is found on Vancouver
Island, the dry southern interior, the
Kootenay district, and as far north as
collecting has been done. As it has been
taken at Fort Simpson, at the junction
of the Liard and Mackenzie Rivers,
Northwest Territories, July 14, 1946,
A. G. Dustan) , it no doubt occurs also
throughout northern British Columbia.
The elevation of the collection points
varies from sea level to 4,000 ft. It
nests in colonies in gravelly places and
is the most valuable alfalfa pollinator of
this genus in British Columbia.

26

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1949) , Vol. 46, May 15, 1950

Megachile (Litomegachile) texana Cresson
MINNIE LAKE, July 4, 1 9 ; KAMLOOPS, July
19, 1?, 1942; July 25, lc?, 1943 (E.R.B.) ;
July 3, 193 8, 1 cT (G.J.S.). WALHACHIN,
Aug. 10, 1943, 1? (E.R.B.) . PEACHLAND,
July 24, 1907, 1? (J.B.W.). SUMMER-

LAND, July 20, 1917, 1? (F.W.L.S.) . PEN-
TICTON, June 19, 1918, 1? (W.B.A.).

Megachile (Litomegachile) texana var. cleomis
Cockerell

VERNON, July 25, 1920, 1 cf (R.C.T.) ; July
5, 1943, l.c? (E.R.B.); July 1 1, 1923, id
(M.H.R.); July 26, 1929, 1 ? (H.B.L.).
SUMMERLAND, July 20, 1917, 2?

(F.W.L.S.). OKANAGAN FALLS, July 21,

1917, 1? (F.W.L.S.). OLIVER, July 10,
1929, 2? (E.R.B.). WALHACHIN, July 12,

1918, 19; Aug. 10, 1943, 1 9 (E.R.B.).

KAMLOOPS, July 3, 1938, 2d (G.J.S.);

July 19, 1942, 1 cT (E.R.B.). LILLOOET
(Seton Lake), June 25-28, 1926, 3c?

(J.D.McD.). SIDNEY, V. I., July 22, 1925,
19 (G.J.S.) .

Megachile (Litomegachile) texana var. lippiae
Cockerell

SUMMERLAND, July 20, 1917, 2 9

(F.W.L.S.). LILLOOET (Seton Lake) , June
2-28, 1926, 39 (J.McD.) .

The locality records for M. texana ,
and its varieties cleomis and lippiae, are
all from the interior dry-belt with the
exception of Sidney, which is on Van-
couver Island.'

Megachile (Litomegachile) coquilletti Cockerell
KASLO, June 1 1, 1 905, 1 d (L.W.C.). OKA-
NAGAN FALLS, July 21, 1917, 2c?. VERNON,
July 25, 1917, \d (F.W.L.S.).

Megachile (Litomegachile) gentilis Cresson
OKANAGAN FALLS, July 21, 1917

(F.W.L.S.).

Megachile (Litomegachile) brevis Say

OSOYOOS, June 10, *1919, lc? (E.R.B.).
FAIRVIEW, Aug. 21, 1919, lc? 1 9 (E.R.B.).
VASEAUX LAKE, June 14, 1919, 19

(E.R.B.). PENTICTON, June 22, 1919, id
(E.R.B.). WALHACHIN, June 29, 1918, 1 cf
(E.R.B.). SUMMERLAND, Aug. 10, 1916,
2d" 39; July 20, 1917, 29 (F.W.L.S.).
OKANAGAN FALLS, July 20-24, 2d

(F.W.L.S.).

Megachile (Litomegachile) brevis var. onobry-
chidis Cockerell

LYTTON, June 28, 1 d, Aug. 16, 2 d, 1931
(G.J.S.). WINSLOW, Sept. 14, 1925, 1 9
(G.J.S.). VERNON, Sept. 10, 1926, 1 9
(I.J.W.). OSOYOOS, Aug. 13, 1942, 19

(E.R.B.). FAIRVIEW, Aug. 7, 1919, 2 9
(E.R.B.). OKANAGAN FALLS, July 21,
1917, id (F.W.L.S.). SUMMERLAND, July
9, 1916, 19; July 21, 1917, 39

(F.W.L.S.). KEREMEOS, July 16, 1923,
Id (C.B.G.). NARAMATA, June 21, 1919,
Id (E.R.B.).

All the locality records for brevis and
var. onobrychidis are from hot, dry, in-
terior points, with the exception of

Winslow, which is in the Lower Fraser
Valley.

Megachile ( Anthemois) nivalis Friese

VERNON, Aug. 1, 1923, 1 9 (D.G.G.).

CRANBROOK, June 21, 1926, 1 9 (A.A.D.).
Megachile ( Anthemois ) centuncularis Linnaeus
NICOLA, Aug. 28, 1923, 1 9 (P.N.V.).
Megachile (Anthemois) montivaga Cresson
VERNON, July 26-28, 1920, id 13 9; July
21, Id, Aug. 1, 1 9 , 1921 (M.H.R.); July
26-27, 169, Aug. 9, 29, 1920 (R.C.T.) ;
Aug. 2, 1923, 1 9 (D.G.G.); July 21-25,
1917, 2d 7 9 (F.W.L.S.). PEACHLAND,

Aug. 2, 1907, 19 (J.B.W.). SIDNEY, V. I.,
\d, no data; July 22, 1925, 1 d (G.J.S.).
OLIVER, Aug. 9, 1943, id 29 (E.R.B.).
ARMSTRONG, July 25, 1913, 19 (T.W.).
SALMON ARM, June 26, 1925, id (A.A.D.) .
LYTTON, July, 1913, 19. AGASSIZ, July 8,
1914, Id (F.W.L.S.). PRINCE GEORGE,
Aug. 12, 1946, 1 9 (G.J.S.). ROLLA, July
23, 1927, 19 (P.N.V.).

This species, from the locality records
available, has a Wide distribution in
British Columbia. It has been recorded
from the southern Okanagan, through
the dry interior north to Prince George,
and from Rolla, on the banks of the
Peace River north of latitude 56°, as
well as from Agassiz, in the Fraser
River delta, and Sidney on Vancouver
Island.

Megachile (Anthemois) relativa Cresson

SICAMOUS (Shuswap Narrows) , Aug. 3 1 ,
1943, 1 9 (G.J.S.). REVELSTOKE, July 17,
1931, 29 (A.W.G.) . ; REVELSTOKE MT.,

6,000 ft., Aug. 12, 1923, 1 9 (P.N.V.).
SALMON ARM, July 4, 1914, 3d (F.W.L.S.).
KASLO, May l4-July 24, 1906, 7d 19

(L.W.C.); Aug. 3, 1916, 29 (F.W.L.S.).
CRESTON, Sept. 10, 1923. 29 (C.S.L.) ;

Aug. 1 1, 1927, 2 d (A.A.D.) . LARDO, Sept.
26, 1913, 19 (C.G.H.). FORT STEELE,

June 20, 1922, 1 c? (W.B.A.). INVERMERE,
June 30, 1914, 6d (F.W.L.S.). KAMLOOPS,
July 19. 1942, lc? (E.R.B.). ARMSTRONG,
July 3, 1914, Id (F.W.L.S.). VERNON,
July 28, 1923, 1 9 (M.H.R.) ; July 24,

1917, id (F.W.L.S.) ; July 31 and Aug. 2,
1923, 2d (D.G.G.). PEACHLAND, Aug.
2-7 , 1909, 79 (J.B.W.). PENTICTON,

June 7 and 21, 1919, 3c? (E.R.B.). KERE-
MEOS, June 18, 1919, 2c? (E.R.B.). OLIVER,
June 3, 1923, 1 d (C.B.G.). FAIRVIEW,

May 18, 1919, 2<? (E.R.B.). OSOYOOS,

June 10, 1919, 1 cT (E.R.B.). AGASSIZ,

June 27, 1923, 1 9 (R.G.). MILNER, May
26, 1930, 19 (K.G.). VANCOUVER, Aug.
12, 1916,2 9 (F.W.L.S.). VICTORIA, V. I.,
Aug. 28, 1924 (W.B.A.). SIDNEY, V. I.,
July 15, 1916, lc?. SHAWNIGAN, V. I., July
7, 1914, 29 (F.W.L.S.). HAZELTON, June
20, 1925, lc? (W.B.A.). ROLLA, Aug. 2,
1927, lc? 19 (P.N.V.).

M. relativa, occurs throughout British
Columbia from the East Kootenays and

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1949) , Vol. 46, May 15, 1950

27

southern interior north to Rolla, in the
Peace River District (north of latitude
56°) and on Vancouver Island. On
Revelstoke Mountain it was taken at an
elevation of 6,000 ft.

Megachile (Anthemois) inermis Provancher
CRESTON, Aug. 1 1, 1927, 1? (A.A.D.).

SAANICHTON, V. L, June 27 1937, 1?

(Univ. B. C. Coll.). CHILCOTIN, July 16,
1921, 1? (E.R.B.). SMITHERS, Aug. 4,
1944, 2 9 (E.R.B.). ROLLA, July 2-21,

1927, 3 9 (P.N.V.) .

While the records of inermis are few,
they are widely distributed; extending
from the West Kootenays and Vancou-
ver Island in the south, through central
B. C., to Rolla in the northeastern cor-
ner of the Province.

Megachile (Sayapis) fidelis Cresson

VERNON, July 26, 1929, Id (H.B.L.) ;
Aug. 13, 1904, Id (E.P.V.); July 27 and
Aug. 3, 1920, Id 39 (R.C.T.) ; Aug. 31,
1943, 1 9 (D.G.G.). SICAMOUS (Shuswap
Narrows), Aug. 31, 1943, 19 (G.J.S.).
Megachile (Sayapis) mellitarsis Cresson
WESTBANK, July 20, 1919, 19 (E.R.B.).
Megachile (Sayapis) pugnat-a Say

VANCOUVER, Aug. 25, 1902, 1 9. INVER-
MERE, June 30, 1914, 1 d 19 (F.W.L.S.) .
KASLO, June 23, 1905, 1 9; June 23, 19;
July 10, 29, 1906; July 4, 1916, Id
(L.W.C.); Aug. 3, 1916, 19 (F.W.L.S.) .
CRANBROOK, June 21, 1926, 19 (A.A.D.) .
CROWS NEST, July 23, 1926, 19 (A.A.D.) .
KAMLOOPS, July 25, 19, Aug. 24, 19 1943
(E.R.B.). WAEHACHIN, June 17 and 27,
1918, 2d (E.R.B.). SALMON ARM, June
30, 19, July 4, 29, 1914 (F.W.L.S.);
June 14, 1913, 19 (W.R.B.). ARMSTRONG,
July 8, 1931, 19 (A.W.G.). VERNON,

June 20-27, 1920, 89 (R.C.T.) ; June 23-
28, 49; Aug. 3, Id* l 9, 1920 (M.H.R.) ;
July 25, 1917, 2d 19 (F.W.L.S.) ; Aug. 6,

1920, 1 9 (N.L.C.). PEACHLAND, July 21
and 29. Id 19; Aug. 6, 2 d 1 9, 1909
(J.B.W.). SUMMERLAND, Aug. 9 and 10,
1916, 39; July 20, 1917, 19 (F.W.L.S.).
NARAMATA, June 21, 1919, 2d (E.R.B.).
PENTICTON, June 19 and 21, 1 cf 1 9 ; Sept.
7, Id, 1919 (E.R.B.). LILLOOET, June 9,

1921, Id (A.P.); July 1 1, 1938, Id
(J.K.J.). WILLIAMS LAKE, July 1 1, 1928,
1 9 (J.K.J.). QUESNEL, Aug. 12, 1 <746,
4 9 (G.J.S.). SMITHERS, Aug. 4, 1944, IcT
19 (E.R.B.). ROLLA, July 21 and 23, 1927,
29 (P.N.V.) .

M. pugnata is another of the com-
moner species having a wide distribu-
tion throughout the Province.

Megachile (Chelostomoides) angelarunn

Cockerell

PENTICTON, Aug. 7, 1916, Id (F.W.L.S.).
Megachile (Chelostomoides) subexilis Cockerell
SUMMERLAND, Aug. 10, 1916 19

(F.W.L.S.). KEREMEOS, July 21, 1917, 19

(F.W.L.S.). OKANAGAN FALLS, July 21,
24, 1917, 7 d' (F.W.L.S.). KASLO, Aug. 3,
1916, 2 9 (F.W.L.S.) . .

Megachile ( Atgytopile) parallela Smith

KAMLOOPS, July 27, 1937, Id (E.R.B.).
WALHACHIN, Aug. 16, 1942, 3 9 (E.R.B.) .

Megachile (Xeromegachile) wheeleri Mitchell
KAMLOOPS, July 1, 1929, 3 9 (E.R.B.) .

NICOLA, Aug. 3, 1923, Id (E.R.B.). MIN-
NIE LAKE, Aug. 26, 1925, 1 9 (E.R.B.).
VERNON, July 21, 1923, Id (D.G.G.).
PENTICTON, Sept. 3, 1919, 19 (E.R.B.).
Megachile (Xeromegachile) subnigra Cresson
PENTICTON, June 7, 1919 19 (E.R.B.).

Megachile (Delomegachile) frigida Smith
KASLO, June 1 1 and 20, 2d ; July 1 , 1 d 2 9 ,
1905; May 3-Aug. 26, 7d 29, 1906; Aug.

24, 19, 1907; June 11, H, 1910

(L.W.C.). INVERMERE, June 30, 1914, 3d
(F.W.L.S.). FAIRVIEW, Aug. 7, 1919, 19
(E.R.B.). VASEAUX LAKE, June 14, 1919,

1 9 (E.R.B.). OKANAGAN FALLS, June 3,

1919, Id 19 (E.R.B.). SUMMERLAND,

July 20, 1917, Id (F.W.L.S.). VERNON,
Aug. 28, 1920, 19; June 18, 1923, 19
(M.H.R.) . REVELSTOKE, July 15, 1931,
Id 19 (A.N.G.) . SICAMOUS, July 11, 1914,
2d (F.W.L.S.). SALMON ARM, Aug. 2,

1914, 19 (W.R.B.); July 6, 1925, Id

(A.A.D.). CHASE, July 30, 1943, Id

(E.R.B.). MONTE CREEK, July 7, 1929,

2 9 (I. McT-C) . KAMLOOPS, June 13, Id;
July 25, 1943, 1 9 (E.R.B.). NICOLA, July

25, 1925, Id (P.N.V.). AGASSIZ, Sept. 10,

1926, 1 9 (R.G.). STEELHEAD, May 29,

1934, 19 (K.G.). VANCOUVER, Aug. 10-15,
1916, 3d 29 (F.W.L.S.) ; July 2, 1903, Id
(Univ. B. C. Coll.) . VICTORIA, V. I., Aug.
13, 1916, 19 (F.W.L.S.). GOLDSTREAM,
V. I., May 17, 1915, Id (J.D.G.). LIL-
LOOET (Mt. McLaine), Aug. 20, 1920, 19
(R.G.); July 4, 1916, 19 (F.W.L.S.);

June 12, 1926, Id (E.R.B.). CHILCOTIN,
July 17, 1920, Id (E.R.B.); July 29,
1930, Id (G.J.S.). FRANCOIS LAKE, July
5, 1924, Id (E.R.B.). SMITHERS, Sept. 1,

1915, 1 9 ( H.S.) . ROLLA, July 14-23,

1927, 2d 19 (P.N.V.).

The distribution records given above
for frigida would indicate that it is a
common species, frequenting wooded
and high mountainous areas more fre-
quently than is the case with other com-
mon species. Its distribution covers the
whole of the Province and Vancouver
Island.

Megachile (Delomegachile) giliae Cockerell
INVERMERE, May 27, 1915, Id (F.W.L.S.).

Megachile (Delomegachile) gemula Cresson
GOLDEN, May 17, 1915, Id (F.W.L.S.).
INVERMERE, May 27, 1915, Id (F.W.L.S.).
KASLO, June 10, 1906, Id (L.W.C.). KAM-
LOOPS, Aug. 8, 1943, Id (E.R.B.). ARM-
STRONG, July 3, 1914, Id (F.W.L.S.).

VERNON, May 28, 1904, Id (E.P.V.). KE-
LOWNA, July 14, 1943, Id (G.J.S.). SUM-
MERLAND, June 4, 1919, Id (E.R.B.).

28

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1949), Vol. 46, May 15, 1950

Megachile (Delomegachile) gemula var.
fulvogemula Mitchell

CHILCOTIN, June 13, 1929, 1 ? (E.R.B.).
VERNON, July 23, 1920, 1? (N.L.C.) . KE-
LOWNA, July 9, 1918, 1? (R.C.W.).

Megachile (Delomegachile) melanophoea Smith
KASLO, May 7- June 5, 1906, 5 c? 4?; June

11, 1910, 1?. (L.W.C.). INVERMERE, May

30, Id"; June 30, 1 cf , 1914; May 19, lc?;
June 1, 1?, 1915; June 30, 1919, 1?
(F.W.L.S.) . VASEAUX LAKE, June 12 and
14, 1 cT 1?, 1919 (E.R.B.). SUMMERLAND,
July 20, 1917, lc? (F.W.L.S.). VERNON,
May 28 and 31. 1904, 2c? (E.P.V.) ; May

31, 1929, lc? (E.R.B.) ; July 2, 1930, 1 ?
(C.B.LeB.) ; May 25, 1930, Id" (I.J.W.);
June 21, 1903, 1 ? (M.H.R.). MARA, July

12, 1920, Id" (R.C.T.). SALMON ARM,

July 4, 1914, lc? (F.W.L.S.); June 27,
1925, 1c? (A.A.D.). CHASE, June 6, 1937,
19; June 19, 1946, 1 ? (E.R.B.) ; July 11,
1931, ldV (G.J.S.). HAT CREEK, June 26
and 27, 1943, 4c? 19 (E.R.B.). PRINCE-
TON (Copper Mt.), July 21, 1928, lc?

(G.S.S.). VANCOUVER, Aug. 18, 1916, 19
(F.W.L.S.); April 15, 1920, 1 c? (G.J.S.).
VICTORIA, V. I., June 17, 1917, 19

(E.P.V.) . SHAWNIGAN, V. I., July 7, 1914,
lc? (F.W.L.S.). NEWCASTLE, V. I., June
29, 1926, lc? (G.J.S.). 100 MILE HOUSE,

July 1, 1943, lc? (E.R.B.). CHILCOTIN,
June 16, 1920, 1 d (R.C.T.) ; May 30,
1921, 19; June 20, 1926, lc? 19; June 13
and 14, 1929, 2c?; June 3-26, 1930, 4c?
(E.R.B.); July 29, 1930, 39 (G.J.S.).
ROLLA, July 23, 1927, 1 d* (P.N.V.).

Megachile (Delomegachile) melanophoea var.
calogaster Cockerell

INVERMERE, June 30, 1914, 1 c? 19

(F.W.L.S.). ARMSTRONG, July 3, 1914,

2 9 (F.W.L.S.). SIDNEY, V. I., July 7, 1914,

1 9 (F.W.L.S.). PRINCE GEORGE, Aug. 11,
1917, 19 (W.B.A.).

Megachile (Delomegachile) melanophoea var.
wooteni Cockerell .

INVERMERE, June 1, 1915, 1 9 (F.W.L.S.) .
OKANAGAN FALLS, June 3, 1914, 19

(E.R.B). PENTICTON, June 19, 1918, 19
(W.B.A.) ; June 7, 1919, 39 (E.R.B.).

SALMON ARM, June 25, 1 925, 1 9 (A.A.D.).
LILLOOET, July 2, 1920, 19 (A.B.B.) . VAN-
COUVER, Aug. 12, 1916. 19 (F.W.L.S.).

M. melanophoea , with its colour
forms calogaster and wooteni, is one of
the commonest and most widespread of
the genus in British Columbia. Locality
records show that it occurs from the
southern interior and the Kootenays to
Vancouver Island and north through
Central B. C. to the Peace River District
at Rolla.

It also occurs in the Northwest Ter-
ritories, where it was collected by Mr.
A. G. Dustan (July 14, 1946) at Fort
Simpson, north of latitude 60°.

Dr. T. B. Mitchell states that a num-

ber of colour forms have been distin-
guished, but that their limits are ob-
scure. According to Sladen (1918)
this species is a valuable alfalfa pollen-
izer in British Columbia.

Genus COELIOXYS Latreille

The bees of this genus are parasitic on
species of Megachile and appear later in
the season than their hosts.

Coelioxys sayi Robertson ( rufitarsus Sm.)

KASLO, Aug. 10, 1909, 1 9 (L.W.C.).

OSOYOOS, June 10, 1919, 4c? (E.R.B.) ; July
26, 1925,2c? (F.W.L.S.). FAIRVIEW, Aug.
7, lc? 19; 21, 19, 1919 (E.R.B.). KERE-
MEOS, July 21, 1917, 1 c? (F.W.L.S.).

VASEAUX LAKE, June 14, 1919, 1 c? 19

(E.R.B.). OKANAGAN FALLS, July 21, 1917,
lc? (F.W.L.S.). PENTICTON, Aug, 7, 1916,
1? 49 (F.W.L.S.); June 19, 19; Sept. 7,

1919, 2c? (E.R.B.). SUMMERLAND, Aug.

10, 1916, 39; July 20, 1917, 29

(F.W.L.S.). VERNON, Aug. 9, 1903, 1 c? ;
Aug. 8 and 13, 1904, 1 c? 1 9 ; July 28,

1920, lc?i Aug. 10, 1921, 2c? 19

(M.H.R.) ; July 24, 1913, 4c?; Aug. 25,
1914, 19; July 25, 1917, 5c? 19

(F.W.L.S.); July 27, 1920, lc? (R.C.T.) ;
July 7, 1920, 1 9 (N.L.C.) ; July 3 1, 1923,
19 (D.G.G.). ARMSTRONG, Aug. 25, 1923,

1 9 (T.W.) . SALMON ARM, June 25 and 26,
2c? ; July 6 and 27, lc? 1 9 , 1925 (A.A.D.).
KAMLOOPS, July 7, 1936, 1 c? ; July 25,

1943,1c? (E.R.B.). WALHACHIN, June 27,
1918, lc? (E.R.B.). NICOLA, Aug. 3 and
25, 1923, lc? 29 (E.R.B.). LYTTON, June
21, 1931, 29; July 26, 193 9, 1 9 (G.J.S.).
LILLOOET, May 3 1 , 1926, 1 c? 19 (J.McD.) .
AGASSIZ, June 5, 1 925, 1 9 (R.G.). VAN-
COUVER ISLAND, 1 c? (G.W.T.) . VICTORIA,
V. I., July 14, 1916, 8 9 (F.W.L.S.) ; Sept.
25. 1916, 19 (H.H.); June 21, 1928, 1 c?
(W.D.); Sept. 12, 1937, 1 9 (Univ. B. C.
Coll.). DUNCAN, V. I., July 26, 1902, 1 9 ;
July, 1939, 1 9 (Univ. B. C. Coll.). SID-
NEY, V. I., Aug. 15, 1916, 2c? (F.W.L.S.).
COMOX, V. I. (Point Holmes), July 5, 1933,
3c? 19 (J.McD.). SAANICH DISTRICT, V. I.,
Aug. 2. 1917, 19 (W.D.) . ROLLA, July 2,
1927, lc? 19 (P.N.V.).

This bee is far more plentiful than
any of the other species of Coelioxys in
British Columbia, and has been taken
throughout the southern interior and on
Vancouver Island. The only northern
record is from Rolla, in the B. C. Peace
River District.

Coelioxys ribis Cockerell

EDGEWATER, July 16, 193 9, 1 9 (I.J.W.) .
KASLO, June 5, 1906, 1 c? 2 9 (L.W.C.).
CRESTON, June 29, 1924, 1 9 (C.S.L.).

PENTICTON, June 19, 1919, 19; April 24,
1929, 1 9 (E.R.B.) . VERNON, June 6, 1900,
1<? (M.H.R.) ; Aug. 7, 1920, 1 9 (N.L.C.) ;
May 28-31, 1904, 3c? (E.P.V.). MARA.
July 12, 1920. 1 9 (R.C.T.). SALMON ARM,

ENTOMOLOGICAL SOC. OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, PROC. (1949) , VOL. 46, MAY 15, 1950

29

July 4, 1914, 1? (F.W.L.S.); July 20,
1925, 16" (A.A.D.). CHASE, June 6, 1937,
Id (E.R.B.). NICOLA, Aug. 3, 1923, 3<?
(E.R.B.). KAMLOOPS, June 13, 1943, 1 ?
(G.J.S.). CHILCOTIN. June 13, 1929, 1 d ;
June 26, 1930, 1 ? (E.R.B.) ; Aug. 10,

1930, 2cf (G.J.S.). VICTORIA, V. I., June
21, 1928, 1 ? (W.D.). SHAWNIGAN, V. I.,
July 7, 1914 (F.W.L.S.) . COMOX, V. I.,
July 5, 1 933, 1 ? (J.McD.). FITZGERALD,
V. I., June 25, 1922, 1 ? (W.R.C.).

Coelioxys ribis kincaidi Cockerell

NANAIMO, V. I. (Biological Station) , June
28, 1 d (Van Duzee) . Cockerell (1925).

Coelioxys octodentata Say

PENTICTON, Aug. 22, 1920, 1 ? (W.R.B.).
WALHACHIN, June 27, 1918, 1 cf (E.R.B.) .

Coelioxys lucrosa Cresson

KASLO, Sept, 1, 1909, 2? (L.W.C.).

PEACHLAND, Aug. 7, 1909, 1 cf (J.B.W.).
VERNON, July 21, 1923, 1 ? (D.G.G.) ;

Aug. 25, 1925, 1 ? (M.H.R.). SICAMOUS
(Shuswap Narrows), Aug. 31. 1943, 1 ?
(G.J.S.). LILLOOET, Aug. 25, 1921, 1 ?
(A.P.).

Coelioxys moesta Cresson

FT. STEELE, Aug. 15, 1921, 1? (W.B.A.) .
PEACHLAND, Aug. 4 and 9. 1909, 2?

(J.B.W.). VERNON, Aug. 25, 1919, 1?
(F.W.L.S.). VANCOUVER, Aug. 21, 193 2,
1? (H.B.L.). FITZGERALD, V. I., Aug. 21,
1921, 1? (W.R.C.). SHAWNIGAN, V. I.,

July 7. 1914, 1? (F.W.L.S.).

Coelioxys alternate Say

KASLO, July 24, 1906, 1 ? (L.W.C.).

OLIVER, July 22, 1923, 1<? (E.R.B.). VER-
NON, July 25, 1919, 1? (F.W.L.S.). SAL-
MON ARM, July 4, 1914, 1? (F.W.L.S.).
LILLOOET, July 9, 1921. 1? (A.P.). CHIL-
COTIN, July 14, 1920. 1 d (E.R.B.). DUN-
CAN, V. I., Aug. 4, 1920, 1 ? (W.D.). FITZ-
GERALD, V. I, Aug. 7, 1921, 1? (W.R.C.).

Coelioxys grindeliae Cockerell

NICOLA, Aug. 3, 1925, ,1c? (E.R.B.). OKA-
NAGAN VALLEY, Id.

LIST OF COLLECTORS

Mentioned by initials in the text
A.A.D. — Dennys, A. A.

A.B.B. — Baird, A. B.

A.P. — Phair, A.

A.W.G. — Gartrell, A. W.

C.B.G. — Garrett, C. B.

C.B.LeB. — LeBlond, C. B.

C.G.H. — Hewitt, C. G.

C.N.C. — Canadian National Collection

C. S.L. — Lallamande, C. S.

D. G.G. — Gillespie, D. G.

E. C.V.D. — Van Dyke, E. C.

E.M.A. — Anderson, E. M.

E.P.V. — Venables, E. P.

E. R.B. — Buckell, E. R.

F. W.L.S. — Sladen, F. W. L.

G. J.S. — Spencer, G. J.

G.S.S. — Stace Smith, G.

G.S.W. — Walley, G. S.

G. W.T.— Taylor. G. W.

H. B.L.— Leech, H. B.

H.H.— Hugh, H.

H.H.R.— Ross, H. H.

H. S. — Smith, Harlan

I. J.W.— Ward, I. J.

I. McT.-C. — McTaggert-Cowan, I.

J. B.W.— Wallis, J. B.

J.C.B. — Bradley, J. C.

J.D.G. — Gregson, J. D.

J.D.McD. — McDunnough, J. D.

J. K.J. — Jacob, J. K.

K. G. — Graham. K.

L. — Livingstone

L. W.C.— Cockle, L. W.

M. H.R. — Ruhmann, M. H.

N. L.C.— Cutler, N. L.

P.N.V. — Vroom, P. N.

R. — Russell

R.C.T. — -Treherne, R. C.

R.C.W. — Woodward, R. C.

R.D.B. — Bird, R. D.

R.G. — Glendenning, R.

R.P.C. — Currie, R. P.

T.W. — Wilson. T.

W.B. A.— Anderson, W. B.

W.D. — Downes, W.

W.M. — Mathers, W.

W.R.B.— Buckell, W. R.

W.R.C.— Carter, W. R.

30

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1949) , Vol. 46, May 15, 1950

LIST OF LOCALITIES

Arranged alphabetically: the numbers corresponding to those on the accompanying map.

(V. I. = Vancouver Island) .

1 . Agassiz

21. Fort Steele

4 1 . Merritt

61. Saanich, V. I.

2. Alexis Creek

22. Francois Lake

42. Milner

62. Salmon Arm

3. Armstrong

23. Golden

43. Minnie Lake

63. Shawnigan Lake, V. I.

4. Carbonate

24. Goldstream

44. Monte Creek

64. Sicamous

5. Chase

25. Goldstream, V. I.

45. Mount McLaine

65. Sidney, V. I.

6. Chilcotin

26. Grindrod

46. Nanaimo, V. I.

66. Smithers

7. Clinton

27. Hat Creek

47. Naramata

67. Steelhead

8. Courtenay, V. I.

28. Hazelton

48. Newcastle, V. I.

68. Summerland

9. Cranbrook

29. Howser Lake

49. Nicola

69. Tofino, V. I.

10. Crescent

30. 100 Mile House

50. Okanagan Falls

70. Vancouver

1 1 . Creston

3 1 . Invermere

5 1 . Oliver

7 1 . Vaseaux Lake

1 2. Comox, V. I.

3 2. Kaleden

52. Osoyoos

72. Vernon

13. Crows Nest

33. Kamloops

53. Peachland

73. Victoria, V. I.

14. Departure Bay, V. I.

34. Kaslo

54. Penticton

74. Walhachin

15. Downie Creek

35. Kelowna

55. Prince George

75. Westbank

1 6. Duncan, V. I.

36. Keremeos

5 6. Princeton

76. Williams Lake

1 7. Edgewater

3 7. Lardo

57. Quesnel

77. Winslow

18. Enderby

3 8. Lillooet

5 8. Revelstoke

19. Fairview

39. Lytton

59. Rolla

20. Fitzgerald, V. I.

40. Mara

60. Royal Oak, V. I.

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1949), Vol. 46, May 15, 1950

31

REFERENCES

Cockerell, T. D. A. 1912. Some parasitic bees {Coelioxys) . Can. Ent., 44(6) : 165-170.

1925. Bees of the genus Coelioxys in the collection of the California Academy of Sciences.
Pan-Pacific Ent., 4 (4) :145-151.

Leech, H. B. 1948. Anthidiellum robertsoni and its nest (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) . Proc.
Ent. Soc. B.C. Proc. 44:39.

Michener, Charles D. 1939. A revision of the genus Ashmeadiella. Amer. Midland Natural-
ist, 22(1): 1-84.

1944. Comparative external morphology, phylogeny, and a classification of the bees
(Hymenoptera). Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist., Vol. 82: Article 6.

Mitchell, Theodore B. 1938. Notes on the Megachilid subgenera Xeromegachile and Dero-
tropis. Pan-Pacific Ent., 44(4) : 168-177.

1942. Notes and descriptions of Nearctic Megachile. Pan-Pacific Ent., 18 (3) : 115-118.

1943. Records and descriptions in the Megachilid subgenus Argyropile. Pan-Pacific Ent.,
49(1) :12-16.

1944. New species and records in Megachile. Pan-Pacific Ent., 20(4) : 132-143.

Sandhouse, Grace Adelbert. 1924. Bees of the genus Osmia in the collection of the California

Academy of Sciences. Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci., 43(22) :341-372.

1939. The North American bees of the genus Osmia. Memoirs Ent. Soc. Washington,
No. 1:1-167.

Sladen, F. W. L. 1918. Pollination of alfalfa by bees of the genus Megachile. Table of
Canadian species of the Latimanus group. Can. Ent., 50(9) :301 -304.

ENTOMOLOGICAL NOTES FROM THE DIVISION OF PLANT PROTECTION

W. D. Touzeau

Division of Plant Protection, Science Service, Department of Agriculture, Vancouver, B. C.

The following scientific notes are pre-
sented as being of interest to the mem-
bers of the Entomological Society of
British Columbia.

The Oriental Fruit Moth survey was
carried on during the summer of 1948
in the lower Okanagan Valley. The
method of approach and the results were
the same as the three years previous, and
we are happy to report that up to the
end of the survey there had been no
interception of the moth in British
Columbia. The survey will be carried
on in 1949, due largely to the outbreak
of the moth that has occurred in the
Lombard Loop district, near ''tjakima,
Washington. San Jose and European
Scale have been receiving a great deal of
attention by the Dominion and Provin-
cial Departments of Agriculture, as well
as the B. C. Fruit Growers’ Association.
Through the co-operation of these three
bodies, and as a result of winter spray-
ing, a grader inspection of apples from
Kelowna south to Osoyoos and into

Keremeos has shown a considerable de-
crease in the amount of scale. Some 50
per cent reduction was noted in 1948
over 1947. While inspecting the Greek
ship s.s. “Olga” on February 26, 1949,
C. R. Cunningham was told by mem-
bers of the crew that in warm weather
Hold No. 2 was filled with constant
chirping. Investigation led to the find-
ing of a slight infestation of crickets
along the forward bulkhead. The ship
had arrived from the Orient. It is
thought that the crickets came aboard
ship in the Philippines. The s.s.
“Orato” was examined on February
4, 1949, by C. R. Cunningham, prior
to loading from the port of Vancouver.
Her previous cargoes had been maize
from the Argentine, followed by sul-
phate from Chile. A collection of resi-
dent insects was examined by P. Zuk,
and among them were found a few false
scorpions, apparently feeding on mites.

Contribution No. 74, Division of Plant Protection,
Science Service, Dominion Department of Agriculture,
Ottawa, Ontario.

32

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1949) , Vol. 46, May 15, 1950

ACHATINA FULICA (FER.)— AN INTERESTING INTERCEPTION FROM THE
PHILIPPINES (MOLLUSCA, STENOGYRIDAE)

Peter Zuk

Division of Plant Protection, Science Service,

On February 4, 1949, R. D. Clemens,
of the United States Department of
Agriculture in San Diego, California,
wrote to H. F. Olds, of the Division of
Plant Protection in Vancouver, and to
t,he men in charge of plant quarantine
work in San Francisco, Portland, and
Seattle, informing all of them of the
interception of one live giant African
snail, Achat ina fulica, in one hold of the
s.s. "Julia Luckenbach." The ship
contained copra, sugar, war surplus
machinery, and general cargo from the
Philippines. The snail was found
among used generators unloaded from
the lower 'tween deck of No. 2 hold.
No snails were found in the other cargo
and no further information was received
from San Francisco, where the general
cargo was discharged.

The ship arrived in Vancouver on
February 15 and the next day it was
thoroughly inspected when surplus
tractors and copra were discharged. Six
snails, one crushed, were found on the
floor and on the tractors in the two for-
ward deep tanks of No. 2 hold. No
snails were found in any other part of
the ship, although the copra contained
the usual infestation, of red-legged ham
beetle, Necrobia ruRpes. The tractors
were loaded into a barge and the
barge placed under quarantine until fur-
ther inspection and precautionary steps
were taken. Two more snails were
founds one very small, in the soil adher:
ing to the tractors. Samples of the soil
were inspected but they revealed nothing
more than one sow bug. A crane lifted
the tractors and they were sprayed with
a fire hose to wash away attached soil
into the sea, then the barge was sprayed
clean of soil. The tractors had been
loaded in Manila about the middle of
December, 1948, so the snails were
sealed in the deep tanks for two months.
Fortunately, all the snails found here
were dead. On further inspection of the
ship by U. S. officials in Seattle and
Portland no evidence of the pest was
found.

The most widely travelled of the

Department of Agriculture, Vancouver, B. C.

many species of Achatina is Achatina
fulica. It is native to the lowlands of
tropical East Africa, including Zanzibar
Island, twenty-five miles off the coast of
Tanganyika. The shell is cone-shaped
and grey, streaked with brown. The
largest shell found on the ship was
about three and one quarter inches long.
During the past hundred years or more,
Achatina fulica has been carried, in gen-
eral deliberately, by human being's as
food for themselves and their poultry,
to most of the tropical lands of the In-
dian and Pacific Oceans. In 1900 it
caused great damage in Ceylon. Similar
reports came from Malaya in 1923, Sin-
gapore in 1928, and Hawaii in 1938.
The Japanese spread Achatina fulica
throughout their mandated islands in
Micronesia. Now these snails are re-
ported also from Java, Borneo, Amoy
(China), the Philippines, Formosa and
for a short time, California. In each
new, lush, tropical region this snail has j
increased rapidly, far from its natural
enemies. Imported for food, it soon
eats up more food — growing young
food plants— than it could ever supply,
even to those with a taste for snails.
Control of snails is by the use of poison
bait but this method is an expensive an 2
never-ending procedure. Great attention J
is now focused on the use of biological
control and men are being sent to Africa i
to discover the enemies that keep down j
the numbers of the snails in their native
habitat. In Africa a carabid, T efflux ;
dispat , and a drilid beetle help to keep 1
the snails in check. According to Dr.
Williains, of the Experiment Station of
the Hawaiian Sugar Planters’ Associa-
tion, two other enemies of this snail in
the same continent are the carnivorous
snails Gonaxis and Eduntuhna. AT !
though it is doubtful whether A; fulica
would become a pest in Canada, all
necessary precautions were taken by the
Division of Plant Protection to ensure
that it would not become a hazard to
agriculture.

Contribution No. 76, Division of Plant Protection,
Science Service, Dominion Department of Agriculture,
Ottawa, Ontario.

ENTOMOLOGICAL SOC. OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, PROC. (1949) , VOL. 46, MAY 15, 1950

33

THE SOCIAL WASPS (VESPIDAE) OF BRITISH COLUMBIA1*

E. R. Buckell

Dominion Entomological Laboratory, Kamloops, B. C.

and G. J. Spencer

University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B. C.

This paper on the social wasps of
British Columbia has been prepared
from the collections in the Field Crop
Insect Laboratory, Kamloops, and the
University of British Columbia, Van-
couver. The majority of the specimens
were collected by the authors who are
greatly indebted to Dr. J. Bequaert,
Museum of Comparative Zoology, Har-
vard College, Cambridge, Massachus-

Family VESPIDAE

Subfamily VESPINAE
Genus VESPULA C. G. Thomson

The genus Vespula, with its two sub-
genera, Vespula and Dolichovespula, in-
cludes the well known and pugnacious
yellow-jackets and hornets.

The paper nests of yellow-jackets and
those of the large black and white, bald-
faced hornet are well known objects.
The nesting habits of the species vary.
They may be placed below ground,
hanging from ceilings or between the
walls of buildings, or suspended from
the limbs of shrubs or trees from ground
level up to considerable heights. They
contain several horizontal strata of cells
enveloped by an outer covering of paper
layers made of pulp gnawed from dry
wood by the worker wasps. There is
usually but one entrance hole placed
terminally or slightly laterally.

Wasps vary in abundance from year
to year and may sometimes occur in such
numbers as to be a serious pest of fruit
and a great nuisance to people, as they
are quick tempered and their stings are
painful.

Subgenus Vespula

Vespula vulgaris (Linnaeus)

Vespa vulgaris Linnaeus, 175 8, Syst. Nat..
10th Ed,, I, p. 572.

Vespa communis H. de Sapssure, 1 85 7. Stet-
tin. Ept. Zeitg., XVIII, p. 117 (9.: North
America) .

1* Contribution No. , 2567, Division of Entomology,
Science Service, Department of Agriculture, Ottawa,
Canada.

etts, for their determination. Frequent
use has been made of Dr. Bequaert's
publications on the Vespidae (1931-
1942), and many points of interest
therein have been included in this paper.

The localities from which material
has been recorded have been listed and
marked by a number on the accompany-
ing map.

Vespa alascensis Packard, 1870, Trans. Chi-
cago Ac. Sci ., II, p. 27, PI. II, fig. 10 (9.;
(Lower Yukon, Alaska).

Vespa westwoodii Shipp, 1893, Psyche, VI,
p. 450 (Boreal America).

LOCALITIES — Vernon, Salmon Arm, Celista,
Squilax, Adams Lake, Chase, Kamloops,
Douglas Lake, Minnie Lake, Bridge Lake,
100 Mile House, Canim Lake, Chilcotin,
Alexandria, Quesnel, Barkerville, Prince
George, Burns Lake, Yale, Skidegate.
MATERIAL EXAMINED 24 9, 67 9, 5T

A nest of V. vulgaris was found on
September 26, 1943, in the ground on a
grassy slope in a stand of big timber on
Wheeler mountain near Kamloops. It
had originally been as big as a man's
head but had been dug out by a bear and
only a portion of the nest wall remained
with a few wasps still present on it.

The paper of this nest had been made
from the bark of the western yellow
pine and was a beautiful golden yellow
colour with rich brown markings. It
differed considerably from the ordinary
tough, grey paper of nests made by other
species, and was quite brittle and flaky.

J. Bequaert (1931) in discussing
nests of this species, records that a nest
dug up at Cold Spring Harbour, N. Y.,
by Mr. R. P. Dow, contained pupae of
the ichneumonid, Sphecophaga burra
(Cresson) in some of the cells. “Before
pupating, the larva of this parasite closes
the cell, some distance below the top,
with a brownish, silken partition, show-
ing a slightly depressed, translucid circle
in the centre."

At Lac du Bois, Kamloops, during
the last week in August, 1946, a small

34

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1949) , Vol. 46, May 15, 1950

nest of Vespula spp., only some 6 inches
in diameter was poisoned at night with
calcium cyanide dust from a hand duster.
It was a very weak colony and the few
wasps present fell out into long grass
when the nest was cut down from a low
trembling aspen. The combs were ex-
amined shortly afterwards and nearly
20 cells contained brownish-yellow par-
titions, exactly like those described
above. The tiers near the top of the
nest were honeycombed by small lepi-
dopterous larvae which had spun a small
amount of loose silk. As far as possible,
all the cyanide was at once shaken out
and the nest was well aired and retained
in a cage to secure emergence of the para-
sites and the moth scavengers but no
adults of any kind were obtained. It
was noted that all of the silken parasite
cocoon caps were slightly obliquely
placed; none was at right angles to the
axis of the cell.

Vespula pensylvanica (H. de Saussure) .

Vespa pensylvanica H. dc Saussure, 185 7,
Stettin Ent. Zeitg., XVIII, p. 117 (?;
North America, Canada and the mountains
of Mexico). R. du Buysson, 1905, Ann.
Soc. Ent. France, LXXIII, 4, (1904), p.
615 (9 5 d).

Vespa occidentalis Cresson, 1874, Trans.
Amer. Ent. Soc., V, p. 100 (? 5, erro-
neously described as 9 cT ; Nevada and New
Mexico) . Not Vespa occidentalis Olivier,
1791.

LOCALITIES — Kaslo, Oliver, Penticton, Sum-
merland, Vernon, Salmon Arm, Celista,
Adams Lake, Squilax, Chase, Prichard,
Kamloops, Douglas Lake, Minnie Lake,
Lytton, Lillooet, Bridge Lake, Chilcotin,
Quesnel. Barkerville, Vancouver, Gran-
tham's Landing, Victoria, Cowichan Lake,
Sidney, Departure Bay.

MATERIAL EXAMINED 62?, 1545, 59d.

Six nests of this species were exam-
ined in 1943, four of which were in the
ground and two between the walls of
wooden houses.

Of the nests in the ground, one was
in a ditch bank, and contained on
August, many and 5 but only one ?,
whose wings had been chewed off. The
second was under a rotten birch stump
and had been torn out and eaten by a
bear. The few remaining wasps were
busy repairing the nest and building
again although fully exposed to the sun-
light. The third nest had also been dug

out and eaten by a bear and the remain-
ing wasps had built up small nest areas
at the side of the open hole. The fourth
ground nest had a well-defined mud
collar at the entrance and was at the base
of a large rock on open rangeland. When
dug up on September 14 it contained
mainly queens and males.

Between the walls of houses where
it is completely dark, appears to be an-
other favorite nesting site for this species.
Two such nests were found in 1943 at
Salmon Arm. In the first instance the
nesting site was entered through a crack
in a window casing some 12 feet from
the ground and in the second instance
the wasps were entering through a nar-
row crack under the eaves.

Bequaert (1931) states that in G.
W. Taylor's account (1898), he men-
tions capturing 23 males and 4 females
of an interesting parasitic wasp, Tvigon-
alys canadensis Harrington, at the en-
trance of V. pensylvanica nests in Brit-
ish Columbia.

Vespula rufa var. at-ropilosa (Sladen)

Vespa atropilosa Sladen, 1918, Ottawa Natur-
alist, XXXII, p. 72 (9 5; Lethbridge,
Alberta; Vernon, Keremeos and Okanagan
Landing, British Columbia) .

LOCALITIES — Fairview, Keremeos, Okanagan
Landing, Vernon, Salmon Arm, Adams
Lake, Kamloops, Douglas Lake, Minnie
Lake, Lytton, Vancouver.

MATERIAL EXAMINED 43?, 62?, 35T

Two nests of this wasp were exam-
ined on August 17, 1943; they were
built well below ground in a ditch bank.

One nest was small, and contained
only queens and workers, but the other
one was large and contained at least 50
queens, as well as many wprkers and
males.

The queens and workers in this nest
showed very little variation in colour
pattern but the males had two distinct
colour patterns on the second tergite,
i.e., similar to the queens, and with the
black area enclosing yellow spots. Two
males were unusual, one being very
heavily marked with black as in var.
sladeni, and the other very light as in
the queens. Two queens were wingless,
the wings having failed to form.

This is a bright yellow and black
wasp of large size.

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1949) , Vol. 46, May 15, 1950

35

Vespula rufa var. sladeni Bequaert.

LOCALITIES — Revelstoke, Chase, Douglas Lake,
Kamloops, Minnie Lake, Quesnel, Tyee,
Prince Rupert, Vancouver.

MATERIAL EXAMINED 19?, 10?, 10c?.

This is a western form described by
Bequaert (1931) as an extreme melan-
istic variation of var. atvopilosa, and
often resembles the two eastern varieties,
acadica (Sladen) and vidua (H. de
Saussure) .

This wasp appears to be far less com-
mon than the other varieties of V . rufa
which occur in British Columbia, name-
ly, atvopilosa and consobrina. It is to be
found more frequently in the humid
coastal areas around Vancouver and
Prince Rupert than in the dry interior.

The queens may be found visiting
the flowers of certain ornamental shrubs
in Stanley Park, Vancouver, in April
and May; later in the season the workers
may be seen entering and leaving their
nests, which are placed underground.

Vespula rufa var. consobrina (H. de Saussure)

Vespa consobrina H. de Saussure, 1853, Et.
Fam. Vesp., II, p. 141 (?; Newfound-
land) .

Vespa arenaria H. de Saussure, 1853 Et. Fam.
Vesp., II, p. 134, (?; North America).
Not Vespa arenaria Fabricius, 1775.

Vespa scelesta McFarland, 1888. Trans,
Amer. Ent. Soc., XV, p. 298. Cresson,
1928, Mem. Amer. Ent. Soc., No. 5, p. 57.

Vespa sulcata L. O. Howard, 1901, The In-
sect Book, PI. VI, fig. 18.

LOCALITIES — Kaslo, Vernon, Beavermouth,
Revelstoke, Salmon Arm, Celista, Squilax,
Adams Lake, Chase, Kamloops, Douglas
Lake, Minnie Lake, Bridge Lake, Chilcotin,
Quesnel, Prince George, Smithers, Terrace,
Hazelton, Hope, Vancouver, Victoria,
Royal Oak, Sidney, Courtenay.

MATERIAL EXAMINED 45?, 86?, 57cT.

This is a rather small, black wasp
with pale white or ivory white mark-
ings in marked contract to var. atvopi -
losa, a large, brightly marked, yellow
and black insect. The var. sladeni is
intermediate in general coloration be-
tween atvopilosa and consobrina, and it
is hard, at first sight, to realize that
these three wasps belong to one and the
same species. This is the commonest of
the varieties of V. rufa found in British
Columbia.

In the specimens examined the colour
pattern is extremely uniform in con-
sobvina, while sladeni and atvopilosa
show considerable variation.

Vespula austriaca (Panzer) .

Vespa austriaca Panzer, 1799, Faun. Ins.
German, VI, p. 63, PI. II (cf; Vienna,
Austria) .

Vespa borealis F. Smith, 1843, The Zoolo-
gist, I, p. 170. Not Vespa borealis W.
Kirby, 1 83 7, nor of Zetterstedt, 1840.

Vespa arborea F. Smith, 1849, The Zoolo-
gist, VII, Appendix, p. lx (substitute
name for Vespa borealis F. Smith, 1843).

Vespa tripunctata Packard, 1870, Trans. Chi-
cago Ac. Sci., II, p. 26, PI. II, fig. II (holo-
type ? of Kutleet, Alaska, only) . Not
Vespa tripunctata Fabricius, 1787, nor of
Schenck, 1861.

Vespa infernalis H. de Saussure, 1 853, Et.
Fam. Vesp., II, p. 139.

LOCALITIES — Bridge Lake, Kamloops. Bequaert
also records this species from Beavermouth,
Field, and Kaslo.

Of this species Bequaert (1931)
states: “V . austriaca has no worker

phase. It is a so-called social parasite or
inquiline wasp, which builds no nest of
its own, but has its brood raised by the
workers of other species of Vespula. In
the Palearctic Region the host-species is
Vespula rufa (Linnaeus), in the nests
of which the females and males of V.
austriaca have been found repeatedly.
In North America, the host is as yet un-
known, but since typical V. rufa does
not exist here, I suspect that it must be
one of the most common American
forms of V. rufa ( vidua, atvopilosa or
consobrina) V

The queen of austriaca is very similar
in general appearance to rufa var. con-
sobrina, both having a peculiar black-
and-yellow pattern on the second ab-
dominal segment, but may be distin-
guished from the queen of all forms of
V. rufa in the long pilosity on the outer
side of the tibiae and in the pointed
apical angles of the clypeus.

Subgenus Dolichovespula Rohwer
Vespula maculaf-a (Linnaeus) .

Vespa maculata Linnaeus, 1763, Cent. Insect
Rar., p. 30. Not Vespa maculata Scopoli,
1763; nor of Drury, 1773.

Vespa maculata americana Christ, 1791,
Naturgesch. Insekt. vom Bienen, Wespen
and Ameisengeschl., p. 239.

LOCALITIES — Fairmont, Kaslo, Vernon, Salmon
Arm, Squilax, Adams Lake, Chase, Kam-
loops, Douglas Lake, Walhachin, Lytton,
Bridge Lake, Chilcotin, Quesnel, Prince
George, Prince Rupert, Vancouver, (? fly-
ing in mid-March) , Buccaneer Bay, Gran-
tham's Landing, Vancouver Island.
MATERIAL EXAMINED 5 6 ? , 66?, 1 9 cT .

This is t;he common, and well
known, black, or bald-faced hornet, and

36

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1949),Vol.46, May 15, 1950

it occurs everywhere throughout British
Columbia. It is particularly common
in fruit growing areas, and causes much
annoyance by building its paper nest in
apple trees, to the great discomfort of
the apple pickers at harvest time, as its
sting is very severe and painful.

The bald-faced hornet nests above
ground and its nests, often of large
size, may be found hanging from the
boughs of trees, sometimes high above
the ground, or low down in the base of
a bush almost touching the ground.

Bequaert (1931) reports that the
ichneumonid parasite, Sphecophaga hur-
ra (Cresson) ( =Sphecophagus prae da-
tor Zabriskie) , has been bred from the
cells of this species.

Vespula arenaria (Fabricius) .

Vespa arenaria Fabriius, 1775, Syst. Entom.,
p. 365 (no sex; America). Not of most
American writers.

Vespa (Dolichovespula) arenaria J. Bequaert,
1928, Bull. Brooklyn Ent. Soc., XXII, p.
54 (9; holotype) .

Vespa borealis W. Kirby, 1837, Fauna Bore -
ali- Americana, IV. p. 264. Not Vespa
borealis Zetterstedt, 1840; F. Smith, 1843;
Fewis, 1897.

Vespa diabolica H. de Saussure, 1853, Et.
Fam. Vesp. II, p. 138 (9 9; North

America) .

LOCALITIES — Kaslo, Nelson, Osoyoos, Vernon,
Glacier, Salmon Arm, Celista, Squilax,
Adams Fake, Chase, Kamloops, Douglas
Fake, Minnie Fake, Clinton, Bridge Fake,
Chilcotin, Gang Ranch, Quesnel, Barker-
ville, Prince George, Smithers, Prince Ru-
pert, Vancouver, Victoria.

MATERIAL EXAMINED 92-9, 180$, 40T

This is the commonest of the yellow-
jackets of British Columbia. From the
specimens collected and the nests exam-
ined V. arenaria far outnumbers its
xanthic variation V. arenaria var. fer-
naldi, although both can frequently be
found mixed together in the same nest.

A large number of arenaria nests have
been taken and the inhabitants identi-
fied. They have been found in every
type of environment from nests well
below ground and in house walls in
complete darkness to semi-dark loca-
tions, such as in mouse nests, broken
down root-houses, wells, and old build-
ings, to aerial nests hanging down from
the boughs of trees at considerable
heights, as well as in low bushes.

A short description of the following
nests will illustrate this point.

In 1943, a year of great wasp abun-
dance, three nests of typical arenaria
were dug out of a ditch bank at Kam-
loops on August 17; on July 4 a nest
was found in complete darkness, be-
tween the walls of a house. The wasps
were entering through a knot hole and
149 were taken, all typical arenaria.
Nests in semi-darkness were found in an
old deserted building, hanging from the
rafters, and another was hanging from
the end of a log which had slipped down
the mouth of an old well and was com-
pletely obscured from direct light by
thick bushes. On July 20 a nest hang-
ing from a birch limb, 8 ft. from the
ground, was taken which contained
many workers and two males but no
queens and on August 8 another nest on
a birch limb, 6 ft. from the ground was
knocked down and some wasps caught
in a net. They consisted of one male
and 29 workers, all typical arenaria.
From observations to date, it would
seem that in British Columbia, this
wasp nests in underground, or dark
positions, very nearly as often as in
open, exposed locations. J. Bequaert
(1931) reports that it is questionable
whether V. arenaria ever builts its nest
actually underground or inside old
stumps or logs. He also records that W.
M. Wheeler and L. H. Taylor (1921)
found that Vespula adulterina var. arc-
tica Rohwer was an inquiline in the
nests of V. arenaria.

This little yellow-jacket is particular-
ly pugnacious and liable to sting when
its nest is approached, and well deserves
the name diabolica given by Saunders.

Vespula arenaria var. fernaldi (Fewis)

Vespa fernaldi Fewis, 1879, Trans. Amer.
Ent. Soc., XXIV, pp. 171 and 173 (9 5;
Colorado) .

LOCALITIES — Vernon, Squilax, Adams Lake,
Kamloops, Douglas Lake, Cedarvale, Van-
couver, Courtenay.

MATERIAL EXAMINED 28 9, 35 9, 4<L

As Bequaert (1931) states, this is
merely a xanthic variation of V. are-
naria, especially notable for the presence
of two yellow spots on the propodeum.

The remarks concerning the nesting
habits of V. arenaria apply equally well
to the var. fernaldi and, as a matter of
fact, no nests containing only fernaldi
have as yet been seen by the authors.

ENTOMOLOGICAL SOC. OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, PROC. (1949), VOL. 46, MAY 15, 1950

37

The following descriptions of nests con-
taining fernaldi which were taken and
examined, will show the range of nest-
ing sites.

On August 20, 1943, a nest was dug
out of a ditch bank containing a large
number of arenaria, of which about one
third were var. fernaldi. On the same
day another nest was taken from a beam
in an old root^house, whose roof had
caved in admitting some light. This
nest contained many queens and workers
and a few males, the great majority
being var. fernaldi. On July 29, 1943,
a small wasps' nest was found in a
mouse nest on the surface of the ground
under a pile of bark. It contained 5
workers of typical arenaria, and one
queen and 26 workers, of var. fernaldi.
On September 18, 1943, a nest hanging
from a dead poplar bough, eight feet
from the ground, was examined. The
wasps had been killed off by frost and
only 1?, 1$ and were found in the
nest. The male was a typical arenaria
and the queen and worker typical var.
fernaldi.

So far very few var. fernaldi males
have been seen, but whether this is the
usual situation or mere coincidence, we
do not know.

Vespula norwegica var. norvegicoides (Sladen).

Vespula norvegicoides Sladen, 1918, Ottawa
Naturalist, XXXII, p. 71, (? cT; Nova
Scotia to British Columbia) .

LOCALITIES — Revelstoke, Kamloops, Birch Is-
land, Minnie Lake. Bridge Lake, Quesnel,
Hazelton, Kitwanga, Tyee, Prince Rupert,
Mt. Cheam, Agassiz, Vancouver, Courte-
nay.

MATERIAL EXAMINED 26$, 15$, 4cf.

As far as can be ascertained this is the
only variety of norwegica so far record-
ed from British Columbia, but var. al-
bida (Sladen) may occur in extreme
northern B. C. as it has been recorded
from Alaska and Yukon Territory as
var. marginata, a synonym of albida (J.
Bequaert, 1933).

Vespula adulterina (R. du Buysson) .

Vespa norwegica var. adulterina R. du Buys-
son, 1905, Ann. Soc. Ent. France, LXXIII,
(1904), pp. 600 and 628.

Vespa saxonica var. adulterina Bischoff, 1927,
Biologie der Hymenopteren, p. 404, (sug-
gests that it is a distinct species, parasitic
upon V. saxonica ) .

Vespa adulterina Bischoff, 1931, Mitt
Deutsch. Ent. Geo., II, p. 6.

Pseudovespa adulterina Bischoff, 1931, Sit-
zungsber, Ges. Naturf. Fr. Berlin, (1930),
pp. 330-334.

Vespula norvegica saxonica natio colchica
Birula, 1930, Ann. Mus. Zool. Ac. Set.
U.R.S.S., XXXI, 2, p. 314.

LOCALITIES — Summerland, Vernon, Minnie
Lake, Bridge Lake, Vancouver.

MATERIAL EXAMINED 8$.

Of this wasp J. Bequaert (1931)
states: “V. adulterina and its var. arc -
tica are inquilines or social parasites,
which lack the worker phase and have
their brood reared by other social species
of Vespula. They are, in the subgenus
Dolichovespula , the exact counterpart of
V. austnaca (Panzer) in the subgenus
Vespula, proper.”

On July 21, 1944, a small wasps’
nest about the size of a golf ball, was
found on the ground under a piece of
board, near Minnie Lake in the Nicola
Valley. A cyanide jar was placed over
this nest before any of the inmates could
escape. On examination it was found
to contain four very small workers of
V. arenaria and a female V. adulterina
with its wings gnawed off at their bases,
but no arenaria queen. It is assumed
that when the adulterina entered so
small a nest the arenaria queen had
gnawed off the intruder’s wings, but had
herself been killed in the ensuing fight,
or driven away.

Vespula adulterina var. arctica Rohwer.

Vespula ( Dolischvespula ) arctica Rohwer,
1916, in Viereck, Guide to the Insects of
Connecticut, III, Hymenoptera, p. 642
(new name for Vespa borealis Lewis) .

Vespa borealis Lewis, 1897, Trans. Amer.

Ent. Soc., XXIV, pp. 171 and 174. Not

Vespa borealis W. Kirby, 1837.

LOCALITIES — Kaslo, Minnie Lake, Prince Ru-
pert.

MATERIAL EXAMINED 2$, 1 d\

This wasp, var. arctica, is said to be a
permanent social parasite in the nests of
V. arenaria where its brood, consisting
only of males and fertile females, are
reared by the arenaria wtorkers.

Subfamily POLISTINAE

“The Polistinae are a cosmopolitan
group consisting of a single genus, Po-
listes, with many, rather closely allied
species. In the Nearctic Regina this
genus comprises not more than half a
dozen species distinguishable by pecu-
liarities of structure: but some of these

38

ENTOMOLOGICAL SpC. OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, PROC. (1949), VOL. 46, MAY 15, 1950

species vary tremendously in color (Be-
quaert, 1932). In all social species of
Polistes with which I am acquainted,
the workers (when present) and fertile
females (or queens) are alike, both in
structure and color and often also in
size. It is generally assumed that the
smaller females, sometimes found in the
colony, are workers. Moreover, even
unmated females (or workers) may oc-
casionally lay eggs, which develop by
parthenogenesis into male wasps." (Be-
quaert, 1940).

Only one species, Polistes fuscatus
(Fabricius) , occurs in Canada. This
species has been divided into some 1 8
colour forms (Bequaert, 1940), of
which, only Polistes fuscatus var. auri-
fer de Saussure and Polistes fuscatus var.
wont anus Bequaert, and intermediates
between these forms, are found in Brit-
ish Columbia.

One specimen of Polistes fuscatus var.
pallipes Lepeletier was collected by Mr.
L. W. Cockle (27.X. 1907) at Kaslo,
on Kootenay Lake. The determination
was made by Dr. J. Bequaert, who
states that it was no doubt an accidental
introduction from the Eastern (Atlan-
tic) area. As it was taken in late Octo-
ber, it could easily have reached Kaslo
in a packing case or parcel into which it
had crawled for hibernation.

Genus POLISTES Latreille

Polistes fuscatus var. aurifei* de Saussure.
LOCALITIES — Cranbrook, Kitchener, Creston,
Kaslo, Oliver, Penticton, Vernon, Salmon
Arm, Kamloops, Walhachin, Victoria,
Shalalth, Vancouver, Lytton, Lillooet,
Chilcotin (G. J. Spencer, 26.V.1929, 1 ?,
52°N.), farthest north for any American
Polistes (Bequaert, 1940),

MATERIAL EXAMINED 61 ? ?, 20T

Bequaert (1940) records aurifec as
the common form of the species through-
out California, Oregon and Washing-
ton, extending well into southern Brit-
ish Columbia, as well as intp Idaho and
Nevada. The collection records show
that this colour form occurs from the
Alberta boundary westward through
the Kootenay district, the Okanagan
Valley, the southern interior to tjae
Pacific coast and Vancouver Island, and
north up the Fraser River to Lytton,
Lillooet and Chilcotin.

Polistes fuscatus var, montanus Bequaert.
LOCALITIES — Fairmont, Creston, Keremeos,
Summerland, Vernon, Salmon Arm, Kam-
loops, Walhachin, Lillooet, Powell River,
Victoria, Departure Bay, Cowichan Lake. 1
MATERIAL EXAMINED 23??, 10T

Bequaert (1940) recorded montanus
from Montana, Idaho and Oregon. In
southern British Columbia it, has been
taken by the authors from the Alberta
boundary to Vancouver Island.

Transitional between curifer and montanus
LOCALITIES — Oliver, Summerland, Vernon, Sal-
mon Arm, Kamloops, Walhachin, Lillooet.
MATERIAL EXAMINED 62??.

Polistes fuscatus is a very common
wasp in southern British Columbia and
is particularly conspicuous in early
spring, as it is one of the earliest of all
hibernating insects to appear. At this
time it may be seen crawling sluggishly
about on pavements and walls, and
appears in buildings where it has been
hibernating. The overwintering queens
will be active a month or six weeks
ahead of any of the yellow-jackets or
hornets.

In temperament, it is the reverse of
the yellow-jackets, being a slow-mov-
ing, friendly insect, whose nest may be
approached without much chance of
being attacked.

It is very fond of attaching its uncov-
ered, single layer of cells, to the ceiling
of sheds, where the light is subdued.
Sometimes a number of Polistes nests
may be seen in close proximity under
the same roof.

Subfamily POLYBIINAE

The Polybiinae are essentially a trop-
ical subfamily. Only three species are
known to occur within the United
States, and of these, only one, Mischo -
cyttarus Ravitavsis (H. de Saussure) ex-
tends into Canada (Bequaert, 1932).

Genus MISCHOCYTTARUS H.,de Saussure

Mssehoeyftcsrus flemtarsis var. idahoensis

Bequaert.

LOCALITIES — Victoria, Goldstream, Nanaimo,
Newcastle, Saanich, on Vancouver Island;
Pender Harbour, Vancouver, Lytton, Wal- i
hachin, Kamloops. Salmon Arm, Vernon, |
Kelowna, Westbank.

Bequaert (1932) records Sooke Rock and
Danby on Vancouver Island and the fol-
lowing additional mainland localities: i

39

: ENTOMOLOGICAL SOC. OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, PROC. (1949) , VOL. 46, MAY 15, 1950

Osoyoos, Oliver, Keremeos, Summerland,
Westbank, Okanagan Falls and Lillooet.
MATERIAL EXAMINED 22? 5, 7c?.

This w&sp is not as common as
Polistes fuscatus but is generally distrib-
uted over southern British Columbia
and Vancouver Island, and is the only
form of the species occurring in the
Province.

It is similar in appearance and habits
to Polistes fuscatus , but may be distin-

guished by the first abdominal segment
being much narrower than the remain-
der of the abdomen, forming a long and
slender petiole.

The nests of M. Ravitarsis are said to
be small, single-combed, un-enveloped
paper nests, usually smaller than Po-
listes, placed under rocks, logs, caves,
banks and in buildings, and its food to
consist largely of insects. (Bequaert,
1932).

Bequaert, J. 1931. A tentative synopsis of the hornets and yellow-jackets (Vespinae: Hymenop
tera) of America. Entomologica Americana, 12(2) : 7 1 - 1 3 8 .

1932. The nearctic social wasps of the sub-family Polybiinae (Hymenoptera: Vespidae)
Entomologica Americana, 13 (3) :87-150.

1935. Additions and corrections to the revision of North American Vespinae (Entomologica
Americana, 1932) Bull. Brooklyn Ent. Soc., 30 (3) : 1 1 9- 1 24.

1940. An introductory study of Polistes in the United States and Canada with descriptions
of some new North and South American forms (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) Jour. New
York Ent. Soc., 48:1-31.

1942. A new color form of Polistes fuscatus from Canada. Can. Ent., 74(9) : 1 5 9 - 1 6 1 .

Taylor, G. W. 1 898. Note on Trigonalys canadensis Hargtn. Can. Ent., 30:14.

Wheeler, W. M. and Taylor, L. H. 1921. Vespa arctica Rohwer, a parasite of Vespa diabolica de
Saussure. Psyche, 28 (5-6) : 135- 144.

40

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1949) , Vol. 46, May 15, 1950

Arranged alphabetically: the numbers corresponding to those on the accompanying map.

(V. I. = Vancouver Island.)

1 . Adams Lake

20. Departure Bay, V. I.

39. Lytton

58. Saanich, V. I

2. Agassiz

2 1 . Douglas Lake

40. Minnie Lake

5 9. Salmon Arm

3 . Alexandria

22. Fairmont

4 1 . Mt. Cheam

60. Shalalth

4. Barkerville

23. Fairview

42. Nanaimo, V. I.

6 1 . Sidney, V. I.

5. Beavermouth

24. Field

43. Nelson

62. Skidegate

6. Birch Island

25. Gang Ranch

44. Newcastle, V. I.

63. Smithers

7. Bridge Lake

26. Glacier

45. Okanagan Falls

64. Squilax

8. Buccaneer Bay

27. Goldstream, V. I.

46. Okanagan Landing

65. Sooke, V. I.

9. Burns Lake

28. Grantham’s Landing

47. Oliver

66. Summerland

1 0. Canim Lake

29. Hazelton

48. Osoyoos

67. Terrace

1 1 . Cedarvale

30. Hope

49. Pender Harbour

68. Tyee

12. Celista

31. 100 Mile House

5 0. Penticton

69. Vancouver

13. Chase

32. Kamloops

5 1 . Powell River

70. Vernon

14. Chilcotin

33. Kaslo

5 2. Prichard

71. Victoria

15. Clinton

34. Kelowna

5 3. Prince George

72. Walhachin

1 6. Courtenay, V. I.

3 5 . Keremeos

54. Prince Rupert

73. Westbank

1 7. Cowichan Lake, V. I.

3 6. Kitchener

55. Quesnel

74. Yale

18. Cranbrook

3 7. Kitwanga

5 6. Revelstoke

19. Creston

3 8. Lillooet

57. Royal Oak, V. I.

BOOK REVIEW

“A Century of Entomology in the
Pacific Northwest,” by Melville H.
Hatch, University of Washington Press,
Seattle 5. $1.50.

In this little book of 43 pages Dr.
Hatch has brought together for the first
time the facts relating to the develop-
ment of entomology in the States of
Oregon, Washington and the Province
of British Columbia. The work of as-
sembling this information has obvious-
ly entailed considerable research and the
author has succeeded very effectively in
synchronizing the events leading to the
gradual development of entomological
work in the different parts of the Pacific
Northwest.

The book is divided into five chapters
dealing with periods of development;
first, the period of itinerant collectors,
then the period of resident collectors
who laid the foundation of our ento-
mological societies; then the period of
established laboratories, showing the
growth of applied entomology in this
region from small Beginnings to gradual
broadening of the work in recent years.
We regret that, in this chapter, mention
has not been made of the names of Dr.
W. H. Brittain and his assistant Mr. M.
H. Ruhmann, the first entomologists to
be appointed by the Government of

British Columbia. Dr. Brittain held j
the dual position of Provincial Ento-
mologist and Plant Pathologist at Ver-
non from 1912 to 1913 when he re-
signed on accepting the post of Provin-
cial Entomologist for Nova Scotia. Mr.
Ruhmann was appointed assistant to
Dr. Brittain in 1912 and, when the
direction of entomological work was
taken over by R. C. Treherne under the
Dominion Government, after Dr. Brit-
tain’s departure, he continued in the
position of Assistant Provincial Ento-
mologist until his death in 1943.

In other respects we find that full
recognition has been given to the work
of British Columbia entomologists.
Chapter four describes the expansion of
entomological work from 1930 until
the present time and a short chapter is
devoted to enumeration and description
of the insect collections in the Pacific :
Northwest. The book is illustrated with 1
portraits of several noted men who ;
played a prominent part in founding the
structure of our present day entomolog- j
ical organizations and many facts of
historical interest are recorded. For ref-
erence purposes Dr. Hatch’s book will
be of value and interesting to all who
are presently engaged or who have taken
part in entomological work in the Pacific
Northwest. — W. Downes.

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1949), Vol. 46, May 15, 1950

41

A NOTE ON REARING, FROM LARVAE, SARBENA ( ROESELI A) MINUSCULA ZELL

On three occasions while “beating;” Garry Oak
Quercus garryana Dougl., in the Uplands Distinct of
Victoria, B. C., the writer obtained larvae which proved
to be Sarbena minuscula Zell. The first time was on
August 1, 19 46, when 11 larvae were secured. These
were “sleeved” on Oak in the writer’s garden, but al-
though they showed evidence of feeding, they failed to
mature. The next occasions were on July 3, 1947, when
39 larvae were taken, and on July 17, 1947, when 14
more were added to the batch.

K Slightly different treatment for rearing the larvae
was' used. A ten-inch flower-pot was prepared, with
about six inches of earth at the bottom into which a
small glass bottle for water was firmly fixed to supply
the food plant with moisture. Moss mingled with bits
of lichen was then placed loosely over the earth in the
pot together with lichen-covered branches of oak and a
good supply of fresh oak foliage.

The larvae were observed to feed on the foliage to

The Proceedings of the Entomological Society of British Colum-
bia is published annually, individual! volumes may be had for
50c. Special rotes on sets. Address Secretary-treasurer, Ento-
mological Society of British Columbia, Box 210, Kamloops, B.C.

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a considerable extent, and they reached maturity and
cocooned amongst the lichen, chiefly that upon the
small pieces of branch supplied. The cocoons were
wintered in the same flower-pot, on a porch with a
northerly aspect, where they were exposed to cold and
wind, but sheltered from rain or snow. Twenty-two
imagines were obtained the following season between
May 30 and June 4, 1948.

It would appear that successful breeding depends on
the presence of lichen together with the food pl9.nL
though the foliage of the oak is undoubtedly eaten by
the larvae to a considerable extent. Possibly they
require the lichen only when near maturity, and chiefly
as a medium in which to construct their small and
cleverly concealed cocoons. It may also afford some
moisture, necessary to the safe appearance of the
imagines the following season. — J. R. J. Llewellyn
Jones, Cobble Hill, B. C.

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1949) , Vol. 46, May 15, 1950

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PROCEEDINGS

I

!( JCT l

> I"

of the

(Siji

IS:

ENTOMOLOGICAL
— SOCIETY of —
BRITISH COLUMBIA

Volume 47

Issued July 15, 1951

Page

DOWNING — Acaricide Trials in British Columbia Orchards, 1950 1

GREGSON — Notes on the Spring Activity of the Rocky Mountain

Wood Tick, Dermacentor Andersoni Stiles ( Acarini : Ixodiae ) 4

BUCKELL — Records of Bees from British Columbia — Bombidae 7

GLENDENNING — An Unusual Cutworm Outbreak 24

HARDY — Notes on the Life History of the February Highflyer,

Hydriomena nubilofasciata Pack 25

MCLEOD — Biological Control Investigations in British Columbia-— 27

HATCH — Coleopterists and Coleoptera Collections in the Pacific

Northwest | i 3 7

SPENCER — Upon the Mating Habits of Thermobia domestica

Pack. 40

MACCARTHY — A Comparison of Potato Tuber Damage by Two

Flea Beetles: Epitrix tuberis Gent and Epitrix subcrinita Lee. 42

Scientific Notes

26, 43

For your agricultural needs

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agricultural chemicals

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in formulating finished insecticides.

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H S ^

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Calif., Wenatchee , Wash ., Yakima,
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Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1950), Vol. 47, July 15, 1951

Congratulations

To

THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY
OF BRITISH COLUMBIA

on Its

Anniversary

MONTREAL • TORONTO • VANCOUVER... Executive Offices, Sun Life Bldg., Montreal 2
PRODUCERS OF ORCHARD BRAND "INSECTICIDES AND FUNGICIDES"

ENTOMOLOGICAL SOC.'OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, PROC. (1950) , VOL. 47, JULY 15, 1951

Alfalfa Weevil • Armyworm • Ash-Gray Blisfer Beetle
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Serpentine Leaf Miner • Sheep Tick • Short-Nosed Cattle Louse • Southern Armyworm
Southern Green Stink Bug • Spittlebug • Strawberry Crown Borer • Strawberry Leaf
Roller ♦ Strawberry Weevil • Striped Blister Beetle • Suckfly • Sugar Beet Webworm
Superb Plant Bug • Sweet Clover Weevil • Tarnished Plant Bug • Thrips • Tobacco
Budworm • Tobacco Hornworm • Tomato Hornworm • Tomato Pinworm • Two-Striped
Grasshopper • Variegated Cutworm • Velvetbean Caterpillar • Western Cotton Plant
Bug • White-Lined Sphinx • Winter Tick * Yellow Goat Louse • Yellow-Striped Armyworm

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In Canada, toxaphene is available through:

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ENTOMOLOGICAL SOC. OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, PROC. ( 1 95 0) , VOL. 47, JULY 15, 1951

for GREATER INSECT KILL

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States during 1 950.

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tion will also be made available upon request.

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Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1950) , Vol. 47, July 15, 1951

MONSANTO

Insecticides - Herbicides
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Packaged Full Strength by the
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Bartlett’s Microscopic Sulphur
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Naugatuck 2, 4-D Weed Killer
DDT 5% Surface Spray
DDT 10% Dust
Spergon Seed Treatment
DDT 50% Wettable
Chlordane
Gama Dust

PROCEEDINGS

of the

ENTOMOLOGICAL
— SOCIETY of —
BRITISH COLUMBIA

Volume 47 Issued July 15, 1951

Page

DOWNING — Acaricide Trials in British Columbia Orchards, 1950 1

GREGSON — Notes on the Spring Activity of the Rocky Mountain

Wood Tick, Dermacentor Andersoni Stiles (Acarini : Ixodiae ) 4

BUCKELL — Records of Bees from British Columbia — Bombidae _____ 7

GLENDENNING — An Unusual Cutworm Outbreak 24

HARDY — Notes on the Life History of the February Highflyer,

Hydriomena nubilofasciata Pack 25

McLEOD — Biological Control Investigations in British Columbia.. __ 27

HATCH — Coleopterists and Coleoptera Collections in the Pacific

Northwest 3 7

SPENCER — Upon the Mating Habits of Thermobia domestica

Pack. 40

MacCARTHY — A Comparison of Potato Tuber Damage by Two

Flea Beetles: Epitrix tuberis Gent and Epittix subcvinita Lee. 42

Scientific Notes

26, 43

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1950) , Vol. 47, July 15, 1951

DIRECTORS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY
OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
1950- 1951

Honorary President
W. Downes, Victoria, B. C.

President

G. J. SPENCER, Vancouver, B. C.

Vice-President (Coast)

G. Hardy, Victoria, B. C.

Vice-President ( Interior )

R. H. HANDFORD, Kamloops, B. C.

Hon. Secretary -Treasurer
J. D. Gregson, Kamloops, B. C.

Hon. Auditor

C. L. NEILSON, Kamloops, B. C.

Advisory Board

M. H. Hatch, Seattle, Wash. J. H. McLeod, Vancouver, B. C.

H. F. Olds, Vancouver, B. C.

Editorial Committee

W. DOWNES (Chairman) , Victoria, B. C. J. MARSHALL, Summerland, B. C.
W. G. Mathers, Vernon, B.C.

Librarian

L. C. Curtis, Kamloops, B. C.

NEW MEMBERS

Elected at the 49th Annual Meeting, March 18, 1950

D. Allan — District Horticulturist, Oliver, B.C .

Paul Arnaud — Redwood City, California, U. S. A.

T. K. R. Bourns — Dom. Livestock Insects Laboratory, Kamloops, B. C.

G. S. Brown — Dom. Forest Insects Laboratory, Vernon, B. C.

J. Burch — University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B. C.

D. A. Chant — University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B. C.

J. Follwell — Stored Products Insect Laboratory, Vancouver, B. C.

M. Isbill — Atlanta, Georgia, U. S. A.

J. Smith — District Horticulturist, Kelowna, B. C.

J. Weintraub — Dom. Livestock Insects Laboratory, Kamloops, B. C.

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1950) , Vol. 47, July 15, 1951

1

ACARICIDE TRIALS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA ORCHARDS, 19501

R. S. Downing2

Dominion Entomological Laboratory, Summerland, B. C.

Although the two acaricides parathion
and monoethanolamine dinitro-o-cyclo-
hexylphenolate, presently being recom-
mended for British Columbia orchards,
are reasonably effective, each has short-
comings that mark it for replacement as
soon as possible. Parathion, first recom-
mended for the control of orchard mites
in 1949, has a serious disadvantage in
its high toxicity to mammals. Further-
more, it lacks specificity and it is not
sufficiently effective against the Willam-
ette mite, Tetranychus Ravus Ewing.
Monoethanolamine dinitro-o-cyclohex-
ylphenolate, commonly called mono-
DNP by British Columbia growers, may
cause some foliage injury. Although it
seems to be a selective acaricide, largely
innocuous to parasites and insect pred-
ators, it can no longer be used generally
because most of the spraying is done by
automatic concentrate sprayers and these
machines increase phytotoxic effects. A
second weakness of mono-DNP is its
relatively Weak acaricidal effect in cool
weather. Hence it cannot be used in the
“pink”3 application, which, in British
Columbia, is the most favoured spray
against the European red mite, Metate -
tranychus ulmi (Koch) . Furthermore,
mono-DNP is sometimes injurious to
the tender young foliage of the early
part of the season even when applied by
conventional spray gun.

During the season of 1950, field ex-
periments were undertaken with prom-
ising new acaricides against the most
troublesome orchard mites in the Okan-
agan Valley of British Columbia. The
new acaricides and their performance in
the orchard are discussed herewith.

Acaricides under Trial4

C-1006 (50 per cent p-chlorophenyl
p-chlorobenzene sulphonate; Dow

1 Contribution No. 2746, Division of Entomology,
Science Sendee, Department of Agi’iculture, Ottawa,
Canada.

2 Technical Officer.

3 The term pink is used to denote that period of de-
velopment when the floral buds have just separated in
the cluster and before the first flower has opened.

4 All acaricides were used in the wettable powder

form.

Chemical Co.) . — This compound has a
low human toxicity rating but a high
phytotoxicity rating. Applied to apples
in the pink stage at a concentration of
1.5 pounds5, it caused severe foliage
injury to McIntosh, Delicious, New-
town and Winesap. When applied in
August at 1 pound it injured Newtown
but not Delicious and Winesap.

EPN 300 (27 per cent ethyl p-nitro-
phenyl thionobenzene phosphonate; E.
I. DuPont Co.). — Although EPN 300
has a lower human toxicity rating than
parathion, it is, nevertheless, very poi-
sonous. When applied to apple in the
pink stage at 0.75 pounds, it injured
foliage of McIntosh but not of Deli-
cious, Newtown or Winesap.

KARATHANE (25 per cent dinitro
capryl phenyl crotonate; Rohm and
Haas Co.). — As a pink application to
apple at 1.5 pounds, this dinitro com-
pound has not caused foliage injury to
Delicious, McIntosh, Winesap, Jona-
than or Newtown, but applied to New-
town in August at the same concentra-
tion it caused a slight amount of foliage
injury.

R-242 (50 per cent p-chlorophenyl
phenyl sulphone; Stauffer Chemical
Co.). — This compound has a low
human toxicity rating and as a pink or
summer application to apple, at 2
pounds, has not caused injury to Deli-
cious, McIntosh, Newtown, Winesap or
Jonathan.

ARAMITE (15 per cent beta-chlor-
oethyl beta- (p-tertiary butylphenoxy)
alpha methyl ethyl sulphite; Naugatuck
Chemicals) . — Aramite is rated low in
toxicity to humans; and as a pink or
summer application, at 2 pounds, has
not injured Delicious, McIntosh, New-
town, Winesap or Jonathan.

Effects of Acaricides on Orchard
Mites

European Red Mite, Metatetranychus
ulmi (Koch) . — Since the introduction
of DDT, this mite has been one of the

5 All concentrations are for 100 imperial gallons
(approximately 120 U.S. gallons).

OCT 1 6 195?

2

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1950) , Vol. 47, July 15, 1951

most troublesome orchard pests in the
Okanagan Valley. Experimental work
carried out by officers of the Summer-
land laboratory has shown that para-
thion applied at the pink stage of apple
development is highly effective against
the red mite. In 1950, several of the
newer acaricides were applied at that
stage for comparison with parathion.

No further acaricide applications were
made until the first week in September,
when acaricides had to be applied for
the control of the two-spotted spider
mite. Mite populations were sampled
two weeks, one month, and two months
after spraying. The results from three
orchards are averaged and summarized
in Table 1.

TABLE I

Acaricide

C- 1 006 (50%)

Parathion (15%)

EPN 300 (27%)

R-242 (50%)

Karathane (25%)

Check — no treatment

Two-Spotted Spider Mite, Tetrany -
chus bimaculatus Harvey; and Pacific
Mite, Tetranychus paciRcus McG. —
These mites are considered together be-
cause they generally coexisted in 1950
and occurred together in the trial plots.

The two-spotted spider mite was not
a major pest of Okanagan Valley or-
chards until August, 1950, when it be-
came most troublesome and widespread.

materials applied by a

Average number of mites
per leaf during season
0.17
0.34
0.40
0.44
1.88
6.74

The Pacific mite was also more abun-
dant than for several years past. In
fact, as pests these two mites replaced
the European red mite in importance.

An experiment was carried out to
compare several new acaricides with
parathion for control of these two
species of mites on Delicious, Newtown,
Winesap, Jonathan and Yellow Trans-
parent apple trees. The results are sum-
marized in Table II.

Effects of pink application of acaricides on the European red mite;
conventional hand-gun sprayer.

Amount per 100 gal.

1.5 lb.

1.0 lb.

0.75 lb.

1.5 lb.

1.5 lb.

TABLE II

Effects of acaricides on the two-spotted spider mite and the Pacific mite; materials applied
by a conventional hand-gun sprayer in August, 1 950.

Average mites per leaf
Before spraying After spraying

Acaricide Amount per 100 gal. Aug. 29 Sept. 8 Sept. 13

Aramite (15%) .Y 2 lb.

Parathion (15%) 1 lb.

C- 1 006 (50%) 1 lb.

R-242 (50%) 2 lb.

Karathane (25%) _ 1.5 lb.

Check — no treatment

Willamette Mite, Tetranychus Ravus
Ewing.— This pest, first reported in the
Okanagan Valley in September, 1949,
at Summerland, has been found since
then at Oliver, Penticton, and Kelowna.

Early in 1950, before the mite had
an opportunity to do a great deal of
damage, a few materials, some of which
were available to the grower, were ap-

13.7

0.2

0.4

22.3

0.3

0.6

39.4

1.8

0.5

30.3

2.3

2.9

46.4

3.4

3.3

8.0

13.4

18.5

plied to single limbs of Delicious apple
trees in a preliminary experiment. Be-
fore and after the materials had been
applied, 1 0 leaves were picked at random
from each of the treated limbs. The
leaves were examined for mites under a
microscope. Results are summarized in
Table III.

ENTOMOLOGICAL SOC. OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, PROC. (1950) , VOL. 47, JULY 15, 1951

3

TABLE III

Effects of acaricides on the Willamette mite; materials applied by a conventional hand-gun
sprayer in July, 195 0.

Average number mites per leaf
Before spraying After spraying

Material Amount per 100 gal. July 5 July 10

Parathion (15%) 1

Dinitro-o-cyclohexyl phenol (40%) 5

Parathion (15%) i 1

Stove oil6 1

Parathion (15%) 2

Dinitro-o-cyclohexyl phenol (40%) 7 5

EPN 300 (27%) 1

Check — Water

6 34 S.S.U. Vis. 100 °F., over 75% U.R.

7 DN-Dry Mix No. 1. Dow Chemical Co., Toronto,
Ont.

As an outcome of this experiment, a
mixture of 15 per cent parathion, 8
pounds per acre, and 40 per cent dinitro-
o-cyclohexylphenol, 2 pounds per acre,
was applied to Delicious apple trees
by an automatic concentrate sprayer.
Excellent control was achieved; the
Willamette mite remained at a very low
level for seven weeks. Spray injury was
confined to sucker growth. In another
orchard heavily infested with the
Willamette mite, two parathion-dinitro
mixtures were applied with an auto-
matic concentrate sprayer. In one plot
parathion was maintained at 8 pounds

lb.

2.3

0

oz.

lb.

5.3

0

qt.

lb.

14.9

0.2

oz.

9.2

0.2

5 lb.

19.1

0.5

5.4

10.1

per acre and in a second plot it was re-
duced to 3 pounds per acre. There was
little difference in degree of control
between the two plots.

In another experiment three of the
new acaricides were compared with
parathion alone. Four trees Were sam-
pled in each plot of 15 to 20 trees.
Samples from each tree consisted of 100
leaves, and an estimation of effectiveness
was made from the number of infested
leaves. The toxicants were applied
with an automatic concentrate sprayer
in August, 1950. Results are summar-
ized in Table IV.

TABLE IV

Effects of acaricides on the Willamette mite ; materials applied by an automatic concentrate
sprayer in August, 1950.

Percentage infested leaves

Before spraying

After

spraying

Aug. 24

Aug. 31

Sept. 1

84.2

1.7

0

97.5

0.5

0.2

99.2

39.0

41.7

90.5

60.2

61.5

99.2

96.2

97.0

Acarcide Amount per

Aramite (15%) 12 lb.

Karathane (25%) 12 lb.

R-242 (50%) 12 lb.

Parathion (15%) 8 lb.

Check — no treatment

Summary

(1) During 1950, five new, promis-
ing acaricides were compared with par-
athion for control of various mites in
orchards of British Columbia. These
were:

C-1006 (50 per cent p-chlorophenyl
p-chlorobenzene sulphonate) .

EPN 300 (27 per cent ethyl p-nitro-
phenyl thionobenzene phospho-
nate) .

KARATHANE (25 per cent dinitro
capryl phenyl crotonate) .

R-242 (50 per cent p-chlorophenyl
phenyl sulphone) .

ARAMITE (15 per cent beta-
chloroethyl beta- (p-tertiary butyl
phenoxy) alpha methyl ethyl sul-
phite) .

(2) C-1006 has a low human tox-
icity rating but a rather high phytotox-
icity rating. At 1.5 pounds per 100
gallons, it was the most effective acari-
cide used in the pink application for
control of the European red mite. When
used as a summer spray at 1 pound, it

4

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1950) , Vol. 47, July 15, 1951

gave excellent control of the two-spotted
spider mite and the Pacific mite.

(3) EPN 300 has a high human
toxicity rating and a medium phyto-
toxicity rating. When applied in the
pink stage at 0.75 pounds it gave good
control of the European red mite al-
though it was somewhat inferior to 1
pound of parathion. At 1.5 pounds it
gave considerably better control of the
Willamette mite than 1 pound of para-
thion.

(4) KARATHANE applied at the
rate of 1.5 pounds was not so effective
as 1 pound of 15 per cent parathion
when used as a pink application for
control of the European red mite, or
when used in summer applications for
control of the two-spotted spider mite
and the Pacific mite. When applied in
the summer by an automatic sprayer at
12 pounds per acre, however, it gave
excellent control of the Willamette mite.
Although it caused a very slight amount
of damage to Newtow'n apple trees in

August, it has a low phytotoxicity
rating.

(5) R-242 has a low human toxicity
rating and a low phytotoxicity rating.
At 1.5 pounds, it was slightly less effec-
tive than 1 pound of parathion (15 per
cent) when used as a pink application
for control of the European red mite.
When used in the summer at 2 pounds
it was not so effective as 1 pound of
parathion for control of the two-spotted
spider mite and the Pacific mite. When
used at 12 pounds per acre in a concen-
trate sprayer, however, it was slightly
more effective against the Willamette
mite than 8 pounds of parathion.

(6) ARAMITE has a low human
toxicity rating and low phytotoxicity
rating. When applied in the summer
at 2 pounds, it gave excellent control
of the two-spotted spider mite and the
Pacific mite. Also, when applied by a
concentrate sprayer at 12 pounds per
acre, it gave excellent control of the
Willamette mite.

NOTES ON THE SPRING ACTIVITY OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN WOOD
TICK, DERMACENTOR ANDERSON! STILES (ACARSNS: IXOD1AE)1

J. D. Gregson

Livestock Insect Laboratory, Kamloops, B. C.

One of the remarkable features in the
life-cycle of the Rocky Mountain wood
tick, Dermacentor andersoni Stiles, in
British Columbia is the annual appear-
ance of adults at the beginning of spring
and their regular disappearance about
the middle of May. Such seasonal
periodicity is natural for most insects,
of which the adult stage is generally of
short duration. However, ticks usually
live longer than insects, and it would
be expected that adults of the Rocky
Mountain w'ood tick, which are here-
with shown to be capable of living for
at least 1 year, which continue to be
active as long as the weather remained
favourable. Such is not the case, how-
ever, and though in Alberta and in the
damper regions of British Columbia
adults of this species may be active as
late as June, in the British Columbia

l Contribution No. 2717, Division of Entomology,
Science Service, Department of Agriculture, Ottawa,
Canada.

dry-belt they disappear regularly in
May, regardless of how moist or cool
the prevailing atmospheric conditions
are. It is suggested that some form of
diapause must take effect, releasing its
hold only after another winter has
passed.

In the Interior of British Columbia
the Rocky Mountain wood tick is dis-
tributed throughout the greater part of
the dry bunch-grass open-land. Its
peak abundance may vary, depending on
the locality, from sparse populations to
heavy concentrations. The latter occur
in scattered parts of the Province where
host and climatic conditions are appar-
ently particularly ideal for tick develop-
ment and survival. One such site is at
Rayleigh, 10 miles north of Kamloops,
B. C., where there is an extensive talus
slope backed by a rocky bluff 200 feet
high. The narrow belt of vegetation
at the base of the cliff, besides harbour-
ing a variety of rodent life, seems regu-

ENTOMOLOGICAL SOC. OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, PROC. (1950) , VOL. 47, JULY 15, 1951

5

Fig. 1. Weekly collections of the Rocky Mountain wood tick, Dermacentor andersoni Stiles, at Rayleigh,
B. C., during the spring of 1949. The hatched portions represent the numbers of marked ticks recaptured, the
numerals indicating those of the various weeks. The dark horizontal lines indicate the numbers of males.

larly to have a copious supply of adults
of andersoni , despite large annual col-
lections for laboratory use. For the
past 6 years their earliest appearance has
been recorded on the following dates:
1945, Feb. 24; 1946, Feb. 26; 1947,
Feb. 19; 1948, Mar. 17; 1949, Feb.
25; 1950, Feb. 27.

During 1949 and 1950 an attempt
w*as made to show their rise, peak and
decline of activity by counting and re-
leasing all specimens as soon as they were
collected on the drag, i.e., a square yard
of flannelette that is swept over the
vegetation in the manner of a flag. In
addition, to determine whether the earli-
est ticks would be the first to disappear,
each week’s collections in 1949 were
marked with a different colour of
Fleet-X automobile enamel, a slow-
drying Duco-like paint. The results of
these observations are illustrated in Fig.
1 , in which the number of marked
ticks for each week is indicated. The
activity of the ticks is shown to be
equally late, regardless of when they
appeared.

It must be noted that the data for
the weekly periods of activity cannot be
entirely accurate, for only a fraction of
each week’s marked specimens was re-
captured. The recoverable portion ap-
peared to be rather constant and in the
neighbourhood of 40 per cent. Ac-
cordingly it is reasonable to assume that
some 60 per cent of each week’s active
ticks, both old and new, are not recov-
ered, and that the following week’s un-
marked specimens have not all recently

hatched or emerged from hibernation.
This incomplete recovery is explained
by the fact that the ticks do not con-
stantly present themselves in favourable
positions for transference to a host or
may have already attached themselves to
hosts. Casual observations during sunny
days have revealed that they very ac-
tively run about on the ground, and
climb up twigs, only to descend again.
Such individuals would not be readily
available for capture on the drag and
would account for the fact that often
when one sits for a few minutes he or
his drag picks up several specimens not
otherwise detectable. This activity,
which is contrary to the impression
gained from the usual appearance of
ticks waiting motionless at the tops of
grass stems, leads to a certain amount of
dispersal, and marked specimens w£re
recovered nearly 20 feet from their point
of liberation 2 weeks previously. Other
individuals showed no tendency to
roam, and week after week were ob-
served at the same clump of grass.

Collections of ticks in the same area
the following spring (Fig. 2) have
shown nearly 8 per cent of the previous
season’s marked ticks still active, this
figure being the percentage for the
greatest number (40) of marked ticks
taken at one time (April 17, 1950) of
the total number (530) of ticks marked
in the previous year. Since no attempt
was made to re-mark the 1950 captures,
it is not known how many others were
collected on other days and it is likely
that this percentage is even higher. The

6

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1950) , Vol. 47, July 15, 1951

Fig 2. Weekly collections of the Rocky Mountain wood tick at Rayleigh, B. C., during the spring of 1950.
The dark horizontal lines indicate the numbers of 1949 marked ticks recaptured. The hatched areas represent
the numbers of males.

year-old ticks were virile enough to
persist to the end of the tick season.
That the remaining 1950 adults were
new stock moulted from nymphs that
had fed during the previous summer is
suggested by the early appearance of
the males, a phenomenon common in
the first appearance of various species of
insects.

The nearly equal ratio of the sexes
and the earlier appearance and disap-
pearance of the males are shown in Figs.
1 and 2. The peak of tick activity fell
approximately at the end of March in
1949 and on April 10 in 1950. This
is in keeping with the relative earliness
of the two seasons, the spring of 1950,
as indicated by phenological observa-
tions, being approximately a week later
than that of 1949. The main period
of tick activity lasted from the height of
the flower season of the common dry-
belt buttercup, Ranunculus glaberrimus
and of the johnny-jump-up, Fritillaria
pudica, to the appearance of blossoms

of saskatoon, Amelanchier sp. and of
Oregon-grape, Mahonia nervosa. Ac-
tivity ceased with the blooming of the
chokecherry, Prunus demissa. The rea-
son for the apparent great increase in
the tick population at Rayleigh in 1950
is unexplained.

What causes the ticks to disappear
toward the middle of May is not
known. A study of the temperature
and humidity fluctuations recorded dur-
ing their activity reveals no striking
change that could account for their sud-
den decline. Disappearance due to a
gradual aging or depletion of energy is
ruled out by their reappearance the fol-
lowing year without having had a meal
in the interim.

Observations were made to determine
the fate of these ticks after activity. A
number of adults . were enclosed in a
cage over talus 3 feet deep from the time
they became active in 1949 until the
following spring. All that were recov-
ered (15 per cent) were found dead in

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1950) , Vol. 47, July 15, 195

7

the upper inch of leaf mould, suggesting
that the ticks do not seek protection
from winter by descending to any depth
in loose rock. Because of the presence
of the cage, the ground surface was not
protected by snow , with the result that
it was exposed to a temperature of -40°
F. However, temperature readings taken
at a depth of 1 foot in the talus beneath
the cage did not go below 32° F. The
only adult found in its apparently
natural site of hibernation was an un-
engorged female, located by accident in
November under a small rock at ground
level. Careful search during summer
months in the areas where concentra-

tions of ticks had been liberated the
previous spring has, however, revealed
specimens among the decaying roots of
bunch grass, Agvopyton sp., substanti-
ating the theory that adult aestivation
and hibernation are spent at shallow
levels.

In conclusion, it has been shown that
a portion of these ticks are capable of
living more than 1 2 months as unfed
adults, passing the winter under the
protection of snow. The disappearance
of all the ticks in late spring is appar-
ently due not to normal aging but to
some form of diapause, the cause of
which is not known.

RECORDS OF BEES FROM BRITISH COLUMBIA: BOMBIDAE1

E. R. Buckell2

Field Crop Insect Laboratory, Kamloops, B. C.

This paper records 26 species, 14
named varieties, and 10 colour variants
of Rombus and 4 species of Psithytus
from British Columbia. Of the 5326
specimens here recorded, 4641 belong to
Rombus , and 685 to Psithytus.

These records have been compiled
from the collections in the Dominion
Entomological Laboratory, Kamloops,
B. C. ; the University of British Colum-
bia, Vancouver. B.C.: and the Provin-
cial Museum, Victoria, B. C. ; and from
the Canadian National Collection.
Ottawa, Canada, as well as from some
records in publications by Franklin and
Frison. and some unpublished notes by
Frison. Almost all of the records ob-
tained from the Canadian National Col-
lection were from specimens determined
by Frison.

These bumble bees were collected by
97 collectors during 50 years from 142
localities; except F. W. L. Sladen, E. R.
Buckell, and G. J. Spencer, they paid
little attention to taxonomy of bees, and
their material was obtained in the course
of general collecting. The localities are
listed and their corresponding numbers
placed on the accompanying map.

The collection points are mainly in

1 Contribution No. 2734, Division of Entomology,
Science Service, Department of Agriculture, Ottawa,
Canada.

2 Retired November 1, 1949.

the southern half of the Province, and
vast areas in the north have not yet
been visited by collectors. This, of
course, is due to the fact that there are
no roads, railways, or other ready means
of entering these areas.

There are no collection records from
the Queen Charlotte Islands, but sev-
eral species must occur there as they
have been taken on the adjacent maim
land and on islands off the Alaskan
coast.

After the name of each species the
number of localities in which it has been
taken, the number of each sex, and the
total number of specimens recorded are
indicated, e.g. : (26: 80^ 39? 835 —
202).

The author wishes to thank all those
who have helped in the preparation of
this paper, either by the loan of material
or in providing species determination or
locality records. Thanks are particularly
due to Mr. K. V. Krombein, Division
of Insect Identification, Bureau of En-
tomology and Plant Quarantine, Wash-
ington, D. C., for the determination of
material, and to Dr. O. Peck, Division
of Entomology, Department of Agricul-
ture, Ottawa, Canada, for the British
Columbia records in the Canadian
National Collection.

8

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1950) , Vol. 47, July 15, 1951

TABLE I

Localities from which Bombidae have been recorded in British Columbia,
correspond to those on the accompanying map. (V. I.=Vancouver Island.)

The numbers

I . Adams Lake

49. Hazelton

97. Penticton

2. Agassiz

5 0. Hedley

98. Pouce Coupe

3. Alberni. V. I.

51. Hope

99. Powell River

4. Alexis Creek

5 2. Hope Mountain

1 00. Premier Lake

5. Armstrong

5 3. Hudson Hope

101. Prince George

6. Arras

54. 100 Mile House

102. Prince Rupert

7. Ashcroft

55. Invermere

103. Quesnel

8. Aspen Grove

5 6. Inverness

104. Quick

9. Atlin

5 7. Jesmond

105. Radium

10. Barkerville

58. Jordan Meadows, V. I

106. Revelstoke

1 1 . Bella Coola

5 9. Kaleden

107. Rogers Pass

12. Boston Bar

60. Kamloops

108. Rolla

13. Boswell

6 1 . Kaslo

109. Royal Oak, V. I.

14. Bridge Lake

62. Kelowna

I 1 0. Saanich, V. I.

15. Buccaneer Bay

63. Keremeos

111. Sahtlam, V. I.

1 6. Burns Lake

64. Kitchener

1 1 2. Shawnigan, V. 1.

17. Canim Lake

65. Kitwanga

I 1 3. Salmon Arm

18. Carbonate

66. Ladysmith, V. I.

114. Salvus

19. Cedarvale

67. Langley

115. Savona

20. Celista

68. Lardo

116. Shuswap

2 1 . Centurian

69. Lillooet

117. Sicamous

22. Chapmans

70. Lumby

118. Sidney, V. I.

23. Chase

7 1 . Lytton

119. Smithers

24. Chilcotin

72. Macalister

(20. Soda Creek

25. Chopaka

73. Manning Park

121. Sooke. V. I.

26. Clinton

74. Merritt

122. Stanley

27. Comox, V. I.

75. Metlakatla

123. Stikine

28. Copper Mountain

76. Midday Valley

124. Sugar Lake

29. Courtenay, V. I.

77. Milner

125. Summerland

30. Cowichan, V. I.

78. Minnie Lake

126. Terrace

3 1 . Cranbrook

79. Mission

127. Tofino, V. I.

3 2. Crescent

80. Mount Arrowsmith, V. I.

128. Trinity Valley

33. Creston

8 1 . Mount Cheam

129. Tyee

34. Crows Nest

82. Mount McLean

1 3 0. Ucluelet, V. I.

35. Departure Bay, V. I.

83. Nanaimo, V. I.

131. Vancouver

3 6. Duncan, V. I.

84. Nelson

132. Vanderhoof

37. East Pine

85. Newcastle Is.

133. Vaseaux Lake

3 8. Fairview

86. Newgate

134. Vernon

3 9. Fernie

87. New Westminster

135. Victoria, V. I.

40. Field

88. Nicola

13 6. Walhachin

4 1 . Fitzgerald, V. I.

89. Okanagan Falls

13 7. Wellington, V. I.

42. Forbidden Plateau, V. I.

90. Okanagan Mission

13 8. Westbank

43. Fort Steele

91. Oliver

13 9. Westholme, V. I.

44. Fraser Lake

9 2. Osoyoos

140. White Lake

45. Glacier

93. Oyama

141. Williams Lake

46. Golden

94. Pacific

142. Yale

47. Goldstream, V. I.

95. Peachland

48. Hat Creek

96. Pender Harbour

The Province of British Columbia,
355,855 square miles in area, is approx-
imately the same size as the Pacific States
of Washington, Oregon, and California.
It is a land of mountains, valleys, and
lakes, with a wide altitudinal range and
extending over 1 1 degrees of latitude.

These topographical features have a
marked influence on climatic conditions,
and the vegetation varies from the humid
luxuriance of the southern coastal region
to the semi-arid, cactus, and sagebrush
areas of the interior plateau. The close
succession of markedly different geo-

graphical features has produced a wide
variety of plant and animal associations,
and many species of insects, including
the bumble bee, are often confined to
widely scattered but similar habitats.

MAIN GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS

For the purposes of this paper, the
following are the main geographical
areas of British Columbia, with a brief
description of ecological conditions in
each.

ENTOMOLOGICAL SOC. OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, PROC. (1950), VOL. 47, JULY 15, 1951

9

Fig. 1. Map of British Columbia showing the 142 localities mentioned in the text.

Southeastern British Columbia
(Area No. 1)

This is a comparatively small, trian-
gular region, of particular interest in
that both the flora and fauna sometimes
bear a closer relationship to those of
Alberta and northwestern United States
than to the remainder of the Province.
Insects can enter this region from Alberta
with little difficulty, through the low,
dry Crows Nest Pass; from Montana
and Idaho through the valley of the
Kootenay River; and from northeastern
Washington up the valley of the
Columbia River.

This region is bounded on the east
by the British Columbia-Alberta boun-
dary, which is the summit of the main
range of the Rocky Mountains; on the
west by the almost impenetrable mass

of high, snow-capped, heavily timbered
Selkirk Mountains; and on the south
by the International Boundary between
British Columbia and the northwestern
states of Montana, Idaho, and Wash-
ington, which, of course, presents no
physical barrier.

The following localities are included
in this area; Carbonate, 18; Radium,
105; Invermere, 55; Premier Lake,
100; Fort Steele, 43; Crows Nest, 34;
Fernie, 39; Cranbrook, 31; Newgate,
86; Kitchener, 64; Creston, 33; Bos-
well, 13; Kaslo, 61; Lardo, 68; Nel-
son, 84.

Southern Interior (Area No. 2)

For the purpose of this paper the
southern interior extends from the In-
ternational Boundary, bordering the

10

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1950) , Vol. 47, July 15, 1951

State of Washington, north to latitude
52°, and from the western boundary of
southeastern British Columbia west to
the eastern slopes of the Coast Moun-
tains.

The eastern and western boundaries
are excellent natural geographical bar-
riers. The southern boundary presents
more of a barrier to insects than is in-
dicated by a glance at the map, for the
eastern and western mountain masses
form a definite bottleneck, through
which the Okanagan and Similkameen
rivers flow south in narrow, hot valleys.

Latitude 52° has been chosen as the
boundary line between the southern and
central interior regions. There are no
very definite geographical barriers along
latitude 52°, but the collection records
of a number of species definitely show
that at about this latitude there is a
marked distributional change, probably
because the mountainous terrain of the
southern interior gives way at this point
to an undulating plateau, from 2500 to
4000 feet in elevation.

The following localities are included
in this area: Osoyoos, 92; Oliver, 91;
FairvieAy, 38; White Lake, 140; Va-
seaux Lake, 133; Okanagan Falls, 89;
Kaleden, 59; Penticton, 97; Keremeos,
63; Chopaka, 25; Hedley, 50; Copper
Mountain, 28; Summerland, 125;
Peachland, 95; Westbank, 138; Kelow-
na, 62; Okanagan Mission, 90; Oyama,
93; Vernon, 134; Lumby, 70; Trinity
Valley, 128; Sugar Lake, 124; Arm-
strong, 5; Field, 40; Golden, 46;
Glacier, 45; Rogers Pass, 107; Revel -
stoke, 106; Sicamous, 117; Salmon
Arm, 113; Celista, 20; Adams Lake,
1; Chase, 23; Shuswap, 116; Kam-
loops, 60; Merritt, 74; Midday Valley,
76; Nicola, 88; Minnie Lake, 78;
Aspen Grove, 8; Savona, 115; Wal-
hachin, 136; Ashcroft, 7; Hat Creek,
48; Lytton, 71; Lillooet, 69; Mt. Mc-
Lean, 82; Clinton, 26; Jesmond, 57;
Bridge Lake, 14; Canim Lake, 17; 100
Mile House, 54; Williams Lake, 141;
Soda Creek, 120; Chilcotin, 24; Alexis
Creek, 4.

Central Interior (Area No. 3)

This region extends north from lati-
tude 52° to latitude 55° 30', and from
the Alberta boundary and the Rocky

Mountains on the east to the Coast
Mountains on the west. As in the
southern interior region, the eastern and
western boundaries are natural geo-
graphical barriers of high, unbroken
mountain chains. The northern boun-
dary presents no geographical features
to limit the distribution of insects. It
has been chosen only because it encloses
the northernmost records found in the
central interior region.

The following localities are included
in this area: Macalister, 72; Quesnel,
103; Stanley, 122; Barkerville, 10;
Prince George, 101; Vanderhoof, 132;
Fraser Lake, 44; Burns Lake, 16;
Quick, 104; Smithers, 119; Hazelton,
49; Kitwanga, 65; Cedarvale, 19;
Pacific, 94; Terrace, 126; Salvus, 114;
Tyee, 129.

Northern Interior (Area No. 7)

This region extends north from lati-
tude 55° 30' to the Yukon boundary,
latitude 60°, and from the Rocky
Mountains on the east to the Coast
Mountains (boundary of Alaskan pan-
handle) on the west. As in the southern
and central interior regions, the moun-
tains of the eastern and western boun-
daries are natural geographical barriers.
The boundaries on the north and south
present no obstacles to insect distribu-
tion.

This region is entirely without roads
or railways and the only collection
records are from Stikine, 123, and
Atlin, 9, both in the extreme northwest-
ern corner of British Columbia.

Northeastern British Columbia
(Area No. 6)

This triangular area lies entirely to
the east of the Rocky Mountains and is
geographically part of the northwestern
parkland area of Alberta. It is bounded
on the west by the Rocky Mountains,
which constitute its only natural geo-
graphical boundary. To the north, the
Yukon boundary and to the east, the
Alberta boundary present no hindrance
to the spread of insects.

Collections have been made only in
the. southern tip of this region, close to
the Peace River, and include the follow-

ENTOMOLOGICAL SOC. OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, PROC. (1950), VOL. 47, JULY 15, 1951

11

ing localities: Rolla, 1 08 ; Pouce Coupe,
98; Arras, 6; Centurian, 21; East
Pine, 37; Hudson Hope, 33.

Mainland Coast- (Area No. 4)

This region consists of precipitous
mountains descending to the sea, and
innumerable inlets and small islands.
The only extensive area of agricultural
land is situated in the extreme south, in
the delta of the Fraser River; there is a
much smaller area in the extreme north,
at the mouth of the Skeena River. This
region is sharply separated from the
interior of the Province by the high,
rugged Coast Mountains, the northern
boundary being the southern tip of the
Alaskan panhandle, and the southern
boundary the British Columbia-Wash-
ington line, south of the Fraser River.

The following localities are included
in this area: Boston Bar, 12; Chap-
mans, 22; Yale, 142; Hope, 51; Hope
Mountains, 52; Agassiz, 2; Mt.
Cheam, 81; Milner, 77; Langley, 67;
Mission, 79; Crescent, 32; New West-
minster, 87; Vancouver, 131; Buc-
caneer Bay, 15; Pender Harbour, 96;
Powell River, 99; Newcastle I., 85;
Inverness, 56; Prince Rupert, 102;
Metlakatla, 75.

Vancouver Island (Area No. 5)

Bumble bees have been collected ex-
tensively on Vancouver Island. The
records are from the southern end of the
Island and for some distance up the east
coast. The west coast and the northern
half of the Island are areas of very heavy

rainfall and dense coniferous forests, and
what small settlements there are consist
mainly of coastal logging camps.

The following localities are included
in this area; Victoria, 1 35 ; Westholme,
139; Ucluelet, 130; Sooke, 121; Gold-
stream, 47; Royal Oak, 109; Saanich,
110; Sidney, 118; Fitzgerald, 41;
Shawnigan, 112; Duncan, 36; Jordan
Meadows, 58; Sahtlam, 111; Cowi-
chan, 30; Ladysmith, 66; Nanaimo,
83; Departure Bay, 35; Wellington,
137; Alberni, 3; Tofino, 127; Mt.
Arrowsmith, 80; Comox, 27; Courte-
nay, 29; Forbidden Plateau, 42.

Table II gives the distribution and
the altitude range of Bombidae in Brit-
ish Columbia; the species, which in-
clude the varieties and colour variants,
are listed in order of abundance, Psithy-
rus spp. being listed separately from
Bombus spp. In determining this order
the number of localities in which a
species had been taken (column 2) was
given preference over the number of
specimens recorded (column 3), as the
writer believes this gives a much more
reliable indication of the status of the
species. The altitude range is the range
in which the species is most commonly
found and not necessarily its extreme
limits. Further extensive collecting
would undoubtedly result in some
changes, but for the data on hand the
table gives a very fair indication of the
general prevalence, distribution, and
altitude range of the species in the
Province.

12

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1950) , Vol. 47, July 15, 1951

TABLE II

Distribution and altitude range of Bombidae in British Columbia.

Genera and species in
order of abundance in
collections

Localities

Total

Specimens

Distribution by areas*
in order of abundance
in collections

Approximate
altitude range;
feet

Bombus

bifarius _

83

677

2, 1, 3, (4, 5), *7, 6

0-7000

occidentalism - . .

77

430

(1, 2, 3), (4, 5), 7, 6

0-7000

flavifrons „ _

74

400

(2, 3, 5), 4, 1, 7

0-7000

mixtus. —

64

445

(1, 2, 3, 4, 5), 7, 6

0-6000

melanopygus ...

56

353

(4, 5), (1, 2), 3, 6, 7

0-6000

Vagans .... .

49

398

(2, 3), 1, 7, 6, 4, 5

1000-4000

calif ornicus. ..

49

237

(2, 3, 4, 5), 1, 6

0-2000

sitkensis. . . .... . _

42

344

(4, 5), (1, 2, 3)

0-6000

appositus .... ... ...

34

182

2, 1, 4

1000-2000

centralis .. ..

26

202

2, 1

1000-2000

terricola

23

191

3, 2, 6, 7, 4

2000-3000

nevadensis. . . __ .

21

71

2 north, 5, (1, 3), 6

0-2000

tufocinctus .

20

98

2, 1, 5

2000-3000

fervidus. ......

17

122

2

1000-2000

ternarius-

1 1

243

3, 1, 2

1000-3000

sylvicola . . .

7

153

2, 3, 1, 4

2000-7.000

griseocollis . . . . -

7

28

2 south

1000

morrisoni •

7

12

2

1000-2000

frigidus.. . . __ _

7

5

a 2), 5

1000-2000

perplexus. .

6

7

3, 4

0-2500

huntii. . _ —

4

3

1

1000-3000

kirbyellus _ _

2

29

3, 2 north

6000-9000

hyperboreus

2

3

2 north

3500-80*00

auricomus .

2

2

(5, 6)

0-1000

vosnesenskii - -

1

3

2

1000

pleuralis . . .. -

Total 26

1

3

— 4641

2

1000

Psithyrus

insularus _

57

262

(1, 2, 3, 4, 5), 6, 7

0-5000

suckleyi .

51

253

(1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

0-5000

fernaldae .. __

21

80

(1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7)

3000-7000

ashtoni _ .

Total 4

10

90

— 685

3, 2 north

3000-5000

Grand Total 30

142

5326

0-9000

* Brackets enclose the mimbers for areas in which the species is equally abundant. See text.

Genus BOMBUS Latreille
Section Boopobombus Frison

Subgenus Fraternobombus Skorikov

No species of this subgenus have as
yet been recorded from British Colum-
bia.

Subgenus Nevardensibombus Skorikov
Bombus nevadensis Cresson (21: 1 cT 54? 16$
—71)

LOCALITIES — Invermere, Kaslo, Vernon, Trin-
ity Valley, Salmon Arm, Chase, Kamloops,
Nicola, Minnie Lake, Walhachin, Williams
Lake, Chilcotin, Macalister, Quesnel, Rolla,
Victoria, V. I., Sooke, V. I., Royal Oak,
V. I., Sidney, V. I., Fitzgerald, V. I.,
Departure Bay, V. I.

The 7 1 specimens of nevadensis re-
corded from 21 localities indicate that

it is a fairly common bumble bee in
British Columbia, and that it is widely
dispersed in areas of temperate climate.
It has been taken frequently on Vancou-
ver Island and throughout the timbered
regions of the interior, from the south-
eastern corner of the Province to the
Peace River at latitude 56°, but not in
the dry, hot sagebrush areas of the
Okanagan Valley or in high mountain
localities.

Bombus ouricomus Robertson (2: Ocf 2? 0$ —

2)

LOCALITIES — Centurian. Aug. 4, 1921, 1?.

Departure Bay, V. I., May 24, 1925, 1 ?.

This is apparently a rare species in
British Columbia, and little is as yet
known of its distribution. Centurian

ENTOMOLOGICAL SOC. OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, PROC. (1950), VOL. 47, JULY 15, 1951

13

is in the Peace River district north of
latitude 56°, and Departure Bay on the
southeast coast of Vancouver Island.

Subgenus Separatobombus Frison

Bombus griseocollis (DeGeer) (6: 1 cf 11? 6?
— 18)

[=B. separatus Cresson]

LOCALITIES — Osoyoos, Oliver, Fairview,
Vaseaux Lake, Okanagan Falls, Penticton.

Bombus griseocollis var. mormonorum Franklin
(5: 3J" 4? 3? — 10)

LOCALITIES — Osoyoos, Fairview, Okanagan
Falls, Penticton, Vernon.

B. griseocollis and its variety mor-
monoram have been taken only in the
Okanagan Valley, and, with the excep-
tion of the worker from Vernon, all
were collected in the Upper Sonoran
Zone, which extends up the Okanagan
Valley as far as Penticton. It is prob-
able that this species occurs also in the
Similkameen River Valley from the
Washington border to Keremeos. It has
a wide range in the United States, and
Scullen (1927) records it from Alaska.

Bombus morrisoni Cresson (7 : 1 cf 4? 7? — 12)

LOCALITIES — White Lake, Kamloops, Nicola,
Walhachin, Ashcroft, Lillooet, Chilcotin.

B. morrisoni is one of the rarer species
in British Columbia and has been taken
only in hot, dry locations in the south-
ern interior and at Chilcotin, where an
extension of sagebrush dry-belt condi-
tions extends up the valley of the Chil-
cotin River.

This bumble bee could easily be con-
fused with B. nevadensis or B. griseo-
collis var. mormonorum in the field, as
they are very similar in coloration. It
is a large and handsome species with
dense yellow pile covering the entire
dorsum of the thorax, and the dorsum
of the abdomen to the basal centre of
segment four; the apex of the abdomen
is black.

Subgenus Cullumonobombus Vogt
Bombus rufocincfrus Cresson (10: 17<? 6? 28?
—51)

LOCALITIES — Fernie, Kaslo, Kaleden, Okanagan
Mission, Vernon, Lumby, Kamloops, Wal-
hachin, Hat Creek, Chilcotin.

Bombus rufocinctus var. albertensis Cockerell
(5: 0<? 4? 7? — 11)

LOCALITIES — Crows Nest, Oliver, Keremeos,
Vernon, Chilcotin.

Bombus rufocinctus var. prunellae Cockerell ft
Porter (8: 3<? 3? 6? — 12)

LOCALITIES — Vernon, Armstrong, Revelstoke,
Kamloops, Merritt, Chilcotin, Saanich,
V. I., Fitzgerald, V. I.

Bombus rufocinctus var. iridis Cockerell S3 Por-
ter (1: unknown)

LOCALITY — Glacier (Frison unpublished notes) .

All other bumble bee records from
Glacier are by Sladen (17.V.1915),
and it is assumed that he was the collec-
tor in this instance.

In addition to the three named vari-
eties listed above, the Kamloops collec-
tion contains material of other colour
variants described by Franklin (1913).
These are listed below.

Colour variant 4. (4: 1? 8? — 9)

LOCALITIES — Crows Nest, Fernie, Vernon,
Kamloops.

Colour variant 5 . (1: 1? 0? — 1)

LOCALITY — Kaslo, July 30, 1906, 1 ?.

Colour variant 6. (3: 0? 7? — 7)

LOCALITIES — Crows Nest, Fernie, Chilcotin.
Male colour variant 5. (1: 2c? — 2)

LOCALITY — Vernon.

Male colour variant 8. (4: 5c? — 5)

LOCALITIES — Kaleden, Summerland, Kamloops,
Chilcotin.

B. rufocinctus , with the three vari-
eties (albertensis, prunellae, and iridis)
and the five colour variants here record-
ed, is represented by 98 specimens from
20 localities. They have been collected
at widely separated points in the south-
eastern part of the Province, as well as
throughout the southern interior north
to Chilcotin, latitude 52°, and there are
records of two queens from southern
Vancouver Island. There are no records
of rufocinctus from the central or north-
ern interior or from the northeastern
section of the Province. The collection
records indicate that its extreme altitude
limits are from sea level to 3000 feet,
with an optimum altitude range from
2000 to 3000 feet. The varieties and
colour variants collected to date appear
to indicate no geographical preference,
but variety prunellae is the only form of
rufocinctus as yet recorded from Van-
couver Island. It is extremely variable
in colouration and the majority of speci-
mens on hand show a lack of contrasting
colours. In the field it is readily over-
looked as a badly faded specimen of
some common species, and it may be
commoner than the number of records
indicates. Further extensive collecting

14

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1950) , Vol. 47, July 15, 1951

is needed to determine accurately the
distribution and altitude range of rufo-
cinctus in British Columbia.

Section Anodontobombus Kruger
Subgenus Alpinobombus Kruger

Bombus hyperboreus Schnonherr (2: 0c? 3? 0$

—3)

[=B. arcticus Kirby]

(See Frison, 1919, p. 45 6)
LOCALITIES — Mt. McLean, July 12, 1926, 1 ?,
Chilcotin, July 14, 1921, 1?; July 12,
1931, 1?.

This species occurs in the northern
regions of Europe and Asia and in
Greenland and arctic Canada (Franklin,
1913; Frison, 1919, p. 456). It is
indistinguishable from B. kirbyellus in
the field.

The collection of two queens of
hyperboreus in 1926 and 1931 by the
author at Chilcotin, elevation 3500
feet, is unusual, as one would not expect
to find this bee at such a low elevation
and in such a warm location. Further
search on numerous occasions through-
out the Chilcotin area, as well as on high
mountains farther north, has not yield-
ed any specimens of this species. The
queen taken on Mt. McLean, although
considerably farther south, was taken
well above timber line, near permanent
snow-fields, at an elevation of 7500
feet.

The determinations of the specimens
have been confirmed by Dr. Krombein,
of the United States National Museum.
Further material must be collected be-
fore the abundance and distribution of
hyperboreus in British Columbia can be
determined.

Bombus kirbyellus Curtis (2: 6c? 10? 13? —
29)

LOCALITIES — Chilcotin. Aug. 12, 1921, 1?.
Barkerville, June 29, 4?; July 17, 6c?
5? 13?, 1948.

The record of kirbyellus from Chil-
cotin by the author was obtained in the
same field as that in which hyperboreus
Was collected and is another record
which is puzzling, as no further speci-
mens have been found there. These
specimens of kirbyellus and hyperboreus
were taken during general collecting
before the author became interested in
bumble bees. Obtaining these in a gen-
eral collection would indicate that both
of them were fairly common species, but

repeated search at Chilcotin has not
yielded any more specimens. It was not
until 1948 that a small series of kirby-
ellus was obtained on Mount Murray,
near Barkerville (lat. 53°), at an eleva-
tion of 6500 feet.

B. kirbyellus is said to be a strictly
boreal species and has been taken at high
elevations as far south as New Mexico.
It very probably occurs on mountain
tops above 7000 feet, in various parts
of British Columbia, but the difficulty
in reaching such elevations makes its
collection difficult. It does not appear
to occur on the summit of Mount Revel-
stoke, 6500 feet, where the author has
frequently made collections. At the
latitude of Revelstoke (51°), the eleva-
tion of 6500 feet may be too low.

As for hyperboreus, further extensive
collecting is needed to determine accu-
rately the distribution and altitude range
of kirbyellus in British Columbia.

Subgenus Terresfribombus Vogt
Bombus occidentals Greene (75: 1 5 2 cT 108?
132?— 392)

LOCALITIES — Carbonate, Radium, Invermere,
Fort Steele, Crows Nest, Fernie, Cranbrook,
Newgate, Kitchener, Kaslo, Oliver. Fair-
view, Okanagan Falls, Kaleden, Penticton,
Keremeos, Hedley, Summerland, Kelowna,
Okanagan Mission, Vernon, Sugar Lake,
Armstrong, Field, Golden, Glacier, Rogers
Pass, Revelstoke, Sicamous, Salmon Arm,
Chase, Shuswap, Kamloops, Merritt,
Nicola, Minnie Lake, Walhachin, Clinton,
Chilcotin, Bella Coola, Burns Lake, Smith-
ers, Hazelton, Kitwanga, Cedarvale, Ter-
race, Salvus, Tyee, Prince Rupert, Lillooet,
Mt. McLean, Lytton, Boston Bar, Yale,
Hope, Hope Mts., Agassiz, Mt. Cheam,
Milner, Vancouver, Buccaneer Bay, New-
castle I., Victoria, V. I., Royal Oak, V. I.,
Saanich, V. I., Sidney, V. I., Fitzgerald,
V. I., Duncan, V. I., Ladysmith, V. I.,
Nanaimo, V. I., Departure Bay, V. I.,
Wellington, V. I., Alberni, V. I., Mt.
Arrowsmith, V. I., Comox, V. I.

Bombus occident-alis var. proximus Cresson (8:
9c? 3? 1? — 13)

LOCALITIES — Kaslo, Penticton, Vernon, Lyt-
ton, Hazelton, Atlin, Agassiz, Vancouver.

Bombus occidentals var. nigroscutatus Franklin
(1 : 0c? 0? 1 ? — 1)

LOCALITY — Kaslo, July 1, 1905, 1 ?.

The following male colour variants
of Franklin (1913) have been taken in
British Columbia.

Male colour variant 3. (9: 11c? — 11)

LOCALITIES — Fairview, Kaleden, Penticton,
Westbank, Kamloops, Nicola, Tyee, Van-
couver, Saanich, V. I.

ENTOMOLOGICAL SOC. OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, PROC. (1950), VOL. 47, JULY 15, 1951

15

Male colour variant 5. (5: 6c? — 6)

LOCALITIES — Vernon, Kamloops, Smithers,
Terrace, Tyee.

Male colour variant 7. (1 : 1 cf — 1)

LOCALITY — Hazelton, Aug. 20, 1947, lcf.
Male colour variant 8. (4: 4 c? — 4)

LOCALITIES — Kaslo, Kaleden, Chase, Wal-
hachin.

Male colour variant 9. (2: 2 c? — 2)

LOCALITIES — Kaslo, Sept. 2, 1906. Salvus,
Aug. 17, 1946.

B. occidentalis is a very common
bumble bee in British Columbia and is
exceeded in numbers only by B. bifarius
Cresson. With its varieties and colour
variants it has been taken in 77 locali-
ties, and as far north as collections have
been made. As it is recorded from
Alaska, Yukon and Northwest Terri-
tories, it is no doubt distributed
throughout the Province. It appears to
be equally at home in the dry interior
valleys, on the sea coast, and in moun-
tain meadows up to elevations of 6500
feet. It is a very abundant species in
late summer along the Skeena River
from Hazelton to Prince Rupert, where
it may be found visiting the flowers of
fire-weed, Epilobium sp.

The varieties proximus and nigroscu-
tatus are rare, but males often show
some variation, and 5 of Franklin’s 9
male colour variants were found among
the material on hand. Franklin (1913)
records that this is one of the most
variable of North American bumble
bees, but the material from British
Columbia does not appear variable, ex-
cept the males to some extent. Out of
273 all were typical specimens of
occidentalis except for 3 9 1 5 of var.
proximus and 1 9 of var. nigroscutatus,
and the latter specimen was not at all
definitely marked.

The writer has examined a very
brilliantly marked worker color variant
from Aklavik, at the mouth of the Mac-
kenzie River, Northwest Territories,
collected by Mr. A. G. Dustan (11. VII.
1946), in which the anterior part of
the dorsum of the thorax was bright
lemon yellow, the remainder entirely
black; segment one of the abdomen
entirely black; segment two, bright
lemon yellow; segment three, black;
segments four to six, clothed with long,
pure white pile. A queen from Valdez,

Alaska, collected by Mr. J. D. Gregson
(15.VII.1948) also shows a brightly
contrasting colouration, having the dor-
sum of the thorax, except for the inter-
alar band, bright lemon yellow; ab-
dominal segments one and two, black;
segment three, lemon yellow; segment
four, black; and segments five and six,
with short, ferruginous-white pile — in
some respects resembling var. nigroscu-
tatus. It may be that colour variants of
occidentalis are not uncommon in arctic
America.

Bombus terricola Kirby (23: 75c? 589 58$ —
191)

LOCALITIES — Vernon, Salmon Arm, Kamloops,
Minnie Lake, Savona, Walhachin, Bridge
Lake, Canim Lake, 100 Mile House, Wil-
liams Lake, Chilcotin, Quesnel, Prince
George, Burns Lake, Quick, Smithers,
Hazelton, Kitwanga, Cedarvale, Terrace,
Rolla, Pouce Coupe, Vancouver.

B. terricola is the commonest of all
the bumble bees in the central interior.
It is particularly common from Wil-
liams Lake north to Prince George, and
West through the Nechako and Bulkley
valleys to Hazelton, and in diminishing
numbers along the Skeena River to
Terrace. It has not been recorded from
the canyon of the Skeena or from the
coast at Prince Rupert. Its range prob-
ably extends well beyond these areas
into the northern interior, as it has been
taken in the northeastern section of the
Province, at Rolla and Pouce Coupe in
the Peace River district, considerably
north of latitude 56°. The altitude
range of the localities listed above is
from sea level to 3500 feet, but its hab-
itat of maximum abundance, lying be-
tween latitudes 53° and 55°, has only
an altitude range of 2000 to 3000 feet.
To the south of Williams Lake, latitude
52°, it rapidly becomes less abundant,
and is a distinctly uncommon species
throughout the southern interior. It
has not been recorded from southeastern
British Columbia or from the southern
Okanagan valley. There is one record
of its capture on the coast at Vancouver,
but there are no records from Vancouver
Island.

This is a very distinctive species,
readily identified in the field, and its
relative abundance and scarcity north
and south of latitude 52° is very strik-
ing. The series of 191 specimens from

16

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1950) , Vol. 47, July 15, 1951

23 localities shows a remarkably uni-
form colouration. Franklin (1913)
records that the scutellum may be more
or less yellowish and occasionally en-
tirely yellow. In this series very few
show any yellow hairs on the scutellum,
and only one has the scutellum entirely
yellow: a queen from the northernmost
locality, Rolla.

This is a bumble bee of considerable
economic importance in the central
interior, where an alsike clover seed
industry is rapidly developing. When
these alsike fields are in flower terricola
may be seen in great numbers working
on the blooms in association with
smaller numbers of Ravifrons, occiden-
talis, and melanopygus.

B. terricola is closely related to B.
terrestris L., which ranges throughout
the greater part of Europe and Siberia.
Franklin (1913) records B. terrestris
var. moderatus Cresson from several
localities in Alaska and considers that it
probably occurs also in Yukon Terri-
tory. It is therefore possible that ter-
restris s. lat. may be found in the ex-
treme northwestern corner of British
Columbia.

Subgenus Protchombus Vogt
Bombus ternarius Say (11: 5 6d 47? 140? —
.243)

LOCALITIES — Crows Nest, Fernie, Golden,
Chilcotin, Quesnel, Barkerville, Prince
George, Vanderhoof, Fraser Fake, Burns
Fake, Smithers.

This bumble bee is fairly common in
the central plateau region of British
Columbia from Chilcotin (latitude
52°), north to Prince George and
northwest through the Nechako and
Bulkley river valleys to Smithers (lati-
tude 55°) ; it has been taken also in the
Rocky Mountains at Crows Nest,
Fernie, and Golden. It appears to be
absent from the southern interior and
coastal regions.

B. ternarius cannot be distinguished
in the field from typical specimens of
bifarius Cresson, and both occur to-
gether in the same rather restricted loca-
tions, where their queens may be seen in
considerable numbers visiting dandelion
flowers in June. B. ternarius is readily
distinguished from bifarius on close ex-
amination by its having corbicular hairs
black rather than bright ferruginous.

When freshly emerged this is a very
pretty species; but, as in typical speci-
mens of bifarius, the bright salmon-red
colour of the second and third abdom-
inal segments soon fades and becomes
yellowish.

Bombus huntii Greene (4: 06" 1? 2? — 3)
LOCALITIES — Crows Nest, Aug. 11, 1927, 1 ?
1?. Fernie, July 27, 1946, 1 ?. Van-
couver L; Fort McFeod; Franklin (1913).

B. huntii is a mountain form, and the
only material seen by the author was
collected in the Crows Nest Pass through
the main range of the Rocky Mountains.
Scullen (1927, 1930) records it as a
very common species in the mountains
of eastern Oregon. Franklin (1913)
records huntii from Vancouver Island
and from Fort McLeod, which is at lat-
itude 55°, but does not give any data
on the material collected. It may occur
in fair numbers at moderate elevations in
the Rocky Mountain regions of British
Columbia.

Bombus vosnesenskii Radoszkowski (1: 1 cf 0?

2?— 3)

LOCALITY — Osoyoos, July 20, 1925, Id 2?.

This bumble bee is very rare in
British Columbia. Scullen (1927) gives
its range as “British Columbia to South-
ern California and east to Nevada" and
states that it is by far the most common
species in the lower altitudes of western
Oregon; and Frison (1923) records it
from Montana.

Osoyoos (elevation 913 ft.) is at the
extreme southern end of the Okanagan
Valley and on the border between Brit-
ish Columbia and the State of Washing-
ton. It is unlikely that vosnesenskii
will be found much farther north but it
may occur at Victoria, on the extreme
southern tip of Vancouver Island, as it
is considered by Franklin to belong to
the Pacific Coast portion of the Transi-
tion Zone.

This is a species that might be con-
fused with typical specimens of calif or-
nicus in the field.

Bombus bifarius Cresson (32: 3 6<d 64? 38?

— 13g)

[=B. edwardsii Cresson]

(Franklin, 1913, p. 328)
LOCALITIES — Fort Steele, Crows Nest, Okana-
gan Mission, Vernon, Field, Golden, Kam-
loops, Merritt, Nicola, Minnie Fake, Wal-
hachin, Hat Creek, Clinton, Jesmond, 100
Mile House, Chilcotin, Alexis Creek, Soda

ENTOMOLOGICAL SOC. OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, PROC. (1950) , VOL. 47, JULY 15, 1951

17

Creek, Quesnel, Prince George, Vander-
hoof, Fraser Lake, Burns Lake, Quick,
Smithers, Kitwanga, Agassiz, Vancouver,
Victoria, V. I., Saanich, V. I., Fitzgerald,
V. I., Alberni, V. I.

Bombus bifarius var. vancouverensis Cresson
(38: 15c? 699 26$ — 110)

[=B. edwardsii var. vancouverensis Cresson]
(Franklin, 1913)

LOCALITIES — Invermere, Kaslo, Fairview,
Okanagan Falls, Penticton, Keremeos, Ke-
lowna, Okanagan Mission, Vernon, Golden,
Revelstoke, Salmon Arm, Celista, Shus-
wap, Kamloops, Nicola, Minnie Lake,
Clinton, Lillooet, Hazelton, Boston Bar,
Buccaneer Bay, Pender Harbour, Victoria,
V. I., Westholme, V. I., Goldstream, V. I.,
Royal Oak, V. I., Saanich, V. I., Sidney,
V. I., Fitzgerald, V. I., Shawnigan, V. I.,
Duncan, V. I., Jordan Meadows, V. I.,
Sahtlam, V. I., Courtenay, V. I., Nanai-
mo, V. I., Departure Bay, V. I., Alberni,
V. I.

Bombus bifarius var. nearcticus Handlirsch
(55: 150c? 959 184? — 429)

[=B. edwardsii var. nearcticus Handl.]
(Franklin, 1913)

LOCALITIES — Radium, Invermere, Premier
Lake, Fort Steele, Crows Nest, Fernie,
Cranbrook, Creston, Kaslo, Nelson, Oliver,
Fairview, Vaseaux Lake, Okanagan Falls,
Kaleden, Penticton, Keremeos, Hedley,
Copper Mountain, Summerland, Peachland,
Kelowna, Okanagan Mission, Vernon,
Armstrong, Golden, Glacier, Revelstoke,
Sicamous, Salmon Arm, Celista, Adams
Lake, Kamloops, Merritt, Nicola, Minnie
Lake, Clinton, Burns Lake, Quick, Smith-
ers, Hazelton, Kitwanga, Atlin, Lillooet,
Mt. McLean, Lytton, Boston Bar, Yale,
Hope Mts., Agassiz, Victoria, V. I., Dun-
can, V. I., Alberni, V. I., Mt. Arrowsmith,
V. I.

B. bifarius Cresson, with its two
varieties, vancouverensis and nearcticus ,
is by far the commonest bumble bee in
British Columbia, and this paper records
677 specimens from 83 localities, with
an altitude range from sea level to at
least 7000 feet in the southern interior.
It undoubtedly occurs everywhere in the
Province as far north as, or well beyond,
latitude 55°.

B. bifarius has two very distinct and
constant colour varieties, bifarius Cres-
son and nearcticus Handlirsch, and a
third, vancouverensis Cresson, definitely
intermediate in colouration between the
other two. The distribution of these
three forms in the Province is also
sharply defined.

In the southern interior, south of
latitude 51°, var. nearcticus is the dom-
inant form and occurs in far greater

numbers than the other varieties in their
respective areas. Only a very light, but
widespread, scattering of the other two
forms is found in the southern interior.
In var. nearcticus the pile of the thorax,
other than the black interalar band, is
pure white or nearly so, and the dorsum
of the abdomen is black and white, with
no trace of ferruginous markings. In the
male the light pile is pale yellow. There
is no other bee recorded from British
Columbia that is likely to be confused
with nearcticus.

In the central interior, north of lati-
tude 51°, var. bifarius (described by
Franklin, 1913, as edwardsii Cresson;
see Frison, 1923, p. 317) is the domi-
nant colour form, and only a very light
scattering of nearcticus , and still less of
vancouverensis, is found in this area.
The colouration of var. bifarius is such
a striking contrast to that of nearcticus
that it is difficult to realize that they
belong to the same species. In var.
bifarius the light pile of the thorax is
bright lemon yellow instead of white as
in nearcticus and vancouverensis, and
segments two and three of the abdomen
are rich salmon-red. In the field, var.
bifarius is readily confused with B. ter -
nanus, which has an identical colour
pattern, but black corbicular hairs,
whereas those of bifarius are ferrugin-
ous.

On Vancouver Island and on the
coastal areas of the mainland, var. van-
couverensis is the dominant form. In
the northern interior, where var. bifarius
is dominant, vancouverensis appears to
be very scarce; but it is not at all
unusual to find occasional specimens
throughout the range of nearcticus in
the southern interior. Both var. bifarius
and var. nearcticus are found also, in
small numbers, on Vancouver Island
and on the adjoining mainland, but
these areas are mainly populated by var.
vancouverensis. It is remarkable how
these three colour forms of one species
occur so constantly in separate geo-
graphic areas with so little intermin-
gling.

B. bifarius var. vancouverensis is a
strikingly handsome bee, with its sharp-
ly contrasting patchwork of white,
black, and red. It is definitely inter-

18

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1950), Vol. 47, July 15, 1951

mediate between the other two forms,
having the light pile of the thorax pure
white as in nearcticus; and abdominal
segments two and three with salmon-
red pile, sometimes completely so, as in
var. bifarius, or in varying amounts.

Considerable confusion, both in lit-
erature and named specimens in collec-
tions, has resulted from Franklin's
(1913) placing B. bifarius Cresson as
a synonym of edwardsii, and describing
the real edwardsii under the name of
fernaldae Franklin (see Frison, 1923,
P- 317).

Bombus sySvicolo Kirby (7: 107c? 32? 14? —
153)

LOCALITIES — Kaslo, Revelstoke, Kamloops,

Walhachin, Barkerville, Vanderhoof, Mt.

Cheam.

B. sylvicola is the most difficult of all
British Columbia bumble bees to deter-
mine with certainty, some specimens
being very difficult to separate from B.
melanopygus. Typical specimens of
sylvicola, in which there is no admixture
of black hairs with the yellow pile of
the anterior portion of the thorax, are
easily distinguished. But in material
from British Columbia there seems to
be every gradation up to a condition al-
most comparable to that of typical speci-
mens of melanopygus .

The material collected from Kaslo,
Revelstoke, Barkerville, and Mt. Cheam
was taken at an elevation of 6000 feet
or over, whereas that from Kamloops,
Walhachin, and Vanderhoof was from
much lower elevations. The optimum
altitude range for sylvicola is apparently
from 6000 to 8000 feet. Though the
localities where sylvicola has been col-
lected are few, they are well distributed
over the Province: Kaslo being in the
southeastern corner; Revelstoke, Kam-
loops, and Walhachin in the southern
interior: Barkerville and Vanderhoof in
the central interior, and Mt. Cheam in
the coastal area. Further collecting of
this species is needed before any really
satisfactory statement can be made as to
its distribution and altitude range in
British Columbia.

Mountain bumble bees have a short
life, and are subjected to such violent
winds and storms that they very quickly
become faded and battered. It is very
difficult to find time to visit such loca-

tions on a sufficient number of good
collecting days to secure first the queens,
then the workers, and lastly the males.
Bombus melanopygus Nylander (5 6: 116c?

HI? 126? — 353)

LOCALITIES — Radium, Invermere, Crows Nest,
Boswell, Kaslo, Osoyoos, Vaseaux Lake,
Okanagan Falls, Penticton, Copper Moun-
tain, Summerland, Okanagan Mission, Ver-
non, Field, Golden, Glacier, Rogers Pass,
Revelstoke, Sicamous, Salmon Arm,
Celista, Merritt, Nicola, Clinton, Jesmond,
Quesnel, Stanley, Barkerville, Salvus,
Prince Rupert, Metlakatla, Rolla, Lillooet,
Hope Mts., Manning Park, Agassiz, Mt.
Cheam, Milner, New Westminster, Van-
couver, Buccaneer Bay, Pender Harbour,
Newcastle I., Victoria, V. I., Uduelet,
V. I., Royal Oak, V. L, Saanich, V. I.,
Sidney, V. I., Fitzgerald, V. I., Duncan,
V. I., Cowichan Lake, V. I., Ladysmith,
V. I., Nanaimo, V. I., Departure Bay,
V. I., Tofino, V. I., Mt. Arrowsmith,
V. I.

The 353 records of B. melanopygus
from 56 localities indicate that this is a
very common species, with a Province-
wide distribution. It has a wide alti-
tude range: from sea level to 8000 feet,
with an optimum range of 0-6000 feet.
It is particularly common on Vancouver
Island, and on the coast of the main-
land, and in the mountain meadows of
the interior, where this species is readily
confused with the strictly boreal species
B. sylvicola. B. melanopygus occurs as
far north as collecting has been done in
British Columbia, and Franklin (1913)
mentions that it is the commonest
species in Alaska.

It is a strikingly handsome species
which few entomologists would refrain
from taking; this may account in some
measure for the number of specimens in
collections.

Bombus centralis Cresson (26: 80c?-39? 83?
—202)

LOCALITIES — Invermere, Fernie, Kaslo, Osoy-
oos, Oliver, Fairview, Vaseaux Lake,
Okanagan Falls, Kaleden, Penticton, Kere-
meos, Chopaka, Summerland, Peachland,
Westbank, Kelowna, Vernon, Field, Sal-
mon Arm, Kamloops, Merritt, Nicola,
Minnie Lake, Walhachin, Chilcotin, Lil-
looet.

B. centralis has been recorded from 26
localities in the southern interior and
southeastern regions of British Colum-
bia. It occurs sparingly north to Chil-
cotin, latitude 52°, but does not appear
to be present on Vancouver Island or
the mainland coast.

ENTOMOLOGICAL SOC. OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, PROC. (1950) , VOL. 47, JULY 15, 1951

19

In the field it closely resembles B.
Ravifrons but has a far more restricted
range, occurring only in valleys with an
altitude range of 1000 to 2000 feet.

Bombus flovifrons Cresson (66: 128c? 7 9?

1415—348)

LOCALITIES — Radium, Crows Nest, Fernie,
Cranbrook, Kaslo, Oliver, Fairview, Oka-
nagan Falls, Kaleden, Penticton, Summer-
land, Vernon, Field, Golden, Glacier,
Revelstoke, Sicamous, Salmon Arm, Chase,
Kamloops, Midday Valley, Nicola, Minnie
Lake, Walhachin, Hat Creek, Bridge Lake,
Canim Lake, Chilcotin, Quesnel, Barker-
ville, Prince George, Vanderhoof, Fraser
Lake, Burns Lake, Quick, Smithers, Hazel-
ton, Kitwanga, Cedarvale, Salvus, Metla-
katla, Atlin, Lillooet, Mt. McLean, Lytton,
Hope Mts., Agassiz, Milner, Vancouver,
Buccaneer Bay, Powell River, Victoria,
V. I., Royal Oak, V. I., Ucluelet, V. I.,
Saanich, V. I., Sidney, V. I., Fitzgerald,
V. I., Shawnigan, V. I., Sahtlam, V. I.,
Cowichan, V. I., Nanaimo, V. I., Depar-
ture Bay, V. I., Wellington, V. I., Alberni,
V. I., Mt. Arrowsmith, V. I., Courtenay,
V. I.

Bombus flovifrons var. dimidiatus Ashmead

(20: 14c? 7? 255 — 46)

LOCALITIES — Invermere, Kaslo, Glacier, Hazel-
ton, Inverness, Metlakatla, Centurian,
Lytton, Hope, Hope Mts., Agassiz, Mt.
Cheam, Crescent, Vancouver, Buccaneer
Bay, Victoria, V. I., Westholme. V. I.,
Sidney, V. I., Fitzgerald, V. I., Tofino,
V. I.

Bombus flovifrons var. ombiguus Franklin (3:

0c? 0? 65 — 6)

LOCALITIES — Agassiz, Vancouver, Nanaimo,
V. I.

B. Ravifrons is one of the commonest
species in the Province, and with its
varieties, dimidiatus and ambiguus, has
been represented by 400 specimens from
74 localities; only B. bifarius and B.
occidentalis exceed it in numbers. It
appears to be equally at home at sea
level, in hot, dry locations, and in
mountains up to 7000 feet. The typ-
ical form, Ravifrons Cresson, is repre-
sented by 348 specimens from 66
localities; var. dimidiatus , by 46 speci-
mens from 20 localities; and ambiguus ,
by 6 specimens from 3 localities. Both
dimidiatus and ambiguus are readily
confused with B. sitkensis and B. mixtus
in the field, and are therefore hard to
collect.

B. Ravifrons has been observed to be
of considerable economic importance in
aiding in the pollination of alsike clover,

in association with B. terricola and B.
melanopygus.

Bombus pleuralis Nylander (1: 0c? 2? 0 5 — 2)
LOCALITY — Vernon, May 15, 1920, 2?.

Frison (1926, p. 135) gives the
above record from Vernon, and also
records this species as collected by Dyar
and Caudell at Laggan, British Colum-
bia; however, Laggan, now called Lake
Louise, is in Alberta.

Bombus pleuralis var. clarus Frison (1 : 0c? 1?

05—1)

LOCALITY — Vernon, May 15, 1920, 1 ?.

Frison (1926, p. 139) records this
variety also from Laggan, British Co-
lumbia; this, as noted above, should be
an Alberta record.

Except for these three queens, two
being typical specimens of pleuralis and
one a specimen of var. clarus, nothing
is known of this species in British
Columbia. Franklin (1912) records it
only from Alaska.

Bombus sitkensis Nylander (42: 133c? 67?
144 5 — 344)

LOCALITIES — Radium, Invermere, Fernie, Kaslo,
Summerland, Vernon, Field, Golden, Rev-
elstoke, Salmon Arm, Kamloops, Quesnel,
Barkerville, Burns Lake, Smithers, Cedar-
vale, Salvus, Tyee, Prince Rupert, Inver-
ness, Metlakatla, Boston Bar, Yale, Agassiz,
Mt. Cheam, Hope Mts., Manning Park,
Vancouver, Buccaneer Bay, Pender Har-
bour Newcastle I., Victoria, V. I., Ucluelet,
V. I., Royal Oak, V. I., Sidney, V. I.,
Jordan Meadows, V. I., Nanaimo, V. I.,
Departure Bay, V. I., Alberni, V. I., To-
fino. V. I., Comox, V. I., Courtenay, V. I.

B. sitkensis is a common species,
easily confused with B. mixtus in the
field. It has a Province-wide distribu-
tion and a wide altitude range. It is
particularly common on Vancouver
Island and the mainland coast and oc-
curs in all sections of the Province where
relatively cool, timbered areas occur. It
is not found in any numbers in the arid,
dry-belt regions of the southern interior.
It is a common bumble bee in mountain
meadows up to 7000 feet, and its
optimum altitude range is from sea level
to 6000 feet.

Bombus mixtus Cresson (64: 105c? 130? 2105
—445)

LOCALITIES — Radium, Invermere, Crows Nest,
Fernie, Cranbrook, Kaslo, Okanagan Falls,
Penticton, Hedley, Copper Mountain,
Summerland, Peachland, Okanagan Mis-
sion, Vernon, Field, Golden, Glacier, Rev-
elstoke, Sicamous, Salmon Arm, Celista,

20

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1950), Vol. 47, July 15, 1951

Adams Lake, Kamloops, Midday Valley,
Nicola, Minnie Lake, Bridge Lake, Canim
l ake, Chilcotin, Quesnel, Stanley, Barker-
ville, Prince George, Burns Lake, Smithers,
Hazelton, Cedarvale, Salvus, Tyee, Prince
Rupert, Metlakatla, Atlin, Rolla, Lillooet,
Mt. McLean, Lytton, Yale, Hope Mts.,
Agassiz, Milner, Mission, Vancouver, Buc-
caneer Bay, Victoria, V. I., Westholme,
V. I.. Royal Oak, V. I., Saanich, V. I.,
Sidney, V. I., Litzgerald, V. I., Ladysmith,
V. I., Nanaimo, V. I., Departure Bay,
V. I., Alberni, V. I., Courtenay, V. I.

B. mixtus is very common in British
Columbia, and 445 specimens are here
recorded from 64 localities. It is very
evenly distributed over the Province.
The northernmost record for British
Columbia is Atlin, latitude 59°.

It prefers cool, wooded situations,
and is equally at home on the coast or in
the mountains of the interior; it is not
found in any numbers in the dry-belt
regions of the southern interior. To-
gether with B. sitkensis , which it closely
resembles, it is one of the commonest
bumble bees in Vancouver. It has a
wide altitude range, from sea level to at
least 8000 feet in the mountains of the
southern interior; its optimum range is
from sea level to 6000 feet.

Bombus frigidus L. Smith (7: 2 c? 1? 2 5 — 5)
LOCALITIES — Invermere, Crows Nest, Kaslo,
Kamloops, 100 Mile House, Chilcotin,
Victoria, V. I.

This species is evidently rare in
British Columbia, but the locality
records show it to be widely distributed
throughout the southern portion of the
Province, including Vancouver Island.
It is one of several bumble bees that
cannot be distinguished in the field from
some common species; this may account
for the small number of specimens in the
collections studied.

Bombus perplexus Cresson (6: 3 c? 1? 3 5 — 7)
LOCALITIES — Prince George, Burns Lake,
Smithers, Salvus, Prince Rupert, Buccaneer
Bay.

The locality records of perplexus
indicate that it does not occur in the
southern interior of the Province, but it
is found in the central interior; in the
Nechako, Bulkley, and Skeena river
valleys, between Prince George and
Prince Rupert; there is also one record
from Buccaneer Bay, north of Vancou-
ver.

B. perplexus cannot be distinguished
from B. vagans in the field, and as

Vagans is particularly common in the
territory where perplexus is found it is
difficult to obtain a good series of the
latter without killing large numbers of
the former — something one dislikes to
do.

Careful examination of several hun-
dred specimens of vagans from all sec-
tions of the Province has revealed no
specimens of perplexus except from the
localities recorded above.

Bombus vagans L. Smith (47: 129c? 82? 187$
— 398)

LOCALITIES — Invermere, Fort Steele, Crows
Nest, Creston, Kaslo, Lardo, Oliver, West-
bank, Penticton, Summerland, Kelowna,
Okanagan Mission, Vernon, Sugar Lake,
Armstrong, Golden, Glacier, Revelstoke,
Sicamous, Salmon Arm, Adams Lake,
Shuswap, Kamloops, Merritt, Nicola, Min-
nie Lake, Canim Lake, Chilcotin, Quesnel,
Stanley, Barkerville, Prince George, Fraser
Lake, Burns Lake, Smithers, Hazelton,
Kitwanga, Cedarvale, Terrace, Salvus, Met-
lakatla, Rolla, Hudson Hope, Hope Mts.,
Agassiz, Vancouver, Victoria, V. I.

B. vagans is one of the commonest
species of bumble bees in the interior of
British Columbia, and 398 specimens
are here recorded from 49 localities. It
prefers comparatively cool, timbered lo-
cations of moderate rainfall, and has not
been taken in any numbers in the hot,
arid regions of the southern Okanagan
Valley or in extreme southeastern Brit-
ish Columbia. It is rare also in regions
of heavy rainfall such as Vancouver
Island and the mainland coast. It is
found in maximum numbers from Ver-
non, in the North Okanagan Valley,
northward through the southern and
central interior regions, and is particu-
larly abundant in the Nechako and
Bulkley valleys from Prince George west
to Terrace. It has also been taken at
Rolla and Hudson Hope on the Peace
River in northeastern British Columbia.
Its abundance and distribution in the
northern interior of the Province are
unknown, and there appear to be no
records of vagans from Alaska or Yukon
Territory. Its optimum altitude range
in British Columbia is from 1000 to
4000 feet.

Section Odontobombus Kruger

Subgenus Subterraneobombus Vogt

Bombus appositus Cresson (34: 88d 57? 37?
—182)

ENTOMOLOGICAL SOC. OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, PROC. (1950), VOL. 47, JULY 15, 1951

21

LOCALITIES — Invermere, Crows Nest, Cran-
brook, Newgate, Kaslo, Nelson, Okanagan
Falls, Penticton, Keremeos, Hedley, Sum-
merland, Vernon, Glacier, Armstrong,
Salmon Arm, Chase, Shuswap, Kamloops,
Nicola, Minnie Lake, Walhachin, Hat
Creek, Clinton, 100 Mile House, Chilco-
tin, Quesnel, Lillooet, Mt. McLean, Lyt-
ton, Chapmans, Yale, Hope, Agassiz, Van-
couver.

The records of 182 specimens from
34 localities indicate that this is a fairly
common species in the valleys of south-
eastern British Columbia and the south-
ern interior. It occurs sparingly on the
coast, and has not as yet been recorded
from Vancouver Island. It is rare in
the central interior but has been taken
occasionally as far north as Quesnel
(latitude 53°) .

B. appositus is partial to dry open
areas, where it may often be seen visiting
thistles in company with B. fervidus,
which it closely resembles in appearance,
habits, and distribution.

Subgenus Fervidobombus Skorikov

Bombus fervidus (Fabricius) (16: 16 c? 39?
56? — 111)

LOCALITIES — Osoyoos, Oliver, Fairview, Kale-
den, Penticton, Summerland, Peachland,
Okanagan Mission, Vernon, Salmon Arm,
Kamloops, Nicola, Minnie Lake, Walha-
chin, Ashcroft, Williams Lake.

Bombus fervidus var. dorsalis Cresson (7: 5 c?
4? 2? — 11)

LOCALITIES — Kaleden, Penticton, Salmon Arm,
Kamloops, Nicola, Walhachin, Chilcotin.

B. fervidus, as well as its variety
dorsalis, closely resembles appositus, but
is less common. The records of the 111
specimens from 16 localities indicate
that it is confined to the warm valleys
of the southern interior. It has not been
taken in southeastern British Columbia
or to the west of the C6ast Mountains.
With the exception of two specimens
from Chilcotin and Williams Lake
(latitude 52°), all the records are from
south of latitude 51°.

Bequaert (1932) gives some interest-
ing notes of this species building their
cells and rearing their broods in old
birds’ nests in trees.

When collecting insects in the Okan-
agan Valley in 1919, near the present
townsite of Oliver, the author on sev-
eral occasions placed his finger in the
nests of the western marsh wren, Tel-
matodytes palustris plesius (Oberhol-

ser) , to see whether they contained eggs,
and was startled to have the nest vibrate
violently and emit angry bumble bees.
As he w'as not particularly interested in
bees at that time, he did not determine
the species. As fervidus is common in
this district, it may have been this
species that was making use of the
wtens’ nests. These little birds have
the curious habit of building several
spare nests, hanging them high up in
the cat-tails; and these nests were evi-
dently used by the bumble bees.

Bombus californicus F. Smith (24: 9c? 23?
20?— 52)

LOCALITIES — Invermere, Creston, Penticton,
Peachland, Westbank, Vernon, Armstrong,
Salmon Arm, Chilcotin, Lytton, Hope,
Agassiz, Langley, Crescent, Vancouver,
Victoria, V. I., Royal Oak, V. I., Saanich,
V.I., Sidney, V. I., Shawnigan, V. I.,
Nanaimo, V. I., Departure Bay, V. I.,
Alberni, V. I., Comox, V. I.

Bombus californicus var. dubius Cresson (9:
4c? 8? 2? — 14)

LOCALITIES — Creston, Okanagan Falls, West-
bank, Vernon, Agassiz, Vancouver, Vic-
toria, V. I., Saanich, V. I., Nanaimo, V. I.

Bombus californicus var. consanguineus I land
lirsch (35: 37c? 71? 63? — 171)

LOCALITIES — Crows Nest, Fernie, Oliver, Fair-
view, Okanagan Falls, Kaleden, Penticton.
Keremeos, Summerland, Vernon, Salmon
Arm, Adams Lake, Kamloops, Walhachin,
Clinton, Canim Lake, Chilcotin, Quesnel,
Prince George, Quick, Smithers, Rolla,
Arras, Centurian, East Pine, Agassiz, Mt.
Cheam, Crescent, . Vancouver, Victoria,
V. I., Royal Oak, V. I., Saanich, V. I.,
Sidney, V;.T.\ Fitzgerald, V. I., Welling-
ton, V. I.

B. californicus, with its varieties
dubius Cresson and consanguineus
Handlirsch, is represented by 237 speci-
mens from 49 localities. It is not a
mountain bumble bee, but extends in
the valleys over a wide area of the
Province at an altitude range of 0-2000
feet.

B. californicus F. Smith, with the
scutellum black, is represented by 52
specimens from 24 localities, and reaches
its maximum abundance on Vancouver
Island and the coast of the mainland.
The variety consanguineus, with the
scutellum yellow, is represented by 171
specimens from 35 localities and is the
commonest of the three forms in British
Columbia, ranging north to the central
interior and Peace River district. The

22

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1950) , Vol. 47, July 15, 195 1

variety dubius, with an admixture of
black and yellow pile on the scutellum,
is represented by 14 specimens from 9
localities. Though these definitely have
some yellow pile, in varying amounts,
mixed with the black on the scutellum,
they are, in general, far more like the
typical form than like var. consan-
guineus.

This is a fairly distinctive species in
the field although the queens resemble
those of Psithyrus insularis, but far
more active.

Genus PSITHYRUS Tepeletier

This genus contains a small number
of inquilinous, or “guest,” bumble bees,
without workers; the females utilize
the nests of true bumble bees, their
young being raised by the host workers.

Specimens of Psithyrus spp. are easy
to collect, as they are sleepy and slug-
gish in their movements and often con-
gregate in large numbers on flower heads
of thistle, aster, and other attractive
plants. This is particularly the case of
males in late summer.

Psithyrus spp. may be readily distin-
guished from Bombus spp. by the ab-
sence of corbiculae, or pollen baskets, in
the queens, and by the black, hairy faces
of the males, the males of Bombus spp.
having a conspicuous amount of yellow
pile.

Seven species are known from Amer-
ica north of Mexico; and four of these,
insularis, ashtoni, suckleyi, and fernal-
dae , are recorded from British Colum-
bia. Of the remaining three species,
crawfordi, described from Oregon, may
well occur here; but variabilis is more
southern in distribution and is less
likely to be found. P. laboriosus has
not as yet been recorded from British
Columbia, but from its distribution in
the U. S. it should be found here.

The species of Psithyrus closely re-
semble one another in size and in their
black and yellow colouration, and in the
field it is difficult to distinguish them.
As insularis and suckleyi are exceedingly
common and ashtoni and fernaldae are
comparatively rare in British Columbia,
it is difficult to secure good series of the
latter two without collecting all speci-
mens of Psithyrus seen.

Subgenus Loboriopsithyrus Frison
Psithyrus insularis (F. Smith) (5 6: 1 3 1 cT

131 ? — 262)

LOCALITIES — Carbonate, Radium, Invermere,
Crows Nest, Fernie, Newgate, Kaslo,
Osoyoos, Fairview, Okanagan Falls, Pen-
ticton, Hedley, Summerland, Okanagan
Mission, Oyama, Vernon, Field, Golden,
Glacier, Revelstoke, Sicamous, Salmon
Arm, Kamloops, Merritt, Nicola, Aspen
Grove, Walhachin, Hat Creek, Jesmond,
Chilcotin, Quesnel, Stanley, Prince George,
Vanderhoof, Burns Lake, Smithers, Kit-
wanga, Salvus, Lillooet, Lytton, Boston
Bar, Hope, Hope Mts., Agassiz, Vancou-
ver, Buccaneer Bay, Newcastle I., Victoria,
V. I., Sidney, V. I., Fitzgerald, V. I.,
Duncan, V. I., Nanaimo, V. I., Departure
Bay, V. I., Wellington, V. I., Mt. Arrow-
smith, V. I., Forbidden Plateau, V. I.

This appears to be the only species of
Psithyrus of which there are definite
records of occurrence in the nests of
Bombus spp. in British Columbia.

Frison (1921) records that Sladen
(1915) found P. insularis in a nest of
B. Ravifrons at Agassiz on July 7,
1914. The author also received a queen
of insularis and four workers of B. mix-
tus taken from a nest in a compost pile
by H. B. Leech at Vernon on June 2,
1946. Mr. Leech stated that there was
no sign of the mixtus queen which had
evidently been killed or driven away by
the Psithyrus sp.

This is the commonest species of
Psithyrus in British Columbia, and this
paper records 262 specimens from 56
localities widely and evenly distributed
in the Province, at least as far north as
latitude 56°, and with a considerable
altitude range.

Subgenus Ashtonipsithyrus Frison
Psithyrus ashtoni (Cresson) (10: 7 5 c? 15? —
90)

LOCALITIES — Chilcotin, Quesnel, Barkerville,
Prince George, Vanderhoof, Fraser Lake,
Burns Lake, Quick, Smithers, Lillooet.

This is one of the rare species in
British Columbia; and of the 10 local-
ities recorded above, 9 are situated in
the northern half of the Province, north
of latitude 52°. The specimen from
Lillooet, a little south of latitude 51°,
was probably taken on Mt. McLean
(altitude, 7600 ft.) .

Psithyrus suckleyi (Greene) (51: 168c? 85? —
253)

LOCALITIES — Carbonate, Invermere, Cranbrook,
Kaslo, Nelson, Osoyoos, Oliver, Kaleden,
Penticton, Keremeos, Peachland, Westbank,

ENTOMOLOGICAL SOC. OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, PROC. (1950) , VOL. 47, JULY 15, 1951

23

Okanagan Mission, Vernon, Golden, Rev-
elstoke, Sicamous, Salmon Arm, Adams
Lake, Kamloops, Merritt, Nicola, Jesmond,
Chilcotin, Quesnel, Prince George, Van-
derhoof, Burns Lake, Smithers, Hazelton,
Kitwanga, Cedarvale, Pacific, Terrace,
Tyee, Lillooet, Lytton, Boston Bar, Yale,
Hope Mts., Manning Park, Agassiz, Mt.
Cheam, Vancouver, Buccaneer Bay, Vic-
toria, V. I., Royal Oak, V. I., Duncan,
V. I., Sahtlam, V. I., Ladysmith, V. I.,
Departure Bay, V. I.

P. suckleyi is similar to insularis in
having a Province-wide distribution and
a considerable altitude range. It is a
common species, and the 253 specimens
recorded were collected from 5 1 locali-
ties, ranging from latitude 49° to north
of latitude 55° and from the Alberta
border to Vancouver Island.

Subgenus Fernaldaepsithyrus Frison
Psithyrus fernaldae Franklin (20: 63cT 15? —
78)

LOCALITIES — Invermere, Kaslo, Summerland,
Vernon, Field, Revelstoke, Hat Creek, Jes-
mond, Chilcotin, Barkerville, Metlakatla,
Stikine, Hope Mts., Manning Park, Agas-
siz, Mt. Cheam, Vancouver, Newcastle I.,
Departure Bay, V. I., Nanaimo, V. I.

P. fernaldae is a comparatively rare
species but is more widely distributed
than ashtoni, and the 80 specimens
recorded were collected in 21 localities
from latitude 50° to the Yukon boun-
dary. The Kamloops collection also
contains 7 males collected on July 15,

1948, at Valdez, Alaska, by J. D.
Gregson. It has been taken at several
points at sea level on the coast, but the
specimens from the interior are mainly
from mountain locations as high as
7000 ft. Further collecting is needed
to determine its distribution and altitude
range in British Columbia.

The Canadian National Collection,
at Ottawa, contains 2 males of fernaldae
var. wheeled Bequaert and Plath, col-
lected at Revelstoke on August 12,
1923, by P. N. Vroom. These were
evidently mislabelled, as a check w^ith
specimens of fernaldi s. str. and a com-
parison with the type of wheeleri kindly
undertaken by Dr. J. Bequaert, Museum
of Comparative Zoology, Cambridge,
Mass., clearly reveal that these two
males are typical specimens of fernaldae
and not of var. wheeleri.

In some unpublished notes, kindly
loaned by Dr. H. H. Ross. Illinois State
Natural History Survey, Frison also
records var. wheeleri from Vancouver,
B. C. But the writer has not obtained
any data on this record, and as it might
have been in error as in the case of the
Revelstoke material, var. wheeleri is not
being recorded here as occurring in
British Columbia. It may, however,
be found in the Province, as it occurs in
both Oregon and California.

REFERENCES

Bequaert, J. and Plath, O. E. 1925. Description of a new Psithyrus, with an account of
Psithyrus laboriosus, and notes on bumblebees. Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool. 67:
265-288.

Bequaert, J. 1932. An arboreal nest of Bombus fervidus (Fabricius). Bull. Brooklyn Ent.
Soc. 27: 151.

Franklin, H. J. 1913. The Bombidae of the New World. Trans. Amer. Ent. Soc. 38: 177-486.

Frison, T. H. 1919. Report on the Bremidae collected by the Crocker Land Expedition,
1913-1917. Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist. 41: 451-459.

1921a. Psithyrus laboriosus Fabr. in the nests of bumblebees. Can. Ent. 53: 100.

1921b. New distribution records of North American Bremidae, with the description of a
new species. Ent. News, 32: 114-148.

1923. Systematic and biological notes on bumblebees. Trans. Amer. Ent. Soc. 48:
307-326.

1924. Notes on North American Bremidae. Can. Ent. 56: 292-296.

1926. Descriptions and records of North American Bremidae together with notes on
the synonymy of certain species. Trans. Amer. Ent. Soc. 52: 129-145.

1927a. The distribution of Bremus kincaidi. Can. Ent. 59: 32.

1927b. Records and descriptions of western bumblebees. Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci. 16: 365-
380.

1927c. A contribution to our knowledge of the relationship of the Bremidae of America
north of Mexico. Trans. Amer. Ent. Soc. 53: 51-78.

1928. Records of bumblebees from Alberta. Can. Ent. 60: 236.

1929. Additional descriptions, synonymy and records of North American bumblebees.
Trans. Amer. Ent. Soc. 55: 103-118.

Scullen, H. A. 1927. Bees belonging to the family Bremidae taken in Western Oregon, with
notes. Pan-Pacific Ent. 4: 69-76; 121-128.

1930. J. Ec. Ent. 23: 786-789.

24

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1950) , Vol. 47, July 15, 1951

Sladen, F. W. L. 1915. Inquiline bumble bees in British Columbia. Can. Ent. 47: 84. Cited
by Prison (1921).

1919. Notes on the Canadian representatives of British species of bees. Can. Ent. 51:
124.

AN UNUSUAL CUTWORM OUTBREAK1

R. Glendenning

Dominion Entomological Laboratory, Agassiz, B. C.

Early in August, 1948, a report was
received at the Dominion Entomological
Laboratory, Agassiz, B. C., of a serious
cutworm outbreak on Nicomen Island.
This island, composed entirely of allu-
vial land, lies on the north side of the
Fraser River east of Mission and is some
7 miles long. It was almost entirely
covered with water to a depth of many
feet during the disastrous flood in June,
1948, and all crops were destroyed.

Investigation showed a large, striped,
greenish caterpillar to be present in
epidemic numbers, feeding on the scanty
vegetation that was then springing up
as the land dried. The larvae were in
various instars, but the majority were
fully fed.

As the insect was not recognized,
material was collected for rearing. The
adults emerged throughout September,
1948 and were identified as Datgida
product a (Grote).

Search of literature showed no record
of this insect as a pest in British Colum-
bia, but W. Downes, lately in charge
of the Dominion Entomological Labor-
atory at Victoria, has since informed
me that, in 1928, a serious outbreak
occurred in the Alberni, Comox, and
Cumberland areas, where, chiefly on
bottom lands, clover, alfalfa, young oats
and couch grass were severely injured.
J. R. J. Llewellyn Jones of Cobble
Hill, Vancouver Island, also told me
that he captures an occasional adult in
most years.

Later in August, outbreaks wtere also
reported in the Glendale, Matsqui, and

Hatzic areas, where similar flood con-
ditions had obtained. The total area
covered by the outbreak of this uncom-
mon species was therefore some 200
square miles.

The larvae were found to feed on a
variety of plants, chiefly grasses, oats,
and corn; but the new growth of dan-
delion, plantain, and other weeds that
had survived a three-week submergence
were fed upon until the newly sown
grain crops came through the mud. In
some fields 25 per cent of the oat and
corn seedlings were devoured. Feeding
was general during daylight hours, this
species having somewhat the habits and
appearance of an armyworm.

A 3 per cent D.D.T. dust proved an
effective and practical control.

Two interesting facts concerning the
life-history of this species were noted.
The first is the sudden and unexplained
appearance of the larvae in numbers
sufficiently large to give rise to an epi-
demic, for this species is seldom seen in
an average year. The second is the
complete confinement of the outbreak to
flooded lands. It was particularly
noticeable on Nicomen Island that even
small ridges above flood level were not
infested. In the latter connection it is
interesting to refer to the observations
made by Professor Spencer (1947),
when it was noted that the moths of
this species oviposited only in soil being
soaked by a garden hose and were un-
interested in the garden beds not being
watered. Evidently only water-soaked
land is chosen by the adults for egg-
laying.

LITERATURE CITED

Spencer, G. J., 1947. On the oviposition habits of Dargida procincta (Lepidoptera : Phalaenidae) .
Proc. Ent. Soc. B. C. 43:10.

1 Contribution No. 2622A, Division of Entomology,

Science Service, Department of Agriculture, Ottawa,

Canada.

25

ENTOMOLOGICAL SOC. OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, PROC. (1950) , VOL. 47, JULY 15, 1951

NOTES ON THE LIFE HISTORY OF FEBRUARY HIGHFLYER
HYDRIOMENA NUBILOFASCIATA PACK. F. VULNERATA SWETT
(Lepidoptera: Geometridae)

George A. Hardy

Provincial Museum, Victoria, B. C.

The species of the genus Hydriomena
are very variable yet difficult to separate
and since any facts concerning the life-
histories may be useful in determining
their true status, the following notes on
Hydriomena nubilof asciata Pack. f. vul-
nerata Swett. are presented.

The February highflyer is quite com-
mon and in some years very abundant
about trees of the Garry oak, Quercus
gavryana Doug., in the vicinity of Vic-
toria, B. C. During the flight period,
February and March, the moth is read-
ily attracted to artificial light. By day
it rests on tree trunks, the underside of
branches, copings, or any place that will
provide seclusion away from direct sun-
light. It is very alert and is not easy to
approach when at rest, for it takes flight
quickly and usually before it can be seen
by a would-be captor.

As the intention was to investigate
the details of its life-history, females
were particularly sought in order to ob-
tain a supply of eggs. It was found
that those individuals that came to light,
especially during the early part of the
season, were males; females were taken
more commonly towards the end of the
flight period, although by that time
most of them had already deposited their
eggs. After a few futile attempts to
obtain gravid females it was discovered
that the best method was to search the
bushes and adjacent herbage or low
hanging branches of the oaks, with a
torch or lantern, when it was possible
to find an occasional specimen either in
copulation or quietly resting.

The following observations were
made during the spring of 1949. Partly
due to the elusive habits of the larvae
the exact sequence of the moults was not
precisely ascertained, hence a more or
less chronological account has been
adopted.

Ovism. Laid on March 26, 1949.
Length 1 mm., width .05 mm. Elon-
gate oval, slightly flattened at one end,
surface minutely pitted or recticulated,

smooth, shining. Colour white, turning
to a light cinnamon towards hatching
time.

The eggs were laid indiscriminately
on the sides of the jar or over oak twigs
inserted for the purpose. One female
taken under natural conditions had
packed her eggs into the dried and empty
capsule of a garden linaria, far removed
from any oak twigs. The number of
eggs obtained from each of several fe-
males was 10 to 18. These were laid
between March 5 and 26.

Larva. April 17: emerged from egg.
1st instar, length 1 mm. Head black,
body dull green, smooth. The larva
does not eat the egg shell, but immedi-
ately seeks a bud that is just breaking
and burrows into the centre where it re-
mains concealed in a little cell hollowed
out by eating into the substance of the
bud.

April 26: Length 4 mm. Head black,
body drab fuscous brown, smooth, shin-
ing. The only external evidence of life
in the bud is the accumulation of frass
between the incipient leaves. Judging
by the size of the larvae this may be the
2nd or 3rd instar. Some larvae were
just undergoing a moult.

April 29: Moult completed. Length
now 6 mm. Colour and appearance as
before. Some of the larvae show" signs
of leaving the bud which is rapidly
opening into leaf.

May 1 : Evidently another and unob-
served moult has been effected. Length
now 8 mm. Head brown with black
flecks, body dull black with three in-
definite longitudinal dorsal lines of
small beige-coloured spots. Ninth ab-
dominal segment pale beige. The larvae
are still feeding concealed between base
of leaves of the young shoot.

May 2: Length 12 mm. Head brown
with black flecks, body black with four
milky-white interrupted lines on dor-
sum and similar lateral lines, ventral
surface lighter in colour.

26

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1950) , Vol. 47, July 15, 1951

May 4: As the leaves grow the larvae
resort to folding over the leaf tip or hid-
ing between two leaves where they lie
concealed, usually curled up. They feed
on the parenchyma, leaving the upper
surface of the leaves intact. When dis-
turbed they snap the fore part of body
back and forth.

May 6: Evidently the 4th or 5th in-
star. Length 15 mm. Head light brown
as before, body creamy green with inter-
rupted dorsal and lateral lines dusky.
Spiracles black. The larvae continue to
feed under cover of folded leaves. If
violently disturbed they escape from the
leaves and suspend themselves by a
silken thread.

May 8: Length 20 mm. Colour and
markings as before but more decided in
tone.

May 11: Length 24 mm. This may
be the 5 th or 6th instar. Colour as
before but richer and markings more
pronounced. The larvae consistently
seek cover between folded portions of
the leaves.

Pype. Pupation May 21 in fold of
leaf or in a light silken cocoon spun in
the sand at bottom of cage. Particles of
sand adhered to the cocoon rendering it
almost invisible. Length 11 mm.,
width 3 mm. Colour light brown
turning to dark browm in 24 hours,
smooth, shining. Cremaster with two
long hooked setae and several very short
ones at base. The* pupae w£re kept
throughout the summer at average room
temperature.

Imago. Emerged January 19, 26 and
February 8, 1950. Two males and one
female. The first recorded emergence
under natural conditions was February
18.

Remarks. There are several interest-
ing features in the life-history of this
species. First, the larva is completely a
bud feeder in the early stages, complet-
ing its growth concealed in folded
leaves. Second, the change of colour
from black to green may be significant
as the colour matches the green leaves
on which growth is completed, thus
rendering the larvae less conspicuous.
Third, from the unusual length of the
pupal period, it might be expected that
a second brood would intervene between
the spring of one year and that of the
next, but the newly opened bud seems
to be an essential requirement for the
young larvae.

Summary. The February highflyer,
Hydriomena nubilofasciata f. vulnerata
feeds in the larval stage on Garry oak,
Quercus garryana. The adult is on the
wing in the months of February and
March. The eggs are assumed to be laid
on or near the buds, in which the larvae
feed. The larvae change colour from
black to green as the leaves develop.
The pupal stage which is passed in the
ground lasts for about nine months or
until the opening buds are ready for the
newly hatched larvae. The life cycle as
here observed is divided between the
stages as follows, ova — 22 days, larvae
— -34 days, pupae — 243 days, imagines
— over a period of 60 days.

A FURTHER NOTE ON BREEDING LAM BDINA FISCELLARIA SOMNIARIA HIST.

Supplementary to my previous experiment with the
larvae of Lambdina fiscellaria somniaria Hist., reported
in the Proceedings of the Entomological Society of
British Columbia, Volume 45, page 6, this note is now
submitted.

On June 2, 1949, while “beating” Garry oak, Quercus
garryana Douglas, in the Uplands District of Victoria,
B. C., 21 very small larvae of this species were obtained.
On June 26, when about half an inch in length, the
larvae were sleeved on western hemlock, Tsuga hete-
rophylla. The small larvae readily accepted this food
and thrived and by August 22, 18 of them had pupated
in the folds of the sleeve. Three larvae were in their

rudimentary cocoons in a dormant state. They were
transferred to a ten inch flower-pot, in which some soil
had been placed and on which a generous layer of moss
was spread. The pupae, after removal from their
cocoons, together with the three “resting” larvae which
were left in their flimsy cocoons, were placed on the
moss.

Sixteen imagines were obtained between August 3
and October 3, 1949. The imagines were of normal
size and in colouring were very similar to typical
somniaria, though possibly a trifle greyer than is gener-
ally the case when the larvae have fed exclusively on
Garry oak. — J. R. J. Llewellyn Jones, Cobble Hill, B. C.

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1950) , Vol. 47, July 15, 1951

27

BIOLOGICAL CONTROL INVESTIGATIONS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA1

J. H. McLeod2

Biological Control Investigations Laboratory, Vancouver, B. C.

Since the initial introduction of
natural enemies of insects into British
Columbia in 1917, 42 species of para-
sites and predators have been released
against 21 species of pest insects. This
comparatively large-scale importation of
beneficial insects was undertaken in an
effort to control the important insect
pests that have become established in the
Province without their natural enemies.
The geographic location and topography
of British Columbia presented barriers
that prevented these enemies from reach-
ing the area unassisted.

The topography and climate of Brit-
ish Columbia separate it ecologically
from the rest of Canada, and subdivide
it into a number of more or less clearly

defined ecological islands. The moun-
tains form natural physical barriers that
restrict the movement and distribution
of insect species and through their effect
on climate produce a wide range of tem-
perature and precipitation that places a
further restriction on distribution. This
increases the number of problems in
biological control of insects, but also
provides many advantages for the appli-
cation of this method of control that
are not found in less restricted areas.

An indication of the wide range of
climate in British Columbia is given in
the following records provided by the
Meteorological Division of the Depart-
ment of Transport. The statistics are
annual averages:

Maximum Minimum

Precipitation Northern coast, 112.11" Interior, 9.02"

Snowfall Eastern interior, 390.2" Vancouver Island, 6.3"

Extreme High

Temperature Central interior, 103° F. Northern coast, 75° F.

Extreme Low

Temperature Northern interior, -45° F. Vancouver Island, 20° F.

Sunshine Vancouver Island, 2207 hrs. Northern coast, 1053 hrs.

These extremes of climate are respon-
sible for great variation in the flora in
the different areas, and this has an
important effect on the insect species
through restricting them to the areas
where their host plants grow. The
number of plant species has been greatly
increased through the introduction of
new crops that are continually being
added to the diversified agricultural
areas. Many of the economically im-
portant insect pests accompanied the
original or later importations of their

1 Contribution No. 2688, Division of Entomology,
Science Service, Department of Agriculture, Ottawa,
Canada.

2 Officer-in-Charge.

host plants before the Division of Plant
Protection reduced this hazard to the
minimum. There are still ways by
which new insect pests may be intro-
duced and become established in the
Province in spite of the most careful
inspection at ports of entry. Evidence
of the continued increase in the number
of insect pests that have become estab-
lished in British Columbia is contained
in Table I, which includes a partial list
of the species that have been recorded
since 1900.

28

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1950) , Vol. 47, July 15, 1951

TABLE I

A partial list of insect pests recorded for the first time in British Columbia since 1900.

COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME

Codling moth Carpocapsa pomonella (L.) (Vancouver Island)

(Interior)

Greenhouse whitefly Ttialeutodes vaporariorum (Westw.)

Apple mealybug Phenacoccus aceris (Sign.)

Pea weevil .Bruchus pisorum (L.)

European earwig Forficuta auricularia L

Satin moth Stilpnotia salicis (L.) _

Lecanium scale Lecanium cotyli (L.) ._

Larch sawfly Pristiphora erichsonii (Htg.)

Cabbage seedpod weeviL— Ceuforhynchus assimilis (Payk.)

Pea moth Laspeyresia nigticana (Steph.)

Carrot rust fly Psila rosae (F.) ... _

Soft scale Coccus hesperidum (L.)

Lodgepole needle miner— .Recurvaria milled (Busck)

DATE

FIRST

RECORDED

1900

_ 1905

_____ 1907

_____ 1913

_____ 1915

_____ 1916

_____ 1920

_____ 1923

_____ 1930

_____ 1931

_____ 1933

_____ 1936

_____ 193 8

_____ 1942

The first introduction of natural
enemies of insects into British Columbia
occurred in 1917, when the predacious
mite Hemisarcoptes malus (Shimer) was
obtained in New Brunswick and released
on Vancouver Island, on the lower
mainland, and in the Okanagan Valley
against the oystershell scale.

A few additional parasite species
were introduced before 1929, but prior
to that time there were no suitable facil-
ities in Canada to provide pure parasite
cultures for release. After the establish-
ment of the Dominion Parasite Labora-
tory at Belleville, Ontario, in 1939, a
modern laboratory with quarantine
facilities was constructed, and under the
direction of A. B. Baird, Officer-in-
Charge, Biological Control Investiga-
tions, the importation, propagation, and
distribution of parasites proceeded rapid-
ly. The distribution and successful
establishment of many of the species
that have been introduced into British
Columbia would not have been possible,
however, without the active co-opera-
tion of the local entomologists. The
method by which a parasite of the Euro-
pean earwig, i.e., Bigonichaeta setipermis
(Fall.) , was established provides a good
example of this co-operation. Colonies
of this parasite obtained from England
through the Belleville laboratory and

released at New Westminster between
1920 and 1931 did not give evidence
of becoming established. Arrangements
were made by A. B. Baird in 1933 to
procure breeding stock from the city of
Portland, Oregon, where propagation
and distribution of the parasite was
then in progress. A breeding station
was set up at the Dominion Entomo-
logical Laboratory at Victoria, and R.
W. Smith of the Belleville laboratory
assisted W. Downes in the development
of suitable facilities and the establish-
ment of propagation routine. The work
was continued for several years by W.
Downes and H. Andison, and more
than a quarter of a million parasites were
released during the period 1934 to 1939
with the result that the species became
established over a wide area.

Reports concerning the establishment
of many of the introduced parasites have
been published by a number of ento-
mologists including Venables (1923,
1931), Glendenning (1931), Downes
and Andison (1941.), Hopping, Leech,
and Morgan ( 1 943) , Wishart (1947),
Spencer (1947), and Baird and Mc-
Leod (1949).

An alphabetical list of all species of
parasites and predators introduced and
the pest species against which they have
been released is given in Table II.

TABLE II

Species of parasites and predators introduced into British Columbia during the period 1917 to 1949.

ENTOMOLOGICAL SOC. OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, PROC. (1950), VOL. 47, JULY 15, 1951

29

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34

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36

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1950), Vol. 47, July 15, 1951

In addition to the importation of
beneficial insects into British Columbia,
the Biological Control Investigations
Unit has obtained 21 parasite species in
the Province for distribution against 8
pest species in other provinces. Many
of the parasites obtained in British

Columbia for distribution elsewhere in
Canada were native species, but 5 of
them were imported species that had
become established and were sufficiently
numerous to warrant collection for re-
distribution. The 5 species are listed
in Table III.

TABLE III

Parasites imported into British Columbia and redistributed to other provinces of Canada.

Number

First Date

Year of

of

of

Parasite

Release

Release

Size of

Redistri-

in B.C.

Points

Colonies

bution

Province

Apanteles solitarius (Ratz.)

1933

1

737

1940

Nfld.

Meteorus versicolor (Wesm.)

1934

1

520

1942

Nfld.

Mesoleius aulicus (Grav.)

1934-36

1941-42

1 1

49-1861

1944

Nfld., Ont., Man., Sask.

Ascogaster quadridentata Wesm.__

1937-39

5

34-4377

1945

P.E.I., N.S., N.B., Que., Ont.

Glypta haesitator (Grav.)

1938-39

3

734-809

1945

P.E.I., N.S., Que.

There has been a considerable amount
of theorizing by those who are inter-
ested in biological control problems re-
garding the optimum size of parasite
colonies necessary to ensure establish-
ment and the length of time required
to build up an effective parasite popula-
tion. Table III indicates that for some
species at least, the release of small
colonies under favourable conditions
may result in the establishment and
reasonablly rapid increase of parasites.
It is significant that only one colony of
Apanteles solitarius and of Meteorus
versicolor was released in British Colum-
bia, and from the single colony of 737
specimens of Apanteles solitarius and
520 specimens of Meteorus versicolor
the former had increased sufficiently in
7 years and the latter in 8 years to war-
rant collection for redistribution in

other provinces of Canada. This indi-
cates that the original colonies were
effective species well suited to climatic
conditions in the new environment, and
that they were properly handled prior
to and during their release in the field.
Probably the most important factor was
that there was an abundant host supply
and their release was timed to syn-
chronize with the right stage of devel-
opment of the host for parasitism.

Further evidence of the establishment
of a small colony of parasites was ob-
tained in 1949. A survey of the holly
leaf miner in Vancouver and the sur-
rounding districts revealed that the
parasite Opius ilicis Nixon was present
at 1 3 collection points. This parasite
was originally released in the area in
1939 and the single colony consisted of
only 4 males and 6 females.

LITERATURE CITED

Baird, A. B. and J. H. McLeod, 1949. Biological control of insect pests in British Columbia.
Proc. 7th Pacific Sci. Congr. In press.

Downes, W. and H. Andison, 1941. The establishment in British Columbia of parasites of the
holly leaf miner, Phytomyza ilicis Curtis. J. Econ. Ent. 33 (6) : 948.

Glendenning, R., 1931. The progress of parasite introduction in British Columbia. Proc. Ent.
Soc. B. C. 28: 29-32.

Hopping, G. R., H. B. Leech and C. V. G. Morgan, 1943. The larch sawfly, Pristiphora etich-
sonii (Hartig) , in British Columbia with special reference to the cocoon parasites Mesoleius
tenthredinis Morley and Tritneptis klugii (Ratzeburg) . Sci. Agr. 24(2): 53-63.

Spencer, G. J., 1947. The 1945 status of Digonochaeta setipennis, Tachinid parasite of the
European earwig, ForRcula auricularia Linn., in West Point Grey, Vancouver, B. C. Proc.
Ent. Soc., B.C. 43: 8-9.

Venables, E. P., 1923. The relation of the predatory mite, Hemisarcoptes malus Shimer, to the
oyster-shell scale in British Columbia. Proc. Ent. Soc. B. C., 17 S3 19: 164-167.

1931. Aphelinus mali Hald., a parasite of the woolly aphis. Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C. 28:
16-18.

Wishart, Geo., 1947. Important reduction of three introduced pests in British Columbia by in-
troduced parasites. 77th Ann. Rept. Ent. Soc. Ontario, 1946, pp. 35-37.

ENTOMOLOGICAL SOC. OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, PROG. (1950) , VOL. 47, JULY 15, 1951

37

GOLEOPTERISTS AND COLEOPTERA COLLECTIONS IN THE PACIFIC

NORTHWEST

Melville H. Hatch

University of Washington, Seattle, Wn.

(Read before the Entomological Society of British Columbia, March 18, 1950)

Last May I finished the first draft of
the text of Part I, the first 650 species,
of my C©l@©pter® ©f the Pacific North-
west. The manuscript was based pri-
marily on a study of my own collection
together with some correspondence with
Mr. Gordon Stace Smith of Creston,
B. C., Mr. Kenneth M. Fender of Mc-
Minnville, Ore., and Mr. Merton C.
Lane of Walla Walla, Wash. My next
job was to check my account against as
much additional Northwestern material
as possible, to accomplish which I pro-
posed to visit the various Northwestern
collections, check off the readily verified
Northwestern species, and borrow for
identification the unnamed or doubt-
fully named species. My paper today
is a brief account of my travels in the
furtherance of this objective, and is
offered in the hope that it may throw
some light on the status of one aspect of
Northwestern entomology in the year
1949.

My first trip was into northwestern
Oregon, and my first visit was to Ore-
gon State College in Corvallis, June 16
and 17. The beetle collection is housed
in trays in about 150 glass topped
drawers. It is in charge of Dr. W. J.
Chamberlin, who has taught forest
entomology at the College since 1916
and is the author of several important
entomological books, the most recent
being a text on Insects Affecting Forest
Products and Other Mote rials. He has
specialized on Buprestidae and Scolyti-
dae, his Buprestidae having recently
been sold to the California Academy of
Sciences. Oregon specimens in the Col-
lege’s collection are only moderately
numerous, and I came to feel that my
own collection of Oregon beetles is vir-
tually as representative as theirs. The
individual specimens are, however,
curated with great care, each specimen
bearing a determination label together
with the name of the determiner. Else-
where in the Northwest I found this
procedure employed only at the Univer-

sity of Idaho and by Stace Smith.

In Corvallis I stayed with Frank
Beer, who took a Master’s degree under
my direction in 1939, and, after teach-
ing high school for a number of years at
Grants Pass and Salem, has been in-
structing in general science at the Oregon
State College. Beer has a small but
beautiful collection, primarily of Bu-
prestidae, but likewise of Scarabaeidae
(including rare Oregon Pleocoma ma-
terial), Elateridae, and Cicindalidae.
Beer took me on a delightful collecting
trip the second afternoon to Mary’s
Peak, 4097 feet high, about 15 miles
west of Corvallis.

June 18 and 19 1 spent with Kenneth
Fender in McMinnville, Oregon. Fender
is a rural mail carrier, and both he and
his wife, Dorothy, are enthusiastic
naturalists and the authors of numerous
papers. Their interesting home on the
southern outskirts of town, by the side
of an inviting creek, is overrunning
with zoological material. Dorothy
specializes on earthworms. Both she
and Kenneth specialize on the Lycidae-
Lampyridae - Cantharidae group of
beetles, and I hope they will do the
portion of these families in my book.
Kenneth likewise has a general collection
of Oregon beetles — probably the best in
existence — arranged in trays in 20 or
30 large insect boxes. Sunday we had
excellent collecting in the Yamhill River
bottom near Dayton.

My second trip was east of the Cas-
cade Mountains. On July 24 I drove
to Walla Walla where I stayed with
M. C. Lane, who has been in charge of
wireworm investigations in eastern
Washington for the United States
Bureau of Entomology and Plant Quar-
antine for 30 years. Lane became in-
terested in beetles through Dr. E. C.
Van Dyke, and is one of the most
energetic, persistent, and expert beetle
collectors known to me. His general
beetle collection (mostly of Northwest-
ern material) numbers over 100 insect

38

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1950), Vol. 47, July 15, 1951

boxes, about three-fourths Adephaga,
and his Elateridae, in which he has spe-
cialized, are arranged in trays in about
30 drawers and about 25 insect boxes,
including many undescribed species.
Lane is today one of the foremost
authorities on both the taxonomy and
biology of the Elateridae, and I hope
that he will do the Elateridae in my
book. Two of Mr. Lane’s associates,
Elorace P. Lanchester and Edward W.
Jones, have beetle collections, Lanches-
ter likewise specializing on the Elater-
idae.

In College Place I visited Walla
Walla College. This is a Seventh Day
Adventist school. Their zoologist, Dr.
Ernest Booth, is beginning an insect
collection, having 17 drawers and 25 or
30 boxes of beetles. I did not meet
Dr. Chalmer Chastian of Dr. Booth’s
staff, but last November I studied a
collection of Blue Mountain Scolytidae
made by him; but I did meet Gayle H.
Nelson, one of Dr. Booth’s graduate
students, who had about 50 boxes of
beetles, and is greatly interested in them.
Nelson is located this year at Washing-
ton Missionary College, Takoma Park,
Maryland; but he hopes to return to
the Northwest. All in all, the Seventh
day Adventists are doing right well by
the study of beetles!

July 26 Lane drove Lanchester and
me to Wallowa Lake in northeastern
Oregon. There we met James H. Baker,
a grocer of Baker, Ore. Mr. Baker has
a very fine collection of Northwestern
Geometridae, but under Lane’s influence,
he has been collecting Elateridae and
Carabidae. I am urging him to begin
accumulating beetles in general against
the day when I shall want to borrow
them for my CoSeopfrero of the Pacific
Northwest. Baker is another very ener-
getic fellow, and at Wallowa Lake he
and Lane soon disappeared up the trail,
leaving Lanchester and me far far be-
hind! The day was only middling, but
we got our share of beetles.

At Pullman, Wash., July 27-28, I
stayed with Dr. Maurice T. James, the
dipterist, who is in charge of the insect
collection at the State College of Wash-
ington. The beetles are in trays in
about 170 drawers plus 60 or 75 boxes

of unnamed specimens. They represent
the accumulation of many years and
successive curators; C. V. Piper, A. L.
Melander, J. F. G. Clark, R. D. Shene-
felt, R. L. Webster, — but none of these
men have been coleopterists. Since my
coming to the state in 1927, I have
always found the State College most co-
operative and have felt free to use the
collection just as though it were my
own.

In the afternoon James and I drove
to the University of Idaho at Moscow,
eight miles away. The beetle collection
there is arranged in trays in about 60
not too densely filled drawers and some
25 boxes of unnamed specimens and is
in charge of Prof. H. C. Manis. Like-
wise in the Department of Entomology
I met A. S. Waltz and Wm. F. Barr,
both of whom lent me material (about
an insect box each) from their private
collections. Barr is especially interested
in Buprestidae, and is this year on leave
working on his doctorate at the Univer-
sity of California.

In the evening, James took me to
call on N. M. Downie. Downie is doing
personnel work in the Department of
Education at the State College of Wash-
ington, but he is coleopterist on the side!
His collection numbers about 16 very
crowded drawers and a dozen boxes. It
includes an extensive series of species
that he collected in Turkey, but he is
giving most of this material to me and
to the State College, and is concentrating
on Nearctic specimens.

June 28 I drove north, arriving after
dark at the home of Gordon Stace
Smith, a mile or so north of Creston,
B. C. I had visited Stace Smith first the
previous September, and was looking
forward to working with him again in
his spacious living room with its win-
dows looking westward over the broad
expanse of the Kootenay Valley with
the Nelson Range of mountains beyond.
It made one itch to go collecting, but I
reflected that the coleopterological ex-
ploration of this corner of the North-
west is in most competent hands.

Mr. Stace Smith is a retired mining
foreman and had formed two beetle
collections; nearly a hundred boxes of
beetles from British Columbia, where he

ENTOMOLOGICAL SOC. OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, PROC. (1950), VOL. 47, JULY 15, 1951

39

has lived most of his life, and about 45
boxes of beetles from Quebec, collected
during a five years sojourn in that
province. The latter collection, however,
he was selling to the California Acad-
emy of Sciences to give him increased
facilities for the British Columbia series.
Stace Smith’s collection of British
Columbia beetles is probably the best
extant collection from the province.

We got to work on the beetles almost
as soon as I arrived, and by the next
afternoon had finished checking the por-
tion of his collection on Adephaga. The
next morning I was once more under
wiay. The afternoon I spent with Loyal
Weitz in his home on the south side of
Spokane. Mr. Weitz is in charge of
the Underwood Typewriter Agency in
Spokane. His avocational interest in
biology has crystallized on the beetles,
of which he is forming a collection,
especially encouraged by Mr. M. C.
Lane. Mr. Weitz is the sort of person
who would be particularly helped by a
general handbook of the beetles of the
region.

That same evening I had dinner with
Prof, and Mrs. Robert W. Rogers of the
Eastern Washington College of Educa-
tion in Cheney. Rogers had taken a
Master’s degree under my supervision in
1947, and, while not himself forming
a beetle collection, has been most help-
ful in supplying me with specimens
from the vicinity of Cheney and north
Idaho. The next morning I drove to
Seattle after a most enjoyable and
profitable week.

No survey of Northwestern beetle
collections could be complete without a
visit to the California Academy of Sci-
ences in San Francisco. Consequently,
on Aug. 14, Estelle (Mrs. Hatch) and
I left for the south. The second night
out, at Medford, Oregon, we called on
Mr. Fred Lawrence, for whom I had
named some beetles back in the thirties.
Lawrence is a sign painter by trade, an
artist and a collector of butterflies and
beetles by avocation. He has 20 or 25
drawers of beetles, mostly from Med-
ford, in nicely constructed little wt>oden
trays. Due to lack of contact with
others of similar interest and the absence
of usable literature from which he might
have made his own identifications, he

has lost most of his former interest in
his collection. A proper reference book
on our beetle fauna might well have
turned him into a contributor to our
science.

After an hour or so with Mr. Law-
rence, we tailed on Mr. L. G. Gentner.
Gentner is entomologist at the Southern
Oregon Experiment Station at nearby
Talent. At home he is a specialist on
flea beetles, having 50 or 75 boxes of
specimens, including nearly all known
North American species, many of them
undescribed. I have hopes that Mr.
Gentner will be willing to w^rite the
portion on Alticinae in my CoBeopfrera
of the Pacific Northwest.

At the University of California at
Davis we called the next afternoon on
Mr. A. T. McClay. McClay is a pre-
parator in the Department of Entomol-
ogy and an inveterate beetle collector,
having a couple of hundred boxes of
mounted and much unmounted mate-
rial. While an insecticide salesman some
years back, he collected extensively
around Medford, Ore., and I have this
winter had the privilege of studying a
box or so of his Oregon Carabidae.

The next morning (Aug. 17) we
arrived at the California Academy of
Sciences, and were given a most cordial
welcome by Dr. Edward S. Ross, cura-
tor of insects, Mr. Hugh B. Leech, who
has charge of Coleoptera, and Dr. Edwin
C. Van Dyke. At the Academy of
Sciences is one of the world's great
beetle collections. It contains about a
million and a half specimens in about
1500 drawers and 500 to 1000 boxes.
Its basis is the collection of Dr. Van
Dyke, who gave his collection to the
Academy in 1924, with the understand-
ing that he would have full use of it
during his life. And still, at the age of
81, Dr. Van Dyke was coming to the
Academy every day to work on his col-
lection. Van Dyke’s example induced
Dr. F. E. Blaisdell (1862-1946) and
others to take similar action.

The Northwestern material in the
Academy derives largely from the col-
lections of Dr. Van Dyke and Ralph
Hopping, and from Hugh Leech’s hy-
drocoleoptera. Van Dyke came first to
the Northwest with the Sierra Club in
1905, when they camped at Paradise

40

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1950) , Vol. 47, July 15, 1951

Park on Mt. Rainier before there was
anything but a trail into the area; and
every few years since, he has made addi-
tional excursions into the region, his
collecting being confined for the most
part to south of the international border.

Ralph Hopping ( 1 868- 1 94 1 ), a for-
mer member of this Society, from 1919
to 1939 was entomologist in charge of
the Dominion Forest Insect Laboratory
at Vernon, B. C. He assembled an ex-
tensive collection of Coleoptera, much
of it from British Columbia, that came
to number about 10,000 species and
97,000 specimens. With the exception
of a portion belonging to the Vernon
laboratory, it was purchased by the
California Academy in 1948, and is
gradually being absorbed in the general
collection of the Academy.

Hugh Leech will be remembered by
many here as the energetic and efficient
secretary and editor of our Society.
Since 1947 he has been happily em-
ployed as associate curator of insects at
the Academy. He lives at rural Mill
Valley, about 12 miles north of the
Academy across the Golden Gate Bridge.
His collection of about 130 boxes of
water beetles, rich in British Columbia
material, has been transferred to the
Academy.

After returning from California,
there remained only a trip into south-
western British Columbia to complete
my survey of Northwestern beetle col-
lections. Taking advantage of our
Thanksgiving holiday, Estelle, our
daughter, and I took the night ferry for
Victoria. Nov. 24 I spent with Mr. G.
A. Hardy at the Provincial Museum.
Mr. Hardy has a collection of 50 or
more double boxes of beetles, and has

specialized, as we all know, on Ceram-
bycidae, Buprestidae, and Elateridae.
The museum has several collections that
have been given to it, but so far these
remain in their original boxes and have
not been organized into a single whole.

The next day we drove north along
Vancouver Island nearly to Wellington
where we had lunch with Mr. Richard
Guppy, Mrs. Guppy, and her sister.
Mr. Guppy is another member of this
Society. He has a chicken ranch, and
has a collection of Vancouver Island
Coleoptera and Lepidoptera. His bee-
tles fill about a dozen boxes and drawers
and is quite complete, considering the
restricted area of his specialization. Mr.
Guppy sells Vancouver Island insects to
interested parties.

That evening we ferried over from
Nanaimo to Vancouver, where we were
entertained by Prof, and Mrs. G. J.
Spencer. Prof. Spencer is in charge of
the insect collections at the University
of British Columbia. The beetles were
arranged in 25 or 30 drawers some
years ago by Mr. George R. Hopping,
son of Ralph. Prof. Spencer introduced
us to W. Lazorko, M.D., a refugee from
Lemberg, Galicia, who had been in
Canada about 18 months, in Vancouver
about 1 1 months. He has a collection
of some 300,000 beetles, 50,000 of
them mounted, and 5000 or 6000
specimens from Vancouver. He is spe-
cially interested in the Carabidae and
may well be heard from scientifically
when he becomes settled in the New
World.

This concludes my account. I do not
assert to have mentioned all the Coleop-
terists in the Pacific Northwest, but only
those I encountered in 1949.

UPON THE MATING HABITS OF THERMOBSA DOMESTICA PACK

(Thyscsnsjrcs; Lepismidae)*

G. J. Spencer

University of British Col

In the course of a study of the bio-
nomics of Thermobia domestica Pack,
the firebrat, it was frequently noted that
females follow males for long periods of
time. Under the impression that this

* Contribution No. 294, Department of Entomology,
University of Illinois, being a revised portion of a
Master’s Thesis presented to the Department.

mbia, Vancouver, B. C.

chase was some part of mating reactions,
the performance was watched until it
reached a climax. The process or “love-
dance” may last one and one-half to two
hours and is somewhat as follows:

ENTOMOLOGICAL SOC. OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, PROC. (1950) , VOL. 47, JULY 15, 1951

41

The larger female follows the smaller
male which seems very restless, moving
from place to place after a few minutes
in each position. As soon as the male
comes to rest, it turns and faces the fe-
male and both touch their antennae at
close quarters with many rapid move-
ments and then stay quiet. The male
then turns again and moves away, fol-
lowed by the female and the process is
repeated over and over again for long
periods. In its wanderings around the
cage amongst many other firebrats, the
male may get separated from the female
by a space of several inches and the angle
or corner of the cage. The female then
runs around in all directions and seems
to pick up the trail of the male very
much after the fashion of a bloodhound.

Now at the tips of the caudal sterna,
the coxites of Walker or coxopodites of
Snodgrass which flank the base of the
male pseudocercus, are short unbranched
setae in connection with relatively enor-
mous, simple glands occurring in two
series. There are six glands on each side
dorsally and three on each side ven-
trally; the glands from the tip to the
base of the seta above it, average 0.134
mm. long by 0.016 to 0.02 mm. broad.
It is possible that either these glands or
the eversible vesicles which occur on the
coxopodites mesad of the styli, function
at mating time as scent glands and pro-
vide the scent which the female follows
when in pursuit of a male.

This love dance has been watched
several times for an hour at a time but
no climax took place. On five occasions,
however, its completion was observed.
The climax occurs when the movements
of the male become more rapid and he
does not run away from the female but
turns around in a circle on a short axis,
pausing every few seconds to touch an-
tennae with those of the female while
the latter now remains perfectly quiet,
crouched low on the floor with antennae
lying straight ahead of her. Each time
the male turns around away from the
female, he raises the tip of the abdomen
in the air and waves it about. Finally
on the under side of the tip of the
abdomen there suddenly appears a semi-
transparent pyriform spermatophore
about one millimeter in length with the

broader end discharged first and point-
ing caudad. In no more than three
seconds from the moment of its appear-
ance, the spermatophore is deposited on
the floor just about three quarters of an
inch directly in front of the female. The
male then turns immediately, touches
the female's head wiith his antennae
which move at great speed in short,
rapid jerks and turning abruptly aside,
he moves away. Body raised up on the
legs, the female then moves straight
forward, passes over the spermatophore
and presses the base of the ovipositor on
it. Two very small drops of liquid are
present at the base of the ovipositor and
the spermatophore adheres to the abdo-
men of the female. She adjusts it by
one or two slight touches of her mouth
parts and as nearly as could be seen,
makes a rent in it with the tips of the
maxillae; a small quantity of liquid
extrudes without, however, changing
the shape of the object.

The contents of the spermatophore
are absorbed by the female over a period
of several hours. On three occasions
when the absorption was noted it took
one and one-half hours, four and one-
half hours and overnight respectively.
The walls of the spermatophore then
drop off and are likely to be eaten by
the female if not taken away from her.
Microscopic examination of the empty
receptacle showed no spermatozoa, only
a thin chitinous case and some gelatinous
material.

If there is any doubt as to this being
an externally deposited spermatophore,
the matter could readily be solved by
removing it immediately after deposi-
tion and examining the contents mi-
croscopically for active spermatozoa.
Since the whole procedure was observed
only five times and it was necessary to
determine the pre-oviposition period,
this examination was not made.

The pre-oviposition period as ob-
served in two instances, is from one and
one-half to four and one-half days; the
female that absorbed the contents of
the spermatophore in the latter period
laid eggs thirty-six hours afterwards.

Apart from the observations and
findings reported above, it would be
difficult for these firebrats to copulate in

42

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1950) , Vol. 47, July 15, 1951

the normal manner of insects, in view of
the extreme shortness of the male aedea-
gus which is relatively a minute, latent,
oval tube; the entire absence of second-
ary copulator mechanisms or “grappling

hooks, ” and the long, closely-knit bases
of the dorsal and ventral valvulae of the
female ovipositor, between which it
would seem impossible for such a short
aedeagus to penetrate.

A COMPARISON OF POTATO TUBER DAMAGE BY TWO FLEA BEETLES,
EPITRIX TUBERIS GENT. AND EPITRIX SUBCRINITA (LEC.)
(COLEOPTERA: CHRYSOMELIDAE)

H. R. MacCarthy

Dominion Entomological Laboratory, Kamloops, B. C.

In the course of a recent investigation
into control of flea beetles on potato, at
Kamloops, B. C., the question arose as
to whether the western potato flea beetle,
Epitrix subcrinita (Lee.), caused the
same type of damage to potato tubers as
its close and more numerous relative, the
tuber flea beetle, E. tuberis Gent. A
small experiment was set up at the
Dominion Laboratory of Plant Path-
ology, University of British Columbia,
to make a comparative study of the
damage caused by the two species.

Collections of the two species by C.
L. Neilson and D. G. Finlayson, Do-
minion Field Crop Insect Laboratory,
Kamloops, B. C., from potato fields
near Kamloops were sent to Vancouver.
A group of 1 2 individuals of each species
was placed on a potato plant in each of
three cages. The external sexual char-
acteristics being difficult to see in living
specimens, the ratio of males to females
w^as not known. Each group was a
random sample.

The cages were developed from a
type in use at the University of Califor-
nia. They were cylindrical, 30 inches
high, the ends being 15 inches in diam-
eter and made of 5 -ply wood, with a
5^4 -inch hole in each. The ends were
joined by four uprights and between
two of these was a 9-inch pane of glass.
The remaining three side panels were
covered with organdy. The potted,
caged plant grew up through the hole in
the bottom. Cotton batting made an
insect-tight filler at the rim where the
cage rested on the pot. The host plants
were White Rose potatoes from a single
parent plant, growing in 10-inch pots.

At the start of the experiment they were
about 2 feet high. The soil moisture
was maintained from water poured into
saucers in which the pots were set. The
cages were kept in a greenhouse and in-
spected daily. The beetles were intro-
duced into the cages on July 29, and
taken out on October 6. Emergence of
second-generation adults started during
the last week in September but was not
complete by October 6.

When the soil was washed from the
root systems, it was found that both
species severely damaged the root, rhi-
zome, and tuber. Tunnels up to four
per inch were found in the rhizomes. In
one cage containing a heavy population
of E. tuberis some of the rhizomes were
completely cut off. In all the cages many
of the fibrous roots appeared to be cut
and shortened. A thin peeling was taken
off the tuber before damage marks were
counted and for each species 50 tunnels
in the tubers were chosen at random and
measured at a depth of approximately
1 mm. The average length of tunnel in
each instance was 2.5 mm. The range
was from 1.0 mm. to 5.0 mm., with 40
per cent 2.0 mm. long and the frequency
distributions were almost exactly the
same for the two species. There were
few surface tracks.

Under the conditions of the experi-
ment, Epitrix suberinita produced a sub-
stantial amount of tuber injury, prac-
tically identical in nature with that pro-
duced by E. tuberis. Both species also
damaged roots and rhizomes severely. It
does not follow, however, that the same
results would be secured in experiments
conducted in the field, or in field cages.

Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1950), Vol. 47, July 15, 1951

43

SCIENCE NOTES

Orthezia occidentalis, an Ensign coccid, in British
Columbia (Homoptera: Ortheziidae) . In the middle of
October, 1945, Mr. Peterski, bus driver of Powell River,
who lives a short distance out of that town, looked out
one morning and saw what looked like a light fall of
snow on two acres only of one of his fields which had
been cleared but not cultivated. A light wind was
blowing but the morning was not cold so Mr. Peterski
went out to investigate. He found that the white
covering consisted of moving particles, so he took some
in to Dr. Boxall of Powell River Clinic. Being very
interested in natural history, Dr. Boxall went out to the
field and found that the alleged snow consisted of small,
fiat insects shaped like bedbugs which were covered all
over with tiny, overlapping particles of white wax. By
the time he got to the field, the insects had all dis-
appeared under grass and moss and could be found only
at ground level. He collected a number and sent them
to me. I identified them tentatively as Orthezia occi-
dentalis Douglas and forwarded them to the National
Collection at Ottawa wrhere a specialist confirmed my
identification, adding that there is one record of it from
Kaslo and one from Victoria, made by Mr. Downes.
Professor “Essig in College Entomology” reports it from
Alaska where it feeds on the roots of plants.

This snow-white species must have fed on the roots
of grasses or plants at Powell River where it apparently

developed unseen until it increased enormously and
crowded to the tops of low vegetation in such numbers
as to whiten the field.

The Orthezia scales are almost entirely tropical
species of which one, Orthezia insignis Douglas, has
become a greenhouse pest which is widely distributed
by commerce. So far, I have taken only one other
native species, as yet unidentified, of which I collected
an isolated colony on sagebrush at MacGillivray’s, half-
way between Lytton and Lillooet, in July, 1931. — G. J.
Spencer, Department of Zoology, University of British
Columbia.

Further note on Orthezia occidentalis— By a curious
coincidence the specimens recorded from Kaslo* B. C.,
were in the possession of the Editor when the above
note by Professor Spencer was received. They were
included in a small collection of Hemiptera made by
the late A. W. Hanham, now the property of the Pro-
vincial Museum. There were also some specimens with
a date, but no locality label, which were probably taken
at Duncan. Orthezia occidentalis is a much commoner
insect than is generally supposed but owing to its habit
of living down among the crowns or clumps of grass it
is seldom seen if not searched for. It is common in
Victoria and probably occurs at many points on the
east coast of Vancouver Island and the adjacent main-
land.— W. Downes, Victoria, B. C.

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Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. (1950) , Vol. 47, July 15, 1951

The Proceedings of the Entomological Society of British Colum-
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Entomological Soc. of British Columbia, Proc. ( 1950) , Vol. 47, July 15, 1951

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Volume 48

Issued August 15th, 1952

CONTENTS

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products write: Pennsylvania Salt
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Wash., Portland, Ore., Berkeley and
Los Angeles, Calif., Wenatchee, Wash.,
Yakima, Wash.

i ® 1

PENNSALT

CHEMICALS

(or Industry ♦ Agriculture ♦ Health • Home

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

1

Alfalfa Weevil • Armyworm • Army Cutworm • Ash-Gray
Blister Beetle • Asparagus Caterpillar • Aster Leaf Miner
Banded Cucumber Beetle • Black Blister Beetle • Black
Cutworm • Boll Weevil • Bollworm • Caragana Blister
Beetle • Carolina Grasshopper • Cattle Biting Louse
Cattle Tick • Chiggers • Chinch Bug • Clear-Winged
Grasshopper • Clover Seed Chalcid « Corn Lantern Fly
Cotton Aphid • Cotton Fleahopper • Cotton Leafworm
Crickets • Differential Grasshopper • Ear Tick • Fall Army-
worm • Flea Beetles • Garden Webworm • Granulate Cutworm
Gray Blister Beetle • Green Cutworm • Gulf Coast Tick • Hairy
Chinch Bug • Hog Louse • Horn Fly • Leafhoppers • Lesser Migratory Grasshopper
Lined Spittlebug • Little Fire Ant • Lone Star Tick • Long-Nosed Cattle Louse • Lygus
Meadow Spittlebug • Millipedes • Mormon Cricket • Nuttall Blister Beetle • Okra
Caterpillar • Onion Thrips • Packard Grasshopper • Peanut (Potato) Leafhopper
Pear Psylla • Pear Thrips • Pecan Weevil • Pod Weevil • Rapid Plant Bug • Red Goat
Louse • Red-Legged Grasshopper • Salt-Marsh Caterpillar • Serpentine Leaf Miner
Sheep Tick • Short-Nosed Cattle Louse • Southern Armyworm • Southern Corn
Rootworm • Southern Green Stink Bug • Spittlebug • Strawberry Crown Borer
Strawberry Leaf Roller • Strawberry Weevil • Striped Blister Beetle • Sugar Beet
Webworm • Superb Plant Bug • Sweet Clover Weevil • Tarnished Plant Bug • Thrips
Tomato Fruitworm • Tomato Hornworm • Tomato Pinworm • Two-Striped Grasshopper
Variegated Cutworm • Velvetbean Caterpillar • Western Cotton Plant Bug • White-Lined
Sphinx • Winter Tick • Yellow Goat Louse • Yellow-Striped Armyworm

For specific information on toxaphene ( chlorinated camphene 67-69% Cl)
write to the manufacturer:

HERCULES POWDER COMPANY 949 King Street, Wilmington 99 , Del.

NX52-I3

2 Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

Schistocerca gregaria, Forsk?
or Camnula pellucida, Scudd?

Whether the problem is the Desert Locust (Schistocerca gregaria, Forsk)
in Persia, or the Clear winged-Grasshopper (Camnula pellucida, Scudd)
in Canada — aldrin is the answer.

aldrin in Persia aldrin in Canada

Swarms of the Desert Locust invaded Persia
from the East and laid eggs over a total area
approaching one million acres. Planes spray-
ing aldrin over the egg fields achieved almost
100% control of 4th and 5th stage hoppers,
and of young red adults infesting mature wheat,
scrub and date palms.

Maximum kill in wheat and scrub was effected
within 72 hours of application, and, in date
palms, within 120 hours, aldrin was applied
at the rate of 2.8 02. and of 3.5 oz. actual aldrin
inoneU.S. gallon of gas, oil or kerosene per acre.

Grasshoppers, wireworms or plum curculio die
swiftly at the hands of aldrin. Only exceptionally
small doses are necessary; an ounce of aldrin
will control grasshoppers in half an acre of
crops; similarly a small amount will protect an
apple tree against ravaging plum curculio.

aldrin can be applied to cropland by spraying
or dusting, or it can be used in baits. Quick and
effective coverage of large or small areas for
soil pest control is secured by mixing aldrin
with fertilizer. For further information please
write to: Shell Oil Company of Canada Limited,
Vancouver, Toronto or Montreal.

aldrin

distributed in
Canada by—

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

50th nnuj£ ticiiu cp'VuniLft

PROCEEDINGS

of the

ENTOMOLOGICAL

SOCIETY of

BRITISH COLUMBIA

Volume 48

Issued August 15th, 1952

CONTENTS

Historical Papers - - - pages 9 to 34

Economic and Systematic Papers pages 36 to 100

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

5

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Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

7

DIRECTORS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY
OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
1951 - 1952

Honorary President
W. Downes, Victoria, B.C.

President

H. Olds, Vancouver, B.C.

Vice-President {Coast)

J. McLeod, Vancouver, B.C.

Vice-President {Interior)

J. Marshall, Summerland, B. C.

Hon. Secretary-Treasurer
J. Gregson, Kamloops, B.C.

Hon. Auditor

C. Neilson, Vernon, B.C.

Advisory Board

M. H. Hatch, Seattle, Wash. R. H. Handford, Kamloops, B.C.

G. J. Spencer, Vancouver, B.C.

Editorial Co7mnittee

W. Downes (Chairman) J. Marshall

W. G. Mathers

Librarian

J. Weintraub, Kamloops, B.C.

NEW MEMBERS

Elected at the 50th Annual Meeting, June 14th, 1951.

R. Stace-Smith — Dom. Lab. Plant Pathology, U. B. C., Vancouver, B.C.

W. Lazorko, (Dr.) — Vancouver, B.C.

H. N. Tait — c/o J. S. Tait & Co., 940 Richards Street, Vancouver, B. C.

G. B. Rich — Dom. Entomological Lab., Box 210, Kamloops, B.C.

R. Robertson — Dom. Entomological Lab., Box 210, Kamloops, B.C.

F. L. Banham — Dom. Entomological Lab., Box 210, Kamloops, B.C.

A. R. Forbes — Victoria, B.C.

D. A. Ross, (Dr.) — Dom. Entomological Laboratory, Vernon, B.C.

A. D. H. Henderson — Vancouver, B.C.

N. Bud Wright Dom. Lab. Plant Pathology, U. B. C., Vancouver, B.C.

O. Hitchcock — 1306 N. W. Hoyt Street, Portland 9, Oregon.

M. C. Lane — U. S. Bureau of Entomology, Walla Walla, Wash.

8

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

CONTENTS

a

HISTORICAL

Downes — Fifty Years of Entomology on Vancouver Island - - - - - 9

Glendenning — Reminiscences of Fifty Years of Entomology in the Lower Fraser Valley of

British Columbia - - -------- 16

Venables — Fifty Years of Entomology in the Interior of British Columbia - - - 19

Gregson — The History and Study of External Arthropods affecting Animals and Man

in British Columbia - - - - - - - - - -22

Marshall — Applied Entomology in the Orchards of British Columbia, 1900-1951 - - 25

Handford — The Dominion Field Crop Insect Laboratory and its Work, Vernon, 1918 - 1938

and Kamloops, 1939 - 1950 - - - - - - - - -31

Olds — Fifty Years of Plant Quarantine Legislation and Activities in British Columbia - - 34

SYSTEMATIC AND ECONOMIC

Spencer — The 1951 Status of Our Knowledge of the Insects of British Columbia - - 36

Schmid and Guppy — An Annotated List of Trichoptera collected on Southern Vancouver

Island - - - - - - - - - - - - 41

Ross — A Preliminary List of the Trichoptera of British Columbia - - - - 43

Weintraub — A Preliminary Report on Acaricides tested for Protection against the Tick

Dermacentor under soni Stiles on Cattle - - - - - - -51

Gregson — Further Studies on Tick Paralysis - - - - - - -54

Rich — A Review of Studies of the Systemic Control of Livestock Insect Parasites - - 58

Follwell — Notes on some Ptinidae of British Columbia (Coleoptera) - - - 60

Ross — The Entomological Society of Canada - - - - - - - 63

Lane — List of the Elateridae of British Columbia - - - - - - -65

Banham — The Effect of certain Insecticides on the Germination and Growth of Onions.

i. Insecticides Applied to the Soil -------- 67

Finlayson — ii. Insecticides applied to the Seed ------- 70

Hatch — Observations on the Study of Beetles in British Columbia - - - - 76

McLeod — Notes on the Population and Parasitism of the Larch Sawfly, Pristiphora erichsonii

in British Columbia - - - - - - - - - -81

Waddell — Biology and Control of the Cherry Case Bearer, Coleophora pruniella, in

British Columbia - - - - - - - - - -85

Morgan — Effects of Low Winter Temperatures on some Orchard Mites - - 90

Waddell — A Preliminary Report on the Hemiptera of the Kootenay Valley - - 93

Graham — A Model Problem in Insect Ecology - - - - - - -97

Errata — Volume 47, 1951 ---------- 100

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

9

FIFTY YEARS OF ENTOMOLOGY ON VANCOUVER ISLAND

W. Downes
Victoria, B.C.

It is to be feared that this account
will resolve itself mainly into a history
of the work of the -Victoria Labora-
tory. While the entomological events
of the past thirty-five years can be
related by me from personal observa-
tion, those of the previous fifteen can
be gleaned only from the published
reports of Government departments
and those of the Entomological So-
ciety of British Columbia.

At the beginning of the century the
economic importance of entomology
had not attained the prominence in
British Columbia that it has today,
probably because pests were some-
what fewer and some of the more
destructive ones, such as the codling
moth, had scarcely arrived. There
were no government entomologists in
British Columbia and insect outbreaks
were dealt with as best they could be
by the fruit inspector and district
horticulturists. It is evident, how-
ever, that growers were not without
their troubles for in the report of the
Minister of Agriculture for 1902 there
were recommendations for control
of cutworms, leafhoppers, aphids, red
spider, cabbage butterfly, pear and
cherry slug, June bug, oyster-shell
scale, woolly aphis, tent caterpillars,
peach tree borer, onion maggot and
raspberry root-borer. In the same
year there is reference to a heavy
infestation of the oak looper, Lambdina
jiscellaria tomniaria, in the Uplands and
Lake Hill districts of Vancouver
Island and to an army of caterpillars
of Nymph alls calif ornica in the Grand
Forks district of the mainland, the
only insect outbreaks which are men-
tioned.

The Entomological Society of Brit-
ish Columbia had been founded in 1901
by a few amateur entomologists who
were principally interested in collect-
ing Lepidoptera and Coleoptera and
the early publications of the Society
contain no references to insect out-
breaks. The members were principally

concerned in collecting and cata-
loguing the orders in which they were
interested. Short lists of Lepidoptera,
Coleoptera and Diptera were published
in 1906 to 1908 in the Society’s
“Quarterly Bulletins” and a list of
Lepidoptera of British Columbia was
compiled by E. M. Anderson of the
Provincial Museum, and published by
the Society in 1904. A corrected list
citing 1061 species was published two
year later.

In the early years of the Society
the membership was small. Twenty-
one members were listed in 1906 and
seven years later the number was only
twenty-four. Interest gradually wan-
ed and no meetings appear to have
been held in 1909 and 1910. But in
1911, the late R. C. Treherne was
appointed Entomologist-in-Charge by
the Dominion Government with head-
quarters at Agassiz. Lie immediately
set to work to instil new life into the
somewhat moribund Society and the
result of his efforts was immediately
apparent. Treherne possessed a charm-
ing, magnetic personality and had the
quality of transmitting his enthusiasm
to others. The Society appointed him
Secretary and he immediately com-
menced a drive for members, raising
the membership from 24 to 101 in a
single year. More than that, he suc-
ceeded in obtaining from the Pro-
vincial Government a grant of $250 a
year, on the understanding that papers
on economic entomology were to be
published in the Society’s Proceedings.
It was about this time that the centre
of the Society’s activities settled in
Victoria, and for several years the
annual meetings were held there.
Besides the resuscitation of the En-
tomological Society the arrival of
Reginald Treherne was followed by a
burst of activity in the economic field
of entomology.

During these years insect pests ap-
pear to have been giving agricultur-
ists and horticulturists more trouble

10

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

than formerly. Outbreaks of codling
moth appeared at Royal Oak, the first
of which was said to have been dealt
with by the rather drastic method of
cutting down the affected trees. The
cure does not seem to have been
permanent because, in 1914, we find
that the Department of Agriculture
was engaged in a spraying campaign
against codling moth on the Island.
This was to have been continued in

1915, but in that year an event occur-
red which resulted in the permanent
establishment of an entomological
laboratory on the Island. This was
the discovery of pear thrips at Royal
Oak. The insect was recognized by
Treherne who sent specimens to
Ottawa. Gordon Hewitt, Dominion
Entomologist, immediately ordered a
control campaign to be undertaken
against the pest. A. E. Cameron was
sent from Ottawa to conduct the in-
vestigation and Treherne temporarily
closed the Agassiz Laboratory and
moved to Royal Oak. A field labora-
tory was set up in an old barn in the
Brydon orchard at Royal Oak and life
history studies and spraying experi-
ments were carried out in 1915 and

1916. The result of these was highly
satisfactory, the production of the
orchard rising from a few hundred
boxes at the beginning of the investi-
gation to about 6,000 in 1916. Early
in 1917 Cameron returned to Ottawa,
Treherne returned to Agassiz, and I
was engaged to complete the life his-
tory studies of the pear thrips and re-
port upon any other insect troubles
which developed.

I should mention here that, in addi-
tion to the thrips laboratory, natural
control investigations were being car-
ried out by John D. Tothill at Royal
Oak. Mr. and Mrs. Tothill remained
at Royal Oak for two seasons, during
which Tothill was engaged in the
study of parasites of tent caterpillars.
One of the objects of his visit to Brit-
ish Columbia was to collect puparia
of parasites, especially Blepharipeza, a
tachinid fly, for shipment to eastern
Canada. He conceived the idea of in-
troducing the beetle Calosoma sycophanta
to British Columbia for the purpose of
keeping down tent caterpillars and

oak loopers. One shipment of these
was released in 1917 at Royal Oak by
Tothill and another by myself at Vic-
toria a year later. These releases
constituted, I believe, the first at-
tempts at natural control by intro-
ducing predators in British Columbia.
The experiment, however, was not a
success as the life history of the beetle
did not synchronize with that of either
the tent caterpillar or the oak looper
and the beetles failed to become estab-
lished. About this time also, R.
Glendenning was engaged in conduct-
ing a survey of the currant bud mite
situation on Vancouver Island. As
the result of his investigations an at-
tempt was made to eradicate the mite
and a large number of infested bushes
were rooted out.

It was during these years that the
strawberry root-weevil came into
prominence. During the previous de-
cade the small fruit industry on Van-
couver Island had been developing
rapidly. The price of fruit was high
and the growers, not understanding
the habits of the weevil, conducted the
culture of strawberries under condi-
tions which gave the pest every op-
portunity to increase. Such heavy
infestations occurred that it was not
unusual for newly planted fields to be
wiped out in a single season.

The growers apparently were able
to obtain little help from the Pro-
vincial Government and with the suc-
cess of the pear thrips investigation
in their minds, they petitioned the
Dominion Government to send an
expert from Ottawa to study the prob-
lem of the weevil. Nothing was done
until September 1918 when Gordon
Hewitt visited Vancouver Island and,
together with Treherne and myself,
attended a growers meeting at Keat-
ing. Feeling appeared to run very
high, the growers believing that the
government had let them down, and
among the more ignorant members of
the community there was a feeling of
antipathy to government “experts.”
Treherne, who for some years had
studied the weevil on the Mainland,
addressed the meeting, outlining the
life history and giving the then known

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

ll

methods of control. He had not been
speaking long when a man arose at
the back of the hall and shouted —
“Yes, you tell us that, but we don’t
believe a word of it.” Hewitt jump-
ed to his feet and said, “We are not
here to listen to remarks of that des-
cription and we will withdraw immed-
iately from this investigation unless
you accept what we tell you as the
truth.” The meeting quieted down
and concluded peaceably. It was ar-
ranged that I was to study the straw-
berry root weevil on the Island as the
main project until a method of control
that was satisfactory to the growers
was worked out.

During the succeeding years experi-
mental work against the strawberry
root weevil continued to the exclusion
of almost everything else and a great
deal of co-operation was received
from the growers. Only among a
certain ignorant minority the old
antipathy to government men persist-
ed. This was evidenced during a
meeting which I was addressing at
Gordon Head. After I had described
the life-history of the strawberry
weevil, an old fellow arose and said —
“Tell me, professor, can that weevil
fly?” I said, “No, it cannot fly, it
has no wings.” “Now I know you’re
a liar” the old man shouted trium-
phantly, “because I’ve seen hundreds
of ’em flying all over the place.”

In 1919 it was decided to close the
Royal Oak field laboratory and the
Provincial Department of Agriculture
provided us with an office in the Par-
liament Buildings. This was a cubby
hole in one of the turrets, measuring
about 6 ft. by 8 ft. and when the en-
tomologist’s table, bookcase and chair
were installed there was just about
room for the entomologist to turn
round. However, this was the best
they had to offer, and we occupied
these palatial quarters for eight years,
the only change being to another
cubby hole of equal size in another
turret. In 1920 I was joined by an
assistant, R. Glendenning, and, in addi-
tion to strawberry root weevil con-
trol, studies of other small fruit in-
sects, Hessian fly and the satin moth
were commenced, the latter having

just made its appearance on Vancouver
Island. In 1921 Glendenning was
transferred to Agassiz to take charge
of the entomological laboratory and
for two years no assistant was ap-
pointed for the Victoria laboratory.

During the succeeding five years
the control of the strawberry root
weevil continued to be the principal
project upon which we were engaged
at Victoria and strenuous attempts
were made to solve the problem by
means of weevil-proof barriers. Pre-
herne had already tried this method
without success but his tanglefoot
barriers were poorly constructed and
soon became ineffective. In fact Tre-
herne was pessimistic about the whole
project and writing to me in 1919 he
says — “I have tried all those sugges-
tions of yours, and if there is any-
thing I have not tried, I would like
to know what it is.” However, it
was decided to give the barrier
method another trial and at Gordon
Head, I enclosed ten acres of straws
berries with a well-made wooden bar-
rier with a tanglefoot band. This was
a success in regard to keeping the
weevils out, but the tanglefoot band
required frequent attention or it soon
became ineffective, and, in fact, the
whole contraption was unwieldy and
a nuisance. A more effective barrier
was devised by using heavy lumber
with a wide groove ploughed in the
upper edge ; the groove was filled with
crude oil. This needed little atten-
tion and provided good protection,
but like its predecessor it was clumsy
and was soon discarded. The best
barrier of all was found to be a
wooden barrier with an overlap of
tin. This required no attention and
was applicable to any situation. Until
the invention of the poisoned bait
method, these barriers were widely
used on Vancouver Island, but were
quickly discarded as soon as the more
practical method of control by poison-
ed bait was devised.

When at Royal Oak I had observed
that strawberry root weevils seem-
ed to be attracted by partly decayed
windfall apples, but an attempt to at-
tract them by means of fresh chopped

12

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

apples was a failure. In Seattle, how-
ever, J. Forsell, a Washington County
Agent, hit upon the idea of using
evaporated apples as a bait and this
was immediately successful. The
poison used was magnesium arsenate,
but while this was an effective killer,
it became hygroscopic in the presence
of the apple and the bait became
sticky and unusable. At Victoria we
substituted sodium fluosilicate and
this proved greatly superior, the bait
being not only more attractive but
giving a better kill. The comparative
trials made at Victoria were published
in the Canadian Entomologist.

Forsell had patented his invention
and evidently thought he had the
strawberry growers over a barrel. He
attempted to market his product at
an exorbitant price, but was immed-
iately met by substitute baits in
Washington and elsewhere. At Vic-
toria we devised a superior bait which
did not infringe Forsell’s patent.
Spoiled raisins were used as the
attractant and proved superior to
apple. In those days quantities of
raisins which had been on the grocers’
shelves too long and had become
wormy or candied, could be obtained
for as little as six cents a pound. (The
raisins were gathered up by the raisin
company’s agents and put through
cleaning machines to remove the
worms and then were sold in barrels
to bakers who used them in raisin
bread.) The raisin bait was used ex-
clusively on Vancouver Island but
eventually failed through the uncer-
tainty of the supply of raisins, but it
was used with great success in New
York State against the alfalfa root
weevil in 1926.

Other projects about this time in-
cluded control of the narcissus fly and
the two means of control which we
experimented with at that time, crude
napthalene as a repellent and oil emul-
sion spray are still the most effective
today.

In 1923 Kenneth F. Auden was ap-
pointed assistant at the Victoria la-
boratory. At that time the rose leaf
roller, Cacoecia rosana was giving much
trouble in gardens and orchards and
we were devoting some time to the

study of its life history and control
at a small orchard in the outskirts of
Victoria. This minor project was
given over to Auden for attention. It
seemed to me that my assistant used
to return every day with very slight
information about the habits of the
pest and I wondered why, until I dis-
covered that next door there were
two very pretty girls who took an
unusual interest in the life history of
leaf-rollers and entertained Auden
with tea on the lawn every afternoon.
When the experiment was transferred
to a less attractive location progress
was more satisfactory. However,
Auden had the making of an excellent
entomologist, being a keen observer
and a good collector with a capacity
for surmising accurately where a
species was likely to be found and he
seldom returned from a collecting trip
without valuable material. He left to
go to Northwestern University in
1926 and his death shortly after was
very regrettable.

In 1927 John Stanley was appointed
assistant at the laboratory. We were
then very busy with the European
earwig, experimenting with poisoned
baits, and as the City of Victoria was
conducting baiting campaigns every
year in an endeavour to keep the ear-
wig down, we had to survey the city
for infested areas. Stanley and I were
surveying a district adjacent to Ross
Bay cemetery one evening, the method
being to examine garden fences with
a flashlight, and if a single earwig
was found that block was considered
infested. Rounding a corner I was
suddenly seized by a policeman who
wanted to know what I was doing.
Explanations followed and the police-
man said he had been called to the
district by a woman who said she
had seen two ghosts, all in white,
coming out of the cemetery and one
of them had a bright shining eye in
the middle of his forehead ! That,
however, was not the last of it, for
on the front page of the COLONIST
next morning this appeared in large
headlines — “Ghosts coming out of the
cemetery resolve themselves into the
persons of harmless entomologists.”

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

13

It was quite a while before we heard
the end of that.

John Stanley was an excellent
assistant. He later went to Minne-
sota and afterwards, with Chapman,
to Hawaii. He is now a professor at
McGill. He was followed in 1928 by
Geoffrey Beall. Geoffrey was fond of
studying ants and, as at this time the
Provincial Department of Agriculture
had moved us from the aforesaid
cubby hole to a large room in the
annex behind the Museum, he was able
to have ample room for his pets. He
had been told that ants would not
cross a barrier of lime so a barrier
of slaked lime was built on the floor
and a lively colony of ants thrown into
the middle. The ants spent most of
their time trying to get out and most
of Geoffrey’s time was spent trying to
keep them in. Of course, the inevit-
able happened. In the night the ants
broke down the barrier and wandered
off into adjoining offices. In the morn-
ing there was serious trouble : the
ants were busy climbing up the steno-
graphers’ legs and Geoffrey Beall and
myself were far from popular. This
episode, however, resulted in our be-
ing moved to more commodious prem-
ises. The authorities decided to segre-
gate us and, as an old dwelling was
available at the rear of the Parlia-
ment Buildings, we were given three
rooms on the upper floor. The rooms
were cleaned and renovated and are
still occupied by my successor, Harry
Andison. Geoffrey Beall later went
to the laboratory at Chatham, Ont.
He took his doctorate and was in
charge of the laboratory for several
years. Later he moved to the United
States and is now engaged on com-
mercial work.

It will be necessary to pass over
the next few years rather quickly.
From 1928 to 1933 we were engaged
in studying the control of the cherry
fruit worm, Grapholitha packardi, which
was becoming very destructive among
sour cherries. Also an endeavour was
made to determine if berry blight,
Haplosphaeria deformans, on logans and
raspberries was conveyed by insects.
Both these projects entailed extensive
field work. A good control for cherry

fruit worm was found by spraying
for the eggs with summer oil — nicotine
spray. No conclusive results were ob-
tained in the berry blight experiments.
Other projects included holly leaf
miner, earwigs and Merodon equestris.

From 1934 to 1939 the chief project
at the Laboratory was rearing the ear-
wig parasite, Digonichaeta setipennis.
Chester Smith came from the Belle-
ville parasite laboratory to get the
rearing started on a sound basis and
remained with us for three months.
Harry Andison was appointed assist-
ant at the Laboratory and J. Aldous a
year later.

The rearing and distribution of ear-
wig parasites occupied our attention
over the next few years until the end
of 1939. The first year the output was
30,020; in 1936, 77,157, and in 1938,
120,056. In the same years we receiv-
ed and distributed hymenopterous
parasites of the holly leaf miner, of
which two species have become estab-
lished. In 1936 and 1937 Andison
conducted successful experiments
against Scirtothrips longipennis, a
thrips destructive to begonias in
greenhouses ; experiments were con-
ducted against Merodon equestris and
some work done in connection with
codling moth which again was
troubling the growers on the Saanich
Peninsula. In 1938, and again in 1939,
the cherry fruit fly, Rhagoletis cingulata,
which had appeared a year or two
before, caused serious loss to cherry
growers and spraying experiments
were conducted against it. This was
the first recorded occurrence of this
species on Vancouver Island. An at-
tack of cherry fruit fly is said to have
occurred many years ago just outside
Victoria, in an orchard at Lake Hill
which was owned by the late R. M.
Palmer, but the species in that case
was Rhagoletis fausta.

In 1938 a pest new to North America
appeared at Victoria. This was Sitona
lineatus, a small grey weevil destruc-
tive to peas and beans. Very good
control was obtained by dusting seed-
ling peas with 10 per cent. DDT dust.

About this time, too, we discovered
another pest new to North America.

14

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

This was the apple sawfly, Hoplocampa
testudinea. It attacks the young fruit
when about an inch or so in diameter,
causing it to fall to the ground. Ex-
periments against this pest were con-
ducted in 1940, 1941 and 1942. Excel-
lent control was obtained by spraying
with summer oil emulsion and nico-
tine sulphate just after the petals had
fallen. We obtained far better re-
sults with this spray than have been
obtained in England with nicotine
alcaloid.

The year 1940 marks the commence-
ment of far greater expansion of en-
tomological activity on the Island
than in former years. In this year
the Dominion Division of Entomology
decided to establish a Forest Insect
Laboratory at Victoria and appointed
M. L. Prebble to the position. Preb-
ble remained in Victoria for five years,
establishing the laboratory and organ-
izing the work. He then left for Sault
St. Marie and was succeeded by H.
Richmond who is in charge at the
present time. The work of this labor-
atory extends over the entire Pacific
Coast of British Columbia and the
Queen Charlotte Islands. Much of the
work consists of surveying timber
areas, reporting and scouting insect
outbreaks, advising operators as to
control measures and the study of
life histories of forest insects and po-
tential pests. Millions of seedlings al-
so are raised for reforestation. A staff
of about 20 is maintained with many
more engaged on seasonal work. A
sixty-foot motor vessel is used for
transporting the men and their equip-
ment to and from areas on the coast
where their work is situated. Rich-
mond’s offices are in the Post Office
Building.

In 1946 Kenneth King arrived in
Victoria from Saskatoon to establsh
a laboratory for the study of vegetable
insects. The establishment of such a
laboratory relieves the original Vic-
toria laboratory of a portion of its
load, for although nominally a fruit
insect laboratory, it has had to handle
every kind of insect problem except
forest insects. King and his staff are
currently engaged in the study of

root maggots and wireworms with
especial attention to the differentia-
tion of larval forms. A staff of four
is maintained, with offices on the
second floor of the Belmont Building.
Much progress has been made in the
study of root maggots and their
control. In addition to identify-
ing the larval forms of indigenous
species of wireworms, certain intro-
duced species have been identified.

Returning now to the Victoria La-
boratory and its work in 1941 and
1942, sufficient earwig parasites had
been reared and distributed by that
time to establish the species wherever
earwings were found in British Col-
umbia. We were then able to turn
our attention to a pest which had been
troublesome for many years, the June
beetle, Polyphylla perversa. While form-
erly it had occurred occasionally and
sporadically, sometimes injuring
strawberry plantings to a slight ex-
tent and sometimes wiping out a
quarter of an acre at a time, it now
appeared to have established itself as
a pest whose annual depredations
could be considered inevitable. In fact
it had become pest No. 1 to the small
fruit grower. In 1943 it was decided
to lease a plot of two acres, plant it
with strawberries and use it as an ex-
perimental ground for June beetle.
With the consent of the Department
of Agriculture this was done and an
agreement entered into with the
Saanich Fruitgrowers Association
whereby they agreed to supply a
certain amount of labour for ploughing
and cultivation.

Unfortunately this was a most un-
favourable time for starting an enter-
prise of this sort. These were war
years and help of any description was
almost impossible to obtain. Andison
had been temporarily transferred to
Vernon and, with a major project on
my hands, I had to manage as best I
could. Much of the planting, weeding
and cultivation was done by myself
with occasional assistance from very
unreliable local help and even the
stenographer was pressed into service
now and then for weeding and hoeing.

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

15

But, notwithstanding these difficul-
ties, the plot was kept going somehow
and tests were made with certain soil
insecticides. An extensive trial was
made of a method of using lead arsen-
ate at planting time which was stated
to have been very effective against
white grubs in the east. But the
tough Western June Beetle proved
immune to arsenic and was equally
scornful of DDT. Other insecticides
also gave negative results.

The control of the holly leaf miner
which had baffled us for so many
years, was solved in 1946 by spraying
with DDT just prior to the emergence
of the flies in the spring.

Later in 1946 Andison became
officer-in-charge of the Victoria la-
boratory and continued the experi-
ments with soil insecticides against
the June Beetle. Experiments were
commenced with ethylene dibromide
— DD mixture, benzene hexachloride
and chlordane. An apparatus was de-
vised at the laboratory whereby liquid
insecticides could be dropped in the
furrow behind the plough. The ex-
periments were continued through
1947 to 1949. The result of these
tests is considered highly satisfactory.
Benzine hexachloride at the rate of
one pound of gamma isomer per acre
gave excellent control of white grubs
and there is evidence that it also pre-
vents the females from depositing
eggs. Chlordane gave good control of
the larvae of the strawberry root
weevil. Efforts are now being made
to find a soil fumigant that will be
effective against the white grub and
the strawberry root weevil at the
same time and there is some prospect
that this will be found.

Other successful investigations car-
ried out during these years were in
connection with field control of nar-
cissus fly, western raspberry fruit
worm and the leaf hopper Typhlocyba
tensrnma on logans and raspberries.

Up to the present I have made only
slight mention of the systematic side
of entomology. In the early days of
the Entomological Society many of
the members collected extensively on
Vancouver Island. The Rev. G. W.

Taylor, the founder of the Society,
collected Lepidoptera extensively. His
collection of Geometridae was pur-
chased by Wm. Barnes of Decatur,
111., but the balance of his collection
was neglected after his death and
in time was destroyed by pests. The
late G. O. Day and A. W. Hanham
were also collectors of Lepidoptera,
the collection of the former being par-
ticularly fine, every specimen being
perfect. He had also a collection of
British butterflies and moths repre-
senting every known British species.
At his death these collections were
bequeathed to the Shawnigan Lake
Boys’ School, where I am told they
are neglected and gradually becoming
a prey to museum pests. Besides
Lepidoptera, Hanham collected Col-
eoptera and after his death his col-
lection became the property of the
Victoria Museum. E. M. Anderson
of the Museum staff was a keen lepi-
dopterist and published a list of Brit-
ish Columbia Lepidoptera in 1904. The
late E. H. Blackmore accumulated a
large and valuable collection of Lepi-
doptera. At his death most of this
was purchased by the University of
British Columbia, but some of it was
acquired by the United States Nation-
al Museum. G. A. Hardy of the Vic-
toria Museum is an enthusiastic stu-
dent of Coleoptera, especially Ceram-
bycidae and he has collected exten-
sively on Vancouver Island.

In 1916 when the pear thrips cam-
paign was under way, the late R. C.
Treherne commenced a collection of
Thysanoptera, mostly of Vancouver
Island species. Treherne published
several papers on Thysanoptera in the
Society’s Proceedings. After his
death his collection was transferred
to the Canadian National Collection.
E. R. Buckell studied the Orthoptera
of British Columbia and in 1930 pub-
lished a list of the Dermaptera and
Orthoptera of Vancouver Island in the
Society’s Proceedings.

The Order Hemiptera seems to have
been neglected by our entomologists,
though a few collectors like Hanham
and J., H. Keen preserved specimens
of Hemiptera when they came across

16

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

them. It was at the suggestion of
R. C. Treherne in 1917 that I com-
menced a collection of Hemiptera
since no one else at that time seemed
willing to take up the study of that
order. This collection now numbers
about 14,000 specimens mostly from
Vancouver Island. Nearly all species
recorded from British Columbia are
represented. Long series, however,
cannot be kept for lack of space. About
the year 1935 serious collecting had to
be abandoned through lack of time
to attend to systematic work, but
lately has been resumed. A very im-
perfect list was published by me in
1927 and it is planned to produce a
new list in the not too distant future.

Finally, in recent years, Mr.
Llewellyn Jones of Cobble Hill creat-
ed his fine collection of British Col-
umbia Lepidoptera. In respect to the
beautiful condition of the specimens
Mr. Jones’ collection rivals that made
years ago by Mr. Day and is much
larger. It forms the basis of a new
list of British Columbia Macrolepidop-
tera which is just off the press. We
understand that this fine collection
will be presented to the University
of British Columbia and together with
the Blackmore collection the Uni-
versity should possess one of the fin-
est collections of Lepidoptera in the
West.

I would like to close this review of
50 years of entomology with a word
of appreciation for the co-operation
and help that has been received from
the Provincial Department of Agricul-
ture. About the time of Treherne’s
appointment an agreement was made
between the Dominion and Provincial
Governments that all entomological
research in the Province would be
conducted by the Dominion Govern-
ment and the Province would provide
laboratory space where no Federal
building was available, as at Victoria
and Vernon. Over the years, the
entomologists at Victoria have had
reason to be grateful for this arrange-
ment, for the Provincial Department
of Agriculture not only gave office
space, but for 27 years provided a
stenographer as well. In addition, the
services of the Department’s mechan-
ics were always available when re-
quired and, in short, the Department
did all in its power to supplement the
meagre facilities of the laboratory.
Towards the Entomological Society
the Department has always extended
a helping hand and it is principally
due to this support that the Society
has been enabled to print its Proceed-
ings since the Government grant was
withdrawn. With such a spirit of co-
operation prevailing, the entomologists
of British Columbia may look for-
ward with confidence to the future.

REMINISCENCES OF FIFTY YEARS OF ENTOMOLOGY IN THE
LOWER FRASER VALLEY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA

R. Glendenning
Agassiz, B.C.

These notes make no attempt to be
a review of applied entomology ; fifty
years of such a subject compressed
into one paper would be much too
long. In addition, excellent accounts
of early entomology in this province
are available in our Proceedings. The
chief of these are G. O. Day’s presi-
dential address, and an article by R. C.
Treherne, both in No. 4 published in
1914, and a further review by Tre-
herne in No. 13 published in 1921.
These give a clear picture of the start

of entomology, both systematic and
applied up to 1920; they make inter-
esting and profitable reading. So,
instead of a tabulation of workers
and their problems, I will recount some
reminiscences of persons and incidents
that may help you to envisage the
past. In re-reading the various re-
views already published, many mem-
ories are revived and personalities
re-born, and one realizes the remark-
able developments of entomology in
the past 50 years — from the limited

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

17

but enthusiastic observations and col-
lections of the few early systematists
(the Aurelians of British Columbia)
to the present highly staffed organiza-
tion of specialists, watched over by
co-ordinators, helped by statisticians,
chemists and biometricians, and assist-
ed by researches seconded from other
sciences. All this has happened in
fifty years.

One thing that strikes with special
emphasis in these early records is
the dominance of R. C. Treherne in
all planned entomology in British Col-
umbia. As you know he resuscitated
this Society in 1911, and led all en-
tomological research here until he
went to Ottawa in 1924. I knew little
of those stalwarts, Harvey, Bush,
Dashwood-Jones, Tom Wilson, Sher-
man and others who lived in Van-
couver. They were all, primarily,
systematists — with the exception of
Tom Wilson, who doubtless, collected
on the lower mainland for the most
part, as automobile travel was not
yet. In Quarterly Bulletin No. 3 is
an account of a trip by Harvey and
Sherman over the Hope trail to Prince-
ton ; it took eight days, and must
have been quite a strenuous adventure.
Now it can be made in eight hours,
there and back.

My first meeting with any of the
old brigade was in 1907 when I timid-
ly approached Mr. Thomas Cunning-
ham, then Inspector of Fruit Pests in
Vancouver, for employment. I had
recently arrived from England com-
plete with letters of reference, but I
did not impress him apparently. How-
ever, I was soon engaged in applied
entomology, as in the following year
I was employed in a Vancouver nurs-
ery painting “maidens” with coal-
oil; a very effective but laborious
method of checking woolly aphis.
But labour was cheap then — I received
20 cents per hour. My next entomo-
logical employment was in 1915 when
I first met Mr. Treherne as the result
of a chance observation of the pres-
ence of the currant bud-mite at Dun-
can on Vancouver Island. Treherne
had greater discernment of talent than
Mr. Cunningham, as I was promptly

employed by the Provincial Depart-
ment of Horticulture to survey and
eradicate the infestation. I drove
around the Cowichan valley in a hired
and tired horse and buggy.

Referring again to Mr. Cunningham,
I would like to quote part of a para-
graph from Treherne’s Review of
Applied Entomology in No. 4 of our
Proceedings, wherein he refers to
the general freedom of the province
from insect pests. He says : — “If it
had not been for the Horticultural
Regulations against the introductions
of dangerous insect pests, British
Columbia entomology up to the pres-
ent would have been very different.
Instead of applying quarantine meas-
ures, we would have been studying
and controlling insect pests of the
farmer far more serious than any we
have at present, and the published
record of entomology in British Col-
umbia would have been very differ-
ent.” That was in 1914. As you
know these Elysian conditions do not
now obtain, and on the face of it you
might be tempted to think that Mr.
Cunningham’s successors had been lax
in their duties. Such, I assure you is
not the case, and the foregoing was
quoted only to lead up to the point
that I wish to make next — that the
large increase in insect pests in this
region is due to the greatly changed
and changing conditions, not only in
agriculture but in every phase of ac-
tivity. Especially is this change pro-
nounced in the increase in volume and
methods of travel, and in the vastly
increased acreage and variety of crops
grown. I feel sure that many of the
injurious species were here for years
before they were first recorded as
pests, but they had been kept to in-
significant and un-noticed numbers
through scarcity of food when sub-
sisting on wild hosts ,and by greater
vulnerability to parasites and preda-
tors under such conditions.

Turning now briefly to two other
old timers that I knew well, Anderson
and Hanham ; Walter Anderson was
an Inspector of Indian Orchards ; he
travelled the whole province on that
excuse. The Indians were not

18

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

orchardists, but he made many new
records, both plant and insect. He
was full of Indian lore, and was a good
companion as long as you agreed with
him. I soon learned to do this ; others
did not. Mr. Hanham was a bank
manager at Duncan on Vancouver
Island — a more enthusiastic collector
I never knew — unless it is the income
tax man or our present president,
G. J. Spencer. Not satisfied with a
vast collection of beetles and “micros,”
he also gathered stamps and molluscs,
both fresh-water and marine. Even
when well on in years he still had the
energy and enthusiasm to collect, and
I went up both Mount Cheam and
Mount McLean with him. I can see
him now leaping about on the high
rock slides like a young antelope,
chasing a small brown butterfly called
vidleri. On the trip up Cheam Walter
Anderson was also along, and Hanham
committed the unpardonable sin of
disturbing a wasps’ nest and of run-
ning away so that the wasps were
left with Anderson. The tongue lash-
ing he received was equal to the
wasps’ invective.

Eric Hearle was one of the few
specialists in the earlier days ; he
studied the mosquito problem in the
lower Fraser valley for three years
under the direction of the National
Research Council, and in response to
a request for a mosquito control pro-
gramme by the municipalities on the
lower mainland. He covered the
valley from New Westminster to
Hope by car, boat and airplane. His
invaluable report stands like a bridge
without approaches, because, when
it came to providing funds to imple-
ment his recommendations, the muni-
cipalities decided that they had no
mosquitoes. I went out with Eric
Hearle once or twice ; his keenness
was most marked, and his arms a mass
of bumps as he tested the virulence of
the bites of the different species. He
has gone, along with so many of . the
noble band of early days — Hewitt,
Treherne, Dennys, Seymour Hadwen,
Day, Hanham, Sherman, Anderson,
Cunningham, Blackmore and Mar-
mont, to mention only those personal-
ly known to me.

You will pardon me, I hope, if I
become personal again in order to
help you visualize the earlier days.
I first went to Agassiz in 1919, assist-
ing A. B. Baird who was then studying
the natural control of the spruce
budworm and tent caterpillars, and in
1921 I took over the Agassiz labora-
tory when Baird returned to the East.
There were few entomologists in the
province in those days; Treherne,
Buckell, Ruhmann, Venables and
Ralph Hopping in the Interior and
Downes on Vancouver Island, so that
I had the whole of the lower main-
land including Vancouver for a field
of work. The trend then was for a
regional division of work rather than
a crop-plant division as is now fol-
lowed. Speaking medically, most of
us were general practitioners rather
than surgeons, obstetricians or psy-
chiatrists; and from 1921 until quite
recently I delved into every form of
insect trouble — from shade tree pests
on Vancouver streets to parasite col-
lection and liberation around Lillooet ;
from grain pests in elevators, and ear-
wigs and slugs in gardens to the
wide open spaces where moles and
clover seed midges roamed uncheck-
ed. I climbed to the tops of tall
Douglas fir trees to find what was
spoiling the seed-cone harvest, and
flew over and waded through mosquito
swamps to locate breeding pools. I
tried out this and that for flea-beetles,
hop aphis, root maggots and fruit flies.
Undoubtedly I knew a little about a
lot.

The expression — trying out this and
that — brings me to my last theme —
the ammunition that we had to work
with for control measures. All the
foregoing was in the pre-DDT era.
It was so delightfully simple then. We
had so few chemicals to worry about,
and unless you drank them neat, they
did not poison you. In the provincial
bulletin “Diseases and Pests of Cul-
tivated Plants” published in 1924, nine
insecticides are listed — lead arsenate,
mercury bi-chloride, paris green,
hellebore, nicotine sulphate, kerosene
emulsion, quassia, whale-oil soap and
that great stand-by lime-sulphur. If

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

19

none of these proved effective, one
had to concentrate on cultural opera-
tions, a procedure too often neglected
these days. With the evolution of
spraying and dusting machinery, and
the introduction of dozens of new
organic and other chemicals, each
more devastating than the last, and
with names even more fearful, the
humble practitioner finds that he is
required to be an engineer and a chem-
ist as well as an entomologist ; and in
the past few years with the increase
in personnel he has to be an account-
ant, mathematician and administrator
in addition. It is all so new and un-
tried with so many different angles
to watch.

I have mentioned many workers who
have gone to the happy collecting
grounds, and should mention one or
two of the acquisitions that entomo-
logy has made during this period. In
1924 a whirlwind appeared in the
province in the person of our presi-
dent, G. L. Spencer.

His energy and enthusiasm have
done much to advance our Society and
entomology in general here. From
various sources and by devious means
he has amassed a vast collection of
insects of the province at the Uni-
versity of British Columbia, and his
effective tutelage has provided field-
men with well trained assistants,
where before there were none. Final-
ly, mention must be made of the in-
vasion of prairie and eastern entomo-
logists which occurred a few years
ago. The outbreak caused no little
concern at the time as no control was
known, but I am glad to say none
has been found necessary. They all
turned out to be, not commensals or
inquilines, but excellent examples of
mutualism, and a perfect symbiosis
with the older workers has developed
that I am sure will be of benefit to
entomology in the province in the
coming fifty years.

FIFTY YEARS OF ENTOMOLOGY IN THE INTERIOR
OF BRITISH COLUMBIA

E. P. Venables
Vernon, B.C.

When I was selected to present a
paper dealing with the above subject
I felt somewhat at a loss; but, when
told that I should be working with
Mr. E. R. Buckell, the problem was
simplified to a great extent because
Buckell and I had already worked
together on many occasions. One
might approach this subject from vari-
our angles, but as I was told that dry
statistics were not required I have
done my best to avoid them, and to
give what may be a somewhat person-
al narrative dealing with certain
characters whom I met and who were,
at that time, the sole representatives
of our science in the Okanagan Valley.
I might deal with my own early strug-
gles in the field of entomology and
recount the difficulties which I had to
overcome in order to gain a foothold
on the ladder, which eventually landed

me among the “elite” or, so I should
have thought, in 1897.

It was my good fortune to meet
the late Dr. James Fletcher quite
early in my entomological career, and
it was due to his personal interest
that I was able to have my material
named. Dr Fletcher was an inspiring
personality, a naturalist of the old
school, who when addressing the pub-
lic, always stressed the interesiing
points of insect behaviour, rather than
their control, for, as he said, “if one
is interested in the subject the arti-
ficial control measures are much more
easily understood.” Fletcher filled the
dual roll of Dominion Entomologist
and Botanist. I wonder how one of
us would feel if landed in that posi-
tion today. He had one assistant,
Mr. Arthur Gibson, who later became
Dominion Entomologist and had much

20

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

to do with the organization of the
Division of Entomology as it exists
today.

I remember so well that after send-
ing a number of beetles to Dr. Fletcher
for naming, I got a long letter in
which he stated that several of the
species were of particular interest, and
that he would be glad if I could secure
more of them because he wished to
send them to Professor Wickham in
the United States. The receipt of
this letter filled me with new en-
thusiasm and I could understand
Darwin’s feelings when he got a let-
ter from Lyall, the geologist, dealing
with some material Darwin had sent
from the Galapagos Islands. Lyall
told him that not only were his speci-
mens of great interest, but that his
notes were of particular value to
science. Darwin, in his reminiscences,
says that, on receipt of this letter he
sprang over the rocks and made them
ring again with the blows of his geo-
logical hammer. I wonder if any of
the professional workers here today,
have, on the receipt of a letter from
Ottawa, been inspired to leap on the
spray tank and brandish the spray
gun with renewed vigour?

It was about 1900 that I was asked
by Fletcher to inspect several hundred
peach seedlings which had been sent
from Ontario to a nurseryman in
Vernon. These we.re suspected of
harbouring San Jose scale and I was
directed to spray the whole block
with kerosene emulsion in case the
trees were infested. I believe that
this may have been the first time an
oil spray had been used commercially
in the Okanagan Valley. Of course,
in those days, fruit growing was in its
infancy and people were very inter-
ested in the subject of pests and were
rather pleased if they could find some-
thing new. They would proudly take
their friends to view the work of, per-
haps, the red humped caterpillar, or
bud worm on their young trees. This
would usually be on Sunday after-
noon.

The Farmers’ Institutes were organ-
ized, I think, about 1900 and it was
at one of the meetings that I met Dr.

Fletcher. The subjects dealt with on
some of the programmes were very
general, such as, The Bacon Hog, The
Dairy Cow or The Blue Jay. Some of
the speakers, however, were never
at a loss, and would deal with almost
any agricultural subject which the
meeting might decide upon on the
spur of the moment. For instance,
on one occasion a gentleman was on
the programme to talk on The Blue Jay,
but when called upon for his address
he said “There are no blue jays in the
Vernon district, so I will talk to you on
Cheese Factories, which he proceeded
to do at some length. In another case,
the subject was, Birds in Relation to
Agriculture. When he rose to his
feet, the speaker, however, changed
this to The Construction of Silos.

With regard to the respect due to
those who deal with agricultural sub-
jects at farmers’ meetings, it may
teach some of us proper humility to
hear the remarks of a Vernon farmer,
who, when my father, who was Insti-
tute secretary, asked him to come to
one of the meetings, delivered himself
as follows : “No, sir. I ain’t no use
for them lads what talks all night and
sleeps all day. Clever know-nothins,
what don’t know beans when the bag
is opened.”

One might continue at some length
with reminiscences of the very early
days, but I must refrain, and deal with
the early development of economic
entomology. With the arrival of Mr.
R. C. Treherne our science took on a
more serious, but perhaps, less human
tone. Spraying was becoming a some-
what general practice although, even
in 1919 and for several years follow-
ing, hand pumps were the order of
the day. Many of us made our own
lime-sulphur sprays and this materi-
al was applied assiduously in the
dormant period, usually before the
snow had left the ground, and there
was satisfaction in the brilliant yellow
colouring of the snow coupled with
the penetrating and healthful odour
which, one felt, must be toxic to all
pests. Of course, around 1900, there
were no professional workers, so that

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

21

our Society’s efforts were quite un-
aided from that quarter. We circulat-
ed manuscript notes with lists of
captures and remarks on the season,
with occasional mention of injurious
insects.

The late Mr. R. V. Harvey was the
first secretary of the Entomological
Society of British Columbia, a man of
tremendous zeal and enthusiasm; he
made the trip from Vancouver to
Vernon via the Hope-Princeton trail
on foot and camped on Long Lake for
a fortnight.

Another member, Mr. W. Bush, was
an ardent lepidopterist who usually
carried a net with a handle about ten
feet long with which he would sweep
the shade trees in the city park. This,
and the white suit which he used to
wear, topped off by a large straw hat,
attracted much attention, and served
to advertise the science of entomology.

Then there was the Rev. G. W.
Taylor who specialized in the Geome-
tridae, of which group he had built
up a large collection. He was in
charge of the Anglican Church in
Nanaimo, and it was in that church
that I witnessed to what heights an
entomologist might rise, or perhaps
descend. During his sermon a desir-
able specimen was hovering round the
pulpit light, and Taylor, with a few
deft passes of a cyanide bottle cap-
tured the insect with no interruption
of his discourse.

After Treherne’s arrival a new era
commenced. “Tre” as he was always
called, was a splendid man, full of
new ideas, and it was not long before
he became secretary of our Society.
He added a considerable number of
members by insisting that any one
he met who was connected with fruit
growing, should join the society “for
the good of the industry.” Mr. Buckell
was already engaged in entomological
work when I was taken on in 1919.
I remember that Tre and I were in
Keremeos, and hearing that Buckell
was camped up the river, went to look
him up only to find that he was away
up in the Lillooet country, I believe.
His tent was pitched close to the
river and a note attached to the flap

warned visitors to “look out for the
rattlesnake.” Buckell’s work, dealing
as it did with locusts, necessitated
quite long trips, which he made on
horseback, and in this way covered
an area from the Okanagan up into
the Cariboo. Later he was provided
with a Model T Ford complete with
Ruxstel axle, but it would take a
volume to recount his adventures with
this contraption.

I think that the control of injurious
insects has, today, lost the human in-
terest which it had in the early days.
Remedies were far more heroic in
those days, and could be applied, in
most cases, without referring to the
chemist, who, today hovers in the fore-
ground and almost excludes the en-
tomologist. Take for instance the
recommendations for tarnished plant
bug. “Shake them from the trees
before sunrise, and destroy them.” In
the case of the New York weevil
remedy — “There seems to be none
other than to catch and kill this mis-
chief maker.” The red-humped apple
caterpillar “should be shaken from
the tree and trampled under-foot.”
The apple-leaf sewer — “The most ob-
vious remedy is, to carefully gather
all the fallen leaves with the enclosed
larvae and burn them.” What has
become of those hosts of injurious
forms which were present in the late
’eighties ? Who among us would
recognize the silky pyrophila, the Ameri-
can procris, the light-loving anomala, or the
currant angeroa, to mention a few. Are
they all extinct ? We don’t see them
mentioned on the spray calendar.

The period between 1900 and 1925
was an era in which mechanical bar-
riers and traps were much to the foi e.
It was not uncommon to see lines of
Chinamen, each with a blanket, chas-
ing off swarms of grasshoppers. The
strawberry weevil was turned aside
with barriers. Crickets were prevent-
ed from entering the fields by the
erection of wood, tin, or, in some
cases, glass fences.

The control of insects now seems
to be in the hands of the chemical
engineer, and universal destruction
is the order of the day. What the

22

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

upshot will be remains to be seen and
it might be of interest to maintain
blocks of orchard trees under the
spray programme used in, we will say,
1940 or thereabouts. Some valuable
information might be forthcoming af-
fording as it would, a direct compari-
son on insect populations.

A remark made by the president of
the British Horticultural SocieHy a
few months ago gives one food for
thought. He drew attention to the

fact that, most of our leading types
of livestock, cattle, horses, sheep,
poultry, etc., were produced by the
efforts of ordinary farmers, with little,
or no assistance from Science as we
know it today. He also put forward
the idea that Science may, at times,
actually delay discoveries by splitting
too many hairs.

There is a good deal of truth in
these statements, but it will be for the
younger men to ponder them.

THE HISTORY OF THE STUDY OF EXTERNAL ARTHROPODS
AFFECTING ANIMALS AND MAN IN BRITISH COLUMBIA

J. D. Gregson

Livestock Insect Laboratory, Kamloops, B.C.

The earliest observations of insects
affecting man and animals date back
to records made by early explorers on
the voracity of some of these pests.
In Dr. Cheadle’s diary of his trip
across British Columbia in 1863 are
such comments as “Fearful amount
of gadflies. Horses half mad . . .
tormented to death by flies. Sandflies
and musquitos terribly annoying . . .
musquitoes murderous.” Remarking
on the terrible “musquitoes,, at the
plains of Sumas, he states that “In-
deed men from all countries agree
that the musquitoes- of B.C. are un-
matched for numbers and ferocity/’
In the early nineties the mosquito
still occurred in millions in the Fraser
Valley, rendering work a “purgatory”
from early July until September. Re-
lief was obtained when the area was
dyked. The first economic studies of
animal insect pests were undertaken
by Dr. Seymour Hadwen, Animal
Pathologist at Agassiz in 1912. From
his pen arose publications covering
ticks, warble flies and other livestock
pests, and under joint authorship with
Dr. E. A. Bruce, he published his ob-
servations of the migration of warble
lavae through the tissues of cattle.
In a later bulletin he treated compre-
hensively the control of insects affect-
ing livestock. In 1919, under the di-
rection of the Dominion Entomologist,

Dr. Hewitt, Mr. Eric Hearle com-
menced his studies of mosquitoes in
the Fraser Valley. This was follow-
ed by his 1927 publication of the
“Mosquitoes of British Columbia.”

The study of insect and ticks affect-
ing animals and man was placed on
a firm footing with the official estab-
lishment of a Dominion Insect Unit
at Kamloops in 1928. Eric Hearle was
transferred from Indian Head, Sas-
katchewan, to act as Officer in Charge
— and staff. His wire to the Domin-
ion Entomologist, Mr. Arthur Gibson,
that he had “located a place that is
admirably suited to our needs” referred
to an old shack that was located in the
centre of town and which had served
in its time various purposes from a
funeral parlour to a bootlegging joint.

Once established, he set himself,
singlehandedly, to the terrific task
which lay before him. Not only was
he treading on virgin territory as far
as his work was concerned, but he
was working in a province that con-
tains a richer supply of biological ma-
terial than all the rest of Canada. This
is readily evidenced in later taxonom-
ic studies of various insects.

During the first summer he studied
and collected all data and specimens
he could lay his hands on. This in-
cluded mosquitoes, blackflies, sandflies,
horseflies, ticks, mites and lice. Flis

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

23

surveys covered the whole of lower
British Columbia. Thirteen districts
were examined for warbles, which
were causing 75 per cent, warble dam-
age in hides. Half a dozen addresses
were given during the first month
alone. Questionnaires on tick paralysis
were sent to all doctors in the Interior
and a display was set up at the Van-
couver Exhibition. During most of
this period he lacked a stenographer.

Within the next two years, mos-
quito controls had been inaugurated
at Kamloops and Kelowna. Tick
studies had advanced to include life-
history studies of the more important
species, including observations of their
effect on both domestic and game
animals. This brought to light many
tick paralysis cases, including an out-
break at Douglas Lake involving 100
head of cattle, out of which 30 were
lost. Tularaemia was first recorded
for British Columbia in rabbits at
Vavenby.

In 1931, the first of a series of large-
scale warble control measures were
undertaken at Tranquille. From this
work it was demonstrated that the
grub incidence in cattle could be
brought successively from 19 per cent,
to 0.3 per cent, within four years.
During 1932 and 1933 Hearle spent
several months in the vicinity of
Jasper Park Lodge making a detailed
survey of biting fly conditions. Over
1400 blackflies alone were pinned and
determined. Following this work, at
the age of 41, his health broke and
he was confined to bed. There he
continued with the classification of
ticks, mosquitoes, blackflies and horse-
flies, practically completing manu-
scripts on the ticks and blackflies of
British Columbia, before his untimely
death in the spring of 1934. His
paper “The Ticks of Western Canada”
and his bulletin “Insects and Allied
Parasites Injurious to Livestock and
Poultry in Canada” were published
posthumously.

Immediately following Hearle’s
death, Professor G. J. Spencer took
charge of the laboratory during the
summer months. On the staff at that

time were two assistants, T. K. Moil-
liet and the writer, and a stenog-
rapher. It was during the same year
that the original working quarters
burned down. While much of the
laboratory equipment had been trans-
ferred to the Post Office Building,
this fire resulted in a loss of field
facilities. Steps were taken to se-
cure 32 acres of land three miles west
of Kamloops, and a plea issued for
the construction on it of a laboratory,
wherein the expanding problems of
ticks and their diseases could be
undertaken with greater safety to
the public. It was shortly after Mr.
Allen Mail’s arrival, in 1937, from
Montana, to take over his duties as
Officer-in-Charge, that these plans
went into effect, and a $21,000 two-
storey building was erected. The
occupation of the building was fol-
lowed by the co-operative inclusion
of members of the Dominion Range-
land Department and of the Depart-
ment of Pensions and National Health.
The presence of the latter marked the
commencement of Western Canadian
studies of plague and spotted fever,
and surveys of ticks and fleas for their
testing were first made by members
of the entomological staff. Quaran-
tine quarters and animal housing were
added for this disease work, which is
still in progress under the supervision
of Dr. Humphreys, in what is now the
Department of National Health and
Welfare.

The next phase of study in livestock
insect control appeared with the ad-
vent of power spraying, and extensive
tests were made to determine the
optimum pressures and derris mix-
tures for warble control under Brit-
ish Columbia conditions. The pres-
ence of wartime shortages in addition
necessitated comparisons being made
with derris and pyrethrum substi-
tutes. Along with these studies came
those pertaining to the protection of
armed forces from the attacks of bit-
ing flies, and in this connection, many
tests were made to determine the
effectiveness and practical value of
mosquito repellents.

In 1943, Mr. Mail resigned his post
at this laboratory to accept work in

24

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

the United States, leaving as his suc-
cessor, J. D. Gregson. At this time
chemical advances in the production
of synthetic insecticides were creat-
ing a new aspect in insect control.
Before long DDT and thiocyanates re-
placed pyrethrum fly sprays; citron-
ella and other aromatic oils were cast
aside for such superior compounds as
612, dimethyl phthalate and indalone.
Gammexane was discovered to be a
long-awaited acaricide and mosquito
and blackfly oil larvicides were dis-
carded for those embodying DDT.
These and other discoveries shed a
new light on insect control and, of
course, provided much room for new
research to meet our conditions. In
tick control it has been necessary to
discover dosages of BHC that will
give maximum protection to cattle
and sheep from ticks and keds, yet
not prove injurious or objectionable
in any way to the host or to its con-
sumer. This has involved numerous
field tests each year using artificially
infested animals. These experiments
have progressed from the deliberate
application of overdoses on labora-
tory animals to cautious recommenda-
tion, and finally widely accepted use
on range stock. During recent years
attention has been devoted to the in-
triguing study of systemic insecti-
cides, where it has been found pos-
sible to rid an animal of its external
parasites by a single, oral dose of ma-
terial.

Mosquito control, the administra-
tion of which has long passed to the
hands of some two dozen communities
in British Columbia, has likewise
undergone a great transformation, and
since the establishment in 1949 at
Kamloops of a Household and Medical
Unit laboratory, its Officer-in-Charge,
Mr. L. C. Curtis, has been engaged
in perfecting modern control methods.
These include air-spraying and fog-
ging. The latter method is coming
into popular use as an adulticide and
can be generated by means of a gas
engine exhaust adaptation. Since
DDT is an effective biting-fly larvicide
in such small amounts (one part in 20
million for blackflies), appropriate

methods for its release in water are
also being studied.

Linked with the economic progress
of livestock insect control has been
the advance of academic knowledge.
Here may be included taxonomic
studies, such as have stepped up the
known number of British Columbia
ticks from 12 to 20 within the past
20 years. The number of flea species
known to exist in the province in
1907 was six. During the next 30
years Jordan and Rothchild of the
Zoological Museum, Tring, England,
described many additional species and
by 1936, G. J. Spencer of the Universi-
ty of British Columbia had built this
number up to 61. G. P. Holland, now
Chief of the Systematic Unit, Ottawa,
in his monograph of the fleas of
Canada, lists over 90 as now occurring
in British Columbia. Spencer’s check
lists in our proceedings have similarly
demonstrated our increased knowl-
edge of pediculous and dipterous para-
sites.

Ecological observations made at
Kamloops have shed much light on
tick behaviour, have shown tick life-
cycles as long as 21 years, and indi-
cated the gradual increase and de-
crease of such economic tick species
as Dermacentor andersoni and Ixodes
pacificus as apparently affected by
civilization. Such outstanding species
as the southern spinose ear tick
Otobius megnini and the relapsing fever
carrier, Ornithodoros hermsi, have in
recent years been taken a number of
times during field collections. Par-
ticular attention has been paid to the
life-history of the warble fly, and by
the use of specially constructed
girdles on infested cattle, some 400
grubs have been collected for fly
studies each spring.

In retrospect, the study of insects
and allied parasites affecting man and
animals in British Columbia has ad-
vanced rapidly and fully. With a staff
of twelve now at the Kamloops la-
boratory, and with the increasing co-
operation of Provincial, Dominion and
University departments, the future
should hold even greater progress.

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

25

APPLIED ENTOMOLOGY IN THE ORCHARDS OF
BRITISH COLUMBIA, 1900-19511

j Marshall2

Fruit Insect Laboratory, Summerland, B.C.

Writing in the Proceedings of the En-
tomological Society of British Columbia,
Winslow (1913) estimated that in 1912
the total return of the fruit crops of
the interior of British Columbia had
been $500,000, the actual returns to
growers $250,000, and the cost of pest
control $53,670. Pest control, there-
fore. took 20 per cent, of the net
returns and that, said Mr. Winslow,
was too much.

By 1946 the gross value of the fruit
crops had reached about $25,000,000
and the net return may have been
about $12,000,000. Cost of pest control
had been in the neighbourhood of
$1,500,000, or over 12 per cent, of
the net returns. Hence the ratio of
crop value to cost of pest control
remained high, and 34 years later
growers throughout the interior fruit-
growing areas echoed Mr. Winslow’s
remark — it was too much. This was
particularly so because, despite the
drudgery and high cost of pest con-
trol, upwards of 10 per cent, of the
apple crop was being lost to the
codling moth.

Then came DDT and the synthetic
organic acaricides. The number of
codling moth sprays dropped from 6
or 7 to 4, then to 2 or 3. Cullage
from insect infestation became negli-
gible. And because of these new com-
pounds, it became possible to develop
the automatic concentrate sprayer, a
device, largely British Columbian, that
has further reduced the cost of pest
control by at least a third and brought
to the growers emancipation from one
of the most unpleasant jobs in agricul-
ture. Today, pest control is undoubt-
edly less costly, inconvenient and un-
pleasant to the fruit growers of Brit-
ish Columbia than at any other time
since fruit growing became a sizable
industry.

1 Contribution No. 2878, Division of Entomology,
Science Service, Department of Agriculture, Ottawa,
Canada.

2 Senior Entomologist.

The history of the Entomological
Society of British Columbia goes back
nearly as far as that of the British
Columbia Fruit Growers’ Association.
Because the affairs of the two organ-
izations have often been closely asso-
ciated, it is interesting to recall some
conditions that were of concern to
both and to compare them with con-
ditions in 1951. In the early days of
British Columbia fruit culture, Cun-
ningham (1907) wrote as follows:
“The standard sprays for the fruit
growers may be reduced in number
to lime, sulphur and salt for winter,
Bordeaux mixture for both winter and
summer, and arsenate of lead for sum-
mer. With these three sprays the
whole line of successful orchard work
and destruction of pests and disease
may be accomplished.” When, in the
mid-’40’s, the control of orchard pests
had become a much more complex
problem, the fruit industry no longer
relied on Bordeaux mixture and lead
arsenate ; salt, believed to be an ad-
hesive by Cunningham, had long since
been omitted from the lime-sulphur
mixture. Dormant-spray materials
were high-viscosity dormant oil, dis-
tillate oil, dinitrocresol, and lime-sul-
phur. Summer sprays included the
monoethanolamine salt of dinitrocy-
clohexylphenol, summer oil of medium
viscosity and low unsulphonated res-
idue, cryolite, nicotine sulphate, fixed
nicotine, micronized phenothiazine,
kerosene, rotenone, lime-sulphur, zinc
sulphate, elemental sulphur, xanthone,
DDT and BHC. Nowadays the trend
is to the simple spray schedule, and
most growers use heavy dormant oil-
lime-sulphur mixture, or heavy
dormant oil-dinitrocresol mixture for
the early spray and DDT and para-
thion, or monoethanolamine dinitro-
cyclohexylphenolate (mono DNP) in
summer applications.

There has been a great change in
orchard spray machinery since the
appearance of Cunningham's spray

26

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

bulletin in 1907. At that time the
power sprayer was unknown and the
height of mechanization was the hand-
operated barrel pump with vertical
cylinders. It was superseded by the
double-acting horizontal pump. But
that did little to relieve the back and
arms of the man who supplied the
energy. Treherne (1914:67-71) rec-
ords that the first barrel-type spray
pump in British Columbia was
purchased by Thomas Cunningham in
1885 for use in the coastal areas. The
first of such pumps in the interior of
the Province appears to have been in
use in Vernon at the Coldstream
Ranch in 1895. In 1910 the first gaso-
line-powered sprayer was imported in-
to the Province ; and by 1914 the
Provincial government, in the course
of its suppressive measures against
the codling moth and the San Jose
scale, had nine such machines in use.
At that time there were, in addition,
about 25 privately owned power ma-
chines in the Okanagan Valley.

The stationary power sprayers,
which reached its greatest develop-
ment and use in the Wenatchee area
of Washington, did not, to any great
extent, displace the portable power
sprayer in the British Columbia fruit
industry. A considerable number of
stationary units, however, were in-
stalled in the late ’30’ s and early ’40’s.
Portable power sprayers, most of
which were eventually operated by
tractor power take-offs, did not under-
go any basic changes in design until
the appearance of the huge “speed
sprayer” in the mid-’forties ; conse-
quently, they had been made to a
fairly fixed pattern for nearly 25
years.

In 1946 a new type of portable
sprayer employing an air blast to
boost spray fog generated by a hy-
draulic pump was purchased by the
Fruit Insect Laboratory at Summer-
land. Although this machine proved
unsatisfactory, it was, nevertheless,
the forerunner of the Okanagan ex-
perimental sprayer, a hybrid device
built by the joint efforts of the British
Columbia and Canada departments of
Agriculture and the Defence Research

Workshops. It has been described
by Marshall (1948). The Okanagan
experimental sprayer proved highly
successful. It was the forerunner of
four commercial models, which, in
three years, have virtually revolution-
ized spraying in the orchards of this
province. These automatic concen-
trate sprayers, as they are locally
known, have put the British Columbia
fruit industry in an outstanding posi-
tion in the chemical control of pests.
Already the spraying operations of
the tree-fruits industry are about 90
per cent, mechanized.

It is a far cry from the laborious
and messy business of hand spraying
by barrel pump or even by conven-
tional power sprayer to the simple but
not unpleasant job of operating an
automatic concentrate sprayer. And,
fortunately, in addition to having
practically eliminated the unpleasant-
ness from spraying operations, the
new machine has reduced the cost of
labour by about 75 per cent, and the
cost of spray materials by perhaps
20 per cent. Capital investment, too,
has been greatly reduced. Although
the new machines cost about one-third
more than their predecessors, they
are capable of spraying three times
the acreage. Finally, they are operat-
ed by one man, the tractor driver, so
that they release labour for other im-
portant cultural operations at the
busiest time of the growing season.

Early in the century, there were
few orchard pests in the Province and
control of these was based largely on
investigations that had been carried
out in the United States. Treherne
(1914:19-33) recorded the most im-
portant insects of the lower mainland :
woolly apple aphid, Eriosoma lanigerum
(Hausm.) ; green apple aphid, Aphis
pomi Deg. ; rosy apple aphid, Anuraphis
roseus Baker; black cherry aphid,
Myzus cerasi (F.) ; oystershell scale,
Lepidosaphes ulmi (L.), pear- slug. Caliroa
cerasi (L) ; apple leafhopper, Empoasca
maligna (Walsh) ; pear leaf blister mite,
Eriophyes pyri (Pgst.).

The most serious orchard pests of
today are orchard mites, which, in the

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

27

last five years, have replaced the cod-
ling moth in that category. Dash
(1914) stated that the mites known
to occur in the Okanagan Valley were
two species of eriophyds ; and the
‘"red spider,” Tetranychus bimaculatus
Harvey; the brown mite, Bryobia
praetiosa Koch ; and the pear leaf blister
mite, Eriophyes pyri (Pgst.). It is not
known when the European red mite,
M.etatetranychus ulmi (Koch), first ap-
peared in the orchards of British
Columbia; but in the Okanagan Val-
ley it was common in the ’thirties al-
though not generally troublesome.
By 1946 it had displaced the codling
moth as the chief orchard pest and
it maintains that distinction today.
In 1939 the Pacific mite, Eotetranychus
pan ficus (McG.), was discovered at
Oliver; it now occurs throughout the
Okanagan Valley. Another trouble-
some orchard mite, the Willamette
mite, Eotetranychus fiavus (Ewing) was
recorded at Summerland in 1949 and
by the end of the 1950 season it was
general throughout the south Okana-
gan. The brown mite, mentioned by
Dash, has persisted, and in 1950 be-
came injurious in a few orchards. The
pear leaf blister mite, perhaps the first
of the mites to be noticed in the
Province, continues to cause trouble
sporadically, but only where dormant
spraying has not been done for several
years. Two other species, the rust
mite, Callyntrotus schlechtendali Nal.,
and the silver leaf mite, Phyllocoptes
cornutus Banks, are also known to
occur in the orchards of the interior
but, so far, they have not caused meas-
urable loss. In 1950 the two-spotted
spider mite, Tetranychus bimaculatus
Harvey, caused more injury in the
orchards than at any other time since
it was reported by Dash 36 years
before. Still other species of orchard
mites are being discovered as an in-
tensive study of the biology of orchard
mites gets under way at the Fruit
Insect Laboratory at Summerland.
Whether there is any connection be-
tween the use of DDT and parathion
and the rise of the orchard mite prob-
lem remains to be seen, but C. V. G.
Morgan of the Summerland laboratory

has demonstrated a relationship be-
tween the use of parathion and the
abundance of the most effective pred-
ator of orchard mites, the coccinellid
beetle, Stethorus picipes Csy.

An event of some concern to pear
growers of the Province was the dis-
covery of the pear psylla, Psylla pyricola
Foerst., at Oliver in 1942. Since that
time the insect has spread throughout
the Okanagan Valley, although it does
not yet occur in the Kootenay fruit
districts. Parathion has proved to be
exceedingly effective against this
species.

An unexpected pest, the apple mealy-
bug, Phenacoccus aoeris Sign., was re-
ported from Nelson in 1927. Previous-
ly this insect was known to occur in
Canada only in Nova Scotia. Until
the introduction of the parasite Allo-
tropa utilis Mues., through the Insect
Parasite Laboratory, Belleville, On-
tario, the mealybug caused some loss
of fruit in the Kootenay Valley. The
growth of the sooty fungus on fruit
coated with the excretion that is
copiously shed by these insects ren-
dered the fruit unsaleable.

This year it appears that Okanagan
fruit growers may have two addition-
al insects to contend with. A leafhop-
per, Erythroneura sp., has occurred in
outbreak numbers on grape at
Osoyoos; and the black cherry fruit
fly, Rhagoletis fausta (O.S.), has been
taken in an orchard near Westbank
Ferry. These insects may have been
present in the Valley for some time.

Treherne (1916) reported the rise
of the San Jose scale, Aspidiotus per -
niciosus Comst., as a serious orchard
pest, but it was not until some 20
years later that it obtained such a
strong foothold in the Oliver, Osoyoos,
and Keremeos districts as to be a
menace. The pear thrips, Taeniothrips
inconsequens (Uzel), had been found on
Vancouver Island ; and the woolly
apple aphid, Eriosoma lanigerum
(Hausm.), which had first been notic-
ed on the lower mainland in 1892, fol-
lowed the expansion of fruit growing
until by 1912 it was general in the
interior fruit districts. Later, the
relationship between the woolly apple
aphid and perennial canker established

28

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

;

the aphid as a major pest in the Okan-
agan Valley. The eye-spotted bud
moth, Spilonota ocellana (D. & S.), oc-
curred at Vernon in 1894 but was not
common until 1915. Venables (1924)
described four leaf rollers attacking
fruit trees in the Okanagan Valley;
referring to the fruit tree leaf roller,
Archtps ar gyros prla (Wlkr.), he wrote,
“The control of this insect may at
present be considered the most serious
problem facing orchardists in the in-
terior fruit growing section of the
Province” ; he recommended for its
control the application of 8 per cent,
miscible dormant oil. This insect be-
came a minor pest after codling moth
spraying with lead arsenate became
general. Perhaps its decline may be
ascribed to that arsenical.

As mentioned by Hoy (1942), the
codling moth has been associated with
the British Columbia fruit industry
from the early days. Infestations were
reported at Victoria in 1900 and at
Kaslo in 1905. Referring to the cod-
ling moth regulations in force early
in the century, the first Provincial
fruit pests inspector, T. Cunningham
(1907), wrote: “The duty of enforc-
ing these regulations is exceedingly
unpleasant, but after all, it is only
kindness to the fruit grower to com-
pell him to protect his own interests
and those of the country in which it
is his good fortune to, have his home.”
Cunningham’s words bear out the
opinion, still heard, that he was a
staunch patriot with a strong sense of
duty. Eventually it was found that
spraying regulations could not be ade-
quately enforced.

The codling moth did not menace
the Okanagan fruit industry until
1916; and, because of vigorous eradi-
cation measures undertaken by the
Provincial government, the insect was
kept in check until 1925. After that,
however, control measures were left
with the grower, and the codling moth
steadily increased in destructiveness
until, 20 years later, it almost appear-
ed that it had doomed the apple in-
dustry. As mentioned earlier, the
situation was immensely improved by
the introduction of DDT, an insecti-
cide that appears to be at its best

under the climatic conditions of the
Okanagan Valley.

Treherne (1921) reviewed the status
of applied entomology, noting that in
1915 he was the only professional
economic entomologist at work in the
Province. Until that time he was sta-
tioned at Agassiz and no investiga-
tional work had been done in the in-
terior fruit-growing areas. In 1916,
however, it appeared that the greatest
need for investigations in applied en-
tomology were pending in the Okana-
gan Valley and, that year, Treherne
and M. H. Ruhmann commenced a
study of the life-history and habits
of the codling moth at Vernon.

In 1917 the Dominion Entomological
Branch began to expand its work in
the fruit industry of British Columbia
by the appointment of W. Downes to
work on insects of small fruits at
Victoria. After the First World War
Treherne was transferred to Ottawa ;
then, in 1919 and the next few years,
E. R. Buckell, E. P. Venables, A. A.
Dennys and, still later, A. D. Heriot
were successively appointed. All
worked from Vernon. Buckell did
most of his work on range insects
but Venables, Dennys and Heriot
worked exclusively on fruit insects.
This group of investigators was asso-
ciated with entomological investiga-
tions in the interior of the Province
until about 1945. They were a colour-
ful company, and all who were
familiar with these Englishmen regret
their departure from active work and
have a feeling of nostalgia for the
old days of the SS. Okanagan, the
Model-T Ford, and the collecting trip.

In December, 1938, the Division of
Entomology appointed the writer to
the Vernon office to work on the con-
trol of pests of tree fruits in the
Province. During the Second World
War the staff at the Vernon office
included Venables, Dennys, Heriot,
and the writer and, in 1942, Harry
Andison, transferred from the Victoria
laboratory after the untimely death
of Alec Dennys. In 1946, after the
south Okanagan had replaced the
north Okanagan as the chief tree

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

29

fruits area in British Columbia, the
equipment of the old Vernon office
on the third floor of the Provincial
Court House was moved to Summer-
land. Harry Andison returned to
Victoria to follow W. Downes as head
of the investigations on insects of
small fruits and greenhouses on the
coast. Heriot and Venables had re-
tired and were succeeded by C. V. G.
Morgan (biology of orchard mites),
M. D. Proverbs (insects of stone
fruits), D. B. Waddell (spray equip-
ment and chemical formulations), and
R. S. Downing (chemical control of
orchard mites). In the Fruit Insect
Laboratory the naturalist with the
modulated English voice had been re-
placed by the “spray bloke,” with the
flat Canadian monotone.

In checking back over the years
the reader is impressed with the work
in the control of fruit insects that has
been done by the Provincial Fruit
Branch. R. M. Winslow did good
service in that field from 1909 to 1917.
During the '30's and ’40’s, W. H.
Robertson, then Provincial Horticul-
turist, now Deputy Minister of Agri-
culture for British Columbia, saw to
it that, when help was needed for pest
control, funds were provided as far as
possible. The present Provincial
Horticulturist, Ben Hoy, conducted
eradication work in the early days of
the codling moth in the Province and
followed that by extensive investiga-
tions in the chemical control of a
variety of fruit insects, particularly
the codling moth, during the ’30’s and
’40’s. R. P. Murray, now District
supervisor of Horticulture at Kelow-
na, has been keenly interested in the
control of fruit insects and active in
that field for 30 years. H. H. Evans,
who served as Provincial District
Horticulturist at Vernon, also helped
a great deal in orchard pest control
measures. E. C. Hunt, the Provincial
District Horticulturist at Nelson, in-
vestigated the control of Kootenay
orchard pests and diseases from about
1916 to 1951. From 1937 onward he
received help from the investigators
of the federal laboratory at Vernon
and, later, Summerland. Hunt’s work
has been of great assistance to the

Kootenay fruit grower. At present
the Provincial Fruit Branch operates
two truck-mounted power sprayers
for experimental work in the Okana-
gan Valley and an automatic concen-
trate sprayer in the Kootenay Valley.

An interesting feature of pest con-
trol investigations in the interests of
the tree fruits industry of British
Columbia is the close collaboration
that has developed between the Brit-
ish Columbia Fruit Growers’ Associa-
tion, the Provincial Fruit Branch, and
the Federal Fruit Insect Laboratory
at Summerland. The growers’ organ-
ization keeps in close touch with in-
vestigations in pest control and takes
an active part in the necessary exten-
sion work. The B.C.F.G.A., as it is
commonly known, supplied a consid-
erable sum of money for the equip-
ment of the Fruit Insect laboratory at
Summerland, which was opened in
1948. On occasion the B.C.F.G.A. has
guaranteed growers against loss from
field experiments undertaken in their
orchards by investigators. The fed-
eral entomological and Provincial
horticultural services operate practic-
ally as one in carrying on field work
in pest control for the tree fruits in-
dustry. Men and equipment are inter-
changed so freely that nearly all
orchard experiments in applied en-
tomology in this province are joint
ones. Seldom in the field of agricul-
tural investigations has this close
association between government ser-
vices been matched; that is a matter
of pride for all concerned.

Much of the credit for the present
favourable status of applied entomo-
logy in the orchards of British Colum-
bia goes to the chemists, whether in
the federal service or in industry. The
Fruit Insect Laboratory at Summer-
land is jointly operated by the divi-
sions of Entomology and Chemistry
of Science Service, Canada Depart-
ment of Agriculture, the two organ-
izations being, for practical purposes,
so closely integrated at Summerland as
to be one. Their work is greatly aid-
ed by pesticide research in the chemi-
cal industry of the United States,
Great Britain, and Canada. In fact,

30

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

without that research it is doubtful
whether the apple business of this
province could have survived. One
must recall the ruinous and losing bat-
tle that was being waged against the
codling moth only a few years ago to
realize what the fruit growers owe to
DDT, parathion, and the other synthe-
tic organic pesticides in use today.

Although the tree fruits industry has
come to place chief reliance on chem-
ical control of orchard pests, it should
not be concluded that biological con-
trol procedures have been, or are be-
ing, overlooked. In 1917, J. D. Tot-
hill and R. C. Treherne of the Domin-
ion Entomological Branch introduced
into the Vernon district the mite Hemi-
sarcoptes malus (Shimer) to aid in con-
trol of the oyster-shell scale, Lepido-
saphes ulmi (L). That predator, al-
though slow in dissemination, has been
doing good work ever since. In 1929,
through the Insect Parasite Labora-
tory, Belleville, Ontario, the parasite
Aphelinus malt (Hald.) was released
in the Okanagan Valley because the
woolly apple aphid, Eriosoma lanigerum
(Hausrn.), by reason of its connection
with perennial canker of apple, had
become a serious orchard pest of the
interior fruit belt. Almost from the
start A. malt was a complete success,
and the woolly aphid-perennial canker
problem soon subsided. Still later,
when the apple mealybug, Phenacoccus
aceris Sign., became troublesome,
through the Parasite Laboratory the
parasite Allotropa utilis Mues. was re-
leased in the infested areas ; within
five years the apple mealybug caused
little concern. From time to time the
codling moth parasites Ascogaster qua-
dridentata Wesm., Ephialtes caudatus
(Ratz.) and Cryptus sexannulatus Grav.
have been released in the interior fruit
districts. So far, they do not appear
to have exerted any appreciable effect
in controlling the codling moth, but
A. quadridentata, at least, seems to be
well established.

It is recognized that compounds
such as DDT and parathion may be in-
jurious to parasitic and predacious in-
sects and mites. Consequently, growers
are advised to use these insecticides

only when their application is clearly
necessary. In the meantime, the Fruit
Insect Laboratory at Summerland is
devoting an increasing amount of time
to a study of the effects of spray
Chemicals on biological control fac-
tors. In this work it is assisted by
the Biological Control Investigations
Unit of the Federal Division of En-
tomology, which, in 1951, stationed an
investigator, D. A. Chant, at the Sum-
merland laboratory.

The increasing complexity of pest
control is further illustrated by the
attention that is being paid to the
effects of spray chemicals upon
orchard soils and upon wild life. Ex-
perience in various orchard areas in
the western United States has shown
that serious poisoning of the soil can
occur from, an excessive concentration
of lead arsenate. As the effects of
most of today’s synthetic organic in-
secticides in orchard soils are not well
known, as investigation on the effects
of spray chemicals on soils has been
underway at Summerland for the last
three years. These studies involve
the Science Service divisions of Bac-
teriology, Chemistry, and Entomo-
logy. Effects of spray chemicals on
birds and small mammals are being
investigated by men representing the
Department of Zoology of the Uni-
versity of British Columbia and the
Wildlife Service of the Canada De-
partment of Resources and Develop-
ment. Their summer headquarters
are at the Fruit Insect Laboratory,
Summerland.

SUMMARY

The first 50 years of the Entomolo-
gical Society of British Columbia
have covered a great expansion in the
fruit industry of the Province. Al-
though the membership of the Society
has not greatly increased since the
early days, the status of its members
has changed from predominantly ama-
teur to predominantly professional.
So far as control of tree-fruit pests is
concerned, there is still a desirable
diversification of methods. Chief re-
liance nowadays is being placed on
mechanically efficient control of
orchard pests with chemicals, but that

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

31

course is not being advocated blindly.
Increasing thought is being given to
the effects of spray chemicals on the
biological balance and on orchard soils
in recent years pest control problems
have become more involved; and be-

cause of their complexity they are, as
a rule, being studied not by individuals
but by investigator groups that may
include entomologists, chemists, horti-
culturists, zoologists and bacteriolo-
gists..

References

Cunningham, T. 1907. Orchard cleansing,
remedies for insect pests and diseases.
2nd ed. British Columbia Dept. Agr. Bull,
(not numbered), Victoria, B.C.

Dash, J. S. 1914. Mites : their classification
and habits, with some observations on
their occurrence in the Okanagan. Proc.
Ent. Soc. B.C. 4:71-73.

Hoy, B. 1942. The advance of the codling
moth in British Columbia. Proc. Ent. Soc.
B.C. 39:16-19.

Marshall, J. 1948. Light machine does
several jobs. Better Fruit 43(12) :22-24,28.
Treherne, R. C. 1914. Insects economically
important in the lower Fraser Valley.
Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C. 4:19-33.

— 1914. A review of applied entomology in
British Columbia. Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C.
4:67-71.

—1916. Some orchard insects of economic
importance in British Columbia. Proc.
Ent. Soc. B.C. 9:66-83.

— 1921. A further review of applied en-
tomology in British Columbia. Proc. Ent.
Soc. B.C. 13-15:135-146.

Venables, E. P. 1924. Leaf-rollers attack-
ing fruit trees in the Okanagan Valley.
Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C. 21 :22-27.

Winslow, R. M. 1913. The economic side of
pest control. Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C. 3:17-21.

THE DOMINION FIELD CROP INSECT LABORATORY AND ITS
WORK, VERNON, 1918-1938, AND KAMLOOPS, 1939-1950

R. H. Handford

Field Crop Insect Laboratory, Kamloops, B.C.

ESTABLISHMENT AND STAFF

Comparatively little research work
concerning field crop and garden
insects had been done in the in-
terior of British Columbia prior to
1918. On April 1 of that year, R. C.
Treherne moved his headquarters from
Agassiz to Vernon. E. R. Buckell,
who had spent four years in the pro-
vincial service, was employed by the
Dominion Entomological Branch
April 22, 1922, and took charge of the
Vernon laboratory following Tre-
herne’s transfer to Ottawa in that
year.*

*The first Government Entomologist ap-
pointed in British Columbia was Dr. W. H.
Brittain, who held the dual position of Pro-
vincial Entomologist and Plant Pathologist
from 1912 to 1913 at Vernon. On the appoint-
ment of R. C'. Treherne, under the Dominion
Government in 1912, the entomological work
of the Province was divided between them,
Brittain taking the interior and Treherne the
coast. M. H. Ruhmann was appointed
assistant to Brittain in 1912, and after Brit-
tain's departure for Nova Scotia in 1913, he
continued in the position of Assistant Pro-
vincial Entomologist at Vernon until his
death in 1943. — Editor.

The Kamloops laboratory was es-
tablished on May 1, 1939, with E. R.
Buckell in charge, I. J. Ward as Insect
Pest Investigator, and G. J. Spencer,
University of British Columbia, em-
ployed as Entomologist during the
summer months. The fruit insect in-
vestigations were continued by the
staff remaining at Vernon. Buckell
retired April 30, 1949, and R. H.
Plandford was placed in charge. C. L.
Neilson was transferred to this staff
from Lethbridge in 1947 ; D. Finlayson
and H. R. MacCarthy joined the staff
in 1948, and F. L. Banham in 1950.

CONTRIBUTIONS FROM RESEARCH
Grasshoppers. Grasshopper investiga-
tions were begun by E. R. Buckell
before he joined the Dominion service
in 1922 and have been carried on by
one or more members of the staff
since that date. The main contribu-
tions have been as follows :

Grasshopper outbreaks have been
charted and described back to 1888 ;
since 1922 these were based on the
personal observations of E. R. Buck-
ell and staff. Records of distribution

32

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

and notes on ecology, and life history,
are available for all known species of
Orthoptera in British Columbia. The
behaviour patterns of the more im-
portant species have also been record-
ed. While the distribution records
were being obtained, series of all the
species found in British Columbia
were collected and deposited in the
laboratory collection. The collection
also includes representatives of nearly
all other Canadian species. Intensive
studies have been made of natural
enemies and their effect on grass-
hopper abundance. The dipterous
parasites have received special con-
sideration and annotated lists of the
many species have been published.
Especially valuable have been the
studies involving the relationship be-
tween range management and grass-
hopper abundance. These studies
have resulted in much more general
attention being paid to the rotation of
cattle over grazing areas.

Bait investigations have resulted in
a progressive reduction of baiting
costs without loss of efficiency. The
use of dried apple waste as a carrier
with bran, was developed by the Kam-
loops laboratory. Diesel fuel oil for
grasshopper control has been in use
many years in British Columbia.
More recently the value of chlordane
and aldrin sprays has been demon-
strated, as well as the more modern
methods of application. A motor-
driven bait spreader, especially adapt-
ed to the rough terrain of British
Columbia range lands, was designed
and tested by the Kamloops staff,
and subsequently came into general
use.

A world-famous type of grasshop-
per control organization, Grasshopper
Control Zones, arose from the studies
conducted soon after the establish-
ment of the Vernon laboratory. In
these zones, control is directed by a
committee of ranchers, and the cost
of bait materials and of hiring con-
trol crews, is collected as part of the
land tax on all land within the
boundaries of the organized “zone.’'
This is of particular value in that it
ensures control operations whenever

and wherever needed. The Nicola
Grasshopper Control Zone is a widely
known, almost classic, example. In
that zone, poisoning has been carried
on annually for nearly 30 years with
the result that no serious outbreak
of grasshoppers has occurred there
during that time.

Besides the many research contribu-
tions made to an understanding of
grasshoppers and grasshopper control,
assistance has been given the Provin-
cial Department of Agriculture since
1918 with the organizing of control
zones and extension work in connec-
tion with control.

Crickets. During the severe outbreak
of Anabrus longipes Caudell in the
Okanagan Valley in 1926, officers of
the Vernon laboratory introduced, and
demonstrated the value of, various
types of barriers.

Cutworms. The Kamloops laboratory
made observations in 1946 on the value
of DDT dusts for cutworm control.
At that time a survey of injurious
species was begun as a minor project
and is still in progress.

Bertha Armyworm. During 1928 the
most efficient dilutions of calcium
arsenate for controlling young and
mature larvae of Mamestra (Barathra)
configurata (Walker) were determined
experimentally.

Wireworms. Detailed surveys con-
ducted in a few fields in 1930 sug-
gested that grass permitted a greater
increase in wireworms than did alfalfa.
On December 5 of that year, at Sum-
merland, B.C., wireworms were still
relatively close to the surface of the
soil indicating that vertical migra-
tions were probably dependent on
weather conditions rather than being
an inherent part of wireworm be-
haviour.

Onion Maggot. From studies of life
history and behaviour in 1919 and
1920 it was learned that volunteer
onions were selected for oviposition in
preference to seedling onions. From
these observations and experiments
based on them it was concluded that
“the value of a trap crop in the con-
trol of the onion maggot is very

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

33

great.” At the same time it was learn-
ed that off-type, short-necked onions
were used very little for oviposition,
suggesting possibilities for breeding
resistant strains. During that period
it was concluded that molasses-sodium
arsenite baits were most effective in
controlling adults of the species. Ex-
periments during 1950 indicated that
lindane surface treatments, aldrin
surface treatments, chlordane trench
treatments, and DDT seed treatments
could be used to replace the more ex-
pensive calomel seed or surface treat-
ment.

Cabbage Root Maggot. Extensive ex-
periments in 1919 and 1920 proved
that mercury bichloride surface treat-
ments were superior to tarred felt
discs.

Colorado Potato Beetle. As a result of
the observations and advice of the
Field Crop Insect Laboratory, Vernon,
an intensive control programme was
initiated by the Provincial Department
of Agriculture in 1923 in an effort to
prevent the spread of the species to
other, non-infested districts. Although
some spread has occurred since that
time, the pest does not occur west of
the Similkameen Valley, and in the
Okanagan Valley it does not occur
north of Penticton.

In addition to experimental work
on control, and advice regarding con-
trol operations that might restrict the
spread of the beetle, the staff of the
Vernon laboratory co-operated with
the Provincial Government to a con-
siderable extent from 1922 to 1930
in the allocation of insecticides, ex-
tension work, and in making a survey
of its distribution.

Potato Tuber Flea Beetle. Modifications
of R. Glendenning’s recommendations
for control of the tuber flea beetle
have been worked out experimentally,
beginning in 1947, for the interior of
the province. Differences in life
historv have also been determined.
The 1950 experiments indicated that

much time, and possibly considerable
expense, could be saved without loss
of efficiency by a single application
of one of the newer synthetic insecti-
cides to the soil.

Pollinators of Vegetable Seed Crops.
During 1918 a study was made of in-
sects observed visiting the flower
heads of onion, carrot, beet, mangel,
parsnip, and radish, and numerous
species were listed.

P<ests of Vegetable Seed Crops. A list
of insects injurious to vegetable seed
crops was prepared from field obser-
vations in 1918. Thirty years later
the study was resumed. The amount
of damage caused by a new pest, Lygus
campestris (L), was determined experi-
mentally and control methods demon-
strated. A study of this pest is being
continued and observations have be-
gun on mites and plant lice.

During the years 1943 to 1948 an ex-
cellent collection of wild bees, especial-
ly leaf-cutter bees and bumblebees,
was built up in the laboratory. This
now serves as an index to possible
pollinators of a wide variety of seed
crops.

Collection of insects. An extensive
collection of wasps was made during
the years 1943 to 1948 and is now
available in the laboratory for refer-
ence purposes.

During the period 1932 to 1944
dragon-flies were collected intensively
and excellent series of all known B.C.
species were placed in the laboratory
museum.

In the course of work to determine
the vector of witches’ broom of
potatoes an excellent collection of
Cicadellidae of the northern Cariboo
has been brought together.

Records of Insect Damage. Records of
damage by insect pests have been kept
since the inception of the field crop
insect investigations in the interior of
British Columbia 1918.

34 Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

FIFTY YEARS OF PLANT QUARANTINE LEGISLATION
AND ACTIVITIES IN B.C.

H. F. Olds

Division of Plant Protection, Science Service, Canada Department of Agriculture,

Vancouver, B.C.

Agriculture means so much to
Canada today that any regulatory
measures that will provide added pro-
tection against foreign pests and
diseases are readily complied with by
the importing public. But I can re-
member the time when these import
restrictions were not accepted with
the same good grace, and a quarantine
officer was apt to become as popular
as a skunk in a parlor if his middle
name was not “Diplomacy/’ The
people of British Columbia should be
very grateful to those early quarantine
workers who, even at the risk of this
unpopularity, had vision enough to
establish rules and regulations for this
purpose and, as this is a Jubilee meet-
ing commemorating history and pro-
gress of our Society in all its various
phases, it would seem appropriate that
we remember them in these records.

In 1893 the Government of the
Province of British Columbia passed
what was known as the “Horticultural
Board Act.” Members of this Board
were the Hon. J. H. Turner, Minister
of Agriculture; Jas. R. Anderson,
Deputy Minister of Agriculture ; R. M.
Palmer, Thomas Cunningham, and
Thomas G. Earle. Many of you will
remember some of these men and
their sterling qualities.

At a meeting of this Board held
December 7 of that year R. M. Palmer
was recommended for the position of
inspector of fruit pests and, in the
following year, he assumed the office
and held this position until 1902, when
Thomas Cunningham succeeded him.
Cunningham was the inspector of fruit
pests until March, 1916, when W. H.
Lyne assumed charge and was re-
sponsible for this work from then
until July 31, 1933, at which time all
plant quarantine activities then super-
vised by the Provincial Department of

Contribution Number 89, Division of Plant Protec-
tion, Science Service, Department of Agriculture,
Ottawa, Ontario.

Agriculture were transferred to the
Division of Plant Protection, Domin-
ion Department of Agriculture. This,
then, is the record of those early j
appointments. In 1894 rules and
regulations made and published under
the authority of Section 7 of the Horti-
cultural Board Act constituted the
first provision for the inspection and
treatment of imported nursery stock
and horticultural plant products.

Plant quarantine rules and regula-
tions have undergone many revisions
since that time. This was to be ex
pected. The international picture of
pest and disease problems is more
readily available today. Internation-
al conferences held over the years
have brought about a better under-
standing of the quarantine regulations
and requirements of the various
countries with general co-operation
resulting.

ACTIVITIES

There has not been much change
over the years in the principle of
plant quarantines in Canada, but the
scope of such activities has naturally
been broadened to meet the new prob-
lems as they arise. In the early years
of plant quarantine work in British
Columbia most of the activities were
tuned to cover the inspection and cer-
tification of imported plants and plant
products, but Canada today is an ex-
porting country as well and, naturally,
the protection of our foreign trade in
horticultural and other agricultural
products is just as important as the
protection of Canadian agriculture
from foreign pests and diseases.

Many of our members are con-
versant with the work of this Division
but, for the benefit of our visitors, the
following might be recorded as some
of the activities carried out in British
Columbia : — •

1. Imports of plants. I have not the
figures of some of the early years cov-
ering the amount of imports in this

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

35

connection, but the growth in this
trade has expanded with the growth of
Canada’s population and improved
standard of living. This year (1950-
51) over 9,000,000 plants were import-
ed into British Columbia. During the
examination of this nursery stock
some 33,000 plants were intercepted
and treated or destroyed on account
of pests or diseases.

2. Inspection of passengers' baggage.
This activity applies mainly to the
examination of the baggage of pas-
sengers arriving via ship and airliner.
It will not be surprising to learn that
the greater number of passengers are
now travelling via air and that we
have lost some of our palatial ships
which used to ply between the Orient
and Vancouver, as well as “down
under.”

3. Introduction of live insects, plant
disease organisms, etc. This is a phase
of our work which needs watching
very closely, for live insects as a
whole are not permitted entry unless
for special scientific reasons. Most
of this is for investigational and ex-
perimental purposes, and it covers not
only all stages of insect life, but bac-
terial and fungus cultures as well.
Import permits from this Division are
required, and all importations are
screened by collaborators.

4. Imports of plant products. This
type of work is made much easier
now due to the fact that by the use
of fumigants, we are able to safeguard
the country from inroads of certain
pests that are found on such imports.
We know more of insecticidal gases
today, and their effects on various
plant products. Stored product in-
spections and related investigations
are carried on by this Division.

5. Export of plants and plant products.
You will not be interested in figures
on export of plants and plant pro-
ducts, but it will be sufficient to say
that this work is gradually growing.
Canada, as an exporting country, is
finding a market in foreign lands and
all exports of this type must be certi-
fied to comply with regulations of the

importing countries. Previous to the
war, 209 countries and their protector-
ates required certification, and it will
be interesting for you to know that
there were 84 different types of certi-
ficates to be made out to meet
stipulated requirements of these
countries.

6. Bulb certification in British
Columbia is a new feature to our gen-
eral work. The British Columbia
Bulb Growers’ Federation asked for
an inspection service to cover the
production of tulips, narcissi, iris, and
hyacinths, which service has been
provided since 1949.

7. Ship inspection. In line with the
promotion of Canada’s exports, all
ships’ holds which may be carrying
grain or cereal products from Canada
are examined prior to loading in
accordance with regulations under the
Destructive Insect arid Pest Act and.
if necessary, the ship is treated, either
by fumigation or spraying. During
the past fiscal year 505 ships were
examined in Vancouver and New West-
minster, of which 71 were fumigated
and 54 sprayed. Canada is the only
country in the world which provides
a special service of this nature.

8. Field projects. Oriental fruit moth
survey work has been carried on in
the Okanagan Valley during the past
several years. There is still no record
of an outbreak of Oriental fruit moth
in this province.

Inspection of fruit has also been a
feature of our work. In the Okanagan
the San Jose scale has created a con-
dition whereby certification for ex-
port to certain countries might be
prohibited. The British Columbia
Fruit Growers’ Association and the
Provincial Department of Agriculture
contributed financially to an annual
survey supervised by this Division.

Finally, there is our general nursery
inspection. This is done as an addi-
tional check to locate outbreaks of
insects or diseases on our home grown
stock. Such inspection, however, does
not constitute the only basis of our
certification work for the export of

36

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

such products. Each consignment is
examined when exported, but those
early examinations of our nurseries
do give us a lead on some of the
problems that we might expect.

9. Seed potato certification. The only
officially recognized seed potatoes in

Canada are those duly certified from
crops examined by inspectors of the
Division of Plant Protection. In Brit-
ish Columbia, which ranks third in
production by provinces, the work is
carried out under the direction of
H. S. MacLeod.

THE 1951 STATUS OF OUR KNOWLEDGE OF THE INSECTS
OF BRITISH COLUMBIA

G. J. Spencer

University of British Columbia

When putting in a plea several years
ago for further collecting to be done
in all Orders in this Province, I out-
lined before this Society, an approxim-
ate estimate of the numbers of species
recorded up to that time. It seems in
order now to take stock again and to
record as far as one can, what half a
century’s collecting has produced in
this Province which contains a larger
and more varied insect fauna than any
other part of Canada.

There are three ways in which fairly
correct estimates can be made of the
known British Columbian insects : —

(1) by searching all published records,

(2) by working over the material in
the Canadian National collection,
where material collected by officers in
British Columbia of the Division of
Entomology has been sent for many
years and (3) by arranging, identify-
ing and listing, collections now exist-
ing in this Province.

In the list of references, I have
assembled all records of collections,
but until an Entomologist is sent from
this Province to spend many months
going over the National collection and
noting all British Columbia records,
it will be many years before the lists
can be compiled from that source. In
the case of even one genus or even
one family, one of the systematists
at Ottawa might have time to write
out the records, but to get these
records in all Orders, would be a great
task.

The best that I can do at this time,
is to go down the list of Orders and

to indicate what effort has been put
on each one.

THYSANURA. Bristle-tails. Our indigen-
ous fauna has distinctly separated, coastal
and dry belt species which do not overlap.
In all, I had some seven species which were
sent to Dr. Silvestri at Portici, Italy, before
the second world war. Correspondence be-
fore, during and after the war, failed to get
identifications and now that that great man
is dead, collections of Thysanura will have
to be made all over again and submitted to
some other authority.

APTERA. The order is represented by at
least one species of native C'ampodeidae, not
uncommon in forest duff and leaf mould in
the vicinity of Vancouver and by possibly
two species of Japygidae, a dry land form
recorded by Saunders from Victoria in 1946
(Evalljapyx sonoranus Silv. 1911, previously
recorded from Tucson, Ariz.), and another
which occurs in rich garden soils around
Queen Charlotte City. Mr. R. Guppy recent-
ly sent me one specimen from Wellington,
Vancouver Island.

The COLLEMBOLA are practically un-
touched and sadly need attention. The only
records are of those collected by J. D. Greg-
son from the Kamloops region and some of
my own collecting at the Coast, whose list
and identifications of 16 species were pub-
lished in our Proceedings 44, 1948.

The ORTHOPTERA sens. lat. has been
well studied and recorded by Ronald Buckell.
There are probably between 110 and 120
species in the Province of which extensive
series are placed in the National collection,
the Provincial Museum at Victoria and in
the Dominion Laboratory in Kamloops.
About 80 species are in the University col-
lections. An insect that needs further
attention is the readily accessible Grylloblatta
at Kamloops, discovered by Gregson in 1938
and kept in captivity and partly written up
by M. G. Campbell. I feel certain that dili-
gent search in the Interior, of talus slopes
similar to those at Kamloops where this in-
sect occurs, will reveal a wide distribution
of, ,C. campodeijormis in the Province

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

37

The DERMAPTERA or earwings have
been recorded by R. Buckell in his paper
“The Dermaptera of Canada,” 1929. Of the
five species that he has recorded in this
Province, only one, Labia minor may be in-
digenous : the rest are immigrants.

The PLECOPTERA or Stoneflies of the
Cultus Lake region and southwestern British
Columbia have been well written up by
Ricker, but collections of these insects from
further north, especially from cold mountain
streams and higher latitudes, are badly need-
ed. With Ricker and Ferris Neave, special-
ists in this Order, being both stationed at
the Biological Station at Departure Bay,
identifications can be readily obtained. All
material should be preserved in 70% ethyl
alcohol, not pinned.

Of the 1SOPTERA or Termites, only three
species have been found in British Columbia,
two at the Coast and one in the Interior: on
Vancouver Island, all three species occur.
They have been written up by Beall and
by Spencer in our Proceedings, but the best
work on them was done by the late Kenneth
Jacob as a huge Master’s thesis at the
University. Steps are being taken to have
at least a portion of this work published.

Of the CORRODENTIA less than 20
species have been taken and are now in the
University collections. They were named by
Miss (Dr.) K. M. Sommerman of the United
States National Museum.

The MALLOPHAGA or bird lice are
represented by a very large collection, part
at the Ontario Agricultural College and part
at the University. I have published two
short lists of species. Steps are being taken
to get all the collections named : it will make
a pretentious list.

The ANOPLURA or sucking lice are
represented by about 25 named and several
unidentified species at the University. I
search almost all the mammals and birds
that are taken for the University, but the
collections grow slowly ; not many specie's
occur that have not already been taken, in
both of these Orders of lice.

Of the ODONATA of British Columbia,
the first list was published by R. C. Osburn
in 1905; since then the Order has been well
covered by E. M. Walker, F. C. Whitehouse
and R. Buckell. Some 78 species have been
recorded for the Province. Dr. Walker’s
material is at the Royal Ontario Museum
in Toronto; Mr. Whitehouse divided his
collection between the Provincial, Vancouver
City and University Museums and the
Buckell collection in vials of 95% alcohol, is
at the University.

The THYSANOPTERA or thrips, were
collected only by the late R. C. Treherne,
who published two papers on the Aeolo-
thripidae, but did not put out a list of Brit-
ish Columbia species. His collections are
in the National collection, Ottawa. As far
as I am aware, there are no collections of
this Order in the Province beyond about a
dozen species at the University.

HEMIPTERA-HOMOPTERA. Of the

Hemiptera, H. M. Parshley published a short
list in our Proceedings in 1921, but most of
the collecting of both sub-orders has been
done by W. Downes, whose collection of
over 13,000 specimens covering about 800
species, is at his home in Victoria. He has
published extensive lists in our Proceed-
ings. Venables has published a list of Brit-
ish Columbia Coccidae. That much more
work needs to be done, at least on the
Homoptera, is shown by a list of over
100 species taken in the last four years
from Quesnel and Soda Creek during a
search for vectors of Witches’ Broom on
potatoes. Dr. B. P. Beirne who named the
collection, tells me that four-fifths of the
species are not represented in the National
collection: this material is all at Ottawa and
in the Dominion Laboratory at Kamloops.
The Aphids of the Province have been writ-
ten up by Mr. R. Glendenning and by Alice
Macdougall, whose doctorate . thesis on the
Aphids of British Columbia is at the Uni-
versity of Toronto. In this work she states
that about 170 species are recorded from
British Columbia. Efforts are being made
to have her thesis brought up to date and
published. Her collections on over. 1100
slides and a large amount of material in
alcohol, was donated to the University by
her husband, Mr. Patterson, when Alice died.

Of the NEUROPTERA sens. lat. I report-
ed 54 species and 10 varieties in our Proceed-
ings of 1942. Our two biggest families are
the Chrysopidae and Hemerobiidae. A num-
ber of additional species have been collected,
but not yet named. The material is all at
the University.

Of the MECOPTERA, only two species
have been named both from the Kootenays,
by the late J. W. Cockle. Our Provincial
forms are entirely wingless. The minute
“Snow Flea” Boreus, occurs sparsely on the
north shore mountains near Vancouver.

TRICHOPTERA or Caddis flies. Dr. H. H.
Ross of Illinois has recorded . 142 species
from all sources, for this Province. .Much
of the material upon which his list is
named, is at the University and he tells me
that at least another 100 species should occur
in our borders. Material should be collected
in 70% alcohol, not pinned.

Of the LEPIDOPTERA, about 1,338
species represented by 9,953 specimens of
Macros and Micros, are at the University,
purchased from the estate of the late E. H.
Blackmore, but many species recorded in
Blackmore’s check list of 1927, are missing
from the collection. A few additional species
have been added as they came to hand. The
National collection at Ottawa has a large
representation from British Columbia col-
lected by Dr. J. McDunnough and the United
States National Museum has 2,000 speci-
mens from the Blackmore collection which
Mrs. Blackmore gave or sold to Gates Clarke
and he later gave them to the Museum when
he joined that institution. The Provincial
Museum at Victoria has a good display of

38

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

Lepidoptera, named to species. Another
large collection is that made by Dr. W. R.
Buckell, in the Salmon Arm district. This
perfectly mounted collection of 77 3 species
(541 Macros and 232 Micros) is in Ronald
Buckell’s home in Salmon Arm. Mr. J. R. J.
Llewellyn Jones of Cobble Hill has recently
placed his fine collection of Macro-lepidop-
tera of 471 species from Vancouver Island,
at the University on permanent loan. The
most up-to-date check list of the Macro-
lepidoptera of British Columbia is that pub-
lished by Mr. Jones in 1951 in which he
records about 1,200 species, with the check
list numbers and synonyms brought up to
date. A collection of several hundred species
of Macros was made some years ago by
Mr. W. Downes. Of these, the Geometridee
were turned over by him to Mr. Llewellyn
Jones. The remainder, consisting of about
400 species from both the Interior and Van-
couver Island, is at his home in Victoria.

The COLEOPTERA. Until recently the
best collection extant of British Columbia
species was that of Gordon Stace-Smith of
Creston, who has between 2,100 and 2,200
species from this Province. The huge Ralph
Hopping collection at Vernon was willed to
the California Academy of Sciences and since
that institution received also the Hugh Leech
collection of water beetles, it now has
probably the best representation of British
Columbia species. This University has about
2,000 species arranged in 36 Cornell drawers
by George Hopping, about three-quarters of
them being from this Province. Professor
M. Hatch of the University of Washington
in Seattle has over 400,000 specimens in his
collection, mainly from the Pacific Northwest
including material from British Columbia.
Since Dr. Hatch has exchanged records with
Stace-Smith and has examined all our Uni-
versity material (which includes specimens
from Mrs. Hippesley Clarke), his forth-
coming book on “The Beetles of the Pacific
Northwest” should list fairly well, most of
those that have been taken in this Province.
Published lists of Coleoptera from British
Columbia include those of Reverend J. H.
Keen, G. A. Hardy R. H. Harvey, Mrs.
Hippesley and Mrs. Clarke (formerly Hip-
pesley). Kenneth Auden’s B.A. thesis (un-
published) in the Department of Zoology,
consists of a list of about 400 species from
the Midday Valley near Merritt, B.C.

The STREPSIPTERA remain untouched.
Hugh Leech found stylopized bees freely in
the arboretum on our campus, but no one
has worked on the Order.

The two large Orders, Hymenoptera and
Diptera, both strongly represented in the
Province, are virtually untouched except for
lists of a few families.

HYMENOPTERA. The earliest numbers
of our Proceedings contained short lists, but
the names are out of date. The University
collections have probably the largest number
of specimens in the Province, partly separat-
ed into Families, most of it unnamed to

Species. Outstanding are Buckell’s distribu-
tional lists of the Ants, Megachilidae, An-
drenidae and Bombidae. Buckell and

Spencer have listed all the Vespidae that
probably occur in British Columbia and

Spencer and Wellington the Sphecidae.

Many Sawflies and Horntails have been

collected and named, but no lists have been
published. Foxlee and Guppy have listed
some of the Ichneumonidae. Buckell’s col-
lections are at Kamloops.

The DIPTERA are in much the same con-
dition. After the work and early listings by
the founders of our Society, followed by
Osburn on Syrphidae, Sherman on Chirono-
midae, Garrett on several families, Hearle on
mosquitoes and Spencer on Tipulidae and
Dolichopodidae, little has been published. I
have fairly extensive collections of Tabanidae,
Syrphidae, Asilidae, Bombyliidae and Tach-
indae at the University, but only some 40
species of the Tabanidae have been named;
many other families have been collected, but
are less well represented.

The SIPHONAPTERA have been splen-
didly dealt with in Holland’s “Siphonaptera
of Canada” in which he lists 89 species for
British Columbia. His several papers and
two by J. Wagner deal fully with the Order.
Brief earlier listings were made by Harvey
and Spencer. Holland’s book makes the
fleas the best worked-up Order in British
Columbia, if not in Canada. His huge series
is at the National collection and he pre-
sented our University with an almost com-
plete set of duplicates in balsam on slides.
My collection of about 65 species named by
the late Dr. J. Wagner of Belgrade, is also
at the University.

References

Auden, Kenneth F. 1925. A Distributional
Survey of the Coleoptera of the Midday
Valley near Merritt, British Columbia. B.A.
Thesis, Dept, of Zoology, University of
B.C. (unpublished).

Beall, G. 1931. Notes on the Termite^ of
British Columbia. Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C.,

28.

Blackmore, E. H. 1914. Notes on the genus
Hydriomena. Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C. 4.
1915a. Further notes on the species of
the genus Hydriomena. Ibid. 6.

1915b. Changes in Geometrid Nomencla-
ture. Ibid. 6.

1916a. On the species of the genus Pero
occurring in British Columbia. Ibid. 8.
1916b. Further additions to the list of
British Columbia Geometridae. Ibid. 8.

1917. Notes on Geometridae new to Brit-
ish Columbia. Ibid. 10.

1918. A Revision of the British Columbia
species of the Geometrid genus Hydrio-
mena Hub. Ibid. 12.

1919. The Lyceninae of British Columbia.
Ibid. 14.

1920. The genus Argynnis in British Col-
umbia. Ibid. 16.

1921. The Sphingidae of British Columbia.
Ibid. 18.

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

39

1927. Check List of the Macrolepidoptera
of British Columbia. Prov. Mus. of Nat.
Plist., Victoria, B.C.

Buckell, E. R. 1921a. Notes on the Ecol-
ogical Distribution of some Orthoptera
from the Chilcotin District of British
Columbia. Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C. 18.

1921b. The Locusts of British Columbia.
Ibid. 13-15 (one series).

1922. A list of the Orthoptera and Derm-
aptera recorded from British Columbia
prior to the year 1922, with annotations.
Ibid. 20.

1924. Additions and Corrections to the
List of British Columbia Orthoptera. Ibid.

21.

1925. Notes on some British Columbia
Grylloblattaria, Dermaptera and Orthop-
tera for the year 1925. Ibid. 22.

1928. Notes on some Orthoptera from the
Peace River District of British Columbia.
Ibid. 25.

1929. The Dermaptera of Canada. Ibid. 26.

1930. The Dermaptera and Orthoptera of
Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Ibid.

27.

1938. Some Locality Records of British
Columbia Dragon-flies. Proc. Ent. Soc. of
B.C. 34.

1947. A list of the Lepidoptera collected
in Shuswap Lake District of British
Columbia by Dr. W. R. Buckell. Proc.
Ent. Soc. B.C. 43.

1949. Records of Bees from British Col-
umbia— Andrenidae. Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C.

45.

1950. Records of Bees from British Col-
umbia — Megachilidae. Proc. Ent. Soc.
B.C. 46.

1951. Records of Bees from British Col-
umbia— Bombidae. Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C.

47.

Buckell, E. R. and Spencer, G. J. 1945. A
Preliminary List of the Flesh Flies of
British Columbia (Diptera: Sarcopha-

gidae). Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C. 42.

1950. The Social Wasps (Vespidae) of
British Columbia. Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C. 46.
Campbell, M. G. 1949. Notes on Grylloblat-
ta, at Kamloops, presented by G. J.
Spencer). Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C. 45.

Clarke, A. H. 1948. An Annotated List of
Coleoptera taken at or near Terrace, Brit-
ish Columbia, Part 1. Proc. Ent. Soc.
B.C. 44.

Clark, M. E. (Sic) 1949. An Annotated List
of the Coleoptera taken at or near Terrace,
British Columbia. Part 2. Proc. Ent. Soc.
B.C. 45.

Curtis, L. C. 1941. A Preliminary list of the
species of Culicoides in Western Canada
(Diptera: Ceratopogonidae). Proc. Ent.

Soc. B.C. 37.

Downes, W. 1917. Lepidoptera of the
Northern Okanagan. Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C.

10.

1918. Notes on a Collection of Hemiptera.
Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C. 12.

1919. The Tree-hoppers of British Colum-
bia. Ibid. 14.

1924. New Records of Hemiptera from
British Columbia. Ibid. 21.

1925. Lace Bugs of British Columbia.
Ibid. 22.

1927. A Preliminary List of the Heterop-
tera and Homoptera of British Columbia.
Ibid. 23.

1935. Additions to the List of B.C. Hemip-
tera. Ibid. 31.

Foster, R. E. 1942. Insects active through-
out the winter at Vancouver, B.C. Part 1 ;
Introduction and lists of the Coleoptera
and Neuroptera. Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C. 38.

1943. Insects active throughout the winter
at Vancouver, B.C., Part 2: Lists of the
Orthoptera, Dermaptera, Homoptera,
Hemiptera, Diptera and Hymenoptera.
Ibid. 40.

Foxlee, H. R. 1942. A list of nineteen
species of Asilidae collected at Robson,
B.C. (Diptera). Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C. 38.

1944. Records of some Flies and Wasps
collected at Robson, B.C. (Diptera : Asili-
dae: Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae). Proc.
Ent. Soc. B.C. 41.

1945. A Preliminary List of the Heter-
ocera of the Nelson-Robson-Trail District
of British Columbia (Lepidoptera). Proc.
Ent. Soc. B.C. 42.

1947. Further Records of Heterocera of
the Nelson-Robson-Trail District of Brit-
ish Columbia (Lepidoptera). Proc. Ent.
Soc. B.C. 43.

Glendenning, R. 1924. Preliminary List of
the Aphididae of British Columbia. Proc.
Ent. Soc. B.C. 21.

1925. Additions to the list of Aphididae of
British Columbia. Ibid. 22.

1929. Further additions to the list of
Aphididae of British Columbia. Ibid 26.
Gregson, J. G. 1939. Notes on the Occur-
rence of Grylloblatta campodeijormis Walker
in the Kamloops District. Proc. Ent. Soc.
B.C. 35.

Guppy, Richard. 1948. A Preliminary Anno-
tated List of Ichneumonidae Collected in
the Wellington District of Vancouver
Island, British Columbia (Hymenoptera).
Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C. 44.

Hardy, G. A. 1942a. The Black Witch Moth
( Erebus odor a L.) in British Columbia.
Proc. Ent. Soc. 39.

1942b. Notes on some Wood-boring
Beetles of Saanich, Vancouver Island, B.C.
(Coleoptera: Cerambycidae and Bupresti-
dae). Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C. 39.

1944. Further notes on the Cerambycidae
of Vancouver Island (Coleoptera). Proc.
Ent. Soc. B.C. 41.

1948. Some Beetles of the Families Ceram-
bycidae and Buprestidae from Manning
Park, British Columbia. Proc. Ent. Soc.
B.C. 44.

1950. Notes on Vancouver Island and West
Coast Coleoptera. Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C.

46.

40

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

Harvey, R. H. Secretary, Ent. Soc. of B.C.
In Nos. 1-10 of the (then) Bulletin of the
Society, published lists of Coleoptera
Buprestidae, Cerambycidae, Cicindelidae)
Diptera (Asilidae, Bombyliidae, Syrphidae,
Tabanidae, Tachinidae) Lepidoptera, Neu-
roptera, Plecoptera and Odonata, appar-
ently assembled by Members of the So-
ciety.

Hearle, E. 1921. The Importance of Mos-
quitoes, with Notes on Some British Col-
umbia Species. Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C. 13-15.
1927. List of Mosquitoes of British Col-
umbia. Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C'. 24.
Hippesley, W. W. 1922. Notes on Northern
British Columbia Coleoptera. Can. Ent.
54 (3).

Holland, G. P. 1941. A Survey of the Rat
Fleas of the Southern British Columbia
Coast with Relation to Plague Studies.
Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C. 37.

1940. New Records of Siphonaptera for
British Columbia. Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C.
36.

1941. Further Records of Siphonaptera for

British Columbia. Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C. 37.
1944. The Distribution of some Plague-
important Rodents and Fleas in Western
Canada. (Mammalia: Rodentia and In-

secta: Siphonaptera.) Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C.
41.

1949. A Revised Check List of the Fleas
of British Columbia. Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C.

45.

1950. Notes on some British Columbian
Fleas with Remarks on their Relationship
and Distribution. Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C. 46.
1949. The Siphonaptera of Canada. Dept.
Agr., Ottawa, Science Service Pub. 817,
Tech. Bull. 70.

Hopping, G. R. 1945. A New Subspecies of
Monocbamus rotatus. (Coleoptera: Ceram-
bycidae). Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C. 42.

1949. Parasitic Coleoptera. Proc. Ent.
Soc. B.C. 45.

Jacob, Kenneth. 1938. The Termites of
British Columbia; their Structure, Bio-
nomics and Intestinal Fauna. M.A. Thesis,
unpublished, Dept, of Zoology, University
of B.C.

Llewellyn - J ones, J. R. J. 1941. An Anno-
tated List of the Macrolepidoptera of Brit-
ish Columbia. Occ. Pap. No. 1, Ent. Soc.
of B.C.

Keen, Rev’d. J. H. 1895. List of Coleoptera
Collected in the Queen Charlotte Islands,
B.C. Can. Ent. 27.

Leech, H. B., 1943. Miscellaneous Records of
Beetles in British Columbia. (Coleoptera:
Hydrophilidae, Elateridae, Buprestidae,
Lathridiidae, Chrysomelidae, Curculion-
idae.) Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C. 40.

1947. List of some Philonthus from Brit-
ish Columbia. (Coleoptera : Staphylinidae).
Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C. 43.

Macdougall, Alice P. 1926. The Aphididae
of British Columbia. M.S.S. Ph.D. Thesis,
Univ. of Toronto (copy at Univ. of B.C.).

Osburn, R. C. 1905. Odonata of British
Columbia. Ent. News, 16.

1907. The Syrphidae of British Columbia.
Bull. (Sic) B.C. Ent. Soc. 8 (reprinted
Aug. 1926).

Parshley, H. M. 1919. On some Hemiptera
from Western Canada. Univ. Mich. Mus.
Zool. Occ. Pap. 71.

1921. Report on some Hemiptera from
British Columbia. Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C. 18.
Ricker, W. E. 1939. A Preliminary List of
Stoneflies (Plecoptera) from the vicinity
of Cultus Lake, British Columbia. Proc.
Ent. Soc. B.C. 35.

1943. Stoneflies of Southwestern British
Columbia. Indiana Univ. Pubs. Sc. Series
No. 12.

Saunders, L. G. 1946. A Canadian Japyx.
Can. Ent. 78.

Sherman, R. S. 1920. New species of My-
cetophilidae. Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C'. 16.
Spencer, G. J. 1928. External Parasites on
Certain Birds of British Columbia. Can.
Ent. 60.

1935. The Bedbugs of British Columbia.
Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C. 31, Feb. 1935, (Sic.)
Feb. 1934.

1936. A Check List of the Fleas of British
Columbia, with a Note on Fleas in Rela-
tion to Sawdust in Homes. Proc. Ent.
Soc. B.C. 32.

1937. The Termite situation in British
Columbia in 1936. Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C.

33.

1937. Further Notes on the Fleas of Brit-
ish Columbia. Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C. 34.

1938. Ectoparasites bf Birds and Mammals
of British Columbia. II. A preliminary
list of the Pupipara, Louse Flies. Proc.
Ent. Soc. B.C. 34.

1942a. A Preliminary List of the Neurop-
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B.C. 38.

1942b. Insects and other Arthropods in
Buildings in British Columbia. Proc. Ent.
Soc. B.C. 39.

1943. Some Records of Long-legged Flies
from British Columbia (Diptera : Dolicho-
podidae). Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C. 40.

1948a. Some Records of Mallophaga from
British Columbia Birds. Proc. Ent. Soc.
B.C. 44.

1948b. Notes on some Dermestidae of Brit-
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1948c. A Preliminary List of Tipulidae
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B.C. 44.

1948d. Some Records of Collembola from
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1920. Notes on the Aeolothripidae (2).
Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C. 16.

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Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

41

Walker, E. M. 1927. The Odonata of the
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57.

Wagner, J. 1936. The Fleas of British Col-
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1940. Beitrag Zur Kenntnis der Flohe von
Brit. Kolumbien, Zeitschrift fur Parasiten-
kunde, 11 (4).

AN ANNOTATED LIST OF TRICHOPTERA COLLECTED ON
SOUTHERN VANCOUVER ISLAND

F. Schmid

Museum of Zoology, Lausanne (Switzerland)
and

Richard Guppy
Wellington, B.C.

Although Trichoptera have been
the object of considerable study, those
of North America are not very well
known. P’aunistic data, in particular,
are often lacking and many described
species are unknown except for the
type series.

In the hope of contributing a little
to the knowledge of these insects
we offer the following list of species
collected on Southern Vancouver Is-
land, B.C. These specimens were
taken, over a period of three years,
by the junior author. Where no other
indication is given, the specimens
were usually taken around the house
and grounds, at lights, or by beating
foliage. Many, however, were cap-
tured near streams or other bodies
-of water, which were evidently their
natural habitat. As some of these
places have no names we have adopted
the following system of numbering.

(3) i Small moderately rapid stream,
permanent water, very shaded by
bushes, at sea level.

(4) Nearly the same as (3), but
-often dry in late summer.

(6) Small rapid stream, with still
pool, very clear, gravelly bottom,
permanent water.

(7) More rapid than (6), Most col-
lecting on this stream was carried out
along a stretch running over a shelf
-of solid rock, with many small “pot
holes” created by erosion.

(10) Small shallow muddy pools at
about 900 feet elevation, thickly
grown with sedges, always dry in
summer.

(11) Very small stream falling over
steep rock cliff. Water seems to be
permanent, though very low in sum-
mer.

For other streams along which
some collecting was done, we have
used the names found on maps of the
district.

RHYACOPHILIDAE

Rhyacophila angelita Bks. Fairly common in
July. Wellington (4), Nanaimo, Chase R.,
Englishman R. Falls, Aug. 26, 1950.

R. grandis Bks. Very common, June to Oct.
Wellington (3, 4, 7), Nanaimo, Chase R.
and Millstone R.

R. norcuta Ross. Common. Forbidden Pla-
teau, Aug., Englishman R. Falls, Aug.
26, 1950. Wellington (7), June and Oct.

R. oreta Ross. Common. Wellington (7),
Mt. Benson, Sept. 19, 1950, Englishman R.
Falls, Aug. 26, 1950.

R. vaccua Milne. Very common, July to Oct.
Wellington (6, 7), Englishman R. Falls,
Nanaimo, Chase R, Nanoose Creek, Nan-
oose Bay, Mt. Benson.

R. vaefes Milne. Wellington (7), June 15,
1950, 2$ $.

R. verrula Milne. Common. Wellington
(6, 7, 11), June and Oct., Englishman R.
Falls, Aug. 26, 1950.

R. vuzana Milne. Fairly common, July and
Aug. Wellington (4, 11), Nanaimo, Chase
R., Englishman R. Falls.

Glossosoma penitum Bks. Wellington (3, 11),
June 13, 1950, 2$ $ and 2$ $.

Palaeagapetus guppyi Schm. Mt. Benson,
Aug. 19, 1949, 13.

PHILOPOTAMIDAE

Dolophilodes pallidipes (Bks.). Mt. C’okely
(Arrowsmith) Aug. 10, 1948, 1 $ . Forbid-
den Plateau, Aug. 1950, 1 3 and 1$.

D. dorcus (Ross). Wellington (10), July 27,
1950, 13 and 12.

W ormaldia gabriella Bks. Very common.
Nanaimo, Chase R. and Millstone R., Sept.-
Oct. 1950.

42

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

PSYCHOMYIIDAE

Polycentropus variegatus Bks. Wellington (4),
June 30, 1949 and July 4, 1950, also occa-
sional specimens late July through Sept.

P. flavus Bks. Forbidden Plateau, Aug., 1950,

4£ £.

P. interruptus Bks. Very common. Welling-
ton, July- Aug.

P. remotus Bks. Forbidden Plateau, Aug.
1950, 2£ £ and 29 9.

LEPTOCERIDAE

Triaenodes baris Ross. Wellington, July 21,
1949, July 27, 1950.

Mystacides alafimbriata H-Gr. Forbidden Pla-
teau, very common, Aug. 1950.

LIMNEPHILIDAE

Colpotaulius secludens Bks. Wellington, Aug.
1, 1948, 1$.

Grammataulius betteni Griff. Wellington, occa-
sional in Sept, and early Oct.

Limnephilus externus Hag. Fairly common,
Wellington (11), Sept. 28, 1950, and at
light mid July through Sept.

L. fuscoradiatus Schm. Forbidden Plateau,
Aug., 1950, 1 £ and 1 9 .

L. harrimani Bks. Very common, Wellington,
Aug.-Sept.

L. insularis Schm. Wellington, Sept. 28, 1948,
1 £ ; Sept. 23, 1949, 1 £ .

L. indivisus Walk. Wellington, June 25, 1948,
1 £ ; Sept. 10, 1948, 1 £ .

L. lopho Ross. Forbidden Plateau, Aug., 1950,
1 £ and 1 9 .

L. nogus Ross. Wellington, extremely abund-
ant during Sept, and Oct. Coloration of
this species is rather variable.

L. sericeus (Say). Wellington, fairly common
in late Sept.

L. sitchensis Kol. Wellington, very common
July to Sept. This species also is very
variable in coloration.

L. occidentalis Bks. Wellington, rather scarce,
Sept.-Nov., one specimen, June 21.

Lenarchus vastus Hag. Wellington, very com-
mon Aug. to Oct. N, early all specimens
were taken at light, hence are mostly
females. Their breeding haunts were not
discovered.

L. rho Milne. Wellington, rather rare, July
to Sept. Ten specimens emerged from
larvae taken from pool (10).

L. cinnamoneus (Schm.). Wellington, Aug. 12,
1948, \£.

Halesochila taylori Bks. Said to be rare, this
species was common at Wellington in 1950,
coming frequently to light during Septem-
ber and October. A short visit to a muddy
lake in October netted about a dozen
specimens. Some were bred from larvae
taken from this lake, and from the partly
caved-in well of the abandoned whaling
station at Hammond Bay. The species
evidently requires deep, still, permanent
water, with abundant aquatic vegetation.

Clistoronia magnijica Bks. Wellington, Sept.
12, 1950, 1 $ ; Mt. Benson, June 11, 1950,
1 9 . The natural habitat appeasr to be
mountain lakes. On the Forbidden Plateau
the species is very conspicuous during
August, large numbers being on the wing
each evening at dusk.

Clostoeca disjuncta Bks. Not common, Welling-
ton May 11, 1949 and June 17, 1950; Mt.
Benson July 5, 1949, 1 £ .

Chyranda centralis Bks. Fairly common, For-
bidden Plateau, Aug.

Hesperophylax designatus Walk. Wellington,
Sept. 17-20, 1950, 2 9 9. Forbidden Plateau
Aug., fairly common.

H. occidentalis Bks. Not common. Welling-
ton, June 15, 1950, 1$, also from (4) Sept.-
Oct., 1948; Mt. Benson, June 11, 1950, 19.

Glyphopsyche irrorata Fabr. Fairly common,
Wellington, March, April and early May.
Goldstream, April 2, 1950, 1 9 .

Psychoglypha ulla (Milne). Very common,
Wellington Sept.-Oct. and March-April.
Reared from (3).

P. bella (Bks.). This species is difficult to
collect ; it is reluctant to take wing, stays
close to its breeding haunts, and never
comes to light. Specimens were reared
from larvae taken from (6) (emergence
date Nov. 9, 1948), and from French Creek
(emerged Oct. 17, 1949). Adults were col-
lected at (7) Aug 21, 1949, and Nanoose
Creek, Oct. 19, 1949. Larvae were found in
still, clear, gravelly pools, when the
streams were low in summer.

P. alascensis Bks. Wellington, fairly common
in Oct. Two specimens emerged from
French Creek, larvae along with the P.
bella specimen above.

Neopbylax rickeri Milne. Common, Welling-
ton, Nanaimo, Chase R., Nanoose Creek,
Sept.-Nov.

Ecclisomyia conspersa Bks. Wellington (7),
common in May ; Forbidden Plateau Aug.
1950, 2 9 9.

Cryptochia pilosa Bks. Wellington (3), June

Apatania sorex Ross. Wellington, June 8,
1950, 1 9.

Dicosmoecus gilvipes (Hag.). Wellington (7)
and Millstone R. Oct. 12, 1949, 6$ £ ;
Nanaimo, Oct. 8-15, 1949, and Sept. 26,
1950.

D. nigrescens Bks. Wellington, Sept. 14, 1950,
l£ at light, (11) Oct. 13, 1950, 19.

D. tristis Bks. Wellington, Millstone R.,
Englishman R., French Creek, Nanaimo,
Chase R., Common, late Aug.-Oct., close to
large permanent streams, never taken else-
where.

LEPIDOSTOMATIDAE

Lepidostoma cascadensis (Milne). Wellington,
June 15, 1950, 1 £ .

L. hoodi Ross. Wellington, Aug. 24, 1949,

2£ £.

L. jewetti Ross. Wellington, Aug. and Sept.,
not rare ; Nanaimo, Millstone R., Sept. 26,
1950. Englishman R., Aug. 1, 1950.

L. quercina Ross. Wellington, June 4, 1949,

1 £.

L. roafi (Milne). Very common in Sept., Wel-
lington, Nanaimo, Millstone R.

L. rhino Ross. Wellington, July 10, 1950, 1$.

L. strophis Ross. Wellington, Sept. 17, 1949,

1$.

L. unicolor (Bks.). Wellington, fairly common
in Aug. and Sept.

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

43

A PRELIMINARY LIST OF THE TRICHOPTERA
OF BRITISH COLUMBIA

Herbert H. Ross

Illinois Natural History Survey, Urbana, Illinois
and

George J. Spencer

University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C.

This list records 142 species of Tri-
choptera from the Province of British
Columbia, but the caddisfly fauna of
British Columbia probably contains
a good 100 species more. Records
to date are chiefly from the south-
western and south-central parts of
the Province, and in the main, from
lower elevations. Large numbers of
species known from neighboring
mountains in Washington, Montana,
and Alberta, as well as many other
species, will undoubtedly be taken in
British Columbia with future collect-
ing.

A faunal analysis of the British Col-
umbia caddisflies brings out several
interesting points. In southern Brit-
ish Columbia there occurs a curious
mixture of two large and distinctive
elements, the transcontinental north-
ern fauna and the western montane
fauna. In the West the former ex-
tends little south of the Canadian
boundary. Also emphasized by many
species is the distinctive nature of the
Cascade fauna in comparison with
that of the eastern ranges.

Quite a number of species belong
to closely-knit complexes composed
of geographically isolated units. In-
cluded in this list are Limnephilus sylviae,
and Glossosoma wenatchee. More in-
formation on the distribution of these
and other species will be of tremend-
ous help in unraveling the story of
species genesis on the North American
continent.

The largest single set of records
comprises the collections made by Dr.
W. E. Ricker at Cultus Lake. To Dr.
Ricker and many others who have
made material available we wish to
express our sincere gratitude.

FAMILY RHYACOPHILIDAE

Includes only rapid stream or cas-
cade inhabiting species.

Genus Rhyacophila Pictet

R. angelita Banks. July 3 to Nov. 24;
Courtenay, Cowichan L. (C'owichan R.),
Cultus L., W. of Hope (Silver Cr.). West-
ern, widespread through the montane
region.

R. bifila Banks. July 9 to Aug. 10; Cultus
L., W. of Hope (Silver Cr.), W. Vancouver
(Capilano R.), Vernon, Walhachin. Wide-
spread through the western montane
region.

R. coloradensis Banks. Aug. 10 to Oct. 11;
Cultus L., W. of Hope (Jones C'r.), W.
of Hope (Silver Cr.). Widespread through
the western montane region.

R. grandis Banks. June 14 to July 15 ; Bon
Accord, Cultus L., Vancouver (stream on
Marine Drive), Vernon. Common in the
Cascade and coastal regions from Ore. to
B.C.

R. inculta new species.

Male. — Length 12 mm. Head and
body various shades of dark brown,
antennae and legs paler ; wings dark
brown with a purplish tinge.

Male genitalia as in fig. 1. Ninth
segment nearly cylindrical, with the
dorsal area wider than the ventral
and bearing a pointed mesal projec-
tion extending above and over the
base of the tenth tergite. Tenth
tergite divided into a pair of thick,
blade-like lobes held vertically, with-
out other structures. Claspers with
basal segment fairly long, wide at
base and narrowed at apex, the ven-
tral margin sinuate ; apical segment
of moderate size and definitely foot-
shaped, the heel rounded and the toe
robust. Aedeagus consisting of a
mesal tube on each side of which is
situated a membranous tubular arm
ending in a pad bearing minute setae ;
these arms are extensile and when
stretched out are longer than the
claspers.

Female. — Slightly larger than male
but similar to it in color and general
structure. Eighth segment moderate-
ly long and wide, tapering from base
to apex, this apical margin somewhat

44

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

irregular and without conspicuous
features. Spermatheca fairly long
and wide, almost entirely membran-
ous but with a few semi-sclerotized
areas in its wall.

Holotype. — Male; Cultus Lake, July
23, 1936, H. H. Ross. INHS. Allotype.
— Female; Cultus Lake, May 18, 1933,
W. E. Ricker. INHS. Paratypes. —
B.C. : Cultus Lake, same data as holo-
type, 2 cJ cf ; various dates, W. E. Rick-
er,25 cT ;20 $ 9 ; Vancouver, tributary
of Lynn Creek, July 20, 1936. H. H.
Ross, lcf, 1$. OREGON: Big Creek,
Clatsop Co., Aug. 31, 1946, S. G.
Jewett, Jr., 1 ff ; Clatskanie, May 9,
1936, K. Gray and J. Schuh, 9 o' <3 ,
7 $ 9 . Deposited with the holotype
and in the collections of the University
of British Columbia, Canadian Nation-
al Collection/and Oregon State Col-
lege.

This is the species referred to by
Ross (19381) and others as brunnea
Banks. The holotype of brunnea is a
female from New Mexico and accord-
ing to our present knowledge of the
distribution of this group it is highly
likely that it applies to acropedes Banks,
which might, therefore, ultimately
prove to be a synonvm of brunnea.
Rather than make this change, it
seems better to await material from
the type locality before making a de-
cision as to the exact placement of
brunnea. The Cascade species which
has been recorded under the name
brunnea is the species here described
as inculta. It is a sister species of vao
Milne and acropedes, differing from the
former in the long projection of the
ninth tergite, and from the latter by
the more robust, deeper claspers.
There is still some uncertainty as to
the ultimate distinction between the
Cascade species inculta and the more
eastern acropedes. It is noteworthy,
however, that inculta and vao occupy
the same range, and are readily separ-
ated. Whatever the problem it seems
certain that its analysis will be
furthered by the retention of the
species concept of inculta.

1 Ross, H. H-. Psyche, 45:1-61, 1938.

R. norcuta Ross. March 13 to 27 ; Cultus
L. Reported from western Calif., Ore.,
Wash., and B.C.

R. oreta Ross. March 27 to Oct. 12; Cultus
L. Previously reported from Utah, Calif,
and Ore.

R. perda Ross. July 26; Cultus L. Previous-
ly known from western Ore. and Wash.

R. perplana new species

Male. — Length 9.5 mm. Head and
body light brown, antennae and legs
lighter, the legs nearly straw-color;
wings light brown with purplish tinge.

Male genitalia as in fig. 2, in gen-
eral shape and praportions similar to
angelita Banks. Tenth tergite forming
a curious, angled structure which,
when cleared and extended, appears
as in fig. 2a. The dorsal portion is
short and blunt, with a v-shaped apical
incision of moderate depth ; ventral
arm flat. Beneath it articulate the
two trianguloid sclerites which are
connected with the dorsal tendon of
the aedeagus. Claspers with basal
segment fairly long and of uniform
width, apical segment with a very
rounded heel and blunt toe, the toe
not extended as a finger-like process.
Aedeagus almost exactly as in angelita ,
with the apex of the lateral flap al-
most lanceolate (it is obovate in
vuzana Milne).

Holotype. — Male.; Cultus L. South
Cr., B.C., Nov. 1, 1936, W. E. Ricker,
INHS.

This species belongs to the angelita-
vuzana complex. From the former it
differs in the short dorsal lobe of the
tenth tergite which is very similar
to that of vuzana; from vuzana it differs
in the short apical segment of the
clasper, the elongate apical lobe of
the aedeagal arms, and the flat ventral
arm of the tenth tergite, all of which
resemble angelita. Since all three
species occur at Cultus Lake, it was
suspected at first that the specimen
of perplana might be a hybrid, but ex-
amination of the material showed a
consistency of characters which sug-
gested that this was a very unlikely
possibility. It seems more reasonable,
with the information at hand, to con-
sider that the progenitor of the com-
plex was divided to form first the two
species, angelita and a species very

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

45

similar to per plana, and that, subse-
quently, the latter species was again
divided to form perplana, which re-
mained relatively unchanged, and
vuzana, which developed additional
differences in claspers and aedeagus.
R. tucula Ross. Aug. 25 to Sept 14; Chilli-
wack L., Cultus L. (along Chilliwack R.),
Silver Creek. Recorded from B.C., Ore.,
Wash., and Wyo.

R. unimaculata Denning. April 16; Robson.

Known only from this locality.

R. vaccua Milne. July 19 to Sept 14; Cultus
L., Fitzgerald, Keremeos (Shingle Cr. Rd.),
N. Vancouver. Widespread through the
northern part of the western montane
region.

R. vaefes Milne. Aug. 25 ; Cultus L. Known
from B.C. and Ore.

R. vagrita Milne. Aug. 24; Cultus L. Known
only from southern B.C.

R. valuma Milne. July 23 to Aug. 25 ; Cultus
L. Known from the Cascade and coastal
region.

R. vao Milne. May 20 to Aug. 9; Cultus L.,
Manning Park (Upper Skagit R.). Known
from the Cascade region from Wash, to
Alaska.

R. vepulsa Milne. May 22 to Aug. 9; Cultus
L., Manning Park (Similkameen R., Alli-
son Pass, 4500 ft.), Stave Falls (Steelhead
Cr.). Known from the western ranges
from Calif, to B.C.

R. verrula Milne. Aug 12 to 28; Cultus L.
Widespread through the western montane
region.

R. visor Milne. Aug. 12; Cultus L. Known
only from a few localities in the Cascades
from Ore. to B.C.

R. vobara Milne. Aug. 12 ; Cultus L., Revel-
stoke Mt. Known only from B.C.

R. vocala Milne. July 14 to Aug 16; Cultus,
L., Fernie, E. of Elope (17 mi. Cr.). Known
from the Cascades from Ore. to B.C.

R. vujuna Milne. Aug. 9; E. of Elope (17 mi.

Cr.). Known from B.C. and Ore.

R. vuzana Milne. Sept. 9; Cultus L. Known
from B.C., Ore. and Calif.

Genus Anagapetus Ross
A. bemea Ross. Aug. 9; E. of Hope (17 mi.
Cr.). Known from the Cascades in B.C.
and Wash.

Genus Glossosoma Curtis

G. penitum Banks. June 10 to Aug. 10;
Burnaby, E. of Chilliwack (Cheam View),
Cowichan L., Cultus L., Peachland, Stave
Falls (Steelhead Cr.), N. Vancouver. Oc-
curs chiefly in the Cascades from Ore. to
B.C.

G. pyroxum Ross. July 6; Port Coquitlam
(Coquitlam R.). Known from B.C. and
Ore.

G. velona Ross. April 4 to Nov. 14; Cultus
L., N. of Ft. St. James (Middle R., 14
mi. from mouth). Widespread through
the western montane region.

G. wenatchee new species.

Male. — Length 9 mm. Color of
head and body various shades of light
brown, the legs yellow. Mesal pro-
cess of sixth sternite blunt and round.
Genitalia as in fig. 3. Hood large.
Lateral plates of tenth tergite sinuate.'
Cercus elongate, constricted at base
and forming a long curve ending in a
long, slender, whiplike apical portion
surmounted by a thin style ; before
this style the cercus bears only a few
minute setae. Clasper with base
greatly constricted, its dorsal margin
slightly concave, its ventral margin
moderately convex, the apex with a
very short, blunt point; the entire
clasper is flat and its ventral edge is
not angled mesad. Aedeagus tapering
to a narrowed apical portion, occa-
sionally with a slight shoulder before
the apical constriction but usually
more like fig. 4.

Holotype. — Male; Cashmere, Wash.,
Wenatchee River, June 23, 1940, H. H.
and J. A. Ross, INHS. Paratypes :
WASHINGTON : same data as holo-
type, 3cfcf; Chiwaukum, Wenatchee
River, June 24, 1940, H. H. and J. A.
Ross, 1 cf . OREGON: Maupin, De-
schutes River, June 5, 1947, S. G.
Jewett, Jr., 2<Jcf- B.C. : Keremeos,
Shingle Creek Road, Sept. 14, 1934,
A. N. Gartrell, 3cf <$ . Paratypes in the
collection of the Illinois Natural His-
tory Survey, University of British
Columbia, and the Canadian National
Collection.

This species belongs in the alascense
complex and is most closely related
to calipca Denning, from which it
differs in the fairly broad apex of the
clasper, the narrower aedeagus, and
the rather low apex of the lateral
lobes of the tenth tergite.

FAMILY PHILOPOTAMIDAE

As with the Rhyacophilidae, mem-
bers of this family occur only in
rapid streams or cold brooks.

Genus Dolophilodes Ulmer
D. aequalis (Banks). June 26 to Aug. 4;
Hope, Keremeos, Princeton. Widespread
through the western montane region.

D. dorcus (Ross). Aug. 9-10; Bowser (Cook
Cr.), E. of Chilliwack (Cheam View), Cul-
tus L., E. of Hope (11 mi. Cr.). Known
only from the western ranges, of B.C. to
Ore.

46

Entomological Society of British

D. pallidipes (Banks). July 26; Hedley (Mt.
Apex, 6000 ft. el.). Known from B.C.,
Wash, and Ore.

Genus W ormaldia McLachlan
W. anillus (Ross). Jan. 15 to Aug. 10;
Agassiz, E. of Chilliwack (Cheam View),
C'owichan L., Cultus L., Stave Falls (Steel-
head Cr.), N. Vancouver. Known from
B.C.

W. gabriella (Banks). June 30 to July 23;
Cultus L., Oliver, Sardis, Vancouver. Wide-
spread through the western montane
region.

FAMILY PSYCHOMYIIDAE

Most of the British Columbia
species in this family are taken along
rivers or lakes.

Genus Neureclspsis McLachlan

N. bimaculatus (Linnaeus). July 30; N. of
Ft. St. James (Middle R. of Takla L.).
Holarctic ; widespread in the north, east-
ward to Illinois.

Genus Polycentropus Curtis

P. aureolus Banks. Aug. 6; Quesnel. Known
previously from the north-central and
northeastern parts of the continent.

P. cinereus (Hagen). July 20 to Aug. 2;
Cultus L., Keremeos, Quesnel, Seymour,
Vancouver, Vernon. Widespread over
most of North America.

P. flavus Banks. June 23; Canim Lake.

Transcontinental and northern.

P. interruptus (Banks). Aug. 23; Soda
Creek. Transcontinental and northern;
previously reported from Colo, to the At-
lantic.

P. remotus Banks. July 23 to Aug. 23.

Peachland. Transcontinental and northern.
P„ variegatus Banks. June 14 to Aug.;
Burnaby (Stoney Cr.), Cowichan L., Seton
L., Vancouver, W. Vancouver (trib. of
Capilano R.). Confined to the western
montane region.

Genus Nyctiophylax Brauer

N. vestitus (Hagen). June 27 to Aug. 19;
Bowen Island, Cowichan L., Cultus L.,
Keremeos, Peachland, Vernon, Victoria.
Widespread over most of North America.
FAMILY HYDROPSYCHIDAE

The first two genera inhabit cas-
cades, but the others are primarily
river-loving species.

Genus Arctopsyche McLachlan

A. grandis (Banks). May 26 to Aug. 16;
Cranbrook, Kaslo, Keremeos, Lillooet,
Merritt, Seton L., Vancouver. Widespread
through the western montane region.

Genus Parapsyche Betten

P. almota Ross. May 12; Cultus L. Known
from B.C. and Ore.

P. ©Isis Milne. July 8 to Aug. 9; Cultus L.,
Jesmond, Lytton (Blue Lake), Manning
Park (Similkameen R., Allison Pass, 4500
ft.), Revelstoke. Known from B.C. to
Ore.

Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

Genus Hydropsyche Pictet

H. amblis Ross. June 11; Mons (Alta L.).

Known from B.C. and Ore.

H. californica Banks. Aug. ; Cowichan L.
Widespread through the western montane
region and recorded from Minn.

H. centra Ross. May 27 to June 20 ; Lillooet
(Seton Lake). Known from B.C. and Ore.
H. guttata Pictet.

H. separata Banks, 1936, Psyche, 46:126.
New synonymy. July 11 to 30; Chilliwack,
Kamloops, Rosedale. Holarctic; in North
America extending from B.C. to N.Y.,
northern. Material from North America
has been compared with specimens from
Switzerland and Russia and found virtual-
ly identical with them.

H. occidentalis Banks. June 9 to Aug. 13;
Canim L., Cultus L., Lillooet (Seton L.),
Nelson, Oliver, Sardis. Widespread
through the western montane region.

H. oslari Banks. June 9 to Aug. 27 ; Chilli-
wack, Jesmond, Lower Post, Nicola, Oliver,
Quesnel, Soda Creek. Widespread through
the western montane region.

H. riola Denning. June 23; Canim L.
Transcontinental, northern.

Genus Cheumatopsyche Wallengren

C. anal is (Banks). July 4 to Sept. 11; Agas-
siz, Nicola, Vancouver (Beaver Cr.).
Widespread over most of North America.
C. campyla Ross. June 19 to July 9; Cow-
ichan L., Seton L., Walhachin. Wide-
spread over most of North America.

C. gracilis (Banks). June 28 to Aug. 16.
Lower Post, 100 Mile House. Transcon-
tinental, northern.

FAMILY HYDRO PTILIDAE

This family comprises the micro-
caddisflies, most of which are less than
3mm. long, although some reach a
length of 6 mm. They occur in a
variety of habitats.

Genus Agraylea Curtis

A. multipunctata Curtis. July 24 to Aug.;
Chilliwack, Cowichan L. Holarctic ; wide-
spread across northern North America.
Genus Ithytrichia Eaton

I. clavata Morton. July 23; Cultus L., Sardis.
Transcontinental, widespread.

Genus Oxyethira Eaton

O. serrata Ross. July 31 to Aug.; Cowichan
L., N. of Ft. St. James (Middle R. of
Takla L.). Transcontinental; previous
records from east of the Rockies.

O. sodalis new species.

Male. — Length 2 mm. Color speckl-
ed gray, general structure typical for
genus. Male genitalia as in Fig. 5.
Lateral portion of posterior margin
of eighth segment deeply incised just
below mid-line ; anterior margin of

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

47

segment with a wide, fairly deep in-
vagination. From beneath the dorsal
margin of the incision on the apical
margin there arises a curious process
which is very large at the base and
narrows rapidly to a curved, long
apical portion ; this enlarges slightly
at apex and gives rise to a single
long seta which curves back over the
top of the ninth segment. Ninth seg-
ment with dorsal portion distinct, its
posterior margin crenulate ; ventral
portion ending in a fairly wide apical
plate tapering to a sharp point at apex ;
segment only moderately invaginated
within the eighth. The lateral por-
tion of the ninth bears, on each side,
a pair of finger-like processes which
diverge at their tips. These two pro-
cesses are fused at the base and may
represent the clasper, which is, other-
wise, unaccounted for. Subgenital
plate heavy and hook shaped. Aedeagus
short, with a spiral process arising
near its base and with its apex bul-
bous ; the apex of the spiral process
can not be distinguished with cer-
tainty in the specimen at hand.

Holotype. — Male ; Soda Creek, B.C.,
Aug. 23, 1950, at light, G. J. Spencer,
TNHS.

This species is readily distinguished
from all others in the genus by the
curious lateral appendage of the
eighth segment. It does not appear
to be closely related to any known
species although in shape of aedeagus
and general shape of the capsule, it
approaches most closely forcipata
Mosely and grisea Betten.

Genus Orthotrichia Eaton

O. cristata Morton. July 24; Chilliwack.
Transcontinental.

Genus Hydroptila Dalman

H. arctia Ross. Aug. ; Cowichan L. Wide-
spread through the western montane
region.

H. consimilis Morton. Aug. 23 to 27 ; Soda
Creek. Transcontinental, northern.

H. rono Ross. July 6; Port Coquitlam (Co-
quitlam R.). Widespread through the
western montane region.

H. xera Ross. July 6; Port Coquitlam, Co-
quitlam R. Widespread through the
western montane region.

FAMILY PHRYGANEIDAE
With this family begin the typical
case-making groups, which contain all
the species from here to the end of

this list. The Phryganeidae are pre-
dominantly marsh inhabitants.

Genus Agrypnia Curtis

A. colorata (Hagen). June 13 to 17; Kam-
loops. Northern, widespread.

A. improba (Hagen). June 11 to July 15;
Nicola, Quesnel. Western and north-
eastern.

Genus Banksiola Martynov

B. selina Betten. June 28 to Aug. 18 ; Kam-
loops, 100 Mile House. Transcontinental,
northern.

Genus Phryganea Linnaeus
P. cinerea Walker. June 15 to Aug. 5 ;
Canim L., N. of Ft. St. James (Middle R.
at Takla L.), Nicola (Dry Farm), Salmon
Arm. Transcontinental, northern.

FAMILY LIMNEPHILIDAE

Genus Dicosmoecus Martynov
All three members of this genus are
widespread through the western
montane region.

D. atripes (Hagen). July 30 to Aug. 31 ;
Brem River, Hat Creek, Indian River,
Merritt, Vancouver.

D. gilvipes (Hagen). July to lOctober 15;
Arrowhead L., Cultus L.,Merritt, Penticton,
Quesnel Lake, Vancouver, Wellington.

D. occidentis Banks. Aug. 11 to Oct. 28;
Cultus L., Fernie, Quesnel, Wellington.

Genus Imania Martynov
1. bifosa Ross. July 20; Glacier. Known
from B.C. and Alta.

I. tripunctata (Banks). Wellington. Wide-
spread through the western montane
region.

Genus Crypto chia Ross

C. pilosa (Banks). Aug. 10; E. of Chilli-
wack (Cheam View). Known only from
the Cascade region in B.C., Wash, and Ore.

Genus Glyphotaelius Stephens

G. hostilis Hagen. July 12; Cariboo. Trans-
continental, northern.

Genus Hesperophylax Banks
Both B. C. species are widespread
western forms.

H. incisus Banks. June 6 to Aug. 27; Canim
L., Fernie, Hat Creek, Lillooet, Merritt

(Midday Val.), Nicola, Penticton, Pavilion
L., Upper Peace R. Dist. (between Nelson
and Finlay Div., Akie Pass), Wellington.
H. occidentalis (Banks). Aug. 19-20; Gold R.

Genus Grammataulius Kolenati
G. betteni Griffin. Sept. 12-29; Agassiz;
Eburne ; Saanich Dist. Known chiefly
from the Cascades, from B.C. to Ore.

G. interrogationis (Zeff.). July 2 to Aug.
16; Lower Post, Rolla, Trinity Valley.
Transcontinental, northern.

Genus Philarctus Martynov
P. quaeris (Milne). July 9 to Aug. 19;
Kamloops, Quesnel L. Transcontinental,
northern.

Genus Lenarchus Martynov
L. fautini Denning. July 17 ; Barkerville.
Known from B.C., N.W.T., and Wyo.

48

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

L. r.ho Milne. June 6 to Sept 28; Agassiz,
Bon Accord, Gulf of Georgia, Quesnel,
Victoria, Wellington. Known from B.C.
and Wash.

L. vastus Hagen. June 10 to Sept. 1 ; Cow-
ichan L., Departure Bay, Vancouver.
Known from Wash, to Alaska.

Genus Limnephilus Leach
L. batchewana Denning. July 2-17; Barker-
ville. Transcontinental, from Western
Ont. to B.C.

L. bimaculatus Walker. July 7 to Aug. 14;
Kamloops, Kamloops (Lac du Bois), Nicola.
Transcontinental, northern.

L. cerus new species

Male. — Length 13 mm. Color of
body and appendages various shades
of reddish brown, the eyes and leg
spines black, the wings finely irrorate
with darker brown. General struc-
ture typical for genus. Head with
one long macrochaeta mesad of the
posterior margin of each eye. Front
legs with basitarsus subequal in
length to succeeding segment. Eighth
segment simple, without dorso-apical
projection or patch of setae. Genitalia
as in fig. 6. Ninth segment moderate-
ly thick/reduced to a narrow bridge
dorsally. Clasper with proecting por-
tion longer than wide, its apex dis-
tinctly truncate, the corners rounded.
Cercus of only moderate size, ovate,
its mesal face very concave and with-
out sclerotized points. Lobes of tenth
tergite with scleortized portion slend-
er, elongate, and curved latero-dorsad
at apex. Aedeagus unusually long and
slender, the lateral arms with a long
slender stalk and a simple, enlarged
concave apex bearing a cluster of
spines and setae.

Holotype. — Male ; Cultus L., B.C.
(Sumas Slough), May 11, 1933, W. E.
Ricker, INHS. Paratype. — Duncan,
B.C., September 13, 1919, W. Downes,

1 cf . (Canadian National Collection).

This species is most closely related
to lunonus Ross, differing from it in
the shorter cercus which has a con-
vex posterior margin.

L. cinnamoneus (Schmid). Aug. 17; Quesnel,
Wellington. Known only from B.C. and
Alaska.

L. externus Hagen. June to Sept. 6;
Cowichan L. (Cowichan R.), Kamloops,
Kamloops (Lac du Bois), Lower Post,
Nicola, Summerland. Holarctic, northern.
L. fagus Ross. Sept. 21 ; Cultus L. Cascades,
from Ore. to B.C.

L. flavastellus Banks. Sept. 23; Wellington.
Cascades, B.C. to Alaska.

L. harrimani Banks. July 15-20. Bon Accord,
Vancouver (Stanley Park, Stream No. 1),
N. Vancouver (Grouse Mt., 4000 ft.), W.
Vancouver (Capilano R.). Western, from
Ore. to Alaska.

L. hyalinus Hagen. June 28 to Sept. 28;
Nicola, 100 Mile House, Quesnel, Shuswap,
N. of Ft. St. James (Tachla R. at Stuart
L.), Vernon. Transcontinental, northern.

L. indivisus Walker. July to Sept. 25; Chil-
cotin, Mission, Midday Val., Nicola, Soda
Creek. Transcontinental, northern.

L. insularis Schmid. July 17 to Sept 28;
Barkerville, Wellington. Known only from
B.C.

L lopho Ross. Aug. ; Barkerville, Hedley,
Hope Mts, (6000 ft.), Revelstoke (6000
ft.). Known from B.C. and Ore.

L. nogus Ross. Feb. to Oct. 15; Arvas,
Chilliwack, Cultus L., Departure Bay,
Eburne, Haney, Point Grey, Vancouver,
New West’r. Cascades, from Ore. to
B.C'.

L. occidentals Banks. May 4 to Sept. 13;
Duncan, Kamloops, Vancouver Island.
Widespread in the western montane
region.

L. pacificus Banks. Feb. 19 to Oct. 31 ;

Cowichan L., Departure Bay, Hatzic
Prairie, Wellington. Chiefly in the Cas-
cades, from Ore. to B.C.

L. secludens Banks. June 28 to Aug. 27 ;
Aspen Grove, Chilcotin, Fernie, Jesmond,
Kamloops, Lower Post, Merritt (Midday
Val.), Nicola, 100 Mile House, Penticton,
Rolla, Soda Creek. Transcontinental,

northern.

L. sericeus (Say). July 17 to Oct. 14;

Australian, Barkerville, Chilcotin, Hat
Creek, Kamloops, Quesnel, Shuswap Nar-
rows, Soda Creek. Transcontinental,

northern.

L. sylviae Denning. May 31 ; Vancouver

(Seymour Mt.., 4700 ft.). Known from

B.C. and Ore.

L. tarsalis (Banks). July 18 to Aug. 2;

Kamloops, Quesnel. Transcontinental,

northern.

Genus Chyranda Ross

C. centralis (Banks). Aug. 9-26; Fernie,
Tahumming. Widespread through the
Western montane region.

Genus Clostoeca Banks

C. disjuncta (Banks). May 3 to June; Bon
Accord, Vancouver. Widespread through
the western montane region.

Genus Halesochila Banks

H. taylori Banks. Oct. 12; Point Grey,
U.B.C., Wellington. Known only from
B.C.

Genus Hydatophylax Wallengren

H. hespera Banks. July 3 to Aug. 1;
Nanaimo (Departure Bay), N. Vancouver
(Mosquito Cr.). Known from B.C., Wash.,
and Calif.

Genus Glyph&psyche Banks

G. irrorata (Fabricius). Wellington. Trans-
continental, northern.

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

49

Figs. 1-4. Genitalia of caddisflies. 1, Rhyacopbila inculta : A, lateral aspect; B, aedeagus,
dorsal aspect; C, tenth tergite, dorsal aspect. 2, Rhyacopbila perplana : A, tenth
tergite, lateral aspect; B, apex of lateral arm of aedeagus, lateral aspect; C, tenth
tergite, dorsal aspect ; D, clasper. 3, Glossosoma wenatchee : A, genitalia, lateral aspect ;
B, clasper, ventral aspect; C, Aedeagus, ventral aspect. 4, Glossosoma alascense-. A,
clasper, ventral aspect; B, aedeagus, ventral aspect.

50

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

Genus Psychoglypha Ross
P. bella (Banks). Sept. 3; Nanaimo. Known
only from B.C.

P. subborealis (Banks). July to Nov. 23;
Langley Park, Merritt, Vancouver. Trans-
continental and western montane.

P. ulla (Milne). July to Nov. 23; Cultus
L., Jesmond, Wellington. Known only
from B.C.

Genus Drusinus Betten

D. frontalis Banks. Terrace (Thornhill Mt.).
Known from the Cascades, from B.C. to
Ore.

Genus Ecdisomyia Banks
All three B. C. species are western
mountain forms.

E. conspersa Banks. June 4 to Aug. 9; Cul-
tus L., Glacier, E. of Hope (17 Mile Cr.),
Keremeos, Nanaimo.

E. maculosa Banks. June 11; Fernie.

E. scylla Milne. June 8 to Aug. 12; Blue
Lake, Cultus L., Hope Mts., Mt. Apex,
Summerland.

Genus N-zophylax McLachlan

N. rickeri Milne. Oct. 12 to Nov. 7 ; Cultus
L. Known only from B.C.

Genus Oligophlsbodes Ulmer
Both species listed here are entirely
western in distribution.

O. ruthae Ross. Aug. 2; Barkerville.

O. sierra Ross. Aug. 9; E. of Hope (17 Mile
Cr.).

Genus Homophylax Banks
H. andax Ross. June; Pitt Meadows. Known
from B.C. and Ore.

H. crotchi Banks. July; Victoria. Known
only from B.C.

FAMILY C.ALAMOCERATIDAE
This is primarily a subtropical group,
with few representatives in northern
areas.

Genus Heteroplectron McLachlan
H. califomicum McLachlan. May and June;
Cultus L., Duncan. Western, from Calif,
to B.C.

FAMILY MOLANNIDAE
This small family of case-makers
is entirely northern in distribution.
The larvae live almost entirely on
sandy patches of lake bottom.

Genus Molanna Curtis
M. flavicornis Banks. June 10 to Aug. 20;
Canim L., Jesmond, Kamloops, 100 Mile
House, Quesnel, N. of Ft. St. James (Tach-
la R. at Stuart L.). Transcontinental,
northern.

FAMILY LEPTOCERIDAE

This widespread familv includes
both stream species and lake species.

Genus Athripsodes Billberg
A. cancellatus (Betten). June 23 to Aug.
17: Canim L„ Cultus L., Lower Post, 100
Mile House, Seton L., Summerland. Wide-
1v distributed over central and northern
North America.

A. cophus Ross. June 25; Kaslo. Widely
distributed in the western montane region.

A. resurgens (Walker). July 23; Cultus L.,
N. of Ft. St. James (Middle R. at Takla
L.). Transcontinental, northern.

Genus Leptocella Banks

L. alb id. a (Walker). June 14-16; Quesnel,
Summerland. Widely distributed over
central and northern North America.

Genus Mystacides Berthold

M. alafimbriata Hill-Griffin. May 30 to Oct.
16; Agassiz, Cameron L., Canim L., Chilli-
wack, Cowichan L., Cultus L., Emerald L.,
Emerald L. (Yoho Pk.), Harrison L., Kere-
meos, Mons (Alta L.), Nelson, Nicola,
Oliver, Penticton (Okanagan L.), Pitt L.,
N of Ft. St. James (Stuart L., Tachla R.),
Saanich Dist., Sardis, Summerland, Vernon.
A common lake species throughout the
western montane region.

M. sepulchralis (Walker). June 14 to Aug.
20; Hat Creek, Quesnel. Transcontinental,
widespread.

Genus Oecetis McLachlan
O. avara (Banks). June 27 to July 25;
Cultus L., Lac La Hache, Okanagan L.,
Sardis. Widespread over all North
America.

O. immobilis (Hagen). July 2; Okanagan
L., Vernon. Transcontinental, northern.
O. inconspicua (Walker). June 23 to Aug.
1 ; Canim L., Cultus L., Jesmond, 100 Mile
House, Salmon Arm, Sardis, Seton L.,
Squilax, Summerland, Vernon. Extreme-
ly widespread over North America.

Genus Triaenodes McLachlan

T. baris Ross. June 28; 100 Mile House.

Known from B.C. and 111.

T. grisea Banks. June 13 to Aug. 30; Kam-
loops. Transcontinental and northern.

T. tarda Milne. Tune 23 to Aug. 27 ; Cultus
L., Minnie L., Nicola L., 100 Mile House.
Transcontinental and northern.

FAMILY BRACHYCENTYJDAE

Larvae of this family frequently
build a square case of very regular
proportions.

Genus Brachycentrus Curtis

B. occidentals Banks. April 26 to May 14;
Bon Accord, Nicola. Oliver, Quesnel.
Widespread through the western montane
region.

Genus Micrasema McLachlan
M. bactro Ross. July 6; Stave Falls (Steel-
head Cr.). Widespread through the western
montane region.

FAMILY LEPIDOSTOMATIDAE

Members of this family build either
log-cabin cases or slender, cylindrical
ones.

Genus Lepidostoma Rambur
L. cascadensis (Milne). May 28 to July 15;
Cultus L„ N. Vancouver (Mosquito Cr.),
W. Vancouver (Capilano R.), N. of Whon-
nock (Whonnock Cr.). Widespread through
the western montane region.

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

51

L. hoodi Ross. June 10; Nanaimo (Departure
Bay). Known from B.C. and Ore.

L. jewetti Ross. Sept. 25; Wellington.

Known from B.C., Ore. and Calif.

L. pluvialis (Milne). June 28; 100 Mile
House. Widespread through eastern
ranges of the western montane region.

L. rayneri Ross. July 16-18; Cultus L., Lil-
looet, Rosedale (Fraser R.), N. Vancouver.
Apparently restricted to the Sierra Ne-

vada and Cascade range from Calif, to
B.C.

L. roafi (Milne). Vancouver, Vernon, Trans-
continental, northern.

L. strophis Ross. June 5 to Oct. 16; Cultus
Lake, N. of Ft. St. James (Middle R. at
Takla L.), Vernon. Transcontinental,
northern.

L. unicolor (Banks). July 15 to Sept. 13;
Duncan, Vancouver (along Stream I).
Transcontinental, northern.

Figs. 5-6. Genitalia of caddisflies. 5, Oxyethira sodalis\ genital capsule, lateral aspect.
6, Limnephilus cerus : A, lateral aspect of capsule; B, lateral arm of aedeagus, lateral
aspect.

A PRELIMINARY REPORT ON ACARICIDES TESTED FOR
PROTECTION AGAINST THE TICK DERMACENTOR ANDERSONI

STILES ON CATTLE1

J. Weintraub2

Livestock Insect Laboratory, Kamloops, B.C.

Economic considerations, which
necessarily play an important role in
the acceptance and use of any recom-
mended insecticide, are particularly
critical factors in the schedule of
ranchers, whose products do not give
them as high a return on their invest-
ments of property, care, and, notably,

1 Contribution No. 2921, Division of Entomology,
Science Service, Department of Agriculture, Ottawa,
Canada; presented at the 50th Anniversary Meetings
of the Entomological Society of British Columbia in
Vancouver, June 13-18, 1951.

2 Agricultural Research Officer.

labour as do those of other agricultur-
ists. In view of the nature of range
practices in the British Columbia in-
terior, a spray, if it is to be accepted
by the ranchers, should be such that
it might be applied only once : when
the cattle are concentrated near spray
chutes before being dispersed over the
spring and summer grazing grounds.
To advocate a compound of low resi-
dual properties for use against ticks
will necessitate the rounding up of

52

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

scattered cattle for a second treat-
ment and result in the ultimate break-
down of the control program.

The dangerous portion of the tick
season generally lasts but two or
three weeks. However, two factors
contribute to the need for a chemical
that can remain toxic for longer
periods :

(a) in an occasional year, such as
the 1951 season, the dangerous period
extends to four or five weeks;

(b) for the convenience of the
rancher, the acaricide should be com-
patible for mixing with warble spray,
which is usually applied two or more
weeks prior to the tick season.

Benzene hexachloride was investi-
gated by Gregson (1946) and found
very effective for the purpose, but the
multiplicity of new synthetic insecti-
cides that have appeared on the
market in recent years required that
a measure be taken of their effective-
ness in controlling Dermacentor andersoni
Stiles. This report deals with investi-
gations preliminary to thorough future
comparison of the compounds.

Materials and Procedures

The following materials were used:

Wettable powders : C-854 (p-chlor-
ophenyl p-chlorobenzenesulphonate),
Neotran (bis(p-chlorophenoxy) me-
thane), chlordane, and gamma isomer
of BHC.

Emulsions : aldrin^ dieldrin, chlor-
dane, and gamma isomer of BHC. The
emulsifier employed in the formula-
tions was Atlox 1045.

A concentration of 0.5 per cent, of
active ingredient was chosen primarily
on the basis that it was well within
the effective limits for control of the
tick by BHC (Gregson, 1946). This
chemical, therefore, was used as a
basis of comparison for the others
before devoting time for a more com-
plete examination of their properties.

The number of cattle which could
be maintained on the laboratory prem-
ises was limited; hence one litre of a
formulation was applied to the head,
neck, and shoulders of each of four
yearling steers and four heifers. One
other steer was untreated and served
as a control.

Ticks were collected at approximate-
ly weekly intervals and placed on the
hosts’ backs. The attached ticks were
counted and removed at the end of
each feeding period, before a new
batch was placed on each animal.
Occasional checks showed that the
feeding ticks were not completing
their development and leaving the host
before they could be counted.

The mortality recorded in Table I
was based only on female ticks, since
the male tended to wander and drop
from the host.

Results and Discussion

Three classes of ticks were noted,
on the basis of their response to the
effects of the acaricides :

The ticks unaffected by acaricidal
contact, and those placed on the con-
trol, attached and proceeded to feed
until repletion.

Most of the ticks affected by the
acaricides died before they could be-
come attached. This observation was
substantiated by recovery of dead, flat
ticks tangled in the hairs of treated
hosts.

The third class consisted of ticks
which attached on treated cattle but
which died before becoming replete.
Their bodies were collected, still at-
tached by their mouth parts, where
they had been feeding.

The variable reactions of the ticks
to acaricides suggested a variable re-
sistance of the individuals to the
chemicals, even among those ticks
which succumbed. Unfortunately, at
the levels of acaricide concentrations
used, the proportions of ticks of the
third class were so low that a quanti-
tive comparison of the types was not
justified. However, in this preliminary
study the totals of dead ticks were of
primary concern ; consequently, the
last two classes were added and the
sum was used to provide the data for
the mortalities recorded in Table I.

Table I indicates that Neotran and
dieldrin can be ruled out for future
tests. Neotran had been tested on
D. albipictus (Pack.) (unpublished data)
as a dust at one, three, and five per
cent, concentrations, and found in-
effective in controlling that species.

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

53

TABLE I.

MORTALITIES OF DERMACENTOR ANDERSONI FEMALES EXPOSED TO
VARIOUS ACARICIDES SPRAYED ON CATTLE

Chemical

Numbers of Female Ticks Placed on each Host Animal and Percentage
Mortalities^ (in parentheses) after Six to Nine Days

Number of Days After Treatment

12

21

27

33

41

50

57

Emulsions

gamma BHC, 0.5%

50

25 (86)

25 (80)

25 (86)

25 (67)

25 (67)

0 (67)

-

chlordane, 0.8%f

50

25(100)

25(100)

25(100)

25(100)

0 (96)

-

-

aldrin, 0.5%

50

25(100)

25(100)

25 (71)

25 (33)

0 (70)

-

-

dieldrin, 0.5%

50

25 (0)

25 (0)

0 (0)

Disconi

tinued

-

Wettable Powders

gamma BHC, 0.5%

25

25(100)

25(100)

25(100)

9 (67)

0 (0)

10

(-)

0

(0)

chlordane, 0.5%

25

25(100)

25(100)

25(100)

22 (67)

0 (40)

10

(-)

0

(0)

Neotran, 0.5%

25

25 (2)

25 (5)

25 (-)

16 (3)

0 (0)

10

(-)

0

(0)

C-854, 0.5%

25

25 (82)

25 (85)

25 (90)

19 (40)

0 (23)

10

(-)

0

(0)

$ Corrected by Abbot’s formula (Shepard, 194b p. 33) so that the controls show zero
percentage mortality.

t Chlordane emulsion contained 0.8% of active ingredient because of an error in formula-
tion.

Aldrin and C-854 showed some
promise. The former compound pro-
duced greater mortalities than the
comparable strength of BHC for 21
days, but its effects diminished con-
siderably during the subsequent period.
C-854 produced consistently lower
mortalities than the corresponding
BHC formulation. However, the mor-
talities of 82, 85, and 90 per cent,
obtained during the first three weeks
may be sufficient for practical control
of infestations in the field.

The wettable form of BHC appear-
ed to be more effective than the emul-
sion. A similar comparison could not
be made for chlordane because the
emulsion form contained 0.8 per cent,
as opposed to 0.5 per cent, of the wet-
table powder. BHC and chlordane
wettable powders produced identical
results for three days, after which

chlordane emulsion killed all of the
ticks for 33 days and 96 per cent, until
44 days. A performance of this type
might very well answer the needs of
ranchers even in the occasional years
of extraordinarily prolonged tick
activity.

Although there were no records of
toxic effects among the cattle treated,
the problem of danger to livestock
is an apt one and deserves mention.
At the present time published data
are not available for effects of dermal
doses of aldrin, dieldrin, Neotran, and
C-854 when applied to cattle.

Bushland et al (1948) and Radeleff
and Bushland (1950) have investigated
chlordane and benzene hexachloride in
this respect. Bushland and his co-
workers reported that a wettable
powder at 0.25 per cent of gamma
benzene hexachloride caused no injury

54

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

when applied once as a drenching
spray to three cows. However, when
similarly applied at 0.75 and 1.5 per
cent, of gamma isomer, benzene hexa-
chloride did affect and kill the cows.
Two Hereford heifers, thoroughly
sprayed in eight treatments at four-
day intervals with 1.5 per cent, chlor-
dane emulsion, were not affected.

In the same paper the authors re-
ported that of ten cattle sprayed with
a two per cent, suspension of chlor-
dane at two-week intervals, three
cows died after 10-12 days following
the fourth spraying. Other cattle
sprayed similarly with two per cent,
of benzene hexachloride (12 per cent,
gamma isomer) showed no apparent
injury.

Radeleff and Bushland (1950) found
that suckling calves were particularly

susceptible to benzene hexachloride,
toxaphene, and chlordane at various
levels from 8.0 per cent, to 0.025 per
cent, of the toxic ingredients. In this
experiment the calves were sprayed
until thoroughly wet.

The meagre published results of
work on this phase of the toxicity of
the newer insecticides emphasizes a
need for further investigation. To
aggravate the situation, no standard-
ized method of applying the insecti-
cides has been attempted, for each
group of workers has a different set
of problems. For example, in the
present experiment only one litre of
insecticide was sprayed on each of
the cattle, whereas Radeleff and Bush-
land and Bushland et al wet their
cattle thoroughly. Each group was
guided by the limits of its purpose in
performing one experiment.

References

Bushland, R. C., R. W. Wells, and R. D.
Radeleff. 1948. Effect on Livestock of
sprays and dips containing new chlorinated
insecticides. J. Econ. Ent. 41 : 642-645.
Gregson J. D. 1946. Benzene hexachloride
(.“666”) as an acaricide. Canadian Ent.
78 : 201-202.

Radeleff, R. D., and R. C. Bushland. 1950.
Acute toxicity of chlorinated insecticides
applied to livestock. J. Econ. Ent. 43 :
358-364.

Shepard, H. H. 1939. The chemistry and
toxicology of insecticides. Burgess Publish-
ing Co., Minneapolis. 383 pp.

FURTHER STUDIES ON TICK PARALYSIS1

J. D. Gregson2

Livestock Insect Laboratory, Kamloops, B.C.

Tick paralysis in British Columbia
and adjacent territories, as in South
Africa and Australia, has long remain-
ed a disease of baffling origin. Though
it is generally conceded that the symp-
toms produced in the host are brought
on by the injection of a toxin by the
tick, the reason why ticks of the same
species vary in potency is still a
puzzle. The solution to this mystery
has been complicated by a series of
factors which have included such neb-
ulous conditions as are involved in
different host and tick species, host
susceptibility, and host immunity.

1 Contribution No. 2918, Division of Entomology,
Science Service, Department of Agriculture, Ottawa,
Canada.

2 Officer- in -Charge.

Zumpt (1950) even questions whether
these factors are the only ones, and
as he suggests, the physiological con-
dition of the individual tick seems to
be of considerable significance, a
factor which has resulted in studies
too frequently containing so many
unknowns that no logical pattern is
apparent. This, together with the
shortness of the annual period of na-
tural tick activity, has rendered pro-
gress in the etiology of the disease
slow. Nevertheless, each year some
advance has been made and consider-
able data gained toward the under-
standing of this interesting phenom-
enon.

In British Columbia tick paralysis
is caused by the female of the Rocky

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

55

Mountain wood tick, Dermacentor an-
dersoni Stiles, and is mainly a disease
of cattle. If these animals are pas-
tured on tick-inhabited ranges during
the active adult tick season of March
and April/they become infested with
large numbers of the parasites. These
congregate in dense masses on the
heads and shoulders of the victims and
attach for their seven-to-ten-day
blood meal. If is toward the end of
this period, when they have become
replete with blood, that they may
paralyse their host. Sheep, dogs, and
humans are also affected, but usually
on these hosts there are few ticks or
only one.

This species of tick mates while
feeding, which, as shown by Gregson
(1944), enables the female to engorge
to repletion much more rapidly than
when deprived of a male. The feed-
ing period of a mated female is
approximately seven days, after which
it drops from its hosts, whereas an
unmated tick remains attached, half-
engorged, for several weeks. For some
time it was thought that fast-feeding,
mated females were more virulent than
the slow-feeding, unmated ones. This
view is, however, weakened by the
facts that in human paralysis the male
tick is rarely present and that in most
instances the causative tick is only
half-replete at the onset of paralysis.

TEST ON SUITABILITY OF HOSTS

During the past few springs further
attempts have been made at the Kam-
loops laboratory to demonstrate the
conditions responsible for the produc-
tion of paralysis. Since so many fac-
tors appear to be involved in the occur-
rence of paralysis in tick-infested
animals, one of the first steps was to
find a host that is subject always to
paralysis. To permit large-scale in-
festations involving animals on which
ticks had not previously fed, small
laboratory animals were sought. It
was with some degree of surprise that
white mice were discovered to be ideal
hosts of the adult ticks, for never in
nature has this stage of tick been
taken from the numerous wild mice
present in tick-infested areas known

at the Kamloops laboratory. Though
the ticks in the laboratory had to be
protected from the actions of their
hosts by large rubber discs placed
around the animals’ necks, the cleanly
nature of mice does not prevent other
species of ticks in nature from attach-
ing and engorging. The successful
application of this discovery was short-
lived, for it was found that though
rapidly engorging, mated ticks did kill
the mice, death was apparently due to
a severe anaemia, as shown by blood
counts, and slow-feeding ticks pro-
duced no typical symptoms of paraly-
sis. These results covered 37 infesta-
tions Of 18 mice infested with mat-
ing ticks, ten died and eight grew
only sluggish by the time the ticks
became replete. Nineteen, infested
with single female ticks, were un-
harmed, and at the end of the seven
days (the normal period for paralysis
to appear) bore half-engorged speci-
mens. One mouse harboured five and
another two females for the same
period without apparent ill effects,
though a third with four females died
— presumably because of the large
blood meals of the ticks.

Mice, then, apparently do not fill the
need for a host susceptible to paralysis
— unless, of course, the ticks used in
this experiment were for some reason
not capable of producing paralysis.

Rabbits and guinea pigs appear to
be immune to tick paralysis, as is sug-
gested by the lack of symptoms of this
disease during the gourse of infesting
these hosts with thousands of ticks
in spotted fever studies at the Rocky
Mountain Laboratory, Hamilton, Mon-
tana (W. L. Jellison, personal com-
munication), and during smaller-scale
infestations at Kamloops. Dogs are
relatively susceptible to tick paralysis
and would undoubtably form conven-
ient test animals were it not for the
difficulties of procuring and maintain-
ing them in sufficient numbers. In-
festations on each of six puppies
caused a paralysis in three of the
hosts, on which one, four, and two
ticks had attached.

56

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

TESTS ON LAMBS

In 1951, 30 lambs were available for
further adult tick feeding observations
at Kamloops. Though previous ex-
periments had shown that all tick-
infested lambs do not necessarily be-
come paralysed, at least some are
paralysed under favourable condi-
tions.

METHODS AND DATA OF INFESTATIONS

The ticks in these experiments on
lambs were confined on the hosts by
dome-shaped screen capsules, which
were anchored to the surrounding
wool by linen threads. To provide
optimum conditions for the ticks, each
capsule was placed over a clipped area
that had been washed free from natural
grease. A dampened pad of absorbent
cotton served to maintain the humid-
ity until the ticks had attached. Un-
less these precautions were taken
a large number of the ticks died be-
fore attaching. Such mortalities were
excluded from the studies, the results
of which are tabulated below.

Summary of infestations of indi-
vidual lambs, various feeding rates,
and paralysing powers of engorging
females (Complete data of this experi-
ment are available from the author) :

1. Infested April 4, 13, 27 with 5, 4,
2$ and 5, 0, 2cf respectively.
Three* females fed rapidly. No
paralysis.

2. Infested April 26 with one pair.
Female fed rapidly without pro-
ducing paralysis.

3. Infested March 28, 31, April 7
with 5, 1, 0$ and 0, 0, 20cf resp.
None fed rapidly. No paralysis.

4. Infested April 16, 26, May 8 with
6. 1, 8 $ and 0, 1, 8cf resp. Seven
females fed rapidly. No paralysis.

5. Infested April 13, 13, May 3 with
4, 0, 6$ and 0, 4, 10 cf resp. Two
females fed rapidly. No paralysis.

6. Infested April 13, 13, 13, 25 with
6, 0, 1, 1 $ and 0, 12, 1, 1 cf resp.
Two females fed rapidly. No
paralysis.

7. Infested April 11, Mav 3 with 1,
1,9 and 2, 3cf resp. Both females
fed rapidly. No paralysis.

* Failure of all females paired with males to feed
rapidly is probably due to a delay in mating.

8. Infested April 14 with 10 $ and
Ocf . None fed rapidly. No paraly-
sis.

9. Infested April 16, 28, May 8 with
3, 2, 8$ and 0, 1. 8 cf resp. The
two females of the second group
paralysed the lamb moderately
when only half-replete. Recov-
ery followed their removal. Five
females of the last group fed
rapidly, causing no further
paralysis.

10. Infested April 14, 30 with 6, 1 $
and 3, 1 $ resp. Of the first group,
one female fed rapidly, causing a
slight paralysis which disappear-
ed upon its release. Two subse-
quent females fed rapidly, caus-
ing no paralysis.

11. Infested April 14 with 3 9 and Ocf.
None fed rapidly. No paralysis.

13. Infested March 28, 31, April 13,
30, May 10 with 5, 1, 5, 2, 10 9 and
5, 1, 0, 1. OB' resp. One female
of the first group fed rapidly
causing a slight paralysis. Four
slow, and a subsequent fast feed-
er produced no symptoms. The
lamb finally was paralysed severe-
ly by five slow-feeding ticks of
the third group. Paralysis re-
mained as the ticks were taken
off at hourly intervals until the
last was off. Two fast-feeding
females of the fourth group and
ten slow feeders of the last pro-
duced no further paralysis.

14. Infested April 11, 27 with 1, 1 9
and 2, 1 cf resp. Both females fed
rapidly, the first producing a
slight paralysis, the second none.

17. Infested May 3 with 3 9 and 2cf.
Two females fed rapidly. No
paralysis.

18. Infested April 12, 28, May 8 with
1, 1, 7 9 and 2, 2, 8cf resp. First
two females fed rapidly, causing
no paralysis. Seven females of
the last group fed rapidly, pro-
ducing severe paralvsis.

19. Infested April 30, May 8 with 2,
8 9 and 2, 8cf resp. All females
fed rapidly, each group producing
a slight paralysis.

20. Infested April 25 with 2 pairs.
Both females fed rapidly. No
paralysis.

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

57

21. Infested April 13 with 1 pair.

Female fed rapidly. No paralysis.

SUSCEPTIBILITY OF THE LAMBS
The lambs used in these experiments
were as uniform a group as practical
inasmuch as they were much of an
age and none had been exposed to
ticks before. Some of the lambs that
were unaffected by ticks during the
first infestations were susceptible to
paralysis later (lambs 9 and 18). It
is, however, unlikely that this later re-
sponse was due to sensitization since
six others (lambs 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7)
did not become paralysed after re-
peated infestations during similar
periods. Indifference to tick paralysis
because of development of host im-
munity can probably be ignored also,
since paralysis was produced twice
within eight days in two lambs (13
and 19). These facts suggest that
some factor in the tick, rather than
in the lambs, was responsible for the
paralysis in the above instances.
Though this assumption is later
moderated by indications of a host
resistance, it does offer a theory that
is valuable for further progress, in
view of the scantiness of substantial
evidence.

VIRULENCE OF THE TICK
If, then, the presence of paralysis is
considered to be due to a condition
within the tick, attention can be di-
rected toward a comparison of the
virulence of the sexes. Though males
are frequently associated with females
in paralysis cases, at the Kamloops
laboratory there is no record of
paralysis caused by males themselves.
In the experiments under discussion 32
male ticks were fed on lambs without
apparent symptoms of paralysis. Pre-
sumably the sparsely feeding male
tick can be omitted as a direct
causative agent in this disease. In-
directly, it was felt it might consti-
tute a factor by increasing the feeding
rate of the female.

Assuming, now, that paralysis is
caused only by the female tick, an
analysis can be made of the effects
of mated and unmated ticks on the
host to determine whether or not the

feeding rate is related to the virulence
of the tick. In 28 separate infesta-
tions involving 80 pairs of ticks (fed
in single pairs or in series up to ten
pairs on 16 lambs) 50 ticks mated and
engorged rapidly enough to drop re-
plete in seven days. Of these 50, only
11 were possibly involved in the pro-
duction of the six cases of paralysis
that resulted. It is possible that actual-
ly only one tick was involved in each
case, so that the ratio of virulent mat-
ed ticks to benign ones might then be
approximately one to eight.

In ten other infestations involving
52 females without males (fed in num-
bers from one to ten on eight lambs),
paralysis occurred in one lamb (13)
on which five ticks were feeding. The
possibility that all these ticks were
involved in the production of the
paralysis cannot be dismissed, since
the symptoms did not subside until
the last tick was removed. If. how-
ever, only this last tick was impli-
cated, the ratio of virulent unmated
ticks to benign ones was one to fifty-
two. The above data suggests that
mated, rapidly feeding female ticks
are more likely to cause paralysis in
lambs than slower-feeding ones.

As judged from this laboratory’s
records, the fact that slow-feeding,
solitary females are so virulent in
human infestations, where a tick sel-
dom engorges without causing par-
alysis, suggests that man is more
susceptible to the action of the tick
than lambs — a theory that agrees
with the mentioned variation in sus-
ceptibility among different species of
animals. Lambs, then, are moderate-
ly resistant, since, out of the eight
cases of paralysis mentioned, only two
were severe enough to produce a loss
in the use of the limbs ; the remaining
lambs exhibited only an unsteady gait.
In contradiction to the aforementioned
apparent uniformity of hosts, this
latter symptom suggests that certain
lambs had a greater resistance to the
toxin. This resistance may even have
masked the potentialities of seemingly
innocuous ticks. According to records
at the Kamloops laboratory, paralysis
in cattle is invariably caused only by

58

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

clusters of ten to 50 ticks and it is
doubtful whether these animals could
be paralysed by solitary specimens.
However, not all animals with heavy
infestations will become paralysed —
suggesting again an individual re-
sistance.

The data for lambs 10, 13, 14, 18,
and 19 substantiate a variation in
virulence among ticks. At the same
time, there is an indication that a
paralysed animal is so weakened that
it may then be affected by ticks, which
on a healthy animal, would not be
considered virulent. This is evident in
animals on the range which often
remain prostrate for several hours
until the last ticks are removed, and
then make a rapid recovery. This could
be the case in lamb 13.

Lamb 9 presented an interesting op-
portunity for a further experiment in
that paralysis commenced when the
two engorging ticks were only half-
replete. The ticks were transferred
to lamb 1, which, though having been
subjected to ticks, had not yet been
paralysed. The virulent ticks attach-
ed, and dropped within a day — but

did not cause paralysis. Similar re-
sults occurred in a previous year when
a partially fed tick from a paralysed
child was induced to attach to a mouse,
whereupon it mated and fed rapidly
without harm to its second host.
Again there are too many unknowns
to establish a reason for this behav-
iour. It appears that a virulent tick
can paralyse only the host upon which
it commences to engorge.

In summary, it is assumed that tick
paralysis is brought about in the host
by a toxin secreted by the engorging
tick. It appears that the production of
tick paralysis in an animal depends
on a combination of host susceptibility
and tick virulence ; and t hat where
the host is relatively resistant, as in
sheep and cattle, only a certain por-
tion of rapidly feeding ticks produce
the symptoms, whereas in humans,
considered to be more susceptible,
solitary, slow-fesding ticks are suffi-
cient to cause paralysis. The conflict-
ing evidence concerning the varying
resistance of the host and the unknown
virulence of the ticks makes it difficult
to arrive at any conclusion.

References

Gregson, J. D. 1944. The influence of Zumpt, F., and D. Glajchen. 1950. South
fertility on the feeding rate of the female African Med. J. 25:1092-1094.
of the wood tick, Dermacentor Ondersoni
Stiles. 74th Ann. Rept. Ent. Soc. Ont.,

1943, pp. 46-47.

A REVIEW OF STUDIES ON THE SYSTEMIC CONTROL
OF LIVESTOCK INSECT PARASITES1

G. B. Rich2

Livestock Insect Laboratory, Kamloops, B.C.

If, without causing harm to the
animals, it were possible for a stock-
man to introduce into the diet of his
livestock some substance that was
toxic to bloodsucking arthropods
feeding upon these animals, he would
find a solution to one of the important
problems of animal husbandry. Eco-
nomic entomologists have recently
devoted a great deal of effort toward
the attainment of this ideal, and the

1 Contribution No. 2912, Division of Entomology,
Science Service, Department of Agriculture, Ottawa,
Canada; presented at the 50th Anniversary Meetings
of the Entomological Society of British Columbia in
Vancouver, June 14-16, 1951.

2 Assistant Entomologist.

investigations seem to indicate that
it may be possible to achieve it.

However, the problem is not simple.
Many difficult biochemical and toxi-
cological factors must be studied and
their roles elucidated before the prob-
lem can be solved. Because of these
factors, the entire matter must be ap-
proached with caution. A full dis-
cussion of these aspects is beyond the
scope of this paper because it is my
intention only to review some of the
more important studies that have been
made in the past.

The first important contribution is
that of Knipling (1938), who reported

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

59

that, when cattle ingested phenothia-
zine, horn fly larvae did not develop
in the manure subsequently eliminat-
ed by such animals. Bruce (1939)
confirmed these findings and estab-
lished the dosage levels required for
maximum control. Creighton (1943)
made an unsuccessful attempt to con-
trol chicken lice by adding sulphur
to the concentrate portion of the
poultry diet.

The recognition of the insecticidal
properties of DDT and BHC institut-
ed widespread investigations of the
insecticidal properties of many organ-
ic chemicals, and the systemic aspect
was not neglected. Linquest (1944)
reported that oral ingestion by rabbits
of either DDT or pyrethrum in mas-
sive dosages was toxic to bed bugs
subsequently fed on the rabbits, de
Meillon (1946) made a similar observa-
tion concerning the bed bug feeding
on rabbits that had ingested the gam-
ma isomer of BHC. This observation
was confirmed by Wilson (1948), who
administered it orally as a control for
tsetse flies on cattle.

J. D. Gregson (personal communi-
cation) noted that ingested gamma
isomer of BHC was toxic to ticks and
lice feeding on horses, cattle, and
chickens. This observation, together
with the published data of deMeillon
and Wilson, provided the basis for an
extensive series of tests conducted at
the Kamloops laboratory in the sum-
mer of 1949.

During that summer I carried out a
test of the gamma isomer of BHC,
using domestic hogs and their natural
parasite, Haematopinus suis (Linn.), as
experimental animals. Single dosages

at the level of 40 milligrams per kilo-
gram of animal body weight provided
100 per cent, control of the parasite
for about eight to ten days. Daily
dosages at the level of 20 milligrams
per kilogram for four days were re-
quired to produce similar results.
However, a series of toxicity tests,
with guinea pigs as the test animals,
showed that daily treatment at dosage
levels of 20 milligrams per kilogram
was a dangerous practice. It is per-
haps invalid to extend experimental
results determined with one animal
species to other, dissimilar species ;
but since it is economically impossible
to conduct satisfactory toxicity tests
with animals such as cattle, horses,
and hogs, it was decided that in this
instance the extension was justifiable.
Therefore these tests were considered
to have indicated that this treatment
was not a valid control method.

In the meantime other workers had
conducted preliminary tests with many
other chemicals. Knipling (1948)
published the results of an extensive
series of tests involving many differ-
ent chemical compounds in an attempt
to control the body louse, Pediculus
humanus corporis Deg., feeding on rab-
bits. The most promising of the com-
pounds tested was 2-pivalyl-l, 3-indan-
dione. Babers (1949) published a fa-
vourable report of tests conducted
with this chemical, using the same
experimental animals.

This review of the systemic aspect
of livestock parasite control is brief ;
however, it indicates that the problem
is not being neglected and suggests a
concrete basis for its solution.

References

Babers, F. H., and G. H. Culpepper. 1949.
The effects of 2-pivalyl-l, 3-indandione on
body lice when administered orally to rab-
bit hosts. J. parasitology 35:551-554.

Bruce, W. G. 1939. The use of phenothia-
zine in the modification of cattle for the
control of horn flies. J. Econ. Ent. 32 :
704-706.

Creighton, J. F., G. W. Dekle and Jack
Russell. 1943. The use of sulfur and sul-
fur compounds in the control of poultry
lice. J. Econ. Ent. 36 :413-419.

de Meillon, B. 1946. Effect on some blood-
sucking arthropods of Gammexane when
fed to a rabbit. Nature 158:839.

Knipling, E. F. 1938. Internal treatment
of animals with phenothiazine to prevent
development of horn fly larvae in the
manure. J. Econ. Ent. 31 :315-316.

— 1948. Evaluation of selected insecti-

cides and drugs as chemotherapeutic
agents against external bloodsucking para-
sites. J. Parasitology 34:55-70.

Lindquist, A. W., E. F. Knipling, Howard A.
Jones, and A. H. Madden. 1944. Mortal-
ity of bedbugs on rabbits given oral dos-
ages of DDT and pyrethrum. J. Econ.
Ent. 37:128.

Wilson, S. G. 1948. The effect on ticks and
Glossina of feeding cattle on BHC or DDT.
Bull. Ent. Res. 39:423-434.

60

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

NOTES ON SOME PTINIDAE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
(COLEOPTERA)1

J. H. Follwell2

Stored Product Insect Laboratory, Vancouver, B.C.

The writer has made observations
during the past year and a half on
insects infesting stored products in
flour warehouses, feed mills, grain
elevators, and other food storage or
food processing plants in British Col-
umbia. One of the most important
groups of insects found in such places
are the Ptinidae, or spider beetles.
This paper deals with the insects be-
longing to this group.

Spider beetles are important pests
of cereal products and seeds in storage
in Canada. They attack practically
all types of cereal and animal feeds.
Most of the species found in Canada
are able to survive the winter in pro-
tected habitats. The adults of some
species are very prolific and the fe-
males frequently oviposit through the
mesh of cotton sacks (Gray, 1933).
The larvae complete their development
within the food material in approxim-
ately two to three months at summer
temperatures. When mature, the
larvae frequently leave the food pro-
duct and burrow into the timbers of
the warehouse before pupation. The
scarring produced by the larvae is
positive evidence of previous spider
beetle infestation (Gray, 1942).

Hinton (1941) recorded 21 species
of Ptinidae as pests, most of these
causing damage to stored products of
various kinds. Manton (1945) report-
ed that. 15 species had been recorded
in the British Isles as infesting stored
products or as present in buildings
where such products are normally
kept. The writer has found 11 species
in British Columbia, ten determined,
and one uncertain.

Ptinus ocellus Brown [ —P, tectus
auct.], the Australian spider beetle,
is the most widespread and abundant
of the ptinids in British Columbia. In
British Columbia this species was first
reported from Victoria in 1927 by W.

1 Contribution No. 2909, Division of Entomology,
Science Service, Department of Agriculture, Canada.

2 Officer-in-Charge.

Downes (Brown, 1940). Spencer
(1942) reported that it was sent to
him in 1926 from Prince Rupert,
where it was infesting fish meal on a
wharf ‘‘in the thousands.” [n Canada
this species appears to be restricted
very largely to the coastal regions.
It is widely distributed throughout
British Columbia, including Vancouver
Island, and was found in 43 per cent,
of the places visited. Due to the mild
climate this species is active through-
out the year in this area.

P. ocellus is a pest of considerable
economic importance in many parts
of the world. Hinton (1941) stated
that it is the most generally distribut-
ed of the warehouse pests in Great
Britain, having become established
there in 1901. It is also a pest of
major importance in Germany and
several other European countries. It
has been reported from a variety of
products, including cayenne pepper,
chocolate powder, desiccated soup,
cacao, nutmegs, almonds, ginger, figs,
sultanas, dried pears, dried apricots,
beans, rye, fish food, maize (Hatch,
1933), and fish meal (Brown, 1940).
The writer has found it infesting
pastry flour, fish meal, turkey starter,
calf meal, and mixtures of oats, bran,
flax, rye, and wheat. The writer has
successfully reared this species on
nearly all of the above mentioned
products in the Vancouver laboratory
and on a mixture of whole wheat
flour and brewers’ yeast.

The writer, in test work, has found
that the larvae can complete their
development on relatively small
amounts of food. When food is lack-
ing the larvae eat their excreta and
the glandular material used in the
formation of the pupal cells (Gunn
and Knight, 1945). Both larvae and
the adults can survive for a long time
without access to water if the moist •
ure content of the food is reasonably
high. However, under laboratory
conditions, eggs are not produced by

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

61

the adults if free water is not avail-
able (Ewer and Ewer, 1942). The
writer has also found this to be true.

Ptinus fur (L.), the white-marked
spider beetle, ranks second in im-
portance in British Columbia. It is
widely distributed throughout Canada,
but seems to be more abundant in
British Columbia than in the other
provinces (Brown, 1940). In the
United States this species was first
reported in 1869 and losses were
recorded in flour in Canada as early
as 1893 (Gray, 1942). This species
feeds on a variety of dried and decay-
ing animal and vegetable matter. In
this Province, P. fur has been found
in 11.7 per cent, of the establishments
inspected, usually in association with
P. ocellus. This species has also been
reared in the Vancouver laboratory
on whole wheat flour and brewers’
yeast.

The species that follow have been
found on only a few occasions and
are not widely distributed in British
Columbia. Ptinus raptor Sturm is
thought to be of European origin and
is now almost world-wide in distribu-
tion (Hinton, 1941). In Canada it
was first taken at St. Peters, Nova
Scotia, in 1930 by M. L. Prebble
(Brown, 1940). Later Gray (1942)
found that this species was the most
abundant spider beetle in the ware-
houses of Nova Scotia, New Bruns-
wick, and much of Quebec. This
species was found by the writer in-
festing flour in warehouses at Nelson,
Vancouver, and Victoria.

In Canada Ptinus villi ger (Reit.), the
hairy spider beetle, was taken first in
Manitoba in 1915, is well established
in the Prairie Provinces, and also
occurs in Ontario and Quebec and to
a lesser extent in the Maritime Pro-
vinces (Gray, 1933). The losses to
cereal products caused by this spider
beetle far exceed those by any other
member of the group (Gray, 1942).
In British Columbia this species was
first reported in 1933. The writer
found it at three scattered points in
1950: Rossland, Creston, and Van-
couver.

The writer found Trigono genius glob-
ulus Sober, the globular spider beetle,
infesting three warehouses in Van-
couver and one in Victoria. Great
numbers were found in Victoria, and
in one of the warehouses in Vancouver
a heavy infestation was encountered
on sacks containing cracked corn.
Brown (1940) reported that the species
is confined largely to the Pacific
region of North America. It has been
reared in the Vancouver laboratory
on the same medium as P. ocellus.

In British Columbia Eurostus hilleri
(Reit.) [=E. alienus Brown] was found
first by H. E. Gray at Kamloops in
1939 (Brown, 1940). During the past
year the writer found it in small
numbers in two warehouses : one in
Victoria and one in Vancouver.
Hinton (1941) recorded it only in
Japan, Great Britain, and Canada.
(According to Manton (1945) it has
become established in England in
recent years and appears to feed main-
ly, if not entirely, on rat and mouse
droppings. Where the writer found
this insect, no appreciable amounts of
droppings were visible. It has been
reared in the Vancouver laboratory in
small numbers on whole wheat flour
and brewers’ yeast. On this medium
the time required for development for
E. hilleri is similar to that for P. ocellus.

Howe (1949) reported that the
fertility of this species is very low,
less than 50 eggs per female being
laid in the laboratory. Results in the
Vancouver laboratory confirm Howe’s
findings. This insect is not likely to
become a serious pest in this province.

Ptinus bicinctus Sturm was recorded
by Hinton (1941) from Europe, North
Africa, and North America. It was
taken by the writer in association
with P. fur at Rossland, B.C., in June,
1950, infesting flour in a warehouse.
According to Brown (1940), it is rarely
taken on this continent and the cap-
ture reported here appears to be the
first record of P . bicinctus in British
Columbia. It has been found previous-
ly in Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, and
Nova Scotia (Brown, 1940).

Specimens of Niptus hololeucus
(Fald.), the golden spider beetle, were

62

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

found by the writer in four Van-
couver warehouses. Spencer (1942)
reported that this species was found
by H. B. Leech in 1936 at Fernie, B.C.
Brown (1940) reported that it had
been taken in Nova Scotia, New
Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, and Al-
berta, and at Fernie and Victoria in
British Columbia. Hinton (1941)
recorded it as nearly cosmopolitan
but absent in the tropics. It has been
a pest of importance in Europe for
some time.

Ptinus lalro Fab. has been taken by
the writer on three occasions. The
exact locality of specimens taken in
1950 is uncertain, but others were
found in 1951 in warehouses in Van-
couver and in Mission, B.C. These
appear to be the first records of this
insect in British Columbia. In Cana-
da this species was first taken in Mont-
real in 1937. It was found again in
Montreal in 1939 and in Toronto in
1940 (Brown, 1940). It is similar in
appearance to P. hirtellus, the brown
spider beetle. Hinton recorded it as
cosmopolitan in distribution.

One specimen of M ezium affine Boiel.
was found in a warehouse in Van-
couver by the writer. In the same
area in the warehouse were several
of three other species, namely, Trigon-
o genius globulus, Niptus hololeucus, and
Ptinus ocellus. M. affine was reported
previously by Prof/ G. J. Spencer,
University of British Columbia (verbal
communication, 1951), as having been
taken in dwelling places and being
reared in his laboratory on fox chow.

Hinton (1941) reported the distribu-
tion of M. affine as being restricted to
Europe and North Africa. Brown
(1944) recorded that it occurred in
the United States as early as 1904 and
is convinced that all specimens from
Canada that have been recorded as of
M. americanum (Lap.) should be referred
to as M. affine Boiel. The latter
species is found in northeastern Unit-
ed States as well, whereas M. ameri-
canum has a more southern distribu-
tion, being recorded from Texas and
Florida.

Spencer (1942) also reported having
taken Sphaericus gibboides (Boiel.) in
British Columbia and rearing it suc-
cessfully in the laboratory. Hinton
(1941) reported this species from
California, southern Europe, and North
Africa.

There is some doubt as to the iden-
tity of the other species of spider
beetle found in British Columbia.
Two specimens were taken in Van-
couver by the writer, which have been
tentatively identified by W. J. Brown
as of Ptinus sp., probably hirtellus
Sturm, possibly latro Fab. If it is the
brown spider beetle, P. hirtellus, it is
a cosmopolitan species (Hinton, 1941),
reported from many localities in the
United States but previously recorded
in Canada only from Toronto and
Kingsville, Ontario, and at Lunen-
burg, Nova Scotia (Brown, 1940).

The writer is indebted to Mr. W. J.
Brown, Systematic Entomology, Di-
vision of Entomology, Ottawa, for
identification of species.

References

Brown, W. J. 1940. A key to the species
of Ptinidae occurring in dwellings and
warehouses in Canada (Coleoptera). Can.
Ent. 72: 115-122.

— 1944. Some new and poorly known species
of Coleoptera II. Can. Ent. 76: 4-10.

Ewer, D. W. and R. F. Ewer. 1942. The
biology and behaviour of Ptinus tectus Boiel.
(Coleoptera, Ptinidae), a pest of stored
products. III. The effect of temperature
and humidity on oviposition, feeding and
duration of life-cycle. J. Expt. Biol. 18:
290-305.

Gray, H. E. 1933. The hairy spider beetle,
Ptinus villiger Reit. in Canada. Proc.

World’s Grain Exhib. and Conf., Regina,
Canada, Vol. 2: 555-561.

— 1941. Spider beetles in Canada. Ware-
house pests. Canadian Natl. Millers’ Assoc,
pamphlet, Montreal and Winnipeg. (Re-
vised.)

— 1942. Spider beetles. Pests and Their
Control, 10: 10-13.

Gunn, D. L. and R. H. Knight. 1945. The
biology and behaviour of Ptinus tectus Boie.
(Coleoptera, Ptinidae), a pest of stored
products. VI. Culture cojiditions. J.
Expt. Biol. 21 : 132-143.

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

63

Hatch, M. H. 1933. Ptinus tectus Boieldieu
in America. Bull. Brooklyn Ent. Soc. 28:
200-202.

Hinton, H. E. 1941. The Ptinidae of econ-
omic importance. Bull, Ent. Res. 31 : 331 -
381.

Howe, R. W. 1949. Studies on beetles of
the family Ptinidae. Ent. Mon. Mag. 85:
137-139.

Manton, S. M. 1945. The larvae of the

Ptinidae associated with stored products.
Bull. Ent. Res. 35: 341-365.

Spencer, G. J. 1942. Insects and other

arthropods in buildings in British Colum-
bia. Proc. Ent. Soc. B. C. 39: 23-29.

THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF CANADA1

W. A. Ross
Ottawa, Ontario

1 believe members of the Entomo-
logical Society of British Columbia
are aware that at the 87th Annual
Meeting of the Entomological So-
ciety of Ontario, held at Guelph on
November 1-3, 1950, it was decided to
form a national society to be called
The Entomological Society of Canada.
This very important event in the
history of Canadian Entomology was
the outcome of several years of study
by a committee set up to implement
the oft-expressed desire of Canadian
entomologists to have a truly national
association in this country. I shall
not take the time to discuss the prob-
lems the committee encountered;
suffice is it to say that all of them were
happily solved.

Although the constitution of The
Entomological Society of Canada has
not yet been written and approved, I
can give you, on the basis of the reso-
lution adopted at the Guelph meeting,
an outline of the important functions
of the association.

The new society will serve not as
the parent of but simply as the link
between the Acadian Entomological
Society, the Entomological Society of
Quebec, the Entomological Society of
Ontario, the Entomological Society of
Manitoba, the Entomological Society
of British Columbia and any others
that may be established. It seemed
evident to those of us who had given
careful thought to the advancement
of the science of entomology by learn-
ed societies, that such advancement

IPresented at the 50th Anniversary Meetings of
the Entomological Society of British Columbia in
Vancouver, June 14-16, 1952.

could be brought about most success-
fully in this country of ours, with its
great distances and with its many
local variations and needs, by placing
the greatest emphasis on the fostering
of regional societies. Therefore, each
regional society will be autonomous,
with authority to set up its own con-
stitution and by-laws and its member-
ship and annual dues, and to publish,
if it so desires, i's own annual report,
e.g., the annual reports of the Entomo-
logical Society of Ontario, the En-
tomological Society of Manitoba, and
the Entomological Society of British
Columbia. (There is a little matter in
connection with annual reports which
I should deal with here. All members
of the Entomological Society of Cana-
da as well as subscribers to the Can-
adian Entomologist will continue to
receive the Annual Report of the
Emtomological Society of Ontario.
We have to thank th« Ontario So-
ciety and the Ontario Department of
Agriculture for this generous arrange-
ment. But it does not follow that
other regional societies will want or
be able to do the same sort of thing.
What they do with their annual re-
ports in the matter of distribution, etc.,
will be entirely their own business.)
The national organization will promote
the welfare of the regional entomo-
logical societies and will encourage the
formation of others. It will do
nothing that might conceivably weak-
en them and in no sense will it domin-
ate them. In brief, it will serve as the
link in a Canadian commonwealth of
regional autonomous societies.

64

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

The Entomological Society of
Canada publishes The Canadian En-
tomologist and it shares this respon-
sibility with the Entomological Society
of Ontario for two good reasons, one
historical and sentimental, and the
other financial: (1) It should never be
forgotten that the Entomological So-
ciety of Ontario founded The Can-
adian Entomologist and was respon-
sible for its publication for 82 years ;
(2) By maintaining a direct and
financial interest in The Canadian
Entomologist, the Entomological So-
ciety of Ontario is still eligible for
the Ontario Government grant which
will be used as a contribution to the
cost of printing The Canadian
Entomologist.

When the constitution is drafted
and adopted, I hope it will be possible
to say that membership in the Ento-
mological Society of Canada is open
to all persons, no matter where they
live, whose pursuits or studies: are
connected with entomology or who are
interested in natural history. Be 'that
as it may, in the meantime I can say
that all entomologists in Canada are
eligible for membership in the Cana-
dian Society. But, again with the
idea of fostering and featuring the
regional society, there are two classes
of fees

1. For entomologists in an area not
served by a regional society, for
example Saskatchewan, the mem-
bership fee for 1951 is $4.00 and
this is payable to our Treasurer,
Mr. A. B. Baird.

2. For entomologists who are mem-
bers of regional societies, the mem-
bership fee in the Entomological
Society of Canada is $3.00, payable
to the Secretary-Treasurer of one
of the local societies.

It follows, therefore, that most of
the dues will be collected by the
regional societies. I suppose it is
scarcelv necessarv to point out that
the $3.00 fee is additional to the local
societv fee and that the size of the
local fee is entirely the affair of the
regional organization.

The annual meeting of the Nation-
al Society will always be held jointly
with the annual meeting of one of the
regional societies, with the Ento-
mological Society of Ontario in 1951,
possibly with the Entomological So-
ciety of Quebec in 1952, with the
Entomological Society of Manitoba in
1953 and so on. This will avoid the
holding of too many major entomo-
logical meetings in Canada, will be
less apt than any other arrange-
ment to weaken the attendance at
regional society meetings and will
make it possible for most Canadian
entomologists to attend at least one
national meeting every several years.
Incidentally the first annual meeting
of the Canadian society will be held
jointly with the 88th Annual Meeting
of the Entomological Society of On-
tario, November 1, 2, and 3, in Ottawa
— fittingly — in Ottawa, the capital of
Canada, and also the headquarters of
the national society. I sincerely hope
it will be possible for a number of
your members to attend this historic
meeting.

I should like to say a special word
about our . journal, The Canadian
Entomologist. As I have already
mentioned, it is the responsibility of
the Entomological Society of Canada
to publish this journal regularly, to
maintain high standards in it, and to
keep it solvent, but the editor of the
journal and the other society officers,
cannot carry this responsibility with-
out the whole-hearted support and
co-operation of the regional societies.
Each regional society, therefore, must
exert every effort to enlist practically
100 per cent, of its members in the
Entomological Society of Canada and
to provide the editor of the journal
with papers of high quality. The
future status of The Canadian Ento-
mologist and of the Entomological
Society of Canada will be determined
very largely by the amount of support
afforded them by the regional societies
and by all entomologists in this
country.

65

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

LIST OF THE ELATERIDAE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA

M. C. Lane1
Walla Walla, Washington

Some of the species of the coleop-
terous family Elateridae, commonly
known as wireworms or click beetles,
have long been known as important
insect pests of agricultural crops. In
connection with the research on the
life history and control of these
economic forms, it is also desirable
to learn as much as possible about
their distribution, as well as that of
related non-economic species. Dis-
tribution records are obtained by col-
lecting and publishing the results.
There are all too few publications of
this sort. The present list has been
compiled from a rather extensive list
of articles and references to the
Coleoptera of British Columbia,
brought together by M. H. Hatch,
from original descriptions, from re-
visional publications, and from recent
collections made or seen by the author.
The earliest list of Elateridae for
British Columbia is one of 28 species
recorded from Vancouver Island by
LeConte in 1869. This was followed
by other lists by LeConte and many
others until 1927-1928, when G. H.
Hardy published two lists, one of
species from Garibaldi Park and
another of species on Vancouver
Island.

The author has been collecting this
family in the Pacific Northwest since
1917, as well as receiving considerable
material from other entomologists for
determination. Many private and
semi-official collections have been
checked, including the very fine and
extensive collection of Gordon Stace-
Smith of Creston, B.C. In a short
visit to Vancouver Island in June,
1950, the writer collected 17 species of
Elateridae adults in two days on the
home grounds of his host, Kenneth
M. King, at Victoria, as an example
of the concentration of species that
sometimes occurs under favorable
circumstances.

1 Entomologist, Bureau of Entomology and Plant
Quarantine, Agricultural Research' Administration,
U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Altogether, there appear to be at
least 74 authentically determined
species on Vancouver Island alone, of
which 19 species have been recorded
from the Island only, although they
may also occur on the mainland. There
are 129 species listed as present on
the mainland of British Columbia, 55
of which are also found on the Island.
The list here appended includes a total
of 150 species of Elateridae for the
Province of British Columbia. From
the literature and from collections
made in adjoining areas, there are
probably about 25 more described
species that should eventually be
recorded as occurring in British Col-
umbia. It is a very large Province
and, undoubtedly, many new species
are yet to be discovered. This paper
is written in the hope that it will pro-
vide an incentive for further collect-
ing and the discovery of new species.

Acknowledgment is due to the fol-
lowing workers for studies or for ma-
terial collected in the group on which
this list is based: E. C. Van Dyke,
W. J. Brown, H. B. Leech, Ralph and
George Hopping, K. M. King, M. H.
Hatch, Gordon Stace-Smith, Richard
Guppy, C. L. Nielson, D. J. Finlayson,
H. R. MacCarthy, W. H. A. Preece,
R. H. Handford, and others whom I
may have overlooked.

LIST OF ELATERIDAE OF
BRITISH COLUMBIA

* Species occurring on Vancouver Island
only.

** Species occurring on the mainland only.
Unmarked species occur on both the
island and mainland.

“auct.” as used here refers to a name used
erroneously by the determiner, in most
cases eastern names of species later
described as western.

Lepidotus Stephens, 1830
{bacon Cast. Adelocera auct.)

**brevicornis (LeC.)

**obtectus (Say) ,

profusus (Cand.) {cavicollis ( LeC.))
rorulentus (LeC.) {pry sole pis auct)
**sparsus (Cand.) .

Alaus Esch., 1829

melanops Lee. {oculatus auct.)

66

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

Drasterius Esch., 1829 ( Aeolus auct.)
debilis Lee.

♦♦dorsalis (Say) ( mellillus (Say), comis
(LeC.)

Limonius Esch., 1829 ( Pheletes Kies.)

♦♦aeger LeC.

♦bicolor Van D.
canus Lee. ( discoideus LeC.)

♦californicus (Mann.)

(« Occident alts LeC.)

consimilis Walk. ( nitidicollis LeC.)
♦♦crotchi Horn
♦humidus Lane
infuscatus Mots,
nitidulus Horn
♦♦pectoralis LeC.

♦♦rufihumeralis Lane
♦♦seminudus Van D.

subauratus LeC.

♦♦venablesi Wick.

Elathous Reitt., 1890
nebulosus (Van D.)

Athous Esch., 1829
♦imitans Fall
nigropilis Mots,
pallidipennis Mann,
rufiventris (Esch.)

( ferruginosus (Esch.))
scissus LeC.
vittiger LeC.

Ctenicera Latr., 1829 ( Corymbites Latr.,
Ludius Esch.)
aereipennis (Kby.)
angularis (LeC.)

angusticollis (Mann.) ( fraterna (LeC.),
spectabilis (Mann.))

♦♦bipunctata (Brown)
bombycina (Germ.) ( fallax auct.)
callida (Brown) ( inflatus auct.)

♦♦carbo (LeC.)

columbiana (Brown) ( propola auct.,
furcifer auct., nubilis auct.)
comes (Brown)

♦♦conjungens (LeC.)

♦♦crestonensis (Brown)

♦♦festiva (LeC.) ( cruciatus auct., pulcher
auct.)

♦diversicolor (Esch.) ( rotundicollis auct.)
♦♦funerea (Brown) ( semivittatus auct.,
jus cuius auct.)

♦furtivua (LeC.) ( monticola auct.)

♦♦glauca (Germ.) ( inflatus auct.)

hoppingi (Van D.)

♦♦kendalli (Kby.) ( aeneicollis auct.)
♦♦laricis (Brown)

♦lateralis (LeC.)

lobata (Esch.) ( caricina (Germ.), telum
(LeC.), tar sal is auct.)

**lutescens (Fall)

♦♦maura (LeC.)

♦♦mendax (LeC.)

**moerens (LeC.)

♦♦montana (Brown)

♦♦morula (LeC.)
nebraskensis (Bland.)

♦nigricans (Fall)

♦♦nigricollis (Bland.) ( vernalis auct.)
♦♦ochreipennis (LeC.)

♦opacula (LeC.)

♦♦protracta (LeC.)

♦♦pruinina (Horn) ( noxia (Hysl.))

pudica (Brown) ( hieroglyphicus auct.)
♦♦pygmaea (Van D.)

resplendens (Esch.)

**rupestris (Germ.)

sagitticollis (Esch.) ( insidiosa auct.)
**semimetallica (Walk.)

**silvatica (Van D.)

♦♦stricklandi (Brown)
suckleyi (LeC.)

♦♦triundulata (Rand.)

♦uliginosa (Van D.)

♦♦umbricola (Esch.) ( rudts (mots.))

umbripennis (LeC.) ( gractlor (LeC.))
♦♦vidua (Brown)

♦♦volitans (Esch.)
weidti (Angell)

Eanus LeC., 1861 ( Paranomus Kies.)
♦♦albertanus Brown
♦♦decoratus (Mann.)
granicollis Van D.
striatipennis Brown

Hemicrepidius Germ., 1839 ( Asaphes Kby.)
morio (LeC.) ( dilaticollis auct.)
oregonus (LeC.)

♦tumescens (LeC.)

Hypolithus Esch. 1829 (Cryptohypnus Esch.,
Hypnoidus Dillw. pars.)

♦♦bicolor Esch. ( lucidulus (Mann.))

funebris (Cand.) ( planatus auct.)
♦♦glacialis (Van D.) ( grandicollis auct.)
♦♦hyperboreus (Gyll.)

♦♦impressicollis (Mann.) {abbreviatus auct.)
♦♦nocturnus Esch.

♦♦squalidus (LeC.)

Negastrius Thom., 1859 ( Cryptohypnus Esch.,
Hypnoidus Dillw. pars.)

caurinus (Horn)

♦♦gentilis (LeC.)

♦♦manki (Fall)

♦musculus (Esch.)

♦♦ornatus (LeC.)

♦♦pectoralis (Say)

♦♦striatulus (LeC.)

♦♦tumescens (LeC.)

Dalopius Esch., 1829 ( Dolopius auct.)
♦♦assellus Brown
*corvinus Brown
♦♦fucatus Brown
♦♦gartrelli Brown
♦♦insolens Brown

insulanus Brown ( lateralis auct.)
♦♦maritimus Brown
spretus Brown
♦♦suspectus Brown
tristis Brown

Sericus Esch., 1829 ( Sericosomus auct.)
incongruus (LeC.) ( brunneus auct.)

Agriotes Esch., 1829
♦♦apicalis LeC.

♦♦criddlei Van D.

ferrugineipennis LeC. ( fucosus auct.)
♦lineatus (L.)

♦obscurus (L.)

♦opaculus LeC.
sparsus LeC.

♦♦tardus Brown
theveneti Horn

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

67

Agriotella Brown, 1933 {Betarmon auct.)
*columbiana Brown
occidentalis Brown

Ampedus Dej., 1833 ( Elater Esch., nec Linn.)
**apicatus (Say)

**behrensi (Horn) ( cordtfer auct.)

bimaculatus (Van D.)

**brevis (Van D.)
carbonicolor (Esch.)

Columbiana Brown {varipilis auct., cordifer
auct.)

**hoppingi (Van D.)

**moerens (LeC.)
nigrinus (Hbst.) ( anthracinus auct.)
oregonus (Schffr.)
phoenicopterus (Germ.)

**pullus (Germ.)
rhodopus (LeC.)

**ursinus (Van D.)

Megapenthes Kies., 1858
caprella (LeC.)

**nigriventris LeC.

**stigmosus (LeC.)
tartareus LeC.

Melanotus Esch., 1829
oregonensis (LeC.)

Cardiophorus Esch., 1829
**fenestratus LeC.

*latiusculus Esch.

*longior LeC. ( longulus err.)
**mimeticus Horn ( edwardsi auct.)
**pubescens Bl.

tenebrosus LeC. ( amplicollis auct.)
**tumidicollis LeC'.

Horistonotus Cand., 1860
**sufflatus (LeC.)

References

Walker, Francis, 1866. List of Coleoptera.
Lord’s Naturalist in Vancouver Island and
British Columbia, 11:309-11.

LeConte, J. L., 1869. List of Coleoptera
collected in Vancouver’s Island by Henry
and Joseph Matthews. Ann. Mag. Nat.
Hist. 4(4) :369-385.

— 1877. List of Coleoptera. Geol. Surv.
Can. Rept. of Prog. 1875-76, pp. 107-109.
Brodie, Bruce, 1888. List of Coleoptera col-
lected by Bruce Bailey in Kicking Horse
Pass, Rocky Mts., C.P.R. in 1884. Proc.
Canada Inst. Toronto, 5(3) :213-215.
Wickham, H. F., 1893. Report of an entom-
logical reconnaissance of southern Alaska
and adjacent portion of British Columbia.
Iowa Lab. Nat. Hist. Bull. 2:202-233.

Keen, J. H., 1895. List of Coleoptera collect-
ed at Massett, Queen Charlotte Island,
B.C. Can. Ent. 27:217-220.

— 1898. Preliminary catalogue of collec-
tion of natural history and ethnology in
the Provincial Museum, Victoria, British
Columbia, pp. 71-75.

— 1905. Beetles from northern British
Columbia. Can. Ent. 37 :297-298.

Anderson, E. M., 1914. Insects collected in
■Okanagan Valley. Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C.
4:54-58.

Bush, A. H., 1914. A trip up Mount Cheam.

Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C. 4:58-60.

Brittain, W. H., 1914. Report for Okanagan
District. Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C. 4:14-19.
Hardy, G. A., 1927. Report of collecting trip
to Garibaldi Park, British Columbia. Rept.
Mus. Nat. Hist, for 1926, pp. C15-C26.

— 1928. Vancouver Island Elateridae. Rept.
Prov. Mus. Nat. Hist, for 1927, pp. E16-
E17.

Stace-Smith, G., 1929 and 1930. Coleoptera
from Copper Mountain, British Columbia.
Museum and Art notes, Art, Hist, and Sci.
Assoc., Vancouver, B.C., IV, pp. 67-74;

V, pp. 22-25.

Hardy, G. A. and G. C. Carl, 1944. Natural
history of Forbidden Plateau area, Van-
couver Island, B.C. Rept. Prov. Mus.
Nat. Hist, for 1943. p. D31.

Clark, M. E., 1949. An annotated list of
Coleoptera taken at or near Terrace, B.C.,
Part 2. Proc. Ent. Soc. 45:21-24.

Fletcher, J., Gibson, A., Criddle, N., and

W. J. Brown, 1902-34. Elateridae listed
from British Columbia in Entomological
Record. Ann. Rept. Ent. Soc. Ont., 32-61
(1902-1930). Ann. Rept. Que. Soc. Prot.
Plants, 25 and 26 (1934).

THE EFFECT OF CERTAIN INSECTICIDES ON THE GERMINATION

AND GROWTH OF ONIONS
I. INSECTICIDES APPLIED TO THE SOIL1

F. L. Banham2

Field Crop Insect Laboratory, Kamloops, B.C.

Introduction! : The onion maggot,

Hylemya antiqua (Meig.), has for many
years caused serious damage to onion
crops throughout the interior of Brit-
ish Columbia. In 1950, insecticide trials

1 Contribution No. 2940, Division of Entomology,
Science Service, Department of Agriculture, Ottawa,
Canada.

2 Assistant Entomologist.

were undertaken at the Kamloops
laboratory to provide a more satis-
factory and less expensive control for
this pest than the commonly used
calomel seed-treatment. As an ex-
tensive review of the literature re-
vealed that practically no work had
been done on the phytotoxicity of the

68

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

insecticides to this crop, study was
also directed toward whether certain
insecticides when applied to the soil
at commonly used rates would affect
the onions.

The results of the latter study are
dealt with in this paper. In a follow-
ing paper, D. G. Finlayson discusses
the effects of some of the newer insec-
ticides when applied as seed treat-
ments.

Methods and Materials: The experi-
ment was conducted in clay pots in
an insectary, so that attack by the
onion maggot or other insects was
prevented. There were six insecticidal
treatments, the amounts being cal-
culated on an area basis as follows : — •

1) Dowfume W-85 emulsion (con-
taining 83 per cent, by weight of
ethylene dibromide) applied at
the rate of nine U.S. gallons per
acre.

2) Dowfume W-85 emulsion applied
at the rate of 4.5 U.S. gallons
per acre.

3) Aldrin, 2\ per cent, dust, applied
at the rate of 100 pounds per
acre.

4) Technical chlordane, 5 per cent,
dust, applied at the rate of 200
pounds per acre.

5) Lindane, 1 per cent, dust, applied
at the rate of, 100 pounds per
acre.

6) DDT, 5 per cent dust, applied at
the rate of 200 pounds per acre.

These six treatments and a check
were replicated four times, giving a
total of 28 pots. Each treatment was
applied once, the dust or the emulsion
being sprinkled on and thoroughly
mixed with sufficient uncontaminated,
uniform, sandy loam soil for one
seven-inch clay pot. Fifteen onion
seeds of the Yellow Globe Danvers
variety were planted at uniform
depths, and at uniform spacing, in
each pot. The pots were then set out
in a randomized block design in an
insectary that was covered with 14-
mesh galvanized wire screen. Equal
amounts of water were applied daily
to all pots.

In determining the effects of the
treatments on the onion seeds and
seedlings, emergence of the plants j
from the soil, weight, height, colour,
uniformity of the top growth, and
plant survival were the criteria used.
The number of emerged plants was
recorded from thrice-weekly counts
for each pot. Growth was determined
by noting the total weight of all the
plants in each pot at harvest and cal-
culating the average. Notes were also
made during the growing season and
at harvest on height, uniformity of
top growth, and variations in colour
of the top growth.

Results and discussion: Table I

shows the effects of the various treat-
ments on total plant weight, average
plant weight, and total number of
plants. None of the insecticides used
with the possible exception of chlor-
dane, adversely affected the emer-
gence or growth of onion seedlings.
All treatments, except that of chlor-
dane, exceeded the check treatment in
the number of plants emerging and
in the total weight of plant material
produced. DDT and lindane produced
slightly smaller plants than the
checks, whereas the other treatments
produced plants that were as large as
or larger than those in the check.
The total plant weights suggest that
aldrin and the 4.5-gallon rate of
ethylene dibromide stimulated emer-
gence and plant growth. DDT, the
nine-gallon rate of ethylene dibronT.de
and lindane, in that order, also showed
indications of favourable effects, but
to a lesser degree. However, in
each instance the favourable effect
was due to stimulation of emergence
rather than of growth.

Each of the treatments except
chlordane stimulated emergence some-
what. During the first three weeks,
emergence and plant survival were
slightly greater for ethylene dibro-
mide at nine gallons and 4.5 gallons.
The chlordane caused a high mortality
after emergence. The aldrin had a
delaying effect on emergence for the
first twelve days, later, emergence
and growth appeared to be stimulated.

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

69

The DDT and lindane treatments ap-
peared to hinder rather than promote
growth.

Although none of the results of this
experiment was statistically signifi-
cant the results of some of the treat-
ments ajSpeared fairly definite. In
some instances they support and in
other instances contradict, statements
made by other workers who have
written on the phytotoxicity of insecti-
cides. Much of this published material
is so contradictory that it appears to
be meaningless. Thorough investi-
gation of such factors as plant species
and variety, soil fertility, soil texture,
soil moisture, fertilizers, climatic con-
ditions, and their relationship to in-
secticides is urgently required as a
prerequisite to further work on phyto-
toxicity. A compilation of all the ma-
terial on the phytotoxicity of insecti-
cides and a set of standard procedures

to permit consistent results are neces-
sary before sound experimentation of
this type can be undertaken.

Summary: Five insecticides were

incorporated into the soil in pots to
find the effect on the germination of
onion seeds of the Yellow Globe
Danvers variety and on the growth of
the resulting plants. All of the treat-
ments except one produced more total
plant material than the checks, but
none was statistically better or worse
than the untreated check.

Acknowledgments: The author

acknowledges with thanks the assist-
ance given by Dr. R. H. Handford,
Officer-in-Charge, Field Crop Insect
Laboratory, Kamloops, B.C., in the
planning of the experimental work
and in the writing of this paper. The
author also wishes to express his
appreciation to Dr. G. H. Harris, Pro-
fessor of Plant Nutrition, Department
of Horticulture, University of Brit-
ish Columbia, for advice on the
statistical analysis of the data.

TABLE I.

Effect of one soil application of each of various insecticides on onion plants

in four replications.

Treatment

Application

Total Number of plants

Weight of Plants at Harvest

Rate per Acre

Emerged

At Harvest1

Average2

(grams)

Total3

(grams)

Chlordane
5% dust

200 lb.

27

21

0.573

12.0

Check

nil

30

27

0.477

12.9

Lindane
1% dust

200 lb.

34

31

0.465

14.4

Dowfume W-85

9 U.S. gal.

35

32

0.478

15.3

DDT, 5% dust

200 lb.

37

34

0.467

15.9

Aldrin,
21% dust

100 lb.

36

33

0.507

16.7

Dowfume W-85

4.5 U.S. gal.

38

32

0.559

17.9

difference necessary for significance at 5% level — 14.

difference necessary for significance at 5% level — 0.156.

difference necessary for significance at 5% level — 6.4.

70 Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

THE EFFECT OF CERTAIN INSECTICIDES ON THE GERMINATION

AND GROWTH OF ONIONS
II. INSECTICIDES APPLIED TO THE SEED1

D. G. Finlayson2

Field Crop Insect Laboratory, Kamloops, B.C.

INTRODUCTION

In 1949, it appeared that the recom-
mended calomel seed-treatment did
not satisfactorily control the onion
maggot, Hylemya antiqua (Meig.), in
seedling onions in the interior of Brit-
ish Columbia. Because of this, and
its excessive cost, an investigation of
the control of this pest with some of
the newer insecticides was initiated in
1950. Analyses of yield data showed
significant differences between vari-
ous treatments. These differences
were not all directly attributable to
the attack of the maggots, since some
treatments produced yields almost
twice as great as others with almost
similar percentage damage. The low-
er yields appeared to occur where
insecticides had been applied either
directly to the seed or to the seed
trench.

To investigate this point, germina-
tion tests, the results of which are
presented below, were conducted in
the greenhouse during the winter of
1950-51. Further tests were conduct-
ed in the laboratory throughout the
summer of 1951.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

The chemicals investigated were
wettable powders of DDT, toxaphene,
BHC, chlordane, Aldrin, and dieldrin ;
emulsible concentrates of aldrin and
dieldrin; and powdered calomel (mer-
curous chloride). These were applied
in three ways : —

Stirring in slurries of wettable powder.
Onion seeds were treated with a 25
per cent, concentration of actual in-
secticide in water for each of the fol-
lowing: DDT, Toxaphene, BHC, chlor-
dane, aldrin, and dieldrin. The seeds
were stirred into the slurry for 5
minutes and the mixture was then
poured through a 20-mesh copper

1 Contribution No. 2941, Division of Entomology,
Science Service, Department of Agriculture, Ottawa,
Canada.

2 Assistant Entomologist.

screen to drain off the excess liquid.
The seeds were placed on paper towel-
ling to dry and were agitated peri-
odically by means of a glass rod to
prevent them from adhering to one
another, so that none of the chemical
coating might be removed in separat-
ing the seeds.

Dipping in emulsions. The seeds were
stirred into a 5 per cent, emulsion of
each of aldrin and dieldrin for 1
minute, the mixture was then poured
through a 20-mesh copper screen
and the seeds were placed on paper
towelling to dry.

Coating seed with dry powder. The
seeds were first soaked in water for
5 minutes, and then mixed with an
equal weight of calomel. When as
much of the calomel as possible had
adhered to the seeds, they were
separated from the powder by screen-
ing. This procedure is commonly
recommended for controlling the
onion maggot.

In the greenhouse the seeds were
grown in 8-inch flower pots and each
of the 10 treatments was replicated
5 times. Each replicate (/.*., 10 pots)
was set up as a randomized block.

Seeding was done by hand, 100
seeds per pot. These were sown in
concentric circles with about half an
inch between seeds and about the
same distance between circles.

The first germination count was
made 8 days after the first seedlings
began to appear. Two additional
counts were made at intervals of 10
days. Although daily recording might
have given higher counts the germina-
tions obtained by the above method
indicated those seedlings that had
grown beyond the period when food
was supplied by the seed. The count
at which the maximum number of
plants was recorded was considered
the total germination for the treat-
ment.

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

71

Throughout the growing period the
plants were checked periodically for
toxicological symptoms. Conclusions
were based on comparisons involving
three aspects of growth : the root and
leaf systems, the average green weight
per plant, and the average dry weight
per plant. The average green weight
per plant was determined by carefully
removing all plants from the pots
after allowing the soil to become
slightly dry, and then washing the
clinging soil from the plants by im-
mersing them in warm water. After
the excess moisture had been removed
they were weighed as a group for each
pot and the average weight per plant
was calculated. The average dry
weight per plant was obtained by
placing the plants in a warming oven
at 80°C. until a constant weight was
obtained.

In the laboratory tests wettable
powders and emulsions were applied
to seed of a different lot from that
used in the soil tests. In this series,
samples of \ oz. of onion seed were
treated with either a 25 per cent,
concentration of actual insecticide in
water from a wettable powder or a
5 per cent, emulsion from an emulsi-
fiable concentrate. The following
numbers of ounces of actual insecticide

adhered to one pound of onion seed :

DDT (w.p.)

3.5

BHC (w.p.)

4.0

aldrin (w.p.)

2.5

dieldrin (w.p.)

2.1

chlordane (w.p.)

4.1

toxaphene (w.p.)

4.1

aldrin (emul.)

0.16

dieldrin (emul.)

0.07

calomel (approx.)

16.0

Germination tests were

conducted

periodically to determine whether
storage of the chemically treated seeds
in an open glass container affected
germination. Four tests were com-
pleted in all. In the first three, single
lots of 25 seeds were placed in 10-cm.
petri dishes on two thicknesses of No.
1 filter paper and covered. The filter
paper was moistened daily so that the
quantity of water could be better con-
trolled. Germination counts were be-
gun on the fourth day after the seeds

were set out and continued daily for
the following 12 days. The fourth
test was similar to the previous three
except that it was initiated 110 days
after treatment and consisted of 5
replications. In addition to the
germination counts observations were
made periodically on development of
the seedlings, colour, and general
vigour of the plants.

RESULTS

Germination in Soil

A 5 per cent, emulsion of aldrin or
dieldrin appeared to retard by 10-15
days the germination of the seeds
planted in soil, aldrin seeming to be
more harmful than dieldrin. In addi-
tion to the delay, the percentage
germination was significantly low for
both of these treatments (Table I).
Although there was a significant de-
crease in the percentage germination
of seed treated with BHC, no delay
was evident. Toxaphene and dieldrin
wettable powder treatments produced
results similar to those for BHC. The
percentage germination for the treat-
ments is shown in Table I.

No significant differences were pres-
ent between the remaining treated and
the untreated series.

Effect of Storage on Germination

The effects of storing the chemically
treated seeds in an open-topped glass
container are shown in Tables II and
III. In seeds tested immediately
after treatment, germination was de-
layed by all chemicals except BHC.
Tests begun 30 and 80 days after
treatment did not exhibit this condiJ
tion; however, in tests begun 110 days
after treatment a marked delay in
germination occurred for each treat-
ment.

In the seeds stored 0 to 80 days^
the percentage germination was high-
ly significantly low for aldrin emulsion
and significantly low for dieldrin
emulsion; all the other treatments
had similar germination to that of the
untreated seeds. For seeds stored 110
days all treatments caused delay in
germination ; significant differences
appeared as early as the second day

72

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

TABLE I.

Percentage germinations, in pots, of onion seed treated with various insecticides

Treatment

Ounces of actual in-

Germination

secticide adhering to
one pound of seed

Total1

Percentage

Chlordane, 40 per cent,
wettable powder

4.1

120

24.0

Untreated

117

23.4

Aldrin, 50 per cent.

wettable powder

2.5

103

20.6

DDT, 50 per cent.

wettable powder

3.5

91

18.2

Calomel, 100 per cent.

dry powder

16 (approx.)

90

18.0

Dieldrin, 50 per cent.

wettable powder

2.1

87

17.6

Toxaphene, 40 per cent.

wettable powder

4.1

73

14.6

BHC, 50 per cent

wettable powder

4.0 (BHC)

52

10.4

Dieldrin, 5 per cent, emulsion 0.07

41

8.2

Aldrin, 5 per cent, emulsion

0.16

19

3.8

^Difference necessary for significance: 5 per cent, level, 27.2.

after germination commenced (Table
III). By the second day DDT wet-
table powder. BPIC wettable powder,
and aldrin emulsion each caused sig-
nificantly lower germination than
aldrin, dieldrin, and toxaphene wet-
table powders. Chlordane wettable
powder and dieldrin emulsion were not
significantly different from either of
these groups. However, by the
twelfth day of germination, DDT,
BHC, toxaphene, aldrin emulsion, and
dieldrin emulsion treatments each
gave significantly low counts.

Characteristics of Growth in Soil

Periodical observations indicated
that plants grown from treated seed
did not differ from those from un-
treated seed, except those from seed
treated with BHC or chlordane. Plants
grown from BHC-treated seed were
stunted and stocky, the leaf portion
being two to four times thicker than
in the untreated plants. Within a

week after germination these plants
exhibited chlorosis, and necrosis was
developing. Several such plants were
removed from the soil, all showing
the following characteristics : short,
stubby, primary roots; no secondary
root system; no root hairs; and little
or no bulb. Later examination proved
that the roots from all plants grown
from BHC-treated seed had similar
symptoms. Plants grown from seed
treated with chlordane appeared to
have larger root and leaf systems than
those of the checks.

The treatments did not cause sig-
nificant differences in either the
average green weight or the average
dry weight of the onion plants. As a
result of reduced germination, how-
ever, the grand total of green and dry
weights w~as significantly reduced by
treatment with BHC, toxaphene, al-
drin emulsion, or dieldrin emulsion.

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952 73

TABLE II.

Germination counts, in petri dishes, of treated onion seed after storage for 0, 30, and 80
days in open-topped glass containers.

Treatment

Ounces of actual
insecticide adher-
ing to one
pound of seed

Germination counts at 1, 6, and 12 days
for 25 seeds

0 Days’ 30 Days’ 80 Days’

Storage Storage Storage

Chlordane, 40 per cent,
wettable powder

4.1

Untreated

Aldrin, 50 per cent,
wettable powder

2.5

DDT, 50 per cent,
wettable powder

3.5

Dieldrin, 50 per cent,
wettable powder

2.1

Toxaphene, 40 per cent,
wettable powder

4.1

BHC, 50 per cent,
wettable powder

4.0 (BHC)

Dieldrin, 5 per cent,
emulsion

0.07

Aldrin, 5 per cent,
emulsion

0.16

1

6

12

1

6

12

1

6

12

6

23

24

10

22

22

4

19

24

10

22

22

17

22

22

15

25

25

0

23

24

9

19

21

3

15

20

2

21

21

9

22

23

5

15

22

0

22

23

14

23

23

9

18

21

0

21

22

11

21

21

8

16

20

17

24

24

10

16

20

6

14

22

0

16

18

8

10

12

6

15

21

0

7

10

0

2

4

0

1

2

Growth Characteristics in Petri Dishes

The toxicological symptoms observ-
ed in the seedlings grown in petri
dishes from treated seeds were more
pronounced. As the petri dishes were
covered to maintain moisture con-
tent, fumigation may have been a
factor. The relative sizes of the seed-
ling plants for these tests are shown
in Fig. 1.

The symptoms produced by BHC
were the most pronounced. Chlorosis
was present from the time of germin-
ation of the seeds until the death of
the plants. The length of the sprout
in BHC-treated seed did not exceed
^ inch, even 10-12 days after germin-
ation. On the other hand, in the un-
treated series, the young plants had

dark-green leaves, secondary roots
and root hairs, and small bulbs; and
the leaf had begun to straighten from
the “loop stage. ”

Other treatments that caused some
difference in the development of the
seedlings were chlordane wettable
powder, toxaphene wettable powder,
and aldrin emulsion. The seedlings
of chlordane-treated seed exhibited a
lack of root hairs, slight chlorosis,
and a thickening at the neck of the
bulbs. The two other treatments
caused exactly opposite conditions:
seedlings from toxaphene-treated seed
had poorly developed root hairs,
whereas those from aldrin emulsion-
treated seed had root hairs that were
longer and more abundant than those
of the untreated seedlings.

74

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

TABLE III.

Germination counts, in petri dishes, of treated onion seed after storage
for 110 days in open-topped glass containers.

Ounces of actual

Treatment insecticide adhering

to one pound of
seed

Germination counts at 2, 4, 6,
12 days for 125 seeds

8, 10,

and

21

4

6

8

10

121

Chlordane, 40 per cent
wettable powder

4.1

19

50

80

97

102

104

Untreated

118

121

123

124

124

124

Aldrin, 50 per cent,
wettable powder

2.5

29

52

81

91

108

109

DDT, 50 per cent,
wettable powder

3.5

6

33

67

86

95

100

Dieldrin, 50 per cent,
wettable powder

2.1

30

68

91

97

102

105

Toxaphene, 40 per cent,
wettable powder

4.1

27

50

73

86

89

93

BHC, 50 per cent,
wettable powder

4.0 (BHC)

11

27

36

75

88

98

Dieldrin, 5 per cent,
emulsion

0.07

18

39

65

79

85

87

Aldrin, 5 per cent,
emulsion

0.16

2

5

12

22

29

35

iDifference necessary for significance, 5 per cent, level :
second day, 16.9,

twelfth day, 23.6.

DISCUSSION

Although the percentage germina-
tion of the onion seed used in soil was
far from satisfactory, the potential
rates of germination of treated and
untreated seeds were similar. The
germination for untreated seeds aver-
aged only 24 per cent., which is far
below that required for commercial
seed. Nevertheless, the germination
of seed treated with BHC wettable
powder, dieldrin wettable powder,
toxaphene wettable powder, a 5 per
cent, emulsion of aldrin, or a 5 per
cent, emulsion of dieldrin was signifi-
cantly lower than that of the checks.
In the last two treatments it is thought
that germination was not retarded by
the insecticides themselves, but by the
liquid solvent used in the emulsion
concentrate. If this be so it could

either act as a mechanical barrier to
the moisture necessary to produce
germination or have a lethal effect on
the embryo within the seed.

Germination tests conducted in
petri dishes substantiated the results
obtained for treated seeds used in soil,
this seed giving almost 100 per cent,
germination in the checks. Here
again the germination of seeds treat-
ed with BHC, toxaphene, a 5 per cent,
emulsion of aldrin, or a 5 per cent
emulsion of dieldrin was significantly
lower than for the checks. However,
for one additional treated series, that
of DDT, germination was significant-
ly lower than for the checks.

Throughout the series of tests to
determine the effect of storage on
chemically treated seeds there was a
delay in germination of all treated

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

75

Fig. 1 . — Growth produced by onion seeds treated with various insecticides and kept for
12 days in covered petri dishes after initial sprouting.

CHLORDANE

TOXAPHENE

DIELDRIN

UNTREATED

seeds except those treated with BHC.
In this instance, the germination of
seeds stored 0 days was similar to
that for the checks. As the period of
storage increased, the initial germin-
ation of the BHC-treated seeds de-
creased so that by 110 days after
treatment all treated seeds had the
same delay in germination.

Growth was apparently unaffected
by the treatment of seed except in the
case of BHC. In this treatment, al-
though germination was significantly
reduced, there were sufficient plants
to observe its effect. Necrosis de-
veloped early, a factor found also by
McLeod (1946) in his investigation
on onion maggot control. J. R.
Douglass and F. H. Shirck, U.S. De-
partment of Agriculture, Twin Falls,
Idaho (personal communication),
found that wettable powder of lindane
or chlordane applied to the seed trench
at 0.46 or 1.4 pounds of active in-
gredient per acre, respectively, caused
severe reduction in the onion stand;
lindane caused 96.7 per cent, reduc-
tion, and chlordane 47.0 per cent.

Although no serious effect on germin-
ation was observed for chlordane-
treated seeds in the Kamloops tests,
the necks of the bulbs were enlarged
and chlorosis and necrosis appeared
about the tenth day in the petri-dish
tests.

SUMMARY

1. Germination of onion seed was
adversely affected when the seed was
treated with a wettable powder of
DDT, BHC, dieldrin or toxaphene, or
a 5 per cent, emulsion of aldrin, or a
5 per cent, emulsion of dieldrin. The
solvent is suspected of being the toxic
factor in the case of aldrin and diel-
drin emulsions.

2. Growth of the onion plants, once
the seed germinated, was not serious-
ly affected by any of the treatments
except that with BHC.

3. Storing of chemically treated
onion seed in open glass dishes did not
further seriously affect the eventual
percentage germination, but it did de-
lay germination.

76

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The author wishes to thank Dr.
A. W. A. Brown, Head, Department of
Zoology, University of Western On-
tario, London, and Dr. R. H. Handford,
Officer-in-Charge, Field Crop Insect
Laboratory, Kamloops, for their very
helpful suggestions. The work done
during the winter of 1950-51 was done
at the University of Western Ontario

while the author was on a scholarship
from the National Research Council
of Canada and the remainder complet-
ed while employed by the Canada De-
partment of Agriculture at the
Kamloops laboratory.

Reference

McLeod, W. S. 1946. Hexachlorocyclo-
hexane in the control of the onion maggot.
J. Econ. Ent. 39: 631-637.

OBSERVATIONS ON THE STUDY OF BEETLES
IN BRITISH COLUMBIA

Melville H. Hatch

University of Washington, Seattle, Washington

The study of the beetles or any
other group of organisms in an area
like British Columbia that was origin-
ally peripheral to the world centres of
scientific study falls somewhat natur-
ally into several periods. First there
is a period of exploration, during
which specimens are collected by
itinerant scientific collectors and
brought back to the centres of scien-
tific activity where they are studied
and reported upon. Eventually, how-
ever, itinerant collectors give way to
resident collectors and the endemic
study of the fauna gets under way.
For long, however, the endemic col-
lectors remain dependent on outside
aid, and it is only gradually that fully
endemic studies backed up by fully
equipped museum and library facil-
ities become established.

In British Columbia the first of the
three periods in the study of the beetles
was unusually transitory. The first
beetles were not collected until about
twenty-five years after the first speci-
mens had been collected in the Oregon
Country to the immediate south. In
British Columbia, the first specimens
to be taken seem to have been collect-
ed about the year 1859 to 1861 by the
naturalists attached to the Anglo-
American Northwest Boundary Com-
mission. Dr. John L. LeConte of
Philadelphia, the leading American

1 New species of Coleoptera inhabiting the Pacific

district of the United States. Proc. Acad. Nat. i>ci.
of Philadelphia 1861, pp. 338-359.

student of the Coleoptera in the third
quarter of the last century, records
Cicindela longilabris Say and Cupes st-
rata LeC. in 1861 from “Camp Kooten-
ay.”1 With lack of precision that is
characteristic of the coleopterological
work of the period, he failed to notice
whether the “Camp Kootenay” re-
ferred to was the east crossing of the
international border by the Kootenay
River in Montana or its west cross-
ing in Idaho. In either event, the
specimens were as likely to have been
taken on one side of the boundary line
as on the other.

John Keast Lord, the British natur-
alist with the Commission in his Na-
turalist in Vancouver Island and British
Columbia, 1866, refers to collecting
beetles at least twice : once (Vol. II, p.
109) near Palouse-Falls in Washing-
ton, once (Vol. II, p. 123) along Slesse
(Selece) Creek, a tributary of the
Chilliwack River near Chilliwack.
His list of 94 species of
beetles published in an appendix2 to
his book, contains no intimation of
localities. While some of the species
listed probably were collected in Brit-
ish Columbia, others were not, and
Lord is known to have travelled over-
land all the way from San Francisco
to the Canadian border. His book
shows him, moreover, to have been
preoccupied with the vertebrates.

The real beginning of the scientific
study of British Columbian beetles be-
gan with a collection made probably

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

77

in the late sixties in “Vancouver
Island and British Columbia” by
Henry and Joseph B. Matthews,
brothers of the Rev. Andrew Mat-
thews, the British microclepidopterist.
The collection which Henry Matthews,
who was likewise a clergyman,
brought back to England with him in
1869, was submitted by Andrew Mat-
thews to LeConte. LeConte publish-
ed a list of 186 species in the Annals
and Magazine of Natural History in
the same year. He considered British
Columbia and Vancouver Island to be
at that time the least explored portions
of North America.2 3 Notable among
the new species described here was
our famous ground beetle, Zacotus mat-
thewsii. Three years later Andrew
Matthews described two species of
Amphizoa from the same source.4

Though George Robert Crotch col-
lected beetles about Victoria and along
the Fraser River in 1873, these re-
mained the only significant publica-
tions on British Columbian beetles for
fifteen years.

What I would call the period of
resident collectors extends in British
Columbia from about 1882, when
George W. Taylor settled on Van-
couver Island, to about 1919, when
Ralph Hopping was called to Vernon.
The principal Coleoptera literature,
pertaining to the Province, that ap-
peared during this forty year period
consisted of about a dozen or fifteen
separate short lists plus an annual
listing, beginning in 1902, of 25 or 30
or more species in the Annual Report
of the Entomological Society of
Ontario.

The first endemic beetle work in the
Province was Taylor’s 1886 list in

2 List of Coleoptera, Vol. II, pp. 309-334. The list
was prepared by Francis Walker (1809-1874), en-
tomologist at the British Miuseum, whose authorship
is attested to on p. 290. For comments on this pub-
lication see LeConte, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 4 (6),
1870, pp. 395, 399-402.

Another isimilar publication is LeConte, List of
Coleoptera, Geol. Surv. Can. Rept. of Prog. 1875-76,
1877, pp. 107-109. 145 species are listed; but there

is nothing to indicate which of the species were
taken in British Columbia and where, and which,
if any, were secured in Alberta or even further east !

3 See selected bibliography at end of paper for
citation of this and other papers mentioned.

4 Descriptions of two new species of Amphizoa from
Vancouver’s Island: A. josephi, A. Lecontei, Cistula
Entom. I, 1872, pp. 119-122. See likewise A. Mat-
thews’ obituary notice of the Rev. H. Matthews

(d. 1874) in Ent. Mo. Mag. XIV, 1877, pp. 38-39.

the Canadian Entomologist of 76
species of Cicindelidae and Carabidae
from the vicinity of Victoria, named
for him by Henry Ulke of New York.
Lists by Brodie (1888) and Wickham
(1893) represent the work of itinerant
collectors. The most ambitious paper
was the list of 241 species from Mas-
sett collected by the Rev. J. H. Keen,
published in the Canadian Entomolo-
gist in 1895. The identification of
Keen’s specimens was arranged for
by James Fletcher of Ottawa, Domin-
ion Entomologist, who solicited the
aid of numerous coleopterists in the
eastern United States and Europe. A
beginning at a Provincial list was
made in 1906-1907 in the abortive
Bulletin of the British Columbia
Entomological Society, 154 species in
Cicindelidae, Buprestidae, Coccinel-
lidae, and Cerambvcidae being listed.
The status of the knowledge of the
beetle fauna as a whole is suggested
by the 800 species which in 1906, were
stated by the Secretary of the Society,
R. V. Harvey of Queen’s School, Van-
couver, to be in the provisional un-
published list of the Society.5

The local collectors were completely
dependent on coleopterists residing
for the most part in eastern Canada
and northeastern United States for
their determinations, and the western-
ers’ contribution consisted almost ex-
clusively in collecting material and
transcribing the names assigned to
it by others. There was no attempt
at independent study because, as W.
Downes explained to me some years
ago, of the almost complete lack of
basic literature. This was a lack
which neither the public nor the
private financial resources of the
region was able to make good. In
this connection, one notes the
acknowledgment of A. H. Bush, in a
1914 list of 106 species from Mount
Cheam, of the help in identification of
Dr. E. C. Van Dyke of San Francisco.
The endemic centres of beetle-study
were beginning to close in on the
Pacific Northwest.

Turning to the economic bases of the
beetle studies of this period, one notes

78

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

with interest that the two first resi-
dent workers, Taylor and Keen, were
clergymen. This is evidence of the
British influence, for during the 19th
century several of the most important
British coleopterists were clergymen.
One searches in vain for a clergyman
advancing the study of beetles at this
time in the United States. A. W.
Hanham, who was contributing heavi-
ly to “The Entomological Record”
during this period, was manager of
the Bank of British North America in
Duncan. R. V. Harvey, who was
working on a Provincial list, was a
school teacher. E. P. Venables was
a farmer in the vicinity of Vernon.
E. M. Anderson was connected with
the Provincial Museum in Victoria.
J. B. Wallis, public school teacher of
Winnipeg, collected extensively at
Peachland in 1909. A. H. Bush was an
engineer on the Canadian Pacific
Railroad. W. H. Brittain, who pub-
lished a list of 73 species of Coleoptera
from the Okanagan district in 1904
was employed in economic entomology.

In these tentative “Observations on
the Study of Beetles in British Col-
umbia,” I should like to suggest that
a new period in the study of the
beetles of the Province dates from
about 1920. The University of Brit-
ish Columbia was established in 1915.
Entomology was first taught there in
1919, and Professor G. J. Spencer
joined the staff of the institution as
entomologist in 1924. Professor Spenc-
er is not a coleopterist, and his beetle-
studies have been confined to some of
the household species. He has, how-
ever, laid the foundations for a Pro-
vincial collection, and the institution
which he serves seems to furnish the
condition under which we can expect
that fully endemic beetle-studies can
be carried on.

More important than the University
of British Columbia as a centre of

5 Bull. Ent. Soc. B.C., No. 1, March 1906, p. 2.
From 1901-1933 about 800 species of beetles were
listed in the Coleoptera section of “The Entomological
Record” which was published annually in the Annual
Reports of the Entomological Society of Ontario from

the 32nd Report for 1901, published in 1903, through
the 61st Report of the Quebec Society for the Pro-
tection of Plants, published in 1934.

beetle-study, especially during the
late twenties, is the Provincial Museum
at Victoria, where G. A. Hardy has
published a number of reports on the
Elateridae, Buprestidae, and Ceramby-
cidae of Vancouver Island. Mr. Hardy,
however, serves the • Museum as
Botanist as well as Entomologist.
While the Museum’s beetle collection
is extensive, as late as 1949, at any
rate, it is badly in need of consolida-
tion in modern insect boxes or
drawers.

The most important beetle-studies
to have been conducted in British Col-
umbia in the past thirty years were
those under the leadership of Ralph
Hopping, 1868-1941, from 1919 entom-
ologist in charge of the Dominion
Forest Insect Laboratory at Vernon.
Beginning in 1925, Mr. Hopping was
assisted at the Vernon laboratory by
his son, George R. Hopping, and be-
ginning in 1930, by Hugh B. Leech,
both of whom became interested in
the taxonomy of the Coleoptera and
both of whom remained connected
with the Vernon laboratory for eight
or nine years following Ralph Hop-
ping’s retirdhient in 1939. The Hop-
pings concentrated on the Ceramby-
cidae, in which family they produced
an important series of monographs,5 6
but Ralph Hopping’s studies in par-
ticular extended over the beetles as
a whole. On September 1, 1938, his
unpublished card index of British Col-
umbia beetles numbered 2070 species,
a figure to be compared with the 1906
figure cited above of 800 species, and
indicating the growth of knowledge
in the intervening period. The collec-
tion at Vernon came to number about
10,000 species in about 97,000 speci-
mens, including large amounts of
British Columbia material. In accord-
ance with Ralph Hopping’s own de-
sire, his collection was sold for a
nominal sum by his widow to the
California Academy of Sciences in
1948, making that institution one of
the most important repositories of
British Columbia beetles.

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

79

Hugh Leech specialized at first in
both the Staphylinidae and the aquatic
Coleoptera, later exclusively in the
aquatic families. He has published a
very extensive series of excellent
short papers. In 1947, in order to
secure the opportunity to concentrate
on his taxonomic studies, he accepted
the position of Associate Curator of
Insects at the California Academy of
Sciences, taking with him his collec-
tion of about 130 boxes of water
beetles. With George Hopping’s re-
moval to Calgary the following year,
the Vernon Group of coleopterists was
dissolved.

A collector of beetles of some note in
the vicinity of Terrace and Massett,
in part some of the country formerly
worked by the Rev. J. H. Keen, is
Mrs. M. E. Clark of Terrace. As Mrs.
W. W. Hippisley, she published some
Notes on Northern British Colu??ibia
Coleoptera in the Canadian Entomolo-
gist (XLIV, pp. 63-66) in 1922. In
1948 and 1949 she published a list of
420 species of Cicindelidae through
Coccinellidae in the Proceedings of
our Society — the most extensive
single list of species so far to have
been published in British Columbia.
Her specimens were named for her by
C. A. Frost of Framingtham, Mass.,
who retained samples of most of her
species, and she has recently deposit-
ed the residue of her collection at the
University of British Columbia.

The leading presently active student
of British Columbia beetles is Gordon
Stace Smith, a mining foreman, now
retired, of Creston. In 1929 and 1930,
Stace Smith published a list of 323
species from Copper Mountain near

6 Hopping, Ralph. A review of the genus Monocham-
us Serv. (Cerambycidae, Coleoptera). Can. Ent. 53,
1922, pp. 252-258; pi. xi.

— (with J. M. Swaine) The Lepturini of America
north of Mexico. P.art I. Nat. Mus. Can. Bull.
52, 1927, 97 pp., xii pi.

—Part II. IbM., Bull. 85, 1938, 42 pp. vi. pi.

— (and Geo. R. Hopping) Part III. Cortodera. Sci.
Agric. 27, 1947, pp. 220-236.

Hopping, Geo. R. A revision of the Clytini of boreal
America (Cerambycidae, Coleoptera) Part I. Ann.
Ent. Soc. Amer. XXV, 1932, pp. 529-567, pi. i-v.
—Part II. Ibid. XXX, 1937, pp. 438-357, pi. i-iii.

Princeton, and he has one of the finest
collections of the beetles of the
Province ever assembled. Stace Smith
represents the earlier collector-type of
investigator, and he represents this
type at its very best. An expert and
indefatigable collector, he insists on the
most precise preparation and labeling
of every specimen. Each specimen,
moreover, carries the names of the
various coleopterists who have seen
it and the names — not always con-
gruent— that they have assigned to it.
Stace Smith confines himself to the
beetles of the Province, which he has
represented in his collection in series
up to 20 or 25 specimens of a species.
At the end of 1950 he figured that he
had representatives of a few over 2000
species of British Columbia beetles in
his collection. He is, moreover, be-
ing of the utmost possible assistance
to me in my work on The Beetles of
the Pacific Northwest.

Finally, I have to mention Richard
Guppy, of Wellington, near Nanaimo.
Mr. Guppy confines his collection to
Vancouver Island, and is proving very
helpful in supplying material from that
locality.

I now give some comparative figures
on five collections of British Columbia
beetles. In part I of my book, I
recognize about 675 species of North-
western beetles in the suborder Ade-
pliaga, which includes Carabidae,
Dytiscidae, and related families. Of
these 675 species, 511 are listed from
British Columbia. Of these 511 species,
I have found examples of 373 species
in the collection of the California
Academy of Sciences, 359 species in
the collection of G. Stace Smith, 294
species in my collection at the Uni-
versity of Washington, 256 species in
the collection of the University of
British Columbia, and 157 species in
the collections of the Provincial
Museum at Victoria.*

*Ed. Note.— Over 250 named species of this group
are in the collection of the Vernon Forest Insect
Laboratory.

80

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

Selected Bibliography

LeConte, John L. 1869. List of Coleoptera
collected in Vancouver’s Island by Henry
and Joseph Matthews, with descriptions
of some new species. Ann. Mag. Nat.
Hist. 4(4) : 369-386. (186 species.)

Taylor, George W. 1888. Notes on seventy-
six species of Cicindelidae and Carabidae
collected near Victoria, Vancouver Is.
Can. Ent. 18: 34-37.

Brodie, Bruce. 1888. List of Coleoptera col-
lected by Mr. Bruce Bailey in Kicking
Horse Pass, Rocky Mountains, C.P.R. in
1884. Proc. Can. Inst. Toronto, 5(3) :
213-215. (80 species.)

Wickham, H. F. 1893. Report of an entomo-
logical reconnaissance of southern Alaska
and adjacent portions of British Columbia.
Bull. Lab. Nat. Hist. St. Univ. Iowa,
2 :202-233. (68 species from Stikine River ;

43 species from Glenora.)

Keen, J. H. 1895. List of Coleoptera col-
lected at Massett, Queen Charlotte Islands,
B.C. Can. Ent. 27:165-172, 217-220. (241

species.)

— 1898. a preliminary catalogue of the

collections of natural history and ethnology
in the Provincial Museum, Victoria, British
Columbia. pp. 71-75. (131 species of

Coleoptera from Massett ; 29 species from
Victoria.)

— 1905. Beetles from northern British Col-
umbia. Can. Ent. 37 :297-298. (48 species.)

Harvey, R. V. 1906 and 1907. The British
Columbia List. Bull. B.C. Ent. Soc. No.
1, pp. 3-4. (32 species of Coccinellidae) ;

No. 2, pp. 3-4. (18 species of Buprestidae) ;
No. 4, p. 4. (8 species of Cicindelidae);

No. 6, pp. 3-5. (96 species of C'eramby-

cidae.)

Venables, E. P. 1913. Notes on some

Coleoptera of the Okanagan >Valley. Can.
Ent. 45 :267-268. (41 species of Cicindelidae
and Carabidae.)

Brittain, W. H. 1914. Report from the
Okanagan District : Insect pests of the
year. Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C. 4:14-19. (73

species of Coleoptera from Okanagan
District.)

Anderson, E. M. 1914. Insects collected in
the Okanagan Valley 1913. Proc. Ent.

Soc. B.C. 4:54-58. (26 species of Coleop-

tera).

Bush, A. H. 1914. A trip up Mount Cheam.
Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C. 4:58-60. (106 species).

Hopping, Ralph. 1922. Coniferous hosts of
the Ipidae of the Pacific Coast and
Rockv Mountain Regions. Can. Ent.

54:128-134. (65 species from B.C.).

Hardy, G. A. 1926. Cerambycidae of Van-
couver Island. Rept. Prov. Mus. Nat.
Hist, for 1925, pp. C24-C33, 47 figs. (68
species).

— 1927. Report on a collecting trip to
Garibaldi Park, B.C. Rept. Prov. Mus.
Nat. Hist, for 1926, pp. C15-C26. (55

species of Coleoptera).

— 1927. Buprestidae of Vancouver Island,
ibidem, pp. C32-C34, 9 figs. (20 species).
— 1927. Cerambycidae of Vancouver Island,
ibidem, pp. C34-37. (29 species, including

15 not in 1926 list).

Hardy, G. A. and W. H. A. Preece. 1926.
Notes on some species of Cerambycidae
(Col.) from the southern portion of Van-
couver Island, B.C. Pan-Pac. Ent. 3 :34-40.
(14 species).

— 1927. Further notes on some species of
Cerambycidae (Col.) from the southern
portion of Vancouver Island, B.C., with
descriptions of some new varieties. Pan-
Pac. Ent. 3:187-193. (10 species).

— 1927. Additional notes on some Ceram-
bycidae (Col.) from Vancouver Island,
B.C. Pan -Pac. Ent. 4:61-67. (14 species).

Hardy, G. A. 1928. Vancouver Island
Elateridae. Rept. Prov. Mus. Nat. Hist,
for 1927, pp. C16-E17. (24 species).

Brown, W. J 1929. Gyrinidae of Canada.
59th Ann. Rept. Ent. Soc. Ont. for 1928,
pp. 115-116. (10 species from B.C.) ;

Scarabaeidae of Canada, pp. 116-120. (39
species from B.C.).

Stace Smith, G. 1929 and 1930. Coleoptera.
Mus. and Art Notes, Art Hist, and Sci.
Assoc., Vancouver, B.C. IV, pp. 69-74; V,
pp. 22-25. (323 species from Copper

Mountain near Princeton).

Dobzhansky, Th. 1935. A list of the Coc-
cinellidae of British Columbia. N.Y. Ent.
Soc. 43:331-336. (29 species).

Spencer, G. J. 1942. Insects and other
arthropods in buildings in British Columbia.
Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C. 39:23-29. (32 species

of Coleoptera).

Leech, Hugh B. 1947. List of some Phil-
onthus from British Columbia (Coleoptera:
Staphylinidae). Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C.
43:23-24. (23 species).

Spencer, G. J. 1948. Notes on some Der-
mestidae of British Columbia. Proc. Ent.
Soc. B.C. 44:6-9. (11 species).

Clark, M. E., 1948 and 1949. An Annotated
list of Coleoptera taken at or near Ter-
race, British Columbia. Part 1, Proc. Ent.
Soc. B.C. 44:24-27 (172 species: Cicin-
delidae through Scydmaenidae) ; Part 2,
45:21-24. (248 species: Orthoperidae

through Coccinellidae).

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

81

NOTES ON THE POPULATION AND PARASITISM OF THE LARCH
SAWFLY, PRISTIPHORA ERICHSONII (HTG.) (HYMENOPTERA:
TENTHREDINIDAE), IN BRITISH COLUMBIA1

J. H. McLeod2

Biological Control Investigations Laboratory, Vancouver, B.C.

In British Columbia the larch saw-
fly, Pristiphora erichsonii (Htg.), was
first reported in 1930 in an area about
30 miles north of Fernie. In 1933 a
survey showed that the infestation
covered a large area in and around
Fernie. Cocoon samples were obtain-
ed at that time and were examined at
the Forest Insect Laboratory, Vernon,
B,C., and at the Dominion Parasite
Laboratory, Belleville, Ont. No evi-
dence of parasitism was found, and
parasites were released in the infested
area. The first colony of parasites,
comprising 393 males and 280 females
of Mesoleius aulicus (Grav.), was re-
leased in July, 1934, at Lizard Creek,
2 miles from Fernie.

P. erichsonii spread rapidly north and
east following the distribution of
western larch, Larix occidentalis Nutt.,
which, in the main, is confined to the
southern interior of British Columbia.
As parasites became available they
were released in the newer areas of
infestation to hasten establishment
and distribution. Details concerning
parasite releases and host distribution
were given by Hopping, Leech, and
Morgan (1943). At no time has P.
erichsonii reached outbreak proportions
in British Columbia except in isolated
areas. The population in each of the
heavily infested areas for which there
are records became heavily parasitized
by M. aulicus and subsided without
serious injury to the trees.

In 1948 a project was initiated to
provide colonies of M. aulicus from
British Columbia for release in West-
ern Ontario, Manitoba, and Saskat-
chewan. In that year 105,000 P.
erichsonii cocoons, heavily parasitized
by M. aulicus, were obtained. In 1949
one hundred and thirty thousand co-
coons were collected. In 1950, after

: I Contribution No. 2913, Division of Entomology,
Science Service, Department of Agriculture, Ottawa,
Canada.

Z Agricultural Research Officer.

a thorough search of the infested area,
only 2,500 cocoons were obtained. The
numbers of cocoons collected in the
3 years do not accurately represent
the change in population, but there
was a reduction in 1950. All avail-
able data have been examined to de-
termine the factor or factors respon-
sible for the reduction in host popula-
tion and its effect on M. aulicus.

In 1949 many of the larch trees in
the infested area were affected with
needle cast, the symptoms of which
are a premature yellowing and early
dropping of the needles. This caused
some larval mortality during the feed-
ing period, but no significant reduc-
tion in the number of cocoons collected
in the most heavily infested area. It
is possible that the viability of the
larvae in the cocoons was reduced,
but no evidence was obtained to sup-
port this theory. Emergence was
normal from the 130,000 cocoons col-
lected in October and November, 1949.
and stored in an unheated laboratory
room over winter, Random samples
of cocoons taken from the 1948,
1949, and 1950 collections were dissect-
ed; the percentages of dead larvae
were 16.5, 7.5, and 12.0, respectively
(Table I). There was a decrease of
9.0 per cent, in larval mortality of P.
erichsonii in 1949 rather than an in-
crease, which would have occurred if
needle cast had affected the viability
of the larch sawfly larvae.

The winter of 1949-50 was unusual-
ly cold and a heavier-than-normal
snowfall occurred. Weather records
taken at the Grand Forks office of the
Canada Department of Transport (14
miles from the infested area) show
that the average temperature was be-
low normal during the winter of 1949-
50. On May 19, 1950, although much
of the infested area was still covered
with snow, a collection of cocoons
was obtained. It was immediately

82

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

placed in rearing at unheated room
temperature (average, 62°F.) in Van-
couver. The emergence from this col-
lection was normal; therefore, it must
be assumed that the reduction in popu-
lation of P. erichsonii was not caused
by winter mortality.

The next factor that was consid-
ered was parasitism. An increase in
the percentage parasitism could have
accounted for the decrease in the P .
erichsonii population in 1950. However,
there was a decrease in parasitism
amounting to 6.7 per cent. (Table I).

TABLE I

Larval mortality, and parasitism, of Pristiphora erichsonii (Htg.) in British Columbia,

1948, 1949, and 1950.

1948

1949

1950

Number

Per cent.

Number

Per cent

Number

Per cent.

Cocoons dissected

1464

100

536

100

441

100

P. erichsonii larvae

dead (causes

248

16.5

40

7.5

53

12.0

unknown)

living

1216

68.2

496

92.5

388

88.0

M. aulicus larvae

living

829

83.5

305

61.5

213

54.9

Evidently, the mortalities caused by
needle cast, winter weather, and para-
sitism were not responsible, individu-
ally or collectively, for the reduction
in the population of P. erichsonii in
1950.

Finally, the diapause factor was
considered. In British Columbia P.
erichsonii normally completes its life-
cycle in 1 year, but in 1950 there was
evidence that a portion of the popula-
tion remained in diapause. In Sep-
tember, 1950, the cocoons were most
numerous in the area most heavily
infested in 1949; previously, the
centre of infestation had changed
from year to year and had usually
moved in a westerly direction. The
cocoons were darker in colour than
freshly formed cocoons normally are,
and many of them were collected
under trees from which cocoons had
been taken in 1949. These trees show-
ed fewer signs of larval feeding than
would have been expected if the
larvae that formed cocoons under
them had fed on the 1950 foliage.

The first concrete evidence that
some P. erichsonii remained in diapause
throughout the summer of 1950 was
found when the intact cocoons from
a laboratory-reared collection were
opened in August, 1950. There were
1,181 cocoons in the collection and of
these 88, or 7.45 per cent., contained
living P. erichsonii larvae. This per-
centage was not large enough to
account for the important decrease in
P. erichsonii population in 1950. During
May and June; when normally dia-
pause is broken and pupation occurs,
the temperature in the laboratory was
considerably higher than in the field.
The average temperature in the labor-
atory was about 62°F. ; at Grand
Forks, which is about 1500 feet lower
in elevation than the area of P.
erichsonii infestation, the average tem-
peratures during- May and June were
51°F. and 61°F. respectively. The
higher temperature in the laboratory
could have been responsible for a
smaller portion of the P. erichsonii
larvae remaining in diapause in the
laboratory than in the field.

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

83

TABLE II

Average weights of P. erichsonii cocoons in 3 size groups, 1949 and 1950.

Size of cocoons

1949

1950

Weight

Number

Average
weight, mg.

Number

Average
weight, mg.

decrease, mg.

Large (10! to less
than llimm.)

145

86.2

113

83.5

2.7

Medium (9| to less
than lOfmm.)

170

73.6

229

69.2

3.4

Small (8 to less
than 9|mm.)

221

55.5

99

50.9

4.6

If a large portion of the P. erichsonii
larvae did in fact remain in dia-
pause in the cocoons during the sum-
mer of 1950, it would be expected that
the cocoons collected in the autumn
of 1950 would be similar in weight
and size to those that were collected
in the autumn of 1949. There was no
important difference in the weights
of cocoons in the two years (Table II).
The slight decrease that occurred in
1950 could have been caused by desic-
cation during the summer of 1950.

However, there was an important
difference in the percentages of
medium and small cocoons (Table III).
There was a large increase in the
percentage of medium and a large
decrease in the percentage of small
cocoons in 1950. This seemed to be
irrefutable evidence that the cocoons
collected in 1950 could not have been
part of the 1949 population as they
must have been if the larvae in them
had remained in diapause.

, ■ " ' \ 1

TABLE III

Percentages of large, medium, and small cocoons of P. erichsonii, 1949 and 1950.

Size of cocoons

1949

1950

Number

Per cent.

Number

Per cent

Large

145

27.1

113

25.6

Medium

170

31.7

229

51.9

Small

221

41.2

99

22.4

An explanation for this anomaly
was found when the rearing data were
examined. The random collection
from which the 88 larvae remaining in
diapause were dissected was com-
prised of 1,181 cocoons, and from
these 634 adults of M. aulicus and 309

adults of P. erichsonii were incubated.
The numbers of each and the number
of M. aulicus that remained in dia-
pause are shown in Fig. 1, each plot-
ted point representing the number of
specimens for a 5-mg. group; e.g.,
from cocoons weighing 46 to 50 mg.

84

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

4 adults of P. erichsonii emerged. It
was seen that there was complete
emergence from all cocoons that
weighed less than 60 mg. and that
the insects remained in diapause only
in the larger and heavier cocoons.
The largest numbers that remained
in diapause were in the 75-mg. group.

This corresponds closely with 73.6
mg., the average weight of the med-
ium-sized cocoons in 1949 (Table II).
If this occurred in the field, it would
explain the reduction in the number of
small cocoons and the increase in the
number of medium-sized cocoons in
1950 (Table III).

Fig. 1. — Numbers of adults of Pristiphora erichsonii (Htg.) (....) and of Mesoleius aulicus
(Grav.) (----) that emerged, and numbers of larvae of M. aulicus remaining in

diapause ( ), from various weights of cocoons of P. erichsonii collected in

British Columbia in 1949 and reared in 1950; each plotted point represents the
number of specimens for a 5-mg. group, e.g, from cocoons weighing 46 to 50
mg. 4 adults of P. erichsonii emerged.

All the information obtained from
field observation and laboratory rear-
ing data supports the opinion that the
reduction in abundance of P. erichsonii
in 1950 was caused by a large portion
of the population remaining in dia-
pause. There was no evidence that
needle cast, winter weather conditions,

or parasites were responsible for the
unusual population reduction.

Although parasites are not consid-
ered to have been responsible for the
reduction in the population of P. erich-
sonii in 1950, they are an important
control factor. This opinion is sup-
ported by the record of percentage

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

85

parasitism obtained by dissection
(Table I) and by the proportion of
M. aulicus adults that emerged from the
random collection of 1,181 cocoons of
P. erichsonii collected in 1949 and rear-
ed in 1950 (Fig. 1). Further evidence
of the effectiveness of M. aulicus was
obtained when the diapause P. erich-
sonii larvae were dissected in August,
1950; 89.8 per cent, of them contained
living M. aulicus larvae. This showed

that the parasite had synchronized its
development with that of the host,
thus ensuring the continued effective-
ness of the parasite.

References

Hopping, G. R., H. B. Leech, and C. V. G.
Morgan. 1943. The larch sawfly, Pristi-
phora erichsonii (Hartig), in British Colum-
bia, with special reference to the cocoon
parasites Mesoleius tenthredinis Morley and
Tritneptis klugii (Ratzeburg). Sci. Agr. 24:
53-63.

BIOLOGY AND CONTROL OF THE CHERRY CASEBEARER,
COLEOPHORA PRUNIELLA CLEMENS, IN BRITISH COLUMBIA*

D. B. Waddell1 2

Fruit Insect Laboratory, Summerland, B.C.

An outbreak of the cherry case-
bearer, Coleophora pruniella Clem.,
occurred in two adjacent apple
orchards at Creston in the Kootenay
Valley in 1947. This is the first record
of this species for the Province of
British Columbia. The insect was
reported causing serious damage to
apple at Salem, Oregon, in 1937, by
Hsiao and Mote (1939), marking the
most westerly record for this species.
Known since 1861, when it was des-
cribed, the cherry casebearer has been
a serious pest of both cherry and
apple in the United States and Canada
during the past 25 years. Fetch and
Armstrong (1926) recorded that apple
orchards in the Lake St. Louis area
of Quebec had been heavily infested
for several years. These authors
were the first to give adequate descrip-
tions of all stages of the insect and
an adequate account of the life-
history. Petch and Maheux (1930)
reported little damage to apple in
Quebec from this species, whereas 5
per cent, injury was caused by the
cigar casebearer, Coleophora occidentis
Zell. The latter species, the only
casebearer hitherto recorded as having
caused damage to orchards in British
Columbia, was reported by Treherne
(1914, p. 25) to be present in every
orchard of the Lower Fraser Valley

1 Contribution No. 2888, Division of Entomology,
Science Service, Department of Agriculture, Ottawa,
Canada.

2 Associate Entomologist.

in 1912-13. Later Glendenning (1923)
noted its presence in that valley but
not as a serious pest. Hutson (1931,
’32) reported the cherry casebearer to
be a spectacular pest of cherry in
Michigan. Its depredations in or-
chards were first noted in 1929, al-
though known on wild black cherry
from the time of its description.

LOCALITY, VARIETIES OF FRUIT ATTACKED,
AND SEVERITY OF INFESTATION

The coleophorid infestation was con-
fined to two adjacent orchards one
mile southeast of Creston, at the
southern end of the Kootenay Valley.
One orchard contained only mature
McIntosh apple trees, the other a
mixed planting with McIntosh pre-
dominating but including Delicious,
Jonathan, Winter Banana, and scat-
tered pears and cherries. All fruit
varieties were attacked, McIntosh
most severely; the heaviest infesta-
tion and damage occurred in the or-
chard with the mixed planting. The
difference in severity of damage be-
tween the two orchards was due to
an application of dormant oil-dinitro
orthocresol to the McIntosh planting
but not to the mixed planting.

The infestation was first noted in
the fall of 1947, when the twigs and
fruit spurs were literally covered with
overwintering cases. Evidently some
damage had occurred in 1947 but had
not been reported by the growers. In

86

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

1948 the injury to the developing
foliage was severe, approximately 60
per cent, of the leaves on some trees
being almost completely skeletonized.
Set, size, and colour of fruit were
markedly affected. Late summer
damage by young larvae was notice-
able but not severe. Injury in 1949
was light, because of the application
of a dormant spray in each orchard.

LIFE-HISTORY

The life-history of C. prunieila in the
the Kootenays follows in general that
related for Quebec (Petch and Arm-
strong, 1926), Michigan (Hutson,
1931), and Oregon (Hsiao and Mote,
1939). Dates noted in the develop-
mental period refer to 1948 records.

Egg . — The eggs are light yellow,
convoluted, and conoid ; they are laid
singly, usually on lower leaf surfaces
in mid-July (July 12-23). As many
as 60 eggs were observed on one leaf.
Thirty leaves taken at random from
lower portions of trees averaged 20
eggs per leaf. The incubation period
was approximately 10 days. Petch
and Armstrong (1926) reported 18
days as the average period of incuba-
tion for Quebec, whereas Hsiao and
Mote (1939) reported 14 days for
Oregon. All eggs hatched by August
10.

Larva. — Eclosion occurs through
the base of the egg, so that the larva
never exposes itself as it commences
to mine the area between the upper
and lower epidermal layers. The egg
shell serves as a protection for the
larva and for the storage of frass,
while the larva gradually bores its
way through the leaf tissues, forming
a blotch mine around the egg shell.
It continues to feed in the original
mine for 3 to 3.5 weeks before form-
ing a case and becoming mobile. The
earliest cases were observed on August
16; forming of cases was complete by
September 2. The larva moves fre-
quently once the case is formed,
tunnelling out a small, almost circular
mine at each feeding site, so that the
leaves become “peppered” with mines.
After continuing to feed for 4 to 6
weeks the larva moves to a twig or
spur, there to overwinter. Although

feeding is prolonged over a 7-week
period, mining is slow and larvae do
not increase greatly in size. The
original case is enlarged at least once.
The overwintering cases are about 3.5
mm. long and 1.0 mm. in diameter.
The majority of the larvae had moved
to overwintering quarters by October
15. The larvae move from winter
quarters at the end of April, when they
attack the opening leaves. They feed
for approximately 7 weeks, during
which two additions are made to the
cases. Mining is extensive during
this period, and leaf injury may be
severe, appearing as skeletonized dead
and brown areas varying in shape and
size. There was no yellowing or leaf
drop as reported by Hutson (1931) in
Michigan.

Pupation: — When mature, the lar-
vae usually move to the twigs to
pupate ; some, however, remain at-
tached to leaves and others lower
themselves to the ground by silken
threads and move to the tree trunks.
The pupation period is about 10 days.
Hsiao and Mote (1939) reported a
pupation period of 3 weeks, but this
record may refer to the period be-
tween cessation of feeding and moth
emergence. About 2 weeks after the
larvae cease feeding (about June 7)
the moths emerge.

Adult. — In 1948, moths commenced
to emerge on June 25 and continued
until July 12, with the peak of flight
about July 11. At this time hundreds
of moths were noted in the cover
crop and on the lower limbs of each
tree. The moth population then
gradually declined toward the end of
the month. The first eggs were noted
on July 12, the majority being laid
by July 23.

CHEMICAL CONTROL

The normal spray schedule for apple
scab and the codling moth, consisting
of 4 to 5 sprays of lime-sulphur and
calcium arsenate commencing in the
pink stage of apple development, was
of no value in controlling this pest.
Additional sprays of lead arsenate
and cryolite also failed to have any
effect. Petch and Armstrong (1926)

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

87

and Hutson (1932) reported similar
results with these materials. Tre-
herne (19T4},Tiowever, noted that lead
arsenate applied before or after blos-
soming would control the cigar case-
bearer. Also, Gould (1936) reported
control of the pistol casebearer, C.
malivorella Riley, with lead arsenate.
Hutson (1932) in Michigan, and Lilly
and Fluke (1933, ’34) in Wisconsin,
reported effective control of the cherry
casebearer with dormant oil 6 to 10
per cent, concentration. The latter
authors found that a dormant lime-
sulphur spray (1:8) in a fall applica-
tion gave satisfactory control. The
cigar casebearer, Coleophora occidentis
Zell., in Norfolk County, Ontario, was
not controlled with arsenicals, but
dormant sprays of 1 per cent.
“Elgetol” (20% dinitrocresol) or 0.5
per cent. “Elgetol” in 3 per cent,
dormant oil emulsion gave excellent
control (Hall, J. A., in litt., 1948).
Of the chemical treatments applied at
Creston, by far the most satisfactory
was dormant oil, 2 gallons, and 40 per
cent, dinitrocresol, 1.5 pounds, per 100
gallons of spray mixture.

NATURAL CONTROL

The egg, larval, and pupal stages of
C. pruniella are known to be heavily
parasitized. Petch and Armstrong
(1926) reported 17 species of hymen-
opterous parasites in Quebec. Doner
(1934) reared 32 species of parasites
in Wisconsin ; Bracon pygmaeus Prov.,
obtained from 70 per cent, of all para-
sitized larvae, was the most abundant.
The same author (1936) recorded a
long list of parasites, of which B. pyg-
maeus was again the most important.
Total parasitism of mature larvae in
Wisconsin ranged from 5 to 59 per
cent. Eurydinota lividicorpus Gir. was the
most common chalcidoid. Hsiao and
Mote (1939) noted that these two
parasites were important factors in
the control of the pest in Oregon.
Gould (1936) reared 36 species of para-
sitic Hymenoptera from the pistol
casebearer, C. malivorella Riley ; and
later, Gould and Geissler (1940) re-
ported a total of 40 species reared
from the same host in West Virginia.
Beacher (1947) recorded 15 species of

parasites of C. malivorella in Pennsyl-
vania and Delaware.

The species of hymenopterous para-
sites reared from the pistol casebearer
are the same as those attacking the
cherry casebearer. Indeed, some of
these parasites, e.g., E. lividicorpus, at-
tack only members of the genus Coleo-
phora. The occurrence of this par-
ticular parasite in Creston indicates
that the insect may have been present
in that area for some time.

In 1948, some 500 encased larvae
were collected from the infested Cres-
ton orchards in May and June. Five
species of parasites were reared, in-
cluding three chalcidoids and two
ichneumonoids. The most abundant
was the chalcid Spilochalcis aibifrons
(Walsh), which constituted 49 per
cent, of the total. In 1949, 2,770 en-
cased larvae were collected in May
and July. Parasitism of larvae and
pupae totalled approximately 15 per
cent, and included 22 species, of which
16 were chalcidoids and the remain-
der ichneumonoids.

It was not possible to demonstrate
the presence of egg parasites, although
one such species, Closterooerus sp. near
tricinctus (Ashm.). was reared from a
mature coleophorid larva. The para-
sites reared may not all be primary
parasites. Possible hyperparasitic
species include Gelis tenellus (Say) and
Hypopteromalus percussor Gir., although
the former has been noted elsewhere
as a primary parasite of C. pruniella.
The limited number of individuals of
some parasitic species suggests that
their role as coleophorid parasites may
have been accidental. The encyrtid
Copidosoma truncatellum (Dalm.) is one
of these. Three species, G. tenellus,
Closterocerus sp. near tricinctus, and
T etrastichus sp., were found to have as
alternate hosts two unidentified willow
leaf miners. Examination of the
figures for the relative abundance of
the parasite species (Table I) indi-
cates that the braconid wasp Bracon
pygmaeus Prov. is the most important
parasite of the cherry casebearer in
Creston. T etrastichus spp. and the chal-
cid Spilochalcis aibifrons (Walsh) are
next in importance.

88

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

TABLE I

Relative abundance of parasites of
COLEOPHORA PRUN1ELLA Clem,
at Creston, B.C.

Per cent, of

Species

total reared

1948

1949

Bracon pygmaeus Prov.

24.0

39.6

Tetrastichus sp.

12.6

Sympiesis sp. near ancylae Gir.

9.8

Spilochalcis albifrons (Walsh)

49.0

8.8

Hypopteromalus percussor Gir.

7.6

Gelis tenellus (Say)

7.1

Itoplectis obesus Cush.

14.0

5.5

Habrocytus thyridopterigis How.

3.5

Elachertus proteoteratis How.

1.3

Eurydinota lividicorpus Gir.
Closterocerus sp. near

1.0

tricinctus (Ashm.)

0.5

Tetrastichus xanthops (Ratz.)

12.0

Habrocytus phycidis Ashm.

1.0

Other species (11)

2.7

A large number of the parasitic
Hymenoptera reared from coleophor-
ids at Creston are new records as
casebearer parasites. However, the
most important parasites, including
B. pygmaeus, S. albifrons, Tetrastichus
spp., G. tenellus and E. lividicorpus, are
continentally widespread as parasites
not only of C. pruniella but also of other
coleophorids (Table 2).

LONGEVITY OF PARASITES

Studies were carried out on the
longevities of some species of para-
sites reared from coleophorid larvae
and pupae. Upon emergence from
host cocoons, the parasites were trans-
ferred to shell vials, 5.5 inches in
length and 1 inch in diameter, stop-
pered with corks. Dried raisins,
pinned to the corks and wetted
periodically, were supplied, as food.
Table 3 records the results.

TABLE 11

Parasites of the Cherry Casebearer,
COLEOPHORA PRUNIELLA Clemens,
in British Columbia, and Records of Some
of these Species from Quebec, Oregon, and
the Pistol Casebearer, C. MAL1VORELLA
Riley

Species

Locality Host

.c3

» 1* S
B. ° c

u. o ~ o

m o -S 2?

3 u

— OO

OO ON

S’

On On

HYMENOPTERA

Chalcidoidea

Chalcididae

S pil o chal as al bifrons
(Walsh) - X X

Encyrtidae

Copidosoma truncatellum
(Dalm.) X

Eulophidae

Horismenus sp. near
fraternus (Fitch) X

Elachertus proteoteratis How. X
Chrysocharis sp. X

Closterocerus sp. near

tricinctus (Ashm.) X

Sympiesis sp. near

ancylae Gir. X

Pnigalio sp. near

tischeriae Ashm. X

Sympiesis sp. X

Tetrastichus sp. X

Tetrastichus xanthops
(Ratz.) X

Pteromalidae

Catolaccus aeneoviridis

X

X

X

(Gir.) X X

Eurydinota lividicorpus
Gir. X X X X

Habrocytus phycidis Ashm. X X

Habrocytus thyridopterigis

How. X X

Habrocytus sp. X

IHabrocytus sp. X

Hypopteromalus percussor

Gir. X

ICHNEUMONOIDEA

Braconidae

Bracon pygmaeus Prov.

X X X X X

ICHNEUMONIDAE

Gelis tenellus (Say)

X X

Itoplectis obesus Cush.

X X

Itoplectis quadricingulatus

(Prov.)

X

Scambus hispae (Harr.)

X

* Petch and Armstrong (1926)

** Hsiao and Mote (1939)

*** Beacher (1947), Pennsylvania and Dela-
ware; Gould and Geissler (1940), West
Virginia.

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952 89

TABLE III

Longevities of parasites of the cherry casebearer

Species

No. of

Length of life in days

individuals

Maximum

l Minimum

Mean

Brae on pygmaeus Prov.

20

77

5

36.9

Sympiesis sp. near ancylae Gir. 23

61

5

23.0

Spilochalcis albifrons (Walsh)

18

177

8

78.0

Gelis tenellus (Say)

8

81

8

50.4

Itoplectis obesus Cush.

10

33

1

16.8

The longest-lived of the parasites
was S. albifrons, one specimen surviv-
ing for 177 days. The mean of 78.0
days is considerably higher than that
of the next longest-lived species, G.
tenellus (50.4 days). The maximum
and mean longevities of B. pygmaeus
(77 and 36.9 days) and S. albifrons
(177 and 78.0 days) show a marked
difference from the results found by
Beacher (1947), who recorded 58.0
and 22.1 days for the former, and 10.0
and 8.0 days for the latter. Beacher

used raisins for the food supply, but
did not record supplying water, which
may account for the differences.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The writer is indebted to Dr. T. N.
Freeman and to Dr. O. Peck and Mr.
G. S. Walley, Systematic Entomology,
Division of Entomology, Ottawa, for
identification of the coleophorids and
the parasitic Hymenoptera, respect-
ively.

References

Bcachcr, J. H. 1947. Studies of pistol case-
bearer parasites. Ann. Ent. Soc. Am.
40:530-544.

Doner, M. H. 1934. Observations on the
biology of Microbracon pygmaeus (Prov.),
an important parasite of Coleophora pruniel-
la Cl. Ann. Ent. Soc. Am. 27 :435-442.

— 1936. Hymenopterous parasites of Coleo-
phora pruniella Cl., and parasites recorded
from other species of Coleophora. Ann.
Ent. Soc. Am. 29:224-244.

Glendenning, R. 1923. Insects of economic
importance in the Fraser Valley in 1921.
Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C., 17 and 19:167-172.

Gould, E. 1936. Notes and observations on
the pistol case-bearer. J. Econ. Ent.
29:573-575.

Gould, E., and G. H. Geissler. 1940. Para-
sites of the pistol case-bearer. J. Econ.
Ent. 33:814-815.

Hsiao, Tsai Yu, and D. C. Mote. 1939. The
cherry case-bearer, Coleophora pruniella
Clem., in Oregon. J. Econ. Ent. 32:363-365.

Hutson, R. 1931. The cherry case-bearer,
Coleophora pruniella Clemens, in Michigan.
J. Econ. Ent. 24:54-56.

— 1932. The control of cherry case-bearer
( Coleophora pruniella) by dormant and other
sprays. J. Econ. Ent. 25 : 1 16-120.

Lilly, J. H., and C. L. Fluke. 1933. New
developments in the control of the cherry
case-bearer ( Coleophora pruniella, Clem.) in
Wisconsin. J. Econ. Ent. 26:805-812.

— 1934. A progress report on the control
of the cherry case-bearer ( Coleophora
pruniella Clem.) in Wisconsin. J. Econ.
Ent. 27:1142-1147.

Petch, C. E., and T. Armstrong. 1926.
Coleophora pruniella Clemens ; a new pest
of apple in Quebec. 18th Rept. Quebec
Soc. Prot. Plants, 1925-26, pp. 93-95.

Petch, C. E., and G. Maheux. 1931. Insects
of the season of 1930 in Quebec. 61st
Ann. Rept. Ent. Soc. Ontario, 1930, p. 19.

Petit, R. H., and R. Hutson. 1931. The in-
sect situation in Michigan. 61st Ann. Rept.
Ent. Soc. Ontario, 1930, p. 33.

Treherne, R. C. 1914. Report from Van-
couver district : insects economically im-
portant in the Lower Fraser Valley. Proc.
Ent. Soc. B.C., 4:19-33.

90

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

EFFECTS OF LOW WINTER TEMPERATURES ON
SOME ORCHARD MITES1

C V. G. Morgan2

Fruit Insect Laboratory, Summerland, B.C.

INTRODUCTION

Many observations have been made
on the effects of abnormally severe
winters on the mortality of insects,
but very few records have been noted
of the influence of such climatic con-
ditions on the development of orchard
mites. Yothers (1917), in discussing
the effects of the freeze of February
2-4, 1917, upon citrus pests in Florida,
stated that the rust mite, Eriophyss
oleivorus Ashm., was nearly exterminat-
ed in those areas in which the mini-
mum winter temperature varied from
15 to 20°F. Adults of the citrus red
mite, Pamtetranychus citri (McG.) [Tel-
ranychus citri McG.,], were not affected,
but the eggs were thought to have
been killed, as the pest was not
abundant the following summer. The
mite Tenuipalpus bioculatus McG. was
slightly reduced in number, but Tet-
ranychus y other si McG. appeared to have
been seriously affected. Several other
authors have published accounts of
the influence of climatic factors on
mite development, but these have been
mainly concerned with the effects of
summer temperatures on abundance.

The observations reported here
were made in the Okanagan and
Kootenay valleys of British Columbia
during 1950, immediately after the
coldest winter on record in Western
Canada. Temperatures during No-
vember and December, 1949, did not
fall below zero, but mean tempera-
tures for December were one to four
degrees below normal in the south-
ern interior of the Province. Below-
zero temperatures were common
throughout January and the first few
days of February, 1950. Records
kept at the Summerland laboratory
showed that these temperatures
occurred in three cycles; the first
from January 2 to 4 (minimum
-9.0°F.), the second from January 13

1 Contribution No. 2887, Division of Entomology,
Science Service, Department of Agriculture, Ottawa,
Canada.

2 Associate Entomologist.

to 18 (minimum -8.8°F.), and the
third from January 24 to February 3
(minimum -15.9°F.). Minimum win-
ter temperatures recorded at official
weather stations were: -23°F. at
Oliver, - 16°F. at Penticton, -24°F.
at Kelowna, -32°F. at Vernon, -37°F.
at Kamloops, - 16°F. at Nelson, and
-20°F. at Creston. These tempera-
tures were 15 to 20 degrees below
normal in the interior valleys im-
mediately north of the International
Boundary (Boughner, 1950). As a
result orchard trees of all types were
severely damaged throughout the
Okanagan Valley. In addition it
might be expected that such abnorm-
ally low temperatures would have a
detrimental effect on the invertebrate
fauna of the orchards. It was the
purpose of the investigation to de-
termine the effects of the sub-zero
temperatures on the mortalities of the
overwintering forms of the following
orchard mites : the European red mite,
Metatetranychus ulmi (Koch) ; the two-
spotted spider mite, Tetranychus bima -
culatus Harvey ; the Pacific mite,
Eotetranychus pad ficus (McG.) ; and
Eotetranychus fiavus (Ewing), known to
growers as the yellow Willamette
mite.

METHODS

Samples of overwintering mites
were collected from the latter part of
February to the end of April, 1950.
Where possible these collections were
made from a number of areas to ob-
tain material subjected to various
minimum winter temperatures. The
minimum temperature given for each
collection site was based largely on
a compromise of records from a num-
ber of household thermometers and
the nearest weather station, since the
collection locale was often many miles
from an official station.

European red mite mortality was
determined by placing the spurs cr
twigs containing the winter eggs in

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

91

TABLE I

Percentage Survival of European Red Mite Winter Eggs Subjected to Various Minimum
Winter Temperatures and Incubated at 65, 75, or 85°F.

Minimum

Incubation

Eggs

Area

winter

temperature

in

Survival

temperature, °F.

°F.

sample

per cent.

Nelson

—18

65

242

68.6

75

453

62.3

85

248

52.8

Oliver

—23

65

305

54.1

75

102

46.1

85

223

39.9

Vernon

—32

65

3079

15.8

75

2674

12.6

85

2542

10.4

Salmon Arm

— 30 to — 35

65

294

0.0

75

500*

0.0

Salmon Arm

— 35 to — 38

65

489

0.0

75

500*

0.0

Salmon Arm

-40

♦

65

2500*

0.0

* Estimated

a constant temperature cabinet and
incubating the eggs until they hatch-
ed. The eggs were incubated at 65,
75, or 85°F. and at a relative humidity
of approximately 80 per cent.

The two-spotted spider mite, the
Pacific mite, and the Willamette mite
winter as mature females, generally
in colonies under the bark scales of
scaffold limbs and the trunk, and
under fallen leaves and debris on the
ground around the tree base. Mites
that hibernate in the latter site obtain
extra protection from cold by snow
coverage. Accordingly, two samples
of infested bark scales were taken
at each collection point, one above
snow line and the other below. These
samples were gradually warmed to
room temperature, and mortality was
determined by comparing the num-
bers of living and dead mites. Only
one collection of the Willamette mite
was obtained, as at that time this

mite was not known to occur in large
numbers except in one orchard.

RESULTS

Differences in the survival of the
European red mite winter eggs sub-
jected to various low winter tempera-
tures are shown in Table I. Between
52.8 and 68.6 per cent, of the eggs
survived a temperature of - 18°F.
Where -32°F. was experienced, only
10.4 to 15.8 per cent, of the eggs re-
mained alive. No larvae could be
reared from eggs collected in the Sal-
mon Arm area, where temperatures
of -30 to -40°F. were common. The
results indicated that all winter eggs
of the European red mite would be
killed by a minimum temperature be-
tween -32 and -35°F. and that this
might be the minimum isotherm that
could determine the possible northern
limit of existence of this mite. Sub-
sequent field observations, however,
proved that this was not the case.
Although the European red mite could

92

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

not be found in the Salmon Arm orch-
ards in June or July, 1950, several
specimens were observed in August,
and by the spring of 1951 it was com-
mon enough that control measures
would probably be required sometime
during the year. In the Okanagan
Valley, the European red mite was
not particularly troublesome in 1950,
but this may have been due to the
application of the parathion “pink”
spray, which gave excellent control
in the majority of orchards for the
remainder of the season.

The results also indicate that a
relatively cool spring may be more
conducive to the occurrence of large
populations of the European red mite
than very warm weather when winter
eggs are incubating. Fewer larvae
were obtained when the eggs were in-
cubated at 85°F. than at 75 or 65°F.

Mites that overwinter in the adult
stage appear to be less resistant to
extremely low temperatures than
those, such as the European red mite,
that overwinter as eggs. Of the three
mites investigated that winter in the
adult stage, the two-spotted spider
mite may be the hardiest : 37.2 per
cent, survived a temperature of
-23°F., whereas only 5.6 to 6.2 per
cent, of the wintering adults of the
Pacific mite remained alive after be-
ing exposed to -22°F. and less than
one per cent, of the adults of the
Willamette mite survived a tempera-
ture of -20°F. Table II demonstrates
the value of the protection offered by
the snow cover, the survival being
much higher below than above the
snow line.

TABLE II

Percentage Survival of the Two-spotted Spider Mite, the Pacific Mite, and the
Willamette Mite Subjected to Various Minimum Winter Temperatures.

Mite

Minimum

winter

Area temperature

°F.

Collection
above or
below snow
line

Winter
adults in
sample

Survival
per cent.

Two-spotted

Oliver

—23

above

3839

37.2

spider mite

below

1676

46.0

Salmon Arm

—30

above

3000*

0.0

below

457

31.3

Kamloops

—37

above

3000*

0.0

Pacific mite

Summerland

—22

above

839

6.2

above

1816

5.6

Kelowna

—25

above

282

0.0

below

220

41.8

West

Summerland

—30

above

2000*

0.1

below

2593

35.1

Willamette

Summerland

—20

above

5000*

0.1

mite

below

5973

14.6

* Estimated

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

93

Although these three pests were
greatly reduced in numbers in many
areas, the reduction was not sufficient
to be of economic importance to the
fruit grower. In 1950, the two-spotted
spider mite did more damage in the
Okanagan Valley than at any time
previously; severe infestations were
very common from Penticton north
to Salmon Arm. Pacific mite popula-
tions were slightly larger than in
1949, and medium to severe infesta-
tions occurred in several orchards.
The Willamette mite, which was
found in the fall of 1949 at Summer-
land for the first time in the Province,
occurred throughout the Valley from
the International Boundary north to
Kamloops. Severe infestations de-
veloped in a number of orchards.

SUMMARY

In the British Columbia fruit- grow-
ing area the coldest winter on record
occurred in 1950. Temperatures of
-15 to - 15°F. were common. This
was 15 to 20 degrees below normal.

Field collections of the overwinter-
ing forms of the European red mite,

the two-spotted spider mite, the Pa-
cific mite, and the Willamette mite
were made from the latter part of
February to the end of April, 1950,
to determine the effects of the low
winter temperatures. Practically 100
per cent, of the European red mite
winter eggs were killed in the Sal-
mon Arm area, where temperatures
of -30 to -40°F. were common. The
European red mite was not found in
this area until August, 1950, but by
the spring of 1951 it was common
enough that control measures were
necessary. The two-spotted spider
mite appeared to be the hardiest of
the three forms that winter as adults.
Although these three mites were
greatly reduced in numbers by the
cold winter, summer populations were
larger during the growing season of
1950 than in 1949. ,

References

Boughner, C. C. 1950. Monthly weather
map. Canada, Dept, of Transport, Meteor-
ological Service.

Yothers, W. W. 1917. The effects of the
freeze of February 2-4, 1917, on the in-
sect pests and mites on citrus. Florida
Buggist, 1 :30-35, 38-40.

A PRELIMINARY LIST OF THE HEMIPTERA OF THE
KOOTENAY VALLEY1

D. B. Waddell2

Fruit Insect Laboratory, Summerland, B.C.

INTRODUCTION

Studies to determine the insect
vector or vectors of the little cherry
virus disease in the Kootenay Valley
were carried out during the seasons
of 1946-49. As part of the investiga-
tion a survey was made of the insects
occurring on sweet cherry and other
host plants common in the Valley.
Although all orders of insects were
collected, little interest was taken in
other than the Hemiptera, since nearly
all the virus vectors known belong
to that order. The accompanying list
forms only part of the total.

1 Contribution No. 2886, Division of Entomology,
Science Service, Department of Agriculture, Ottawa,
Canada.

2 Associate Entomologist.

METHODS, HOSTS, AND COLLECTION AREA

Collecting was done by various
means: (1) a sweeping net, (2)

knockdown sprays and a large canvas
ground sheet, (3) a hand suction ap-
paratus, and (4) 6-inch-by-12-inch
plywood boards coated with “Dead-
line” tanglefoot on one surface and
hung by wire loops in tree or shrubs.
The last-named method proved highly
satisfactory and yielded species that
were not taken from the same hosts
by any other means. There was some
difficulty in removing the tanglefoot
from the specimens. The most suc-
cessful procedure involved placing a
drop of kerosene on each specimen,
which was then loosened and remov-
ed from the board with dissecting

94

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

needles and placed in a small beaker
of kerosene. The beaker was warm-
ed; the contents were gently swirled,
and filtered through a number 4 What-
man filter paper. The insects were
removed from the filter paper and
placed in petroleum ether, gently
swirled, and poured on to a dry filter
paper. The petroleum ether quickly
evaporated, and then the specimens
were mounted or stored. Sometimes
while the insects were in the kerosene
and/or petroleum ether it was neces-
sary to use fine dissecting needles to
tease out large masses of the tangle-
food trapped in the legs. The tangle-
food collecting method was useful for
most Hemiptera and Coleoptera, and
some Diptera and Hymenoptera.

Regular collections were made from
the following hosts throughout the
growing season : sweet cherry, Prunus
avium L. ; wild cherry, Prunus emargin-
ata (Dougl.) Walper var. mollis
(Dough) Brewer; apple Pyrus malus
L. ; wild rose, Rosa nutkana Presl. ;
thimbleberry, Rubus parviflorus Nutt. ;
willow, Salix sp. ; poplar, Populus tricho-
carpa T. & G. ; red clover, Trifolium
pratense L. ; alfalfa, Medicago sativa L. ;
and cover crops : mixed grasses,

clovers, and alfalfa.

Collections were made in the area
limited by Creston, at the south end
of Kootenay Lake ; Kootenay Bay, 50
miles north, on the east side of the
lake; Nelson, 50 miles north and 30
miles west, on the west arm of the

Insect Species

ClCADELLIDAE

Agallia quadripunctata (Prov.)
Aceratagallia californica (Baker)
Oncopsis pruni (Prov.)

Oncopsis spp. (two)

Idiocerus spp. (two)

Idiocerus spp. (five)

Gyponana angulata (Spbg.)
Gyponana serrata DeL.

Aphrodes albifrons (L.)

Aphrodes costata (Panz.)
Draeculacephala sp.

Neokolla hieroglyphica (Say)
Dikraneura absenta DeL. & C.
Dikraneura carneola (Stal)

lake ; and Kaslo, 80 miles north, on the
west side of the lake. Collections in
1946 were made by Mr. Harry Andi-
son of the Fruit Insect Laboratory,
Victoria, British Columbia.

DESIGNATION OF PLANT "HOSTS"

The indiscriminate usage of the
term host has been the bane of taxon-
omists for some time, particularly in
the Heteroptera and Homoptera. In
the accompanying list the plant-insect
relationship is designated as follows:
where no symbol is given, the plant
listed is one on which the insect species
was collected, and does not imply a
food or host-plant relationship. h
(host) indicates a plant in which eggs
were deposited and on which nym-
phal development occurred. F (food
plant) indicates a plant known to be
utilized as a source of food by adults.
The additional symbol Test indicates
that the insect species survived on
sweet cherry, at least during the ex-
perimental period in vector feeding
tests.

Acknowledgments

The writer is indebted for determin-
ations as follows : — Heteroptera : Dr.
R. I. Sailer, U.S. Department of Agri-
culture, Washington, D.C. ; Homop-
tera (other than Cicadellidae) : Miss
L. M. Russell, U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Washington, D.C. ; Cica-
dellidae; Dr. P. W. Oman, U.S. De-
partment of Agriculture, Washington,
D.C., and Dr. D. J. Knull, Ohio State
College, Columbus, Ohio.

cover crop
sweet cherry

cover crop, flying near willow

flying near willow

on cages surrounding test trees

willow

cover crop

thimbleberry, willow

thimbleberry, poplar, cover crop, sweet

cherry. Test

cover crop, sweet cherry, thimbleberry
cover crop
cover crop

sweet cherry, f; cover crop, f; poplar. Test
sweet cherrv. Test

TABLE I

HOMOPTERA

Collection Source

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

95

Dikraneura sp., prob. carneola (Stal)
Dikrella cruentata Gill.

Empoasca atrolabes Gill.

Empoasca incida DeL.

Empoasca maligna Walsh
Empoasca deluda DeL.

Empoasca sp. near vincula DeL.
Empoasca sp.

Empoasca sp.

Typhlocyba ariadne McA.

cover crop

sweet cherry, f ; thimbleberry, f. Test

thimbleberry

willow, poplar

sweet cherry, h; cover crop. Test
cover crop

wild cherry, sweet cherry . Test

thimbleberry

sweet cherry

sweet cherry, f; cover crop; willow;
thimbleberry. Test

Typhlocyba commissuralis Stal
Typhlocyba pomaria McA.

willow. Test

sweet cherry, h; wild cherry; cover crop.
Test

Typhlocyba pr uni cola Edw.

Typhlocyba rosae (L.)

Typhlocyba sp.

Typhlocyba sp.

Typhlocyba sp.

Erythroneura sp. near acicularis Beam.
Erythroneura aspera B. & G.
Erythroneura insigna B. & G.
Erythroneura plena Beam.

Erythroneura sp. obliqua group ?
Erythroneura sp.

Erythroneura sp.

Erythroneura sp.

Scaphytopius acutus (Say)

sweet cherry

wild rose, h ; sweet cherry, h. Test

sweet cherry, willow. Test

sweet cherry, thimbleberry

sweet cherry

wild cherry. Test

sweet cherry, f. Test

sweet cherry. Test

wild cherry, h ; sweet cherry, F. Test
sweet cherry

sweet cherry, f; wild cherry. Test
wild cherry. Test
willow. Test

thimbleberry, poplar, cover crop,
sweet cherry. Test

Scaphytopius oregonens'ts (Baker)
Balclutha punctata (Thumb.)
Macrosteles div'tsus (Uhl.)
Osbornellus borealis DeL. & M.
Colladonus flavocapitatus (Van D.)
Colladonus geminatus (Van D.)
Colladonus montanus (Van D.)
Idiodonus cockerelli (Ball)
Twiningia pellucida (Ball)

F itch an a twiningi (Uhl.)
Paraphlepsius bijidus (S. & DeL.)
Euscelidius schenkii (Kbm.)
Scleroracus sp.

Exitianus exit'tosus (Uhl.)
Psammotettix affinis (G. & B.)
Psammotettix sp.

Sorhoanus flavo-virens (G. & B.)
Latalus sp.

sweet cherry

sweet cherry, cover crop. Test
sweet cherry, cover crop. Test
willow, sweet cherry
poplar, wild cherry

cover crop; alfalfa, f; sweet cherry. Test

cover crop ; f ; sweet cherry. Test.

sweet cherry

willow

willow

sweet cherry

cover crop ; red clover, f

cover crop. Test

sweet cherry, cover crop. Test

sweet cherry

cover crop

cover crop

cover crop

Delphacidae

Delphacodes consimil’ts (Van D.)
Delphacodes pellucida (F.)
Delphacodes sp.

cover crop
cover crop
cover crop

Cercopidae

Philaenus leucophthalmus (L.)

sweet cherry; cover crop, h; thimbleberry;
wild cherry. Test

Abhrophora permutata Uhl.

Clastoptera obtusa var. tristis Van D.

cover crop, on cages enclosing cherry trees
willow

PSYLI.IDAE

Psylla trimaculata var astigmata Crawf.

sweet cherry, f ; willow ; wild cherry, f.
Test

Aphalara persicarid Cald.

cover crop

ClCADIDAE

Platypedia areolata (Uhl.)
Okanagana vanduzeei Dist.

sweet cherry, on cages enclosing cherry trees
sweet cherry

Membracidae
Telamona pyramidata Uhl.

willow

96

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

Aphididae

Myzus cerasi (F.) sweet cherry, h. Test

Coccidae

Phenacoccus aceris (Sign.)
Tingididae

sweet cherry, h; apple, h. Test
HETEROPTERA

Corythucha mollicula 0. & D.

willow, f. Test

Pentatomidae

Pus chi st us variolarius (P.B.)

cover crop, on cages enclosing cherry
trees. Test

Cosmopepla bimaculata (Thom.)

cover crop. Test

Eurygaster alternatus (Say)

cover crop

Meador us lateralis (Say)

thimbleberry, willow

Aradidae

Aradus funestus Bergr.

on cages enclosing cherry trees

Aradus inornatus Uhl.

on cages enclosing cherry trees

Mezira pacifica Usinger

on cages enclosing cherry trees

NaBIDAE

Nabis alternatus Parsh.

cover crop

Nabis rufusculus Reuter

cover crop

Lygaeidae

Stignocoris rusticus (Fall.)

sweet cherry, cover crop. Test

Kleidocerys franciscanus Stal

cover crop

Kleidocerys resedae (Panz.)

on cages enclosing cherry trees

Miridae

Stenotus binotatus (F.)

cover crop

Mir is dolobratus (L.)

cover crop

Stenodema virens (L.)

cover crop

Capsus ater (L.)

cover crop

Lygus hesperus Knight

cover crop

Lygns elisus Van D.

cover crop

Lygus shulli Knight

cover crop, h; wild cherry. Test

Lygus ceanothi deleticus Knight

thimbleberry

Lygus sp.

sweet cherry

Deraeocoris fasciolus Knight

sweet cherry. Test

Deraeocoris sp.

sweet cherry

Phytocoris interspersus Uhl.

willow

Phytocoris hesperius Knight

poplar

Plagiognathus obscurus Uhl.

cover crop

Plagiognathus chrysanthemi (Wolff)

cover crop

Hyaliodes harti Knight

willow*, sweet cherry, cover crop. Test

Diaphnidia pellucida Uhl.

willow

Dicyphus sp.

thimbleberry. Test

Pilophorus sp.

willow

Summary

A preliminary list of 108 species of
Hemiptera collected in the Kootenay
Valley of British Columbia from 1946
to 1949 is recorded. These include 63
species of Cicadellidae, 3 of Delpha-
cidae, 3 of Cercopidae, 2 of Psyllidae,

2 of Cicadidae, 1 of Membracidae, 1 of
Aphididae, 1 of Coccidae, 1 of Tingi-
didae, 4 of Pentatomidae, 3 of Ara-
didae, 2 of Nabidae, 3 of Lygaeidae,
and 19 of Miridae.

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

97

A MODEL PROBLEM IN INSECT ECOLOGY

Kenneth Graham
University of British Columbia

During the course of its life cycle,
every insect encounters a number of
crucial trials which it must pass if
the species is to survive. These trials
concern three important life activities,
namely, reproduction, development and
survival. A species must maintain a
sufficient reproductive output, develop
at a sufficient rate, and have enough
survivors if it is to remain in existence.
Ordinarily a species occurs in some-
what greater abundance than the mere
minimum for its survival. It exists in
dynamic balance, decreasing under ad-
versity, and increasing when con-
ditions are especially favorable.
Different environments provide con-
ditions ranging from those which
prohibit the existence of a given insect
species, to those permitting great
outbreaks.

Among the problems of insect
ecology are those concerned with ex-
plaining why certain insects produce
outbreaks, yet others in the same
locality and even feeding on the same
host do not. Another problem con-
cerns the reason why certain areas
experience the increase in insect popu-
lation while others do not. The lodge-
pole pine needle miner ( Recurvaria
miller i Busck) provides an excellent
opportunity for enquiry into these
outbreak problems.

The lodgepole pine needle miner had
not been known in the Canadian
Rockies until 1942. In that year, its
injury to the needles resulted in dis-
coloration of a small area of forest
near Banff. This heralded the begin-
ning of an outbreak which increased
in extent and severity until it covered
an area of about 400 square miles,
involving Banff, Kootenay, Yoho and
Jasper National Parks. Great con-
cern arose over the possible extension
of the infestation into the pine stands
of the East Slope watershed. The
loss of those stands could be calamit-
ous to communities far along the
rivers that have their origin in the
mountains.

Certain basic questions arise over
this problem. Why did the outbreak
develop where and when it did ? Can
the infestations spread from epidemic
centres, or do they develop autoch-
thonously from endemic populations ?
Are the East Slope forests really in
danger from spread of outbreaks or
build-up from endemic populations ?
These problems are all open to in-
vestigation by considering the par-
ticular crucial trials that the needle
miner must encounter. And now,
what are these trials ?

The crucial part in the life of a
needle miner begins in the food re-
serves carried into the pupal stage
from the larva. The ultimate egg
output depends firstly upon the quan-
tity and quality of the food on which
the larvae feed. The quality of food
must vary according to numerous
factors affecting the growth of the
tree. Age of trees, soil, soil moisture,
aspect, altitude, injuries, all varying
locally and regionally, may have an
influence on the food quality of foliage,
and thereby affect the storage of ma-
terials for eventual egg production in
the insect.

The next trial in the life of the
insect-to-be is the successful pupation
of the larva containing the future
egg-forming substances. Conditions
of environment determine the propor-
tion of individuals that can complete
the transformation. Of these condi-
tions, temperature and humidity are
probably the most important. Some
seasons and some areas may be more
favorable or less so than others. The
needle miner in the Canadian Rockies
passes through a long pupal period
during the hottest and driest part of
the year. In the dry hollowed-out
needle the pupa, though partially pro-
tected, is nevertheless exposed to
desiccation and high temperature, for
a period of up to six weeks. This
stage is important in many Lepidop-
tera as the period when the ovaries
are developed and oogenesis takes

98

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

place. Desiccation during this period
can greatly reduce the egg potential.
It is conceivable that only certain
areas, in certain years, provide condi-
tions favorable to this process. This
suggests the problem of determining
the effect of environments in the non-
infested areas to find whether or not
they provide conditions favorable to
egg formation.

The pupal stage is beset with other
hazards to survival at that time, the
principal ones in the needle miner
being parasites and birds. As another
obstacle at the time of emergence, the
adult may be unable to free itself from
the pupa or needle containing it. Here
again atmospheric moisture conditions
may be influential.

The eggs developed in the female
must be fertilized if they are to hatch.
The process of mating in Lepidoptera
meets with maximum success only
within rather narrow limits of temper-
ature, humidity, light and air move-
ment. Under adverse environmental
conditions, low fertility may result.
Here is another problem for study.

Next, the fully formed, fertilized
eggs, contained in the female, must be
successfully laid. For this, the female
must live a sufficient length of time
and she must experience suitable en-
vironmental conditions in order to lay
them. Adverse temperature, and
humidities during this pe'riod may
cause a failure of the population in
most areas and in most years. The
eggs of the needle miner in the
Canadian Rockies are almost exclus-
ively laid within the cavity of the
dry needles mined out during previous
larval feeding. Here the delicate eggs
are moderately well protected from
mechanical damage, but not entirely
from desiccation and heat. The suc-
cess in hatching may thus vary locally,
regionally and seasonally.

When the larva has issued from the
egg, it must crawl from the old mined-
out needle to seek the foliage of the
current season’s growth. Then, hav-
ing found suitable needles, it must
bore through the epidermis to find
food and relative security. In this
process of locating its food, the larva

must overcome the trials of establish-
ment during late summer and early
fall. In the needles, the larva feeds
during autumn as long as tempera-
ture permits. Under continually fall-
ing temperatures it apparently enters
an induced diapause, in which state it
does not respond readily to warming.
During the winter months it is sub-
jected to intense cold, sometimes of
considerable duration, depending on
the locality, altitude, and inflow of
Chinook winds. Towards spring it
may be subjected to early warming
and partial activation, followed by
sub-zero temperatures. Severe con-
ditions between autumn and spring
result in drastic reductions in needle
miner populations. The degree of
mortality varies according to locality
and altitude. There appears to be less
mortality in valleys where premature
spring warming does not occur. There
is also less killing at a certain eleva-
tion above the valley floor, the reason
probably being the presence of a
warmer thermal layer during winter
cold. It is probable that certain areas
never provide winter conditions per-
mitting population build-up of this
insect.

Finally, during a first summer of
larval development, the needle miner
is attacked by parasites, diseases and
birds. Then it is exposed to a second
winter of cold and a second summer
of attack by natural enemies before it
finally pupates. It is evident that the
needle miner must pass the test of
numerous critical conditions if it is
to increase or even merely survive.
Some areas, we know, provide condi-
tions which, on occasion, permit
population increase. Other areas
probably are always unfavorable in at
least one respect. In those areas,
epidemics may never occur, regardless
of the presence of an endemic popula-
tion, and despite contagious tendencies
of populations in adjacent areas. It
may well be asked if perhaps the East
Slope of the Rockies is too dry and
hot during the reproductive period of
the insect, and too cold or changeable
during the overwintering stage of the
larvae.

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

99

The needle miner therefore offers
many interesting and productive
ecological problems. It is especially
convenient for study because, in the
needle, the larva possesses relative
fixity of abode, and thereby is amen-
able to refined sampling methods.
With pine as a host, it is possible to
estimate the number of miners per
branch tip, the number of branch tips
per tree of various heights, and the
number of trees of various sizes per
acre. From these data a population
census of the insect has been possible.

Applying percentage figures for para-
sitism, it has been possible to deter-
mine the number of parasites per
acre.

This insect is therefore an eminently
suitable one for developing population
sampling statistics. The acquisition of
reliable procedures for taking stock
of populations will be of material
assistance in measuring the influence
of various factors. Nevertheless, after
many decades of entomological pro-
gress, in this case we cannot do better
than turn to the insect itself for the
real answers to some of the most far-
reaching problems.

The Proceedings of the Entomological Society of British Colum-
bia is published annually. Individual volumes may be had for
$1.00. Special rates on sets. Address C. L. Neilson, Secretary-
Treasurer, Entomological Society of British Columbia, Court
House, Vernon, B.C.

ERRATA VOL. 47, 1951

Page 4, line 27— for IXODIAE read IXODIDAE

Page 30, lines 8, 11 and 16 — the names Ascogaster quadridentata, Bessa harveyi and Bigonichaeta setipennis are misplaced and the upper half of the
table should read as follows : —

100

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

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Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

101

DEPENDABLE PROTECTION
FOR YOUR CROPS

TWO GENERATIONS of Canadian fruit
growers have relied upon Nichols
Chemical spray materials. They know
from long experience that every product
bearing the Orchard Brand trade-mark
can always be depended upon for top
results in pest control.

SUCH DEPENDABLE performance is
important when you raise fruit as a
business! So be sure. In planning for
1952, remember your job is well begun
with Orchard Brand!

GENITOX S-50
(50% DDT Spray Powder)

GENITOL EM-25
(25% DDT Emulsifiable Oil
Concentrate)

GENICOP

SPRAY POWDER
(25% DDT with 72% Basic
Copper Sulphate)

GENITHION P-15
(15% Parathion Wettable
Spray Powder)

LEAD ARSENATE

Standard

CALCIUM ARSENATE

Standard

SPRAYCOP 530

(53% Metallic Copper
Fungicide)

NICOTINE SULPHATE
40%

DIMET

(Organic Fungicide)

COPPER SULPHATE
(Blues tone)

The NICHOLS CHEMICAL COMRVNV, Limited

MONTREAL • TORONTO • VANCOUVER . . . Executive Offices, Sun Life Bldg., Montreal 2

102

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

11 VARIETIES

TASTE GDDD • SAVE TIME •
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3369 Cambie Street - Phone FAirmont 5110
791 Park Royal, West Vancouver - Phone West 938

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

103

Our Sincerest Congratulations

on your

50 Years

of Continuous Service !

©

Green Gras Insecticides

GREEN VALLEY

MANUFACTURERS of top quality insecticides and fungicides - all
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104

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1951), Vol. 48, Aug. 15, 1952

ANSELL LABORATORIES LTD.

VERNON, B.C.

<

Manufacturers and Distributors of

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Printed by

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GREETINGS

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ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY

OF BRITISH COLUMBIA INC.

ON YOUR

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FROM

THE

HUGHES OWENS

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DISTRIBUTORS

CARL ZEISS - ZEISS WINKEL - ZEISS OPTON - ZEISS IRON
Halifax Montreal Ottawa Toronto Winnipeg Edmonton Vancouver

D.D.T. FORMULATIONS

D. Dust 5%

D. Dust 10%

D.D.T. 50% Wettable
D.D.T. 25% Emulsifiable

SOIL FUMIGANTS

Dowfume W 85
Dowfume M.C. 2

CYPRO PRODUCTS

(Contains “Pyrenone”)
Cypro Dust
C'ypro Mill Spray
Cypro Emulsion Concentrate
Nontox Livestock Spray

CHLORDANE

Chlordane 65% Emulsion Concentrate
Chlordust 5%

B. H. C.

Gamma Dust .5 (Lindane)

Lindane 25% - 75% Wettable

MILL & GRAIN FUMIGANTS

Methyl Bromide
Dowfume E.B. 5
Dowfume E.B. 15
Dowfume 75

DIVISION OF

STANDARD CHEMICAL COMPANY, LIMITED
Pier H, Ft. of Carrail Street, Vancouver 4, B.C.

CONTROLS

Specific
Technical Bulletins

AND MANY OTHERS

Armyworms

Blister Beetles

Boxelder Bugs

Brown Dog Ticks

Cabbage Maggots

Cattle Lice

Chiggers

Chinch Bugs

Cockroaches

Cotton Boll Weevils

Crickets

Cutworms

Earwigs

Fleas

Flies

Grasshoppers
Household Spiders
Japanese Beetle
Larvae
Lawn Moths
Lygus Bugs
Mole Crickets
Mormon Crickets

Mosquitoes
Onion Maggots
Onion Thrips
Plum Curculio
Sarcoptic Mange
Seed-Corn Maggots
Serpentine Leaf
Miners
Sheep Ked
Silverfish
Sod Web worms
Southern Corn
Rootworms
Strawberry Crown
Borers

Strawberry Weevils
Sweet Clover
Weevils

Tarnished Plant
Bugs
Termites
Ticks

White Grubs
Wireworms

VER.SICOL C

General Offices and Laboratories

330 East Grand Avenue, Chicago 11, Illinois

Export Division

100 East 42nd Street, New York 17, New York

->* %

<y v

* IW1

VELSICOL

f'4S,C ^

REPRESENTATIVES

IN PRINCIPAL CITIES

PROCEEDINGS

/A/S &£

of

ENTOMOLOGICAL
SOCIETY of
BRITISH COLUMBIA

Volume 49 Issued June 15th, 1953

Page

Marshall — A decade of pest control in British Columbia Orchards - 7

McLeod — Notes on the cabbage seedpod weevil Ceutorhynchus

assimilis and its parasites - - - - 11

Proverbs — Note on the occurrence of Rhagoletis fausta

in the Okanagan Valley 18

Ross — Key to puparia in the dipterous parasites of

Malacosoma in British Columbia - - - 19

Spencer — Upon neutralizing the odour of Nomius pygmaeus,

the stink beetle ------- 24

Downing — Preliminary Orchard trials with systemic insecticides - 24

Tonks — Annotated list of insects and mites collected on brambles in

the Lower Fraser Valley ----- 27

Gregson — Records of the tick Otobius megnini from British Columbia - 30

Book Review - -- -- -- -- - 31

#

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PENCO BHC TECHNICAL 36 (Ben-
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PENPHOS®— A wettable powder con-
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THESE

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Write for Specific
Technical Bulletins

Ants

Army worms

Blister Beetles

Boxelder Bugs

Brown Dog Ticks

Cabbage Maggots

Cattle Lice

Chiggers

Chinch Bugs

Cockroaches

Cotton Boll Weevils

Crickets

Cutworms

Earwigs

Fleas

Flies

Grasshoppers
Household Spiders
Japanese Beetle
Larvae
Lawn Moths
Lygus Bugs
Mole Crickets
Mormon Crickets

Mosquitoes
Onion Maggots
Onion Thrips
Plum Curculio
Sarcoptic Mange
Seed-Corn Maggots
Serpentine Leaf
Miners
Sheep Ked
Silverfish
Sod Web worms
Southern Corn
Rootworms
Strawberry Crown
Borers

Strawberry Weevils
Sweet Clover
Weevils

Tarnished Plant
Bugs
Termites
Ticks

White Grubs
Wire worms

AND MANY OTHERS

V E I. S I C O L CC

General Offices and Laboratories

330 East Grand Avenue, Chicago 11, Illinois

REPRESENTATIVES IN

Export Division

100 East 42nd Street, New York 17, New York
PRINCIPAL CITIES

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s'

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1952), Vol. 49, June 15, 1953

MOBILE

SOIL

SAMPLER

The Shell experimental farm at
Sittingbourne, Kent, has adapted
a Land Rover to take soil samples
at a speed of one a minute. From these
samples the density of wireworms in
the soil can be calculated— producing
valuable information for use in the
battle with this wide-spread pest.

The data so obtained enables even
more effective use to be made of the
potent insecticide aldrin — Shell’s

major contribution to the control of
wireworms. aldrin is available as an
emulsifiable concentrate, wettable
powder or dust. It can be mixed with
fertilizer or sprayed or dusted on the
soil, aldrin remains effective even in
the presence of alkalies.

Here is yet another example of
the way in which Shell is helping, both
experimentally and practically, to
solve the problem of pest control.

Chemical Division

SHELL OIL COMPANY OF CANADA, LIMITED

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1952), Vol. 49, June 15, 1953

3

DEPENDABLE PROTECTION
FOR YOUR CROPS

TWO GENERATIONS of Canadian Fruit
growers have relied upon Nichols Chemical
spray materials. They know from long
experience that every product bearing the
ORCHARD BRAND trade-mark can al-
ways be depended upon for top results in
pest control.

SUCH DEPENDABLE performance is
important when you raise fruit' as a
business ! So be sure. In planning for
1953, remember your job is well begun
with ORCHARD BRAND!

GENITOX S-5Q

(50% DDT Spray Powder)

GENICOP
SPRAY POWDER
(25% DDT with 72% Basic
Copper Sulphate)

GENITH ION P-15

(15% Parathion Wettable
Spray Powder)

LEAD ARSENATE
Standard

CALCIUM ARSENATE
Standard

srRMiwr aou
(53% Metallic Copper
Fungicide)

NICOTINE SULPHATE
40%

DRITOMIC SULPHUR

(Regular and Micro- Fine)

COPPER SULPHATE

(Bluestone)

Hie NICHOLS CHEMICAL COMBVNY, Limited

1917 Sun Life Bldg., Montreal 2 - 137 Wellington St., W-, Toronto 2 - Vancouver (Barnett, B.C.)

GENITOL EM-25
(25% DDT Emulsifiable Oil
Concentrate)

4

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1952), Vol. 49, June 15, 1953

9n Appreciation .
Qrecn Valley

appreciates the many courtesies extended to the technical
sales staff of our company by the entomologists working in
B. C. on the various phases of insect control.

It is only through such co-operation that we in GREEN
VALLEY can maintain with confidence our policy of offering
to the B. C. consumer the most efficient products and latest
approved measures for insect control.

Green (alley Fertilizer & Chemical to. Ltd

NEW WESTMINSTER, B.C.

D.D.T. FORMULATIONS

D. Dust 5%

D. Dust 10%

D.D.T. 50% Wettable
D.D.T. 25% Emulsifiable

SOIL FUMIGANTS

Dowfume W 85
Dowfume M.C. 2

CYPRO PRODUCTS

(Contain “Pyrenone”)
Cypro Dust
Cypro Mill Spray
Cypro Emulsion Concentrate
Nontox Livestock Spray

CHLORDANE

Chlordane 65% Emulsion Concentrate
Chlordust 5%

B. H. C.

Gamma Dust .5 (Lindane)

Lindane 25% - 75% Wettable

MILL & GRAIN FUMIGANTS

Methyl Bromide
Dowfume E.B. 5
Dowfume E.B. 15
Dowfume 75

METHOXYCHLOR 50% Wettable

(L

[ (2fi£.niLca[± jClnzitzd

ommz’icici

DIVISION OF

STANDARD CHEMICAL COMPANY, LIMITED
Pier H, Ft. of Carrall Street, Vancouver 4, B.C.

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1952), Vol. 49, June 15, 1953

5

PROCEEDINGS

of

ENTOMOLOGICAL
SOCIETY of
BRITISH COLUMBIA

Volume 49 Issued June 15th, 1953

Page

Marshall — A decade of pest control in British Columbia Orchards - 7

McLeod — Notes on the cabbage seedpod weevil Ceutorhynchus

assimilis and its parasites - - - - - 11

Proverbs — Note on the occurrence of Rhagoletis fausta

in the Okanagan Valley ----- 18

Ross — Key to puparia in the dipterous parasites of

Malacosoma in British Columbia 19

Spencer — Upon neutralizing the odour of Nomius pygmaeus,

the stink beetle - -- -- -- 24

Downing — Preliminary Orchard trials with systemic insecticides - 24

Tonks — Annotated list of insects and mites collected on brambles in

the Lower Fraser Valley - - - - 27

Gregson — Records of the tick Otobius megnini from British Columbia - 30

Book Review - -- -- -- -- -31

6

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1952), Vol. 49, June 15, 1953

DIRECTORS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY
OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
1952 - 1953

Honorary President

W. H. Robertson, Victoria, B.C.

President

James Marshall, Summerland, B.C.

Vice-President {Coast)

J. McLeod, Vancouver, B.C.

V ice-President ( I nterior )

J. Gregson, Kamloops, B.C.

Hon. S ecretary - T reasurer

C. L. Neilson, Vernon, B.C.

Advertising and Hon. Auditor
D. Ross, Vernon, B.C.

Advisory Board

M. Hatch, Seattle, Wash. R. H. Handford, Kamloops, B.C.

G. J. Spencer, Vancouver, B.C.

, Editorial Committee

W. Downes {Chairman) J. Marshall

K. King

Librarian

J. Weintraub

NEW MEMBERS

D. Arnott — Dom. Entomological Laboratory, Kamloops, B.C.

C. Chapman — 569 Seymour Street, Vancouver , B.C.

W. T. Cram — Fruit Insect Laboratory, Victoria, B.C.

Dr. Lindquist — B.E.P.Q., Box 332, Corvallis, Ore.

Miss M. Pressesky — Dom. Livestock Insect Lab., Kamloops, B.C.

T. N. Tait — 940 Richards Street, Vancouver, B.C.

G. E. Wixam — Box 2074, Orville, California

7

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1952), Vol. 49, June 15, 1953

A DECADE OF PEST CONTROL IN BRITISH COLUMBIA ORCHARDS1

J. Marshall2

Fruit Insect Laboratory, Summerland, British Columbia

I The last ten years have brought
more significant advances in tree-fruit
production in British Columbia than
any previous period in the history of
the fruit industry. Several of the
new procedures apply to pest control,
and are developments original to this
province. Some of them are briefly
discussed herein. They were jointly
introduced since 1940 by officers or
the Fruit Insect Laboratory, Summer-
land, and the Horticultural Branch,

1 British Columbia Department of Agri-
culture.

Spray Residue, Soil Poisoning, and
the Dual Fruit- wiper

In the late Thirties, excessive arsen-
ical spray residue had cut off British
Columbia apples from the valuable
United States market. Unfortunately,
heavy lead arsenate spraying was
necessary to check the steadily in-
creasing inroads of the codling moth,
Carpocapsa pomonella (L.). Field ex-
periments in 1939 and 1940 showed
that better control of the codling moth
could be attained by lessening the
periods between the first brood spray
applications in May and early June,
and by substituting cryolite (sodium
aluminium fluoride) or fixed nicotine -
petroleum oil for lead arsenate in later
treatments (Marshall, 1943). This
procedure was recommended and the
industry quickly adopted and profited
from it. Within a year excessive ar-
senical spray residue was a thing of
the past and the United States market
had been regained for over a million
boxes of apples a year.

Four years later, Okanagan Valley
orchardists led the way in eliminating
arsenicals from the spray schedule.
Tn so doing, not only did they remove
the possibility of arsenical contam-
ination of fruit but, perhaps more im-
portant, they ended the danger of
such serious soil poisoning as had
occurred in thousands of acres of fine

1 Contribution No. 2989, Division of Entomology,
Science Service, Department of Agriculture, Ottawa,
Canada.

2 Senior Entomologist.

orchard land in the State of Washing-
ton.

A survey of packing-houses in 1939
had shown that much of the apple-
wiping equipment in the tree-fruit
area was inefficient and, doubtless, had
been a factor in the loss of the Unit-
ed States market. Shortly before this
survey, a new type of fruit and veget-
able cleaner had been developed in
the United States. It was fitted with
revolving* brushes and an exhaust fan
in addition to the buffer cloths
characteristic of the existing' wipers.
Although nothing was known of its
capacity to clean apples, a dual wiper
was imported and many chemical
analyses were made at the Summer-
land laboratory to determine its
efficiency. The new machine proved
superior to the buffer wipers in three
respects. It removed more spray resi-
due ; it produced a more attractive
finish on the fruit ; it removed poison-
ous dusts from the atmosphere. All
new wiper installations were recom-
mended to be of this type and pack-
ing houses have followed the recom-
mendation with success.

High Viscosity Dormant Spray Oil

The use of dormant petroleum oil
was becoming standard practice in
western deciduous fruit orchards by
1930. It was generally accepted, and
is still accepted in the western United
States, that the best type of oil,
phytotoxicity and insecticidal effect-
iveness considered, has a Saybolt
viscosity of 100-110 seconds at 100°F.
But many orchards in British Columbia
suffered bud injury from that type of
oil and, in districts heavily infested
with the San Jose scale, Aspidiot7ts
perniciosus Comst., it lacked effective-
ness. Experiments were begun in 1939
to overcome these difficulties. Five
years later a new type of dormant oil
of 200-220 S.S.U. viscosity was intro-
duced and it is now used throughout
this province. There has been less
bud injury since the industry aban-
doned the lighter oil and control of

AB610«®9

8

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1952), Vol. 49, June 15, 1953

the San Jose scale and the European
red mite, Metatetranychus ulmi (Koch),
has been measurably improved
(Marshall, 1948).

Dormant Oil-Lime-Sulphur

While the experiments on petroleum
fractions were underway, field trials
were proceeding with a number of
ideas for improving control of the
San Jose scale. From that work
eventually came a dormant spray mix-
ture that is still the most effective
preparation available for killing crust-
ed San Jose scale. It is a mixture of
heavy dormant oil and lime-sulphur.
In the days of conventional hand
application of spray mixtures the oil
concentration was two per cent, and
the lime-sulphur four. Nowadays the
mixture is applied by automatic con-
centrate applicators at six gallons of
oil and twelve of lime-sulphur per
acre. There are three advantages in
the use of this mixture as compared
with oil alone or lime-sulphur alone.
First, the presence of the oil renders
the lime-sulphur less irritating to the
operator. Second, the quantity of oil
being only half that required where
oil alone is used, the danger of oil in-
jury to buds and twigs is minimized.
Third, although synergism has not
been established, the mixture seems
more toxic than would be expected
from the individual effects of the two
constituents.

“Low Sulphonation” Summer
Spray Oil

Another innovation in orchard pest
control in this province is the so-
called low sulphonation petroleum oil
of about 75 per cent, unsulphonated
residue that is used for foliage appli-
cation. Before the introduction of this
oil, only summer oils of about 94 per
cent, unsulphonated residue were em-
ployed in fruit production. The latter
oils cost the growers about twice as
much as the “low sulphonation” type
but gave no better pest control. The
suitability of the cheaper oils was
demonstrated in a series of field ex-
periments carried out from 1939 to
1944. No “high sulphonation” summer
oil has been used in British Columbia

for about five years although it is still
the only type of summer oil used in
the western United States (Marshall,
1948).

Perhaps one reason that the cheaper
oil has been satisfactory in this
province is that summer oil has not
been used at greater than 0.5 per cent,
concentration in hand machines or at
more than two gallons per acre in
cocentrate machines. At higher con-
centrations, such as used in many
other fruit-growing areas, it is some-
what more prone to cause foliage in-
jury than the expensive oil.

Trunk Spray for Codling Moth
Control

For a time in the early ’forties it ap-
peared that the codling moth would
soon bankrupt the British Columbia
apple grower. In spite of a continual-
ly heavier and more expensive spray
program the attacks of the insect in-
creased and cullage mounted. In those
days DDT was unknown and codling
moth control was dependent upon
spray applications of lead arsenate,
cryolite, and fixed nicotine directed
against the first-instar larva, the egg,
or both. To supplement this treatment
experiments were undertaken to deter-
mine whether the codling moth is
vulnerable to insecticides when it is
a cocooned larva and, later, when it
is adult.

Foliage spraying with a dilute solu-
tion of dinitro cresol proved moder-
ately effective against the adults but
it was not brought to the point of com-
mercial application (Dennys, 1942).
Tree-trunk spraying with an emulsion
of a petroleum solution (38-40 S.S.U.
Vis. 100°F.) of dinitro cresol was de-
veloped sufficiently for some growers
to use it with fair success against the
overwintered cocoons (Heriot, 1942).
At that time, however, DDT was under
trial and very shortly it proved so
effective against the codling moth that
supplementary control measures be-
came unnecessary. There have been
signs recently that the effectiveness
of DDT against the codling moth may
may not be quite so outstanding as it
was when that remarkable insecticide

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1952), Vol. 49, June 15, 1953

9

was introduced. If that should prove
to be so, the day may not be far
off when supplementary control meas-
ures will once more be necessary. The
foliage and the trunk sprays will be
available if required, and there is little
doubt they can be made more effec-
tive.

Monoethanolamine

Dinitrocyclohexylphenolate

With the general use of DDT in
Okanagan Valley orchards came in-
creased trouble from phytophagous
mites (Marshall, 1946). Neither of
the acaricides available at that time
proved satisfactory for holding the
mites in check. One of them, the
dicyclohexylamine salt of dinitrocyclo-
hexylphenol, gave erratic results, par-
ticularly in cool weather. The other,
xanthone, caused alarming dermatitis
to susceptible orchard workers.

At the Summerland laboratory work
had been conducted for several years
on dinitrophenol derivatives as acari-
cides, and, among other compounds,
the monoethanolamine salt of dinitro-
cyclohexylphenol had been made and
its acaricidal value studied. This ma-
terial proved superior to those recom-
mended at the time (Morgan and
Marshall, 1944). Even today it has a
particular advantage over several of
the acaricides of more recent intro-
duction : apart from being relatively
harmless to humans, it appears to
have selective action, i.e-., it is not
harmful to insect predators. A short-
coming of mono DNP, to give it its
popular name, is that it may cause
foliage injury if used in concentrated
form in hot weather. When concen-
trate sprayers became standard equip-
ment in the British Columbia fruit
industry, therefore, the use of mono
DNP declined.

The Automatic Concentrate
Sprayer

After World War II, labour costs
increased rapidly and the fruit grower
was faced with a new problem. The
value of his product did not advance
with his production costs, chief of
which was labour. Consequently, la-
bour overhead had to be reduced.

One of the orchard operations that
required a great deal of labour was
spraying. In 1946, officers of the
Summerland laboratory, in co-opera-
tion with the Provincial Department
of Agriculture and the Defence Re-
search Experimental Station, Suffield,
Alberta, undertook to mechanize
spraying operations. By 1948 the
three services had built and success-
fully demonstrated an experimental
machine. The first commercial units,
based on this experimental sprayer,
were available in 1949 (Marshall and
Miles, 1948, 1949; Marshall, 1949).
By 1952, spraying operations had been
approximately 90 per cent, mechan-
ized, and British Columbia orchardists
were possibly farther advanced in
methods of applying chemical control
than those of any other fruit-growing-
area. The automatic concentrate
sprayer has saved upwards of 75 per-
cent. of the cost of labour for orchard
spraying operations, and perhaps 20
per cent, of the cost of spray chem-
icals. It has almost eliminated hand
spraying, the unpleasantness of which
can only be appreciated by those who
have spent long hours operating a
spray gun.

Introduction of a Parasite of the
Apple Mealybug

Seventeen years ago. the fruit grow-
ers of the Kootenay Valley noticed an
unusual insect in their plantings. It
soon became a serious problem be-
cause its copious excretion covered
the fruit and resulted in the growth
of a sooty fungus that rendered the
fruit unsaleable until washed. This
insect was the apple mealybug, Phena-
coccus aceris (Sign.), a pest then known
to occur only in one other area in
Canada, namely, western Nova Scotia.
In that area the insect had never been
epidemic as it was in the Kootenay
Valley; investigation indicated effec-
tive control by the parasite Allotropa
utilis Mues. Subsequently A. utilis was
reared at the Dominion Parasite La-
boratory, Belleville, Ontario, and ship-
ments of it were sent from time to
time to the Fruit Insect Laboratory
at Vernon. Five years after the first

10

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1952), Vol. 49, June 15, 1953

liberation the parasite was well es-
tablished in the Kootenay West Arm
district and today it gives effective
control of the apple mealybug. This
must be one of the outstanding ex-
emples, in Canada, of biological con-
trol by an introduced parasite (Marsh-
all, 1942, 1944).

Trends in Pest Control Research

Most orchardists in this province
are well aware of the importance of
biological control of fruit pests. But
isolated and abandoned orchards and
orchards that have been cultivated but
not sprayed show, organic farming
enthusiasts to the contrary, that Na-
ture alone will not ensure sufficient
marketable fruit for a profitable com-
mercial operation. Consequently, the
first line of defence against pests is
chemical control — but chemical con-
trol applied as sparingly as possible
and based on the knowledge that the
preferred chemicals are those that
have low toxicity to beneficial insects
and mites and to birds. In 1948 the
investigators in the joint operations
of the Canada divisions of Entomology
and Chemistry at Summerland were
provided with an excellent laboratory
and staffs were substantially increas-
ed. It then became possible to study
insect behaviour in addition to the im-
mediate but practical problems involv-
ed in helping to keep the fruit
industry on a profitable basis. Bio-
logical studies were given welcome
support when Biological Control In-
vestigations of the Division of Ento-
mology stationed an investigator at
the Summerland laboratory to work
directly with Fruit Insect and Insecti-
cide Investigations on the biology of
orchard mites. From now on theie
should be good balance at Summerland
between fundamental, long-term bio-

logical studies and the entomological-
chemical investigations that are a
season-to-season necessity.

Summary

During the decade 1940-1950 ad-
vances in production methods of the
British Columbia fruit industry were
greater than in any previous period;
some of the most significant were
original developments in pest control.
These included :

1. Introduction of the dual fruit wip-
er.

2. Elimination of arsenicals from the
spray schedule prior to the intro-
duction of DDT. (This removed
the dangers of arsenical poisoning
of the soil and arsenical residues
on fruits.)

3. Introduction of heavy dormant
petroleum oil (200-220 S.S.U. Vis.),
which is now the only type of
dormant oil used in the province.

4. Development of heavy dormant
oil — lime — sulphur mixture as the
standard dormant spray mixture
for apples and pears.

5. Introduction and general use of
summer petroleum spray oil of low
unsulphonated residue (under

75%).

6. Development of the tree trunk
spray for codling moth control.

7. Introduction of the monoethanol-
amine salt of dinitrocyclohexvl-
phenol as a selective acaricide.

8. The successful introduction and
dissemination of the parasite Allo-
tropa uliLis for control of the apple
mealybug.

9. The designing and construction of
the Okanagan experimental spray-
er. This machine led to the mech
anization of orchard spraying and
the general use of spray concen-
trates in British Columbia.

References

Dennys, A. A. 1942. Recent progress in codling moth control in British Columbia.

II. Killing the adult. Sci. Agr. 22: 577-583.

Heriot, A. D. 1942. Recent progress in codling moth control in British Columbia.

I. Killing the mature larva. Sci. Agr. 22 : 571-576.

Marshall, J. 1942. The apple mealybug and its control. Sci. Agr. 22: 727-732.

— 1943. Cryolite versus lead arsenate in codling moth control. Proc. Ent. Soc. British
Columbia, 40: 16-18.

1944. The present status of the apple mealybug, Pbenacoccus aceris Sig. in British Col-
umbia. Canadian Ent. 76 : 19.

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1952), Vol. 49, June 15, 1953

11

— 1946. DDT investigations in control of orchard pests in British Columbia. Proc. Wasn-
ington State Hort. Assoc., 42nd Ann. Meeting, pp. 66-70.

— 1948. Oil spray investigations in British Columbia.. J. Econ. Ent. 41 : 592-595.

— 1949. Light machine does several jobs. Better Fruit 43 (12) : 22-24, 28.

Marshall, J., and J. R. W. Miles. 1948. High speed orchard sprayers and dusters. Proc.
Washington State Hort. Assoc., 43rd Ann. Meeting, pp. 108-114.

— In press. Development of concentrate orchard sprayers in Canada. F'lroc. 7th Pacific
Sci. Congr.

Morgan, C'. V. G., and J. Marshall. 1944. Dinitrophenol derivatives as summer acaricides in
British Columbia. Sci. Agr. 29: 191-199.

NOTES ON THE CABBAGE SEEDPOD WEEVIL, CEUTORHYNCHUS
ASSIMILIS (PAYK.) (COLEOPTERA: CURCULIONIDAE),

AND ITS PARASITES1 2

J. H. McLeod2

Biological Control Investigations Laboratory, Vancouver, B.C'.

The cabbage seedpod weevil, Ceutor-
hynchus assimilis (Payk.), is an indigen-
ous pest of cruciferous seed crops in
Europe. It was first reported in North
America by the Division of Entomol-
ogy (1935, p. 463) from a specimen
taken at Vancouver, British Columbia,
by Etugh B. Leech in May, 1931. The
insect did not become economically
important in British Columbia until
the importation of turnip, cabbage,
and cauliflower seed from Europe was
prevented in 1940 by the naval block-
ade of western Europe. There was
then an increase in the acreage plant-
ed to cruciferous seed crops on Van-
couver Island and the lower mainland
of British Columia, and the weevil
became the most important insect
pest of these crops. The use of para-
sites to reduce damage by this pest
was undertaken in 1943 as a co-opera-
tive project between the Field Crop
Insect Laboratory at Agassiz, B.C;,
and the Dominion Parasite Labora-
tory, Belleville, Ont.

The weevil became economically im-
portant in the western United States
about the same time as in British
Columbia. It was reported in 1935 in
the northwestern part of Washington,
where most of the cabbage seed pro-
duced in the United States is grown
(Baker, 1936). From this area it
spread southward through Oregon to
California, where it was reported in
1946 (Hagen, 1946).

1 Contribution No. 3000, Division of Entomology,
Science Service, Department of Agriculture, Ottawa,
Canada.

2 Agricultural Eeseaxch Officer.

In Washington it became of increas-
ing importance and a laboratory, now
known as the Northwestern Washing-
ton Experiment Station, was estab-
lished at Mount Vernon, to investigate
the weevil and other pests of crucifer-
ous seed crops. Its biology, distribu-
tion, food plants, and parasites were
studied (Hanson et al., 1948).

Mr. R. Glendenning, Officer-in-
charge, Field Crop Insect Laboratory,
Agassiz, studied the course of the in-
festation in British Columbia from
1939 to 1945. The infestation on the
mainland was severe during the early
years of his investigation, but gradual-
ly became less severe until 1945, when
it had virtually disappeared. During
this period the infestation on Van-
couver Island remained at a high level.

In 1949 a survey was initiated at
the Vancouver laboratory to obtain
information concerning parasitism of
the weevil in British Columbia with
special reference to the value of in-
troduced species. Further informa-
tion concerning its distribution and
the degree to which it infests cruci-
ferous seed crops was necessary. The
project was continued in 1950 and
1951 and collections of infested ma-
terial were obtained from the im-
portant seed-growing areas from
June to October.

The insect was obtained from seed
fields of cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels
sprouts, and swede turnip and also
from wild turnip, Brassica campestris L. ;
garden radish, Raphanus sativus L.,
growing as an escape ; and a wild

12

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1952), Vol. 49, June 15, 1953

mustard, Brassica juncea (L.) Coss. The
wild host plants are more widely
distributed and it is from weevils in-
festing these that the cultivated cruci-
ferous seed crops become infested.
These wild plants remain green and
succulent much later in the season
than do the cultivated species. The
latter species ripen and become un-

suitable for larval feeding during July,
whereas the former remain green un-
til October and provide food for its
extended seasonal activity.

The percentage of cruciferous seed-
pods infested by the weevil varies
considerably from year to year (Table

I).

TABLE I

Infestation of the cabbage seedpod weevil, Ceutorhynchus assimilis (Payk.), in British

Columbia, 1949, 1950, and 1951.

Area

Seedpods

Examined

Per Cent.
Infested

Vancouver Island

Cabbage

1949

3,830

94.7

“

1950

731

75.6

“

1951

656

55.9

Fraser Valley

Turnip

1949

1,688

30.7

“

1950

1,210

54.6

u

1951

600

62.3

The percentage of cabbage seed
destroyed by the larvae increases dis-
portionately with the percentage of
the seedpods infested. For example,
an infestation of 80 per cent reduced
the seed yield by about 40 per cent,
whereas an infestation of 30 per cent
reduced the seed yield by about 10 per
cent. The reason for the increased
percentage loss of seed in heavily in-
fested fields is the larger proportion
of pods in which there are 2 or more
larvae.

Eleven species of parasites have
been reared from the weevil on the
Pacific coast. Of these, 7 species

have been found in British Columbia,
8 in Washington (Breakey, et al., 1944,
and Hanson et al., 1948), and 5 in
California (Carlson, et al., 1951). The
parasite species and the state or
province from which they have been
reported are shown in Table II.

Table II shows that Trichomalus fas-
ciatus (Thoms.) is the only parasite
species that has been reported from
each of the 3 areas; 6 of the species
found in British Columbia have been
reported from Washington, and 2
species reported from Washington
have also been reported from Cali-
fornia.

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1952), Vol. 49, June 15, 1953

13

TABLE II

Parasites reared from the cabbage seedpod weevil on the Pacific coast.

British

Columbia

Washington1

California1

Amblymerus sp.

Amblymerus mayetiolae Gahan
Bracon sp.

X

X

X

Eupelmella vesicularis (Retz.)

X

X

Eurytoma sp.

X

X

Habrocytus sp.

X

X

Necremnus duplicatus Gahan
Spilocbalcis side (Walk.)

X

X

X

Trichomalus jasciatus (Thoms.)
Trimeromicrus maculatus Gahan

X

X

X

X

Xenocrepis pura Mayr

X

X

Zatropis sp.

X

X

1 Records from Breakey et a]., 1944; Hanson et al., 1948; and Carlson et al., 1951.

This is a comparatively large para-
site complex to be associated with a
host insect that has only recently be-
come established in North America.
There is evidence that 2 species, T.
jasciatus and Xenocrepis pura Mayr, are
native to Europe, where they also at-
tack the cabbage seedpod weevil. Ha -
brocytus sp. has been reported from
Washington and a species of Habrocytus ,
probably the same species, has been
colonized in British Columbia from ma-
terial obtained in Europe. The re-
mainder of the parasites are probably
native species that attack the cabbage
seedpod weevil as an alternate host.

Amblymerus mayetiolae Gahan is in-
digenous to North America. Peck
(1951) listed its hosts as the hessian
fly, Phytophaga destructor (Say), and a
jointworm, Harmolita sp. Many species
of this genus are hyperparasites and
further investigation may show that
A. mayetiolae is associated with the
cabbage seedpod weevil in this way.

Bracon sp. has been reported from
British Columbia only. In 1943 on
Vancouver Island the cabbage seedpod
weevil was more abundant and less
heavily parasitized than on the main-
land. At that time Bracon sp. was
relatively abundant on the mainland

but had not been observed on Van-
couver Island. Mr. R. Glendenning
obtained a quantity of tailings from
threshed seed turnips from the main-
land and shipped it to the Dominion
Parasite Laboratory, where it was
kept in cold storage over winter. In
the spring of 1944 the material was
placed in incubation and a large num-
ber of Bracon sp. that had passed the
winter in the pupal stage emerged.
They were shipped to Victoria and re-
leased in infested cabbage seed fields
on Vancouver Island by officers of the
Division of Entomology. The same
procedure was followed in 1945 and
1946. In the 3 years during which this
project was carried on, 1,241 individ-
uals of Bracon sp. were colonized on
Vancouver Island. Since 1949 this
species has been recovered in small
numbers in collections of the weevil
from that area.

As no species of Bracon has been re-
ported to be parasitic on the cabbage
seedpod weevil in Europe, it is assum-
ed that this species is a native of
North America that attacks the cab-
bage seedpod weevil as an alternate
host. Until the species is identified
it will not be possible to determine
whether it has any other hosts.

14

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1952), Vol. 49, June 15, 1953

Figs. 1-2. Trichomalus fasciatus (Thoms.). 1, male. 2, female.

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1952), Vol. 49, June 15, 1953

15

Figs. 3-6. Trichomalus fasciatus (Thoms.). 3, egg. 4, early larva.
5, late larva. 6, pupa.

16

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1952), Vol. 49, June 15, 1953

Eupelmella vesicularis (Retz.) is wide -
ly distributed and has an extensive
host list in Europe and North Amer-
ica. It was reported in North America
many years before the establishment
of the cabbage seedpod weevil, and
undoubtedly attacks it or one of its
parasites as an alternate host. Clausen
(1940) reported it as a primary para-
site of the hessian fly in North
America. Morris (1938) reported it
in Europe as a predator of Dahlbom-
inus fuscipennis (Zett.), a primary para-
site of the European spruce sawfly,
Diprion hercyniae (Htg.). He also re-
ported that it is parthenogenetic and
that it passes the winter as a prepupa.
E. vesicularis has been reared from the
cabbage seedpod weevil * in British
Columbia but not in California. It
has also been reared in British Col-
umbia from Hylemya sp. on lupine.

Eurytoma sp. is one of the less im-
portant parasites attacking the cab-
bage seedpod weevil in British Col-
umbia and Washington. It has not
been reported from this host in Europe.
It is assumed that it is one of the 73
species of that genus recorded in North
America and that it attacks the cab-
bage seedpod weevil as an alternate
host.

Habrocytus sp. has been reported
from the cabbage seedpod weevil in
British Columbia and Washington
only. In July, 1949, a colony of 183
individuals of Habrocytus sp. was re-
leased in British Columbia from ma-
terial obtained in Europe and incubat-
ed at the Dominion Parasite Labora-
tory; this species was not collected in
1950 or 1951. Until species determin-
ation can be obtained it will not be
known whether the species present in
British Columbia and Washington is
the same as that introduced into Brit-
ish Columbia from Europe.

Necremnus duplicatus Gahan, described
from specimens taken in Washington,
is one of the most important para-
sites of the cabbage seedpod weevil
in Washington and British Columbia.
It is not known in Europe and no other
host record is listed by Peck (1951)
for North America.

Trichomalus fasciatus (Thoms.) is a
European species that was described
in 1878. It is the only species of the
genus that has been reported in North
America and its only known host in
North America is the cabbage seed-
pod weevil. It is a widely distributed
parasite of this host in Europe and
probably accompanied its host when
the latter was accidentally introduced
into North America.

T. fasciatus is the most important
parasite of the cabbage seedpod weevil
in British Columbia : it comprised

94.1 and 85.9 per cent of all the para-
sites that were obtained in 1950 and
1951 respectively. It is also one of
the most important parasites of the
insect in Washington and in 1951 was
reported from California (Carlson et
al 1951). The adults sting and para-
lyse the host larvae before oviposit-
ing on them. After the parasite
larvae complete their development
they pupate without forming cocoons
and the adults emerge in 8 to 12 days.
There are probably two generations
each year. Adults emerged in the
laboratory from July 11 to October
10. Those that emerged during July
and early August died within 3 weeks.
Those that emerged after August 15
remained active until October, when
lower temperatures caused them to
seek the protection of small cracks in
their cage ; there they remained in-
active during the winter.

Erimsromicrus maculatus Gahan is the
only species of the genus listed by
Peck (1951) for North America. Its
known distribution is from Illinois to
California. Peck listed the following
hosts : the sunflower seed weevil, Des-
moris fulvus (Lee.) ; the alfalfa gall
midge, AsphondyUa websteri Felt; and
the clover seed chalcid, Bruchopbagus
gibbus (Boh.). It has been taken re-
cently in California (Carlson et al.,
1951) from the cabbage seedpod weev-
il, but it has not been reported in
Washington or British Columbia.
Whether it is a primary parasite or a
hyperparasite is not known.

Xenocrepis pura Mayr has been reared
from this host in California and Wash-
ington, but not in British Columbia.

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1952), Vol. 49, June 15, 1953

17

Three colonies comprised of 1,269 in-
dividuals of this species were released
in British Columbia in 1949 from
material obtained in Europe and in-
cubated at the Dominion Parasite
Laboratory.

X. pura is reported to be the most
important parasite of the cabbage
seedpod weevil in California (Carlson
et al., 1951). It is less effective in
Washington; and in British Columbia,
the northern limit of the host insect’s
distribution, it has not yet been re-
covered even where colonized. The
range of X. pura is the reverse of that
of T. fasciatus : the latter is the most
important parasite at the northern
limit of its host’s range.

Zatropis sp. is of minor importance
in British Columbia and Washington
and has not been reported from Cali-
fornia. It is a North American species,
but its other hosts are not known.

Although the present parasite com-
plex does not prevent injury to cruci-
ferous seed crops by the cabbage
seedpod weevil, it reduces the amount
of seed loss in two ways. The para-
site adults sting and paralyse the host
larvae ; these larvae are often in the
later instars before they are parasitiz-
ed, but the feeding period of even the
more mature larvae is shortened con-
siderably. This reduces the number of
seeds destroyed by each larva with the
result that there is an immediate re-
duction in the amount of seed loss.
There is a further reduction the fol-
lowing year caused by the reduction
in weevil population due to the para-
sitism and resulting mortality of the
weevil larvae.

Evidence of the effect of parasitism
in reducing the number of seeds des-
troyed per larvae was obtained in 1950.
A random collection of infested pods
was taken from a swede turnip seed
field in which the infestation was 39.7
per cent and the aggregate parasit-
ism 79.8 per cent. There were 749
seedpods in the collection and 8,662
seeds, of which 872 were destroyed by
larvae. The weevil larval popula-
tion was 332. Therefore the number

of seeds destroyed by each larva was
2.6. A random collection was taken
from another field in which the infes-
tation was 87.9 per cent and the
aggregate parasitism 9.4 per cent.
There was 348 seedpods in the collec-
tion and 4,389 seeds, of which 1,859
were destroyed by larvae. The weevil
larval population was 394. Therefore
the number of seeds destroyed per
larva was 4.7. The difference in the
numbers of seeds destroyed per weevil
larva was highly significant. Insecti-
cides had not been used on either of
the plots from which the collections
were taken.

Summary

The cabbage seedpod weevil is a
European species that has become a
major pest of cruciferous seed crops
in western North America. Its spread
has been facilitated by widely dis-
tributed wild host plants. The de-
gree of infestation varies considerably
from district to district and from year
to year.

Eleven species of parasites are
known to be associated with the cab-
bage seedpod weevil. The 2 most im-
portant species in North America,
Trichomalus fasciatus and Xenocrepis pura,
are of European origin. The remain-
der are probably native species that
have accepted the cabbage seedpod
weevil as an alternate host.

Parasitism of the cabbage seedpod
weevil reduces the amount of seed
loss in 2 ways : —

1. When the adult parasites sting
and paralyse the weevil larvae, thus
preventing further feeding, there is
an immediate and significant reduc-
tion in the number of seeds destroyed
by each cabbage seedpod weevil larva.

2. Parasitized larvae are killed, so
that the infestation and seed loss the
following year are reduced.

The adult male and female and the
egg, early larva, late larva, and pupa
are illustrated in Figs. 1-6. The orig-
inal drawings were prepared by
George Yamanaka, formerly of the
Vancouver laboratory.

18

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1952), Vol. 49, June 15, 1953

References

Baker, W. W. 1936. Notes on a European weevil, Ceutorbynchus asstmtlis Payk., recently
found in the State of Washington. Canadian Ent. 68: 191-193.

Breakey, E. P., et al. 1944. Western Washington Experiment Station. Entomology, in
Washington Agr. Expt. Sta. Bull. 455 (54th Ann. Rept.), pp. 117-125.

Carlson, E. C., W. H. Lange, Jr., and R. H. Sciaroni. 1951. Distribution and control of
the cabbage seedpod weevil in California J. Econ. Ent. 44 : 958-966.

Clausen, C'. P. 1940. Entomophagous insects. McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York.

Division of Entomology. 1935. The Canadian Insect Pest Review 15. Canada, Dept. Agr.,
Ottawa.

Hagen, K. S. 1946. The occurrence of Ceutorbynchus assimilis (Payk.) in California. Pan-
Pacihc Ent. 22: 73.

Hanson, A. J., E. C. Carlson, E. P. Breakey, and R. L. Webster. 1948. Biology of the cab-
bage seedpod weevil in northwestern Washington. Washington Agr. Expt. Sta. Bull. 498.

Morris, K. R. S. 1938. Eupelmella vesicularis (Chalcididae) as a predator of another chal-
cid, Microplectron fuscipennis Zett. Parasitology 30: 20-32.

Peck, O. 1951. Superfamily Chalcidoidea. In Hymenoptera of America north of Mexico.
Synoptic catalog, by C. F. W. Muesebeck, K. V. Krombein, and PI. K. Townes, pp. 410-
594. U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Monogr. 2.

NOTE ON THE OCCURRENCE OF RHAGOLETIS FAUSTA (O.S,)
(DIPTERA: TRYPETIDAE) IN THE OKANAGAN VALLEY

M. D. Proverbs

Fruit Insect Laboratory, Division of Entomology,

Canada Department of Agriculture, Summerland, B.C.

In the winter of 1950, a sample of
frozen sour cherries infested with
dipterous larvae was received from
the Canada Experimental Station at
Summerland. The larvae were par-
tially decomposed when they reached
the Fruit Insect Laboratory, Summer
land, so that positive identification
was impossible. However, it was be-
lieved that the larvae were of one of
the cherry fruit flies common to many
fruit-growing areas of North 'America.

Neither Rhagoletis fausta (O.S.) nor
R. cingulata (Loew) has previously
been „ recorded from the Okanagan
Valley. In British Columbia R. fausta
has been a pest in the Kootenay dis-
trict for many years. It was also re-
ported from the north shore of the
Shuswap Lake, opposite Canoe, in
1936, and at Salmon Arm in 1937.
R. fausta is the only species recorded
from, the Flathead Valley of Montana,
whereas R. cingulata is the only species
found in the lower mainland of Brit-
ish Columbia. Both R. fausta and R.
cingulata are pests on Vancouver Island
and as far north as Wenatchee in the
State of Washington.

The source of the infested cherries
was traced to an orchard in the Bear
Creek district, about three miles from

the Westbank ferry landing. In the
spring of 1951, traps were set out in
this orchard to determine what species
of fruit fly was present. On May 31,
soil sifted from under the sour-cherrv
trees yielded five puparia and, two
empty pupal cases. The latter were
in good condition, suggesting that
flies had recently emerged from them,
although no adults were seen in the
orchard at this time. Seven da)^s
later one fly was caught in a soil
emergence cage and two on a sticky
board. These flies were subsequently
identified as of Rhagoletis fausta (O.S.)
by Mr. J. F. McAlpine, Division of
Entomology, Ottawa.

Fly emergence reached its peak in
the third week of June. By the end
of the month almost every sour cherry
(largely Montmorency) contained one
or more maggots, and an occasional
sweet cherry (Bing and Lambert) was
also infested. A few flies were still
found alive on the sticky boards when
trapping was discontinued on July 10.

Orchard and packing-house surveys
conducted in the Westbank and
Kelowna districts by officers of the
Provincial government did not reveal
any further orchards infested with
the cherry fruit fly.

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1952), Vol. 49, June 15, 1955

19

KEY TO PUPARIA OF THE DIPTEROUS PARASITES OF
MALACOSOMA SPP., IN BRITISH COLUMBIA1

D. A. Ross2

Laboratory of Forest Biology, Vernon, B.C.

The following is an illustra ted key
to the purparia of dipterous parasites
reared by the Forest Insect Survey at
Vernon from Malacosoma disstria Hbn.,
M. pluviale (Dyar), and M. sp. nr. plu-
viale (Dyar), collected in British Col-
umbia.

Grateful acknowledgment is given
to J. H. McLeod of the Biological
Control Unit, Division of Entomology,
Vancouver, for the loan of puparia
unrepresented or poorly represented in
the Vernon reference collection, and
to G. E. Shewed, Division of Entomo-
logy, Ottawa, for the identification of
adults and criticism of the key.

The illustrations accompanying the
key were drawn by B. A. Sugden.

Terminology in this and a published
key (1952) is adapted from C. T.
Greene’s (1921) pioneering treatise on
the puparia of North American IVlus-
coids.

1. Posterior spiracles in a deep cav-
ity, partially hidden from view 2

Posterior spiracles not in a cav-
ity 4

2. Opening of cavity circular or
oval ; rim, relatively smooth with
a few “warts”, may be lightly

sculptured 3

Opening elliptical, the ellipse gen-
erally acute at both ends ; rim

strongly sculptured (Fig. 1)

Sarcophaga aldrichi Park.

3. Rim about opening of cavity,
rounded, the edge incurved ; a few
obscure “warts” on outer edge of
rim (Fig. 3) Pseudosarcophaga
affinis (Fall.)

1 Contribution No. 88, Division of Forest Biology,
Science Service, Department of Agriculture, Ottawa,
Canada.

2 Agricultural Research Officer.

t Stigmal slits normally much more serpentine
than in figure. (G. E. S.)

* Adults of species marked with an asterisk
emerge during the summer; the remaining species
overwinter as puparia and the adults emerge during
the spring.

— Rim somewhat flattened, edge not
incurved, usually a portion ex-
truded ; “warts” on rim prominent

(Fig. 2) Sarcophaga houghi Aid.

4. All stigmal slits strongly serpen-
tine 5

— Stigmal slits straight or only

slightly curved (usually some of
stigmal slits somewhat serpen-
tine in Patelloa pachypyga) 6

5. Stigmal plates strongly protrud-
ed; stigmal slits in three discrete
groups ; stigmal ridges broadly
rounded; button shallow, may be
obscure ; no swelling ventrad to
plates ; pupal horns not extruded
(Fig. 4)f Carcelia malacosomae
Sell.

— Stigmal plates slightly raised;
stigmal slits neither on ridges,,
nor in three discrete groups ; but-
ton large, circular; small swelling
ventrad to plates ; pupal horns

extruded (Fig.

5.) Achaetoneura frenchii (Will.)*

6. A swelling (protuberance) vent-
rad to stigmal plates 7

— No swelling ventrad to plates 10

7. Posterior end of puparium slight-

ly depressed above horizontal
axis ; stigmal plates at acute
angle to longtitudinal axis of
puparium 8

— t Posterior end of puparium not de-
pressed above horizontal axis ;
stigmal plates at right angle to
longtitudinal axis 9

8. Sides of puparium smooth, may be

sparse transverse wrinkles ; pat-
tern of spinules readily discern-
able

(Fig. 6) Exorista mella (Wlk.)*

— Puparium rugose over whole sur-
face ; pattern of spinules some-
what obscured by rugosity — (Fig.
7) Tachinomyia similis (Will.)

20

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1952), Vol. 49, June 15, 1953

9. Protuberance small and shallow;
plate fan-shaped, button at edge ;
ridges bearing stigmal slits almost

straight; puparium smooth (Fig.

8) Compsilura concinnata Mg.*

— Protuberance very prominent;
plate circular, button not at edge ;
stigmal slits curved; puparium
rugose (Fig. 9) (Rileymyia amer-
i carta (B. & B.)

10. Centre of button above horizon-
tal axis of stigmal plate; stigmal
ridges, narrow, strongly raised,
gradually curved downward to-
ward ends ; anal slit vertical ;
usually adult emerges from host

pupa 0 (Fig.

10) Nemochaeta lateralis (Macq.)*

— Centre of button below horizon-

tal axis of plate ; stigmal ridges
only slightly raised ; anal slit
horizontal r 11

11. Stigmal slits, at most, only slight-
ly curved ; stigmal button well-
defined, off centre of area enclos-
ed by stigmal slits

(Fig. 11) Euexorista futilis (O.S.)*

— One or more stigmal slits usually
with double curve, or a right-
angled curve ; button ill-defined,
centrally located among stigmal

slits (Fig.

12) Patelloa pachypyga A. & W.

References

Gardner J. C. M. 1940. The puparia of some Indian Tachinidae (Diptera) I. Indian
Forest Records (N. S.), Entomology 6(7) :227-251.

— 1940. The puparia of some Indian Tachinidae (Diptera) IE. Indian J. Ent. 2(2) :

177-m.

Greene, C. T. 1921. An illustrated synopsis of the puparia of 100 muscoid flies (Diptera).
Proc. U. S. N. M. 60(10): 1-39.

Mathu.r, R. N. 1950. The puparia of some Indian Tachinidae (Diptera) III. Indian
Forest Records (N. S.), Entomology 8(i):l-7.

Ross, D. A. 1952. Key to the puparia of the dipterous parasites of Choristoneura jumiferana
(Clem.) Canad. Ent. 84(4) : 108-1 12.

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1952), Vol. 49, June 15, 1953

21

ROSS— DIPTEROUS PARASITES OF MALACOSOMA

22

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1952), Vol. 49, June 15, 1953

2 mm

2 mm

ROSS— DIPTEROUS PARASITES OF MALACOSOMA

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1952), Vol. 49, June 15, 1953

23

ROSS— DIPTEROUS PARASITES OF MALACOSOMA

24

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1952), Vol. 49, June 15, 1953

UPON NEUTRALIZING THE ODOUR OF NOMIUS PYGMAEUS (DEX),
THE STINK BEETLE (COLEOPTERA: CARABIDAE).

G. J. Spencer

University of British Columbia, Vancouver.

During certain summers, and espec-
ially when the smoke of forest fires
on Vancouver Island is driven by a
west wind, any section of the City of
Vancouver may be plagued with
Nomius pygmaeus (Dej.), the stink
beetle, which, for its size, is probably
one of the most powerfully obnoxious
creatures in the world. One individual,
crushed or injured in a room, will
render that room uninhabitable for
two weeks, and the smell persists for
months. In late August, 1951, a
number of reports was received by
the Department of Zoology, of these
beetles occurring in homes ; one such
enquiry came from a physician who
was attending a woman for a slight
head wound and from her hair he
removed a stink beetle ; he felt that
the stench could not possibly arise
from such a slight wound and wond-
ered if the beetle had been attracted
by the wound. Another report, from
North Vancouver, was of three beetles
found on steps just outside a base-
ment door over a period of two days ;
the beetles had not been injured in

any way but were rendering the base-
ment most foul by their mere pres-
ence.

From various sources, three beetles
were obtained uninjured and a num-
ber of chemicals, including activated
charcoal, tested as possible deodor-
ants. None was effective except those
containing active chlorine such as
sodium hypochlorite, ordinary house-
hold bleach and chloride of lime. A
few drops of sodium hypochlorite on
the cork of a test-tube will deodorize
the smell of a beetle in the tube in ten
minutes, leaving only a faint musty
odour : further exposure renders the
beetle as inoffensive as any ordinary
pinned carabid.

For the treatment of rooms where
beetles had been crushed, it was
recommended that household bleach
be used in an ordinary fly sprayer.
For outside premises, dusting with
fresh chloride of lime was recom-
mended. The citizens reported that
the treatment was successful and the
stink of the beetle was neutralized al-
most completely in a short time.

PRELIMINARY ORCHARD TRIALS WITH SYSTEMIC INSECTICIDES1

R. S. Downing2

Fruit Insect Laboratory, Summerland, B.C.

At the Summerland laboratory work
on systemic insecticides was com-
menced in 1950. Prestox 3 (30 per
cent schradan3) was applied to De-
licious apple trees as a “pink” spray
at one quart per 100 imperial gallons
against the European red mite, Metate-
tranychus ulmi (Koch). It compared

1 Contribution No. 2990, Division of Entomology,
Science Service, Department of Agriculture, Ottawa,
Canada.

2 Assistant Entomologist.

3 Pest Control Limited, Cambridge, England.

4 Geary Chemical Co., New York, N.Y.

5 0014, Dow Chemical Co., Midland, Michigan.

6 Naugatuck Chemicals, Elmira, Ontario.

favourably with the standard recom-
mendation of one pound of 15 per
cent, parathion. Seasonal averages in
terms of mites per leaf were Pestox
3, 0.6, and parathion, 0.2. The un-
treated trees carried 14.8 mites per
leaf in late May and had to be sprayed.
In August, Systox (32.1 per cent,
diethyl S-ethylmercapto-ethyl thio-
phosphate)4 5 6 at one quarter-pint was
applied to Delicious apple trees to
control the two-spotted spider mite,
Xetranychus bimaculatus Harvey. A
comparison with 15 per cent, parathion,
one pound is given in Table I.

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1952), Vol. 49, June 15, 1953

25

TABLE I

Effect of summer applications of acaricides against the two-spotted spider mite on apple;
materials applied by a conventional hand-gun sprayer on August 27, 1950.

Acaricide

Amount per
100 gal.

Average number mites per leaf

Before spraying

After spraying

Aug. 27

Sept. 1

Sept. 9

Systox, 32.1%

0.25 pt.

24.3

0.3

0.9

parathion, 15%

1 lb.

23.6

0.2

0.9

check

no treatment

13.0

10.6

4.8

In 1951, formulations were changed;
schradan and Systox were supplied as
455 and 50 per cent, liquid concen-
trates respectively. Both materials
were applied as “pink” sprays to con-
trol the clover mite, Bryobia praetiosa

Koch, on Newtown apple trees. Schra-
dan, at one quart, caused slight
marginal leaf injury, but Systox, at
one-quarter pint, caused no sign of
phytotoxicity. Results from two
orchards are summarized in Table II.

TABLE II

Effects of “pink” application of acaricides against the clover mite on apple;
materials applied by conventional hand-gun sprayer in May, 1951.

Orchard No. 1

Acaricide

Amount per

Average number mites

per leaf

100 gal.

May 25

June 8

June 21

July 4

Aug. 9

Systox, 50%

0.25 pt.

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.6

schradan, 45%

1

qt.

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.1

0.6

parathion, 15%

1

lb.

0.0

0.0

0.1

0.4

12.8

check

no

treatment

0.6

0.6

3.4

8.4

(sprayed
July 4)

Orchard No. 2

May 23

June 6

July 16

Aug. 7

Systox, 50%

0.25 pt.

0.0

0.1

0.3

0.3

parathion, 15%

1 lb.

0.0

0.1

0.5

4.0

Aramite, 15%

2 lb.

0.1

0.1

3.6

19.1

Another experiment was carried out
to determine the effects of systemic
insecticides applied as “pink” sprays
against mites that overwinter as adult
females. In the southern Okanagan
in 1951, most of the mites had moved

from their winter quarters and had
started to deposit eggs by the time
apple flower buds were in the pink
or balloon stage. For most effective
results at this period, an acaricide
should have either a long residual

26

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1952), Vol. 49, June 15, 1953

action against active stages or an
ovicidal action and, in addition, a
high initial toxicity to the adult mites.
Systox appeared to have the neces-
sary requirements because it has long
residual action. It was applied as a
pink spray to Delicious apple trees
infested with the yellow m i t e ,
Eot'Stranychus flatus (Ewing) (formerly
called the Willamette mite, Tetranychus
willamettei McG.). Aramite (15 per

cent. beta-chloroethyl-beta-(p-tertiary
butylphenoxy)-alpha-methyl ethyl sul-
phite),6 the acaricide that is presently
being recommended for control of the
yellow mite in British Columbia
orchards, was used at two pounds as
a comparative material. The numbers
of mite-injured leaves, recorded early
in September, are summarized in
Table III.

TABLE III

Effects of “pink” application of acaricides against the yellow mite on apple ;
materials applied by a conventional hand-gun sprayer in May, 1950.

Acaricide

Amount per 100 gal.

Percentage leaves injured in Sept.

Systox, 50%

0.25 pt.

0

Aramite, 15%

2 lb.

14

check

no treatment

92

Although aphid colonies were not
counted, there was an obvious differ-
ence in the numbers of colonies on the
two plots. On August 1, all plots
except the one sprayed with Systox
were heavily infested with both the
woolly apple aphid, Eriosoma lanigerum
(Hausm.), and the green apple aphid,
Aphis pomi Deg. On the Systox plot
there were no woolly apple aphids
and only a few green apple aphids.

Systox Residues

Systox was applied to McIntosh and
Newtown apple trees as a “pink”
spray by an automatic concentrate
sprayer at one quart per acre. At
harvest, samples from both varieties
were sent to Geary Chemical Co.,
New York, for chemical analysis. The
McIntosh apples contained 1.8 parts
of pure Systox per million and the
Newtown apples less than 0.2 parts per
million.

Conclusions

1. A 30 per cent schradan emulsible
concentrate applied at the pink stage

of apple bud development, at one
quart per 100 gallons, was approxim-
ately equal in effectiveness to one
pound of 15 per cent, parathion wet-
table powder against the European
red mite.

2. As a “pink” spray, 45 per cent,
schradan at one quart was superior to
one pound of 15 per cent, parathion
against the clover mite, but caused
slight marginal injury to Newtown
apple foliage.

3. Against the two-spotted spider
mite, Systox (32.1 per cent.) at 0.25
pints per 100 gallons was equal in
effectiveness to 15 per cent, parathion
at one pound.

4. As a “pink” spray, Systox (50
per cent.) at 0.25 pints was more
effective against the clover mite than
15 per cent, parathion at one pound.

5. As a “pink” spray against the
yellow mite, Systox (50 per cent.) at
0.25 pints gave excellent control
throughout the season and, in addi-
tion, controlled the woolly apple
aphid and the green apple aphid.

ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, PROC. (1952), VOL. 49, JUNE 15, 1953

27

ANNOTATED LIST OF INSECTS AND MITES COLLECTED ON
BRAMBLES IN THE LOWER FRASER VALLEY,
BRITISH COLUMBIA, 19511 2

N. V. Tonks2

Fruit Insect Section, Laboratory of Entomology, Victoria, B.C.

A survey of insect and mites on
brambles was made in 1951 as part
of a long-term study of bramble fruit
insects in the lower Fraser Valley.
Host plants included both wild and
cultivated species of Rubus. The
common wild bramble in this area is
the thimbleberry, R. parviflorus Nutt. ;
cultivated forms are limited mainly
to raspberry, loganberry, and black-
berry. Collections were made through-
out the growing season.

Determinations were made by
officers of the Division of Entomology,
Ottawa, as follows : Coleoptera,

Messrs. W. J. Brown and R. de
Ruette ; Diptera, Mr. J. F. Me Alpine ;
Hemiptera, Dr. B. P. Beirne and Mr.
L. A. Kelton. Acarina were determ-
ined by Dr H. H. J. Nesbitt, Carle-
ton College, Ottawa, and Thysanop-
tera by Miss Kellie O’Neill, Bureau
of Entomology and Plant Quarantine,
Washington, D.C.

COLEOPTERA

Byturidae

1. Byturus bakeri Barber, western rasp-
berry fruitworm.

Adults taken on raspberry, loganberry,
and thimbleberry, Abbotsford, Hatzic,
late April to end of June, 1950, 1951.

This is one of the more serious pests
of bramble fruits in the Fraser Valley.
Adults emerge in late April. Egg laying
apparently begins about the middle of
May, at which time the adult population
is at its peak. Larvae reach maturity
and leave the fruit in July and early
August.

Coccinellidae

2. Coccinella trifasciata subversa Lee.

Adults taken on raspberry, Hunting-
don, 1951.

3 Psyllobora sp.

Adults collected from loganberry and
thimbleberry, Abbotsford, 1950, 1951.

4. Stethorus punctillum Ws.

Adults collected from raspberry leaves
heavily infested with mites, Lulu Island,
1950. This species was first reported in

1 'Contribution No. 3071, Division of Entomology,
Science Service, Department of Agriculture, Ottawa,
Canada.

2 Technical Officer.

America by Brown (1950), who recorded
it from Massachusetts and Ontario.

Curculionidae

5. Brachyrhinus ovatus (L), strawberry
root weevil.

Adults w'ere found on raspberry,
Huntingdon and Hatzic, June to August,

1950, 1951. This species is a serious pest
of strawberries in the lower Fraser Val-
ley, but observations have shown no large
populations on raspberry, and no damage
to the latter has been apparent,
swarmed extensively in April and May,

6. Brachyrhinus sulcatus (F), black vine
weevil.

Adults collected from brambles, Hunt-
ingdon and Hatzic, June to August, 1950,

1951. This root weevil is also a serious
pest of strawberries, but specimens have
not been numerous on brambles, and no
economic damage has been observed in
the lower Fraser Valley.

7. Rhynchites bicolor (F), rose curculio.

Adults taken on thimbleberry, Abbots-
ford and Mission, May, June, 1951. Buds
of thimbleberry frequently show consid-
erable damage from the feeding of this
wxeevil, but no damage has occurred in
cultivated bramble plantings.

8. Sciopithes obscurus Horn.

Adults present on raspberry, Hunt-
ingdon and Hatzic, April to September,
1950, 1951. Very few specimens were
found, and damage was not apparent.

Elateridae

9. Agriotes ferrugineipennis (Lee.).

Adults taken on raspberry, Hunting-
don, May, 1951.

10. Ctenicera lobata caricina (Germ.).

Adult found on raspberry, Hunting-
don, May, 1951.

11. Ctenicera suckleyi suckleyi (Lee.)

Adults taken on raspberry, Clearbrook
and Huntingdon, May, 1950, 1951.

12. Limonius discoideus (Lee.)

Adults collected from raspberry, Clear-
brook, May, 1950. This species was re-
ported by Essig (1926) to be injurious
to the buds and blossoms of fruit trees :
no damage has been observed on bram-
bles. Wireworm adults were fairly com-
mon on bramble foliage during April
and May, but were not found later in the
season.

Lampyridae

13. Lucidota californica (Mots.)

Adults collected in small numbers from
raspberry and thimbleberry, Huntingdon
and Hatzic, April to October, 1950, 1951.

28

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1952), Vol. 49, June 15, 1953

Lathridiidae

14. Melanophthalma sp.

Adults common on raspberry, boysen-
berry, and thimbleberry, Yarrow, April,
May, June, 1951.

Scarabaeidae

15. Hoplia sp.

One specimen collected from rasp-
berry, Yarrow, May, 1951.

DIPTERA

Agromyzidae

16. Agromyza (Liriomyza) sp. (A. pusilla

Mg. complex)

One specimen collected from rasp-
, berry, Huntingdon, 1951.

Anthomyidae

17. Pegomyie rubivora (Coq.), raspberry
cane maggot.

Larvae collected from blackberry,
Huntingdon, June, 1950.

This species has caused only slight
damage to commercial plantations in the
lower Fraser Valley.

Bibionidae

18. Bibio sp., ? nervosus Loew

Adults collected from brambles
throughout the lower Fraser Valley,
April, May, 1950, 1951. These flies

and were found resting on a wide range
of plants.

Chloropidae

19. Thaumatomyia glabra (Meig.)

Adults common on raspberry, logan-
berry, and thimbleberry, Abbotsford and
Mission, April to September, 1950, 1951.

The larva was reported by Smith ei
al. (1943) to be predacious on aphids,
especially those feeding below ground.

20. Thaumatomyia grata (Loew)

One adult collected from raspberry,
Huntingdon, August, 1951.

Lauxaniidae

21. Minnettia lupulina (Fab.)

Adults collected from raspberry and
thimbleberry, Huntingdon, June to Sep-
tember, 1951.

Opomyzidae

22. Opomyza combinata L.

One adult found on raspberry, Abbots-
ford, September, 1950.

Trupaneidae

23. Terellia florescentiae (L.)

Adults collected from raspberry,
Huntingdon, August, 1951. The larva
of this fly lives in the heads of Canada
thistle.

HEMIPTERA

Anthocoridae

24. Orius insidiosus (Say)

One specimen found on raspberry,
Huntingdon, August, 1951.

25. Orius minutus (L.)

Adults collected from raspberry and
loganberry, Lulu Island, Huntingdon,
1951. Both these species ...of Orius
are predacious on mites, thrips, leaf-
hoppers, and other small insects. Col-
lections on brambles during 1951 showed

O. minutus to be the more common
species. Adults were present in small
numbers throughout the growing season.
Miridae

26. Campy lomma verbasci (Meyer)

One specimen collected from logan-
berry, Lulu Island, September, 1951.

27. Lygus sp., ? shulli Knight

Adults common on brambles, Abbots-
ford, Hatzic, Lulu Island, April to
September, 1950, 1951.

28. Plagiognathus chrysanthemi (Wolff)

Adults collected from raspberry,

Huntingdon, August, 1951.

Nabidae

29. Nabis ferus (L.)

Adults collected from raspberry,
loganberry, and thimbleberry, Hatzic,
Lulu Island, September and October,
1951. Populations of this predator were
not large. Specimens were collected on
hosts having a considerable population
of leafhoppers.

Pentatomidae

30. Cosmopepla bimaculata (Thos.)

Adults collected from raspberry,
loganberry, and thimbleberry, Abbots-
ford, Hatzic, 1951. Specimens were com-
mon from May to September. Nymphs
were occasionally observed clustered on
loganberries in July, apparently feeding
on the developing fruit.

HOMOPTERA

Aphididae

31. Amphorophora rubi (Kltb.)

Specimens collected from raspberry,
Burnaby, July, 1949. Populations of this
aphid were low on brambles, and no
damage was apparent.

CicadeHidae

32. Colladonus montanus (Van D.)

Adults collected from raspberry and
loganberry, Lulu Island and Hunting-
don, August, September, 1951. Speci-
mens were not numerous, and were
found mainly on the lower parts of the
bushes and weeds in the row.

33. Dikraneura absenta DeL. & C.

Adults collected from loganberry,
Abbotsford, September, 1950.

34. Macrosteles fascifrons (Stal) complex
(divisa auctt.)

Adults collected from raspberry,
Huntingdon, August, 1951.

Typhlocybidae

35. Typhlocyba rosae (L.) rose leafhopper.

Adults collected from raspberry, logan-
berry, and blackberry throughout the
lower Fraser Valley, 1950, 1951. These
were the most common leafhoppers on
brambles. There are two generations a
year; adults of the first generation ma-
ture in June, those of the second gener-
ation in August. Adults were collected
as late as November on loganberries
where the trailing canes and dense
foliage provided shelter.

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1952), Vol. 49, June 15, 1953

29

HYMENOPTERA
T enthredinidae

36. Monophadnoides geniculatus (Htg.),
raspberry sawfly.

Second-generation larvae collected
from raspberry, loganberry, thimble-
berry, September, October, 1951. Slight
damage by this species occurred on
brambles in the spring.

LEPIDOPTERA

Aegeriidae

37. Bembecia marginata (Harr.), raspberry
root borer.

Eggs found on raspberry and thimble-
berry, August, September, October, 1950,
1951. This species is one of the more in-
jurious pests of brambles in the lower
Fraser Valley. Egg hatching began in
mid-September in 1951 and was about
50 per cent, complete by the end of the
month, but in 1952 hatching did not
begin till the end of September.
Approximately 15 per cent, of the eggs
were parasitized in 1952.

Tortricidae

38. Archips rosaceana (Harr.), oblique-
banded leaf roller.

Larvae collected from raspberry, June
20, 1951, and reared to adults in in-
sectary, July 3, 1951. Infestations of
this leaf roller were common on rasp-
berries during 1951.

THYSANOPTERA

Phlaeothripidae

39. Haplofchrips sp., near niger (Osb.)

Specimens collected from blackberry
and loganberry flowers, Pluntingdon,
Tune, 1951.

Thripidae

40. Frankliniella spp. .occidentals complex

Specimens collected from blackberry
and loganberry flowers, Huntingdon,
June, 1951. Most of the specimens were
F. moultoni Hood ; a few were of F.
trehernei Morg. Some of the heavily
infested flowers showed dark discolora-
tion around the bases of the stamens,
but otherwise little injury was apparent
on the blossoms. Occurrence of thrips

on harvested fruit seemed to be the
major economic problem with infesta-
tions on brambles.

41. Taeniothrips atratus (Hal.)

Three specimens obtained from black-
berry and loganberry bloom, Hunting-
don, June, 1951.

42. Taeniothrips vulgatissimus (Hal)

Adults common in flowers of black-
berry and loganberry, Huntingdon,
June, 1951.

43. Thrips tabaci Lind., onion thrips.

Five adults collected from blackberry
and loganberry bloom, Huntingdon,
June, 1951.

44. Thrips madronii Mlt.

Specimens collected from blackberry
and loganberry flowers, Huntingdon,
June, 1951.

45. Thrips sp., near fuscipennis Hal.

Adults collected from blackberry and
loganberry blooms, Huntingdon, June,
1951. Miss Kellie O’Neill, in comment-
ing on the identification of these speci-
mens, stated that the only published
record for T. fuscipennis in North
America is Hood’s (1927) record of it
in New York.

ACARINA
T etranychidae

46. Tetranychus bimaculatus Harvey, two-
spotted spider mite.

Specimens collected from raspberry,
Lulu Island, June, July, 1950. There
has been no excessive build-up in mite
populations on brambles in the lower
Fraser Valley area despite the wide-
spread use of -DDT since 1948 for control
of the raspberry fruitworm. Mite
populations during 1951 on brambles
were almost nil.

47. Eotetranychus pacificus (McG.), P.acific
mite.

Specimens collected from raspberry,
Lulu Island, July, 1949. One raspberry
plantation on Lulu Island had a heavy
infestation of E. pacificus in 1949, but
there has been no further outbreak of
it here.

References

Brown, W. J. 1950. The extralimital distribution of some species of Coleoptera. Canadian
Ent. 82:200.

Essig, E. O. 1926. Insects of western North America.

The MacMillan Co., New York.

Hanson, A. J., and R. L. Webster. 1938. Insects of the blackberry, raspberry, straw-
berry, currant, and gooseberry. Washington Agr. Expt. Sta. Pop. Bull. 155.

Smith, R. C. Descriptions of Kansas insects — A list and brief description of the most
important or interesting species of insects in Kansas by orders and families. In Com-
mon insects of Kansas, by R. C. Smith, E. G. Kelly, G. A. Dean, H. R. Bryson, and
R. L. Parker, pp. 117-414. Rept. Kansas St. Bd. Agr., June, 1943 (Vol. 62, No. 255).
1943.

Walden, B. H. 1923. The raspberry fruitworm. Connecticut Agr. Expt. Sta. Bull, 251.
Zeller, S. M., and J. Schuh. 1944. Diseases and insect pests of cane fruits in Oregon.
Oregon Agr. Expt. Sta. Bull. 418.

30

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1952), Vol. 49, June 15, 1953

RECORDS OF THE TICK OTOBIUS MEGNINI (DUGES) FROM
BRITISH COLUMBIA (ACARINA: ARGASIDAE)

J. D. Gregson

Veterinary and Medical Entomology Laboratory
Division of Entomology, Canada Department of Agriculture
Kamloops, British Columbia

Otobius megnini (Duges) is a common
parasite of cattle in the southern
United States, where it is known as
the spinose ear tick. Farther north,
it is less plentiful and Cooley and
Kohls (1944) list only nine instances
of its presence in Oregon, Washing-
ton, Idaho, and Montana. In these
records its hosts were deer, mountain
sheep, man, rabbit, cattle, and horses.
This tick was first collected in Canada
in 1941, when a nymph was taken
from a cat at Ewings Landing on
Okanagan Lake, British Columbia.
This area lies below Terrace Moun-
tain, upon which dwells a small band
of mountain sheep. It is of interest
that the late Allan Brooks, in a
personal interview, spoke of having
seen ticks in the ears of these animals
about 50 years ago. Possibly these
were of the above species.

In 1943, a number of the ticks were
taken from a mountain goat at Bryant
Creek, near Windermere, British Col-
umbia, by Dr. Ian McTaggart Cowan

Two more collections were made by
Dr. Cowan in 1950 from mountain
sheep and a mule deer at Vaseaux
Lake and Barriere. Because of the
last record, attention was paid to
deer brought out by hunters from the
North Thompson Valley in the fall
of 1951. Of the 28 deer examined, 15
had infested ears. The heaviest con-
centration was 172 ticks on one animal.
The average infestation was approx-
imately 30 ticks per infested animal.
Domestic sheep graze in the same
locality, but so far, no infestations
have been found on them, although
the ears of 350 were examined care-
fully. Why this tick restricts itself
to feral hosts in its northern range
is not yet known.

During the above survey 12 deer
carcasses from the Okanagan Valley
were examined and ticks were found
on three of them ; however, none were
found on 41 carcasses from the Cari-
boo District (Clinton to Quesnel).

Reference

Cooley, R. A., and G. M. Kohls. '1944. The Argasidae of North America, Central America,
and Cuba. American Midland Nat. Monograph No. 1 : 21-31.

The Proceedings of the Entomological Society of British Columbia

is published annually.

Individual volumes may be had for $1.00.

Special rates on sets.

Address: C. L. Neilson, Secretary-Treasurer,
Entomological Society of British Columbia,

Court House, Vernon, B.C.

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1952), Vol. 49, June 15, 1953

31

BOOK REVIEW

“Insect Physiology”, by 15 authors,
Kenneth D. Roeder (Edit.) pp. xiv
id- 1100; with 256 figures, 108 pp. of
references. New York: John Wiley
& Sons, Inc. ; London : Chapman &
Hall, Limited.

The objectives of this volume are
best expressed in the preface by the
editor : “ . . . the book is a critical
discussion rather than a complete re-
view of insect physiology ...” and :
“It has not been our intention to pre-
sent insect physiology as an insulated
compartment of knowledge.”

The literature on insect physiology
is now so vast that a complete review
within the space of a thousand pages
is impossible. Accordingly, certain
omissions are understandable, especial-
ly since some of the omitted material
is already reviewed in other books on
insect physiology. Instead, subjects
not covered elsewhere take its place.
Deficiencies pointed out in this re-
view are therefore intended as state-
ments of fact rather than as deroga-
tory criticisms of the book as a whole.

Notable among the new items is the
“inclusion of information on the mode
of action of enzyme inhibitors, drugs,
and other chemical agents.” The bio-
chemical aspects of insect physiology
are well reviewed throughout the
book. Various phenomena associated
with nerve function are also well cov-
ered. On the contrary, the more
fundamental aspects of the structure
and biophysics of living protoplasm

are not mentioned, despite the fact
that the most significant feature which
distinguishes a living cell from a dead
one is the internal control which it
maintains over its colloidal state.
Without reference to this phenomen-
on, all toxicological findings beg the
question, because many effects are re-
versible until physical degeneration
has occurred.

Considering the dominating influ-
ence of temperature on insect growth,
it is surprising that the authors
evidently did not consider it necessary
to include brief coverage of growth-
temperature relationships. Their scant
reference to “temperature character-
istics” of Crozier gives no hint of the
tenuous and empirical philosophy of
its interpretation. Excellent coverage
is given of the role of hormones and
enzymes in diapause of certain post-
embryonic stages, but consideration
is not given to diapause in eggs and
embryos, nor is mention made of
the possible ultimate involvement of
water-binding in the colloids. The
question of bound water in insects is
passed off lightly in the face of much
evidence of colloidal physics.

“Insect Physiology” is well written
and indexed, and is a welcome addi-
tion to the literature on insects, and
indeed no entomological library can
be complete without it. It does not,
however, entirely take the place of
other works on the subject.

— Kenneth Graham.

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Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1952), Vol. 49, June 15, 1953

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Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1952), Vol. 49, June 15, 1953

33

cotton bollworm
cotton fleahopper
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cowpea aphid
cowpea curculio
cucumber beetles
cutworms
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pecan weevil
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onion thrips
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strawberry crown bore
strawberry leaf roller
strawberry weevil
suckfly

sugar beet webworm
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Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1952), Vol. 49, June 15, 1953

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Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1953), Vol. 50, May 15, 1954

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Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1953), Vol. 50, May 15, 1954

5

PROCEEDINGS

of the

ENTOMOLOGICAL
SOCIETY of
BRITISH COLUMBIA

Volume 50

Issued May 15th, 1954

Page

Hatch — The Broader Implications of the Development of Entomology

in the Pacific Northwest - 7

Hardy — Notes on the Life History of the Shaded Umber

Nephelodes emmedonia Cram. ----- 15

Hardy — Notes on the Life Histories of Epirrhoe plebeculata Gn.

and Euphyia lacteata Pack. - - - - - - 17

Hardy — Notes on the Life History of Coryphista meadi Pack.

and Form badiaria Hy. Edw. ------ 31

McLeod — Statuses of some Introduced Parasites and Their Hosts

in British Columbia - -- -- -- 19

Richmond — Forest Insect Surveys - - - - - - - 28

Spencer — Two Decades of Household Pests in Vancouver:

A Summary of Enquiries ------ 32

Science Notes ----------- 16, 37

6

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1953), Vol. 50, May 15, 1954

DIRECTORS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY
OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
1953 - 1954

Honorary President
W. H. Robertson, Victoria, B.C.

President

J. H. McLeod, Vancouver, B.C.

Vice-President {Coast)

M. H. Hatch, Seattle, Wash.

Vice-President {Interior)

J. D. Gregson, Kamloops, B.C.

Hon. Secretary-Treasurer
C. L. Neilson, Vernon, B.C.

Advertising and Hon. Auditor
D. A. Ross, Vernon, B.C.

Advisory Board

M. H. Hatch, Seattle, Wash. R. H. Handford, Kamloops, B.C.

G. J. Spencer, Vancouver, B.C.

Editorial Committee

W. Downes (Chairman) J. Marshall

K. M. King

Librarian

H. R: McCarthy. Kamloops, B.C.

B. Ainscow
G. C. Carl
D. G. Denning
Alan Jenkins
P. A. Jones

NEW MEMBERS

R. P. Murray
D. P. Pielou
J. Raine
A. L. Turnbull
Henry Twiddle

CHAPMAN & WARWICK LIMITED

COMMERCIAL STATIONERS
PRINTERS AND BOOKBINDERS

569 Seymour Street

Vancouver 2, B.C .

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1953), Vol. 50, May 15, 1954

7

THE BROADER IMPLICATIONS OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF
ENTOMOLOGY IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST

Melville H. Hatch
University of Washington, Seattle, Wn.

For some years the writer has been
interested in the history of entomology
in the Pacific Northwest. In 1949 the
University of Washington Press issued
the result of his studies under the
title, “A Century of Entomology in
the Pacific Northwest”, and since then
he has published a number of shorter
historical studies. Moreover, the 1952
issue of the Proceedings of the
Entomological Society of British Col-
umbia contained a number of papers
on the development of entomology in
that portion of the Northwest. At the
present time, accordingly, there seems
no point in merely summarizing again
what has been said before. Rather it
seems more challenging at this junc-
ture to carry the enquiry to the stage
where the attempt is made to extract
from the history something of its gen-
eral significance. I propose to proceed
by asking a series of questions about
the development of entomology in this
region in the hope that light will be
shed on the subject by thus consider-
ing it from diverse points of view.

My basic assumption is that a
science like entomology does not
develop in a vacuum but is a part of
a complex social process related to a
complex array of factors in the en-
vironment in which it develops. As
entomologists, we are well aware that
the insects that we study are com-
plexly related to the environment in
which thev occur. It is similarly true
that the very fact that we are study-
ing insects rather than, for instance,
debating how many angels can dance
on the head of a pin, is the result of
complex factors in the sociological
environment.

(An address given at the Annual Meeting of the
Entomological Society of Canada, Victoria, B.C.,
October 19, 1953; in part based on an address given
in a Symposium on the Development of Entomology
in the West at the Pacific Coast Branch Meeting
of the Entomological Society of America at Lake
Tahoe, Calif., June 24, 1953.)

First, then, I ask: What is the over
all position of the Pacific Northwest in
regard to the development of en-
tomology ?

Entomology arose as part of that
awakening interest in nature that
occurred in Western Europe in the
sixteenth century. The first insects
were not taken in the Pacific North-
west until the beginning of the second
third of the nineteenth century, and
it was another forty or fifty years be-
fore an indigenous study of insects
began to appear in our region. As re-
gards both time and geography, then,
entomology in the Pacific Northwest
occupied a peripheral position, far re-
moved from the central mainsprings
of our western European culture.

The Pacific Northwest was one of
the last portions of the North Ameri-
can continent to be claimed by men
of European descent. California and
Alaska had been occupied by Spain
and Russia in the eighteenth century,
but the first trading posts were not
established in the intervening region
until about 1808.

Modern natural history, as has been
said, arose in Western Europe in the
sixteenth century. The first studies
were concerned with the more con-
spicuous plants and vertebrates, but
by the end of the century a manuscript
on the less conspicuous insects was be-
ing put together by a series of English
naturalists, and Ulysses Aldrovandus,
Professor of Natural History at the
University of Bologna in northern
Italy, was at work on his vast com-
pendium, de Animalibus Insectis, which
saw publication in 1603. A small but
increasing number of books on insects
appeared in the seventeenth and early
eighteenth centuries, laying one of the
bases for the Sy sterna Naturae, in the mid-
dle of the eighteenth century, of the
great Swedish Naturalist, Carolus Lin-
naeus, in the 1758 edition of which its

8

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1953), Vol. 50, May 15, 1954

author gave relatively precise descrip-
tions of some 4400 species of animals,
including about 2100 insects. Thus,
seventy-five years before the first in-
sects were collected in the Pacific
Northwest, Linnaeus had created a
mature science of insects and had de-
vised the method whereby, eventually,
the million or so different species of
insects may be classified.

Meanwhile, Linnaeus’ pupil, the
Dane, Johan Christian Fabricius, had
specialized on the insects and had thus
become the first strict entomologist.
In eastern North America, Thomas
Say had described some 1575 new
species of insects between 1818 and
1834, and Dr. T. W. Harris, the librar-
ian of Harvard, had published a cata-
logue of 2350 species of insects from
Massachusetts in 1833 and would in
1841 publish the first American book
on harmful insects, “A Report on the
Insects of Massachusetts Injurious to
Vegetation.”

It was, accordingly, against the
background of a mature but rapidly
growing entomology that the first in-
sects were collected in the lower Col-
umbia River Valley about 1835. And
it is not surprising to realize that the
history of entomology in the North-
west has consisted in the main of a
series of reactions to cultural influ-
ences of western European and eastern
North America origin.

My second question is : What are
the general features of Northwestern
entomology as it actually developed?

As already noted, insects are rela-
tively inconspicuous and their study
tends to follow on that of the plants
and vertebrates. Thus, the first
scientific observations on North-
western natural history were those
made by Archibald Menzies, surgeon
accompanving the Vancouver Expedi-
tion, in the 1790’s, followed by addi-
tional observations bv Lewis and Clark
and others. Similarly at the present
time, Northwestern plants and verte-
brates are described in numerous de-
tailed manuals, whereas the insects
have so far been only rather sketchily
listed, with only the barest beginning
of descriptive works.

The beginning of the study of in-
sects in the region dates from the first
scientific collection of specimens in
the lower Columbia River Valley about
1835. For thirty years all the insects
taken in the region were by itinerant
collectors who were not themselves
entomologists, but transmitted their
materials to specialists in Northwest
Europe and Northeastern United
States. Only with the seventies did
two or three entomologists pass
through the region, and the same
decade saw O. B. Johnson living in
the Willamette River Valley and
G. W. Taylor on southern Vancouver
Island. These were the pioneer resi-
dent entomologists of the region. The
eighties saw O. B. Johnson commenc-
ing the teaching of entomology at the
LTniversity of Washington in Seattle.
The nineties saw the establishment of
agricultural experiment stations at
Pullman, Washington; Moscow, Idaho,
and Corvallis, Oregon, with the begin-
ning of investigational work in applied
entomology.

The turn of the century witnessed
the beginning of original work in in-
sect taxonomy by J. M. Aldrich at
Moscow and Trevor Kincaid at Seattle,
joined later by G. W. Taylor at
Nanaimo and A. L. Melander at Pull-
man. The nineteen tens witnessed
the establishment by the federal gov-
ernments of both the United States and
Canada of permanent laboratories for
investigations in applied entomology.
In the United States these laboratories
supplement the work of the states,
but in British Columbia they have pre-
empted nearly the entire field. Finally,
by the 1920’s the economic work in
the region was so well established that
occasional discoveries of national sig-
nificance began to appear. After
ninety years, Northwestern ento-
mology had begun to come of age !

What have been the economic and
cultural bases of Northwestern ento-
mology? For no sort of science
flourishes in a vacuum, but is related
to other aspects of the culture.

The first Northwestern insects were
collected as a by-product of the un-
successful attempt of a business man

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1953), Vol. 50, May 15, 1954

9

of Boston to break into the North-
western fur trade. The next insects to
be gathered — those taken in 1841 by
Dr. Charles Pickering and Titian R.
Peale — were an outcome of the New
England whaling industry. At least,
I suggest that whaling was an im-
portant factor in inducing Congress
to send the Wilkes Exploring Expedi-
tion to the Antarctic and the Pacific,
and Pickering and Peale were among
the naturalists on this expedition.
From 1853 to 1856, insects were taken
by the Railway Surveys, which the
American Government organized in
order to keep the communities of an
expanding western frontier integrated
with the life of the rest of the country.
And specimens secured between 1857
and 1864 were taken by the parties
surveying the international boundary
between the United States and Canada.

Of course, the very fact that the
fur trade, the whaling industry, and
the railroad and boundary surveys pro-
duced insects for scientific study was
itself the result of cultural tendencies
then long at work in the Atlantic com-
munity. The awakening interest in
nature to which the 16th century had
given birth came to permeate the
highest circles of European society.
To this the Roval Society of England
and the Academies supported by the
French, Prussian, and Russian gov-
ernments bore witness. Moreover, in
the persons of Benjamin Franklin and
Thomas Jefferson, the new American
republic had come into contact with
the best continental traditions. The
result was that, as the United States
felt its wav westward and as the
Anglo-Canadian governments joined
with it, scientific exploration became
an integral part of geographical and
commercial exploration.

With the early seventies, amateur-
ism entered the picture — the industrial
wealth of Great Britain made it pos-
sible for a Lord Walsingham to spend
a year in northern California and Ore-
gon collecting microlepidoptera and
the Anglo-American coleopterist,
George Robert Crotch, to collect
beetles. By the seventies, moreover,
life in the pioneer communities had
become sufficiently established so that

an occasional immigrant in very ordin-
ary economic circumstances, like O. B.
Johnson and G. W. Taylor, took up the
study of insects. A decade later aca-
demic entomology became established
at the as yet very tiny University of
Washington.

The intrusion of applied entomology
on the Northwestern scene had diverse
roots. The sort of insect study that
up to this time had operated in our
area was the working out of the spirit
and genius of Linnaeus in seeking to
subject the works of the Creator to a
rational ordering. But not the Swede,
Linnaeus, but the Frenchman, Antoine
Lavoisier, was the greatest scientist of
the eighteenth century, and not Lin-
naeus, again, but the great English-
man, Charles Darwin, who was the
biologist who was destined to leave the
most indelible stamp on the modern
world. It was the experimental tech-
niques employed by Lavoisier in virtu-
ally founding the science of chemistry
that in the course of two or three gen-
erations began to make an effective
science of agriculture possible. And
it was the evolutionist Darwin who
showed that insects were something
more than jewels fresh from the hand
of the Creator, that they were verit-
able parts of the processes of nature,
to be understood and controlled. More-
over, an advancing agriculture was in-
tensifying its entomological problems,
gradually bringing in additional pests
from distant parts of the world and,
bv growing crops in ever more ex-
tensive continuous stands, producing
ideal conditions for the multiplication
of insects.

Harris’ 1841 “Report on the Insects
of Massachusetts Injurious to Vegeta-
tion” was a recognition of the prob-
lem. The 1854 appointment of
Townsend Glover as federal entomolo-
gist by the United States government
followed by the appointment by New
York, Illinois, and Missouri, of state
entomologist in 1856, 1867, and 1868,
was acknowledgment by government
that insects were of public concern.
Finally, the spectacular control of the
Colorado potato beetle by Paris Green
in the sixties and the control of the

10

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1953), Vol. 50, May 15, 1954

grape Phylloxera by the use of resis-
tant hosts in the seventies showed
what entomological research could
accomplish. The result was an accum-
ulation of pressures making for gov-
ernment participation in combating
insects as part of the general promo-
tion of applied agriculture.

In the late eighties, the American
Congress was induced to pass the
Hatch Act matching state with federal
funds in maintaining an Agricultural
Experimental Station in each of the
states and territories. This led to the
establishment of research and teach-
ing in applied entomology in each of
the Northwestern states. The pres-
sure on the federal government to aid
agriculture was not satisfied with this
direct help to the states, however, so
that from the early nineties special
agents were sent into the states who
worked in close conjunction with the
several state entomologists on special
entomological problems. By 1910 the
federal agents were spending two or
three years at a time in the region.
The work of these agents continued to
expand, until, with the second decade
of the present century, semi-perman-
ent federal laboratories were estab-
lished on both sides of the border: at
Agassiz, Victoria, and Vernon, in Brit-
ish Columbia, at Wenatchee and Ritz-
ville in Washington, and at Ashland
and Forest Grove in Oregon. In
British Columbia the federal agency
virtuallv supplanted the provincial
entomological service, except for in-
structional work carried on at the
University of British Columbia after
1919. South of the border, the federal
and state services have coexisted and
collaborated with each other closely.
In these ways the economic resources
of an entire continent have been
brought to bear on the agricultural
problems of one of the less densely
populated portions.

Accordingly, since the nineties, the
continuing importance of a knowledge
of insects in the maintenance and de-
velopment of agriculture and forestry
has been the main factor in promoting
the study of Northwestern entomol-
ogy. Academic entomology remains
at the University of Washington,
where we have virtually the strongest

entomological library in the North-
west and where there are no economic
involvements except for some recently
introduced very elementary instruc-
tion in the College of Forestry. Seven
or eight amateur entomologists of im-
portance reside at various localities in
our territory, but in general, applied
entomology has dominated the field.

Northwestern entomology acquires
additional interest for the student of
cultural history from the fact that the
region in which it operates is travers-
ed by an international boundary. Be-
cause of the different political
affiliation of the two regions, the area
south of the border was settled by
persons from the eastern United
States, a generation or several remov-
ed from their European ancestors.
Moreover, the diversity of cultural
traditions represented by the people of
the eastern United States was reflected
in the settlers in general and the en-
tomologists in particular. North of the
border, on the other hand, a prepon-
derance of the settlers was of British
birth and brought their British tradi-
tions with them to their new home.
Paramount among these traditions,
from an entomological point of view,
was a more general interest in nature
and a wide-spread amateurism char-
acteristic of the older more settled
society from which they came. It was,
perhaps, the continuation of the
eighteenth century tradition that had
produced Gilbert White’s “Natural
History of Selborne,” 1788, at a time
when Americans were making homes
for themselves in a primeval wilder-
ness.

In line with this tradition, there
were, among the early entomologists
of British Columbia, three clergymen :
on Vancouver Island, Henry Matthews
in the sixties and G. W. Taylor in the
eighties and later ; on the Queen Char-
lotte Islands, J. H. Keen in the nine-
ties. One looks almost in vain for
clergymen pursuing entomology on
the American scene !

A vigorous amateurism, again, was
involved in the organization and early
years of the Entomological Societv of
British Columbia in Vancouver in 1902,
and the consistency with which the

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1953), Vol. 50, May 15, 1954

11

British Columbians have gotten their
findings into print. The published pro-
ceedings of their Society gave them
the vehicle and their amateur attitude
gave them the drive for publishing
their results. Many of these amateurs,
it is true, later secured professional
positions in the Dominion Entomol-
ogical Service, but at a period in their
lives too late to alter their basic atti-
tudes. The outcome has been that, in
the period since 1880, and virtually
up to the present, a preponderance of
the non-economic literature references
to Northwestern insects refer to the
British Columbia fauna. But the years
effect changes. The amateur attitude
does not apparently persist in the face
of the increased efficiency of greater
professionalism, and the time may
soon be at hand when such differences
as are referred to here may no longer
distinguish the entomological work on
the two sides of the border. Another
influence of the border is seen in the
personnel of the professional ento-
mologists to the north and south of it.
Because of the border and because of
the control of the two federal services
from Ottawa and Washington respec-
tively, the movement of personnel
tends to be east and west and not
north and south. Moreover, the con-
tacts with British entomology is far
closer in British Columbia than in the
states. The results are probably bene-
ficial, tending to maintain a diversity
of entomological outlook that other-
wise might be absent.

Another way in which the interna-
tional border has affected entomology
is economic. The fact that Washing-
ton, Idaho, and Oregon are an integral
part of the mid-twentieth century’s
greatest political, economic and mili-
tary power, as well as the further
circumstance that they are favorably
situated with regard to agricultural,
commercial and increasingly, to in-
dustrial wealth, means that, in the
long run, tremendous economic re-
sources are available for the study of
entomological problems. The favor-
able present position of the University
of Washington as regards library re-
sources in entomology is one of the
results of this economic power. The

time will come, I suspect, when it
will be regarded as strange that this
Northwest country — one, as it is, in
geography, in language, in flora, in
fauna, and in basic economic relation-
ships— should be divided, even to the
extent that it is, by an invisible po-
litical boundary, and that its essential-
ly similar entomological problems
north and south of the 49th parallel
should, in part, be administered separ-
ately from Ottawa and from Wash-
ington.

Another question that can be asked
is : To what extent is the Pacific
Northwest a natural unit for the con-
sideration either of historical proces-
ses relative to the study of insects or
to the study of insects themselves.

In my 1949 study of Northwestern
entomology and in my forthcoming
book on beetles, I have adopted Brit-
ish Columbia, Washington, Idaho, and
Oregon as my unit for study. Faun-
istically, the area is only approximate-
ly natural, and southeastern Alaska
and Montana west of the continental
divide are integral parts, of it, exclud-
ed for practical considerations. To the
south, the area shades off gradually,
especially in the mountains. In gener-
al, however, I suggest that the Arctic
area to the north, the Great Plains
east of the Rocky Mountains, and the
Great American Desert to the south
delimit the Pacific Northwest as a
natural entomological region. In addi-
tion to these theoretical considera-
tions, there is the following practical
one for taking the Pacific Northwest
as an area for study. Entomological
problems, including those having to do
with entomological history, are so
complex that they must be broken
down in various ways for analysis and
study. Our primary political units,
the United States and Canada, are too
large and unwieldy for many types
of studies. In Europe, regions like the
British Isles, France, Italy, or Ger-
many have repeatedly proven useful
for detailed analysis. The Pacific
Northwest represents a similar unit,
one of the same order of size as the
European area mentioned. The cul-
tural effect of the international border
has already been noted. I suggest,

12

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1953), Vol. 50, May 15, 1954

however, that similar north and south
extending climatic and faunal zones
involving similar crops and similar en-
tomological problems, unite far more
effectively than the border separates.

What have been the principal organ-
izations that Northwestern entomol-
ogists have set up in order to expedite
the prosecution of their entomological
activities? Oldest and most important
is the Entomological Society of Brit-
ish Columbia. Founded in Vancouver,
in 1902, revived in 1911 by R. C. Tre-
herne, this society has by its annual
meetings and long series of publica-
tions promoted the entire field of
entomology in the more northern por-
tions of the Pacific Northwest. Sim-
ilar in scope, but much more recent in
origin, is the Oregon Entomological
Society. Founded in 1939, under the
sponsorship of the Oregon State Col-
lege, it meets four or five times a
year at various places in the Willam-
ette Valley, issues a mimeographed
Bulletin of proceedings, and co-ordin-
ates effectively the activities of both
amateur and professional entomolo-
gists.

Since the 1900rs economic entomolo-
gists have participated in the annual
meetings and publications of the state
horticultural societies of Washigton
and Oregon, and since 1918 the North-
west Association of Horticulturists,
Entomologists, and Plant Pathologists
has met annually for the reading of
papers and informal discussions. Since
1926 the Western Co-operative Oil
Spray Project, for many years under
the chairmanship of E. J. Newcomer,
has held informal annual meetings in
various Northwestern cities. No form-
al recommendations have emerged
from these meetings, but their in-
formal findings have constituted the
basis of all official spray recommenda-
tions made in the Pacific Northwest,
and it is the considered opinion of
some that this conference has done
more for applied entomology in the
Northwest than any other single or-
ganization. Its success led to the
formation along similar lines of a Pea
Weevil Control Conference in 1936,
reorganized six years later as the Pa-
cific Northwest Truck Crop Insect

Control Conference. An annual Pa-
cific Northwest Pest Control Operators
Conference, organized at Corvallis in
1950, may come to play a similar role
in that field of applied entomology.

The crucial question to be asked
concerning Northwestern entomology
pertains to the nature of its contribu-
tions to man’s understanding of the
insects. This is a question that the
present author is able to answer only
in part and imperfectly.

First, there is the matter of the
Northwest insect fauna, the aspect of
Northwestern entomology with which
the speaker has been most concerned.
During the first thirty or forty years
of Northwestern entomology the in-
sects collected and reported on were
mostly Coleoptera, of which LeConte
issued a list of 233 species in 1857 and
of which perhaps as many, 500 or 600,
were known from the region by 1880.
By the nineties, however, the British
Columbians were becoming especially
interested in the Lepidoptera, result-
ing in 1904 in a catalogue of 1128
species that was issued by the Pro-
vincial Museum in Victoria. The
same period saw less complete listings
of groups of Hymenoptera, Diptera,
Coleoptera, Trichoptera, Odonata,
Neuroptera, and Orthoptera from Brit-
ish Columbia, so that by 1910 the
Canadians were well on the way to a
preliminary knowledge of their fauna.

This early work took the form
largely of simple lists, in part, because
the economic resources of these pion-
eer Northwestern entomologists did
not permit them to assemble either the
libraries or the collections necessary
for descriptive work. They sent their
specimens to specialists in the north-
eastern United States and eastern
Canada, and frequently the extent of
what they knew about them was repre-
sented by the names attached to the
returned insects.

Not all the work, however, remain-
ed on this preliminary level. At the
turn of the century the two most
outstanding entomologists in the
Northwest were probably Trevor Kin-
caid of the University of Washington
and John Merton Aldrich of the Uni-
versity of Idaho. These men, to be

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1953), Vol. 50, May 15, 1954

13

joined shortly by A. L. Melander of
the Washington State College and
the Rev. G. W. Taylor of the Nanaimo
Biological Station, were the first to
show that entomological work other
than the mere listing of names assign-
ed by others or the issuance of routine
economic information was possible in
this new country. Taylor in Geome-
tridae and Aldrich and Melander and
Kincaid in Diptera demonstrated be-
yond peradventure of doubt that en-
tomological work of the most exact-
ing sort was possible even in these
far reaches of North America; and
Aldrich’s brusque dismissal from the
University of Idaho in 1913 is a dark
page in the history of Northwestern
entomology. This northwest interest
in Diptera spread to Oregon, where it
resulted in Cole and Lovett’s List of
the Diptera of Oregon in 1921.

Somewhat analogous to the Aldrich-
Melander Diptera studies was the
Vernon “school’ ’of Coleoptera studies
at the Dominion Forest Insect Labor-
atory at Vernon, B.C., between 1919
and 1948. Here Ralph Hopping (1868-
1941) and his son, George R. Hopping,
produced a number of continent-wide
studies of Cerambycidae, and Hugh
B. Leech laid the foundations for his
work on water beetles. I am informed
that during this period Hopping’s
staff was encouraged to collect beetles
in general and not just those of
economic importance to the forest,
with the result that, for better or for
worse, a very fine collection was
assembled, one that I am finding in-
valuable in my present studies. Now
the pendulum swings in the other di-
rection : not only does no general
beetle collecting go on at the labora-
tory, but the forest beetles are being
themselves neglected for other insect
types such as the defoliators. In our
own decade, the private studies of
Kenneth and Dorothy Fender of Mc-
Minnville on the Lampyroid families
of Coleoptera are likewise on a con-
tinent-wide scale. But such work has
been scattered. The bulk of North-
western taxonomic entomological ac-
tivity has concerned the local fauna.

Whatever the administrators back
in Ottawa and Washington, or in the

presidents’ or deans’ chairs of the
agricultural colleges may have intend-
ed to the contrary, the basic taxonom-
ic problem as it relates to insects has
come out ; and there has been scarcely
an entomological laboratory in the
region that in one way or at one time
or another has not made contributions
— sometimes of an extensive nature —
to the knowledge of the fauna. Large
collections of Northwestern insects
exist at the State College of Wash-
ington, the Oregon State College, the
University of British Columbia, the
University of Idaho, and, outside the
Northwest, at the California Academy
of Sciences, with an important collec-
tion of Coleoptera at the University of
Washington — not to mention a num-
ber of collections in the hands of indi-
viduals and at certain of the experi-
ment stations and federal laboratories.

One is tempted to make a general-
ization. In the early decades on
economic work there is a tendency to
recruit personnel in important measure
from men who were attracted into
entomology by the aesthetic appeal of
insects and who have insisted on con-
tinuing this interest along with their
strictly practical studies. Aldrich, Me-
lander, Hopping, and others are ex-
amples of such men. As economic
entomology has matured, however,
numerous factors have combined to
end this tendency. The methods open
for the investigation of economic
problems become more extensive and
more preoccupying. Students are
attracted into the field primarily by
the opportunity it offers for earning a
living rather than because it is a
chance to work with insects in which
they are already interested. Finally
there comes a time when the admin-
istrators themselves have become
thoroughly conditioned to such a view
point and regulations are effected to
see that all the foolishness with insect
collections and insect nets — the badge
of the dreamy impractical enthusiast
— is relegated to the limbo of for-
gotten things !

Applied entomology in the North-
west began with a short series of
letters by O. B. Johnson on a number

14

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1953), Vol. 50, May 15, 1954

of insect pests, in the Willamette
Farmer between 1874 and 1877. It got
underway in earnest with the estab-
lishment of the state experiment sta-
tions in the early nineties, but for
three decades was largely occupied
with applying in the Northwest dis-
coveries that had been made else-
where. C. L. Metcalf, for instance, in
his 1940 survey of entomological pro-
gress between 1909 and 1919, cited 73
names on his “roll of honor” for the
decade. The only Northwesterner on
the list was Aldrich, listed for his
taxonomic work on Diptera, and he
had been discharged from the Uni-

versity of Idaho in 1913! With the
1920’s, however, the picture began to
change, and some ten Northwestern-
ers are among the more than 300
names cited in the bibliography in a
special study by E. O. Essig of en-
tomological progress in this decade.
Essig’s list may be of interest : Leroy
Childs, F. R. Cole, B. B. Fulton, Eric
Hearle, A. L. Lovett, A. L. Melander,
O. M. Morris, R. A. Muttkowski,
E. J. Newcomer, and R. C. Treherne.
I leave to someone more competent
the task of a comprehensive chronicle
of Northwestern achievement in ap-
plied entomology.

Selected Bibliography

The following references on the development of entomology in the Pacific Northwest
supplement the author’s 1949 study.

Buckell, E. R. Records of bees from British Columbia: Andrenidae. Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C'.
45, 1949: 27-30 (56 species); Megachilidae. 46, 1950: 21-31 (111 species); Bombidae. 47,
1951: 7-24 (30 species).

Buckell, E. R. and G. J. Spencer. The social wasps (Vespidae) of British Columbia. Proc.
Ent. Soc. B.C. 46, 1950: 33-40 (11 species).

Clark, M. E. An annotated list of the Coleoptera taken at or near Terrace, B.C. Part 2.
Froc. Ent. B.C'. 45, 1949: 21-24, (Orthoperidae ; 235 species).

Day, G. O. Presidential address. Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C. 4, 1914 : 39-44.

Downes, W. Fifty years of Entomology on Vancouver Island. Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C. 48,
1952: 9-16.

Essig, E. O. Fifty Years of Entomological Progress, Part IV, 1919 to 1929. Jour. Econ.
Ent. 33, 1940 : 30-58.

Follwell, J, H. Notes on some Ptinidae of British Columbia (Coleoptera). Proc. Ent. Soc.
B.C. 48, 1952 : 60-62 (11 species).

Glendenning, R. Reminiscenses of Fifty Years of Entomology in the Lower Fraser Valley
of B.C. Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C. 48, 1952: 16-19.

Gregson, J. D. The history of the ,Study of External Arthropods Affecting Animals and Man
in British Columbia. Piroc. Ent. Soc. B.C. 48, 1952 : 22-24.

Handford, R. H. The Dominion Field Crop Insect Laboratory and its Work, Vernon,
1918-1938, and Kamloops, 1939-1950. Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C. 48, 1952 : 31-33.

Hatch, Melville H. A Century of Entomology in the Pacific Northwest. 1949, 43 pp. 9 por-
traits (See review by W. Downes, Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C. 46, 1950 : 40).

— Trevor Kincaid. Studies Honoring Trevor Kincaid. 1950: 1-10. Portrait.

— An Account of the Life of Orson Bennett Johnson. Loc. cit. 11-28. Portrait.

— - The Young Naturalists Society (1879-19-5). Loc. cit. 29-34.

— Coleopterists and Coleoptera Collections in the Pacific Northwest. Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C.
47, 1951

— Observations on the Study of Beetles in British Columbia. 48, 1952 : 76-80.

— The Beetles of the Pacific Northwest. Part I. Introduction and Adephaga. Univ. Wash.
Press. 1953 (about 675 species).

Holland, George P. A revised check list of the fleas of Britishl Columbia. Proc. Ent. Soc.
B.C. 45, 1949: 7-14 (93 sp.).

Lane, M. C. List of the Elateridae of British Columbia. Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C. 48, 1952:
65-67 (150 species).

Marshall, J. Applied Entomology in the Orchards of British Columbia, 1900-1951. Proc.
Ent. Soc. B.C. 48: 1952 : 25-51.

Metcalf, C. L. Fifty Years of Entomological Progress, Part III, 1909 to 1919. Jour. Econ.
Ent. 30, 1940: 21-30.

Olds, H. F. Fifty years of Plant Quarantine Legislation and Activities in B.C. Proc. Ent.
Soc. B.C. 48, 1952: 34-36.

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1953), Vol. 50, May 15, 1954

15

Spencer, G. J. The 1951 Status of our Knowledge of the Insects of British Columbia. Proc.
Ent. Soc. B.C. 48, 1952 : 36-41.

Ross, Herbert H. and George J. Spencer. A Preliminary list of the Trichoptera of British
Columbia. Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C. 48, 1952 ; 43-51 (142 species).

Schmid, F .and Richard Guppy. An annotated list of Trichoptera collected on southern

Vancouver Island. Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C. 48, 1952 : 41-42 ( 59 species).

Venables, E. P. Fifty years of Entomology in the Interior of British Columbia. Proc.

Ent. Soc. B.C. 48, 1952: 19-22.

Waddell, D. B. A Preliminary List of the Hemiptera of the Kootenay Valley. Proc. Ent.
Soc. B.C. 48, 1952 : 93-96. (80 species).

NOTES ON THE LIFE HISTORY OF THE SHADED UMBER
NEPHELODES EMMEDONIA CRAM. (F. PECTINATA SM.)
LEPIDOPTERA: PHYLAENIDAE

George A. Hardy
Victoria, B.C.

This moth often turns up at my
porch light in Saanich, B.C. during
the month of August and September.
In 1951 a female was captured and
placed in a box within which she laid
a batch of eggs. The following life-
history notes were taken.

Ova. On August 29, 1951, 200 eggs
were deposited loosely in the box. No
cementing material was used; they
were free to roll about whenever the
box was tilted. The egg is spherical,
1 mm. in diameter, slightly flattened
on opposite sides, like an orange, fine-
ly ribbed and cross-ribbed, white to
cream in colour, changing to a dull
pink or leaden hue by September 15,
1951 As no signs of hatching were
observable on October 17, to ascertain
their condition one or two eggs were
dissected. This disclosed the young
larvae fully developed and lying curled
up in a dormant condition. Head pale
brown, body more or less translucent.

1st Instar. Some hatched about
February 16, 1952. Length 1.5 mm.
Head pale brown, bodv light grey in
colour. The egg shell is not eaten. I
had difficulty in getting the larvae to
feed despite a variety of plants in
leaf at this time of the year. Finally
they reluctantly took to Bromus sp.

2nd Instar. February 29, 1952.

Length 4 mm. Head pale brown, body
green, darker above than beneath,
slightly translucent ; a white broad
spiracular line, followed by two nar-

row ones and a medium dorsal line of
the same colour.

3rd Instar. March 12, 1952. Length
7 mm. Head and body similar to the
last instar, but the white lines edged
with black. Spiracular line creamy,
spiracles black.

4th Instar. March 25, 1952. Length
12 mm. Colour as before but body
darker and stripes more creamy and
more pronounced ; in some larvae the
creamy white of the spiraclar line is
centred by a pinkish colour.

5th Instar. April 10, 1952. Length
18 mm. Head pale brown or greenish
with dark freckles ; body colour has
changed from green to black, with a
slight bronze reflection, in sharp con-
trast to the white black-bordered,
longitudinal stripes, each of which has
a delicate pink flush superimposed
upon it.

6th Instar. April 26, 1952. Length
35 mm. Colour and marking as be-
fore, but the bronzy reflections more
noticeable, and with the surface of the
skin with many minute transverse
wrinkles. Full fed about May 15.
Length 45 mm. tapering a little to-
wards each end. Width 6 mm. in
middle of body. One larva burrowed
beneath the soil on May 31, but failed
to pupate.

Remarks. Of the 20 ova, the ma-
jority hatched, but the larvae rapidly
died off. Onlv two finally reached
maturity, but without the vitality to

16

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1953), Vol. 50, May 15, 1954

complete the metamorphosis. Pos-
sibly the food plant was not the cor-
rect one. The eastern form of N.
emmeddnia — the Bronzed Cutworm —
is reported as feeding on various cul-
tivated crops. Judging from this and
the loosely laid ova, I would have
expected the western form to be more
catholic in its tastes than has proved
to be the case in the present instance.

Moulting was very difficult and pro-
longed, often lasting for several days ;
many died before completing the moult
and some were not even able to com-
mence it. At no time did the larvae
spin a silk thread when moving about
or when dislodged from the food plant.

They fed only at night, hiding under
the herbage by day, though at no
time did I observe them burrowing
into the soil except once, evidently for
the purpose of pupation. When touch-
ed they snap their bodies vigorously
from side to side. If alarmed the body
is formed into a semicircle with head
raised, and held motionless for some
time. When at rest along a grass
blade, the stripes render them very
inconspicuous ; they seemed to blend
into the grass. One cause for the
rapid decline in number, since many
disappeared without leaving any sign,
may have been due to cannabalism, but
no proof of this was discovered.
Moulting difficulty appeared to be the
cause of most of the casualties.

SCIENCE NOTE

Note on a cat flea population, Ctenocepha -
lides jelis (Bouche) : — On November 6, 1953,
I treated a friend’s basement for fleas and
dusted the pillow on which the cat slept,
over a paper, to collect flea eggs. The host
cat was quite short-haired and apparently
harboured a considerable number of fleas on
its body, judging by its energetic scratching.
Since the animal was accustomed to sleep
by day on several pieces of upholstered furni-
ture in the house which most probably had
eggs on them, these were dusted and vacuum
cleaned by the owner. The pillow yielded a
fair amount of trash, a small amount of dried
flea blood, frass and a considerable number
of eggs with a very few recently hatched,
wriggling larvae. It was all promptly placed
in a tightly lidded tin and supplied with
powdered fox chow biscuit and a small piece
of wetted blotting paper attached to the lid,
for moisture. By next day the eggs were
hatching freely and the larvae burrowed into
the food. The box was kept in a table
drawer closed so as to reduce light, at labora-
tory temperatures, and was examined at
intervals.

In four to five weeks the larvae matured and
pupated ; much of the food powder was
used up by sticking to the outside of the
silken cocoons which now resembled a bed
of rough seeds. Fleas started to emerge and
by January 4 all had emerged and died.
Their growth was apparently affected by an
inadequate supply of flea blood of which

not one particle remained in the rearing cage
and all the fleas were stunted, males averag-
ing 1.25 to 1.5 mm. and females only slightly
larger. There were 902 adults and one dead
larva in the box, giving a possible total of
903 fleas by the end of January. If this
record is a normal infestation on a short-
haired cat, the flea population raised by a
long-haired cat or dog must be truly im-
mense.

To separate out the dead fleas, the trash
in the box was sifted through three grades
of wire mesh. The sifting yielded, besides
the fleas, one small hymenopteron, three
completely apterous minute mycetophilids
and one specimen of the dipterous family
phyllomyzidae, genus Desmomyza, about two
thirds the size of the normal flies in this
genus.

The presence of these three other insect
species is puzzling unless their pupae had
been carried up to the pillow on the cat’s
feet from the earth around an assortment of
plants and bulbs recently dug up and stored
for the winter in the basement, over which
the cat may have walked. I am not aware of
either hymenopterous or dipterous parasites
on flea larvae. They were certainly not in
the fox-chow biscuit powder supplied to the
larvae since this food had been pulverized,
sterilized for a week at -40° F. and stored
in a tin with a tight lid for a year before
being used. — G. J. Spencer.

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1953), Vol. 50, May 15, 1954

17

NOTES ON THE LIFE HISTORIES OF EPIRRHOE PLEBECULATA GN.
AND EUPHYIA LACTEATA PACK (LEPIDOPTERA: GEOMETRIDAE)

George A. Hardy
Victoria, B.C.

So far as I can gather there appear
to be no records of the food plants or
life histories of these two British Col-
umbia moths. The following notes are
the results of my investigations con-
cerning them.

Epirrhoe plebeculata Gn. The

Orange-winged Carpet. This species
is quite common in the Victoria dis-
trict. Jones (1911) gives its distribu-
tion for the province as “Southern
B.C.” It is on the wing early in the
year, being one of the first moths to
appear in .March and continuing in
lessening numbers into May. It may
be found Hying by day in bright sun-
shine along woodland borders and
forest trails.

An attempt to rear it was made in
1952. Several batches of eggs were
obtained from captured females. As
the moths were always found in the
vicinity of coniferous trees, Douglas
fir was tried as a likely food plant,
but was refused. A number of other
trees, shrubs and herbs was tried,
but without avail. All the caterpillars
died.

In 1953 another attempt was made.
After many trials the larvae took
readily to Galium aparine, thriving
and growing to maturity on it. Sev-
eral batches of eggs were obtained
during the season and reared separate-
ly. The number of eggs from indi-
vidual females varied from one to 50.
They were laid indiscriminately on the
sides of the box, each separate and in-
dependent of the others and affixed by
a natural adhesive. The following is
a brief chronological account.

Ovum. Laid April 15. Length
0,75mm. x 0.5mm. Elongate oval,
slightly flattened, smooth with micro-
scopic reticulations that scarcelv ap-
pear on the surface, pearly white in
colour, becoming yellowish to cream
at the time of hatching.

1st Instar. April 25. Length
1 mm. Head light brown speckled
with dark brown. Body translucent,
later becoming dull bluish-green as
food is ingested. A few scattered
hairs on each segment. The egg shell
is not eaten.

2nd Instar. May 6. Length 5 mm.
Llead as before. Body pale greenish-
grey with whitish dorsal line and lemon
intersegmental rings.

3rd Instar. May 10. Length 10 mm.
Head as before. Body pale greenish
to brown with six fine white longitud-
inal lines, interrupted at the juncture
of each segment by a pale lemon-
coloured ring encircling the body. A
black dot at the point of insertion of
hairs.

4th Instar. May 17. Length 15-
lb mm. Head pale beige, spotted with
black, sparsely covered with short
setae. Body light reddish to greyish
brown. Dorsum of thoracic segments
with a pronounced longitudinal black
line ; first five abdominals with a dark
brown to black mark on the dorsum,
each consisting of an inverted tri-
angular dark brown spot tipped with
white; the last four abdominal seg-
ments with a strongly marked black
line edged with beige colour — a more
emphatic repetition of a similar line
on the thoracic segments. Underside
grey with four white longitudinal
lines ; a broad dark brown dash in the
centre at the juncture of the seg-
ments. Spiracular line whitish, mark-
ed on the fourth and fifth segments
with a thick oblique brown dash. Spir-
acles black.

The general effect of the above
markings is of a small chain termin-
ating at each end with a straightened
link and giving to the caterpillar a
two-headed appearance, especially as
it holds the head extended forward.

18

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1953), Vol. 50, May 15, 1954

At maturity the caterpillar measures
23-25 mm. in length with all markings
very pronounced. It feeds at night,
hiding at the base of the food plant
by day where it lies straight and
motionless looking like a twig or dead
stalk. At no time was it observed to
use silken threads for support or in
an emergency such as on a sudden
alarm. However, just prior to pupa-
tion a few threads were spun to tie
together bits of debris or a few grains
of sand, as a protection for the pupa.

Pupa. May 30. Pupated about this
time, going just beneath the surface
soil or getting between leaves or form-
ed into a frail cocoon of bits of loose
debris lightly bound together. Length
7 mm. x 3 mm., smooth, shiny; bright
mahogany in colour. Cremaster con-
sisting of a two-pronged fork with
a very short stem.

Eophyia lacteata Pack.

The March Gem

This is another early day-flying
moth, being on the wing from late
February to early May. It is to be
found in similar habitats to E. plebecul-
ata. The moth is quite common around
Victoria. Its range in British Colum-
bia, according to Jones’ list, is
“Southern Vancouver Island, Lower
Fraser Valley, Kaslo.”

I made the same error as in the
study of E. plebeculata in supposing the
food plant to be a coniferous' tree and
with the same result. In 1953 renewed
efforts were rewarded by finding that
the larvae would feed on Montia per-
foliata and M. sibirica, though the suc-
culent nature of these plants gave di-
gestive troubles as the larvae grew
older, so that only a few reached the
pupal stage.

A pair of adults were taken in
coitu on the trunk of Alnus oregona on
April 8 about 4.30 p.m. From the
female 65 fertile ova were obtained.
Most of them were laid in a crack in
the chip box in which the female was
confined ; others were scattered in-
discriminately over the interior of the
box.

From the presence of the moths
among alder trees and the deposition
of eggs in crevices it was thought that

the food plant might be alder; sub-
sequent trials proved this surmise to
be incorrect. Only after experiment-
ing with a large variety of trees,
shrubs and herbs was it found that
Montia was the preferred plant genus.

Ovum. Laid April 10. Length
0.75 mm. x 0.5 mm. Oval, slightly
larger at one end, smooth with fine
microscopic reticulations showing be-
neath the surface. Colour nearly
white becoming lead colour towards
hatching time.

1st Instar. April 22. Length 1 mm.
Head pale brown, body a translucent
watery grey with a few short hairs
on each segment. When alarmed the
larva rears up on its hind claspers
and curls head down, assuming the
form of a question mark, and re-
mains motionless in this position until
all is quiet again.

2nd Instar. April 29. Length 5-6
mm. Head pale brown, body trans-
lucent green; some larvae are reddish
in colour.

3rd Instar. May 5. Length 8-10
mm. Head pale brown, body pale
green with dark green dorsal stripe
due to ingested food; some show faint
whitish dorsal and subdorsal lines. To-
wards the end of this instar the body
becomes less translucent and has a
grey-green colour with dark dorsal and
two thin white subdorsal lines. Spir-
acles black, intersegmental rings pale.

4th Instar. May 12. Length 15 mm.
Head pale brown dotted with light
brown flecks. Body jet black with
four whitish interrupted lines that
take the form of dash-like marks at
juncture of the segments.

5th Instar. May 20. Length 23 mm.
Head pale brown with small brown
dots and an irregular v-shaped brown
mark on upper part of head. Body
variable in colour as the larvae con-
tinue to grow, losing the intense black
and pattern of the initial stage of the
fourth instar. Dark fuscous to light
grey-brown or buff with a broad, black
dorsal stripe edged with pale yellow
colour, sometimes interrupted on each
segment ; two thin black lines between
the dorsal and the spiracular line.
Spiracles black. Underside light grey

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1953), Vol. 50, May 15, 1954

19

with four fuscous longitudinal lines
interrupted on each segment by the
ground colour, thus giving the appear-
ance of a chain of dashes.

Pupa. Pupation about Tune 1st.
Length 7 mm. x 2.5 mm., dark brown
in colour, cremaster consisting of two
diverging slightly curved spines. Some
of the larvae became sluggish and
listless during the close of the last
instar, and failed to pupate ; only a
small percentage of those hatched
reached the pupal stage. No cocoon
was formed, the larvae merely creep-
ing under debris or between old leaves
and pupating after lying quiescent for
a day or two.

Remarks. From the ease with
which Epirrhoe plebeculata fed and thriv-
ed, Galium aparine is evidently a perfect-
ly satisfactory food plant. At all
times the larvae were vigorous and
there were no deaths. Euphyia lacteata,
on the other hand, while readily tak-
ing to Montia and in fact refusing other
plants offered, did not thrive in the
final stages, a hint that something was
wrong. Possibly the food plant was
too succulent, or in nature they chang-
ed to some other species of plant.
Future investigations may clear the
matter up.

Reference

Jones, J. R. J. Llewellyn, 1951. An Annotated Check List of The Macrolepidoptera of British
Columbia!’, Ent. Soc. B.C. Occas. Paper No. 1.

STATUSES OF SOME INTRODUCED PARASITES AND THEIR HOSTS

IN BRITISH COLUMBIA1

J. H. McLeod2

Biological Control Section, Entomology Laboratory, Vancouver, B.,C.

From 1949 to 1953 the statuses of
the parasites and predators introduced
into British Columbia to aid in the
control of 11 insect pests were investi-
gated. The methods used were mainly
empirical because more accurate
methods are not known. The value
of a parasite was determined by its
ability to provide commercial control
over a long period, including intervals
of host abundance and scarcity. All
biological control projects in British
Columbia have been started during
periods of host abundance. Species
that have reduced the host populations
to and maintained them at economic
levels for 14 years or more are classed
as effective control agents.

This arbitrary method of evaluating
parasites has many weaknesses. Com-
mercial control can be achieved at
widely different host population levels,
e.g., a population up to 10,000 of a
lecanium scale or 1,000 of larch saw-
fly larvae per tree would not be

1 Contribution No. 3165, Entomology Division,
Science Service, Department of Agriculture, Ottawa,
Canada.

2 Agricultural Research Officer.

economically important, but 100 cod-
ling moth larvae per tree would be.

In this paper, percentage parasitism
does not indicate the effectiveness of a
parasite species, but is used to indi-
cate the relative numbers of the vari-
ous species that attack the same host
or to indicate the numbers of a para-
site in relation to those of its host.
The numerical relationship between
the parasite and host populations
necessary for commercial control
varies greatly and is dependent upon
the effectiveness of other mortality
factors.

Apple Mealybug, Phenacoccus aceris
(Sign.)

The apple mealybug, Phenacoccus aceris
(Sign.), was discovered in British Col-
umbia in 1913 and by 1935 was causing
serious inconvenience to the fruit
growers in the Kootenay Valley. The
excretion from the insects promoted
the growth of a sooty fungus that
rendered the fruit unsalable unless
washed.

From 1938 to 1943 colonies of Allot-
ropa utilis Mues. totalling 6,602 adults

20

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1953), Vol. 50, May 15, 1954

were released at 11 selected points
throughout the infested area. By 1943
this parasite had become well estab-
lished. In 1944 and 1945, four colonies
comprising 4,549 individuals obtained
at the original release points were re-
leased in the Kootenay Valley. In 1948
a colony of 133 adults was released in
a small area of infestation near Royal
Oak on Vancouver Island.

The apple mealybug has been con-
trolled bv A. utilis in the Kootenay
Valley since 1943 and on Vancouver
Island since 1949. An important
factor in the effectiveness of A. utilis
is its ability to survive sprays of
dormant oil lime-sulphur whereas
many of the apple mealybugs are
killed by this treatment. When the
spray is applied, A. utilis is in the pupal
stage and is protected by the mummi-
fied remains of the host, in which it
pupates.

Marshall (1953) stated that A. utilis
must be one of the outstanding ex-
amples in Canada of biological control
by an introduced parasite.

Codling Moth, Carpocapsa
pomonella (L.)

The codling moth, Carpocapsa
pomonella (L.), was first reported on
Vancouver Island in 1900 and in the
interior of British Columbia in 1905.
The menace of this pest to the fruit
industry was recognized at^an early
date and rigorous eradication regula-
tions are credited by Marshall (1952)
with preventing serious losses until
the regulations were relaxed in 1925.
During the next 20 years the codling
moth increased in destructiveness.
Since 1945 the use of DDT and the
development of more efficient spray
equipment have controlled the codling
moth in commercial orchards (Mas-
shall, 1953). The general use of DDT
is believed to be responsible for the
rapid increase in orchard mite
populations and for this reason substi-
tute insecticides are being sought.

"Biological control of the codling
moth was attempted through the in-
troduction of three species of para-
sites: Ascogaster cjuadridentata Wesm.,
E phialtes caudatus (Ratz.), and Cryptus
sexanulatus Grav. Stock of A. quadriden-

tata was obtained in Ontario and propa-
gated at the Entomology Laboratory,
Belleville, Ontario. A total of 50,800,
in colonies of 291 to 33,250 individuals,
were released at various points
throughout the Okanagan Valley in
1934, 1935, 1936, 1937, and 1939. A.
quadridentata became established but its
numbers have not yet increased
sufficiently to affect the codling moth
population.

Small numbers of E. caudatus and
C. sexannulatus were imported from
France and both species were propa-
gated at the Belleville laboratory.
Colonies of 54 and 4,199 adults of E.
caudatus were released in the Okanagan
Valley in 1942 and 1946, respectively.
Colonies totalling 3,030 of C. sexan-
nulatus were released at six points in
the interior of British Columbia in
1941, 1946, and 1947. Neither species
has been recovered. The search for
effective parasites of the codling moth
is continuing.

European Earwig, Forficula
auricular ia L.

The European earwig, Forficula auri-
cularia L., was first reported from Brit-
ish Columbia in 1916. In 1929 Buckell
reported that on the Pacific coast the
European earwig had become firmly
established and was a serious garden
and household pest.

Small colonies of Bigonicheta setipennis
(Fall.) obtained from England and re-
leased at New Westminster between
1928 and 1931 did not give evidence of
becoming established. In 1933 breed-
ing stock of this parasite was obtained
from the City of Portland, Oregon.
More than a quarter of a million para-
sites were propagated at the Divisional
laboratory at Victoria and were re-
leased at selected points from 1934 to
1939.

B. setipennis became established and
in 1945 seventy per cent, parasitism
was recorded in Vancouver by
Spencer (1947). In 1951, the range
of parasitism at seven widely separat-
ed points on Vancouver Island was
from 10.9 to 50.0 per cent.; at 10 on
the mainland, from 1.6 to 30.4 per cent.
Further data on the parasitism in the
Vancouver area were obtained when

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1953), Vol. 50, May 15, 1954

21

mass collections of the earwigs were
reared to obtain B. setipennis for trans-
fer to other infested areas in Canada.
The numbers of B. setipennis and of F.
auricularia and the percentage parasitism
for collections made in 1950, 1951, and
1952 were respectively: 6,211, 52,500,
and 11.8; 8,097, 42,800, and 18.9; 7,669,
71,300, and 10.8.

B. setipennis is the only parasite that
has been reared from the European
earwig in British Columbia and is a
more important control factor than
predators or disease. One of the most
important predators is a carabid,
Feronia melanaria 111. Spiders have been
observed feeding on the earwig.
The common house spider, Parasteatoda
tepidariorum (C. L. Koch), is an efficient
predator of arboreal earwigs.

B. setipennis puparia are parasitized
by a pteromalid, Dibrachys sp. Dibrachys
cavus Wlkr. was reported by Thomp-
son (1943) as a parasite of B. setipennis
in England ; but Dr. O. Peck, Ento-
mology Division, Ottawa, who exam-
ined specimens reared from B . seti-
pennis in British Columbia, reported
(in litt.) that these secondaries
through B. setipennis are distant from
D. cavus and presumably of a new
species.

B. setipennis is not numerous enough
to control the earwig, but with other
control agents it has prevented the
earwig from becoming a major insect
pest in British Columbia.

Lecanium Scales

The identities of lecanium scales in
British Columbia are obscure. It is
believed that there is a mixed popula-
tion of two or more species, including
the European fruit lecanium, Lecanium
corni Bouche, and the hazel nut scale,
L. coryli (L.), both of which were in-
troduced accidentally from Europe.
Glendenning (1933) stated that since
1925 the lecanium scale had been one
of the most destructive insects in the
coast region of British Columbia. A
colony of 263 adults of Blastothrix
sericea (Dalm.), obtained from England,
was released in 1928; and two colonies
totalling 779 adults were released in
1929. Glendenning (loc. cit.) reported
that the colonies of B. sericea released

in 1928 and 1929 became established
and by 1932 had spread over the en-
tire area of infestation, which at that
time was 200 square miles. The num-
ber of scales per foot of twig was re-
duced from an average of 35 in 1930 to
a maximum of two in 1932. The para-
sitism of the few adult scales present
in 1932 ranged from 90 to 100 per cent.
Lecanium scales have not since been
of economic importance in British Col-
umbia.

Clausen (1951) proposed the theory
that a “fully” effective parasite would
achieve control at the colonization
points within three host generations
or within three years after the para-
sites are released. He assumed that
certain requirements had been met,
and included in the list “that releases
were synchronized with the time of
abundance of the preferred host
stages.” The colonies of B. sericea that
were introduced into British Columbia
were released from June 24 to July 27,
when the host is in the egg or early
“crawler” stage and is not suitable
for parasitism. Graham and Prebble
(1953) stated that in southwestern
British Columbia the first-generation
eggs of B. sericea were never found in
the nymphal scales earlier than Sep-
tember 18, although adults of B. sericea
emerged from the fully formed female
scales in the latter half of June, and
the young scale crawlers were on the
foliage from early June onwards;
there was thus an interval of more
than two months when the parasite
was apparently not associated with
the scale. Investigations by the
author in 1952 and 1953 confirmed
these findings. It was also found that
B. sericea females of the summer gen-
eration do not become sexually mature
until shortly before oviposition occurs,
in late September. This is an example,
therefore, of an introduced parasite
having controlled a host within three
years although its release was not
synchronized with the time of abund-
ance of the preferred host stage.

The simultaneous increase in the
population of B. sericea and decrease in
that of L. coryli reached its climax in
1931 and was followed by a long period
of low host population. During their

22

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1953), Vol. 50, May 15, 1954

investigation, from 1941 to 1945,
Graham and Prebble (loc. cit.) found
that although the L. coryli infestation
had remained at a low level it had
spread about 70 miles eastward on
both sides of the Fraser River. It
had also spread westward to Van-
couver Island, where it was well estab-
lished in the Victoria district. By 1951
it had spread northward on Vancouver
Island to the Saanish Peninsula. B.
sericea has followed its host to all the
new areas of infestation.

Spiders in the field and European
earwigs in the laboratory have been
observed feeding on L. corni, but pre-
dators are not believed to be an im-
portant control factor. A few speci-
mens of a native parasite, Aphycus sp.
near kincaidi Timb., have been obtain-
ed from several thousand scales reared
in the laboratory. No secondary para-
sites of B. sericea have been reared.
Although recent investigations have
shown that there is seldom more than
40 per cent parasitism of the over-
wintering scale population, this addi-
tional mortality factor is probably re-
sponsible for the continued low level
of the lecanium scale population in
British Columbia.

Greenhouse Whitefly, Trialeurodes
vaporariorum (Westw.)

The greenhouse whitefly, Trialeurodes
vaporariorum (Westw.), has been a pest
of many greenhouse crops sffice it was
first reported in British Columbia in
1907. With the development of more
efficient and economical fumigation
material and equipment, many growers
have been able to control the white-
fly without serious difficulty. Other
growers, whose greenhouses are un-
suitable for effective fumigation or
who produce crops that are easily in-
jured by fumigants, have used the
parasite Bncarsia formosa Gahan exten-
sively.

In British Columbia E. formosa was
first used successfully in greenhouses
in 1934; and for 20 years from 100,000
to 475,000 of these parasites, propagat-
ed at the Belleville, Ontario, labora-
tory, have been shipped annually on
request to greenhouses and conserva-
tories in British Columbia. It is neces-
sary to recolonize E. formosa each year

because of the methods of handling
greenhouse-grown crops.

Improved methods of propagating
and shipping E. formosa have been de-
veloped and the optimum number of
the parasites required for satisfactory
control may be calculated from the
size of greenhouse, the crops grown,
the degree of infestation, and the tem-
perature at which the greenhouse is
maintained (McLeod, 1936).

Holly Leaf Miner, Phytomyza ilicis
(Curt.)

The holly leaf miner, Phytomyza ilicis
(Curt.), was accidentally introduced in-
to British Columbia with imported
nursery stock, and by 1931 it was
causing considerable injury and was
widely distributed over the holly-
growing area (Downes, 1931).

Five species of parasites were im-
ported from England and colonies
were released on Vancouver Island
from 1936 to 1938 and on the mainland

in 1939 as follows : —

Vancouver

Main-

Island

land

Chrysocharis gemma (Wlkr.)

34,564

11,393

Chrysocharis syma Wlkr.

1,978

179

Cyrtogaster vulgaris Wlkr.

2,227

471

Opius ilicis Nixon

33

10

Sphegigaster flavicornis Wlkr.

6,359

852

On Vancouver Island

the first re-

coveries were obtained in 1940
(Downes and Andison, 1941). C.
gemma was obtained in large numbers
at one of the release points and “a
survey of the plantation revealed the
fact that approximately 80 per cent
of all Phytomyza mines were parasi-
tized.” O. ilicis was also established in
1940, although no recoveries had been
obtained in 1938 from the caged tree
on which 33 individuals were released
in 1937.

From 1949 to 1953, collections from
Vancouver Island and the mainland
yielded specimens of all species that
had been released except C. syma, but
C. gemma was recovered only on Van-
couver Island and C. vulgaris only on
the mainland. The percentage para-
sitism from these collections was not
so high as that reported by Downes
and Andison (loc. cit.), the highest
being 60 and the average about 30

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1953), Vol. 50, May 15, 1954

3

on both Vancouver Island and the
mainland. On Vancouver Island C.
gemma was responsible for more than
90 per cent of the parasitism and on
the mainland O. ilicis was responsible
for 80 to 90 per cent. S. flavicornis, al-
though present in both areas, was of
minor importance.

It is remarkable that O. ilicis attain-
ed its present status on the mainland
as the original colony consisted of
only four males and six females. This
species is a relatively unimportant
parasite of the holly leaf miner in
England; Cameron (1939) stated that
it was a rare species and that only 0.3
per cent of the mines were attacked
by it.

No native parasites were reared
from the holly leaf miner during this
investigation; but several specimens
of C. vulgaris were reared from a native
species of grass leaf miner, Phytompza
nigra Mg., which has apparently been
adopted as an alternate host.

The usefulness of these parasite
species is difficult to evaluate. The
holly bud moth, the strawberry root
weevil, and the black vine weevil often
require chemical treatment for their
control in commercial holly planta-
tions, and these treatments also con-
trol the holly leaf miner. However,
there are thousands of holly trees in
ornamental plantings in the area and
few of these receive chemical treat-
ment. The introduced parasites un-
doubtedly contribute materially to the
control of the holly leaf miner in such
plantings.

Larch Sawfly, Pristiphora erichsonii

(Htg:}

In British Columbia the larch saw-
fly, Pristiphora erichsonii (Htg.), was
first reported in 1930 (Hopping, Leech,
and Morgan, 1943). In 1933 cocoon
samples were obtained and no evidence
of parasitism was found. Colonies of
parasites were introduced in 1934, 1935,
1936, 1941, and 1942. The larch saw-
fly infestation started near Fernie, in
the southeastern part of the province,
and spread westward. The parasite
releases in 1941 and 1942 were made
on the western fringe of the infesta-
tion to hasten establishment of the

parasites over the entire area of in-
festation.

Three species of parasites were re-
leased as follows : — Bessa harveyi Tns.

( = selecta Mg. of American authors):
1942, 5,995 ; Mesoleius tenthredinis Mor-
ley : 1934, 673; 1935, 2,196; 1936, 781;
1941, 624; 1942, 702; Zenillia nox Hall.:
1935, 1,265.

M. tenthredinis became established
and increased rapidly. B. harveyi be-
came established, but has not increas-
ed enough to be of economic im-
portance. Z. nox has not been recov-
ered.

Tritneptis klugii (Ratz.), a European
species that was not released, has
also become established. This species
may have spread into British Colum-
bia from contiguous areas of larch
sawfly infestation in Montana. The
usefulness of T. klugii is doubtful be-
cause it oviposits in larch sawfly co-
coons indiscriminately and destroys
many of the host larvae that have al-
ready been parasitized by M. tenthre-
dinis.

Specimens of Endasys ( Endasys ) sp.
and Euceros sp. have been reared from
mass collections of larch sawfly co-
coons. Both are hyperparasites of M.
tenthredinis , but neither species is
abundant enough to be of economic
importance.

At no time since it became estab-
lished in British Columbia has the
larch sawfly reached outbreak propor-
tions except in small, isolated areas.
The population in each of the heavily
infested areas for which there are
records became heavily parasitized by
M. tenthredinis and subsided without
serious injury to the trees.

From 1948 to 1951 samples of larch
sawfly cocoons were obtained from a
localized infestation and were dissect-
ed to determine the degree of parasit-
ism and mortality. The results (Table
I) showed that a large part of the
mortality during this period was due
to parasitism by M. tenthredinis. In
1952 and 1953 the larch sawfly popula-
tion had dropped to such a low level
that it was impractical to collect
cocoons to determine the degree of
parasitism.

24

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1953), Vol. 50, May 15, 1954

TABLE I

Mortalities and parasitism of larch sawfly larvae in cocoons
im British Columbia* 1948 to 1951

Condition of Larvae

1948

1949

1950

1951

Num-

ber

Per

Cent.

Num-

ber

Per

Cent.

Num-

ber

Per

Cent.

Num-

ber

Per

Cent.

Cocoons dissected

1,500

100

536

100

441

100

1,200

100

Dead

248

16.5

40

7.5

53

12.0

102

8.4

Parasitized by M. tenthredinis

829

66.2*

305

61.5*

213

54.9*

747

68.0*

Parasitized by T. klugii

10

.8*

23

4.6*

5

1.3*

7

.7*

Living

413

27.5

168

31.3

170

38.5

344

28.7

* Based on number of living larch sawfly larvae.

Oystershell Scale,

Lepidosaphes ulmi (L.)

The oystershell scale, Lepidosaphes
ulmi (L.), has been a pest of fruit and
other deciduous trees in British Col-
umbia for at least 50 years. In 1914
Treherne included it among the more
important pests of the lower Fraser
Valley. The oystershell scale is not
now an important pest in commercial
orchards, as it is kept under control
by the regular spray schedule for
other pests. However, commercial
orchards are continually subject to
reinfestation from infested wild host
plants.

The introduction of the predacious
mite Hemisarcoptes malus (Shimer) in
1917 marked the first attempt in Brit-
issh Columbia to control insect pests
through their natural enemies. Colon-
ies totalling approximately 1,000 of
H. malus were released at one point
on Vancouver Island, two points in the
Fraser Valley, and one point in the
Okanagan Valley. Glendenning (1931)
reported that at Agassiz and Vernon
the mite survived, and under certain
conditions effected excellent control.

Recent investigations by the author
have shown that H. malus is now wide-
ly distributed in British Columbia. The
population of this species was greatly
reduced during the winter of 1949-50,
when the temperature dropped below
- 30° F. at many points in the interior
of the province. It is known, however,
that H. malus has at times been an im-
portant control factor.

Pea Moth, Laspeyresia nigricana
Steph.

The pea moth, Laspeyresia nigricana
Steph., was first reported from British
Columbia in 1933. It soon became a
serious pest in the Fraser Valley,
where most of the canning peas in
British Columbia are grown. Wishart
(1947) stated that from 1934 until
1945 it increased steadily on Sumas
Prairie and in 1945 eighty per cent
of the pods were infested.

Four species of parasites were im-
ported from England and colonies
were released from 1937 to 1939 as fol-
lows: As co gas ter quadridentata Wesm.,
5,291; Glypta haesitator Grav., 1,543;
Horogenes spp., 35 ; Pristomerus vulnerator
(Panz.), 5. A. quadridentata and G.
haesitator became established and the
numbers increased rapidly. The per-
centage parasitism was reported for
the release area by Wishart (loc. cit.)
for 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944, and 1945 as
follows: A. quadridentata, 0.34, 1.24, 7.59,
10.80, and 76.39; G. haesitator, 0.14, 1.87,
0.70, 3.00, and 3.74; total parasitism,
0.48, 3.11, 8.29, 13.80, and 80.13. Horo-
genes spp. and P. vulnerator have not
been recovered.

In 1946 the pea moth infestation
dropped from 80 to 35 per cent in the
parasite release area. In that year an
important change occurred in pea-
growing practices in the area. The
growing of dried peas was discontin-
ued and only canning peas were grown
commercially. When dried peas are
produced, the crop is not harvested

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1953), Vol. 50, May 15, 1954

25

until after the pea moth larvae have
left the infested pods and entered the
soil to pupate. When canning peas
are produced, the crop is harvested
before the pea moth larvae have com-
pleted their development and many of
them are destroyed. The 45 per cent
reduction in infestation that occurred
in 1946, however, could not have been
caused exclusively by this change in
cultural practice, for an infestation of
76 per cent was recorded in areas
where the parasites had not yet be-
come established.

Between 1947 and 1953 the popula-
tion of the pea moth remained at an
extremely low level in cultivated peas.
In 1949, of 8,921 pods examined, 196
were infested; in 1950, 1951, 1952, and
1953 the infestation was less than one
per cent.

Yet there was a relatively large
population infesting wild host plants,
the most favoured of which is a species
of vetch, Vicia angustifolia L. Larvae
in these plants were heavily parasi-
tized by the introduced parasites. In
1951, 61.6 per cent .of the larvae were
parasitized, 45.1 per cent by A. quadri-
dentata, 13.8 per cent by G. haesitator,
and 2.7 per cent by undetermined Hy-
menoptera.

The low population of recent years
is probably due in part to the abandon-
ment of the production of dried peas.
The introduced parasites A. quadriden-
tata and G. haesitator are, however, an
important contributing factor. There
are many thousands of home gardens
in the infestation area. In most
gardens peas are grown and some are
left to ripen. Although home gardens
and wild host plants are potential
sources of infestation, infestations in
cultivated peas have been extremely
light and chemical control has been
unnecessary. The high percentage
parasitism in the wild host plants is
probably the most important factor
in the continued low population of the
pest.

Satin Moth, Stilpnotia salicis (L.)

The satin moth, Stilpnotia salicis (L.),
was first reported from British Col-
umbia in 1920. The infestation de-
veloped to serious proportions in the

willow and cottonwood stands of the
lower Fraser Valley (Glendenning,
1931). Four species of parasites were
introduced from New Brunswick and
Massachusetts between 1929 and 1934
as follows: Apanteles solitarius (Ratz.),

1933, 737; Compsilura concinnata (Mg.),
1929 to 1934, 3,592; Eupteromalus nidul-
ans (Thoms.), 1933, 4,313; Meteorus
versicolor (Wesm.), 1934, 520.

All species except E. nidulans became
established and A. solitarius increased
and spread rapidly. The infestation of
the satin moth abated and no wide-
spread outbreak has occurred since

1934. In 1951 there was a light infes-
tation on two willow trees on the
University of British Columbia cam-
pus. From 259 satin moth larvae col-
lected from these trees, 50 adults of
C. concinnata, 102 of M. versicolor, and 14
of A. solitarius were obtained, the com-
bined parasitism was 64.1 per cent.

The three species of introduced para-
sites were parasitized by native sec-
ondary parasites. Dibrachys cavus
Wlkr. parasitized all three species and
Gelis tenellus (Say) parasitized M.
versicolor. However, these secondary
parasites were not abundant enough
to seriously affect the primary para-
sites. Although no species of native
primary parasites have been reared
from the satin moth during the pres-
ent investigations, Glendenning (1932)
reported having reared five species of
Diptera and three of Hymenoptera
from larvae and pupae. He stated
that none of these native parasites had
been noticed in recent years and they
could not be relied upon to check this
pest to any appreciable extent. The
introduced parasites have survived
through an extended period of low
host population and continue to be
effective control agents.

Woolly Apple Aphid, Eriosoma
lanigemm (Hausm.)

The date when the woolly apple
aphid, Eriosoma lanigerum (Hausm.), be-
came established in British Columbia
is not known, but in 1914 Treherne in-
cluded it in a list of economicallv im-
portant insects in the lower Fraser
Valley. Aphelinus mali (Hald.) is the
most important parasite of the aphid

26

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1953), Vol. 50, May 15, 1954

and has been introduced into most of
the countries where the latter occurs.

A. mali was introduced from Ontario
to the lower Fraser Valley in 1921 and
to the Okanagan Valley in 1929. Re-
ports on the introduction, establish-
ment, and distribution of A. mali in the
Okanagan Valley were given by Ven-
ables (1931, 1937).

The past and present statuses of
both the woolly apple aphid and its
parasite A. mali have been succinctly
stated (in litt.) by Dr. J. Marshall,
Officer-in-charge, Entomology Labor-
atory, Summerland, B.C., as follows :
“Twenty-five years ago the woolly
apple aphid was the most troublesome
pest of the British Columbia apple in-
dustry. It malformed the trees, smut-
ted the fruits, and made picking'
highly unpleasant, and, most im-
portant, its feeding was associated
with the development of the serious
fungus disease, perennial canker. The
fungal organism develops only in tis-
sue that has been fed upon by woolly
aphids. With the equipment of the
time, chemical control of the aphid was
unsatisfactory. Consequently, work
was begun to establish biological con-
trol, and it was accomplished within
a few years by introduction of the
parasite Aphelinus mali , which was in-
troduced into the province through the
Entomology Laboratory, Belleville,
Ontario. The aphid became' a minor
pest and remained so until DDT was
generally used for codling moth con-
trol, in 1945. As DDT proved innocu-
ous to the aphid but toxic to the para-
site, once again the aphid is a major
pest. Investigations are to be under-
taken to re-establish the effectiveness
of the parasite either by substituting
for DDT in the apple spray schedule a
chemical non-toxic to the parasite, or
by developing a DDT-resistant strain
of the parasite.”

Discussion

Introduced parasites achieved com-
mercial control for 14 years or more
of five pest species, t.e.y the apple
mealybug, the larch sawfly, lecanium
scales, the pea moth, and the satin
moth. A sixth insect pest, the woolly

apple aphid, was controlled for at least
10 years, until DDT was used for the
control of the codling moth.

The times required for the parasites
of these six insect pests to give evi-
dence of commercial control conform-
ed, with one exception, with Clausen’s
(loc. cit.) conclusion that a “fully”
effective parasite or predator will
achieve control near the colonization
points within three host generations
or three years after release. The one
pest that was not brought under con-
trol within three years was the pea
moth ; A. quadtidentata has continued to
be the most abundant parasite species
since it became established, but it did
not become an effective control agent
until six years after the last colony
was released.

Three of the insect pests investigat-
ed were controlled only in some areas
and in some years, t.e., the oystershell
scale, the European earwig, and the
holly leaf miner. The degree of con-
trol that has resulted from the estab-
lishment of the parasites and predators
of these pests is difficult to assess.
There has not been an important out-
break of any of the pests mentioned
since the establishment of their natural
enemies in British Columbia.

The parasites of the codling moth
have been ineffective. Two species did
not become established ; the third be-
came established, but though widely
distributed, is ineffective. The require-
ments for commercial control of the
codling moth are so rigid as to entail
practical elimination of the pest. It is
doubtful whether a biological control
agent can be found that will by it-
self achieve such a degree of control.
However, a new combination of chem-
ical and biological control for the cod-
ling moth may solve the present
extremely complex problem of orchard
mite control, presumably brought
about through the use of DDT and
the absence of effective biological
agents to control the codling' moth.

E. formosa, the parasite of the green-
house whitefly, is effective under
suitable temperature conditions, but
because of the methods employed in
handling greenhouse-grown crops it is

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1953), Vol. 50, May 15, 1954

27

necessary to recolonize the parasites at
frequent intervals.

The insect pests that have been dis-
cussed are all introduced species.
There is no evidence that any native
parasite attacks any of these pests in
appreciable numbers. There are two
species of exotic parasites and one
exotic predator that are relatively im-
portant. T. klugii has become estab-
lished as a parasite of the larch sawfly,
but it also destroys large numbers of
the effective introduced parasite M.
tenthredinis. A. mytilaspidis is a widely

distributed parasite of the oystershell
scale, but the population is not large
enough to provide control. The cara-
bid beetle F. melanaria is a predator of
the European earwig but is not
abundant enough to be effective.

A few indigenous species of sec-
ondary parasites are known to para-
sitize some of the introduced parasites,
but none are economically important
except possibly Dibrachys sp. This
species may at times be an important
secondary parasite of the European
earwig through B. setipennis.

References

Buckell, E. R. 1929. The Dermaptera of Canada. Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C. 26 : 9-27.

Cameron, E. 1939. The holly leaf miner ( Phytomyza ilicis, Curt.) and its parasites. Bull.
Ent. Res. 30: 173-208.

Clausen, C. P. 1951. The time factor in biological control. J. Exon. Ent. 44: 1-9.

Downes, W., 1931. Holly insects. Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C. 28: 25-28.

Downes, W. and H. Andison. 1941. The establishment in British Columbia of parasites of
the holly leaf miner, Phytomyza ilicis Curtis. J. Econ. Ent. 33 : 948.

Glendenning, R. 1931. The progress of parasite introduction in British Columbia. Proc.
Ent. Soc. B.C. 28: 29-32.

Glendenning, R. 1932. The satin moth in British Columbia. Canada Dept. Agr., Pam. 50
(new ser.). 3rd revised ed.

Glendenning, R. 1933. A successful parasite introduction into British Columbia. Canadian
Ent. 65: 169-171.

Graham, K., and M. L. Prebble. 1953. Studies of the lecanium scale, Eulecanium coryli (L.)
and its parasite, Blastothrix sericea (Dalm.), in British Columbia. Canadian Ent. 85:
153-181.

Hopping, G. R., H. B. Leech, and C'. V. G. Morgan. 1943. The larch sawfly, Pristiphora

erichsonii (Hartig), in British Columbia with special reference to the cocoon parasites
Mesoleius tenthredinis Morley and Tritneptis klugii (Ratzeburg). Sci. Agri. 24: 53-63.
Marshall, J. 1952. Applied entomology in the orchards of British Columbia, 1900-1951.
Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C. 48: 25-31.

Marshall, J. 1953. A decade of pest control in British Columbia orchards. Proc. Ent. Soc.
B.C. 49: 7-11.

McLeod, J. H. 1938. The control of the greenhouse whitefly in Canada by the parasite
Encarsia formosa Gahan. Sci. Agr. 18: 529-535.

Spencer, G. J. 1947. The 1945 status of Digonochaeta setipennis, tachinid parasite of the
European earwing, Forficula auricularia, Linn., in West Feint Grey, Vancouver, B.C.
Proc. Ent. Soc. B.C’. 43: 8-9.

Thompson, W. R. 1943. A catalogue of the parasites and predators of insect pests. Section
1, Parasite host catalogue. Part 2, Parasites of the Dermaptera and Diptera. Imperial
Institute of Entomology, Parasite Service, Belleville, Canada, (processed)

Treherne, R. C. 1914. Insects economically important in the lower Fraser Valley. Proc.
Ent. Soc. B.C. 4: 19-33.

Venables, E. P. 1931. Aphelinus mali Hald., a parasite of the woolly aphis. Proc. Ent.
Soc. B.C. 28: 16-20.

Venables, E. P. 1937. Further notes on the woolly aphis parasite Aphelinus mali Hald. Proc.
Ent. Soc. B.C. 34: 33-35.

Wishart, Geo. 1947. Important reduction of three introduced pests in British Columbia
by introduced parasites. 77th Ann. Rept. Ent. Soc. Ontario, 1946, pp. 35-37.

28

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1953), Vol. 50, May 15, 1954

FOREST INSECT SURVEYS

H. A. Richmond*

Laboratory of Forest Biology, Victoria, B.C.

Probably no single phase of ento-
mological activities offers a wider field
for variety in object and methods
than surveys, for each survey must
vary according to its size, purpose, and
the circumstances governing it. This
paper deals in general with the Forest
Insect Survey in which we are pres-
ently engaged in Canada and specific-
ally with its operation in British
Columbia.

The Forest Insect Survey in Canada
had its inception in 1935 when an
organized attempt was made to keep
an annual check on the spread and
distribution of the European spruce
sawfly in Eastern Canada. Since that
time the survey has expanded in size
and purpose and today it operates
from Newfoundland to British Colum-
bia. No longer restricted to the
recording of species distribution and
insect outbreaks, it now includes with-
in its function general ecological con-
sideration of our forest insect popula-
tions. In brief, its objects may be out-
lined as follows : to report annually on
the fluctuations of insect populations
encountered in the forest on a scale
sufficiently broad to be representative
of the entire forest area; to amass
records as complete as possible on
parasites and their hosts ; ,to follow
the course of disease of insects, par-
ticularly of those species known to be
our more important forest destroyers ;
to locate incipient outbreaks as early
as possible; to locate and, if possible,
control anv newly arrived foreign pest
before serious damage or dispersal has
occurred ; to provide information on
life histories, habits and identification
of immature forms and to gather such
specialized data as may be vital to
some specific research undertaking.
Within the last year the survey has
expanded to include the procuring of
data relative to certain specific tree
diseases.

In its immediate application the
survey provides information on the
current status of forest insects over

* Officer-in-charge, Forest Insect Laboratory, Divi-
sion of Forest Biology, Canada Department of Agri-
culture, 409 Federal Building, Victoria, B.C.

specific areas, permitting those con-
cerned to take such action as may be
expedient to prevent or reduce pos-
sible losses. On a long-term basis the
survey provides much important data
for specialized projects and points up
many problems requiring intensive
study. It is therefore as much a tool
to the service as it is an end in itself.

In the operation of a continent-
wide survey, methods and procedures
must fit local conditions and hence no
one standard method can be applied.
In the beginning the survey was
primarily qualitative in nature. The
general method of sampling the insect
population on a tree was to spread a
sheet of standard size on the ground
below the tree and to strike the limbs
above with a pole of standard length.
Dislodged larvae fell to the sheet, were
collected, placed in a mailing con-
tainer with food and a completed en-
closure slip, and mailed to a regional
laboratory for identification and rear-
ing. Data from such collections were
quantitative only in a very gross way.
Although referred to as the earliest
method of sampling, it is still used
quite widely in random sampling for
defoliators over extensive and remote
regions. As the value and application
of survey data became evident, new
and specialized sampling methods
were developed to meet peculiar re-
quirements and situations. In many
areas, sampling is now being done on
permanent sample plots selected as
representative of the forest stand of
the region. Sampling from the same
plot may be done three or four times
a season. The use of plots has been
developed on a rather restricted basis
pending a thorough appraisal of the
relative merits of random observa-
tions in contrast with similar data de-
rived from representative plots. Work
of this nature is possible only in areas
readily accessible, free from cutting
and with assurance of a degree . of
permanency. Another sampling
method has been the cutting of mea-
sured branches or twig samples and
recording the number of larvae pres-
ent. Collecting moss for egg counts

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1953), Vol. 50, May 15, 1954

29

and sampling of the forest floor for
hibernating insects are other special
methods employed.

Probably the greatest difficulty in
sampling for defoliators on the west
coast is the size and height of trees
and the impossibility of reaching up
the bole even a short distance. In
an effort to cope with this problem,
research of recent years suggests the
practical application of the collection
and measurement of frass fall from
the feeding population. In this pro-
cedure, portable canvas trays are
established below representative trees
in the area concerned and through the
accumulation of frass over a definite
period correlated with the increase in
body weight of the larvae in the same
period, an index of the feeding popula-
tion is obtained.

Although the survey is still in its
early development we have learned
much from it, but no doubt its great-
est value will be evident in the future
as more data are amassed. Illustrative
of this is the relationship of one
species of insect to another in the
chronological sequence in their cyclic
recurrence. There is reason to be-
lieve that during the general popula-
tion increase of defoliators in the west,
the build-up of the various species
may follow a fairly definite pattern.
In other words the increase of a
certain species may presage the later
rise in population of another and per-
haps more important species. If and
when increased knowledge permits an
accurate prediction of events before
they happen we will have passed an
important milestone on the way to-
ward coping with our forest insect
problems.

With the extension of random sur-
veys, however, a noint of diminishing
return is eventually reached when
successively less new information is
obtained for equal expenditure of
effort. More and more attention is
now being directed to selected prob-
lems to provide more critical informa-
tion on population trends, control
factors, and damage caused by infesta-
tions. In the West, such work has
centred about the western hemlock
looper and bark beetles.

Since major outbreaks such as the
hemlock looper occur at intervals of
12 or 15 years, opportunities are infre-
quent for the study of events in the
insect complex that lead up to such
outbreaks. We are, in fact, only be-
ginning to accumulate data relative to
such phenomena. The early records of
insect outbreaks were for the most
part very general in nature, concern-
ed only with the species responsible
for the damage and restricted to the
one or two years when the insect was
most prevalent. While probably quite
adequate at that time, these early
records give little historical or scien-
tific background information with re-
spect to the rise and fall of the out-
break. The inclusion of data on the
associated species of no apparent im-
portance was obviously impossible
with the limited personnel employed
in the early days of entomology in this
country.

The survey in which we are engaged
places equal emphasis on insects
whether they be of minor or major
importance economically. Knowledge
of these so-called minor associates
may eventually supply the key to long
term predictions of population trends
of other pests: to an understanding of
the survival of parasites during periods
of low population of its preferred host,
or the zoning of the forest for possible
distribution of certain major pests.
One might speculate at great length on
future possibilities of such work.
Since important outbreaks recur but
a few times in the life of any worker,
few workers today will live to realize
the full significance or value of such
surveys. Our successors will benefit
from the fuller, deeper understanding
that must accrue from long-term, in-
tense surveys.

With this general review of the
survey, mention should now be made
of something of the mechanics of its
operation. The sampling of insects,
the establishment of plots, mapping,
reporting and the many phases of
work in the field are handled bv a
specially trained non-technical staff of
insect rangers. An important require-
ment in field work is familiarity of
the particular region concerned, the

30

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1953), Vol. 50, May 15, 1954

forests of that area, personnel engaged
by cither the Forest Service or in-
dustry, methods of travel, etc.
Permanence of staff is therefore essen-
tial to give continuity from year to
year and to produce maximum
efficiency. For these and other reasons
a ranger staff as mentioned is consid-
ered best. Rangers are chosen with
great care since it is exacting work
requiring a man of very special tem-
perament. There are nineteen rangers
employed in British Columbia.

The British Columbia coast does not
lend itself to easy survey methods due
to the almost total lack of roads.
With approximately 7,000 miles of
shore line, many parts cannot be
reached more frequently than once in
two years. It has become evident to
many of the larger operators that
regular sampling can be achieved only
if their personnel in that area assist.
Arrangements have been made in
several regions whereby the companies
concerned conduct periodic sampling
throughout the year on plots origin-
ally established in co-operation with
the Forest Insect Laboratory.

Associated with the field staff of
rangers is the professional staff at the
laboratory who receive, identify, and
rear the living larvae through to the
completion of their life cycle from
which final records are compiled.
Specialized rearings and studies of
certain specific groups of insects are
undertaken by the laboratory person-
nel for life-history studies, parasite
and disease work, taxonomic data or
other related problems.

Directing all survey activities both
in the field and in the laboratory is
the survey head for the province. He
must be a combined forester, ento-
mologist, and ecologist. Through him
the work of the ranger staff is organ-
ized on a sound scientific basis. Cur-
rent reports are analyzed for their
significance and the work of the sur-
vey is co-ordinated with the research
staff. Thus the survey not only sup-
plies information on abundance, dis-
tribution, etc., but it also yields
valuable data for those undertaking
special research investigations.

In order to achieve continuity
throughout the service, to promote a

maximum of efficiency, and to unify
procedures and methods, the Canada-
wide survey is headed by a divisional
survey co-ordinator. The over-all
efficient operation of the survey and
the development of specialists needed
in its operation at the various centres
are his responsibilities.

During a typical year the survey in
British Columbia handles some 25,000
individual rearings which, in turn, en-
tail a similar number of separate rear-
ing sheets, each record containing the
pertinent insectary and field data. A
periodic analysis of so large a volume
of records, if done manually, would be
impossible without a greatly expand-
ed staff. To cope with this a standard
punch-card system of recording was
established across Canada in 1952.

Henceforth all information, includ-
ing the identity of the insect, will be
coded and punched on the cards. The
mechanical sorter can handle 400 cards
per minute, sorting for as many as 12
columns simultaneously. Hence it will
be possible to draw out information as
required with a minimum of effort and
time for as many years as one may
wish. The installation of this equip-
ment in all main survey centres
across Canada and the development of
a standard punch card and field record
sheet constitute an important step in
rounding out an adequate forest insect
survey, for unless the information is
readily usable its recording would
seem futile at the outset.

Almost synonymous with surveys
is the problem of population sampling*.
The development of surveys in Canada
and the United States and the applica-
tion of these data to specific problems
and research projects call first for a
study of the basic problem of popula-
tion sampling. Obviously it will be
many years before techniques of
known value capable of being used by
non-specialists can be developed for
each important insect. In the mean-
time methods purely empirical in na-
ture must be employed which in many
cases are of doubtful significance. As
qualified investigators develop the field
of sampling techniques so may we ex-
pect advancement in the field of
insect surveys.

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1953), Vol. 50, May 15, 1954

31

NOTES ON THE LIFE HISTORY OF CORYPHISTA MEADI PACK.
AND FORM BADIARIA HY. EDW. (LEPIDOPTERA:
GEOMETRID AE )

George A. Hardy
Victoria, B.C.

The following notes on the life
history of the moth Coryphista meadi
Pack, may be of interest as bearing
on the relationship of the colour
forms. A female of the form badiaria
was taken on Mount Prevost on May
20, 1952. From this specimen a batch
of ova was obtained and the resulting
larvae were reared to maturity.

Ova. Laid in small box on May 20-
23 inclusive, singly or in short strings
in which the ova were laid side by
side, until a total of 75 was obtained.
Shape oblong, smooth with minute
reticulations. Size 0.75 mm. x 0.50 mm.
Colour creamy, becoming darker to-
wards hatching time.

1st Instar. Hatched May 27. Length
2 mm. Head light brown; body colour-
less, translucent, soon becoming green
after feeding. No markings. The
larva does not eat the egg shell. The
food plant is Eerberis nervosa; other
plants, placed before it were refused.
When jolted the larva hangs by a silk
thread to the twig or leaf from which
it has fallen. When mildly disturbed
it draws the body into a tight vertical
loop, claspers and true legs touching.
In this position it remains motionless
for some time, or until all is quiet
again.

2nd Instar. June 1st. Length 10 mm.
Head pale brown ; body dark green to
black with white interrupted spiracu-
lar line Feeds at first on underside
of leaf, chewing through the epidermis
on one side only. Later it feeds at
edge of leaf in the usual manner.

3rd Instar. June 6th. Length 14 mm.
Head as before ; body black with a
broad irregular spiracular line and
four thin longitudinal lines on the
back, all white. Underside dark olive
green.

4th Instar. June 10th. Length 18 mm.
Head orange ; body as before but with
intensification of the black and white;
spiracular line very conspicuous and

with a chain-like formation due to a
series of interrupted black hyphen-
like marks along the centre of the
line, placed at the junction of two seg-
ments. The wider part of the line is
suffused with pale lemon yellow, and
contains two black tubercles. The
spiracles are black and are centred on
the spiracular line, giving to the seg-
ments containing them the appearance
of three black dots. Underside fuscous
with a medium white line. When full
fed the larva measures 25 mm; it is
then a strikingly handsome caterpillar.

Pupa. Pupated June 15. All went
below the surface of the soil within
an hour or so. Colour dull mahogany
brown, cremaster shining, black, with
two short, stout outwardly curved
hooks. Length 14 mm. by 4 mm. The
pupa is enclosed in a cocoon made of
loosely cemented soil particles just be-
low the surface of the ground.

Imagines. Nearly all emerged on
July 8th almost at the same time.
With about 60 arriving at once the
rearing box presented a lively appear-
ance.

Remarks. The ova hatched in seven
days from time of laying. The larval
period was 19 days, while the pupal
life was completed in 23 days, making
a total of 49 days from egg to adult.
From the 75 ova obtained, 57 adults
were reared. Of these, 29 were typical
meadi and 28 were of the form badiaria
with no intermediate grades. Sexes
were indiscriminately distributed
among the two forms, with males pre-
dominating.

With such a marked distinction the
name badiaria is a convenient term to
distinguish this colour phase from
typical meadi, the colour form from
which the original description was
drawn. The uniformity with which the
larvae developed, pupated and the
adults emerged, each stage at about

32

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1953), Vol. 50, May 15, 1954

the same time almost to the minute,
is rather remarkable under confine-
ment.

An attempt to mate the moths was
unsuccessful. As this species is appar-
ently single brooded, it is possible that

mating would be delayed until the
following spring, as the female meadi
f. badiaria from which the ova were
obtained was very worn and minus
a hind wing, evidently a hibernat-
ed specimen.

TWO DECADES OF HOUSEHOLD PESTS IN VANCOUVER:
A SUMMARY OF ENQUIRIES

G. J. Spencer

University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C.

There are certain unavoidable im-
perfections in these records.

1. Citizens of this Province and of
Vancouver have been slow to
realize that they can get a measure
of help from the University in con-
nection with their insect problems.

2. Many enquiries have come in and
have been answered over the tele-
phone : only in later years have
some of these messages been
recorded.

3. Those recorded have been mostly
letters sent to enquirers, of which
carbon copies are on file.

4. While 95 per cent, of these records
are from Vancouver, I have pur-
posely included some from other
points in the Province to show the
spread of an insect or its distribu-
tion.

5. Most of the enquiries come in dur-
ing the summer months when I am
away on field work.

With the University becoming bet-
ter known, the volume of enquiries is
steadily increasing until now they
average 30 to 40 per month throughout
the academic year. Some of these en-
quiries sent to The Entomologist,
credit me with encyclopedic knowl-
edge ; some I can hand to other mem-
bers of our Department, but the rest
1 have to answer. Samples of these
are

Types of questions sent in to an
Entomologist

How to remove moss from roofs.
What rotifers occur in moss on roofs?
How to prevent woodpeckers drilling
in roofs and pigeons from fouling
cornices.

Will carpenter bees in nail holes in
walls and between shingles on roofs
destroy the house?

Concerning insects brought into
houses on cut flowers or leaves, aphids,
thrips, blotches on holly leaves, borers
in rose stems, Leptoglossus on holly,
aphids and scale on ferns.

Odd insects flying in, esp. Polyphylla
crinita Lee.

Horn-tails being attracted to gas
works.

During war years, “how to raise silk?”
How to remove toads, snakes and
moles from gardens.

How to tell sexes of guinea fowl and
muskrat.

How to remove flies and mites from
mushroom beds.

Mites in honey-bee colonies and on
earthworm cultures.

How to remove swarms of honey-
bees from gardens.

How to rear frogs and toads and to
start earthworm farms.

Why has a moose a bell ?

Why are there no skunks in central
B.C. ? and so on.

Therefore the following records are
cut down heavily to include only
those affecting homes, in one way or
another.

In view of the above-mentioned im-
perfections in these records, I can give
you only an idea of what household
pests occur in Vancouver; it is at best,
only an indication and therefore curves
or histograms of records are of little
use and are consequently omitted and
the enquiries are grouped into topics
or categories.

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1953), Vol. 50, May 15, 1954

33

Categories of Enquiries

Species

Concerned

Pests of the Fabric of homes - - 7

Pests attacking man’s food - - - 16

Pests of clothing and furniture - - 9

Pests attacking man’s person - - 8

Pests on household animals or pets - 3

Stragglers into homes ----- 33

A total of ------ 76

categories or
species

and in addition there are 214 identifi-
cations of various sorts.

Insects attacking the Fabric of
Homes are carpenter ants, termites,
Anobiid beetles of two species, the
beetle Buprestis aurulenta L. the longi-
corn Criocephalus productus Lee. and
beetles of the genus Lyctus.

During 12 years out of 20, there
were 55 enquiries about carpenter
ants, 10 each year in 1951 and 1953 and
the number is steadily increasing, re-
ported chiefly from old houses. Of
termites, there are 89 enquiries : all
but one concern Zootermopsis angusticollis
(Hagen), the one received two weeks
ago is Z nevadensis (Hagen). Faulty
construction in houses whereby the
woodwork touches the earth, are re-
sponsible for most of the damage al-
though I have four records where the
colonies became established complete-
ly away from contact with the ground.
Here again, the damage is increasing
very heavily ; in 1950 there were 12
enquiries, in 1951, 17; in 1952, 10 and
so far this year 1953 there have been
eleven. In many cases the damage
both from black carpenter ants and
from termites, has been very serious,
necessitating extensive and very ex-
pensive repairs to buildings. I have a
4-ft. piece of an 8 x 10 foundation
pillar from an apartment house where
the inside has been completely hol-
lowed out by termites leaving a shell,
in places less than 1/8 in. thick.
Anobiid or death watch beetles are
also becoming of prime importance in
homes. The European death watch,
Anobium punctatum Deg., generally
starts from antique furniture import-
ed from Europe and spreads to the
fabric of the house itself. I have ten
records of this beetle, four in furni-
ture alone and six in walls, but

in two instances the infestation did
not arise from heirloom furniture; the
beetles apparently flew in from out-
side. There are 15 species of Ano-
biidae in the University collections,
ten connected with timber of which
four are on the coast and six spp. in
the interior. The species that is
spreading badly in Vancouver is Coelos-
tethus quadrulus (Lee.) which is attract-
ed to homes where the wood-destroy-
ing fungi Merulius lacrymans (Wulf.)
and Poria spp. have produced dry rot.
So far I have 23 records of infestations
of C. quadrulus (Lee.) in Vancouver, one
involving the entire house. In places
where dry rot is not concerned, sap-
wood only is affected; heart wood is
not attacked. Buprestis aurulenta L.
originates usually in logs and the
grubs that have been missed by the
saws develop in the timbers, some-
times emerging as beetles from 14 to
18 years after the house was built.
I have 14 records of these beetles
emerging from buildings, the latest
one, received this year from Port Al-
berni church, where many beetles
emerged from floor joists, flooring and
especially the pews. The church was
completed fifty years ago and the pews
were installed at that time. This is
surely a world’s record for slowness
of development of any insect.

The longicorn, Criocephalus productus
Lee., originated in fire-scorched trees,
and four buildings constructed from
timber from these trees, were riddled
by larvae and emerging adults.

Lyctus beetles emerged from three
homes where oak flooring, imported
from the southern States during the
war, had not been dry kilned.

Insects on man’s food include
about 20 common species ; four spp.
of spider beetles, the drugstore beetle,
Tribolium, the saw-toothed grain
beetle, g'ranary and rice weevils, Medi-
terranean flour moth, Plodia, the bean
weevil, cockroaches, ants, red-legged
ham and larder beetles, book lice and
mites on cereals and mites on cheese
and dried fish. Almost all of the total of
104 records of spider beetles involve
Ptinus tectus (Boield) ( = Ptinus ocellus
Brown) which, with 49 records of

34

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1953), Vol. 50, May 15, 1954

drugstore beetles, almost always start
from cans of paprika and other spices
and spread to other foodstuffs. Just
this year I have four definite records of
P. ocellus occurring in carpets in con-
siderable numbers where the grubs
must have been feeding on trash deep
inside the pile because they normally
do not eat keratin. The drugstore
beetle also is brought into houses in
spice tins and packages of cereals
and once did great damage to the
herbarium of our university, com-
pletely destroying flowers and leaves
of many pressed plants. The German
cockroach is reported almost every
year, as are ants in pantries. I have
definitely identified Pharoah’s ant only
once with two more records of
probably this species: the other

records are of ants native to this
Province. The 12 other insects in this
category are of minor importance
though some of them, such as the bean
weevil, are sometimes very abundant
when they do occur.

Insects attacking clothing and furni-
ture consists of the varied carpet
beetle, the black carpet beetle and the
eastern buffalo carpet beetle : clothes
moths, spider beetles (as recorded
above), silver fish, Perimegatoma vespulae
Mill., and Anobium punctatum Deg. in
the wood of furniture. The varied
carpet beetle, Anthrenus verbasci (L.),
with 268 records, is easily the worst
household pest in the Province. The
first record in 1934 was of five larvae
brought into Vancouver from an auto
camp on Vancouver Island and from
these five I have maintained colonies
in tins every year since, but from 1938
onwards it has been sent in from this
city, from most of the lower mainland,
Victoria, the Okanagan and as far east
as Creston and Trail. Reared in the
laboratory with abundant food, there
are two generations a year but usually
only one in homes ; in some years two
broods per year develop in homes.
In 1951 there were 74 enquiries about
this pest and so far this year there
have been 61 ; ten enquiries came in
on one morning the second week in
November.

The black carpet beetle was first re-
ported from Vancouver in 1944, with

22 records up to now, nine in 1951 and
four so far in 1953. It is slowly
spreading in the city although it is
quite common in the dry belt, as at
Kamloops. The eastern buffalo carpet
beetle is established at Haney and at
Mission some 50 miles from Van-
couver with one record from Van-
couver, and it will not be long before
it spreads in this city.

Twenty years ago clothes moths
were the chief household pest locally
but they almost completely faded out
when D.D.T. came on the market, be-
ing reported only one to three times
a year, but they jumped back in 1951
when seven complaints about them
came in. It would appear that these
two moths have developed a measure
of resistance to D.D.T.

Silver fish are spreading slowly but
surely, with 25 records, the highest
being five in 1951. Both Lepisma sac-
charina L. and Thermobia domestic a
(Pack.) are represented. Psocids or
book lice have been reported 13 times
and cause annoyance and hysteria out
of all proportion to their size when
they flood all over a house and are
very difficult to eradicate. The newest
household pest is the dermestid Peri-
megatoma (or Megatoma) vespulae Mill-
iron which is common in the dry belt
at Kamloops, but has been sent in from
Vancouver twice, in 1949 and 1953.
For some years it was a menace to
the university insect collections, hav-
ing been introduced in dried insects
brought down from Kamloops but it
was eradicated in 1951. Last year,
however, it came down from the dry
belt in great bundles of pressed plants
collected in the interior and developed
into a serious threat, eating the flow-
ers of dried plants, especially those of
Ranunculaceae. This summer the her-
barium collections had to be fumigated
against it.

On human beings, 10 species occur — -
the human flea, cat and dog fleas, ticks,
itch mites, bedbugs, body and crab lice
and rat and poultry mites. The human
Pea has been reported in nine out of
20 years with not more than two re-
ports of it in any one year. But in
several parts of eastern Vancouver

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1953), Vol. 50, May 15, 1954

35

Island, chiefly Qualicum and Sydney,
It sometimes develops in tremendous
numbers on sea beaches. There are
119 reports of cat and dog fleas, of
which 44 occurred in the year 1940,
when people became conscious of it
after a broadcast on fleas. One or
other of the two species (or both) has
been reported far 17 years out of 20.
This climate is well suited to these
insects which sometimes develop to
plague proportions in a house. There
have been 19 records of bedbugs with
no reports at all from 1947 to 1950 ;
only five since then : it is possible
that these insects also are becoming
resistant to D.D.T. Body lice are un-
usual wfith only two records ; but one,
in 1946 was outstanding because the
almost unbelievable hordes of these
insects were a contributing factor to
the death of an old man living alone
in a cabin. Both rat mites and poultry
mites on pigeons, developing in the
nests of these animals, sometimes
swarm out and spread over buildings ;
such invasions have been reported six
times.

There are 34 records of ticks, almost
all of the coast tick with one only
(1953) of the Rocky Mountain spotted
fever tick, Dermacentor andersoni Stiles
( venustus Marx), attaching to a woman
on Fraser Avenue in Vancouver when
she was out of the house for ten
minutes. Nobody in the house and no
neighbours had recently been up-
countrv and the origin of this dry
belt tick in Vancouver, cannot be ex-
plained.

On house pests, ear mites of dogs and
cats are common ; mange mites and
puppy lice and mites on birds are
occasionally reported. Fleas on cats
and dogs are, of course, of perennial
occurrence.

The list of stragglers into homes is

large, with complaints of spiders and
ants heading the list. Spiders have
been reported for 17 years and ants
for eleven years, the invasions of ants
generally occurring in new houses,
when their homes having been disrupt-
ed the insects wander in all directions
for some days and straggle into build-
ings. House flies are so taken for

granted that there were only 11 com-
plaints about them, five in 1939, one
in 1950, two in 1952, and three
in 1953. There are two definite re-
ports of resistance to D.D.T. in house-
flies in 1953, one from a packing house
in this city where the management
spent $1,000 in vain last year, and the
other from the sanitarium at Tran-
quille near Kamloops. This autumn
I received details of myiasis by the
lesser house fly, Vannia canicularis
Linn., when a large number of larvae
was discharged from the urinary pas-
sages of a five-year old girl. In 1952
one record from North Vancouver con-
cerned two successive broods of the
house fly, Musca domestica L., develop-
ing in the mattress of a baby’s crib :
the resulting adults were only half
normal size.

Other invaders of homes are constant-
ly reported but are of very minor im-
portance, several species of Diptera,
including Drosophila, mosquitoes and
black flies ; sowbugs, earwigs, wasps
and wasps’ nests, mud wasp nests,
pseudoscorpions, Bryohia mites, cater-
pillars and moths, European house
crickets and native black crickets,
Tropidischia xanthostoma Scudder, the
giant cave cricket and smaller camel
crickets ; bedbugs from bats and swal-
lows, great fights of ladybird beetles
in the autumn ( Hippodamia ambigua
Lee.), the black vine and strawberry
weevils, Collembola, and carabid
beetles seeking shelter for the winter
in basements.

Some stragglers or invaders merit
attention. I have 25 records of Case
bearer larvae appearing for eight years
since 1944, in large numbers, migrat-
ing from trees near houses. I have
fed these larvae on scale insects on
willow and find them actively carnivor-
ous, cleaning out sheets of scale and
even eating the wax of scales, but
have never succeeded in rearing the
moths. Millipedes have 24 times in-
vaded houses in huge numbers, mi-
grating from woods alongside of new-
ly erected houses. In the four years
1938, 1944, 1945 and in 1952, parts
of the city were invaded by Nomius
pygmaeus (Dej.), the stink beetle,

36

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1953), Vol. 50, May 15, 1954

300

1953

ANNUAL TOTALS OF ENQUIRIES 1933-195 3

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1953), Vol. 50, May 15, 1954

37

which rendered homes untenable for
days until I found out that chlorine
will neutralize their appalling odour.

A distinct phase of invaders are
those that come into homes with fire-
wood— some breeding in the wood, like
Nitidulidae ; bark beetles, like Pseudo-
hylesinus; wood eaters as Ergates spic -
ulatus Lee., buprestid larvae and
Bostrichidae ; carabid beetles, and sow
bugs. The borings or tunnels of the
shipworm teredo, Bankia sometimes
cause alarm when they are apparent
in firewood.

Not insects, but rats, have been re-
ported 27 times; citizens apparently
class them with insects, as household
vermin.

Finally, I must comment on the
attitude of people since 1945, towards

insects in general. The whole atti-
tude of citizens has changed; they
have become too insect conscious and
demand relief by the use of chemicals,
from innocuous, inconsequential and
even useful insects. Hysteria caused
by the presence of insects, is increas-
ing: I have now 16 case histories of
“insectophobia” varying from unwar-
ranted loathing, to hysteria, to mental
unbalance necessitating long periods
in mental hospitals. If taken early,
these cases can be cured by common-
sense appeal and reasoning, but the
more severe ones are tragic and piti-
able, necessitating phychiatric treat-
ment and hospitalization. Much of
this hysteria can be laid to awareness
of modern insecticides which is induc-
ing people to want to get rid of ALL
insects, everywhere.

SCIENCE NOTE

Notes on the Occurrence of the Painted Lady, Vanessa cardui L. on Vancouver and the
Queen Charlotte Islands in 1952.

This cosmopolitan species, well known for
its unpredictable abundance or scarcity from
one year to another, has been common on
Vancouver Island during the season of 1952.
Worn specimens were noted early in the
spring, evidently having hibernated else-
where than on the island for the species was
not noticed by me during the fall of 1951.
These battered and faded individuals were
observed continually until near the end of
August, when freshly emerged specimens be-
gan to appear and remained abundant until
well into October. They were very partial to
the flowers of thistles, and in gardens,
buddlia, scabiosa, asters, dahlias, etc. In-
dividuals of this species were seen every-
where from Island View Beach on the coast
to the summit of Mount Arrowsmith and all
places in between. Philip Dover of Sandspit,
Queen Charlotte Islands, wrote to me stat-
ing that to his knowledge he has seen them
this year for the first time. They were
never seen in as large numbers as reported

from time to time in other countries, but
occurred here in ones and twos, up to a
dozen or two at any one time, throughout the
season, and at almost every hour of daylight
in suitable weather. From late August to
October larvae were frequently found in
their little tents on thistles; almost every
patch had its quota. All these pupated and
emerged in the period August to October
of this year. The parasite Ichneumon rufiven-
tris Brulle was reared from one pupa. This
was named by W. R. Mason at Ottawa.

Up to July 1953 no painted ladies have
been seen, although numerous examples of
other hibernating species have been noted
during February and March.

Have the large number of cardui seen
late in the fall all died during hibernation or
did they migrate elsewhere before finally
seeking winter quarters ; or did they just
die, without hibernating or migrating? So
far there is no evidence to show what hap-
pened.— G. A. Hardy.

The Proceedings of the Entomological Society of British Columbia
is published annually. Individual volumes may be had for $1.00.
Special rates on sets.

Address: C. L. Neilson, Secretary-Treasurer,
Entomological Society of British Columbia, Court House, Vernon, B.C.

A non -aqueous indicator solution at work

The problem of heating and de-
composition during formulation of
chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticides
into wettable powders and dusts is known
to occur occasionally. For a long time
the reason for these occurrences were
not understood. The problem was
studied by Shell at Denver, Colorado in
relation to dieldrin and it was found
that decomposition of dieldrin at time
of manufacture of the powders was
closely associated with the acidic sur-
faces of certain common carriers.

This true acid strength could not be
shown by testing a paste or suspension
of the carrier in water in the regular way
and the use of non-aqueous indicator

solutions applied directly to the dry
carrier was necessary. Carriers found to
have these hitherto unsuspected acid
spots were termed catalytically active.

Having found the key to the solution
of the problem, it was then a simple
matter to determine additives that would
counteract or inhibit the catalytic action.

Shell products can be recommended
with confidence because of Shell
Research.

If further details are required about
the foregoing, write to the Chemical
Division of the Shell Oil Company of
Canada, Limited, Box 400, Terminal
"A”, Toronto, Ontario.

Chemical Division

SHELL OIL COMPANY
OF CANADA, LIMITED

Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1953), Vol. 50, May 15, 1954

39

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Entomological Society of British Columbia, Proc. (1953), Vol. 50, May 15, 1954

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