S 2521-

, NATURAL HISTORY

MUSEUM ' IFRARY

2 6 JAN 2016

Journal of the

Entomological Society

of British Columbia

Volume 111 Issued December 2014 ISSN #0071-0733

ESBC

Entomological

©2014 Society of British

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Natural History Museum Library

COVER: Agapostemon sp. (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae)

Ammophila sp. wasps on their nighttime perch, McDonald Beach, Richmond BC. July 24,

2014. These wasps spend the night in aggregations, clinging to vegetation with their mandibles.

Photograph details:

Photograph made by Sean McCann using a Canon 100mm macro lens and a Canon 60D. ISO

320; 1/1 60th; single diffused flash above and to left with a bounce card.

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J. Entomol. Soc. Brit. Columbia 111, December 2014

Journal of the

Entomological Society of British Columbia

NATURAL HISTORY

MUSEUM UEE.ARY

2 6 JAN 2016

Volume 111 Issued December 2014 ISSN #0071-0733

Directors of the Entomological Society of British Columbia, 2014-2015 ii

D. R. Horton, E. Miliczky, J. E. Munyaneza, K. D. Swisher, and A. S. Jensen. Absence of

photoperiod effects on mating and ovarian maturation by three haplotypes of potato psyllid,

Bactericera cockerelli (Hemiptera: Triozidae) 1

SCIENTIFIC NOTES

S. McCann and R Belton. A new record of Culex restuans Theobald (Diptera: Culicidae) in

British Columbia 13

G. Judd. Obituary of Michael James Smirle (1954-2014)

15

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING ABSTRACTS

Entomological Society of British Columbia Annual General Meeting Presentation

Abstracts 17

Entomological Society of British Columbia Annual General Meeting Symposium Abstracts:

Dangerous Creatures?Arthropods Affecting Human Health-Fact and Fiction 21

NOTICE TO CONTRIBUTORS

Inside Back Cover

J . Entomol. Soc. Brit. Columbia 111, December 2014

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J . Entomol. Soc. Brit. Columbia 111, December 20 1 4

1

Absence of photoperiod effects on mating and ovarian maturation

by three haplotypes of potato psyllid, Bactericera cockerelli

(Hemiptera: Triozidae)

DAVID R. HORTON1, EUGENE MILICZKY2, JOSEPH E. MUNYANEZA2,

KYLIE D. SWISHER2, and ANDREW S. JENSEN3

ABSTRACT

We examined the effects of photoperiod on reproductive diapause of three haplotypes of

potato psyllid, Bactericera cockerelli (Hemiptera: Triozidae), collected from three geographic

locations: south Texas (Central haplotype), California (Western haplotype), and Washington

State (Northwestern haplotype). Psyllids were reared from egg hatch to adult eclosion under

short- and long-day conditions, to determine whether short days led to a lack of mating, delays

in ovarian development, and accumulation of fat by female psyllids. Our expectation was that

a reproductive response to short days, if present, would more likely be exhibited by psyllids of

the northern-latitude haplotype (Northwestern) than by psyllids of the other two haplotypes.

We also examined whether this species exhibited a photoperiod-controlled polymorphism in

body size, as observed in other psyllid species, by comparing six body and wing measures of

psyllids reared under short- and long-day conditions. Virtually 100% of females of each

haplotype exhibited both egg maturation and mating at both long- and short-day conditions,

providing no evidence that this species exhibits a photoperiod-induced reproductive diapause.

Fat was present in most psyllids, although with higher probability of presence in short-day

females than in long-day females. Photoperiod had no effect on body size. We found

differences among haplotypes in body size, with psyllids from Washington State

(Northwestern haplotype) having larger wings and longer tibiae than psyllids of the two

southern populations. Our photoperiod results, combined with overwintering observations for

this species and for other Triozidae, prompted us to hypothesize that potato psyllid — at least in

the Pacific Northwest growing region — overwinters in a temperature-controlled quiescence

rather than in a true diapause.

Key Words: reproductive diapause, ovarian development, overwintering, Bactericera

cockerelli

INTRODUCTION

The potato psyllid, Bactericera cockerelli

(Sulc) (Hemiptera: Triozidae), is a serious pest

of solanaceous crops in western North

America, Mexico, Central America, and (as an

introduction) in New Zealand (Wallis 1955;

Teulon et al. 2009; Munyaneza 2012).

Outbreaks of potato psyllid have been

recorded in the United States since the early

1900s, leading to severe damage to potato,

tomato, and pepper crops (Wallis 1955,

Pletsch 1947). Potato psyllid is a vector of a

phloem-limited bacterium that is associated in

solanaceous crops with mortality of plants,

lowered yields, and disorders of the harvested

product (Munyaneza et al. 2007; Hansen et al.

2008; Liefiting et al. 2008, 2009; Munyaneza

2012). In commercial potato fields, zebra chip

disease of tubers has caused severe economic

losses to potato growers since the first

appearance of the disease in Mexico during

the mid-1990s (Secor et al. 2009). Zebra chip

disease has since caused extensive damage to

potatoes in Central America, New Zealand,

and in the Southwestern and Midwestern

potato-growing regions of the United States

(Munyaneza et al. 2007; Liefting et al. 2008;

Secor et al. 2009; Teulon et al. 2009;

Munyaneza 2012). In 2011, zebra chip was

'USDA-ARS, 5230 Konnowac Pass Road, Wapato, WA 98951 USA, (509) 454-5639, david.horton@ars.usda.gov

2USDA-ARS, 5230 Konnowac Pass Road, Wapato, WA 98951 USA

3Potato Commissions of Washington, Idaho, and Oregon, 4032 North Ballantyne Lane, Eagle, ID 83616 USA

?

detected for the first time in Washington,

Idaho, and Oregon (Crosslin et al. 2012a,

2012b), comprising the three growing regions

responsible for more than 50% of U.S. potato

production.

Preventing zebra chip disease requires

control of potato psyllid, which in turn

requires understanding the vector’s biology

throughout its geographic range. There has

been a great deal of historical uncertainty

about the overwintering biology of potato

psyllid, and much of this uncertainty continues

today. It is likely that potato psyllid migrates

northwards from its southern “breeding

areas” (Romney 1939) in northern Mexico and

the southwestern U.S., prompted by the onset

of hot, dry conditions in those southern

regions beginning in late spring and early

summer (Romney 1939, Pletsch 1947, Wallis

1955). The northward dispersal appears to

extend as far as southern Canada, and is

thought to have been the source of outbreaks

by potato psyllid along the Rocky Mountain

potato- and tomato-growing regions during the

outbreak years of the 1900s (Romney 1939;

Wallis 1955). The psyllid disappears from

southern breeding regions during the hot

conditions of summer, reappearing (often on

non-cultivated Solanaceae) in autumn only

after cooler and wetter conditions have arrived

(Romney 1939). The source of psy 1 lids

reappearing in autumn is unclear (Romney

1939, Wallis 1955). The fate of psyllids that

have colonized the northern latitudes during

late summer is also not known. The historical

consensus has been that potato psyllids that

have colonized these colder northern regions

are unlikely to survive these regions’ winter

conditions (Wallis 1955; Pletsch 1947).

Our understanding of overwintering has

become even more uncertain with the

realization that potato psyllid is actually a

complex of several genetically distinct

populations, or haplotypes (Liu et al. 2006;

Swisher et al. 2012, 2014). Four haplotypes

are currently known (Swisher et al. 2013b,

2014), with centers of concentration in the

western U.S. and Baja California (Western

haplotype), southern Texas northwards along

the Rocky Mountains and southwards into

Mexico and Central America (Central

haplotype). New Mexico and Colorado

(Southwestern haplotype), and the Pacific

Northwest (Northwestern haplotype). Three

J. Entomol. Soc. Brit. Columbia 111, December 20 14

haplotypes (Central, Western, Northwestern)

can be found in potato-growing regions of

Washington, Oregon, and Idaho in summer

(Swisher et al. 2013a), with the Central and

Western psyllids possibly arriving in the

region by dispersal (Munyaneza et al. 2009).

In contrast, the Northwestern haplotype is

present year-round in the Pacific Northwest

study area (Murphy et al. 2013; Swisher et al.

2013c), where it overwinters in association

with a perennial nightshade, Solarium

dulcamara L. (Solanaceae).

Psyllids of temperate regions often

overwinter as adults in reproductive diapause,

a state in which development has been

suspended until environmental conditions are

more suitable (Lauterer 1982, 1999;

Hodkinson 2009). In obligate univoltine

psyllids, including many Cacopsylla

(Psyllidae) (Lauterer 1999; Hodkinson 2009),

diapause presumably occurs irrespective of

environmental cues. Conversely, in

multivoltine species, diapause decisions are

likely to be under the control of external cues.

For the few psyllids in which these cues have

been examined, photoperiod is an important

controlling factor (Wong and Madsen 1967;

Nguyen 1975; Horton et al. 1998a; Mehmejad

and Copland 2005). Short days prompt

diapause, whereas long days lead to continued

development. Reproductive diapause of

psyllids includes delays in both ovarian

development and mating (Krysan and Higbee

1990; Horton et al. 1998a).

In this study, we examined whether

development of potato psyllids under short-

day conditions led to delays in maturation of

ovaries and mating. Only limited field

observations have been made for potato

pysllid during winter months, so it was

unclear to us whether this species would

respond to short days by entering a

reproductive diapause. In Washington,

Oregon, and Idaho, adults of the Northwestern

haplotype are readily found throughout the

winter in association with S. dulcamara

(Swisher et al. 2013c). In warmer regions

(California), it has been suggested that all life

stages of the Western haplotype can be found

during the winter months (Fssig 1917). These

observations may indicate that response to

photoperiod is less likely to occur in psyllids

of the southern haplotypes than in psyllids of

the Northwestern haplotype, as shown for

J. Entomol. Soc. Brit. Columbia 111, December 20 1 4

3

other Hemiptera that have extensive latitudinal

distributions (Saulich and Musolin 2009). We

tested whether response to photoperiod

differed among psyllids from three widely

separated geographic sources: south Texas

(Central haplotype), California (Western

haplotype), and Washington (Northwest

haplotype). We additionally examined whether

psyllids that had developed under short-day

conditions differed in body size from psyllids

that had developed under long-day conditions.

Other psyllid species (including other

Triozidae; Lauterer 1982) are known to

exhibit seasonal polymorphisms in traits such

as wing and body size (Hodkinson 2009),

possibly associated with the onset of late-

season dispersal tendencies (Hodgson and

Mustafa 1984). Photoperiod has been shown

to control seasonal polymorphism for the few

species in which the trait has been examined

experimentally (Wong and Madsen 1967;

Nguyen 1985; Lauterer 1982).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Sources of insects. Potato psyllids were

collected from three geographic regions: south

Texas, central California, and central

Washington, U.S. Several hundred psyllids of

the Central haplotype were collected in March

2013 from potatoes growing on the Texas

A&M AgriLife Research farm near Weslaco,

TX. Approximately 100 psyllids of the

Western haplotype were obtained in February

2013 from potatoes growing in a greenhouse

at the USDA-ARS station in Albany, CA. It is

not known whether the psyllids were present

in the greenhouse before the source plants had

been placed in the greenhouse. Finally, several

hundred adult psyllids of the Northwestern

haplotype were collected on multiple dates

between November 2012 and March 2013

from bittersweet nightshade (S. dulcamara) at

locations near Wapato and Zillah, WA.

Because of the geographic locations of the

different source collections, we were almost

completely certain of haplotype composition

at the time of collection. Nonetheless,

haplotype was confirmed in each collection by

examination of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)

sequences, using methods described by

Swisher et al. (2013a). Subsamples of 12-20

reproductive females from each colony were

examined. These subsamples were shown to

support our conclusion that the psyllids used

to initiate our three cultures were indeed each

of the expected haplotype.

Psyllids were maintained in culture on

potato plants (Russet Burbank) in BugDorm

cages (61 x 61 x 61 cm; Mega View Science,

Co., Taiwan). The three haplotypes were

reared in separate greenhouses, each at a

temperature varying between 15-27 °C.

Cultures received continuous light, composed

of ambient sunlight during daytime hours and

supplemental lighting during the night hours

(EnviroGro T5 fluorescent light fixtures, 4

bulb size; Hydrofarm, Petaluma, CA). The

photoperiod trial was conducted from July to

September 2013, following an estimated two

to four generations in culture for each

haplotype under the greenhouse conditions.

Photoperiod trial. We compared response

of psyllids to two photoperiods: 10L:14D

(hereafter, short day); and, 16L:8D (long day).

The trial was done in two controlled

environmental rooms, each set to a

temperature of 22 (+1.1) °C. Temperature in

each room was monitored using a Track-it

Data Logger (Monarch Instrument, Amherst,

NH). Lighting in each room consisted of two

banks of EnviroGro T5 light fixtures. Psyllids

were reared in cages (see below) placed

directly beneath these lights. We used Russet

Burbank potatoes grown from potato-seed

pieces (Skone and Connors Produce, Warden,

WA) throughout the trial. Single-eye seed

pieces were removed from tubers using a 25

mm (diametre) melon bailer, and planted

singly in pots (9 x 9 x 8.5 cm). Plants were

grown in a commercial potting soil (Miracle-

Gro Moisture Control Potting Mix with

Miracle-Gro Continuous Release Plant Food;

Scotts Company, Marysville, OH).

Three cages (56 x 5 1 x 60 cm) were placed

in each room. Cages were constructed of

organdy (tops and sides) and plywood.

Weather stripping was used around the door of

each cage to prevent psyllid escape. To ensure

that any variation among psyllid haplotypes in

response to photoperiod was due to treatment

and not to a chance difference in quality of the

rearing host, we designed the experiment to

ensure that only one or two females were

examined from a single rearing plant (i.e.,

4

J. Entomol. Soc. Brjt. Columbia 11 1, December 20 14

rather than examining multiple females from a

single rearing plant). We first placed six to

nine newly emerged and psyllid-free potato

plants into each cage in both photoperiod

rooms. Approximately 20 psyllids of mixed

sex of one haplotype were added to one cage

in both rooms; the remaining two cages in

both rooms received equivalent numbers of

psyllids of the other two haplotypes. The

psyllids were allowed to move freely among

plants within a cage to oviposit. Plants were

then monitored visually until fifth-instar

nymphs were observed on the majority of

plants within each cage.

As fifth- (final-) instar nymphs became

available on an individual plant, they were

transferred using a small brush to a newly

sprouted plant. We moved six fmal-instar

nymphs of mixed sex (three males, three

females) from a given natal plant onto a newly

germinated plant, covered the newly infested

plant with a ventilated plastic drinking cup

(590 ml), and placed the newly infested plant

into a new cage (Fig. 1), again according to

haplotype. Nymphs were sexed by presence or

absence of testes and appearance of the

mycetome (Carter 1961). The original natal

plant with any remaining nymphs was

discarded. We repeated the transfer process for

each of the six to nine original natal plants in a

cage, thus producing six to nine newly

infested plants, each having six fmal-instar

nymphs (Fig. 1). The inverted cups prevented

movement by newly eclosed adults from a

recipient plant onto a different plant within a

cage. Covered plants were left undisturbed for

10 days to allow eclosion of adults. At 10

days, we randomly selected one or two

females from each plant for measurement and

dissection. The rearing of adults for dissection

was initiated on three separate dates: 8 July

2013; 8 August 2013; and, 14 September

2013. Most of the dissected females were

reared in the July and August periods (79.6%

[125/157]) of dissected females). All three

haplotypes were reared simultaneously at each

photoperiod in all three rearings. By the end of

the three rearing periods, sample sizes of

dissected females were 22-29 psyllids per

haplotype * photoperiod combination, with

each set of 22-29 females obtained from at

least 20 different rearing plants.

Each female was first measured to

determine wing size and body size. Five

measurements were taken from the thorax,

head, and wing for each female, and included

two measures of wing length, and one

measure each of maximum width of wing,

distance between eyes (vertex), and width of

the mesopraescutum (Fig. 2). A sixth

measurement for each female was obtained by

measuring the tibia from the right hind leg.

1 igure 1. ( age and potato seedlings used in production of female potato psyllids for measurement

and dissection.

J. Entomol. Soc. Brit. Columbia 111, December 20 14

5

Figure 2. Head, thorax, and wing measurements used for examining effects of photoperiod and

haplotype on size of female psyllids. Measurements include three wing measures (two length, one

width), distance between eyes (vertex), and width of mesopraescutum. Head and thorax, redrawn

from Ossiannilsson (1992); wing, redrawn from Crawford (1911).

Measurements were obtained by first

transferring a psyllid to a petri dish filled with

alcohol and a layer of fine, white sand on the

dish bottom. We used the layer of sand to

position the psyllid for measurement of the

vertex and mesopraescutum. Once those two

measurements had been made, the right wing

and right hind leg were removed and placed in

three to four drops of alcohol on a microscope

slide. The structures were oriented for

measurement, covered with a cover slip to

flatten them, and measured. All measurements

were made with a Leica MZ6 dissecting scope

equipped with an ocular micrometer at 37. 5x.

Once a female had been measured she was

dissected to determine reproductive status.

The psyllid was placed in six to seven drops of

alcohol on a microscope slide. The insect was

grasped by the posterior end of the abdomen

and the base of the abdomen using two pairs

of fine forceps, and carefully pulled apart.

Generally, the spermatheca and ovaries would

separate from the abdomen and be exposed for

examination. If the organs were not

Figure 3. Reproductive classes exhibited by potato psyllids collected in November from Solarium

dulcamara (Washington State): (A) immature ovaries, not mated; (B) immature ovaries, mated;

and (C) mated with mature ovaries. Arrow points to sperm storage organ, filled with

sperm atophores.

6

J. Entomol. Soc. Brit. Columbia 111, December 2014

sufficiently exposed, the abdomen was then

carefully pulled apart along one side to expose

the two organs. Females were categorized into

one of three reproductive classes found by

Horton (unpublished) to encompass the range

of developmental types seen in November-

collected adults of the Northwest haplotype

(Fig. 3): (A) immature ovaries, not mated; (B)

immature ovaries, mated; and, (C) mature

ovaries, mated. Evidence that the female had

been mated was provided by presence of

spermatophores in the sperm-storage organ

(Guedot et al. 2013). We additionally recorded

for each female whether she contained fat, as

diapause in other Hemiptera has been shown

to be associated with an accumulation of fat

(Horton et al. 1998b; Villavaso and Snodgrass

2004). Females showed varying quantities of

fat upon dissection. We limited our scoring of

fat levels to two categories: fat present (in any

quantity); and, fat not visually apparent.

Data analyses. No statistical tests were

done to examine effects of photoperiod and

haplotype on ovarian maturation and mating

status, as essentially 100% of the psyllids

were found to fall into a single developmental

category (see Results). Presence or absence of

fat in dissected females was examined using

binary logistic regression with haplotype and

photoperiod as explanatory variables. A main

effects model was fitted and compared to the

saturated model (main effects plus interaction)

by calculating a chi-square deviance statistic

(Allison 1999). The analysis was done using

PROC LOGISTIC (SAS Institute 2010).

Principal components analysis (PCA) was

used to examine whether the six body

measurements separated specimens by

photoperiod or haplotype. The analyses were

done in PROC PRINCOMP (SAS Institute

2010). Statistical separation of haplotypes or

photoperiods was done using a 3 x 2

(haplotype x photoperiod) factorial analysis of

variance conducted on the scores from the first

and second principal components. The

analyses were done using PROC GLM (SAS

Institute 2010).

RESULTS

Dissections showed that virtually all

females had been mated and contained mature

eggs, irrespective of photoperiod or haplotype

(Table 1). Only three females showed either

an absence of ovarian development or an

absence of spermatophores (Table 1 ). We

failed to find spermatophores in two females

having mature ovaries, which indicates either

that females of this species may mature their

ovaries even in the absence of mating, or that

the spermathecae of these two females had

become depleted following mating, as shown

Table 1

Numbers of potato psyllids of three haplotypes reared from egg to adult eclosion at either long- or

short-day photoperiods falling into each of several reproductive classes (determined by

dissection). Open cells (--) indicate no females exhibited that category of reproductive

development.

8 Potentially mated females having depleted spermathecae (Guedot et al. 2013)

J. Entomol. Soc. Brit. Columbia 1 11, December 2014

7

Table 2

Eigenvectors for the first two principal component axes.

by Guedot et al. 2013. A high percentage of

females was found to contain some fat (Fig.

4), although that percentage was found to be

affected by both photoperiod and haplotype.

Binary logistic regression showed that short-

day psyllids were statistically more likely to

contain fat than long-day insects (Fig. 4: y2 =

8.0, df = 1, P = 0.005). There was also a

marginally significant effect of haplotype on

probability that a female contained fat (y2 =

6.2, df = 2, P = 0.046). The statistical effect

was due to a significantly higher probability

for the Washington psyllids than psyllids from

southern Texas (Fig. 4: y2 = 5.9, df = 1, P =

0.015). Addition of the photoperiod x

haplotype interaction term to the main effects

model did not significantly improve model fit

(deviance = 3.4, df =2, P = 0.18).

Two principal components were extracted

explaining 70% (axis 1) and 15% (axis 2) of

the variation in measurements. All variables

showed positive loadings along the first

principal component (Table 2), suggesting that

this component reflects variation in overall

body size. The second axis appeared to

describe variation in specimen breadth (Table

2: mesopraescutum and vertex). A biplot of

component scores showed that psyllids

clustered by haplotype, albeit with overlap

among clusters (Fig. 5 A; the scatter plot pools

the two photoperiods). Mean haplotype scores

are shown as stars horizontally along the top

axis (PC 1 means) or vertically along the right

axis (PC2 means) of the scatter plot (Fig. 5A).

Variables having loadings of 0.4 or higher

(Table 2) were examined in detail. These

variables included the three wing measures

and tibia length, all of which were positively

correlated with component scores along axis 1

(Fig. 5B-E). Correlation plots (Fig. 5B-E) and

WA CA TX

(Northwestern) (Western) (Central)

Figure 4. Percentage of dissected females containing some quantity of fat as function of haplotype

and photoperiod.

8

mean PCI scores (Fig. 5A) suggest that wings

were longer and wider, and that the hind tibia

was longer, in psyllids from Washington

(Northwest haplotype) and California

(Western haplotype) than in psyllids from

Texas (Central haplotype). Variables showing

large loadings along the second axis included

the two body-width measurements (Fig. 5F-

G). Axis 2 scores were positively correlated

with the distance between the eyes (vertex)

J. entomol. Soc. Brit. Columbia ill, December 2014

and width of the mesopraescutum. The scatter

plots suggest that psyllids from Washington

State (Northwestern haplotype) were narrower

than psyllids from the two southern locations.

Analysis of variance showed that mean

component scores (Fig. 5H) varied with

haplotype (PCI scores: F2J51 = 92.1, P <

0.0001; PC2 scores: F2,isi = 45.3, P < 0.0001),

but not with photoperiod (L vs S in Fig. 5H;

PCI scores: Fi,isi = 1.0, P = 0.33; PC2 scores:

2.1

1.8

E

g 27

I 2.4

E

c/>

0.9

0.55

0.50

045

-6 -4 -2 0 2 4 6

PRIN 1 (70%)

G

Mesopr.

0.30 0.36 0.30 0.36

Measurement (mm)

PRIN 1

• Central (TX)

• Western (CA)

O Northwestern (WA)

Figure 5. Results of principal components analysis. (A) Scatter plot showing clustering of

haplotypes along first and second principal component axes; stars along top and right of plot are

haplotype means. Photoperiods pooled. (B-E) Scatter plots showing correlation of four body

measures with axis 1 scores, for each of the three haplotypes. (F-G) Scatter plots showing

correlation of two body measures with axis 2 scores, for each of the three haplotypes. (11) Least

squares means (± SEM) from factorial (haplotype x photoperiod) analysis of variance for axis 1

scores and axis 2 scores. L: long-day females; S: short-day females.

J. Entomol. Soc. Brit. Columbia 111, December 2014

9

F 1,151 = 0.1, P = 0.82); the interaction term was

also non-significant for both PCI and PC2

scores (P > 0.30). Means separation tests were

used to examine Tukey-adjusted differences

between haplotype pairs. Those tests showed

that mean PC 1 scores differed among all

paired comparisons (see means in Fig. 5A and

Fig. 5FI), with evidence that psyllids from

Washington State were larger than psyllids

from either Texas (P < 0.0001) or California

(P = 0.005), and that psyllids from Texas were

smaller than psyllids from California (P <

0.0001). Tukey separation of mean scores

along the second axis indicated that psyllids

from Washington State were narrower than

psyllids from either of the other two

geographic sources (P < 0.0001 for both

comparisons), and that psyllids from Texas

were on average narrower than those from

California (P = 0.008).

DISCUSSION

The overwintering biology of potato

psyllid is very poorly understood despite the

efforts of entomologists beginning in the early

1900s to advance our understanding of this

important life-history trait (Romney 1939;

Wallis 1955; Pletsch 1947). The apparent

predisposition of potato psyllid to disperse

from southern “breeding” regions (Romney

1939) into northern growing regions of the

central and western U.S. prompts questions

about the overwintering fate of those

dispersing psyllids, with no clear answers at

this time. Not knowing the winter fate of these

psyllids complicates pest-management

decisions for northwest potato growers, as

growers cannot anticipate with any degree of

certainty when (seasonally) psyllids might

arrive in their fields: i.e., primarily in summer

as migrants from the south, or primarily in

spring and early summer following local

overwintering. The recent discovery that this

pest species is a mix of at least four

genetically distinct haplotypes (Swisher et al.

2012, 2014) further confuses the

overwintering issue, as it is becoming

apparent that genetic differences among

psyllids can translate into biological

differences (Liu and Trumble 2007). Those

biological differences seemingly could include

aspects of overwintering. We now have

evidence that at least one haplotype

(Northwestern) is present during the winter in

Washington and Idaho, where it overwinters in

association with a perennial nightshade.

Solarium dulcamara, either in leaf litter or on

the leafless stems of the plant (Jensen et al.

2012; Murphy et al. 2013; Swisher et al.

2013c). Those observations prompted the

question of whether this northern haplotype

might be more likely than the two southern

haplotypes to have a photoperiod-induced

reproductive diapause.

The biological literature includes a wealth

of observations for the Psylloidea about life-

history traits associated with overwintering,

including information on voltinism,

importance of shelter plants for overwintering,

and life-history stages known to overwinter

(Conci et al. 1996; Lauterer 1999; Hodkinson

2009). There is, however, much less detail

available about what environmental cues

might control overwintering decisions by

these insects (Hodkinson 2009).

Unsurprisingly, the most detailed information

is for highly damaging pest species,

particularly the pear psyllids ( Cacopsylla

spp.). Both Cacopsylla pyricola (Forster) and

Cacopsylla pyri (L.) have been shown to

produce an overwintering phenotype in

response to short-day conditions (Wong and

Madsen 1967; Nguyen 1985; Horton et al.

1998a). Insects of either sex that have

developed under short-day conditions are

substantially larger than psyllids that have

developed under long-day conditions (Wong

and Madsen 1967; Nguyen 1985). Moreover,

short-day females delay both mating and

ovarian development (Krysan and Higbee

1 990), even if they are subsequently moved to

long-day conditions (Horton et al. 1998a).

Mating and ovarian development by field

populations of the overwintering generation in

northern growing regions are delayed until

temperatures begin to wann in late winter and

early spring (Krysan and Higbee 1990; Horton

et al. 1998a).

In this study, potato psyllids failed to

exhibit a reproductive diapause in response to

short-day conditions (Table 1). Virtually 100%

of females of all three haplotypes mated and

10

J. Entomol. Soc. Brit. Columbia 111, December 20 1 4

matured ovaries under both long- and short-

day conditions. Thus, we found no evidence to

support our hypothesis that reproductive

response to photoperiod among psyllids of the

northern haplotype (Washington State) might

be different than that among psyllids from the

two southern haplotypes. Photoperiod also

failed to have statistically significant effects

on body size, indicating that there was no

evidence for a photoperiod-induced size

polymorphism for any of the haplotypes.

There was a significant effect of photoperiod

on percentage of females containing fat.

Females that had been raised under short-day

conditions were statistically more likely to

contain at least some fat than females reared

under long-day conditions (Fig. 4). We are

unsure at this time about the possible

biological significance of this result, although

it is known for other Hemiptera that short-day

insects accumulate fat as part of late-season

preparation for overwintering (Horton et al.

1998b; Villavaso and Snodgrass 2004).

There was very strong statistical support

for morphometric separation of the three

haplotypes (Fig. 5H), and this result could be

of eventual practical benefit. Currently,

discriminating among haplotypes requires

tedious and expensive examination of

mtDNA sequences (Swisher et al. 2012). It

would be useful to have a set of external

diagnostics that could be used by extension

personnel or pest-control advisors to

discriminate among haplotypes as they

monitor fields for presence of the psy Hid,

especially if we discover that haplotypes differ

in how effectively they acquire and vector the

bacterium that causes zebra chip disease in

potatoes. Our morphometric results suggest

that it may indeed be possible to discriminate

among haplotypes by use of external traits,

although this idea will require confirmation by

examination of field-collected insects.

Adult potato psyllids have been collected

in midwinter from mats of S. dulcamara in

Washington, Idaho, and Oregon (Murphy et al.

2013; Swisher et al. 2013c). Analysis of

mtDNA indicated that virtually all of these

overwintering psyllids were of the

Northwestern haplotype, although scattered

individuals of the Western haplotype were also

shown to be present (Swisher et al. 2013c).

Horton (unpublished data) has collected

overwintering potato psyllid (likely of the

Northwestern haplotype) that exhibit any of

the three reproductive classes shown in Figure

3, suggesting that the psyllid was not

overwintering at those locations in

reproductive diapause. The photoperiod trials

(Table 1), combined with these winter

observations, prompt us to suggest that

psyllids of the Northwestern haplotype

overwinter in northern growing regions in a

state of cold-induced quiescence, rather than

in a true diapause. This same observation has

been suggested for other Triozidae (Lauterer

2011), including other Bactericera (Lauterer

1982). Indeed, many Triozidae, including

some populations of potato psyllid (Essig

1917), overwinter in a mixture of life-history

stages (Lauterer 1991, 2011; Conci et al.

1996; Lauterer and Malenovsky 2002;

Hodkinson 2009), which also seems to be

evidence for the absence of a photoperiod-

induced diapause. Additional collection of

potato psyllids from overwintering habitats

throughout the species’ range, accompanied

by laboratory assays, would be useful to

examine this hypothesis for all haplotypes of

potato psyllid in multiple geographic regions.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This work was supported in part by

lunding from the Texas Department of

Agriculture and the Washington State Potato

Commission. Deb Broers and Merilee Bayer

provided expert technical assistance. We thank

Rodney Cooper and Don Henne for comments

on an earlier version of this paper.

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1 1

Conci, C., C. Rapisarda and L. Tamanini. 1996. Annotated catalogue of the Italian Psylloidea. Second Part (Insecta

Homoptera). Atti Della Accademia Roveretana Degli Agiati (Ser VII) 5B: 5-207.

Crawford, D. L. 191 1. American Psyllidae III (Triozinae). Pomona College Journal of Entomology 3: 422-453.

Crosslin, J. M., N. Olsen and P. Nolte. 2012a. First report of zebra chip disease and “ Candidatus Liberibacter

solanacearum” on potatoes in Idaho. Plant Disease 96: 453.

Crosslin, J. M., P. B. Hamm, J. E. Eggers, S. I. Rondon, V. G. Sengoda and J. E. Munyaneza. 2012b. First report of

zebra chip disease and “ Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum” on potatoes in Oregon and Washington. Plant

Disease 96: 452.

Essig, E. O. 1917. The tomato and laurel psyllids. Journal of Economic Entomology 10: 433^144.

Guedot, C., D. R. Horton, P. J. Landolt and J. E. Munyaneza. 2013. Effects of mating on sex attraction in

Bactericera cockerelli with evidence of refractoriness. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 149: 27-35.

Hansen, A. K., J. T. Trumble, R. Stouthamer and T. D. Paine. 2008. A new Huanglongbing species, “ Candidatus

Liberibacter psyllaurous”, found to infect tomato and potato, is vectored by the psyllid Bactericera cockerelli

(Sulc). Applied and Environmental Microbiology 74: 5862-5865.

Hodgson, C. J., and T. M. Mustafa. 1984. The dispersal and flight activity of Psylla pyricola Forster in southern

England. Bulletin Organisation Internationale de Lutte Biologique Section Regionale Ouest Palearctique 7 (#5):

97-124.

Hodkinson, I. D. 2009. Life cycle variation in jumping plant lice (Insecta: Hemiptera: Psylloidea): a global

synthesis. Journal of Natural History 43: 65-179.

Horton, D. R., D. A. Broers, T. Hinojosa and T. M. Lewis. 1998a. Ovarian development in overwintering pear

psylla, Cacopsylla pyricola (Homoptera: Psyllidae): seasonality and effects of photoperiod. The Canadian

Entomologist 130: 859-867.

Horton, D. R., T. M. Lewis, T. Hinojosa and D. A. Broers. 1998b. Photoperiod and reproductive diapause in the

predatory bugs Anthocoris tomentosus, A. antevolens, and Deraeocoris brevis (Heteroptera: Anthocoridae,

Miridae) with information on overwintering sex ratios. Annals of the Entomological Society of America 91:

81-86.

Jensen, A. S., S. I. Rondon, A. F. Murphy and E. Echegaray. 2012. Overwintering of the potato psyllid in the

Northwest on Solarium dulcamara. Proceedings of the 12th Annual SCRI Zebra Chip Reporting Session, San

Antonio, TX. (http://zebrachipscri.tamu.edu/files/2013/04/2012-Proceedings.pdf)

Krysan, J. L., and B. S. Higbee. 1990. Seasonality of mating and ovarian development in overwintering Cacopsylla

pyricola (Homoptera: Psyllidae). Environmental Entomology 19: 544-550.

Lauterer, P. 1982. New data on the occurrence, bionomics and taxonomy of some Czechoslovakian Psylloidea

(Homoptera). Acta Musei Moraviae, Scientiae Naturales 67: 133—162.

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Lauterer, P. 1999. Results of the investigations on Hemiptera in Moravia, made by the Moravian museum

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Lauterer, P., and I. Malenovsky. 2002. New distributional and biological data on European Psylloidea (Hemiptera,

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Liefting, L. W., Z. C. Perez-Egusquiza, G. R. G. Clover and J. A. D. Anderson. 2008. A new ‘ Candidatus

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introductions of potato psyllid {Bactericera cockerelli) into western North America. Entomologia

Experimentalis et Applicata 118: 177-183.

Mehmejad, M. R., and M. J. W. Copland. 2005. The seasonal forms and reproductive potential of the common

pistachio psylla, Agonoscena pistaciae (Hem., Psylloidea). Journal of Applied Entomology 129: 342-346.

Munyaneza, J .E. 2012. Zebra chip disease of potato: biology, epidemiology, and management. American Journal of

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Munyaneza, J. E., J. M. Crosslin and J. E. Upton. 2007. Association of Bactericera cockerelli (Homoptera:

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Munyaneza, J. E., J. M. Crosslin and J. L. Buchman. 2009. Seasonal occurrence and abundance of the potato

psyllid, Bcictericera cockerelli, in south central Washington. American Journal of Potato Research 86: 513-518.

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Nguyen, T.-X. 1975. Evolution et elimination de la diapause ovarienne de Psylla pyri (Homoptera-Psyllidae) dans

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Entomology 32: 1 50-1 5 1 .

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Saulich, A. Kh., and D. L. Musolin. 2009. Seasonal development and ecology of anthocorids (Heteroptera,

Anthocoridae). Entomological Review 89: 501-528.

Secor, G. A., V. Rivera- Varas, J. A. Abad, I. M. Lee, G. R. G. Clover, L. W. Liefting, X. Li and S. H. De Boer. 2009.

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oxidase I gene identifies three haplotypes of the potato psyllid in the United States. Environmental Entomology

41: 1019-1028.

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haplotypes in the United States. Environmental Entomology 42: 381-393.

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Entomologist 38: 201-208.

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Crosslin. 2013c. Haplotypes of the potato psyllid, Bactericera cockerelli, on the wild host plant, Solatium

dulcamara, in the Pacific Northwestern United States. American Journal of Potato Research 90: 570-577.

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Bactericera cockerelli, in the United States. Journal of Insect Science (in press).

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and current distribution on vegetable crops in New Zealand. New Zealand Plant Protection 62: 136-144.

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J. Entomol. Soc. Brit. Columbia 1 1 1, December 2014

13

SCIENTIFIC NOTE

A new record of Culex restuans Theobald (Diptera: Culicidae) in

British Columbia

SEAN MCCANN1 and PETER BELTON1

Culex restuans is a New World mosquito

species closely related to and resembling the

cosmopolitan house mosquito Culex pipiens

L. Typically, Cx. restuans lays its egg rafts on

the surface of woodland pools, but it has

adapted to lay its eggs in artificial containers.

Immature stages can be found in water-filled

containers from abandoned appliances to used

tires that harbour algae. The immature stages

of Cx. restuans can develop in water that

ranges from clear to highly polluted. Like Cx.

pipiens , the females obtain blood meals from

birds, but can also feed on a broad range of

mammal and reptile hosts (Hayes 1961). For

that reason, the females have been identified

every year since 2002 as a carrier and

potential vector of West Nile virus (Ebel et al.

2005).

Its life cycle is similar to our other Culex

species. Those adults that eclose in the late

summer and fall mate, but the females are in

reproductive diapause and feed only on

carbohydrates before overwintering. In rural

habitats, they probably search out

underground burrows and similar sites to

hibernate, but in anthropic habitats, they are

common in basements and outbuildings.

Its known distribution in America ranges

from the eastern half of Alberta south and east

to Guatemala, and it is common in

southeastern Canada and the eastern and

central United States. There are fewer records

in the west, although according to Darsie and

Ward’s (2005) authoritative work, the insect’s

range extends to the west coast through

Wyoming, southern Idaho and Oregon. Well-

substantiated records in southwestern

California exist.

We describe the first verifiable record of

this species in British Columbia (B.C.) from a

photograph taken by one of us (McCann) in

Coldstream Provincial Park, on Vancouver

Island, about 16 km northwest of Victoria, on

10 October 2010 (Fig.l). The Cx. restuans

female was found under a bridge deck

alongside Cx. tarsalis and Culiseta incidens

females. Its pale abdomen was distended with

hypertrophied fat body and it was probably

ready to hibernate but unfortunately escaped

capture. The paired patches of pale scales on

the scutum, which were clearly visible, allow

reliable differentiation of this individual from

Cx. pipiens. The scutum of Cx. pipiens has

never been reported with the pale spots or the

pale scales that are clearly visible above the

wings on the scutum of the female we

photographed, confirming our identification.

Three other records of this species in or

close to B.C. have been explained as

misidentifications or accidental introductions.

The provincial record is of a female taken in a

light-trap at Esquimalt (Twinn 1945). The

specimen is lost, and Wood et al. (1979)

considered it to be a misidentified Cx. pipiens.

Further east, there are records of Cx. restuans

near the northern border of the Idaho

panhandle, just south of Creston, B.C. (State

of Idaho 1985). There seem to be no

specimens confirming these records. Darsie

and Ward include their localities on the

distribution map of the first edition of their

monograph (Darsie and Ward 1981), but not in

the second (Darsie and Ward 2005, Plate

29B). The third record is from Island County,

in northwestern Washington, close to Seattle

and Tacoma. Sames et al. (2007) point out that

this record is “far outside the distribution

range” — depicted in Darsie and Ward (2005)

— and suggest that “this species may have

been accidentally introduced into Island

County” by tourists or from nearby ports.

We believe our specimen lends credence to

Twinn’s 1945 identification, because

Esquimalt is within flying range (9 km) of

Goldstream Provincial Park, and both are just

across the Salish Sea (63 km) from Island

County, WA. We suspect that these western

records are from established populations that

‘Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada.

14

J. Entomol. Soc. Brit. Columbia 1 1 1, December 2014

Figure 1. Culex restuans female; photograph by S. McCann. Note two patches of pale scales on

scutum (inset, arrows) that identify this as Culex restuans, and the distended abdomen typical of

overwintering Culex females.

have simply not been noticed. The recent

interest in West Nile virus vectors has focused

on identifying females, but many of those

captured in light traps have the scales on their

scuta denuded. Even unrubbed specimens may

not show the pale scale patches. Fortunately,

the males and larvae of Cx. restuans are quite

distinct from those of Cx. pipiens, and we

continue to search for them and urge

collectors to look closely at specimens taken

near these locations and elsewhere in B.C. and

its neighbouring states.

REFERENCES

Darsie R. F., and R. A. Ward. 1981. Identification and geographical distribution of the mosquitoes of North

America, north of Mexico. Mosquito Systematics Supplement 1: 1-313

Darsie R. F., and R. A. Ward. 2005. Identification and geographical distribution of the mosquitoes of North

America, north of Mexico. University Press Florida, Gainesville FL, pp 384

Ebel, G. D., I. Rochlin, J. Longacker and L.D. Kramer. 2005. Culex restuans (Diptera: Culicidae) relative

abundance and vector competence for West Nile virus. Journal of Medical Entomology, 42(5), 838-843.

Hayes, R. O. 1961 . Host preferences of Culiseta melanura and allied mosquitoes. Mosquito News 21:1 79-187.

Sames W. J., A. Duffy, F. A. Maloney, J. S. Townzen, J. M. Brauner. C. P. McHugh and J. Lilja. 2007. Distribution

ol mosquitoes in Washington State. Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association 23(4): 442-448

State of Idaho Dept, of Health and Welfare 1985. Mosquitoes of Idaho, pp 23

Iwinn, ( . R 1945. Report of a survey of anopheline mosquitoes in Canada in 1944. Proceedings of the New Jersey

Mosquito Extermination Association 32: 242-251

Wood, D. M., P. I. Dang and R. A. Ellis. 1979. The Insects and Arachnids of Canada 6. The Mosquitoes of Canada

(Diptera: Culicidae). Agriculture Canada, Ottawa, ON. pp. 279.

J. Entomol. Soc. Brit. Columbia 111, December 20 1 4

15

OBITUARY

Michael James Smirle (1954-2014)

GARY JUDD1

Dr. Michael J. Smirle passed away on July

27, 2014, at his home in Summerland, British

Columbia (B.C.), while working in what he

affectionately referred to as his Mother’s

garden. Bom in Abbotsford, B.C., on June 18,

1954, Mike grew up on the family farm in the

nearby village of Bradner. He was the only

child of Jim and Joan Smirle.

While growing up, he excelled at piano,

academics and basketball. After graduating

top all-round student from Abbotsford Senior

Secondary in 1972, Mike began his academic

career in the faculty of music at the University

of British Columbia (UBC). Wften his father

passed away in January, 1974, Mike took the

year to travel extensively with his mother. He

returned to UBC in the fall of 1974, this time

enrolled in the Faculty of Science.

It was at UBC, on October 5, 1974, that

Mike met Mary-Anne, his wife to be, and they

began their journey in life together. He

graduated in 1979, with a Bachelor of Science

in Biochemistry, after which he returned to his

daffodil farm in Bradner, and worked part

time as a lumber grader in the local mill.

Tiring of shift work, Mike returned to

university, this time at Simon Fraser

University (SFU), where he pursued a Masters

in Pest Management. While studying under

Dr. Mark Winston, Mike combined an interest

in biochemistry with a love for honey bees,

which he had cultivated as a child on the

family farm. His Master’s Thesis

“Development of a Sensitive Bioassay for

Evaluating Sub-lethal Pesticide Effects on the

Honey Bee” was followed by doctoral studies,

also at SFU, on the "Insecticide Resistance

Mechanisms in the Honey Bee”. His doctoral

studies earned him a prestigious J.H.

Comstock Award from the Pacific Branch of

the Entomological Society of America.

Upon completion of his Ph.D. in 1989,

Mike worked as a sessional instructor at SFU,

while undertaking a post-doctoral research

fellowship at UBC with Dr. Murray Isman.

Mike’s post-doctoral research focused on the

metabolism of secondary plant compounds in

phytophagous insects. He examined the mode

of action of natural-product insecticides,

especially neem oil and other allelochemicals.

While working two years in Isman’s

laboratory, Mike published three scientific

papers and a significant book chapter on

Allomones in Insect-Plant Interactions. More

importantly, he also became close friends with

Dr. Tom Lowery, with whom he collaborated

for the rest of his career.

On the February 1, 1990, work brought

Mike and the family, which now included sons

James and Jeffery, to their home in

Summerland, B.C. Mike worked at the Pacific

Agri-Food Research Centre (PARC) as a

respected and valued research scientist until

his passing. Working at PARC was like

coming home, as Mike shared his career with

no less than seven Masters in Pest

Management graduates from SFU, as well as

Tom Lowery from UBC. During his 24-plus

years at PARC, Mike led a successful research

team that focused on insect toxicology and

determined the biochemical mechanisms of

insecticide resistance — knowledge essential

for developing strategies to manage resistant

pest populations. With his capable technician

Cheryl Zurowski always in support, he

contributed to the development of pest

management systems for orchard and grape

crops, as well as to our understanding of the

environmental fate of new insecticides. His

collaboration on the Canadian International

Development Agency Hebei Dry-Land

Farming Project lead to his becoming an

Adjunct Professor at the University of Beijing,

China.

Mike published 34 papers in peer-reviewed

journals, two book chapters and 58

miscellaneous technical articles throughout his

career. At PARC, he served as Head of the

Environmental Studies Section for a number

of years, eventually becoming the Test Site

1 Pacific Agri-Food Research Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Summerland, B.C.

16

Manager for the Minor Use Pesticide Program

at Summerland. He was a longtime member of

the Entomological Societies of Canada (ESC)

and British Columbia (ESBC). He served as

an Associate Editor to the ESC (2006-2014)

and was on the Editorial Board of

Biopesticides International (2004-2104). He

was the President of the ESBC at the time of

his passing.

Outside of work, Mike’s greatest joy was

spending time with his boys and their friends.

He loved every moment spent on the sidelines

of local soccer pitches and track and field

venues, attending his sons’ high school plays,

or, most especially, cheering on James and Jeff

at the hockey rink — watching them thrive and

J. Entomol. Soc. Brit. Columbia 1 1 1, December 2014

grow into the incredible young men they are

today. Mike’s lifelong love of music allowed

him to share his talents as a regular organist at

Holy Child Parish, and singing with the

Musaic Vocal Ensemble was a favorite

pastime during his years in Summerland.

It always comes as a shock when the

entomological community loses one of its

valued scientists. This tragedy is compounded

when that scientist has also been a great

human being and a close friend for over 30

years.

Mike was all of these things.

He will be dearly missed by everyone

fortunate enough to have known him.

J . Entomol. Soc. Brit. Columbia 111, December 20 1 4

17

Presentation Abstracts

Entomological Society of British Columbia

Annual General Meeting,

Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C., Oct. 24, 2014

Predators on the farm: Augmentative

releases for biological control of blueberry

aphid in British Columbia

R. McGregor, A. Martins and K. Crisp,

Institute of Urban Ecology, Douglas College,

New Westminster, B.C.

The practice of augmentative biological

control is supported globally by a well-

established industry that produces over 230

products. Despite this, adoption of

augmentative releases for management of

pests of field crops has been rare compared to

the use of these products in greenhouse

agriculture. Here, we describe the results of

releases of Micromus variegatus (Neuroptera:

Hemerobiidae) and Aphidoletes aphidimyza

(Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) for management of

the blueberry aphid ( Ericaphis fimbriata,

Hemiptera: Aphididae ) on blueberries in

British Columbia (BC). Ericaphis fimbriata is

the vector of blueberry scorch virus, a

pathogen that causes serious economic

damage to blueberry plantings in the province.

Releases of both predators were made at three

small, organic farms in June and July, 2014.

Aphid populations at the three farms declined

dramatically after releases approximately two

to three weeks earlier than typical seasonal

declines of aphids. Eggs of A. aphidimyza

were observed in post-release samples at all

three release locations, providing evidence

that this predator reproduced. Augmentative

releases of these biological control products

clearly have a strong potential as a strategy for

managing blueberry aphid, especially in

organic plantings.

Metabarcoding as a tool for assessing

stream biodiversity and ecosystem function

at pipeline crossings

M. Schwarzfeld, A.-M. Flores, A. Thielman, A.

O’Dell, A. Costello, D. Erasmus, B. Murray,

L. Poirier, J. Robert, M. Gillingham, J. M.

Shrimpton and D. Huber, Natural Resources

and Environmental Studies, University of

Northern British Columbia, Prince George,

B.C.

This study is designed as a before-after,

control-impact (BACI) analysis of stream

biodiversity and ecological processes at

pipeline crossings. We are using a

combination of morphological methods, DNA

barcoding, and metabarcoding techniques to

assess benthic invertebrate communities,

environmental DNA in water, and aquatic

food webs.

Terrestrial invertebrate indicators of

ecological function in alpine ecosystems

A. Thielman, D. Huber and M. Gillingham,

Natural Resources and Environmental Studies,

University of Northern British Columbia,

Prince George, B.C.

An invertebrate biodiversity monitoring

and assessment program in northwest British

Columbia is currently investigating ecological

function in alpine ecosystems throughout

construction of a natural gas pipeline and

subsequent restoration activities. Preliminary

2014 results and a discussion of taxa collected

and their potential for use as indicators of

ecosystem function were presented.

Impact of two contrasting marine habitats

on decomposition and arthropod

colonization of cadaver models in the Salish

Sea

G. Anderson and L. Bell, Centre for Forensic

Research, School of Criminology, Simon

Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C.

Pig carcasses were deployed on the ocean

floor, in Saanich Inlet at 92 m, and in the

Strait of Georgia at 300 m. Both sets of

carcasses were deployed under a tripod that

carried a high-definition video camera,

oxygen optode and a seawater conductivity,

temperature and density instalment package

(CTD). Dramatic differences in colonization

were noted.

18

J . Entomol. Soc. Brit. Columbia 111, December 2014

Is aggregated oviposition by blowflies

Lucilia sericata and Phormia regina

(Diptera: Calliphoridae) pheromone

mediated?

W. Wong1, B. Brodiel, S. VanLaerhoven 2 and

G. Gries1, ' Department of Biological

Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby,

B.C., and 2 University of Windsor, Windsor,

Ontario

Aggregative oviposition in female

blowflies has been perceived as pheromone

mediated. Our study with two species of

blowflies demonstrated that the presence of

female blow flies at varying reproductive

stages on an oviposition site enhance its

attractiveness to fellow female blow flies by

depositing semiochemicals associated with

feeding.

Baculovirus and co-infection dynamics in

an insect host, Trichoplusia ni

J. Scholefield and J. Cory, Department of

Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University,

Burnaby, B.C.

When multiple pathogens co-infect a host,

the outcomes can be far different from that of

a single infection. We exposed Trichoplusia ni

to a baculovirus, followed by a second

pathogen. The presence of a competitor

reduced the infection success of the

baculovirus and had negative consequences

for virus replication.

Do short-term changes in atmospheric

pressure affect the calling behavior of male

crickets?

J. Pol1-2, A. Gould2, C. Guglielmo2 and J.

McNeil2, 'Department of Biological Sciences,

Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C., and

:Department of Biology, Western University,

London, Ontario

Olfactory-based, pheromone-mediated

mating behavior of species from different

insect orders has been shown to be affected by

short-term changes in atmospheric conditions.

We examined the acoustic chirping behavior

of male crickets to determine if similar

behavioral changes occur and if the response

to this environmental cue varies with age.

Temperature effects on pea aphid

(Acyrthosiphon pisum) "personalities" in

the context of anti-predator behavioural

syndromes

D. Quach, F. Simon and B. Roitberg,

Department of Biological Sciences, Simon

Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C.

There is a growing body of evidence for

the existence of “personalities” within

animals. We demonstrate that genetically

identical individuals — pea aphids — can have

personalities and change their predatory

escape response across temperature, and

examine whether the distribution of variation

between individuals of the same clone was

retained across these environments.

Competitive behavioural strategies of

Drosophila suzukii and Drosophila

melanogaster

T. Dancau and T. Stemberger, Department of

Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University,

Burnaby, B.C.

We investigated the adult competition

dynamic between Drosophila melanogaster

and D. suzukii females for a single resource.

Resource-holding potential based on size as

well as aggressive behaviours of varying

intensities and costs were used to explore

competitive behavioural strategies. Our results

illuminate the complicated nature of

aggressive interspecies interactions.

Relative dessiccation resistance of

Rhagoletis sister species

J. Hill, K. Hausken, N. Shaffer and D.

Schwarz, Department of Biology, Western

Washington University, Bellingham, WA

The invasive apple maggot fly is largely

absent from the arid regions of the Pacific

Northwest, which is occupied by its native

sibling, the snowberry fly. We compare the

desiccation resistance of both species and

discuss potential consequences of interspecific

hybridization on drought adaptation in the

apple maggot.

Red-throated Caracaras versus army ants

as wasp predators in Neotropcal forests

S. McCann, T. Jones, O. Moeri, C. Scott, S.

O Donnell and G. Gries, Department of

Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University,

Burnaby, B.C.

Predators of Neotropical social wasps have

not been well studied, but historically, army

J. Entomol. Soc. Brit. Columbia 111, December 20 14

ants have been considered the most important

wasp predators. We studied Red-throated

Caracara provisioning behaviour. Our

quantitative results suggest that these

specialist predators may rival army ants as

predators on social wasps.

When bar coding fails: Molecular

identification of apple maggot flies in the

face of gene flow

D. Schwarz, Department of Biology, Western

Washington University, Bellingham, WA

Economically important apple maggot flies

and their non-pest snowberry maggot sibling

species share too much genetic variation to be

distinguished by a single gene. Instead, a

modest number of unlinked single nucleotide

polymorphisms provide a fast and cost-

effective method to identify apple maggots

despite ongoing introgression from snowberry

maggots.

Apple Maggot (Rhagoletis pomonella

Walsh): Resident quarantine pest in

southwest British Columbia (Lower

Mainland)

S. Glasgow and T. Hueppelsheuser, Plant

Health Unit, Plant and Animal Health Branch,

British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture,

Abbotsford, B.C.

A quarantine pest of apples, Apple Maggot

[Rhagoletis pomonella W.) was first detected

in British Columbia along the Canada-U.S

border of the Lower Mainland in 2006. In this

presentation we share the methods used and

data collected during 2013/2014 monitoring of

adult flight and fruit damage. Adult flight

monitoring has given insight to the lifecycle of

Apple Maggot in southern B.C., and we hope

this is useful to commercial growers for

timing their pest management activities. This

project was funded in part by the BC Ministry

of Agriculture and Agriculture and Agri-Food

Canada through Growing Forward 2, a

federal-provincial-territorial initiative.

Stark sexual display divergence among

jumping spider populations in the face of

gene flow

G. Blackburn and W. Maddison, Department

of Zoology, University of British Columbia,

Vancouver, B.C.

19

Can selection prompt population

divergence in the face of gene flow? If so,

what traits are involved? We present genetic

evidence that, in Habronattus americanus

jumping spiders, selection can promote stark

sexual display divergence in the face of gene

flow even among closely related populations.

Genetic and ecological consequences of sex

ratio distortion in a booklouse

C. Hodson and S. Perlman, Department of

Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria, B. C.

In a newly discovered species of

booklouse, we have found that two female

types exist: one that produces both female and

male offspring and the other that produces

only females. As this difference is stable

across generations, it has population

consequences. We discuss the genetic

consequences, in terms of mitochondrial

structure, and the ecological consequences, in

terms of differences in reproductive potential

between the female types.

The immune repertoire of a divergent,

symbiont-defended Drosophila

M. Hanson, F. Hamilton and S. Perlman,

Department of Biology, University of Victoria,

Victoria, B.C.

Drosophila melanogaster is a wonderful

model for studying the innate immune system.

However, immunity in divergent lineages of

Drosophila, with distinct ecologies and natural

enemies, is largely unstudied. Using

transcriptomics, we describe the immune

pathways of the mushroom-feeding D.

neotestacea, a natural system where hosts are

commonly infected with a Spiroplasma

defensive symbiont that protects against a

virulent nematode parasite. Although the

major immune cascades are well conserved,

some antimicrobial peptides were absent from

the D. neotestacea transcriptome.

What women want: Does bait influence the

age of female Drosophila suzukii (Diptera:

Drosophilidae) caught in traps?

K. Sim and T. Hueppelsheuser, Plant Health

Unit, Plant and Animal Health Branch, British

Columbia Ministry of Agriculture, Abbotsford,

B.C.

Bait preference is of major concern for

effective monitoring of the crop pest

20

Drosophila suzukii Matsumura (Diptera:

Drosophilidae), spotted wing drosophila

(SWD). Catching SWD when it first becomes

active in the spring has been a focal point for

many bait studies; however, in areas where

SWD populations are not completely inactive

during winter months, such as south western

B. C., it is difficult to pinpoint when SWD

populations become an active risk to crops.

Monitoring in these areas, in order to allow

timely management decisions by commercial

fruit growers, may benefit from tracking the

presence of reproductively viable females in

the population. To implement effective

population age structure monitoring, it is

important to determine if bait preference is

influenced by female age. Here we compare

the age classes of caught female SWD in two

baits types, yeast solution and apple cider

vinegar, to determine if age-based bait

preference exists. This project was funded in

part by the BC Ministry of Agriculture and

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada through

Growing Forward 2, a federal-provincial-

territorial initiative.

How the false widow spider finds true love:

Female contact pheromone elicits male

courtship behaviour in Steatoda grossa

C. Gerak, C. Scott, S. McCann and G. Gries,

Department of Biological Sciences, Simon

Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C.

We investigated courtship behaviour and

pheromonal communication in the false black

widow spider, Steatoda grossa. Males engage

in a complex pre-copulatory courtship ritual

that includes dismantling the female's web

(web-reduction behaviour). We show that a

pheromone on the silk of virgin but not mated

females elicits courtship behaviour by males.

Temperature-induced changes in western

tent caterpillar feeding behaviour as a

mechanism for variability in NPV

susceptibility

P. MacDonald', J. Cory' and J. Myers2,

'Department of Biological Sciences, Simon

Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C., and

2 Department of Zoology, University of

British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C.

Western tent caterpillar populations display

cyclical dynamics with 8- to 11-year

periodicity in southwestern B.C. Long-term

J. Entomol. Soc. Brit. Columbia ill, December 20 1 4

data shows that Nucleopolyhedrovirus (NPV)

is an integral component of these dynamics,

but climate might also be involved. We

investigate how temperature influences

individual feeding behaviour in western tent

caterpillars to propose how climate might alter

infection dynamics.

Keeping up with climate change:

Temperature and humidity effects on an

insect herbivore in apple orchards

J. Swain', G. Judd2 and J. Cory', ' Department

of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser

University, Burnaby, B.C., and 2 Pacific Agri-

Food Research Centre, Agriculture and Agri-

Food Canada, Summerland, B. C.

We investigate how temperature and

humidity contribute to the outbreak potential

of Spilonota ocellana during seasonally

vulnerable life stages. Our results indicate a

threshold tolerance of spring larvae to sub-

zero temperatures, such as those experienced

during frost events, and optimum conditions

for egg hatch and development.

"Weeding" out climbing cutworm: The

toxic, yet alluring power of shepherd’s

purse in vineyards

N. DeLury, T. Lowery, K. Deglow and A.

Mostafa, Pacific Agri-Food Research Centre,

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada,

Summerland, B.C.

We investigate the presence of shepherd’s

purse, Capsella bursa-pastor is (L.)

(Brassicaceae), in vineyards as a potential

means to control native and invasive climbing

cutworm species — all serious pests of grape

buds in south-central B.C.— with varying

results.

J. Entomol. Soc. Brit. Columbia 1 1 1, December 2014

21

Symposium Abstracts: Dangerous Creatures?

Arthropods Affecting Human Health-Fact and Fiction

Entomological Society of British Columbia

Annual General Meeting,

Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C., October 25, 2014

Note: There was a total of seven papers presented in this symposium. We were able to obtain

abstracts from six of the authors.

Bloodfeeding in Anophelines: context,

context, context

B. Roitberg, Department of Biological

Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby,

B.C.

I argue that bloodfeeding by Anopheline

mosquitoes is best understood from a

contextual perspective. Here, the contexts are:

body size; body mass; and, energy state. First,

I review state-dependent theory as tool for

explicating context, and then I describe three

sets of experiments that explore my

contention. These experiments consider three

different points in the bloodfeeding sequence:

attempting to access a host that is protected by

a bednet; feeding at a host that attempts to

defend itself; and, post-feeding dynamics after

feeding on healthy and plasmodium-infected

hosts. In all three cases, the complex response

by female Anophelines is best understood by

applying multi-factorial models that include

interaction terms. In other words, size effects

cannot be understood by evaluating energy

state, etc. This is context. I conclude by

showing that these contextual responses by

female mosquitoes can impact mosquito-

vectored diseases such as malaria. My final

point is that simplistic approaches that treat

mosquitoes as if they were flying syringes are

problematic and will have short shelf life.

West Nile virus in British Columbia

A. Furnell, British Columbia Centre for

Disease Control, Vancouver, B. C.

The British Columbia Centre for Disease

Control is involved with West Nile virus

because it is a reportable communicable

disease. Our surveillance includes the

mosquito component of the enzootic cycle.

We use miniature Centre for Disease Control-

issued light traps, baited with carbon dioxide,

for field surveillance. Four Culex species exist

in British Columbia (B.C.); we collected three

in our surveillance. Culex pipiens is widely

distributed across the province and is

especially abundant in urban centres, which

have well-developed storm-sewer catch-basin

systems, where C. pipiens young develop.

This species was implicated as the primary

vector in the initial North American outbreak.

Culex tarsalis can be found in northern B.C.,

but they are mostly found in the south, along

the Canadian border, where specimens

infected with West Nile virus were detected in

the Okanagan Valley. Culex territans is

commonly found in ponds or artificial

containers that hold water, but are seldom

collected in our light trap surveillance. They

feed on amphibians, so are not considered part

of the West Nile virus enzootic cycle. There is

a new record of Culex restuans being

identified on Vancouver Island. This common

vector is associated with virus amplification in

birds in the prairie provinces and in eastern

Canada, but it is rare for B.C.

Innate immune responses of vectors to

pathogens: What defines vector-pathogen

specificity?

C. Lowenberger, Department of Biological

Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby,

B.C

Certain vectors transmit specific pathogens

that may cause disease in humans or other

animals. Why do vectors transmit a limited

number or type of pathogen/parasite and kill

others? The innate immune system of insects,

including vectors, evolved to recognize and

eliminate microbial pathogens. The pathogens

in turn have evolved to avoid, evade, or

inactivate components of the immune system

for their own benefit. Plasmodium, the causal

agent of human malaria, develops in an area of

the midgut that has almost no expression of

22

anti-parasite peptides. The parasite

Trypanosoma cruzi, which causes human

Chagas disease, never leaves the

gastrointestinal (GI) tract of its kissing bug

vector, but is transmitted through fecal

transmission as it feeds on blood. If this

parasite leaves the GI tract to enter the body

cavity, it is killed by immune molecules.

Human dengue virus, transmitted by Aedes

aegypti, is often killed by components of the

apoptotic pathway: the virus enters cells and is

recognized, and the cells initiate apoptosis.

However, the virus induces the expression of

inhibitors of apoptosis (IAPsO) that delay

apoptosis until the virus has replicated. The

interplay between the innate immune system

and specific parasites and pathogens

determines which vectors transmit which

pathogens to humans.

Ticks: The perspective of a physiologist

R. Kaufman, Professor Emeritus, University

of Alberta, Salt Spring Island, B.C.

Whenever I have occasion to mention that

my research area at the University was the

physiology of ticks (and still is here on Salt

Spring Island), 99.99% of the time the

response is something like, “Oh, do you work

on Lyme Disease?” Actually, I don’t, but the

response obviously reflects the general view

that the only reason to do research on a nasty

creature like a tick is to find out ways to

eliminate them and the diseases they transmit!

Fair enough, but I like to emphasize that even

invertebrates, including ticks, can teach us a

lot about physiological mechanisms in

general. In this presentation I’ll tell you that

female ticks of the family Ixodidae regulate

their body fluid composition while feeding on

the host by secreting an enormous volume of

saliva back into the host’s circulation; this is

how pathogens from infected ticks enter the

host. I outline the control mechanisms of

salivation: Basically, an interaction exists

among several neural pathways that involve

the neurotransmitters acetylcholine, dopamine,

and y-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and a

pathway in which some ergot alkaloids are

mimics. In most ixodid ticks, copulation must

occur on the host, after both sexes have fed at

least partially. After engorgement, the salivary

glands degenerate by an autolytic process that

is triggered by an eedysteroid hormone and

modified by a so-called “male factor”. This

J. Entomol. Soc. Brit. Columbia ill, December 2014

male factor serves more importantly as an

“engorgement factor” because, without it,

virgin females feed to only about one-tenth the

normal engorged weight. The engorgement

factor consists of two proteins (a- and (3-

voraxin). When we immunized a rabbit

against the two proteins, 75% of the normal

mated females that fed on it failed to feed

beyond the small size characteristic of virgins.

This has implications for developing a

biological control mechanism against ticks

and the pathogens they transmit.

Natural products to control bed bugs

Y. Akhtar and M. B. Is man, Faculty of Land

and Food Systems, University of British

Columbia, Vancouver, B.C.

In recent years, infestations by bed bugs,

Cimex lectularius L., (Hemiptera: Cimicidae),

have increased dramatically in many parts of

the world, including Canada and U.S.A. This

has led to renewed interest in the development

of products of dubious composition and

efficacy to control the infestations. The exact

cause of the resurgence of bed bugs is unclear,

but may be a consequence of the development

of resistance in the insects to commonly used

synthetic insecticides, including pyrethroids,

along with other factors. Although there is no

evidence that bed bugs transmit disease

between human hosts, they cause a range of

emotional problems and have an especially

negative impact on the hospitality industry.

Urgent need exists to develop pest

management tools that are effective in

suppressing bed bug populations and do not

themselves have undue negative impacts on

human health. We discuss semiochemicals and

diatomaceous earth (DE) as part of a bed bug

pest management system. Approximately 150

compounds (provided by SemiosBio

Technologies Inc.), including both natural and

synthetic semiochemical analogs, were

screened, using glass arenas, for repellent

effects. Some of the compounds demonstrated

sufficient bioactivity against bed bugs to be

considered for continued repellent formulation

development. Similarly, different samples of

DE, provided by DE Labs Inc., were screened

for toxic effects against C. lectularius. Based

on LC50 values, DE Labs Inc. and Mother

Earth DE-dusts were significantly more toxic

than other DE-dusts. The use of these products

J . Entomol. Soc. Brit. Columbia 111, December 20 1 4

may represent a new, low-impact standard for

public health pest control.

The truth about spider bites: “Aggressive”

spiders and the threat to public health

Catherine Scott, Department of Biological

Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby,

B.C.

Current sensational media coverage

indicates widespread ignorance about the

basic biology of spiders and other arthropods.

I argue that spiders should not generally be

considered dangerous, but that misconceptions

and misdiagnoses pose a greater threat to

public health. There are only two genera of

medically significant spiders in North

America: Latrodectus (black widows) and

Loxosceles (recluse spiders). Only the former

is found in Canada. Spiders are generally

unaggressive and bite only defensively. In

places where widow and recluse spiders are

common, bites are very rare. Physicians seem

quick to blame unexplained bites or lesions on

23

spiders in the absence of any evidence. Many

other arthropods depend on blood meals from

human or other vertebrate hosts and are thus

more likely culprits for mysterious bites.

Bacterial infections and a host of other

conditions are commonly misdiagnosed as

‘necrotic arachnidism’, and lack of proper

treatment can lead to complications and even

death. Most spider bites are benign and do not

require medical intervention. Spiders are far

more useful than harmful as voracious

predators of household and agricultural pests.

I am optimistic that, through education and

outreach, we can inspire people to respect and

learn from these beautiful and amazing

arthropods.

Tick distribution and tick-borne diseases in

British Columbia

Muhammad Morshed, BC Centre for Disease

Control

No abstract submitted

I

NOTICE TO CONTRIBUTORS

The Journal of the Entomological Society of British Columbia is published online as submissions are

accepted. The JESBC provides immediate open access to its content on the principle that making research

freely available to the public supports a greater global exchange of knowledge. Manuscripts dealing with all

facets of the study of arthropods will be considered for publication. Submissions may be from regions

beyond British Columbia and the surrounding jurisdictions provided that content is applicable or of interest

to a regional audience. Review and forum articles are encouraged. Authors need not be members of the

Society. Manuscripts are peer-reviewed, a process that takes about six weeks.

Submissions. The JESBC accepts only electronic submissions via the journal homepage: http://

journal. entsocbc.ca/. Style and format guidelines, open access fees, and other information for authors can be

found at the journal homepage.

Scientific notes. Scientific notes are an acceptable format for short reports. They must be two journal pages

maximum, about four manuscript pages. Scientific Notes do not use traditional section headings, and the

term "Scientific Note" precedes the title. A short abstract may be included if desired. Notes are peer-

reviewed in the same manner as regular submissions.

Review and forum articles - Please submit ideas for review or forum articles for consideration to the editor

at joumal@entsocbc.ca. Reviews should provide comprehensive, referenced coverage of current and

emerging scientific thought on entomological subjects. Forum articles of about 1000 words in length should

provide opinions, backed by fact, on topics of interest to entomologists and to the general public. Both

review and forum submissions are only published in the journal following full and rigorous peer review.

Electronic reprints. As an open access journal, article reprints from all issues of the journal can be

downloaded as PDFs from the journal homepage.

Back issues. Electronic back issues are available online free-of-charge. Print back issues of many volumes of

the journal are available at SI 5 each.

Membership in the Society is open to anyone with an interest in entomology. Dues are S20 per year for

domestic memberships, $10 for students, and $25 for international memberships. Members receive electronic

copies of Boreus (the newsletter of the Society), and when published, occasional papers. Membership and

membership renewals can be purchased at: http://blogs.sfu.ca/groups/esbc/membership/.

Journal of the

Entomological Society of British Columbia

Volume 111 Issued December 2014 ISSN #0071-0733

Directors of the Entomological Society of British Columbia, 2014-2015 ii

D. R. Horton, E. Miliczky, J. E. Munyaneza, K. D. Swisher, and A. S. Jensen. Absence of

photoperiod effects on mating and ovarian maturation by three haplotypes of potato

psyllid, Bactericera cockerelli (Hemiptera: Triozidae) 1

SCIENTIFIC NOTES

S. McCann and R Belton. A new record of Culex restuans Theobald (Diptera: Culicidae)

in British Columbia 13

G. Judd. Obituary of Michael James Smirle (1954-2014) 15

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING ABSTRACTS

Entomological Society of British Columbia Annual General Meeting Presentation

Abstracts 17

Entomological Society of British Columbia Annual General Meeting Symposium

Abstracts: Dangerous Creatures? Arthropods Affecting Human Health-Fact and

Fiction 21

NOTICE TO CONTRIBUTORS Inside Back Cover