The within-plant distribution of soybean aphid, Aphis glycines Matsumura has been attributed to various causes, yet it is unclear which factor or combination of factors most influence aphid within-plant distribution. Understanding soybean aphid distribution within the soybean canopy is important both in developing sampling programs and in evaluating injury. Because natural enemies have the potential to alter aphid dispersion, we examined how within-plant distribution of soybean aphid was influenced by different natural enemies. Field cages of different mesh diameters were used to exclude different sizes of natural enemies from aphid infested plots. Plots were surveyed and both natural enemy density and soybean aphid density, by strata, were recorded twice weekly. Cages were found to have minimal effect on temperature and soybean plant development. Aphid densities were significantly different each year among dates, treatments, and strata. In 2004 aphid densities were concentrated on the top part of the plant and in 2005 aphid densities were concentrated in the middle of the canopy. Treatments had significant impacts on aphid density in both years of the study. The total exclusion treatment had the highest aphid densities in both years. Treatment also had a significant effect on which stratum aphids were most commonly found. The factor that was found to best explain the differences in aphid distribution was the abundance of natural enemies, primarily Orius insidosus (Say). In treatments left exposed to natural enemies the percentage of the total aphid population was found lower in the canopy. It is clear that aphid densities and distributions are being affected by the presence of natural enemies. Understanding how natural enemies affect the distribution of this economically damaging aphid species is an important component of its management, specifically the development of accurate scouting protocols and pesticide efficiency.

Leluthia danielensis n. sp. (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), reared from Scolytopsis puncticollis Blandford (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is described from Mexico. Illustrations of lateral and dorsal habitus and wings are provided.

Heliotropium curassavicum L. (Boraginaceae) is a small desert perennial producing inflorescences visited by Hesperopsis gracielae (MacNeill) (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae), a skipper found along the lower Colorado River in Nevada, Arizona, and California. Flowers on H. curassavicum are white, with yellow centers that turn purple as flowers age, and absorb ultraviolet light. I found cymes supporting fewer yellow-centered flowers which contained greater masses of sugar. I compared attractions of H. gracielae adults to inflorescence models displaying the plant's floral colors. Skippers more-frequently approached or landed-on purple models compared with yellow models, and white models elicited fewer approaches than yellow or purple models. Attraction of sootywings to purple and yellow corresponded with numbers of purple- and yellow-centered flowers on inflorescences but not with masses of sugar in individual flowers. Models displaying yellow and purple together, or both colors plus white, elicited fewer approaches but equivalent landings compared with single-color models. Blocking ultraviolet light from multiple-color models greatly increased frequencies of responses, especially landings on models displaying white. Olfaction, tested by adding H. curassavicum inflorescences to multiple-color models, did not influence attraction. Each of the floral colors, especially purple, reflected by H. curassavicum inflorescences attract H. gracielae, whereas landings are most elicited by reflectance of all three colors without ultraviolet.

Sweep net sampling of canola (Brassica napus L.) was conducted in 2002 and 2003 to determine Lygus (Heteroptera: Miridae) species composition and parasitism levels in four regions of Montana. Regardless of region or seasonal change, Lygus elisus (Van Duzee) was the dominant species in all canola fields sampled, averaging 60–99% of the total adult populations. Lygus borealis (Kelton), Lygus keltoni (Schwartz) and Lygus lineolaris (Palisot) were detected at much lower levels. Total lygus population density was greatest in the southwest and central regions. The northeast and southwest regions had the greatest lygus species diversity. The proportion of L. elisus increased from early to late crop maturity stages in the southwest and central regions while there was no change in northeast and southwest canola production regions. Nymphal stages III–V were dissected to detect parasitism in 2003 only. Parasitism was found to be negligible in the dissection of 1,230 nymphs. Lygus population densities in canola indicate the potential for economic impact on Montana canola, especially in years when moisture is limited.

The periodicity of molting and resumption of feeding after molting was investigated in the brown recluse spider, Loxosceles reclusa Gertsch and Mulaik (Sicariidae). Spiders molted almost every hour of the day but there was a tendency to molt more frequently between 8 a.m. and 1 a.m. Spiderlings resumed feeding after 20 hrs post-molt with feeding occuring more frequently around the 43^rd hour and well-established after 48 hrs.

A taxonomic study of Aleochara (Aleochara) kochi Bernhauer, identified for the first time in the Korean peninsula, is presented. A lectotype of A. kochi is designated to establish the identity of the species without ambiguity. A habitus illustration, line drawings of diagnostic characters and redescription are provided. A key to the species of the subgenus Aleochara from the Far East is provided.

Scaphidium direptum , a new species from Fujian and Guangdong Provinces of China, is described and its diagnostic characters are illustrated.

The Great Plains of Colorado occupies over two-fifths of the state, yet very little is known about the aquatic insects of this area. This paper reports on the aquatic insects found in temporary and permanent pools of Big Sandy Creek within the Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site, on the Great Plains of Colorado. A total of 107 distinguishable taxa were collected representing six orders and 27 families of insects. The orders Coleoptera (39% or 42 taxa), Diptera (23% or 25 taxa), and Odonata (21% or 23 species) dominated this site. Most of these taxa are geographically widespread and considered common. The aquatic beetles Thermonectus intermedius Crotch, Gyrinus parcus Say, Berosus hatchi Miller, B. infuscatus LeConte and B. miles LeConte are reported from Colorado for the first time.

The labiomaxillary anatomies of mature larvae of exemplars of the four tribes (Xylocopini, Ceratinini, Manueliini, and Allodapini) of the Xylocopinae were examined and compared with the anatomy of the same region on the larva of a generalized, cocoon-spinning Apinae. The exemplars of the first three tribes listed all have the opening of the labial gland on the hypopharynx close to the opening to the pharynx rather than at the apex of the prementum as in the Apinae. Furthermore one of the exemplars of the Allodapini (Allodape ceratinoides Gribodo) agrees in this respect with the three other tribes. However, the other allodapine exemplar (Macrogalea candida (Smith)) has the opening at the apex of the greatly modified labium. Numerous preserved specimens of this species exhibited a conspicuous amorphous, presumably postmortem discharge from the labial gland, suggesting that in this species the labial gland had taken on a new, unknown function compared with other xylocopines (none of which spin cocoons). The study concludes that the hypopharyngeal position of the opening of the duct from the labial gland, far from the premental apex, is a strong larval synapomorphy of the Xylocopinae because it is found in exemplars of all four tribes of the subfamily and has not been reported elsewhere among bees. Although the mature larva of Macrogalea candida has the labial gland opening close to the labial palpi in front of the hypopharynx and therefore presumably on the prementum, the greatly modified labiomaxillary region and the evidence that the gland discharges large quantities of a secretion suggest that the position of the opening is autapomorphic.

Hypomachilodes forthaysi , new species, is described along with a review of other species and the elucidation of characters within the family Meinertellidae and order Microcoryphia.