Newsletter of the Biological Survey of Canada

Home , Atherigona, Baizongia, Cephus, Cotalpa, Cotalpa lanigera, Grapholita delineana

Vol. 39(2) December 2020

The Newsletter of the BSC is published twice a year by the Biological Survey of Canada, an incorporated not-for-profit In this issue group devoted to promoting biodiversity science in Canada. From the Editor’s Desk...... 2 Membership...... 3,15 President’s Report...... 4 Feature Article: Sandhill Gold: The Goldsmith BSC Facebook & Twitter...... 5 Beetle (Cotalpa lanigera, Contributing to the BSC Scarabaeidae, Coleoptera) in Newsletter...... 5 the Sandhills of Southwestern Highlights of the 2020 AGM...6 Manitoba Request for Specimens...... 7 Robert Wrigley & Tim Arendse...... 19 Carabidae from across North America; Kevin Floate Certain Paraleptophlebia and Rhithrogena (Ephemeroptera) from eastern Canada; Steve Burian Elateridae from across Canada; Project Update Scott Gilmore Project Update Spider Diversity of British Spider Diversity of British Columbia: Columbia: Almost 900 Spe- Almost 900 Species & Still Counting cies and Still Counting Robb Bennett, Darren Copley and Robb Bennett, Darren Copley and Claudia Copley...... 8 Claudia Copley...... 8 New Projects 1. Warm & Comfortable within Hollow Stems, Leaf-mines and Galls: Little New Projects known habitats for Entomologists & Botanists to explore, Peter G. Kevan, 1. Warm & Comfortable within Hollow Stems, Leaf- Charlotte Coates, Patricia Nunes mines and Galls: Little known habitats for Entomol- Silva, & Marla Larson...... 11 2. A New Citizen Science Project Called ogists & Botanists to explore Chronolog, Kevin Rose...... 16 Peter G. Kevan, Charlotte Coates, Patricia Nunes Silva, & Marla 3. Citizen scientist spots a newcomer Larson...... 11 on Canadian elm trees, Véronique Martel...... 17 2. A New Citizen Science Project Called Chronolog Feature Article Kevin Rose...... 16 Sandhill Gold: The Goldsmith Beetle 3. Citizen Scientist Spots a Newcomer on Canadian (Cotalpa lanigera, Scarabaeidae, Elm Trees, Véronique Martel...... 17 Coleoptera) in the Sandhills of Southwestern Manitoba, Robert Nature Challenge 2021 Community BioBlitzes...... 24 Wrigley and Tim Arendse...... 19 Notices: Entomology Enthusiast / Enthousiaste de Nature Challenge 2021...... 24 l’entomologie ...... 25 Entomology Enthusiast...... 25 Canadian Journal of Request for Specimens: Beetles and Mayflies!...... 7 Arthropod Identification: 2020 papers ...... 27 BSC Publications Available Call for Nominations: BSC Board for 2021-23...... 3 on the Website ...... 27 Notices ...... 28 2020 Papers in the Canadian Journal of Arthropod Identification...... 27

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From the Editor’s desk Donna Giberson It is encouraging to me to see and hear about biodiversity work that is still happening around us, even as we battle our way through a global pandemic. As our president, Greg Pohl, points out, one thing we can still do is get outdoors, and as long as we follow the local Covid-19 guidelines, we can still gather important observations. In this issue, you’ll read about studies on BC spiders, goldsmith beetles on the prairies, interesting microhabitats for arthropods, and a newly discovered invader in eastern elms. One thing I love about being involved with the BSC Newsletter is learning about new and ongoing projects, and then hearing later about how our Newsletter has helped bring people together to collaborate. So I’m going to send out a special request with this issue: I’m fascinated by the potential for citizen (community) engagement in the Chronolog project, so wonder if anyone thinking of contacting the organizers to set up one of these projects in their area could get in touch with us too, and give an update on how it works? There are other requests for collaboration in this issue too - see the request by Kevan et al. on p. 14, and the requests for specimens on p. 6.

This newsletter would not be possible without the contributions from our readers, and I urge you to read these and consider submitting an update or article on your own work.

Please also consider getting involved with the BSC. This year is an election year for the Board of Directors, so a call for nominations will be going out early in the New year. Consider running for one of the positions on the board, or engaging with on-going projects, or helping out with the website or other outreach activities!

If you haven’t yet looked up our website or checked out the BSC on Facebook, consider doing so, and send us your comments; of course, if there are any little bumps in navigating the site, we’d like to hear about them. The site will continue to have links to biodiversity resources of the BSC and our publications. Check it out, at http://biologicalsurvey.ca/

Questions? Please contact us at [email protected] D.Giberson Tiger beetles on Blooming Point Beach, PEI.

The Newsletter of the Biological Survey of Canada is published twice a year (summer and winter) by the Biological Survey of Canada, an incorporated not-for-profit group devoted to promoting biodiversity science in Canada, particularly with respect to the Arthropoda. Send submissions to: Dr. Donna Giberson ([email protected]) Newsletter of the Biological Survey of Canada Department of Biology, University of Prince Edward Island 550 University Ave., Charlottetown, PE C1A 4P3

Masthead image: Tricoloured Bumblebee, Bombus ternarius photographed on lupins in PEI in 2010, D.Giberson Volume 39(2) December 2020 [click here to return to front page] Newsletter of the Biological Survey of Canada 3

Biological Survey of Canada: Documenting Canada’s Biodiversity

The Biological Survey of Canada (BSC) has been collecting, collating, analyzing and disseminating information about Canada’s biological diversity since 1977. The BSC is a Canadian non-profit, charitable organization consisting of biodiversity scientists across Canada, and in other countries, who have an interest in Canadian biota. The BSC prides itself in identifying and filling biodiversity information needs using a bottom-up organiza- tional structure, whereby front-line workers identify the needs and work to address them. The BSC has successfully demonstrated its capacity to advance national level biodiversity science and knowledge concerning terrestrial arthropods, which account for >60% of Canadian species, and is now reaching out to the broader biological community to bring together those who are experts with other taxa and who share a common vision and goal of making biodiversity information more accessible.

Are you a member of the BSC? You may be on the mailing list to receive BSC newsletters, but may not be a member! To become a member, send a request for membership to the BSC Secretary (see below). Remember to request membership before the AGM so you are eligible to vote. If you don’t hear from us within a couple of weeks, please contact us again, to be sure your request has been received.

To Join the BSC: Send an email to Donna Giberson, Secretary, BSC [email protected]

- In the subject line, write “BSC Membership” - in the body of the message, give your full name and contact information, and a valid email address. Remember to update the BSC if you change email addresses. Please also provide some information on your background and biodiversity interests.

First call for Nominations to the Board: 2021-23

The BSC is calling for nominations for members of the 2021-2023 Board of Directors. Up to nine (9) members can be elected for a term of two (2) years. Directors are expected to participate in regular virtual meetings, and to participate in projects of the BSC as their time allows. Self nominations are encouraged, or you may nominate a colleague. Please provide the name of the candidate (after ensuring that he/she is a BSC member and willing to stand for election [Note: see p. 15 on membership]) and a brief statement (<100 words) of their background and biodiversity interests. Nominations should be sent to the Secretary at [email protected] and will be accepted prior to the June AGM or during the Annual General Meeting itself.

Check out the BSC website!

http://biologicalsurvey.ca/

Volume 39(2) December 2020 [click here to return to front page] Newsletter of the Biological Survey of Canada 4

President’s update Biological Survey of Canada/ Commission biologique du Canada Greg Pohl Natural Resources Canada, Northern Forestry Centre Edmonton, AB

Greetings fellow naturalists.

Welcome to our December edition. I must confess that the general state of affairs in fall 2020 has not been inspiring any enthusiastic presidential thoughts from me, and I have been procrastinating writing this brief note, as our newsletter editor can attest. It has been a difficult year to advance our knowledge of Canadian species. Neverheless, I asked for an advance copy of this newsletter (pretty much done; just waiting for me to write this), and as I look over it now I’m truly excited to see some inspiring articles. It’s nice to see so much impressive work on spiders in BC, and to be re-acquainted with Goldsmith Beetles, and to get a whole new appreciation of hollow plant stems as insect habitat. It’s great to learn about the “Chrono- log” project to enlist citizen scientists, and the report of a new invasive species discovered by a citizen scientist in Quebec. Speaking of citizen science, last newsletter I mentioned a personal goal of mine, to document at least one species per day on iNaturalist over the summer in my neighborhood in Edmonton, AB. I had set up an iNaturalist project for my neighborhood, and another for the entire city of Edmonton (I was a little surprised that nobody else had done the latter yet). And then I set out for regular walks with my camera... Although I feel my personal challenge was successful (well over one species observed for every day of the calendar year), I was a little dismayed at how quickly I dominated the iNat counts. I didn’t set out to rule these projects, but in one summer, I became the top contributor for the entire city. I’m not saying that to brag. It actually makes me sad that I saw more things in one summer than anyone else in Edmonton has contributed since iNat’s inception a decade or so ago. Although I’m just one among over 1000 observers, I thought there would be more people who are major contributors. I found it therapeutic to walk around my neighborhood, and look around for nature’s small wonders. Many times on my regular walks, I entered that magical state of being where time ceases, and all the stresses and concerns of the day are pushed aside by the all-encompassing present moment. It helped keep me sane this summer. I have a new appreciation for flies, mosses, lichens, and grasses, and I even found a new provincial beetle record. I’m surprised more people aren’t finding enjoyment in this. I will choose to see this as a “glass half full”; there is huge potential to increase the contributions of citizen scientists. There is a light at the end of this long, strange pandemic journey that has been 2020, and when we emerge into some new normal, I’m confident that the role of citizen science in uncovering Canadian biodiversity will continue to grow. Thanks to all our contributors this issue, and to our patient editor Donna Giberson and assistants Dan Peach and Emily Hanuschuk.

Greg Pohl BSC Prez

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BSC on Facebook and Twitter Join the Conversation!

The BSC is active on Facebook (www.facebook.com/biolsurvey1can) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/BiolSurCan). We regularly share news about new biodiversity research in Canada and updates from the BSC. Like and Follow the Biological Survey of Canada! If you have content you would like to share with the BSC please email [email protected]

BSC Student Corner

Students and Early Career Researchers - Do you have a Biodiversity Project you’d like to have highlighted in the BSC Newsletter? Contact the BSC Student Rep (Em- ily Hanuschuk, [email protected]) or the Newsletter Assistant Editor (Dan Peach, [email protected]) to inquire about contributing. Articles can be on preliminary data, experiences/adventures in the field, or any other as- pect of your work or study. We welcome notes on sampling methods or interesting habitats as well, and illustrations are encouraged.

Examples of other student articles can be found on pp.27-35 in Vol 29(2) (http://biologicalsurvey.ca/newsletter/bscfall2010.pdf), pp.41-49 in Vol 30(2) (http://biologicalsurvey.ca/newsletter/bscwinter2011.pdf), and pp.7-19 in Vol 34(1) (http://biologicalsurvey.ca/newsletter/bscsummer2015.pdf).

Contributing to the BSC Newsletter

Do you have an article about a topic relating to Canada’s Biodiversity that you would like to submit to the Newsletter of the Biological Survey of Canada? We welcome topics on all aspects (and all species) relating to Canada’s biodiversity. Topics are up to the authors, but examples of appropriate articles include interesting finds, habitats, or collecting trips, results or reports from Bioblitzes, information about local natural history museums, and so on.

To submit a manuscript, please contact the editor ([email protected]) for instructions. The Newsletter is published twice per year (Summer and Winter), and deadlines for articles are Mid-May for the summer issue and Mid-December for the Winter issue.

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2020 AGM - Highlights

The Annual General Meeting was held on June 17, 2020 (0900h Pacific Time) via video (Webex) conference.

President Greg Pohl gave a report on the past years activities, noting that activities had been somewhat curtailed due to the Covid-19 Pandemic. The main points were that the BSC Bioblitz (planned for the Plateau Mountain Ecological Reserve in Alberta in July) and the BSC Symposium at the Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of Canada meeting would both have to be cancelled. He also updated members on the work to update and improve the website. He noted recent problems with the website crashing, which is kind of a good news / bad news sort of story. The reason it is crashing is the popularity of articles in the Canadian Journal of Arthropod Identification and the recently published monograph on Canadian Ticks, and our website bandwidth hasn’t been enough to handle the increased traffic. Greg noted some of the measures the BSC was taking to resolve the problem. Updates were also provided on the Biota of Canada Project. The original vision for this project was to provide two main products: Biodiversity assessments (including a multi- volume series assessing biodiversity in Canada) and a Checklist series. The first volume of the Biodiversity Assessment series has been published, covering terrestrial arthropods (https://zookeys.pensoft.net/issue/1251/), but subsequent volumes will require collaboration with other biodiversity scientists. The publications committee is currently working on ways to move this forward. The Checklist Series has been proposed to fill a major gap in accessing species information for many taxa and localities. The logistics of producing a checklist series are still being investigated, with a hope of being able to publish peer- reviewed checklists for Canadian Taxa. One avenue that was discussed was to publish checklists in the BSC/ESC journal, Canadian Journal of Arthropod Identification. This idea was well received, but it was also noted that a Biota of Canada Checklist series should not just be restricted to arthropod taxa. Anyone wishing to participate in these activities should contact David Langor ([email protected]). Heather Proctor, Editor-in-Chief of the Canadian Journal of Arthropod Identification reported on recently published and upcoming articles in the Journal, and particularly noted the hard work by our Technical Editor, Morgan Jackson. After several years of service on the Journal, Morgan is now looking to step down, so the BSC and Entomological Soci- ety of Canada are seeking a new Technical Editor. Please contact Heather Proctor if you are interested in taking on this interesting challenge ([email protected]). Donna Giberson (Editor, Newsletter of the Biological Survey of Canada) reported on recent changes to the Newsletter. This year, Dan Peach (UBC) joined the Newsletter as Assistant Editor, and Emily Hanuschuk (new Student Liaison for the BSC) joined as As- sistant Editor for the Student Corner. John Klymko provided the financial report for the BSC. He noted that our finances were healthy, with a small amount of growth.

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Requests for Specimens

1. Carabidae: Kevin Floate

If anyone has by-catch of carabid beetles or pinned specimens of carabids cluttering their cupboards, please contact Kevin Floate ([email protected]). Any and all specimens of carabids from different geographic locations in North America are of interest. We are trying to expand the holdings of carabid beetles in collections housed at different Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Research Centres in Alberta and Saskatchewan. These collections mainly have common species from agro-ecosystems from the southern prairies; e.g., species of Agonum, Amara, Bemidion, Harpalus, Pterostichus. We need a much greater diversity of taxa to aid in identification purposes. Thank you to those who have already responded.

Kevin Floate Lethbridge Research and Development Centre Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge

2. Mayflies (certain Paraleptophlebia and Rhithrogena): Steve Burian

For ongoing systematic studies of the genus Rhithrogena and Paraleptophlebia in north- eastern North America. I am looking for reared specimens of:

Rhithrogena undulata (Banks) (male and females with nymphal exuviae intact) from anywhere in North America, but specimens from the northern midwestern U.S. and/or central to eastern Canada are preferred.

Paraleptophlebia ontario (McDunnough) (male and females with nymphal exuviae intact); Paraleptophlebia praepedita (Eaton) (males and females with nymphal exuviae intact); and a few clean intact specimens of mid to late instar nymphs of both species from anywhere in North America.

Anyone who has specimens of these species that would be willing to loan them for taxonomic analysis please contact Steven K. Burian ([email protected]).

3. Elateridae: Scott Gilmore

I am interested in receiving any Elateridae material from anywhere in the country (but particularly BC) to help expand my knowledge of variation within widely distributed species and genera. Material which is either pinned or in ethanol is welcome.

Scott Gilmore ([email protected]) 7494 Andrea Cres, Lantzville, BC V0R 2H0

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Project Update

Spider Diversity of British Columbia: Almost 900 Species and Still Counting Robb Bennett2, Darren Copley2 and Claudia Copley1,2

1Corresponding author [email protected] 2Natural History Section, Royal British Columbia Museum, Victoria, BC, Canada

The first checklist of British Columbia spiders (Thorn 1966) recorded only 212 species; data in Bragg and Leech (1972) increased the count to 259. Subsequently, significant work in the 1980s (led by R.C. West and C.D. Dondale, especially) increased the BC spider species count to 433 (West et al. 1984) and then 570 (West et al. 1988). The 1990s also were productive for BC spider faunistics. In particular, inclusive regional arthropod diversity studies led by D.C. Blades, G.G.E. Scudder, and N. Winchester were largely responsible for the addition of a further 83 species to the BC spider checklist. Bennett (2001) provided a comprehensive review of the history of araneology in BC including a table recording the number of spider species per family in the province for a total BC count of 653 species. In 2006, the Royal British Columbia Museum (RBCM) began supporting our efforts to document, as fully as possible, the spider fauna of British Columbia. First, a comprehensive revision of the West et al. (1988) checklist was e-published (Bennett et al. 2006), updating all nomenclature, adding new locality data, and incorporating the 83 species that had accumulated through the 1990s. A review of locality data in the revised checklist showed that most of the province (and many habitats within it) had never been sampled: with few exceptions, only areas with relatively easy access (e.g. road corri- dors, valley bottoms, and areas of high human population densities) had been reason- ably well sampled for spiders. Most notably, alpine and subalpine habitats were seriously under-sampled and became a priority for RBCM spider collecting activities starting in the 2008 field season. Each year we visit several mountains, setting traps and hand-collecting the area thor- oughly. At each site we endeavour to reach as many different habitats as possible and collect specimens of every invertebrate that we encounter, not just spiders. The most recent field trips have involved accessing remote locations via helicopter, so we have been coordinating with the museum’s alpine botany team and provincial ministry staffers to find efficiencies and reduce costs. The RBCM’s field work from 2008 through 2019 (augmented by input from arachnological friends and colleagues – thank you!) has resulted in significant increases in the area and habitats that have been sampled for spiders, and the number of spider spe- RBCM file photo RBCM file photo An example of basecamp. One of the striped tents is used Our campsite at Laurier Pass in 2018. for specimen preparation and the other for cooking. All the others are for sleeping.

Volume 39(2) December 2020 [click here to return to front page] Newsletter of the Biological Survey of Canada 9 RBCM file photo RBCM file photo Collecting invertebrates in the alpine involves So many rocks to look under! (Redfern Mountain). looking under a lot of rocks. Darren and Claudia Copley are pictured here, doing just that. RBCM file photo RBCM file photo Malaise traps and pan traps are Robb Bennett on the prowl for spiders. set at each location.

Claudia Copley processing insects in the alpine. RBCM file photo

cies known to occur in the province. For example, the Bennett et al. 2020 version of the BC spider checklist (the fifth in the series hosted on-line yb EFauna BC (http://www. efauna.bc.ca) since 2006) presents the names, general distribution data, and specific BC localities for 893 species. This number includes a few subspecies and more than 30 undescribed species. On average, since 2006, about 18 spider species have been added annually to the BC checklist. Many of the records in recent years are the result of barcoding of BC spider specimens by the Centre for Biodiversity Genomics (Blagoev et al. 2016), a collaboration initiated in 2012. In addition to being new taxon records for BC, more than 70 are of species never before recorded in Canada or, in some instances, the Nearctic. The number of spider specimens housed in the RBCM collection has increased to more than 100,000, of which nearly 42,000 have been databased. Compare this to Bennett’s (2001) summary where he noted that the RBCM collection then only housed approximately 4,400 vials of spider specimens. Many regions and habitats of the province (especially along the coast and in the northern half of the province) still remain to be sampled; we believe the checklist of spiders known to occur in British Columbia will eventually exceed 1000 species. Fewer than 1500 spider species have been reported from Canada (Bennett et al. 2019) and a little less than 4000 species are recorded in North America (Ubick et al. 2017). With probably two thirds of the Canadian fauna and one quarter of the North American, it is clear that BC is an important area for Nearctic spider diversity. This project has established a collaborative network that includes a diverse array of “communities”—researchers, citizen scientists, non-governmental organizations, industry and government—helping us procure specimens, whether by donating collected material, funding our fieldwork, or contributing in-kind resources with the provision of vehicles,

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staff time, and so on. Additionally, making broad, generalized collections in these remote sites facili- tates research on invertebrates more generally, and improves the Royal BC Museum’s collection. Approximately 5,000 invertebrate specimens are collected annually and all collections are handled with taxon-appropriate techniques, databased, and available in perpetuity for current and future research. New specimen collections through this research project have led to a growing interest from other researchers to

borrow specimens across all taxa. RBCM file photo Lists of specimens collected Robb Bennett enjoying the lunch break view at Mount each year are provided to funders, Whitford. partners, and collaborators, and occurrences of rare species as well as species with interesting distributions are noted. These data can be used in provincial and federal conservation planning, and, because high-elevation fauna are particularly vulnerable to climate-change effects, baseline information is especially valuable. Media interest in spiders is high, and the Royal BC Museum’s alpine fieldwork has been featured on CBC’s Quirks and Quarks and on National Public Radio in the United States, as well as in many local radio, television, and newspaper stories.

References:

Bennett RG. 2001. Spiders (Araneae) and araneology in British Columbia. Journal of the Entomologi- cal Society of British Columbia, 98: 85–92. Bennett RG, Blades D, Blagoev G, Buckle D, Copley C, Copley D, Dondale CD, and West RC. 2020. Checklist of the spiders of British Columbia [online database]. In: Klinkenberg, Brian. (Editor) 2020. E-Fauna BC: Electronic Atlas of the Fauna of British Columbia [http://www.efauna.bc.ca]. Lab for Advanced Spatial Analysis, Department of Geography, University of British Columbia, Van- couver. [Accessed 30 November 2020]. Bennett RG, Blades D, Dondale CD, Buckle DJ, and West RC. 2006. The spiders of British Columbia [online database]. In: Klinkenberg, Brian. (Editor) 2020. E-Fauna BC: Electronic Atlas of the Fauna of British Columbia [http://www.efauna.bc.ca]. Lab for Advanced Spatial Analysis, Department of Geography, University of British Columbia, Vancouver. Bennett RG, Blagoev GA, and Copley C. 2019. The Araneae of Canada. in: Langor DW and Sheffield CS (Editors). The Biota of Canada–A Biodiversity Assessment. Part 1: The Terrestrial Arthropods. ZooKeys, 819: 41–56. https://zookeys.pensoft.net/article/26391/ Blagoev GA, deWaard JR, Ratnasingham S, deWaard SL, Lu L, Robertson J, Telfer AC, and Hebert PD. 2016. Untangling taxonomy: a DNA barcode reference library for Canadian spiders. Molecular Ecol- ogy Resources, 16: 325–341. https://doi.org/10.1111/1755-0998.12444 Bragg PD and Leech RE. 1972. Additional records of spiders (Araneida) and harvestmen (Phalangida) for British Columbia. Journal of the Entomological Society of British Columbia, 69: 67–71. Thorn E. 1967. Preliminary Distributional List of the Spiders of British Columbia. Report of the Provin- cial Museum of Natural History and Anthropology of British Columbia. 17 pp. Ubick D, Paquin P, Cushing PE, and Roth V. (eds). 2017. Spiders of North America: An Identification Manual, 2nd Edition. American Arachnological Society, Keene, New Hampshire, USA. West R, Dondale CD, and Ring, RA. 1984. A revised checklist of the spiders (Araneae) of British Co- lumbia. Journal of the Entomological Society of British Columbia, 81: 80–98. West R, Dondale CD, and Ring, RA. 1988. Additions to the revised checklist of the spiders (Araneae) of British Columbia. Journal of the Entomological Society of British Columbia, 85: 77–86.

Volume 39(2) December 2020 [click here to return to front page] Newsletter of the Biological Survey of Canada 11 New Projects

Warm & Comfortable within Hollow Stems, Leaf-mines and Galls: Little known habitats for Entomologists & Botanists to explore Peter G. Kevan1, Charlotte Coates1, Patricia Nunes Silva2, & Marla Larson1

1School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1 2 Programa de Pós Graduação em Biologia, Escola Politécnica, Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos (UNI- SINOS), São Leopoldo, Brazil, 93022-750.

There is increasing botanical interest in the endomicrometeorology of plants, mostly of flowers (Kevan 1970, 1975, 1989, 2019a, 2019b, 2020; van der Kooi et al. 2019). The phenomenon of elevated temperatures within plant structures has implications for the effects of climatic warming (Kevan 2019b; Kevan et al. 2020). Of late, our attention at the University of Guelph has turned to hollow stems and fruits and the conditions that exist within those structures (Kevan 2019a, b; Kevan et al. 2020). Curiosity has led us to think about those places as arthropod habitats. Preliminary surveys in Canada (ON, MB, central AB, BC and western QC), the UK in Scotland and England, and Far Eastern Russia indicate that probably over 50% of the herbaceous flora (excluding grasses (Poacaeae)) produces hollow stems. There seem to be no reviews of the phylogenetic distribution of hollowness of stems, nor of any biogeo- graphical, ecological or evolutionary overviews, but our surveys may allow some gen- eralizations and explanatory hypotheses to be made. Sun and Frelich (2011) correlated various aspects of growth and maturation of 25 species with morphological characteris- tics, including stem hollowness, in a grassland in New England. The four solid stemmed plants in their study grew slowly and bloomed late. Of the 21 hollow stemmed species, 15 were noted to grow fast and bloom early (nine species) or late (six species) but five species grew slowly and bloomed late, and only one species was a slow grower and bloomed early. It is known that many herbaceous plants grow quickly in temperate regions, lofting their reproductive structures (inflorescences and fruits) above much of the surrounding vegeta- tion so becoming exposed to pollination and seed dispersal by wind or animals. At the same time, hollowness contributes to strength and flexibility while minimizing the amount of structural materiel (Niklas 1992; Niklas and Spatz 2012). A hitherto apparently unrecognized benefit to plant growth may be the microgreenhouse heating effect of translucent hollow stems. The model for that effect is given by Kevan et al. (2018). Examples of the extent of internal heating are presented in Kevan et al. (2018) and Kevan (2019a) which C. Coates C. Coates OMEGA datalogger with ther- Radiation shield measuring mocouples inserted into hollow ambient temperature next to dandelion, Taraxacum officinale hollow stemmed. Sow thistle stems. The temperature inside the E.A.Tikhmenev (Sonchus) and Pumpkin (Cu- stems is 21.1 ˚C and the ambient Kevan makes a spot check of temper- curbita pepo) peduncles with air temperature at a similar height atures within dandelion (Taraxacum thermocouples inserted. is 19.8 ˚C. officinale L. (Asteraceae) stems in Magadan region, Far Eastern Russia, Blue leads from thermocouples, one inserted into the lumen of the stem and the other in the adjacent air. Volume 39(2) December 2020 [click here to return to front page] Newsletter of the Biological Survey of Canada 12

documents temperature excesses of several degrees C above the surrounding ambient air. With such ameliorated temperature regimes within hollow stems, insects and other arthropods would find the protected environment beneficial (except under extreme conditions). However, we have found no review on this subject even though some examples are well known. For this essay, we have focused on insects that inhabit hollow stems of herbaceous plants rather than including all “stem borers”, i.e., any insect larva, or arthropod, that bores into plant stems. Various Coleoptera and Lepidoptera have larvae that are well known to bore into stems, but the literature does not allow easy assessment of whether the stems of the host plant are naturally hollow or become hollowed out by the borers’ feeding. Many of the points we make in this essay could apply to stem borers in general. For example, Meier (1995) in a pioneering study, measured the temperatures within stems and inflorescences of two High Arctic species,P. lanata Willd. ex Cham. and Schltdl. and P. hirsuta L. (Orobanchacaeae) with respect to the heat available to herbivorous larvae of Olethreutes inquietana (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) and Gonarcticus arcticus (Becker) (Diptera: Scathophagidae) living within the stems. She found temperatures excesses of several degrees C, and by removing the pubescence on P. hirsuta found that the temperature excesses were reduced and of shorter duration. There are a number of insects that inhabit hollow stems or culms of herbaceous plants, especially of grasses (Poacaeae), but little seems known about the importance of the physical environment within the stems on the bionomics of the insects. The most notori- R.K.D. Peterson R.K.D. ous of hollow-stem Above: Young wheat stem sawfly larva inhabiting insects (credit: R.K.D. Peterson, Montana State is the wheat stem University, from Integrated Pest Manage- sawfly (Cephus cinctus ment of Wheat Stem Sawfly in North Dako- Norton (Hymenoptera: ta, leaflet E1479, by J. Knodel, T. Shanower, Cephidae) (Beres et and P. Beauzay, available from https://www. ag.ndsu.edu/publications/crops/integrated- al. 2005)), a persis- pest-management-of-wheat-stem-sawfly-in- tent pest of cereal north-dakota/e1479.pdf. grains grown in the Right: Larva of wheat stem sawfly prairie provinces. It within wheat stem. Photo from https:// is native to North entomology.k-state.edu/extension/insect-

America and lives in information/crop-pests/wheat/wheat-stem- J.P.Michaud grasses, mostly the sawfly.html credit J.P. Michaud, Wheat Stem Sawfly,Kansas State University, April wheatgrasses (Agro- 2013. pyron spp. (Poacaeae) and some other annual grasses. Associated with it are a few parasitoids, especially Hymenoptera: Braconidae (Bracon cephi (Gahan) and B. lissogas- ter Meusebeck) which can exert control over the sawfly populations. Lesser known pests are the grass stem flies. The wheat stem maggot,Meromyza americana Fitch (Diptera: Chloropidae) feeds in the stems of wheat and rye, sometimes doing much damage. The larva of Chlorops graminea Coquillett (Diptera: Chloropidae) lives in cigar-shaped galls on grass stems. Members of the genus Oscinis (Diptera: Chlo- ropidae or Oscinidae) live almost invariably as larvae by boring into the stems of living plants, especially grasses (Poaceae). One species lives within the pods of the northern catalpa (Catalpa speciosa (Warder) Warder ex Engelm. (Bignoniaceae)). The famous Eu- ropean “frit fly”Oscinella frit (Linnaeus) (Diptera: Chloropidae) causes great damage to grain crops, especially in northern Europe. All those chloropids also feed as larvae within the stems of wild (native and introduced) grasses. Similar in habits is Atherigona reversura Villeneuve (Diptera: Muscidae), the bermudagrass stem maggot, named for its host

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preference for bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. and stargrass (C. nlemfuensis Vanderyst) (Poacaeae) (Grzywacz et al. 2013). What of the temperature regimes in grass culms (stems)? Temperatures within the translucent culms of gigantic oats (Avena sativa L. (Poacaea)) growing in Magadan, Rus- sia have been recorded at over 4 °C warmer in sunshine than the surrounding air (Kevan et al. 2019). We know of no other intra-culm temperature measurements in grasses but internodal hollowness is characteristic for many species. We suggest that a fuller understanding of the endomicrometeorology of the culms of economically important grasses may shed light on understanding their growth, health and maturation as well as of the stem-inhabiting pests. Some cultivars of Cannabis sativa L. (Cannabaceae) have hollow stems. Our brief observations on the edge of a hemp production field in Ontario noted 3.5° C temperature excess within the stems in sunshine at an air temperature of 27 °C. The Eurasian hemp borer (Grapholita delineana (Walker) Lepidoptera: Tortricidae, Olethreutinae) lives in the hollow stems. It has become established in North America and is of concern for pharmaceutical and fibre hemp production (Cranshaw 2018). The European corn borer (Ostrinia nubialis Hübner (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) has similar habits on cannabis. The mechanical properties of hemp plants have been reviewed for hemp processing (Khan et al. 2009), but information on how internal atmospheric and temperature conditions in the stems relate to the physical properties is not available. Translucent structures also result from the leaf mining activities of various Diptera, especially Agromyzidae, a wide array of moths (Lepidoptera), some sawflies (Hyme- noptera; Symphyta), and a few beetles (Coleoptera). They eat the green tissues of the leaf but leave the semi-transparent cuticles intact. Few studies have been made on the physical environment within mines, but it can be assumed that the humidity within is high and temperatures are elevated when insolated to the extent that lethally high temperatures may eventuate, even if buffered by evapotranspiration Pincebourde( and Casas 2006, 2019). Galls can also be hollow structures on plants. They may be induced by many kinds of organisms from viruses to insects. The life histories of gall inducers and their associated pathogens, parasites, parasitoids and inquilines are notoriously complex. Few studies have been made on the physical conditions within hollow galls, even those with obvi- ously translucent walls, as the well-known oak-apple (Connald 1908). One of the best studied galls is the goldenrod ball gall induced by the fly,Eurosta solidaginis Fitch (Dip- tera: Tephritidae). It occurs conspicuously on the stems of various species of goldenrod, Solidago spp. (Asteracea). Layne (1991) notes that the galls, which are thick-walled and probably not translucent, in sunshine can attain temperatures up to 5 °C above ambient air temperatures and do buffer the conditions within in hot summer and cold winter conditions. The pistachio horn gall is induced by aphids, Baizongia pistaciae L. (Hemiptera: Pemphigidae) on pistachio (Pistacia spp. (Anacardiacea)). The galls are large and inhab- C. Coates C. Coates Golden rod (Solidago candensis) gall pictured left in infrared using a FLIR camera, and corresponding normal colour image on right. Yellow is represents the warmest colours in the FLIR image, showing that the gall is warmer than the surrounding plant tissues. The average temperature in Spot 1 (Sp1) on the surface of the gall is 26.7 ˚C. The average leaf temperature from Line 1 (Li1) is 24.5 ˚C.

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ited by large numbers of aphids. Martinez (2009) records that the galls buffer the inhabitants from extremely high ambient temperatures and insola- tional heating. Our initial studies suggest that hollowness in the stems of herbaceaous plants is insufficiently documented as a plant characteristic, its phylogenetic and ecological significance in botany re- mains unexplored, and its potential importance as arthropodan habitat generally unrecognized. The J.Macedo J.Macedo implications with respect Rumex species in Belgrade, Serbia with hollow stem dis- to the bionomics of both played. plants and arthropods as effected climate change may shed light on the changing biota of Canada and the world (Kevan 2019b; Kevan et al. 2020). We are assembling a catalogue of herbaceous plants with and without hollow stems and invite colleagues to send us their observations by plant species, location, habitat, and a description of the “hollowness” (smoothly and clearly hollow through to pithy, spongey and solid, translucence). We would gratefully receive records of insects and other arthropods that inhabit hollow stems to add to our data base. As our surveys expand, we will be establishing an on-line, open-access data base to which those interested can contribute. To join in, please contact Charlotte at [email protected].

Acknowledgements This project is part of the Accelerating Green Plant Innovation for Environmental and Economic Benefit Cluster and is funded by the Canadian Ornamental Horticulture Alli- ance (COHA-ACHO) and by the Government of Canada under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership’s AgriScience Program. Funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC Individual Discovery Grant RGPIN-2018-0482) is also being used to finance the reported research.

References Beres BL, Byers JR, and Cárcamo HA. 2005. Wheat stem sawfly: a nursery tale from the shortgrass prairies. Arthropods of Canadian Grasslands. 2005(1). http://www.biology.ualberta.ca/bsc/grass- landarticles/wheatstemsawfly.pdf Connald ET. 1908. British Oak Galls. Adlard and Son, London UK. xviii+169 pp. & 68 plates. Cranshaw W. 2018. Insects that Feed on Hemp – Stem/Stalk Borer, Leaf Chewer. https://webdoc. agsci.colostate.edu/hempinsects/PDFs/Eurasian%20hemp%20borer%20September%202018%20 rewrite(1).pdf Grzywacz A, Pape T, Hudson W, and Gomez S. 2013. Morphology of immature stages of Atherigona reversura (Diptera: Muscidae), with notes on the recent invasion of North America. Journal of Natu- ral History, 47 (15–16): 1055–1067. doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2012.742244 S2CID 84766149 Kevan PG. 1970. High Arctic insect-flower relations: the inter-relationships of arthropods and flowers at Lake Hazen, Ellesmere Island, N. W. T., Canada. Ph.D. dissertation. University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Kevan PG. 1975. Sun-tracking solar furnaces in high arctic flowers: significance for pollination and insects. Science, 189: 723–726. Kevan PG. 1989. Thermoregulation in arctic insects and flowers: Adaptation and co-adaptation in behaviour, anatomy, and physiology. In: J.B. Mercer (Editor). Thermal Physiology 1989. Proceed- ings of the International Symposium on Thermal Physiology, Tromsø, Norway, 16-21 July 1989. Excerpta Medica, Elsevier Science Publishers B.V. The Netherlands. pp. 747–754.

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Kevan PG. 2019a. Secrets of the stalk: Regulating plant temperature from the inside out. https:// researchoutreach.org/articles/regulating-plant-temperature/ Kevan PG. 2019b. How plants regulate their body temperatures: Implications for climate change science & policy. https://www.openaccessgovernment.org/plants-regulate-their-body-temperatures/74361/ Kevan PG. (in press). Heat accumulation in hollow Arctic flowers: Possible microgreenhouse effects in syncalyces of campions (Silene spp. (Caryophyllaceae) and zygomorphic sympetalous corollas of louseworts (Pedicularis spp. (Orobanchaceae). Polar Biology Kevan PG, Coates C, Tikhmenev EA and Nunes-Silva P. 2020. Understanding plant thermoregulation in the face of climate change. https://researchoutreach.org/articles/understanding-plant-thermoregulation-face-climate-change/ Kevan PG, Sudarsan R and Nunes-Silva P. 2018. Short communication: Thermal regimes in hollow stems of herbaceaous plants – concepts and models. International Journal of Biometeorology 62: 2057–2062. Kevan PG, Tikhmenev EA and Nunes-Silva P. 2019. Temperatures within flowers and stems: Possible roles in plant reproduction in the north. The Bulletin of the North-East Scientific Center of the arF Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Science (FEB RAS), Magadan, Russia. Вестник Северо- Восточного научного центра ДВО РАН, 2019, № 1, с. 38–47. Khan MR, Chen Y, Laguë C, Landry H, Peng Q and Zhong W. 2009. Comprehensive properties of Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) stalks. Biosystems Engineering. 106(2010): 315–323. Martinez J-J I. 2009. Temperature protection in galls induced by the aphid species Baizongia pistaciae (Hemiptera: Pemphigidae). Entomologia Generalis 32: 93 – 96. Meier, S. L. 1995. Ecology of two endophytophagous insects of Pedicularis (Scrophulariaceae) in the High Arctic. M. Sc. dissertation, Laurentian University, Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. 166 pp. Niklas KJ. 1992. Plant biomechanics. An engineering approach to plant form and function. University of Chicago Press, Chicago xiii + 607pp. Niklas KJ and Spatz H-C. 2012. Plant physics. University of Chicago Press. USA, Chicago. 426 pp. Pincebourde S and Casas J. 2006. Multitrophic biophysical budgets: thermal ecology of an intimate herbivore insect-plant interaction. Ecological Monographs 76:175–194 Pincebourde S and Casas J. 2019. Narrow safety margins in the phyllosphere during thermal ex- tremes. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of USA. 116: 5588–5596 Sun S and LE Frelich. 2011. Flowering phenology and height growth pattern are associated with maximum plant height, relative growth rate and stem tissue mass density in herbaceous grassland species. Journal of Ecology 99: 991–1000. van der Kooi CJ, Kevan PG and Koski HK. 2019. INVITED REVIEW -- The thermal ecology of flowers. Annals of Botany 124: 343–353. DOI:10.1093/aob/mcz073.

A Note about BSC Membership

Background: When the BSC left the umbrella of the Canadian Museum of Nature and was established as a Not-for-Profit group, the rstfi Board of Directors established the criteria for membership (see p. 3, but basically, an interest in Canadian Biodiversity). Membership is free, and allows members to participate in the AGM and engage to help steer the direction of the BSC. At the time, everyone on the subscription list for the Newsletter was invited to join by sending an email to the Secretary indicating their interest in membership and providing some details on their biodiversity interests. Those that did not explicitly express an interest in joining still received the Newsletter, but did not receive email notifications and minutes of the Annual General Meeting.

Fast forward to 2020: Membership is still free, and 172 people are currently on our membership list. However, we do not have current email addresses for a small fraction of these, so they may not consider themselves as active members. This compares to 413 people (including the 172 mentioned above) that are on our Newsletter email list. A recent mail-out to Newsletter recipients revealed about 30 people who thought they were members (since they received the Newsletter alerts) that were not actually members. At their request, they have been added to the membership list.

A continuing effort: We continue to try to update the membership and Newsletter lists, and rely on you to let us know your status. If you think you are a member, but did not receive the email notice for the AGM last summer, let me know, and I’ll check your status. If you are receiving this Newsletter and know someone who’s status or email address has changed, let us know! I repeat, membership is free, but we need you to keep us informed. Many thanks! Donna Giberson, Secretary, BSC

Volume 39(2) December 2020 [click here to return to front page] Newsletter of the Biological Survey of Canada 16

A New Citizen Science Project Called Chronolog Kevin Rose Texas A&M University [email protected]

One of the biggest challenges environmentalists face in educating the public on ecological concepts is time. Change in the environment is constant, but very gradual. If only there were a way to tell the story of a specific ecosystem, spread over multiple years. That is the idea behind a new citizen science project called Chronolog (chronolog.io). Chronolog is a long-term time-lapsing project where the public takes photos from specific reference points of environmentally significant scenes. The goal is to leverage outdoor enthusiasts who are venturing into the wilderness - with internet connected cameras in their pockets. During their hike, visitors find a photo station with instructions on how to snap a photo and submit it to chronolog. Their photo is then added to an ongoing collection of photos that form a time lapse video. Not only is the visitor contributing to a larger body of data for land stewards to study, but they are also unlocking a view of nature they otherwise would not be able to see. While standing in front of the scene, the visitor can then scroll through the time lapse of the view. Each time lapse includes a story behind what is being monitored and why. The hope is that we can engage the public in the scientific process yb involving them. You do not need to be a technical subject matter expert to be able to contribute to science. Venturing into a remote area and submitting a photo observation is very valuable to scientists studying that area. You also do not need to be a biologist to visually observe change. By showing an ecosystem evolve in a visual way, the data becomes much more accessible. All of the data collected through chronolog are publicly available. Anyone can use the time lapses collected for research, education, or to pick their next hike. If you have an idea for a scene to monitor, please reach out to [email protected]. For more information, check out https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=ZCftyselowQ chronolog.io chronolog.io chronolog.io

Volume 39(2) December 2020 [click here to return to front page] Newsletter of the Biological Survey of Canada 17

Citizen scientist spots a newcomer on Canadian elm trees Véronique Martel, Ph.D.

Research scientist in Entomology, Natural Resources Canada, Laurentian Forestry Centre

Many community science websites invite people to post photos of wildlife sightings. This may seem like a small gesture, but in the summer of 2020, such observations led to the detection — for the first time in North America — of a new exotic insect attacking elm trees: the elm zigzag sawfly.

It all began in late July, when nature photographer Alain Hogue saw a zigzag shape in an elm leaf on the side of a road in Quebec. He published the photo on the iNaturalist website. What he couldn’t predict was that this simple photo would trigger a cascade of emails and field visits! An American expert quickly identified the zigzag defoliation pattern as having been caused by a sawfly. And through an email to a European expert, the first tentative identification of the elm zigzag sawfly was made.

Word of this invasive pest spread quickly A flurry of emails followed, notifying various organizations such as the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), the organization responsible for detecting and regulating new exotic organisms. I was also notified at the Canadian Forest Service (CFS). A few weeks and two field visits later, official confirmation from the CFIA arrived: the elm zigzag sawfly is present in Canada. Several other observations of the insect have since been reported in Quebec on the iNaturalist website. In these times of pandemic where teleworking is the rule, citizen science is more precious than ever! é langer S.B V.Martel

CFS technician Simon Trudeau examines elm leaves for the elm zigzag sawfly.

This article was first published on the Simply Science website of Natural Resources Cana- da (https://www.nrcan.gc.ca/simply-science/citizen-scientist-spots-newcomer-canadian- elm-trees/23000) and is reproduced here with permission.

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What is the elm zigzag sawfly? What is this newcomer? The elm zigzag sawfly,Apro - ceros leucopoda, is an insect of the Hymenoptera order — meaning, with four transparent wings — belonging to the same group as ants, bees and wasps. It attacks elms and is naturally present in Asia. However, since at least 2003, it is also present in Europe. It is therefore not surprising to find it now in Canada. Although it’s not known exactly how it got here, my colleague Michel Cusson, a researcher in insect physiology and biochem- istry at the CFS, will try to answer this question using molecular techniques. The elm zigzag sawfly lays its eggs on the edge of elm leaves. The small larva, after hatching, will feed on the leaf in a characteristic zigzag between two veins. As it grows, the larva will stop feeding in this distinc- tive pattern and may eventually defoliate the entire leaf, leaving only the central vein. It will then form a cocoon under the leaf. This cocoon is easy to identify, since its mesh is loose and therefore allows the insect to be seen inside, and the now mature adult will come out after a few days. Some of these cocoons, slightly different, are called “winter cocoons.” They’re tighter and stron- ger, offering better protection, and they’re found on the ground where they spend the winter under the snow. The adult emerges the following spring, after the snow melts and temperatures become warmer.

Why so much success away from home? V.Martel The elm zigzag sawfly is very successful in its area An elm leaf showing zigzag defolia- of introduction for a number of reasons. First, its life tion and a small larva feeding. cycle is very fast, the time between egg laying and adult emergence being less than a month. This allows several generations in a year, and with each generation the population increases. Secondly, females do not need to mate to lay their eggs, a phenomenon called parthenogenesis. This allows females to lay their eggs sooner, without first finding a sexual partner. Finally, the adult seems to be able to travel great distances by itself. A European study suggests that the species can spread at a speed of about 45–90 kilometres per year. This means they can disperse quite rapidly into a new territory.

What’s next? We don’t know yet how long the insect has been present, how it arrived, or how it will behave here. But one thing is certain: my team, in collaboration with the CFIA and various organizations here and in Europe, is already working on this task. Although au- tumn brings the field season to its end, our team is already preparing for the 2021 field season in order to determine the insect’s range, seasonality, the possible presence of natural enemies and any other relevant aspects of its biology. In the meantime, Michel Cusson’s team will try to determine where it came from.

More details will follow in the coming years to better understand the elm zigzag sawfly, this new exotic insect discovered in the summer of 2020 in Quebec!

Volume 39(2) December 2020 [click here to return to front page] Newsletter of the Biological Survey of Canada 19

Feature Article

Sandhill Gold: The Goldsmith Beetle (Cotalpa lanigera, Scarabaeidae, Coleoptera) in the Sandhills of Southwestern Manitoba Robert E. Wrigley and Tim Arendse

505 Boreham Blvd., Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P 0K2 Box 663, Portage la Prairie, Manitoba R1N 3C2

In several decades of collecting insects in the sandhills of southwestern Manitoba, one species we always hoped to find was the beautiful goldsmith beetle (Cotalpa lanigera Linnaeus, 1758) – a yellow and green ruteline scarab found throughout the eastern two-thirds of North America. It has been recorded from the Wainwright and Empress dunes of Alber- ta south to Nebraska and Arizona, and from Ontario and Maine south to Florida (G. Pohl personal communication, Peck and Thomas 1998, Acorn 2011, see also Bugguide.net). The goldsmith beetle (Cotalpa lanigera) was first named by Linnaeus asScarabaeus T.Arendse lanigerus, though Fabricius transferred it to the A goldsmith beetle genus Melolontha in 1775, Schoenherr placed it in Rutela, and Laporte moved it to Areoda in 1840. When Burmeister established the genus Cotalpa in 1844, the goldsmith beetle was placed into Cotalpa (Hayes 1925, Saylor 1940). Cotalpa is Latin for “with a mole,” referring to the beetle’s life cycle spent mostly underground. This attractive species sports lemon-yellow elytra, which led Linnaeus to describe the beetle’s colour as “elytra sulphurea.” It also has a gleaming-gold head and pronotum (often edged in green), and metallic, green-to-coppery ventral areas densely covered with exceptionally long white setae (lanigera, Latin for woolly). The dorsal colour ranges from light yellow to burnished gold, which often darkens to light brown in preserved specimens. The elytra exhibit irregular rows of punctures. The head, pronotum and scutellum may shine with greenish iridescence in some specimens. The legs are darker gold than the elytra. Its broadly oval and convex body ranges from 18–26 mm in length and the somewhat rotund shape led Casey (1915) to describe Florida specimens of C. lanigera as C. obesa (specimens now in the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Insti- tution).

Habitat and Abundance Craighead (1950) noted that goldsmith beetles are found in scattered pasture or brushy sites with sandy or loamy soils, a pattern which concurs with our observations of the beetle in disjunct, sandy forest-edge habitats. We have found these beetles at several sites in Manitoba within the Portage Sandhills (south of Portage la Prairie) and the Carberry Sandhills (south of Carberry). There are also many other

suitable sandhills in southwestern Mani- R.Wrigley toba where the species likely occurs, Aspen-oak habitat in the Portage Sandhills of Manitoba.

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such as the Nature Conservancy’s Oak Lake San- dhills and Wetlands Natural Area, centred around the town of Oak Lake. Judd (1899) noted that the beetles spend the day in the shade under leaves (which may also offer some protection from being seen by insectiv- orous birds). Similarly, Hayes (1925) and Borror et al. (1976) noted that the species is active (feeding and flying) mainly at night, spending the day cling- ing to undersides of leaves. In collecting in June 2020, one of us (Arendse) located five goldsmith beetles resting during the day under aspen leaves on branches ranging from 1.8 to 2.4 metres high, and another in a net sweep from a one-metre high sapling. While most of our specimens were hiding during the day, one specimen was captured while flying in circles on a sunny and warm evening (1900 hours); it may have been disturbed by our net sweeping. Lago et al. (1979) also noted an instance where several beetles were flying in full sunshine in late afternoon. Our night lighting with a mercury-vapour lamp (for two nights at two locations) attracted two specimens; neither actually landed on the white sheet, but were found in the grass close by. After

landing, they made no attempt to fly, and when T.Arendse picked up, they remained immobile. The beetles A goldsmith beetle resting under a leaf were flying at night at temperatures down to during the day, with some feeding sign 17°C, and the landowner informed us that he had visible. seen occasional specimens on the ground under his night security light.

Abundance Abundance can vary widely, both in time and location. Goldsmith beetles have been var- iously listed as scarce (Blatchley 1910), uncommon (Harpootlian 2001, Park et al. 2012), or common (Packard 1873, Craighead 1950). Blatchley (1910) stated it was often found in the ‘washup’ along the beach of Lake Michigan. Ratcliffe and Paulsen (2008) commented that they usually collected only a few specimens at lights each year in Nebraska (based on 68 specimens in state collections), but that they can occasionally be locally abundant in feeding swarms. They can also form large mating aggregations in aspen poplar trees. For example, the late Jack Powers (an entomologist at Concordia College, Moorhead, Minneso- ta) related a story to one of us (Wrigley) about a student field expedition to the sandhills near McLeod, Ransom County, North Dakota. There, the students shook a small aspen and dozens of goldsmith beetles tumbled to the ground. The beetles may have been aggregating due to released sex pheromones (J. Powers, personal communication), and as with many other species of ruteline scarabs, goldsmith beetles can communicate by stridulation (Park et al. 2012). Lago et al. (1979) also collected hundreds of the beetles by shaking them out of small aspen trees in North Dako- ta, and Hayes (1925) found 120 beetles in one afternoon in two cottonwood trees growing on a sandy beach of the Kansas River in Kansas. Ratcliffe and Paulsen (2008) concluded that shaking specimens out of host trees may be the most productive collecting technique. However, we failed to find any specimens this way in spite of shaking vigorously countless young aspen along the edge of sandhill woodlands in 2020. The specimens we found during

R.Wrigley An aspen where Tim Arendse found goldsmith beetles.

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the day were located visually by scanning branches.

Life History Hayes (1925) reported a life cycle of two and three years in rearing cages in Kansas. Mating was observed in mornings and afternoons in late June, with eggs laid in the soil at the base of a tree in early summer (July 3–15). The egg stage lasted from 18–27 days, followed by a larval development requiring from 375–752 days. The pupal stage lasted from 23–27 days (July 24–August 27). The 26-mm-long pupa was encased in a thin yellowish-brown, papery skin, which split easily. The adults and larvae overwintered in the soil. Park et al. (2012) indicated that this species lays a small number of eggs, which is a contributing factor for the species’ rarity. Packard (1873) reported the species lays only 15-20 eggs. Hayes (1925) discovered larvae in sandy dune soil, and Lago et al. (1979) under dry cattle dung. Adult goldsmith beetles hibernate below 38 cm below the soil surface, while hiber- nating larvae are usually found at greater depths in the United States (McColloch et al. 1928). Adults have been recorded as early as April in some locations (Nebraska: Radcliffe and Paulson 2008; Manitoba: personal observations), but the main emergence is likely in June and July (Craighead 1950; Ratcliffe and Paulson 2008; personal observations). In Kansas, the adult flight period fell between May 24 and July 22 (Hayes 1925) averaging 37.4 days (in the years 1917–1918; 1920–1922). On April 29,1999, one of us (Wrigley) found five adults with pale-yellow elytra lying together in the Carberry Sandhills at the base of a steep sand dune, immediately below some cottonwood and chokecherry saplings. Apparently just having emerged from hibernation, the beetles had tumbled down the slope of the dune where they lay motionless. Acorn (2011) observed adult goldsmith beetles in mid-June in 1984 and 1985, emerg- ing from the soil in the Empress Sandhills (Saskatchewan) at sundown, and mating in chokecherry foliage before returning to the soil by dark. R.E. Ferguson photographed a pale-yellow goldsmith beetle entering its burrow in a sand dune located in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Michigan (dated 15 May 2019). Manitoba specimen records of adults range from April 29 to August 7, including a number of dead individuals picked up by us on sandy trails alongside aspen-oak-spruce forest in the Carberry Sandhills. Dead specimens on trails in summer were also noted regularly by Acorn (2011) in Saskatchewan. Inaturalist.ca lists a live specimen from southern Ontario photographed on a late date of August 29. Lockwood (1868) and Saun- ders (1879) suggested that adults were short lived, with the female dying after oviposi- tion.

Diet Adult Goldsmith Beetles feed on the leaves of aspen, cottonwood, chokecherry, willow, oak, pear, hickory, sweetgum, silver maple, and likely other hardwoods (Saunders 1879, Ritcher 1966, Evans 2014). We could find no sources that indicated the species was a serious threat to native trees and shrubs (e.g., Ives and Wong 1988, Nystrom and Ochoa 2006, Park et al. 2012), likely due to its usual occurrence in small numbers. However, adult feeding may damage fruit trees, such as pears (Packard 1873). The larvae develop on plant roots, sometimes doing significant damage (Marshall 2006), and larval feeding damage has been reported in strawberry patches (Saunders 1879), in raspberry bushes, corn and grasses (Davis 1916), and on the roots of rose, canna, chrysanthemum, and other ornamentals (Smith 1967).

Predation Metallic colouration has been reported to reduce predation by acting as warning colouration in some cases (Wallace, cited in Judd 1899), and Lockwood (1868) stated that goldsmith beetles hide from predators during the day in shelters created by holding leaves together. However, both Judd (1899) and Lockwood (1868) noted that birds readily take Cotalpa lanigera individuals. In the Carberry Sandhills on August 15, 1997, one of us (Wrigley) found a goldsmith beetle elytrum with a rounded puncture, which appeared to have been caused by a bird’s beak. Also, Yeager (1937) observed that thir-

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teen-lined ground squirrels (Ictidomys tridecemlineatus) dug out and fed on the larvae of goldsmith beetles. This rodent is a common inhabitant of Manitoba sandhill prairie, aspen-forest edge, and aspen-oak savanna — habitats where we captured goldsmith beetles.

Additional Natural History Notes on Cotalpa Six species in the genus Cotalpa are found from southern Canada to Sonora Mexico (Generic Guide to New World scarab beetles; http://unsm-ento.unl.edu/). From July 18– 21, 2010, one of us (Wrigley) observed a remarkable number (over 350 individuals) of the similar-looking, related species Cotalpa consobrina, which were flying around a light at night in a parking lot behind his motel in Green Valley, Arizona. The swarm (presuma- bly a mass emergence) lasted several nights, and dozens of specimens were crushed on the pavement by passing cars. The nights were warm and humid, just after a heavy rain had broken a period of hot, dry weather. The following night, most of the beetles had dispersed. Hundreds of these beetles were also seen by Wrigley around security lights at the United States Border Patrol Checkpoint on Interstate 19 near Rio Rico, Arizona. Robyn Waayers (http://cwwildernessjournal.blogspot.com/2013/08/) also commented on thousands of these beetles at the same checkpoint. We have not seen or read about any similar major aggregations at lights for C. lanigera. Goldsmith beetles have inspired a number of beetle enthusiasts to comment, sometimes rather passionately, on their attributes. Saunders (1879) described it as; “... without doubt, the most beautiful of our leaf-eating beetles”. Perhaps the most exuberant description was that of Reverend Samuel Lockwood (1868); “Among the beetles of North America, very few can bear away the palm for beauty from the Cotalpa lanigera, or, as popularly known, the Goldsmith Beetle. This insect holds no ignoble place in the Coleop- tera, being a member of the family Rutelidae, or the golden-gleaming ones. Indeed, Madam Cotalpa has long been an acknowledged belle among the Rutilians, themselves a distinguished family in Beetledom. No artist can vie with the gorgeous effect produced by the metallic tints of the Cotalpa’s dress...The wing-cases are a gleaming lemon, thus making the whole back appear as if encased by two large plates of paly gold, which in the light gives off an almost flaming hue...It is pleasant to see how from such a seeming paucity of color, Nature has begotten in this insect such a richness of results.” Bryan Maltais (https://www.macrophotobug.com/goldsmith-beetle-insect-macro-pho- tography/; 9 June 2016) wrote: “I was exploring the sand hills of Weld County [Colora- do] when I saw this portly beetle [likely Cotalpa subscribata] buzzing through the air. I jumped in its flight path to see what it was. He flew right into my shirt and fell to the ground...Goldsmith beetles fly like the first powered airplanes; barely controlled, listing to one side, then crash landing.” Following a flurry of anecdotes and studies on, and collections of, Cotalpa lanigera in the late 1800s and the first half of the 1900s, little recent research has been conducted on this fascinating species over its broad range. We are left to ponder to what extent the extensive loss of habitat (from agriculture and other developments), and widespread annual application of insecticides over the past two cen- turies, have taken their toll on populations of this species. Due to its attractive appearance, people still do occasionally come across and take notice of specimens, as evidenced by images of this species appearing on the internet (e.g., inaturalist.ca). We look forward each spring and early summer to continuing our quest in the Manitoba sandhills for this choice and relatively unknown species. Spot- ting its gleaming-gold radiance in the bright light of a headlamp at night, concealed among the fresh,

lime-green leaves of an aspen sapling, is a discov- T.Arendse ery that would thrill any naturalist and entomolo- A pleased Robert Wrigley with a gist. One day, we will shake an aspen sapling loaded goldsmith beetle in the Portage with goldsmith beetles, and excitement will reign. Sandhills.

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Cotalpa lanigera records reported in this study: The following are Manitoba localities of the goldsmith beetle, Cotalpa lanigera, reported in this study. The Portage Sandhills records extend the range of the species about 100 km to the northeast. 18 km S, Portage la Prairie, Manitoba 49.485°N, 98.136°W Hwy 60N, S Portage la Prairie, Manitoba 49.887095°N, 98.313312°W 8 km W St. Claude, Portage Sandhills, Manitoba 49.39198°N, 98.27608°W 4 km N, St. Claude, Manitoba 49.701402°N, 98.345205°W Spruce Woods Provincial Park, Manitoba 49.662497°N, 99.285416°W 8.6 km S Carberry, Manitoba 49.790000°N, 99.349537°W Lauder Sandhills, 10 km N Lauder, Manitoba 49.49°N, 100.68°W

Other known Manitoba records: In addition to the authors’ specimens in the J.B. Wallis/R.E. Roughley Museum of En- tomology, University of Manitoba, there are six other Manitoba specimens taken at the Criddle’s Aweme homestead (49.7093N°, 99.6032°W), 7.3 km N Treesbank, Manitoba, by Norman, Evelyn, and Talbot Criddle on 23 June 1909, 11 July 1909, 2 June 1913, 7 June 1947 (two), and 15 May 1948. This site is situated at the southwest periphery of the Carberry Sandhills. The Manitoba Museum also has six specimens, from Aweme (1920), Carberry Sandhills (1971, 1972, 1980), Shilo (1972), and 15 km NW Elm Creek (1995). The Canadian Na- tional Collection of Insects, Arachnids and Nematodes (CNC) has 15 specimens collected at Aweme by Norman and Stuart Criddle, L.H. Roberts, and J.B. Wallis (dated 1920 to 1957). Four other specimens are from the Bald Head Hills in the Carberry Sandhills, 13 km N Glenboro (dated 1958 and 1967), and one specimen from Hamiota (1940). This latter specimen appears to be the northern edge of the range in the province. The Cana- dian Forest Service - Northern Forestry Centre Research Collection (Edmonton, Alberta) has seven specimens, one each from Glenboro (1967) and Souris (1985), plus five found dead in sand blowouts from Wainwright Dunes Natural Area (52.597oN,110.605oW) on 9 June 2015. I-Naturalist (https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/82214-Cotalpa-lanigera) cites one specimen from southeast of Tolstoi (A. Brewer) in a region of tall-grass prairie and aspen-oak forest. Eugene Reimer (ereimer.net) photographed a goldsmith beetle from the Lauder Sandhills (north of Lauder, dated 12 July 2010).

Acknowledgements Our specimens were deposited in the Manitoba Museum (MM), the J.B. Wallis-R.E. Roughley Museum of Entomology (WRME), and the Canadian National Collection of Insects, Arachnids and Nematodes (CNCI). We thank the following curators for providing data on their holdings of goldsmith beetles: Dr Jason Gibbs (WRME), Dr Randy Mooi (MM), Gregory Pohl (CFS-NFRC), Dr Andrew Smith (Canadian Museum of Nature), and Dr Patrice Bouchard (CNCI).

References Acorn JH. 2011. Sandhill arthropods in Canadian grasslands. In Arthropods of Canadian Grasslands (Volume 2): inhabitants of a changing landscape. Edited by K.D. Floate. Biological Survey of Canada. pp. 25–43. Blatchley WS. 1910. A descriptive catalogue of the coleoptera or beetles known to occur in Indiana. The Nature Publishing Company, Indianapolis. 1386 pp. Borror DJ, DeLong DM, and Triplehorn CA. 1976. An Introduction to the Study of Insects. Fourth Edition. Holt, Rinehart and Winston, New York. 852 pp. Casey TL. 1915. A review of the American species of Rutelinae, Dynastinae, and Cetoniinae. Memoirs of the Coleoptera, 6:1–394. Craighead FC. 1950. Insect Enemies of Eastern Forests. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Miscellane- ous Publication 657, pp. 181–182. Davis JJ. 1916. A progress report on white grub investigations. Journal of Economic Entomology, 9: 261–281. Evans AV. 2014. Beetles of Eastern North America. Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey. 560 pp. Harpootlian PJ. 2001. Scarab Beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) of South Carolina. Clemson Univer- sity Public Service. 157 pp. Hayes WP. 1925. A comparative study of the history of certain phytophagous scarabaeid beetles. Agricultural Experiment Station, Kansas State Agricultural College, Technical Bulletin 16: 1–146.

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Ives WGH and Wong HR. 1988. Tree and Shrub Insects of the Prairie Provinces. Canadian Forestry Service, Information Report NOR-X-292. 327 pp. Judd S. 1899. The efficiency of some protective adaptations in securing insects from birds. The Amer- ican Naturalist, 33(390): 461–484. Lago PK, Post RL, and Otseto CY. 1979. The phytophagous Scarabaeids and Troginae (Coleoptera of North Dakota). Schafer-Post Series: North Dakota Insects Publication 12, NDSU. 131 pp. Lockwood S. 1868. The goldsmith beetle, and its habits. The American Naturalist, 2(4): 186–192. Marshall SA. 2006. Insects, their Natural History and Diversity. Firefly Books Ltd., Richmond Hill, Ontario. 732 pp. McColloch JW, Hayes WP, and Bryson HR. 1928. Hibernation of certain scarabaeidae and their Tiphia parasites. Ecology, 9(1): 34–42. Nystrom KL and Ochoa IM. 2006. Insects and mites associated with Ontario forests: classification, common names, main hosts and importance. Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service, Great Lakes Forestry Centre, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Information Report GLC-X-7, 98 pp. Packard AS Jr. 1873. Injurious and beneficial insects. The American Naturalist, 7(9): 524–548. (http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/t- ) Park CA, Parmar A, Seyler L, and Shah H. 2012. Cotalpa lanigera (on line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed 15 July 2020, at https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Cotalpa_lanigera/ Peck SB. and Thomas MC. 1998. A distributional checklist of beetles (Coleoptera) of Florida. Arthro- pods of Florida, 16: 1–180. Ratcliffe BC. and Paulsen MJ. 2008. The Scarabaeoid Beetles of Nebraska. Bulletin of the Nebraska State Museum, 22: 570 pp. Ritcher PO. 1966. White Grubs and their Allies. Oregon State University Press. 219 pp. Saunders WW. 1879. The goldsmith beetle (Cotalpa lanigera). The Canadian Entomologist, 11(2): 21–22. Saylor LW. 1940. Synoptic revision of the beetle genera Cotalpa and Paracotalpa of the United States, with description of a new subgenus. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington, 42: 190–200. Smith FF. 1967. Controlling insects on flowers. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Informa- tion Bulletin 237: page 51. Yeager LE. 1937. Thirteen-line ground squirrel feeds on white grubs. Journal of Mammalogy, 18(2): 243. Young RM. 2002. A new Cotalpa Burmeister taken on post oak in eastern Texas with notes and a key to species in the genus. Coleopterists Bulletin, 56(4): 473–479.

Nature Challenge 2021 Community BioBlitzes

Several Canadian municipalities are participating in City Nature Challenge 2021, a community bioblitz from April 30 to May 3, 2021. Participating groups are Calgary metro area, Camrose, Edmonton metro area, Lethbridge, and Red Deer, AB; Kamloops, BC; Winnipeg, MB, Fredericton, Moncton, St. Andrews/St. Stephen, NB; Annapolis Valley, Cape Breton, and Halifax metro area, NS; Hamilton, St. Catherines, and Toronto, ON; Ottawa/Gatineau, ON/QC; Charlottetown, PE; and Regina, SK.

All records will be gathered as observations on iNaturalist. Find your local “project” there, and submit and help identify observations via the iNatu- ralist site.

It’s a great way to engage with nature and the online naturalist community. More information is available at: https://citynaturechallenge.org/

Volume 39(2) December 2020 [click here to return to front page] Newsletter of the Biological Survey of Canada 25 Notice

Entomology Enthusiast Entomological Society of Canada

Are you passionate about insects, but not as a professional entomologist? Enjoy collecting, learning about or sharing your interests in bugs with others? If ‘YES’, you are encouraged to become an “Entomology Enthusiast” member of the Entomological Society of Canada (ESC).

Who is an Entomology Enthusiast? • An individual engaged in entomological pursuits such as collecting, studying, ob- serving or photographing insects as a pastime. • BUT not eligible for any other ESC membership category. That is, someone who doesn’t derive a significant amount of their income from entomological activity, such as those working as or training to become a professional entomologist.

What are the benefits of an Entomology Enthusiast? • Approximately 50% discount from Regular ESC membership fees • On-line access to all issues of The Canadian Entomologist, all Memoirs ever published, and the Bulletin of ESC • Discounts for entomology books from some publishers. • Reduced registration fees for the ESC Annual Meeting • Opportunities to interact with entomologists from across Canada

Amateur naturalists working with insects or their allies are eligible for two ESC programs • Research funding of up to $1000 through the Carr award program • Funding of up to $500 for public education related to insects through ESC Public Encouragement Grants (apply through your regional entomological society)

Enjoy and learn with others who are passionate about insects! Join us today: https://esc-sec.ca/joinrenew/

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Enthousiaste de l’entomologie Société d’entomologie du Canada

Êtes-vous passionné des insectes sans être un entomologiste professionnel? Aimez- vous collectionner, apprendre et partager votre intérêt sur les insectes avec d’autres? Si ‘OUI’, vous êtes encouragé à devenir un membre « enthousiaste de l’entomologie » de la Société d’entomologie du Canada (SEC).

Qui est un enthousiaste de l’entomologie? • Un individu impliqué dans des activités entomologiques telles que la collecte, l’apprentissage sur, l’observation ou la photographie d’insectes comme passe- temps. • MAIS qui n’est pas éligible à une autre catégorie de membre de la SEC. Quelqu’un qui ne tire donc pas une part significative de son revenu d’une activité ento- mologique, comme le fait de travailler comme, ou d’étudier pour devenir un entomologiste professionnel.

Quels sont les avantages d’être un enthousiaste de l’entomologie? • Environ 50% de rabais sur les frais d’adhésion réguliers à la SEC. • Un accès en ligne à tous les numéros de The Canadian Entomologist, à tous les Mémoires publiés, et au Bulletin de la SEC. • Des rabais sur des livres entomologiques chez certaines maisons d’édition. • Des frais d’inscription réduits pour la réunion annuelle de la SEC. • Des opportunités d’interagir avec d’autres entomologistes de tout le Canada.

Les naturalistes amateurs travaillant avec les insectes ou leurs alliés peuvent bénéficier de deux programmes de la SEC : • Financement de la recherche jusqu’à 1 000 $ par le biais du programme de bourses Carr • Financement jusqu’à 500 $ pour l’éducation grand public concernant les insectes par le biais de subventions d’encouragement public de la SEC (faites votre de- mande par l’intermédiaire de votre société d’entomologie régionale)

Amusez-vous et apprenez avec d’autres passionnés des insectes! Adhérez aujourd’hui! https://esc-sec.ca/fr/adhesion/

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2020 papers in the Canadian Journal of Arthropod Identification:

Masonick, P., Weirauch C. 2020. Taxonomic revision of the Nearctic erosa species group of Phymata Latreille, 1802 (Heteroptera: Reduviidae: Phymatinae). Canadian Journal of Arthropod Identification 41: 90 pp. doi:10.3752/cjai.2020.41

Sherin, L.M. 2020. Soldier flies of the subfamily Pachygastrinae of Canada (Diptera, Stratiomyidae). Canadian Journal of Arthropod Identification 42: 34 pp. doi:10.3752/ cjai.2020.42

Reminder of BSC Publications The BSC has produced a number of monographs and briefs on various topics relating to biodiversity. Briefs and some monographs are available as downloadable pdf documents from our website: http://biologicalsurvey.ca/home

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Notices

Recent publications available from the Biological Survey of Canada. These are available for download on the BSC website, and most are also available as softcover bound versions. See http://biologicalsurvey.ca/monographs for information:

he Biota of Canada: Terrestrial Arthropods

A Handbook to the Ticks of Canada (Ixodida: Ixodidae, Ar- gasidae)

The Biological Survey of Canada: A personal history

Arthropods of Canadian Grasslands series Volume 1: Ecology and Interactions in Grassland Habitats. Volume 2: Inhabitants of a Changing Landscape Volume 3: Biodiversity and Systematics, Part 1 Volume 4: Biodiversity and Systematics, Part 2

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Entomological Monographs

The Entomological Society of Canada has published a number of entomological monographs (including some of the popular Insects and Arachnids of Canada Series) on their website. To access these, go to: http://esc-sec.ca/publications/aafc/

If you prefer the monographs in bound format, these can still be obtained on a print-on- demand process though an agreement with Volumes Direct (http://www.volumesdirect. com/). Visit their website, and search for title or author.

Call for Suggestions for a 2021 Biological Survey of Canada BioBlitz

A BioBlitz is a great way to start or implement a faunal inventory of a region, as can be seen by reading the report of the 2017 bioBlitz in Winter 2017 issue.

If you are interested in organizing a BioBlitz for the next summer, or have a BioBlitz planned that you’d like to coordinate with the Biological Survey (for example, the 2017 BioBlitz was held in the Cypress Hills of Saskatchewan in conjunction with the BioBlitz Canada 150 programme), please contact the Biological Survey of Canada: [email protected]

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Add Your Voice: Biological Survey of Canada on Social media

Join the biodiversity discussion on the BSC Facebook site, and other ways to engage in discussing topics in Canadian biodiversity.

Visit our Facebook site: https://www.facebook.com/biolsurvey1can/?fref=nf#

Who we are: The Biological Survey of Canada is a Not-for-Profit Corporation dedicated to promoting biodiversity science in Canada - The BSC consists of an elected board of directors and a membership represent- ing all areas of biodiversity science. The historical focus has been on Arthro- pods, but with the ongoing Biota of Canada initiative, the focus has expanded to the entire Biota. - We produce a newsletter twice per year, organize events such as the annual BSC Symposium at the Entomological Society of Canada (ESC) meeting, a “Curation Blitz” at some ESC meetings, and assist in organizing BioBlitzes when possible. Anyone can receive the newsletter, by sending a request to the Sec- retary (address below). - Membership is free, and includes this newsletter and the right to vote at the Annual General Meeting. All members are encouraged to become actively involved in BSC projects, propose new projects, or to run for the positions on the Board of Directors. (A nominal membership fee may be charged in future to cover infrastructure costs). - The Annual General Meeting is held each summer by conference call.

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