Volume 37, No 1 Summer 2018

Newsletter of the Biological Survey of Canada

Vol. 37(1) Summer 2018

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 Information on Membership ...... 3 Feature Articles: President’s Report ...... 4 Notable grasshoppers from an BSC on facebook & twit- unusual tundra ecosystem ter...... 6 Paul M. Catling, Brenda Kostiuk, Student Corner...... 6 Suzanne Carrière, and Bob Reid Contributing to the BSC ...... 7 Newsletter...... 6 Feature Articles Notable grasshoppers from an unusual tundra ecosystem, by P.M.Catling, B.Kostiuk, S.Carrière Endemism among Canada’s and B.Reid...... 7 mayfly species (Insecta: Ephemeroptera) Endemism among Canada’s mayfly Luke M. Jacobus...... 13 species (Insecta: Ephemeroptera), by L.M. Jacobus...... 13

The Biological Survey of Canada: reflections on travelling on behalf of the Survey, by H.V. Danks...... 20 The Biological Survey of Canada: Canadian Journal of reflections on travelling on behalf of the Survey Arthropod Identification: Hugh V. Danks...... 20 2018 paper...... 33

Check out the BSC Notice: Website: Publications ....33 New publication in the Canadian Journal of Arthro- Notices ...... 34 pod Identification The paper, Seed Bugs and their allies (Hemiptera: Heter- optera: Lygaeoidea) of the Canadian Prairie Provinces (by D.J. Larson and G.G.E. Scudder, G.G.E.) has just been published in CJAI...... 33

Visit our Website | Previous issues http://biologicalsurvey.ca http://biologicalsurvey.ca/pages/read/newsletter-past-issues

From the Editor’s desk Donna Giberson 2018 is shaping up to be an exciting year for the Biological Survey of Canada, with the pending publication of the first volume of theBiota of Canada - a major project of the BSC over the past few years, aimed at updating the “Canada and its Insect Fauna” publication from 1979. See the President’s Update on p. 4 for more details on this exciting project. We hope to have more information on this project for you in the winter issue of the BSC Newsletter. In this issue, we present updated biodiversity information on tundra grasshoppers and endemic mayflies, as well as an article by formerNewsletter editor, and Head of the BSC Secretariat, Hugh Danks, reflecting on his years of travel on behalf of the Survey through his long career. If you have not yet seen it, I also urge you to check out Hugh Danks’ new book on the history of the BSC, available as a free pdf on the BSC monographs website page (http://biologicalsurvey.ca/monographs/read/19).

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 new site will continue to have links to biodiversity resources of the BSC, and our publications, and will be easier to keep up to date. 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 37(1) Summer 2018 [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 Joel Gibson, 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.

Check out the BSC website! http://biologicalsurvey.ca/

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President’s update Biological Survey of Canada/ Commission biologique du Canada Cory S. Sheffield Research Scientist - Curator of Invertebrate Zoology Royal Saskatchewan Museum, Regina, Saskatchewan

Greetings everyone!

Following a very busy 2017 with much to report, this update for 2018 will seem rather short. However, this is not because the BSC has not been busy, but rather because it has mainly been focused on the large “Biota of Canada” family level series for terrestrial arthropods which will be published in the journal ZooKeys. Past BSC President David Langor and I have been putting in long hours for most of the year so far, editing individual chapters for this series – we have now received most of the 30 or so draft chapters, so the work is moving along at a very good pace. This first volume will update the classic “Canada and its Insect Fauna” edited by Hugh Danks and published in 1979. In addition, with the collaboration of the Biodiversity Institute of Ontario, this series will incorporate DNA barcoding into the summaries for each terrestrial arthropod family found in Canada, particularly the number of unique Barcode Index Numbers (or BINs) available from material collected in Canada. Dave and I have been very appreciative of the efforts that all of the authors have put into this work, which is still tentatively due to be published by late 2018. Unfortunately, some of the “traditional” BSC activities will not be held in 2018, including the annual BSC symposium (usually held as part of the Entomological Society of Canada annual meeting), and the BSC bioblitz. Following the precedent set when partnering with the large International Congress of Entomology (ICE) meetings in Florida in 2016, the Board decided not to hold the annual symposium at the large Joint Annual Meeting of the Entomological Societies of America, Canada, and British Columbia (which will be held in Vancouver from November 11-14th). It is our hope that we will resume our annual symposium series in 2019. I think it is also important to point out that the BSC encourages ideas for future symposia topics if they relate to biodiversity in Canada. Traditionally, these symposia have been entomology themed but there is much potential for this symposium to be more encompassing of Canada’s flora and fauna in the future, particularly if cross-disciplinary annual meetings are held. Much like at our bioblitzes, having expertise that encompasses all forms of life in Canada makes these events more interesting, and more rewarding. And although the BSC will not be holding its own bioblitz this year, many of its members will be involved in other bioblitzes throughout the country. These events make me happy – they provide a great opportunity to see colleagues, meet new ones, have a lot of fun, and contribute to documenting Canada’s biodiversity. Of course there are many ways to share information about life in Canada, and the BSC’s social media pages continue to attract attention. Currently our Facebook page has 216 followers, while our Twitter feed has 244 followers. These pages continue to be an easy to use and fast way to share some of the exciting biodiversity-related events that the BSC is involved with, and also the scientific research and news stories that are, or should be, of interest to those interested in biodiversity. As stated in the past, the BSC’s social media pages are also great venues to post links to your own biodiversity-related events, and we encourage you to contact us at [email protected] if wish to do so. If your biodiversity research takes you to interesting places in Canada, and you study organisms that you think are worth sharing a story on (and you should feel this way), why not share your experiences with other members of the BSC through this newsletter?

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We are always excited to receive contributions, so I encourage you to write up a piece for us, and photographs are welcome. This also provides a great opportunity for graduate students. Please see the next page for information on how to submit a manuscript, and please visit the Biological Survey of Canada’s website to see past issues of the newsletter for examples. I am sure you will find these a great resource! I will end this post with a reminder to join the BSC if you are not yet a member and to encourage others in your labs or circles to also join. For those members that are interested, I encourage you to put your name forward to be considered for the BSC Board when the opportunity becomes available. In 2019, we will have several positions to fill (some of these have been vacant since 2017). Following our recent AGM, we were able to fill the recently vacated treasurer position. As always, it has been a pleasure working with my colleagues on the Board, and the BSC appreciates your work in the past, and into the future. It is always refreshing to have new faces, new ideas, and new enthusiasm serving the BSC Board. I have enjoyed my time on the BSC Board, including as President, but will be ending my position after my two-year term is complete in 2019. However, I will continue to be actively involved in the BSC and the activities they support. I hope that all of you have a very productive summer, whether you are in the office, in the field, or on vacation. I hope you always get time to appreciate all that is around you. If you have a camera, and a passion for writing, we would love to hear from you!

Sincerely, Cory

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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 editor (giberson@ upei.ca) 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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Feature Article

Notable Grasshoppers from an unusual tundra ecosystem Paul M. Catling1, Brenda Kostiuk1, Suzanne Carrière2, and Bob Reid2 1170 Sanford Ave., Ottawa, Ontario K2C 0E9, Canada [email protected] 2 Wildlife Division, Environment & Natural Resources, Government of Northwest Territories, 5th Floor Scotia Centre, PO Box 1320, Yellowknife NT X1A 2L9 [email protected]

Few, actually only two, grasshoppers extend into the northern Canadian tundra. Both of these, the Arctic Club-Horned Grasshopper (Aeropedallus arcticus Hebard) and the Tundra Grasshopper (Bohemanella frigida frigida Boheman), have restricted distributions in northwestern North America associated with unglaciated Beringia. Thus, finding any grasshoppers on tundra outside the range of these two species is very unusual. To the east and south of these ranges between 29 August and 4 September 2017 we found three species on tundra north of Yellowknife at the Tundra Ecological Research Station (TERS, 64.8671, -111.593) at Daring Lake. These three species are associated with the special features of this southern tundra (Figure 1). B. Kostiuk B.

Figure 1. Daring Lake Tundra Ecological Research Station is in the southern Arctic of the tundra ecoregion and is part of the Tundra Shield, a cold northern extension of the Taiga Shield (Ecoregion Clas- sification Group, 2012). It has higher temperatures, and higher precipitation than the Tundra Plains to the north. It also has more rocklands and till deposits. The area within which the station is situated is entirely tundra. Spruce (Picea mariana) is extremely rare with only one patch of kummholz within a few km of camp. Two larger patches of spruce 10 x 20 m2 exist 5.4 km SW of the station but Black Spruce and Alder (Alnus crispa) are not frequent on the terrestrial landscape for at least 50 km to the south where treeline has been delineated.

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Melanoplus affinityborealis (Fieber), NORTHERN GRASSHOPPER Although specimens collected with relatively short wings (but longer-winged forms are known in both sexes) are best referred to this species, there is great deal more to be said. The banded femur (Figure 2) would suggest M. fasciatus F. Walker, but the relatively long furculae (over 1/3 the length of the supra-anal plate) and the shape of the cerci (relatively narrow and curved inward) exclude that species. The femur, although banded, is rather obscurely banded and similar to that of both M. dawsoni (Scudder) of the prairie (and narrowly eastward), and the endemic, M. gaspesiensis Vickery (Vickery & Kevan 1985, Fig. 441) of Mont Albert, Gaspé. Some specimens with an apically notched subgenital plate resemble M. sanguinipes or M. bruneri. How interesting is all this unless you are one Catling P.M. of the few orthoptera specialists in Canada? You Figure 2. Melanoplus aff. borealis from may be saying “obviously they do not know what Daring Lake Tundra Ecological Research they are!”. You are at least half right, but most Station, NWT. Collected 31 August Canadian grasshoppers can be easily identified. That 2017. Male above, female below. makes these Daring Lake observations special. We wondered if a tundra form of M. borealis might be more generally dark-banded than in other places so as to heat up more rapidly and thus take advantage of brief periods of sunlight in a cool environment. We did not notice the remarkable variation in Melano- plus grasshoppers at Daring Lake in time to study it. Whether these grasshoppers are unusual variants, parts of a hybrid population, or a new species or subspecies requires more study. The results may improve an understanding of arctic evolution and ecosystem development. Since these are relatively large insects, and probably common in late summer, they may provide an important food source for a variety of predators. Although M. borealis is reported to feed on grasses and forbs, those we found were often in places where grasses and/or sedges were abundant. They were absent from areas dominated by heath and most frequent along portions of the shores of Yamba Lake and Daring Lake (Figure 3). Many elements of flora and fauna are confined to shorelines of the larger lakes and rivers in the area and these habitats contribute to the high local diversity. Melanoplus borealis is generally not found above treeline (map 143 in Vickery & Kevan 1985, p. 397). The existence at Daring Lake where it occurs commonly in Catling P.M. open tundra a few km in most directions Figure 3. Fluctuating shore of the Yamba River be- from the station is notable. The only other tween Daring Lake and Yamba Lake. Melanoplus borealis including variants with slightly banded record we are aware of that may be on femurs and some with rarer variant without tundra or near treeline is that of Johnson bands, but otherwise very similar, were common (2002, p. 20) from Porter Lake NW of Yel- here. lowknife. We saw at least 200 individuals mostly along shores, but also in wet meadows and bogs, and in all directions from the station. The milder temperature of the southern tundra may also explain the presence of this species. Possibly the Northern Grasshopper was a characteristic and abundant element of the ice-front tundra that existed much further to the south during the Wisconsin glaciation (11,700 - 110,000 years ago). This present day southern tundra, including Daring Lake, may be a partial analogue of this historic ecosystem which may have been comprised of a diverse flora and fauna representing a number of modern ecozones.

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Melanoplus bruneri Scudder, BRUNER’S GRASSHOPPER This is another species (Figure 4) that is generally not found above treeline (Vickery & Kevan, 1985, map 164, p. 429, Catling 2008, p. 55). It is difficult to distinguish from M. sanguinipes and both are serious crop pests in parts of their range. Taxonomic study aimed at a better understanding of the relationship between them is needed. Our specimens had P.M. Catling P.M. a mesosternal hump, relatively large and straight furculae, upwardly curved and relatively narrow cerci, but the Figure 4. Male Melanop- subgenital plate, although shaped generally like that of lus bruneri from Daring M. bruneri, was not prominently divided. Lake with unusually reddish legs but without outer femur bands. Collected 31 August Aeropedallus (arcticus Hebard or clavatus (Thomas)), a CLUB- 2017. HORNED GRASSHOPPER Flightless females of a gomphocerine grasshopper were found in open gravel areas on esker deposits (Figure 5). Such deposits were widespread in the vicinity of the station, but these grasshoppers were absent from extensive areas on top of the esker and only present in a few lower elevations of the esker complex (Figure 5) approx. 0.5 km ENE of the station. It is estimated that 50 were seen in an area of 1000 m2. They were actively walking and hopping in cool rainy weather at temperatures down to 5 °C and wind to 40 kph on 4 Sept. 2017. P.M. Catling P.M.

Figure 5. Brenda Kostiuk takes shelter from wind beside Arctic ecology veterans Suzanne Carrière and Bob Reid on a lower gradual esker slope. Habitat of Aeropedallus sp. on the middle left and Daring Lake Tundra Ecological Research Station on a peninsula of Daring Lake on the upper right.

Although they belonged to the genus Aeropedallus, it was difficult to determine their specific identity since they were all females; the males have the distinctive features needed to separate A. clavatus (Thomas) of the Great Plains (north to Great Slave Lake and northern BC) and A. arcticus of the northwestern arctic (Yukon and Alaska SE to Great Bear Lake). The Daring Lake occurrence is an equal distance from the range limits of both A. arcticus and A. clavatus. Further, Otte (1981, p. 55) indicates that females of A. arcticus have forewings 8 - 9.6 mm whereas A. clavatus females have forewings 4 – 7.5 mm. Forewings of several collected specimens ranged from 7.3 to 8.2 mm, making the specimens remain difficult to assign. They would be a new eastern limit for A. arcticus, which occurs mostly in unglaciated Beringia. With flightless females, how would the species have reached there from unglaciated territory which is generally considered to be 360 km NNW (based on the eastern extent of Saiga Antelope) or 700 km WNW in the

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Mackenzie Valley (e.g. Lafontaine & Wood 1988, Fig. 2, p. 113), with many obstacles of inappropriate habitat? If A. clavatus, they would be a first record for that species in the tundra and another clue to the insect composition of the periglacial tundra and parkland. Possibly Aeropedallus arrived from both postglacial migration routes (Scudder 1979, Fig. 3.45 p. 159) and we have the only place where the two species overlapped and hybridized. The region of Daring Lake may be a tundra suture zone where elements of historic ecosystems have come together in their dispersal from glacial refugia. As with Aeropedallus arcticus females from the Bear Rock Limestone Plateau in the Mackenzie Moun- tains (Catling 2008, Fig. 20, p. 23) two major colour forms were present (Figure 6): (1) dark and blotched on the head and thorax and without pale lines on the wings, and (2) with extensive pale areas (brown or green) on the head and thorax and with pale lines on the wings. P.M. Catling P.M.

Figure 6. Aeropedallus from Daring Lake showing pale female above and two views of a dark and blotched female below. 4 Sept. 2017. Photo P.M. Catling

Trimerotropis verruculata (Kirby), CRACKER GRASSHOPPER The crackling or snapping sounds made by the wings (crepitation) usually indicate the presence of this species before it is seen. This grasshopper occurs in the boreal forests across North America. It colonizes areas recently burned but also inhabits a variety of open rocky habitats including shorelines and vacant lots in townsites. It reaches a northern limit at Norman Wells in the Mackenzie Valley. We estimate that we saw and heard at least 30 around the station at Daring Lake, this representing the first confirmed report for the tundra. It occurred only on steep rocky slopes of the esker, and so limited it was to this habitat that it could be counted among the many elements of flora and fauna that are in the vicinity only because of the presence of the esker. We did not see it in a few open rocky Canadian Shield areas near the station that were without esker deposits. It is likely that the milder climate of the southern tundra also is part of the explanation for this species being present in a tundra environment. With the widespread occurrence of esker deposits, it may be widespread in the southern tundra region. At Daring Lake flight displays with crepitation oc-

curred during sunny periods at 8° C on 3 Sept. Catling P.M. 2017. Figure 7. Trimerotrpis verruculata from Daring Lake (above). Habitat on grav- Daring Lake elly side of esker (below). 30 August Unique aspects of climate, spread from unglaciated 2017. territory, and substrate and topographic variation due to eskers, have made the southern arctic at Daring Lake a very special and rich tundra site. The special features and unanswered questions are many, but it is notable that much of the story of biogeography and diversity can considered with examples of only

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four insects in one small group. Perhaps the most important consideration is that the tundra is vast and highly variable. Daring Lake is well situated within the tundra research station network (see http://www.wikiwand.com/en/List_of_research_stations_in_the_ Arctic for a map) to represent some important parts of this variation. For more information on Daring Lake, see Appendix 1.

Acknowledgements We thank Chief Station Manager Karin Clark for her support. Field and logistical as- sistance was provided by Nadine Shatilla, Gregory King, Katherine Dearborn, and Mike Treberg.

References Catling, P.M. 2008. Grasshoppers and related insects (Ulonata) of the Northwest Territories and adjacent regions. Environment and Natural Resources, GNWT, Yellowknife, NT. 77 pp. Ecoregion Classification Group. 2012. Ecological regions of the Northwest Territories - Southern Arc- tic. Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Government of the Northwest Territories, Yellowknife, NT, Canada. X + 170 pp. + inset map. Available from: http://www.enr.gov.nt.ca/sites/ enr/files/resources/southern_arctic_ecological_land_classification_report.pdf Johnson, D.L. 2002. Spur-throated grasshoppers of the Canadian prairies and northern Great Plains. Arthropods of Canadian grasslands 8:16–25. Available from: http://www.biology.ualberta.ca/bsc/ pdf/grasslands8.pdf Lafontaine, J.D. and D.M. Wood. 1988. A zoogeographic analysis of the Noctuidae (Lepidoptera) of Beringia, and some inferences about past Beringia habitats. pp. 109–123 in Origins of the North American Insect fauna. Edited by J.A. Downes and D.H. Kavanaug. Memoirs of the Entomological Society of Canada no. 144. Obst, J. 2008. Progress report on tundra breeding birds at daring lake, Northwest Territories, 1998– 2007. unpubl. report available from the Wildlife Division, Department of Environment and Natural resources, Government of the Northwest Territories. Otte, D. 1981. The North American Grasshoppers, Vol. 1. Acrididae, Gomphocerinae and Acridinae. Harvard University Press. 275 pp. Scudder, G.G.E. 1979. Present patterns in the fauna and flora of Canada. pp. 87–179in Canada and its Insect Fauna. Edited by H.V. Danks. Memoirs of the Entomological Society of Canada no. 108. Venables, C. 2010. I. Aquatic insect sampling in the low arctic: Dystiscids north of 60° N. Newslet- ter of the Biological Survey of Canada 29(2): 27–31. Available from: https://biologicalsurvey.ca/ newsletter/bscfall2010.pdf Vickery, V.R. and D.K. McE. Kevan. 1985. The Insects and Arachnids of Canada, part 14: The Grass- hoppers, Crickets, and Related Insects of Canada and Adjacent Regions. Ulonata: Dermaptera, Cheleutoptera, Notoptera, Dictuoptera, Grylloptera, and Orthoptera. Agriculture Canada Publication 1777. 918 pp.

Appendix 1. The Tundra Ecosystem Research Station at Daring Lake, NWT was established in 1994.

http://cnnro.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Daring-Lake-Tundra-Eco- system-Research-Station.pdf

http://cnnro.ca/daring-lake-tundra-ecosystem-research-station/

http://www.enr.gov.nt.ca/en/services/research-and-data/tundra-ecosystem-research-station .

It is part of the Canadian Network of Northern Research Facilities established under the Canadian Polar Commission. Its first function was to serve as a monitoring site provid- ing data on biodiversity which was made more relevant due to recent developments in the region including the EKATII Diamond Mine approximately 100 km SE of Daring Lake. Over the years there have been approx. 14 government-led research programs and an equal number of university-led programs during any year. Studies funded by the international Polar Year took place in 2007 and 2008. Much of the early funding for the station came from Indian and Northern Affairs Canada and the Department of Environment and

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Natural Resources, Government of the Northwest Territories and this has continued to the present. Numerous scientific articles have been written based on research done at the station. These and data recorded are available from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Regionally, the results of environmental reviews are available from the registry of The Mackenzie Valley Impact Review Board. These are mostly concerned with Caribou. As well as Caribou at Daring Lake, major research effort has focussed on carbon flux, cumulative effects, climate change, and impacts related to development. Although relatively little work has focussed on field biology, evolutionary biology and ecology, there is an onsite collection of vascular plants that has proven very helpful for identification and there are important baseline studies of some groups including birds (Obst 2008). With respect to insects predacious diving beetles have been studied (Ven- ables 2010). The latter reference also provides some useful information on the station.

B. Kostiuk B.

Figure 8. Yamba Lake north of Daring Lake, 30 Aug. 2017.

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Feature Article

Endemism among Canada’s mayfly species (Insecta: Ephemeroptera)

Luke M. Jacobus

Associate Professor of Biology, Division of Science, Indiana University Purdue University Columbus, Columbus, Indiana, USA

While preparing a common names report (with P. Harper) for the General Status of Species in Canada for the Canadian Wildlife Service and preparing a chapter about mayflies (Insecta: Ephemeroptera) for the Biota of Canada project of the Biological Survey of Canada, it became apparent to me that among the 335 mayfly species currently reported from Canada (McCafferty 1996, McCafferty & Jacobus 2018), only ten are known only from Canada. The number of truly endemic species in Canada probably is at most three, however, as the distributions of the other species are poorly known, and they are highly likely to occur in the USA. One such example of a poorly known Canadian species being found recently for the first time in the USA isMacdunnoa nipawinia Lehmkuhl 1979 (Heptageniidae) (Stagliano 2016). Low endemism in Canada is not surprising, considering the recent glacial history of Canada and therefore the large degree to which the current fauna reflects dispersal and post-glaciation recolonization events (Peters 1988; McCafferty and Randolph 1998). Each of the ten species known only from Canada is discussed below in hopes of stimulating research activity to understand them better. Two additional species, now considered nomena dubia, also are discussed.

Acerpenna akataleptos (McDunnough 1926) (Baetidae), the out-of-reach small minnow mayfly, remains known only from the original material collected near Medicine Hat, Lethbridge and Cypress Hills, Alberta. The species is known only from the adult stage, which probably has contributed to our limited knowledge of its distribution, given that in recent years the larval stage of mayflies tends to be more commonly sampled and studied. The male genitalia of A. akataleptos are quite different from others in the genus (Jacobus and McCafferty 2002a). Once the larva is associated with the species, it may prove to belong to a different genus, as has been the case with some other species formerly included in Acerpenna Waltz and McCafferty 1987 (McCafferty et al. 2008). Given its presence in far southern Alberta, it likely will be found in adjoining parts of the USA.

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Baetis hudsonicus Ide 1937 (Baetidae), the Hudsonia small minnow mayfly, is a genetically distinct, but sometimes morphologically cryptic, species known from the Northwest Territories, Manitoba and Nunavut; only females are known for the species, but more study is needed to determine if it is indeed obligately parthenogenetic (Ide 1937, Giberson et al. 2007, Webb et al. 2012, Cordero et al. 2017, D. Giberson pers. comm.). This species may be endemic to Canada, but its wide, far northern distribution suggests that it could be Holarctic.

Baetis persecutus McDunnough 1939 (Baetidae), the galling small minnow mayfly, is known from southern British Columbia based on two adult specimens and possibly from Alberta based on the adult and larval stages (Alberta records shown by the open stars on the map below). Baetis persecutus is part of a taxonomically difficult complex of species that requires more material to assess the morphological and genetic differences within and between species before sound conclusions can be made about its distribution and conservation status (Webb et al. 2018). I recently examined one male adult in the Purdue University Entomological Research Collection, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA, that may belong to this species (USA: Washington state: Mt. Rainier, Paradise Valley, 11- VIII-1946, 4500’, pinned collection), but more study of the Baetis piscatoris complex of species is needed before conclusions can be drawn about its identity, and thus the range of distribution of the species (Webb et al. 2018).

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Kirmaushenkreena zarankoae McCafferty 2011 (Baetidae), Zaranko’s small minnow mayfly, is known from a single larva collected from Baker Lake in Nunavut on 20 August, and it is the only species in its genus (McCafferty 2011). It may be endemic to Canada and should be prioritized for further study.

The genus Procloeon Bengtsson 1915 (Baetidae) is relatively poorly understood in North America. Three of the ten mayfly species not known outside Canada are from this genus, and none of these three are known from the larval stage. Procloeon caligino- sum (McDunnough 1925), the rough-shod small minnow mayfly, is known only from three adult specimens taken at Lachine (Montreal), Quebec (McDunnough 1925, Wal- ley 1927, Traver 1935). Procloeon inanum (McDunnough 1924), the passive small minnow mayfly, has been reported from Waterton Lakes, Alberta and Churchill, Manitoba based on two male adults from each location (McDunnough 1924, Harper and Harper 1981). Procloeon insignificans (McDunnough 1925), the insignificant small minnow mayfly, is known only from two male adults collected at Ottawa, Ontario. Based on collection locales, it is reasonable to expect that each of these three species will be found in the northern USA. Coincidentally, Webb et al (2012) had three unidentifiable Procloeon species from Canada whose collection locales would fall within reasonably expected geo- graphic ranges of distribution for the three named, but poorly known, species discussed here.

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Caenis candida Harper and Harper 1981 (Caenidae), the white small square-gilled mayfly, was described from two series of adults from the James Bay drainage system in northwestern Quebec (Harper and Harper 1981); it remains known only from these records; the larva is unknown but it may prove to resemble a more common and widespread species (Provonsha 1990).

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Ironodes flavipennis Traver 1935 (Heptageniidae), the Summerland flat-headed mayfly, remains known only from near Summerland and Maple Ridge, British Columbia; it is known from the male adult and larval stages, but identification of species in this genus can be difficult (Jacobus and McCafferty 2002a). It likely will be found in adjoining northwestern USA.

Rhithrogena gaspeensis McDunnough 1933 (Heptageniidae), the Mt. Lyall flat- headed mayfly, is known only from a series of adults collected in the Chic-Choc moun- tains, on the Gaspe Peninsula in Quebec (McDunnough 1933).

There are two species described from Canada that are now considered nomena dubia. These include Maccaffertium flaveolum (Pictet 1843), which has no common name (see discussion about species status by McCafferty and Bae 1992), and Ephemerella molita McDunnough 1930, the mobile spiny crawler mayfly (see discussion by Jacobus and McCafferty 2007). While the identities of these species cannot be determined at the present time, it is not implausible that they could be ascertained in the future as our understanding of various species improves and our ability to identify them using traditional and molecular methods also improves (e.g., Jacobus and McCafferty 2002b,c, Shokralla et al. 2011).

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Looking beyond geopolitical boundaries, another species may be recognized as potentially endemic to northern North America, if Alaska is included (Randolph & McCaf- ferty 2005, Rinella et al. 2012): Rhithrogena ingalik Randolph & McCafferty 2005 (Heptageniidae), the Birch Creek flat-headed mayfly. About 15 other species known only from Canada and/or Alaska in North America are known also from Europe and Asia (Jacobus unpublished). This is information not yet ascertainable from the North Ameri- can list maintained by Mayfly Central.

Acknowledgements Thanks to Donna Giberson for valuable discussion and for creating the accompanying maps.

References Bengtsson S. 1915. Eine Namesänderung. Entomologisk Tidskrift 36:34. Cordero R.D., Sanchez-Ramirez S., and Currie D.C. 2017. DNA barcoding of aquatic insects reveals unforseen diversity and recurrent population divergence patterns through broad-scale sampling in northern Canada. Polar Biology 40:1687–1695. Giberson D.J., Burian S.K., and Shouldice M. 2007. Life history of the northern mayflyBaetis bundyae in Rankin Inlet, Nunavut, Canada, with updates to the list of mayflies of Nunavut. The Canadian Entomologist 139:628–642. Harper F. and Harper P.P. 1981. Northern Canadian mayflies (Insecta; Ephemeroptera), records and descriptions. Canadian Journal of Zoology 59:1784–1789. Ide F.P. 1937. Descriptions of eastern North American species of baetine mayflies with particular reference to the nymphal stages. The Canadian Entomologist 69:219–231, 235–243. Jacobus L.M. and McCafferty W.P. 2002a. Analysis of some historically unfamiliar Canadian mayflies (Ephemeroptera). The Canadian Entomologist 134: 141–155. Jacobus L.M. and McCafferty W.P. 2002b Provancher’s quebecensis mayfly species (Ephemeroptera: Leptophlebiidae, Siphlonuridae). Entomological News 113:315–317. Jacobus L.M. and McCafferty W.P. 2002c. Reinstatement of Rhithrogena manifesta Eaton (Ephemer- optera: Heptageniidae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 104:240–241. Jacobus L.M. and McCafferty W.P. 2007. Reinstatement of Serratella serratoides (McDunnough) and status of Ephemerella molita McDunnough (Ephemeroptera: Ephemerellidae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 109:730–732. Lehmkuhl D.M. 1979. A new genus and species of Heptageniidae (Ephemeroptera) from western Canada. The Canadian Entomologist 111:859–862. McCafferty W.P. 1996. The mayflies of North America online. Entomological News107 :61–63. McCafferty W.P. 2011. A new genus and species of small minnow mayflies (Ephemeroptera: Baetidae) from far northern North America. Transactions of the American Entomological Society 137:11–14. McCafferty W.P. and Bae Y.J. 1992. Taxonomic status of historically confused species of Potamanthi- dae and Heptageniidae (Ephemeroptera). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 94:169–171.

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McCafferty W.P. and Jacobus L.M. 2018. Mayfly central. https://www.entm.purdue.edu/mayfly/ [Ac- cessed 19 March 2018]. McCafferty W.P. and Randolph R.P. 1998. Canada mayflies: a faunistic compendium. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Ontario 129: 47–97. McCafferty W.P., Meyer M.D., Randolph R.P, and Webb J.M. 2008. Evaluation of mayfly species originally described as Baetis Leach from California (Ephemeroptera: Baetidae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 110:577–591. McDunnough J. 1924. New Canadian Ephemeridae with notes, II. The Canadian Entomologist (1923) 55:90–98, 113–122, 128–133. McDunnough J. 1925. New Canadian Ephemeridae with notes. III. The Canadian Entomologist 57:168–176, 185–192. McDunnough J. 1926. Notes on North American Ephemeroptera with descriptions of new species. The Canadian Entomologist 58:184–196. McDunnough J. 1930. The Ephemeroptera of the north shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The Cana- dian Entomologist 62:54–62, pl. 7-9. McDunnough J. 1933. New Ephemeroptera from the Gaspe Peninsula. The Canadian Entomologist 65:278–281. McDunnough J. 1939. New British Columbian Ephemeroptera. The Canadian Entomologist 71:49–54. Peters W.L. 1988. Origins of the North American Ephemeroptera fauna, especially the Leptophlebi- idae. pp. 13–24 in Origins of the North American Insect Fauna. Edited by Downes, J.A. and Kavana- ugh, D.H. Memoirs of the Entomological Society of Canada no. 144. Pictet F.J. 1843–1845. Histoire naturelle générale et particulière des Insectes Névroptères. Famille des Ephémérines. Baillière édit., Paris (Kessmann et Cherbuliez édit., aussi à Genève). 300 pp. (1843), 49 plates (1845). Provonsha A.V. 1990. A revision of the genus Caenis in North America (Ephemeroptera: Caenidae). Transactions of the American Entomological Society 116:801–884. Randolph R.P. and McCafferty W.P. 2005. The mayflies (Ephemeroptera) of Alaska, including a new species of Heptageniidae. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 107:190–199. Rinella D.J., Bogan D.L., Shaftel R.S., and Merrigan D. 2012. New aquatic insect (Ephemeroptera, Trichoptera, and Plecoptera) records for Alaska, U.S.A.: range extensions and a comment on under- sampled habitats. Pan-Pacific Entomologist 88:407–412. Shokralla S., Zhou X., Janzen D.H., Hallwachs W., Landry J.-F., Jacobus L.M., and Hajibabaei M. 2011. Pyrosequencing for mini-barcoding of fresh and old museum specimens. PLoS ONE 6: e21252. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0021252. Stagliano D.M. 2016. Mayflies (Insecta: Ephemeroptera) of conservation concern in Montana: status updates and management needs. Western North American Naturalist 76:441–451. Traver J.R. 1935. Part II: Systematic. pp. 237–739 in The Biology of Mayflies, with a systematic account of North American species. Edited by Needham J.G., Traver J.R., and Hsu Y.-C. Comstock, Ithaca, New York. Walley G.S. 1927. Ephemeroptera. Annual Report of the Entomological Society of Ontario (1926) 57:59–61. Waltz R.D. and McCafferty W.P. 1987. New genera of Baetidae for some Nearctic species included in Baetis Leach (Ephemeroptera). Annals of the Entomological Society of America 80:667–670. Webb J.M., Jacobus L.M. and Sullivan S.P. 2018. The state of systematics of North American Baetis Leach, 1815 (Ephemeroptera: Baetidae), with recommendations for identification of larvae. Zoo- taxa 4394(1):105–127. Webb J.M., Jacobus L.M., Funk D.H., Zhou X., Kondratieff B., Geraci C.J., DeWalt R.E., Baird D., Rich- ard B., Phillips I., and Hebert P.D.N. 2012. A DNA Barcode Library for North American Ephemerop- tera: Progress and Prospects. PLoS ONE 7(5):e38063. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0038063.

Nymph of Baetis hudsonicus, collected at Rankin Inlet in July, 2003. D.Giberson

Volume 37(1) Summer 2018 [click here to return to front page] Newsletter of the Biological Survey of Canada 20 Feature Article

The Biological Survey of Canada: reflections on travelling on behalf of the Survey Hugh V. Danks Ottawa

gh V. Danks The editor invited me to contribute an article about my countrywide travels on behalf of the Biological Survey of Canada, which was one of my responsibilities while I was head of the BSC Secretariat from 1977 until 2007. These travels took place mainly during the winter, with little hands-on entomology. Therefore, they involved the exchange of information and development of ideas rather than adventures during fieldwork. Nevertheless, travel activities and broader themes relevant to the BSC, as well as some anecdotes, reveal information, generalizations, and opinions that might interest or amuse readers of this newsletter.

Why travel? The BSC was, and is, based on communication. An important role of the Secretariat was to travel to establishments across the country to interact with other entomologists, extending the contacts that took place during meetings of the Scientific Committee (now the BSC Board). These trips not only disseminated information about the BSC and promoted its cooperative projects, but also allowed the Survey to learn about relevant research and facilities—including collections—and to gather ideas about how to execute and fulfil needs for faunistics and systematics work in the country. Valuable though less concentrated interactions took place at the annual entomological society meetings, which included people from other places too. The key factor requiring such broad consultation is the breadth of interests of the BSC. For example, attention to ecological and other themes, not just taxonomy and systematics, ensures that BSC projects are scientifically valuable and widely relevant. Relevant too are broader issues such as information exchange, publication of taxonomic work, university teaching in systematics, and the laboratories, libraries, collections, and other infrastructures necessary for studies of biodiversity. Many of these issues involve non- entomologists. Multi-faceted travel was the only way to consult and inform all of the potentially interested people; and of course, the sheer size of the country leads to a great range of environments and a great diversity of insect faunas.

A plan for travel A typical plan for annual travel comprised a 2-week trip to western Canada, one week in Ontario, one week in eastern Canada, and short visits to other places in Quebec and Ontario that were relatively close to the BSC office in Ottawa. Most visits took place in the late fall or winter, after the field season had ended. In total, nearly 40 towns and cities (Table 1) were visited in this way, but over time the numbers and concentration of entomologists in the country changed considerably, and therefore so did the pattern of travel. There were significant reductions, especially during the 1980s, in the numbers of people who worked on projects involving insects at several of the research stations of Agriculture Canada (renamed Agriculture and Agri-Food

Editor’s note: Hugh Danks was Head of the BSC Secretariat from 1977–2007 and is the author of The Biological Survey of Canada: A Personal History (available from http://biologicalsurvey.ca/ monographs/read/19). During those 30 years, he travelled across Canada on behalf of the BSC, interacting with researchers at all levels and developing the collaborative model that so characterizes the current BSC. These experiences have led to a unique view of how study of faunistics has changed in that time, along with logistics of travel and research priorities.

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Table 1. Places visited on behalf of the BSC 1977-2006 (larger cities with multiple institutions are marked *; additional places where meetings of the Entomological Society of Canada were held are not included)

Alberta: Calgary, Edmonton*, Lethbridge, Olds, Vegreville British Columbia: Nanaimo, Summerland, Vancouver/Burnaby*, Victoria* Manitoba: Winnipeg* New Brunswick: Fredericton*, Saint John Newfoundland: St John’s* Nova Scotia: Halifax*, Kentville, Wolfville Ontario: Belleville, Burlington, Guelph, Hamilton, Harrow, Kingston, London*, Ot- tawa*, Sault Ste Marie, Sudbury, Toronto*, Vineland, Waterloo* Prince Edward Island: Charlottetown Quebec: Chicoutimi, Montreal*, Quebec City*, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Sherbrooke Saskatchewan: Regina*, Saskatoon*

Canada in 1994), for example in Kentville, NS. In addition, government research was managed increasingly through fulfillment of “strategic” priorities determined by non-scientists. These changes gave less opportunity to many government entomologists for the more general faunistic elements they had originally included in their research. In some universities, small units of entomology were subsumed into larger departments, and faculty members interested in faunas were replaced by those conducting limited laboratory experiments to explore ecological themes, or by those using molecular methods for various purposes. The changes made visits to these locations less useful. Such trends appear more recently to have been slightly reversed. Key elements of each visit (in addition to gathering information and inspecting collections and other facilities) were a series of conversations about current projects with individual researchers, including graduate students; a program of seminars that per- tained especially to the interests of the BSC; any group discussions about Survey-related themes organized by host entomologists; and contacts with administrators and others, as well as entomologists, about institutional or departmental matters. The trips were very rewarding but tiring, especially after days of non-stop, mostly one- on-one discussions, information gathering, and seminars. Jet lag could contribute to this fatigue. However, after my return to Ottawa I was once asked: “Why are you so tired after a vacation away?”! The remainder of this article provides recollections from the three main components of each visit: discussions with individual entomologists (with a section summarizing advice offered to graduate students; see Box on pp. 23-24); the seminars presented; and broader themes that expose differences among the establishments visited. A separate section comments on the logistics of travel (see Box on pp. 30–32).

Key elements of BSC visits to entomological centres - Individual discussions Typical conversations with individual entomologists lasted about half an hour each. I was privileged to receive information and insights from many people, supporting the co- ordinating role of the Survey. In return, I provided information and documents about the Survey and its work. Various topics were discussed, including taxonomy, ecology, zoogeography, molecular analysis, pest management, and others, confirming the strength of entomology across Canada and in the Entomological Society of Canada, which established the Biological Survey in the first place. These discussions allowed me to identify relevant activities where mutual benefits could be derived by cooperation, an effort favoured by my earlier exposure to a large number of entomological subjects. My own irregular career path, driven as it was by the availability of employment (as opposed to continued specialization), seemed at the time to be potentially harmful, but in fact it greatly enhanced my understanding of the natural world and served to support my visits on behalf of the BSC. Before starting the BSC job

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I had collected butterflies, moths, bees, wasps and other groups; carried out research (including extensive literature reviews) on the natural history, development, population sizes, patterns of mortality, oviposition behaviour, life cycles, cold-hardiness, winter habitat conditions, and diapause, of a range of terrestrial and aquatic insects; identified bees, aculeate wasps and their parasitoids, chironomid larvae, mosquito pupae, and tachinid eggs; visited the arctic and the subtropics, and been exposed to other environments in both summer and winter; studied agricultural systems such as corn, soybeans and tobacco; and prepared undergraduate and graduate lectures and laboratory courses on ecology, insect ecology, insect diversity, zoogeography, and insect pest management. Study of these different subjects whilst bearing down on each new task—the unwelcome fate of some other new graduates—later proved to be invaluable for understanding and integrating research relevant to the BSC. Cooperative endeavours were facilitated by the open attitude of most Canadian entomologists. Nevertheless, I did once have to serve as a special liaison between people in the same building, who feared the possibility of exploitation rather than collaboration!

- Interactions with graduate students I was encouraged too by my interactions with the graduate students responsible for much active research. Students brought a wide range of personalities and interests to entomology, adding value to the whole. These differences complemented and informed each other, especially in departments structured to favour liaisons among their members. People with different personalities took different approaches to their conversations with me, from nervousness to the advance preparation of detailed explanations or questions, but my general impression was overwhelmingly favourable. Differences occur among established scientists as well, of course, but personalities are less moderated and more easily visible in students, and their convictions and opinions about science are more mal- leable. A colleague in Japan, trying to express this idea in English, once rendered it as “students have soft brains”! Another rewarding observation was the gain of student confidence with time, readily detected through my repeated annual encounters. Moreover, graduate students appreci- ated the outside interest and encouragement that I brought. The students who engaged most fully in our discussions proved to be those with the most involved and support- ive supervisors, a conclusion contrary to my initial expectation that students who were somewhat isolated might be particularly keen to interact with a visiting entomologist.

- Discussion themes Apart from updates about current research, I enjoyed stories about related themes. One entomologist recounted the tale of a forensic entomologist in the southern USA who was reportedly stopped years before by the local sheriff as he drove out to place a pig carcass in the countryside in order to monitor the temporal pattern of colonization by insects (used to determine the time of death in criminal cases). Failing to comprehend his explanation for why he was carrying a dead pig in the trunk of his car, members of the local detachment confiscated the animal as perfectly suitable for their evening pig-roast! A graduate student studying the development of insects in cow dung followed and observed the herd diligently, so as to rush in and flag the dung as soon as it was deposited and thus available to the earliest colonists. Passersby were surprised to see an obsessive hunter of cowpats stalking a herd of cows. Occasionally, students told me the nicknames given to certain people in their universities, not all of which flattered the recipients. I had to take care not to address anyone there by a particularly memorable nickname! Discussions included methods, information, or generalizations in the areas of research for which I had particular knowledge, which were outlined above. Years later, several former graduate students made a point of mentioning that they remembered these conversations. Beyond the research-related details, students asked me in particular for more general advice about graduate studies and thesis preparation. Therefore, some of what I had offered them is summarized separately in the box below. Broader scientific issues such as publication routes, funding, grant applications, author- ship, scholarships, and literature searches were discussed too, especially with established entomologists.

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Hugh Danks’ advice about graduate work Recommendations to consider*

- Initial decisions Choice of institution, though obviously constrained by practical issues such as admission standards, requires compromises among a number of competing elements. For example, departments that offer a large number of relevant courses and contain a large number of appropriate faculty members have advantages, but some people work more happily at smaller institutions. The choice of supervisors may be limited by circumstances or availability, but is made easier by examining each individual’s areas of interest (now commonly summarized on web sites). Comments from previous students help to assess the personality and general responsibilities of a potential supervisor. Some students appreciate constant queries and guidance, whereas others prefer to work chiefly on their own. The choice of a thesis project usually is less important than excellence in doing it. A person who has developed critical skills to answer a question of broad scientific interest has better prospects than someone whose plodding work was conducted on an important pest of crops. Nevertheless, the topic may be constrained by the source of funding.

- Planning Choice of the specific elements of the project will determine the form of the thesis. It is best to generate enough ideas for several potential theses, and then winnow them down to an optimal set. Simply adding one idea at a time until there seem to be enough elements is a common, but much less effective, approach. At the same time, the best mix of elements combines both easy and routine components certain to produce usable data, and parts that might yield exciting results but are more likely to fail. If departmental rules allow it, prepare the sections of the thesis mainly as papers for publication, which has considerable advantages (see writing up below). Timing should consider not only the expected duration of experiments and sampling, especially in relation to field seasons, but also allow realistic time for required courses as well as any additional courses or secondments that might be necessary to master the necessary skills. It is often best to meet these requirements early, to allow focus later on the research itself. Finally, the allotment for writing up should be very generous (see below).

- Research There is no substitute for diligence, thought, and experience during research activities. Consequently, pay attention to the task at hand during chores like routine sorting, and use the time to evaluate procedures and think about the broader setting of the project as a whole. Pay attention while collecting, to absorb experiences that will allow the places and habitats most likely to yield specimens to be predicted in future. Try to acquire diverse skills, not just learn how to run one machine, for example. Plan as you go along for completion of the project, by writing down useful information and ideas as they come to you. These notes can be placed in a file (subdivided as you deem most effective, by topic, subproject, or thesis section, for example). Make similar notes, including a short citation, especially when reading relevant papers during initial review and later writing up. Access to these notes helps to decide how to proceed, provides starting points to make review and writing up easier, and increases the chances of finding the source of a half-remembered item of interest. Keep accurate track of references, preferably with one of the types of software now available for this purpose. Document your research with digital photographs, including species, habitats, sampling sites, and equipment. These images will be useful for presentations of your work even if they do not appear in publications or in the thesis itself.

- Writing up: Get started, even if only on a relatively simple section like the methods. One of my contemporaries tried to cure his writer’s block by working overnight as he consumed a bottle of red wine. This system is not recommended: he discovered in the morning that he had generated pages of rubbish, even though a few of the sentences might encourage him to con-

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tinue. Rather, use the notes made during research and reading (see the previous subsection) to launch into selected sections. Allow far more time than you expect for writing up. Most students experience considerable delays. Typically, I discovered that a prediction as to when the thesis would be submitted had advanced by only a few months when I returned a full year later. Therefore, I developed the following rule of thumb (only partly in jest): think of a reasonable time, add 3 months, and double it. Even when initial progress goes well, there are always items that are difficult to check or time-consuming to complete. Attempts to paper over such flaws will usually be found out! As already noted, prepare most of the thesis if possible as a series of papers for publication. Products of this sort avoid the need to streamline and rewrite most of the thesis later, and help to establish scientific credentials. In particular, this requirement improves the thesis by forcing every section to be prepared with the great care required for publication. It will also minimize unpleasant surprises from thesis examiners and journal reviewers. The main requirement is to check everything thoroughly, and more than once. If you are uncertain about a fact, a spelling, or a conclusion, check it again. Prepare figures and tables with maximum clarity and good appearance by consulting one of the applicable guides. Use the guides to writing that are available, and revise your draft text several times for flow and comprehensibility. For example, check that typical paragraphs have proper topic sentences to guide the reader; check sentence by sentence for subject-verb agreements and other elements of syntax; use the search feature of your word processor to find and eliminate any distracting writing habits, such as overuse of unusual words (e.g., moiety) or figures of speech (e.g., present participles such as “being”). After revising early drafts of introductions and discussions, check that rewordings are still consistent with the findings of the papers cited. Check that all literature citations are correct.

- The thesis defence Attend open portions of the thesis defences of several other graduate students (if the department allows it) to learn what to expect. Make sure you understand any technical terms in your presentation or thesis so that they are used properly, and in case an examiner asks you for a definition. If you cannot explain one of them concisely, look it up again. Remember that questions on scientific themes might go beyond detailed project-specific queries. For example: What parallel work in a different field is most likely to generate information that is relevant to this subject area? What research in the same field would you now recommend to follow up your work, and why? Think about this carefully to avoid wishful connections and special pleading. Also consider how you might respond to unexpectedly general questions from a representative of the University administration or other non-scientist. For example: What is the value of this research to society? (understand this as potential value); How would you quickly explain what you are doing to a non-scientist? Try to explain it first to another non-scientist, even a relative, if you have the opportunity.

- Follow-up Publish thesis results as soon as possible. Preparing papers as part of the thesis supports this goal. Time spent on research that is not published is mainly wasted, because the results are not available to others.

______*based on my own graduate studies, membership of student committees, thesis reviews, attendance at thesis defences including as external examiner, and conversations with students.

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- Record-keeping A critical component of all of these conversations was the need to remember the detailed information I had received, which was relevant to the interests of the BSC. Occa- sionally I took notes during conversations to record documents or answers I had prom- ised to transmit later, but note-taking was a distraction to others, so normally I waited until afterwards and then wrote key information on one of the 3”x5” index cards carried in my top pocket. When multiple conversations followed each other without a break, I sometimes resorted to making these notes whilst walking along the corridor, or even during visits to the washroom! Occasional cups of coffee helped to keep me going, and I was particularly fond of those departments with a quiet break-room containing a supply of coffee, where I could sit down briefly to annotate my file cards. Each evening, while the information was fresh in my mind, I transformed these scribblings into pages of proper notes in my hotel room. The resulting records were invaluable to generate a list of subsequent actions (especially to move cooperative endeavours forward), to update data in the BSC office, and to brief me before the next round of visits so that conversations could resume from where they left off the previous year. Entomological society meetings were always a challenge, however, because relevant information was not confined to a particular town or institution. In any event, record-keeping and follow-up from all of the discussions were very important to fulfil the Survey’s roles. Continuity in the Biological Survey was also valuable, because it favoured ongoing relationships with cooperating entomologists. In this instance, it was helpful too because I was the one best qualified to read my own handwriting.

- Seminars Typically, I gave one or more seminars or lectures at each stop during my travels. These presentations were offered partly to help compensate my hosts for receiving me, but they also served to alert people about the BSC and its projects, and to encourage students and others to interact further with the Survey. Typical seminars, especially in the first few years, introduced the aims of the BSC and the basic ideas behind it. The specific scientific projects of the Survey were also discussed, both as they proceeded (helping to enlist additional co-operators), and as the results of Sur- vey syntheses became available. For example, the fauna was charac- terized for Canada as a whole, as well as for key regions such as the arctic, the boreal zone and the Yukon, and in habitats of particular interest, such as freshwater springs, wetlands, and peatlands. Other Hugh Danks delivering presentations discussed the more general interests of the Survey, a seminar during BSC such as the importance of taxonomy, systematics, identifications, travel sampling procedures and other themes in a range of subject areas (including pest management and environmental assessment), as well as the values of both national and regional insect collections for reference and documentation. A large number of seminars synthesized more specific research findings and hypoth- eses. They focussed especially on ecological elements and adaptations that are most relevant in Canada, such as life-cycle control (including dormancy and biological clocks, for example) and cold-hardiness. The facilities available for these talks varied much more widely than might have been expected, even in university settings. Variations included the size and shape of rooms, format of seating for the audience, nature of room lighting and ability to reduce it, availability of a lectern and its light, microphone effectiveness and portability, and loudness of the projector, especially when seating was adjacent to it. Even the readiness of a spare projector bulb or the presence of nearby construction activities was somewhat unpredict- able. Despite occasionally disruptive variables, however, I never managed to attain the legendary status of a few other presenters I witnessed or learned about. These stars had fallen off the stage with eyes shut as they concentrated on the delivery of their message without visual distraction, for example, had left an old slide that was not heat-proof on screen for so long that it melted or incinerated, or had dozed off during their own talks when the room was darkened as slides were being shown.

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The ease with which images could be projected increased with time, once initial dif- ficulties with each new system had been overcome. Early on, slides had to be changed manually by an assistant (who sometimes was slow on the switch, but who never nodded off on duty, unlike one of my later experiences with a sleep-deprived graduate student in Japan). I adopted the policy of putting the transparencies into the slide carrier myself, after one projection assistant early on had inserted every one of a particularly large set of slides upside down, necessitating a long and awkward delay while the slides were inverted. The manual changer was replaced by a remote slide-changer, referred to as the clicker (and some of the early ones did click very loudly), which usually worked when pointed correctly at the projector. When it did not, an exaggerated clicker-pressing motion might alert the assistant at the back of the room to the fact that a manual change was required instead. Eventually, computer projection of PowerPoint images became the norm. At first Pow- erPoint presentations were risky because of incompatibilities between the PowerPoint file and the local computer. Even if the file ran properly, accents and special characters might not have been loaded on to the host computer, producing striking but unintelligible tables, for example. Projection surfaces evolved at the same time. A common early format was a simple tripod-supported portable screen with a limited viewing angle. Most of these screens were eventually replaced by permanent high-gain panels, motorized to allow retrac- tion. Pointing devices also evolved. Metre sticks and other improvised items were used if tapered pointers were not available, but eventually laser pointers became universal because touching the expensive modern screens was forbidden. The intensity and focus of laser pointers improved over time, although the service life of installed batteries showed no comparable improvement. Fortunately, many individuals owned laser pointers, and a back-up would usually be available from an audience member when the battery failed. Audiences differed greatly. They ranged from a few interested entomologists seated around a table, through university classes at different levels, to seminar series involving sections, departments, research stations, or still larger entities. The individuals who attended were diverse, even among the entomologists. One graduate student liked to sit in the front row and knit as she listened, her needles busily twitching away. A few members of the audience might have their eyes shut. Although this limited the feed- back available to the speaker, it served to help the listeners concentrate, and I never observed it to be a precursor of snores. One class in Chicoutimi included students from several different districts, one of whom spoke French with an accent I simply could not comprehend; my host had to “translate” the language used by this student into a French pronunciation I could understand! The questions that followed seminars were also diverse. I needed to remember the advice I once read: “Thank the good questioners; try to be polite to the others”! Excel- lent questions came from entomologists including graduate students, but some of the questions from non-entomologists, even members of the local faculty, were surprising. For example, after a general seminar about the BSC at a university in Ontario, a senior professor in the biology department asked me: “Why haven’t you people put out a book like The Birds of Canada so that the rest of us can identify the country’s insects”! Clearly, there was still a long way to go to educate even other biologists about the true diversity of the arthropods. I made a presentation to wildlife biologists, given the importance of insect food to many birds, and emphasized the need to identify the insects properly because of the different natural history and hence different potential importance of the species. One of the questions after the seminar suggested that the message had not been fully received. Surely, I was asked, would it not be easier to measure the abundance of chironomid larvae in grams per square metre or as total calories, because this is what is important to the birds. The need for proper identification was more completely understood when I pointed out that the taxonomic and ecological diversity of a single insect family like the Chironomidae is probably equivalent to that of the whole of the birds. Warblers and gulls are not identical; under what circumstances would quantifying the bird population of a forest in “kilograms of birds per hectare” be useful?

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General themes Just as individual entomologists have different personalities, I came to believe that there is a sort of group personality in each establishment, visible at the level of the institution, of the department, and of the student body. Even when institutional approaches were restrictive, however, they were often offset by the energy and enthusiasm of individual entomologists.

- Institutional aspects The perspective of a university or a government laboratory most often diverged from that of its entomologists when the institution as a whole took a short-term view driven by financial and other constraints. Planning and long-term support for necessary infrastructures, such as collections and libraries, might then be reduced. For example, a number of small insect collections were established at universities by individual faculty members to support research and teaching. If the individual retired but was not replaced, the collection would soon be moved to a back room and neglected, and even discarded after a time. I discovered one such collection at particular risk because it had been moved next to the room in which thriving cultures of dermestid beetles were used to clean the bones of vertebrates in order to prepare skeletons. The BSC tried to arrange, not always successfully, for these orphaned collections to be preserved or transferred, when no-one locally had taken responsibility nor realized how valuable the specimens might be. Several institutions regarded library budgets as less critical than other needs, and eroded them year after year by limiting acquisitions or streamlining the collections. Sympathizing about such budget reductions with the librarian of a research station during my travels, I said how foolish it would be to discard any book that had not been borrowed from the library in the past year (a treatment accorded by some public libraries to romance paperbacks), given its value for future reference, which was necessarily intermittent because of the nature of research. “Oh” she replied, confirming the absence of a long-term view, “We already do that”! More recently, libraries have been closed on the assertion that everything can be viewed or obtained online, a belief that is not true especially for taxonomic descriptions and for subsidiary reports and other publications. Some administrators concentrate on process. The director of a research station told me with pride that each year his station completed the monthly cash-flow estimates, required by Treasury Board, with great efficiency: his administrators simply reproduced the pattern of previous years, having discovered (with the variety of projects and ex- penses) that every year followed more or less the same pattern. It had not occurred to him, nor to Treasury Board, that if the forms required of every unit merely forecast the same pattern of spending every year, it would be even more efficient to discontinue the requirement. I talked with several senior university representatives about the importance of biology courses to cover the full diversity of the natural world, as well as systematics. Without them, I pointed out, the training provided to undergraduate students would be inad- equate. Appropriate faculty were needed to do this. Administrators frequently regarded such a balance as less important than finances and perception. For example, much larger grants had become available for studies involving techniques such as the analysis of DNA (even, at the time, for rather mundane projects), and senior administrators believed that departments were more successful if they received more grant money. More- over, this “cutting edge” work was likely to impress alumni, who might then be more inclined to support the university. These beliefs had influenced hiring patterns, reducing the numbers of biology courses that touched on faunal diversity, natural history, systematics, and related themes at the same time as the faculty able to teach them. Therefore, during visits to universities in eastern Canada I suggested that the training of students could remain balanced, despite this decline, if responsibility for appropriate courses was shared among several of the relatively small universities in the region. Most departmental chairs viewed such an initiative as not worth the effort, despite its value for student training, because it would generate less credit or profile than time spent promoting “rich” or “cutting edge” science. A similar principle motivated government administrators, especially in the mission- orientated departments that had resulted from a trend (becoming more and more

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marked as I travelled in the 1970s and 1980s) to replace scientific research likely to yield long-term benefits with short-term goals imposed by non-scientists. Under these circumstances, shared enterprises for the general good were not as easy to justify to senior administrators as narrowly focussed projects with a high current profile. As a result, the long-term work and infrastructures essential to advance basic knowledge received relatively low priority. Moreover, such establishments preferred to assign control of possible cooperation (which might allow broader projects) to senior managers, who believed that maintaining jurisdictions and protecting empires were particularly important. I did talk to senior people with a more enlightened viewpoint, sometimes with good results—especially in earlier years before centralized management intensified—but they were not in the majority. For example, most of the funding at the federal level for the International Convention on Biodiversity was confined to conspicuous protocols, presentations, and publicity, without substantial support for the core work of distinguishing and characterizing species. Instead, much of the necessary work in Canada continued to be done for arthropods by participants in the Biological Survey. Many of them were made aware of potential collaborators and opportunities through interactions with the BSC secretariat. In typical institutions, the procedures used to hire staff exacerbated a tendency within faculties or departments to swamp the interests of small entomology units by input from larger groups. Indeed, I concluded that these units need a “champion” in the administration. By reinforcing the value of a small department of entomology, an insect collection, a biological survey, or other concentrations of effort, such a champion can offset the tendency of the administrative hierarchy or of the majority to eliminate such contributions in the erroneous pursuit of perceived efficiencies. I know of at least one university where the role of champion was adopted successfully by a senior administrator.

- Departmental aspects A second group personality was evident at the level of the entomology department or section. Diversity here came especially in the approach taken toward students. Usually, this approach had developed over many years in response to the composition of the faculty. It depended too on size. In smaller universities, access to faculty tended to be less restrictive. The simplicity of rules, the degree of flexibility, the balance between faculty and auxiliary staff, and other arrangements to organize teaching also varied, as did the amount of contact with supervisors. Rarely, graduate students were not admitted to any part of the thesis defences of other students, even though they would profit from the experience. Departmental perspectives outside the academic arena were also important to the progress of graduate students. In particular, wider opportunities for the exchange of ideas, separate from or linked to academic elements, seemed to be advantageous. A positive group personality often followed when additional opportunities for informal interaction were organized, such as weekly gatherings, discussion groups, facilities for informal discussion before and after each departmental seminar, and relaxed functions hosted by supervisors. A room dedicated to coffee and lunch breaks also enhanced informal interactions. Hence even the system by which coffee is provided and financed influences graduate student education!

- Student aspects A final group personality reflected the composition and temperament of current students. Each group of undergraduates in the same class in different years tends to have its own distinct personality, and this sort of difference is even more marked among cohorts of graduate students. I met one particularly striking group at the University of Guelph, cemented by an almost fanatical interest in insect collecting. They shared knowledge of the fauna, and added enormous numbers of specimens to the departmental collection. This energy was reflected in other ways. I went with these students to their preferred eating establishment and chose a meal that proved to be the most expensive item on the menu, even though it was cheaper than a basic meal in the restaurant of my hotel. This choice led one of the students to exclaim “Way to go—top of the house!” Students in less cohesive groups lacked the confidence to interact in that way.

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Another group of entomology graduate students with excellent spirit was at the Univer- sity of Saskatchewan. These students would take me, perhaps directly from my arriving flight, to a local licensed restaurant, where they would proceed to pepper me with entomological questions. As the evening grew later, and several beverages had been consumed, their carefully prepared and detailed questions seemed to become even more complex.

In summary, institutional, departmental, and student-body personalities all influence the achievements of their members. In my experience, graduate students do best where such group environments have a larger number of the positive features identified above. Only the most motivated and talented students achieve great things under almost any circumstances. Likewise, career entomologists in government laboratories are most productive when the institutional outlook supports them by trusting their expertise.

A sampling of materials distributed during BSC travel

Conclusions My travels for the BSC involved many experiences and highlights, but I address only a few aspects here. Canadian entomologists are diverse, with different research interests and individual and group personalities. This diversity is healthy, offsetting other influences that favour a focus on “flavour of the month” research, strictly applied work, or the latest technolo- gy. Some of the differences are correlated with region, and the mindset of entomologists seemed to me to be partly conditioned by regional environments and faunas, with their distinctive seasonal patterns, diversity, dominant crops, and other features. Individuals and groups of entomologists are characteristically positive, usually more so than people with other interests. A fascination with insects often had led to their engagement with both research and the BSC. Such a fascination was especially evident in people interested in diversity, distribution, natural history, and ecology, who enjoyed collecting, identification, description and other activities that examine specimens individu- ally. These are the people likely to be most heavily involved in BSC projects. The extent of change over the 30-years during which I travelled on behalf of the BSC was remarkable, though normally quite gradual from year to year. Changes ranged from the configuration and occupancy of aircraft and the ways of projecting images for presentation, to significant modifications in the fields favoured for research, the numbers of entomologists, and the structure and orientation of entomological establishments. Reductions of staff, combination of entomological and non-entomological entities, and narrowing of institutional missions were not uncommon. Therefore, in the larger establishments housing entomologists, senior staff were often so preoccupied with financial and administrative matters that they had lost sight of the fact that the basic role of their organizations was to pursue knowledge. Even so, there were great differences in approach and management, as well as in the orientations and sizes of the sections that

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included entomologists. Smaller field stations, departments, entomology units, and collections tended to be under threat, and needed support from a champion in the administrative hierarchy who understood their unique scientific and educational values. During the existence of the BSC, its cooperators have managed to offset a good number of the adverse trends through their valuable contributions to characterize the arthropod fauna as a whole. I conclude by emphasizing three final themes. First, the BSC has diverse interests, and its role in learning about Canada’s arthropods is by no means confined to taxonomy and insect distributions. Ecological, environmental and other aspects are equally important for understanding the fauna and increasing the impact of the Survey’s work. Conse- quently, the BSC can best exploit its knowledge and expertise if it maintains a broad entomological orientation, as encapsulated in the travel activities outlined here. However, the focus should remain on entomological research. Early on, the BSC wisely chose to limit its engagement in popular articles, aids for angling, public exhibits, citizen science, and so on, when resources even for the core work were so limited. By the same token, the BSC could not be expanded to other groups without specific outside expertise that is funded separately. Second, the BSC has a role to play in wider advocacy, especially in conjunction with the Entomological Society of Canada. In addition to its focus on scientific projects of particular value, it should continue to promote ways to teach, encourage and fund work in systematics and faunistics, and to maintain the infrastructures of collections and other elements that support it. Last but not least, these travel experiences confirm the critical importance to the BSC of person-to-person contacts. Individuals meeting face-to-face in one place provide the most effective means to share information about nationwide activities and resources, increase awareness, move combined efforts forward, and provide continuity. It was the overwhelmingly positive person-to-person contacts with entomologists that made my years of travelling on behalf of the Survey so rewarding.

The logistics of BSC travel

Travel broadens the mind, but includes narrow logistic details. Readers who travel regularly, especially by air, have undoubtedly experienced some of the happenings outlined below.

- Bookings Booking a trip on behalf of the BSC was not always trouble free, especially given the need to carry out extensive travel with limited funds. Initially, hotels were booked through the airline used for flights. However, it soon became clear that these hotels were more expensive than necessary, an expense partly explained by a preponderance of red-liveried attendants, who adopted a variety of expectant expressions after they had opened doors or had insisted on carrying baggage. Subsequently, simpler accommodations were chosen. During an interval of several years, too (after the BSC became part of the national museum), the Survey was required to book only through the travel agency holding a government contract for the purpose, purportedly to increase the efficiency and decrease the cost of bookings. However, in practice the agency merely typed the itinerary provided into a computer and booked whatever arrangements were generated. The Secretariat then had to check for better prices (as would have happened anyway), and then pass on instructions, often with a lengthy explanation because the agency was not familiar with most of the methods available to reduce costs. For example, discount air fares allowed only a certain number of stopovers in different cities; but a split fare such as Ottawa-Ed- monton [then a longer stopover] -Saskatoon-Winnipeg-Ottawa, plus a separate itinerary of Edmonton-Calgary-Vancouver-Victoria-Edmonton, usually could be booked for less than

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half the cost of the same travel in a single itinerary. Again, although hotels charge dis- counted government rates, the agency tended to book unduly expensive places that were not necessarily convenient, and to overlook any further discounts (for multiple nights, for example) that might be available.

- Delays Most travel took place in the winter, a recipe in Canada for delays and even flight can- cellations caused by weather such as snowstorms and icing. Depending on the location, itineraries could sometimes be booked to avoid times of day when ice-fog was more likely, for example, and extra time could be left during connections to allow for the possible late arrival of an incoming flight. One annoying feature of airline policy in these circumstances was the announcement of delays only half an hour at a time even if there were many such half-hours, a procedure that served to conceal the fact that a long postponement was already certain. In addition to the inevitable disruption caused by inclement weather, some airline staff discovered creative ways to generate delays. I was once stranded with other passengers in Charlottetown airport when the tine of a fork lift truck penetrated deeply into the fuselage of the plane during loading. The aircraft could not then be pressurized, so it had to be flown back to Halifax for repair at low altitude without passengers. It took 7 hours to bring in a replacement. During this long delay, courtesy of the airline, the stranded passengers did receive a free sandwich and bottle of water each! I was fortunate to experience few serious baggage delays, but when they did occur, it seemed that it was always during a series of shorter visits. Therefore, as I ran out of clean clothes, the forwarded baggage had to chase me to the site of my next visit before I moved on again. My main concern with baggage came in later years when airlines reduced the allowable dimensions and weight of carry-on bags and enforced the rules more strictly. I had heavy papers such as seminar notes and briefing files that I wanted with me to consult or distribute during the journey, as well as slides and other items that could not be misplaced or delayed. I carried my giant briefcase as if it was as light as a feather, even when it seemed likely to tear my shoulder out of its socket.

- Flights A striking development in later years was a marked reduction in the number of available flights. Therefore, it was not possible to visit so many places in a single trip, because restricted departure and arrival times limited the feasibility of rapid visits. Moreover, the space between seats was progressively reduced, and the proportion of occupied seats increased, along with the likelihood that the preceding seat-back would suddenly undergo a marked and unannounced recline. Originally it was easy to prepare en route for the interactions and seminars to come, and to consider information already received at an earlier stop. Not infrequently I had a section of two or three seats to myself. Indeed, once I flew from Toronto to Ottawa as the only customer on a 126-passenger Boeing 737 when the other passengers were delayed by a storm in Winnipeg. This flight took place in the days when packages of peanuts and mini-bottles of liquor were included in the refreshments given to all passengers. On this particular one-hour journey, a flight attendant asked what type of drink I would like, tossed 6 identical bottles of the one I chose on to the adjacent seat, said she would check back with me just before landing (to ensure my seatbelt was fastened), and repaired to the first-class section with the rest of the cabin crew for the remainder of the flight. In those days, too, fewer passengers were used to regular air travel, which led to a surprising amount of yelping, gasping, and other disturbed behaviour when the ride was not smooth. For example, when the runway was wet some older planes, such as the McDonnell Douglas DC9 (workhorse of the Air Canada domestic fleet for many years), were normally landed quite firmly to prevent skidding, frightening any particularly nervous passengers. I was aboard a smaller 19-passenger aircraft, the British Aerospace Jetstream 31, on a flight between Edmonton and Lethbridge. The wind was extremely strong, and for a long time on our approach to Lethbridge airport the plane yawed excessively (oscillating from side to side around the vertical axis, with concomitant changes in heading). I asked the pi- lot after we landed if such marked yawing was normal for this aircraft. Yes, he said; unlike in the USA no yaw damper is mandated in Canada. Indeed, professional pilots have posted comments on the internet such as: “In fact, some J31s don’t even have them fitted which must be a very horrible ride down the back.” This opinion would be confirmed by those passengers yelping and gasping on that flight to Lethbridge.

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Most fellow passengers were polite and helpful—but the exceptions tended to stand out, especially as planes became increasingly crowded. Airline booking agents, as well as the on-line booking engines used later for the same purpose, seemed ignorant of any mis- match between adjacent unrelated passengers. Occasionally, this random choice produced a seatmate of especially large size, infected with a streaming cold, prone to frequent un- covered coughs or sneezes, with earphones that leaked the sound of popular music across several surrounding rows, or even smelling of food with eye-watering intensity. Problems were not confined to seatmates, of course: youths behind had a particular tendency to kick the seat in front of them; young children with painful ears (from changes in cabin pres- sure) would inform everyone about their discomfort. I found that even a healthy adult travel companion was never a scientist, except rarely when we were both on our way to an entomology meeting. Rather, at least in the early days, it seemed that if any passenger was in my row, he was a salesman. “So, are you in sales?” he would begin. After he concluded that his commercial opportunities with me were limited, he would turn to the passenger across the aisle: “So, are you in sales? ...” Often, such a driven businessman looked older than his years. I was grateful to be an entomologist. Travelling as I did in economy class avoided the worst behaviour of executives with A- type personalities who felt at liberty to treat the staff in the first-class cabin as lackeys. In airports, the same people could be heard on cell phones asserting their power over subor- dinates while making sure that everyone could hear how important they were. Again I felt fortunate that the opportunities to witness such behaviour are much reduced for entomologists, most of whom are fascinated by insects rather than power. Another benefit of entomological employment is that rules normal in the service industry are not relevant. The same long-suffering cabin attendants were required to say goodbye to all passengers. Once I was near the front of the aircraft during a stopover, and one of only a few people who stayed on for the next leg. I can confirm that the two stewardesses each repeated the same farewell wishes to every one of the 130 disembarking passengers.

- Hotels and cities Most hotels were relatively trouble free. The main difficulty I had was with the variety of lamps. It was usually dark when I woke up in the morning in a new hotel. It might take a long time to turn on the light, depending on whether it was on the bedside table or not; whether it was on the right, the left, the wall behind me, or overhead; how far away the switch was and whether it was below the bulb, on the lamp base, on the wall, or overhead; and whether it then had to be pressed inwards, upwards, downwards or sideways, or turned clockwise, or pulled. Plumbing was less diverse, but the operating mechanisms of a few taps and plugs were a challenge. Occasionally, eager hotel staff would reward arriving guests with free gifts. One hotel gave me two rolls of Kodachrome slide film. Unfortunately, the dates on the packages showed that the film had already expired...more than two earsy earlier. This hotel was in Lethbridge, so perhaps the staff had been distracted by a recent flight on a Jetstream 31. My impression of different cities was coloured by visiting in the winter. Whenever I walked out of the airport in Saskatoon, for example, the temperature seemed to be below minus 30 degrees. When it is this cold, salt is not effective for melting ice. This fact was confirmed by the solidly frozen wheel ruts on some roads, tending to force vehicles to stay on course as if they were on railway tracks, and making any attempt to turn off somewhat hazardous. My clothing had to be used in different cities but carried by air, and I had only a single coat. This was generally deemed by my hosts to be insufficiently warm for a city like Saskatoon in the centre of the continent, but was the subject of ridicule on the west coast as much too heavy. My impressions were also coloured by the attitude of the bus or taxi drivers who took me from the airport. There were differences among individuals, of course, but multiple encounters revealed characteristic regional patterns in such elements as general demeanour, acceptance of short trips, and care with baggage. My perception was most positive in St John’s, NL. It was least favourable in Ottawa! Filing the expense claim after a trip led to further interesting developments from time to time. For example, my hotel in Victoria was close to downtown. Staying for several additional days for cooperative research, I rode public transport to the University, requiring only a little more time but costing much less than a taxi. The financial administration re- quested receipts for my bus fares. I pointed out that no city bus issues a receipt for what, at the time, was a fare of only about $1.25. Taxi receipts costing twelve times as much would have been accepted without question, but I was required to submit a signed affidavit to validate my “unsupported” claim of about $10 for bus fares!

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2018 papers in the Canadian Journal of Arthropod Identification:

Larson, D.J., Scudder, G.G.E. 2018. Seed Bugs and their allies (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Lygaeoidea) of the Canadian Prairie Provinces. Canadian Journal of Arthropod Identification 34. 174 pp. doi:10.3752/cjai.2018.34 http://cjai.biologicalsurvey.ca/ls_34/cite.html

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 Books 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:

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

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

The Biological Survey of Canada: A personal history

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 2019 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 this issue. The 2017 bioblitz was held in the Cypress Hills of Saskatchewan in conjunction with the Bioblitz Canada 150 pro- gramme. If you are interested in organizing a BioBlitz for the next summer, please contact the Bio- logical 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 hip representing all areas of biodiversity science, though with a focus on Arthropods. - 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 fall at the annual meeting of the Ento- mological Society of Canada.

To Join the BSC: Send an email to Joel Gibson, 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.

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