28k Canadian Arctic Expedition, 1913-18 
ichneumonids and an occasional sawfly (Euura arctica, etc.) are seen, but 
bumblebees {Bonibus arcticus, B. polaris, etc.) of both sexes, are the most common. 
Butterflies now appear for the first time; they comprise species of Brenthis and 
Oeneis characteristic of dry tundra swamp, Colias (Eurymus) species character- 
istic of wet tundra swamp, and Erehia fasciata characteristic of tundra swamp. 
Brenthis flies only for a short while at a stretch and is easily caught, but Colias 
flutters along for a long time before setthng. Owing to its colour Oeneis is almost 
impossible to discern on the ground; when scared, its flight is long and nearly 
straight. Erehia fasciata is even more difficult to catch, its flight being higher 
and longer than that of Oeneis. Various moths {Anarta sp., Titanio sp., Napiica 
sp., Homoglaea sp., etc.) are now out; most of them are typical of the drier part 
of the tundra, stony patches, etc., with which their colour blends so well. The 
large, spotted moth Hyphoraia (Bomhyx) festiva now emerges from the cocoons 
spun to stones, plants, etc. 
Of ground insects, various caterpillars, spiders, mites, beetles, etc., may be 
seen. A small hemiptera (Orthotylus sp.?) which resembles an aphid, takes refuge 
in plant tufts; it is described on the next page. 
The temperature of the ponds on the 3rd, taken at 3.30 p.m. was 55 degrees 
F, or 5 degrees higher than that of the atmosphere. The insects noticed were 
some fly larvae and a great number of midge larvae, and pupa? of various kinds. 
Attempts to rear them were without success. Larvse and adults of the large 
dytiscid beetle (Colymhetes dolohratus) were seen; the former were gathering food 
on the mud bottom, but the latter preferred the rich moss encircling the ponds. 
CoUembola (Achorutes sensilis) and the puparia of the fly (Mydaeina 
ohscura) (Rearing 78) are on the ponds; in the water or burrowing in the mud are 
various mites {Eylais falcata, etc.). In the placid water of the mouth of the 
large creek larvse of midges, ephemeroids, perlids, mosquitoes, turbellaria, etc. 
are found; and on July 10, the Simulium larvse alread}^ mentioned had pupated 
inside their chitinous "house"-cone attached to the same submerged stones on 
which the larvse were found. The few pupse found were scattered over stones, 
not many on one stone. Each pupa is fastened by the pointed end of its cone, 
the "gills" protruding from the broad opening at the other end, the pupse thus 
having easy access to the water. On the expansion of the creek as it leaves the 
lake a rich growth of Hippuris, etc., from which all stages of Chiro7iomus and other 
midges were collected. In the lake south of the harbour, great masses of dead, 
freshly-emerged midges were seen floating, sometimes forming almost a "carpet," 
and supplying food for the trout and stickle-back. These flies had perhaps been 
killed by parasites, for on placing some of them in formalin, white worms 
(Gordius?) emerged from their bodies. Or perhaps the waves on the now com- 
pletely open lake had caused their death. 
July 1-10,1915 
A great number of different insects were on the wing. Many bumblebees 
(Bomhus polaris, B. sylvicola, B. neohoreus, etc.), all queens, were infested with 
the parasitic mites (Parasitus homhorum) which also crawl over the male willow 
catkins and the flowers of the common Pedicularis lanata. The behaviour of the 
mites on the flowers was quite different from those on the bees. The latter 
clung to the hairs of their host, their four pair of legs serving as grips, and they 
drop off only when their host is put into the killing-bottle. But the mites on 
the flowers moved freely around by the three last pairs of legs, the first pair being 
used as constantly vibrating feelers, like a wasp's antennae. They frequently 
scratched the abdomen with their legs, and are prone to fight. They had 
perhaps been left on the flowers by their host and were waiting for a bumblebee 
to which they could attach themselves. Various other hymenoptera were 
caught and many of the butterflies and moths before mentioned which now 
appear. Moths and Colias were first noticed on the 3rd, and soon became 
