Proceedings^ 1921. 137 



In 191 5 two new insects of importance made their appearance, and both 

 on A'ancouver Island. In April, through the courtesy of Mr. Glendenning, 

 the writer became aware of the presence of the black-currant bud-mite at 

 Duncan. This mite had evidently been imported by a nurseryman at 

 Somenos some three years previous from England or Scotland on currants, 

 and the record of its appearance on Vancouver Island constituted an original 

 record for the American continent, and, so far as I am aware, no other 

 centre of infestation occurred in Canada or the United States until the close 

 of this year 1920. During 191 5 and 1916 steps were taken to eradicate 

 the mite from British Columbia, and while great progress was made it is 

 questionable whether the mite is exterminated. 



Towards the latter part of April of 1915 a still more serious insect 

 pest made its appearance, although it doubtless had been present in the 

 locality for a great many years. I refer to the pear-thrips found on the 

 Saanich Peninsula. It was too late in the year to take any material action 

 'against this insect, but full plans were laid down for the 1916 season in 

 co-operation with Mr. R. M. \\'inslow. Provincial Horticulturist, to combat 

 the pest in the orchards. 



As a matter of history, not for personal reasons, I would like to point 

 out that, with the exception of the field-work against codling-moth carried 

 on by the Provincial Fruit Inspection and Horticultural Branches, I believe 

 I was the only professional economic entomologist at work in the Province. 

 Mr. M. H. Ruhmann was at Vernon, but he was so busily engaged in 

 correspondence-work and field-control measures that he had little time 

 for investigational work. The bulk of my work had been carried on at 

 Coast points, and it was not until 1916 that the Okanagan Valley received 

 any attention of an investigational nature. In this year the study of the 

 life-history and habits of the codling-moth was commenced at Vernon, the 

 work being undertaken by Mr. Ruhmann and myself. This was in July of 

 191 6, but I have neglected to mention that previous to my visit to the 

 Okanagan in midsummer we had to welcome P)r. A. E. Cameron, who came 

 direct from Manchester University to British Columbia in March, 1916, 

 as an officer of the Dominion Entomological Branch and as an associate 

 of my own in the pear-thrips campaign which opened early in the spring. 

 We were all very glad indeed to welcome Dr. Cameron to British Columbia, 

 as it marked a very important step in the progress of economic entomology 

 in the Province, as is evidenced by the' amount of information on British 

 Columbia insects collected and published by him during his stay in the 

 Province. Unfortunately, he found his billet in Saskatchewan in the 

 summer of 1917 after having remained in British Columbia for about 

 eighteen months. In February of 1916 British Columbia lost one of its 

 most active entomological members, a man who really bears the credit for 

 having established British Columbia as a pest-free Province. I think it is 

 safe to say that the Province until this time may be considered pest-free, 

 inasmuch as it was a fact that while we had a number of insect pests of 

 importance there was none that had so great a hold on the agricultural 

 interests as to cause untold loss or worrv. I refer to Mr. Thomas 



