40 B. C. ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY , 



ourite food plant of many insects, June berry (Amelanchier), rose bushes 

 (R. pisocarpa and nutkana), with a low covering of the evergreen False 

 box (Pachystima myrsinites), and Spiraea lucida. This association 

 persists on the drier ridges for about 1,000 ft. There is here ample 

 material for wood boring insects, consequently Buprestids are frequent. 

 Ants also find congenial surroundings and are numerous both in species 

 and individuals, and seem to delight in getting rnixed up with ones food 

 and crawling up ones legs at night. The mound building species are 

 much in evidence ; some of their domiciles were noticed that had been 

 torn down by bears. For a student in myrmecology this would be an 

 excellent place to locate. 



The Arid Transition and the Humid Transition have a range of 

 elevation of approximately 2,700 ft. or from 1,000 to 3,700 ft. above 

 sea level. They are very similar but the greater rain and snow fall 

 in the upper half causes a ranker growth, and several plants drop out, 

 to be replaced by others. The woods of the Humid Transition have 

 very much of the appearance we are familiar with on the coast. Salal 

 (Gaultheria shallon) and Ocean Spray (Spiraea discolor), with bar- 

 berries (Berberis nervosa and aquifolium) form the underbrush and the 

 Douglas Fir is an almost pure stand and forms a much closer growth 

 of timber than lower down. 



It is within these areas, the Arid and Humid Transition, that the 

 Spruce Bud moth is most active, and although the damage to the forests 

 has been much less severe than in the Eastern States, a considerable 

 amount of stripping has been noticeable for some years past in this 

 district. In contrast with the outbreaks in New Brunswick, the out- 

 breaks in British Columbia have always been checked in the course of 

 a few years by natural means and it was in order to study these natural 

 control phenomena that time was spent on the mountain. 



As is so often the case, birds proved to be the greatest factor in 

 control, and it was an interesting sight to see the flocks of sparrows, 

 chickadees, vireos, warblers and other birds, including the brilliantly 

 coloured western tanager, revelling in the abundance of food there to 

 be found. These birds were exceedingly nimble and tame, and could be 

 watched at less than arms length hopping along a branch, systematically 

 side stepping on each branchlet to pick oS the larva ensconced in its 

 nest at the tip. When the branch was finished, they would ascend to 

 the next and work that similarly. So thoroughly was their work done, 

 that considerable difficulty was experienced, and much time spent, in 

 endeavouring to collect sufficient material for parasite rearing work. 

 Speaking from memory, at least 75% of the damaged tips examined for 

 a larva were found to have lost their occupants. Various hymenop- 

 terous parasites, Apanteles, Pimpla, Limnerium and Meteorus were 

 also at work but by far the greatest benefit is attributable to the birds, 

 who have now practically controlled the outbreak on Mt. McL,ean. The 



