50 PROTECTION OF PLANTS — 1923-24 



ALBERTA 



Federal 



The Entomological Branch laboratory at Lethbridge, established in 1913, 

 was closed during 1917 and 1918, owing to Mr. E. H. Strickland's absence in 

 Europe on military service. With Mr. Strickland's return to Canada, the 

 laboratory was again placed under his charge in 1919, and 1920, and during the 

 winter months, at Ottawa, he undertook studies of stored product pests. 

 In March, 1921, Mr. H. L. Seamans, was appointed entomologist at Lethbridge. 



In 1915, a new permanent laboratory was erected on the Dominion Exper- 

 imental Station and adjoining space furnished for experimenta_ purposes. The 

 intensive study of the life-habits and control of the Pale Western Cutworm, 

 Porosagrotis orthogonia Morr., incepted by the writer in 1913, in association 

 with Mr. Strickland has continued to be the major project at the Lethbridge 

 laboratory. The information gained by Messrs Strickland and Seamans 

 has been of great value in infested districts. 



In 1915, the first extensive outbreak in Canada of the Army Cutworm, 

 Chorizagrotis auxiliaris Grt., occurred in Alberta covering an area of about 

 3,000 sciuare miles. A bulletin giving the results of Mr. Strickland's researches 

 was published in 1916. In the same year an entomological survey was made 

 in the Lesser Slave Lake region in Northern Alberta by Messrs. Swaine and 

 Strickland and important data obtained particularly on forest and field crop 

 insects. 



The 1919 outbreak of grasshoppers to which reference has been made 

 under the provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan, was also serious in 

 Alberta, particularly in areas west and south of Lethbridge. Mr. Strickland 

 continued to direct the grasshopper campaign in 1920 and as a result of his 

 work, crops to the value of over one million dollars were saved to farmers 

 who followed our recommendations. Since 1920, the control of grasshoppers 

 has continued to occupy much of the time of our officers. A study of alfalfa 

 insects has also been incepted. The Alfalfa Thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis 

 Pergande, In 1921, destroyed 80% of the buds of alfalfa. Mr. Seamans' 

 studies have shown that an early ''clipping" of alfalfa late in May will check 

 the development of the insect to a material extent. In all of the work at the 

 Lethbridge laboratory, we have had the close co-operation of Mr. W. H. 

 Fairfield, Superintendent of the Experimental Station. 



During his engagement, Mr. Strickland conducted important researches 

 in the biology of parasites of prairie cutworms, much of the results of which 

 have appeared in Entomological Bulletin No. 22 entitled "Biological Notes 

 on Parasites of Prairie Cutworms." 



In 1916, the late Dr. Hewitt spent most of the month of July, at Banff, 

 Alta, for the purpose of investigating the problem of mosquito control within 

 the district. From collections and rearings made, much valuable information 

 was obtained, which constituted the foundation for further intensive work 

 undertaken in 1922. In 1921, Mr. Eric Hearle and the writer made a survey 

 of the important breeding places, and in the following year, in close-co-operation 

 with the Dominion Parks Branch, a temporary laboratory was erected in the 

 Rocky Mountains Park, with Mr. Hearle in charge. As a result of the control 

 work conducted in 1922 and 1923, there has been a marked decrease in the 

 numbers of mosquitoes present during the tourist season. Previous to 1922, 



