Insect Life on the Western Arctic Coast of America -\7 k 



ARCTIC ARCHIPELAGO 



On Banks island a collectioD of insects, etc. was made by Mr. <I. II 

 Wilkins at cape Kellett, 1914-15, but, with the exception of a couple ot spid< 

 in poor condition, identified by .J. II. Emerton as young Pardosa glacialis, none 

 of these insects have been determined, and little can be said of insed life on 

 this island (PI. VI, fig. 1). On Melville island a few insects (Bombus arctit 

 with Parasitus bomborum, and lepidoptera (Brenthis polaris, cocoons of Gynae- 

 phora rossi) were collected, 1916, by the northern party of the Canadian Arctic 

 Expedition. Spiders, identified by J. H. Emerton as Erigone psychrophila, and 

 Mies were collected on King Christian land (Findlay island) by the same party. 

 A list of all insects collected by both parties of the expedition from the western 

 half of Victoria island, from 1915 to 1917, appeals below. 



The coast of this western part is very similar to that oJ the mainland 

 Generally speaking, the northern part of the coast is higher and rocky, l>ut 

 from Simpson bay eastward the coast and land behind it are very low (except 

 in the neighbourhood of Richardson island) and consist mainly of gravel or 

 sandy tundra and boulders. The vegetation is the typically arctic: only in 

 some of the river-beds do willows (Salix Richardsonii) attain as much as 8 feel 

 in height. 



Araneida 2 Spiders 



Acari None / _ 



Collembola.. .... None J But both orders are found. 



Trichoptera Phryganeoid. 



f Affabus nigripalpis (Dytiscid) 



Coleoptera } Carabidse : Amara brunnipennis, etc. 



^"Parasitic wasp — cocoons (from caterpillar). 



Hymenoptera J Sawfly-larva ( middle of June, 1915), and 



| galls on willow leaves. 

 {^Bombus sn. (seen; no specimens collected) 

 Prosim ulUt m borealis 



Oedamagema tarandi (only larva', in caribou). 

 T (i n>j tarsus sp. 



Diptera I Diamesia arctica 



| Mydaeina obscwra 

 Scatophaga furcata 

 Tipulid larva? 



Siphonaptera Fleas from Arctic li. 



.1 ri/uiiiiis chariclt a 

 " polaris 

 " frigga alaskt nsis 



Butterflies \ Colins hecla glacialis 



nastes 

 Erebia fasciata 

 l. ihui nn aquiio 

 ' Psychophora sa biii i 

 Napuca orciferaria 

 Titanio sp. 

 Anartu leucocycla 



Moths ■• •• ' Lygris destinata 



l Gifnaephora rossi (only coc<.. 

 | Anuria subfumosa 

 " lirhiirilsoni 



Summer on Victoria island is generally from a week to a month later than 

 along the south side of Dolphin and Union strait and of Coronation gulf. 



According to D. Jenness small blow Hies were seen for the firsl tune Ma> 23, 

 1915, almost a week later than at Bernard harbour, and bumblebees on June 30; 

 about two weeks later. The butterflies and moths were noticed, as early as at 

 Bernard harbour. Mr. Jenness writes that the &rs1 Saxifraga oppositifolia 

 blossoms appeared on June 7 and were very common July 5; that Hies settled m 

 swarms on drying meat, July 2; thai the first mosquitoes were seen Julj 8, 

 became numerous and annoying July 13, and disappeared in a snowstorm 

 August •_ ,- _ ) : and tint plant and insect life were killed by frosl on the night 

 August 24-25 (PI. VI, fig. 2). 



