Insect Life on the Western Arctic Coast of America 



T> th u e exce P tion of Chantry island all the islands in the outer harbour at 



Bernard harbour are composed of gravel, sand, and boulders and are less thai. ; >f, 

 feet high. Chantry island is about 85 feet high and of a composition similar 7,, 

 the higher part of the mainland coast. 



The rock exposures and areas covered by limestone fn.jnm-nts are barren of 

 vegetation, except for lichens, and vegetation is best developed in tin- valleys 

 and on the sandy slopes, around the ponds or lakes. On Chantry island we found 



most of the plants and insects represented on the mainland. The smaller MamN 

 in the outer harbour, however, are too exposed for the development of mud! 

 vegetation and are unable to support some of the plants found on the mainland 

 Consequently, their insect life is also very limited (PI. VIII, fig. : 



The following insects were collected on the harbour island during the middle 

 of May, 1915: 



Ichneumon suturalis (wasp) 



Brenthis and Noctuid larvae 



Spiders (Lycosa sp.) 



Carabid' beetles (Amara brunnipennis) 



Lepidopterous and dipterous pupal skins 



On Chantry island were collected in the middle of June, 1916: 

 Bombus spp. (B. sylvicola, etc.) 

 (Gynaephora larvae) Lepidoptera 

 Collembola 

 Mycetophilid larvae 



Mosquitoes and midges (larvae and pupae) 

 Dytiscids (adults and larvae) 



Mites (Bdella dccjpiens, Thy as stolli, Curvipes reighardi, Hydrophantes ruber) 

 Copepods 1 (Cyclops magnus) 

 Ostracods 

 Cladocera (Daphnia sp.) 



Newly born nauplii and metanauplii of the fairy-shrimp (Branchinecta 

 paludosa) were found hiding among the stones in some of the ponds on Chantry 

 island. The temperature of the margin water in the ponds at about 2 p.m. 

 was 50 degrees F. (air 44 degrees F.). There was a considerable difference in the 

 ponds in regard to invertebrate life, those on the higher part of the island being 

 very barren of life. 



A comparison of the weather during September of 1914 and 1915 and its 

 influence upon the vegetation and insect life at Bernard harbour is interesting. 

 In 1914 the generally mild weather allowed plants to keep their flowers and ripen 

 their seeds far into the month, and to live until October. Although snow fell 

 in the latter half of the month, most of it soon melted, and freshwater pools did 

 not freeze over until the end of the month. The more hardy of the insects, 

 coleoptera, hemiptera, and also spiders, moved freely around on the ground, 

 though few flying insects were seen after the first week of September. 



But in 1915 stormy and wintry weather prevailed during the first fortnight, 

 resulting in the immediate and lasting freezing over of land and water and the 

 subduing of plant and insect life. The milder weather at the end of September 

 was not sufficient to resuscitate them. 



VEGETATION AROUND BERNARD HARBOUR 



The vegetation found here is similar to that on the coast farther west, and 

 will be treated in the same way here (compare pp. 7-8). 



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