Insect Life on the Western Arctic Coast of America 37k 



ARCTIC ARCHIPELAGO 



On Banks island a collection of insects, etc., was made by Mr. G. H. 

 Wilkins at cape Kellett, 1914-15, but, with the exception of a couple of spiders 

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

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

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

 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 

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

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

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



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

 Generally speaking, the northern part of the coast is higher and rocky, but 

 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 Richards onii) attain as much as 8 feet 

 in height. 



Araneida 2 Spiders 



Acari .... None ) „ , , , , 



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



Trichoptera Phryganeoid. 



_ . ^ Agatms nigripalpis (Dytiscid) 



eoptera .^ Carabidae : Amara brunnipennia, etc. 



^Parasitic wasp — cocoons (from caterpillar). 

 Hymenoptera | SawHy-larva (miiddle of June, 1915), and 



"I galls on willow leaves. 



[^Bom'bua sp. (seen; no specimens collected). 

 f ProsiTnulviim horealis 



I Oeciamagena tarandi (only larvte, in caribou). 

 I Tanytarsus sp. 



Diptera \ Diamesia arctica 



I Mydaeina obscura 

 I Scatophaga furcata 

 [ Tipulid larvje 



Siphonaptera Fleas from Arctic hare. 



( Argynnis chariclea 



" polaris 

 I " frigga alaskensis 



Butterflies ■) Colias hecla glacialis 



" nastes 

 Erebia fasciata 

 Lycaena aquilo 

 ' Psychophora sabini 

 Napuca orciferaria 

 Titanio sp. 

 A7iarta leucocycla 



j^oths ^ Lygris destinata 



I Gynaephora rossi (only cocoon) 

 I Anarta subfu-mosa 

 [ " richardsoni 



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 flies were seen for the first time May 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 first Saxifraga oppositifolia 

 blossoms appeared on June 7 and were very common July 5; that flies settled in 

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

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

 August 22; and that plant and insect life were killed by frost on the night ot 

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



