• Miller, C.A.
  Canadian Forestry Service
  
• Varty, I.W.
  Canadian Forestry Service
  
• Thomas, A.W.
  Canadian Forestry Service
  
• Greenbank, D.O.
  Canadian Forestry Service
  
• Kettela, E.G.
  Canadian Forestry Service
  

Aerial spraying tests against spruce budworm moths were conducted from 1972 to 1977 in New Brunswick. A varying number of applications of 70 g phosphamidon per hectare killed more than 70% of the males (mating status unknown) and a relatively larger proportion of old females that had laid more than 50 to 60% of their eggs. No effective means were developed to kill young females. However, in a test specifically designed to kill emerging males and disrupt mating, 41% of the female population died as virgins, and it was estimated that the oviposition rate in the treatment block was reduced by 50%. The highest reductions in egg deposition, 64, 69, and 72%, were attained when more than 3000-ha blocks were treated with two applications of 140g phosphamidon per hectare.

Environmental monitoring of the trials produced evidence of moderate to severe mortality in populations of many species of fir-dwelling insects, mites and spiders vulnerable to low-dosage sprays of fenitrothion, aminocarb and phosphamidon in early to mid July, Most of the mortality took place in the first 2 days and included especially moths, hymenopterous parasitic wasps, flies, beetles and sucking bugs. As expected, rates of kill were greater with higher dosages and more applications, but even light treatment caused much more dramatic kill than larvicidal sprays in May. Some specificity occurred according to insecticide e.g. aminocarb was more lethal to spiders. Accumulative mortality of predaceous insects and mites and hymenopterous parasitoids sometimes exceeded 90% after three applications. The rates of population recuperation were not generally investigated, but parasitism in small larval budworm one year after spraying remained within the normal rates expected in untreated forest.