A Preliminary Study of the Biology and Morphology of the Red-Backed Cutworm (Euxoa ochrogaster Gn.)
Date
1926-04-05
Authors
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Publisher
ORCID
Type
Degree Level
Masters
Abstract
The thesis here presented is in part a joint production, having arisen out of the following circumstances. During the summers of 1923 to 1925 the writer has held the position of Junior Entomologist at Saskatoon, working under the immediate direction and supervision of Mr. K. M. King, federal Entomoloist for Saskatchewan. Among other projects being carried on at this laboratory a careful study of our local cutworms, of which Euxoa-ochrogaster Gn.,is by far the most important species, is being made. When, in the spring of 1925, it became evident that the writer would desire to present a thesis for the degree of M.Sc. the next spring he asked and received permission to take as the subject of the thesis a study of this species of cutworm.
With this in view more responsibility in connection with the study of this insect was placed upon the author during the summer of 1925 though the work was still carried on under the direction of Mr. King and also only a part of the author's time could be devoted to this problem. Early in September 1926 work was commenced under a bursary awarded by the Research Council of Canada and has been continued to the present time, involving a morphological study of the larvae and certain biological studies.
In the following presentation, both on account of convenience and because of the facts outlined above, the work has been divided into three distinct sections. The first deals with the systematic study, consisting mainly of a treatment of the morphology of the larvae, the second is a report of experiments conducted by the writer during the past winter and the third is a general review of our present knowledge of the biology of the insect under discussion.
The first two sections represent virtually entirely the writer's own work with the exception of correspondence from which the data on distribution were obtained. The third section is, in its presentation, the writer's, but much of the material which has been used in it and many of the ideas and theories advanced are directly the outcome of Mr. King's work. Finally, credit for the original conception and outlining of the problem goes entirely to Mr. King as also does the subsequent supervision, with the exception of that of the past winter.
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Degree
Master of Science (M.Sc.)
Department
Biology
Program
Biology