From Arsenic To DDT : A History Of Entomology In Western Canada

A history of entomology in Western Canada from the era of exploration to the outbreak of the Second World War. Riegert surveys early accounts of insect life recorded by explorers, traders, and settlers, and traces the growing impact of insect pests with the expansion of prairie agriculture after the late nineteenth century.

The study follows the emergence of professional entomology, beginning with the appointment of James Fletcher as Dominion Entomologist, and the subsequent establishment of federal laboratories and field stations in British Columbia, Manitoba, and Alberta. It examines campaigns against major pests, including grasshoppers, cutworms, and wheat stem sawfly, and outlines the development of control measures ranging from quarantine legislation and biological controls to chemical treatments.

Notes adapted from the publisher's information.