Historical trends in Canadian forest entomology

Canada has a distinguished history of research in forest entomology. The number of peer-reviewed publications emanating from studies in forest entomology in Canada greatly increased following the Second World War. Much of the outstanding historical success in Canadian forest entomological research is attributable to the work of entomologists employed by the Canadian Forest Service, who authored the majority of studies until the mid 1970s and usually published them in The Canadian Entomologist. Since that time the majority of studies have been published by Canadian universities in a broad range of journals. Most early research in forest entomology in Canada was carried out by men, but since that time the proportion of forest entomological research carried out by women has increased significantly. The majority of research in central and eastern Canada focussed on defoliators and their natural enemies and host plants whereas the majority of research in western Canada examined bark beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) and their natural enemies and host plants. Although publications on defoliators and their natural enemies have occurred continuously throughout the historical development of forest entomology in Canada, the numbers of publications on wood borers (Coleoptera: Buprestidae, Cerambycidae) and bark beetles and their natural enemies have never been higher than they are presently.