The history of spruce budworm (Choristoneurafumiferana (Clem.)) outbreaks for the past 200 to 300 years, for nine regions in eastern Canada, indicates that outbreaks have occurred more frequently in the 20th century than previously. Regionally, 21 outbreaks took place in the past 80 years compared with 9 in the preceding 100 years. Earlier infestations were restricted to specific regions, but in the 20th century they have coalesced and increased in size, the outbreaks of 1910, 1940, and 1970 having covered 10, 25, and 55 million ha respectively. Reasons for the increase in frequency, extent, and severity of outbreaks appear mostly attributable to changes caused by man, in the forest ecosystem. Clear-cutting of pulpwood stands, fire protection, and use of pesticides against budworm favor fir–spruce stands, rendering the forest more prone to budworm attack. The manner and degree to which each of these practices has altered forest composition is discussed. In the future, most of these practices are expected to continue and their effects could intensify, especially in regions of recent application. Other practices, including large-scale planting of white spruce, could further increase the susceptibility of forest stands. Forest management, aimed at reducing the occurrence of extensive fir–spruce stands, has been advocated as a long-term solution to the budworm problem. The implementation of this measure at a time when man's actions result in the proliferation of fir presents a most serious challenge to forest managers.

Populations of the spruce budworm were studied on flowering and nonflowering balsam fir trees. Generally more eggs were found on the flowering trees. The flowering balsam fir trees were found to harbor higher populations in the early larval stages owing to the presence on these trees of staminate flowers and flower cups. The behavior of the larvae in relation to staminate flowers and flower cups was studied in both the field and the laboratory. Larvae that fed partially on pollen developed more rapidly than larvae that fed exclusively on foliage. Pollen as a food did not appear to have any direct effect on survival or fecundity. Other experiments showed that mortality was higher, development retarded, and fecundity reduced in insects forced to feed on old foliage in contrast with those fed on the current year's growth. Defoliation was more severe on flowering trees in the earlier stages of the infestation. However, as populations increased, wandering increased owing to competition for food. This resulted in an overflow of larvae from flowering to nonflowering trees.

Spruce–fir stands in the Ottawa River watershed in Quebec were subjected to defoliation by spruce budworm, Choristoneurafumiferana (Clem.), between 1967 and 1975. Eighteen study plots were established in mixed and coniferous mature stands to determine impact of the infestation on balsam fir, Abiesbalsamea Mill., and white spruce, Piceaglauca (Moench) Voss, and the protracted mortality of these two species following the end of the infestation. The plots were established in 1975, the last year of defoliation, and revisted each year until 1979. Between 1975 and 1979, fir mortality increased from 44 to 91%, and spruce mortality from 17 to 52%. Thus, more than 50% of the trees of both species that died did so during the 4 years after cessation of defoliation. Mortality for both spruce and fir was as high for mixed (hardwoods and budworm hosts) as for coniferous (predominantly spruce and fir) stands. A survey along 710 km of forest roads conducted in the study area in 1980 indicated the degree of mortality observed in the plots was representative of that for the whole region, and that mortality in young stands (20–50 years) was almost as high as in mature fir stands. Since the beginning of the twentieth century, intervals between budworm outbreaks lasted about 30 years in the Ottawa River watershed. However, the high incidence of mortality of white spruce and of immature fir that occurred during the recent infestation was not observed during earlier infestations. Regeneration of fir is plentiful throughout the area, but it will take some time before these young trees attain maturity and become susceptible to budworm attack. The interval between this recent and the next budworm infestation should therefore be longer than preceding ones.

When spruce budworm larvae emerge in the spring, they either mine the needles of old foliage or feed upon the freshly opened staminate flowers of balsam fir. As soon as the vegetative buds begin to expand, the larvae abandon the needle mines for this newer and more succulent growth. Later, when the pollen is shed, the staminate flowers are in turn abandoned in favour of new shoots. Usually, the larvae continue to feed on the new shoots until pupation. When this insect reaches epidemic proportions, however, the current year's growth is often totally destroyed prior to the completion of the larval stage. Late spring frosts have also been known to destroy, in part, or even completely, the shoots of the current year's growth. Under these conditions spruce budworm larvae must resort to feeding on old foliage.

Methods used in the collection of radial-growth data from host and non-host trees of the spruce budworm for the purpose of establishing evidence of past spruce budworm outbreaks are described. The preparation and examination of the material and the interpretation of the data are discussed. These techniques are based on experience gained in the course of studies in three widely-separated regions in Ontario and Quebec over a period of several years.