Observations on Mortality among Insects exposed to dry insecticidal Films

Extract

A variety of insects were exposed to films of insecticides by confining them for various periods on filter papers impregnated by a volatile solvent method. The following results were observed:—

1. Nine species of insect and two species of tick were exposed to films of different insecticides for a standard exposure of two hours at 30°C. It was found that freshly prepared films of Gammexane were most toxic, followed by pyrethrins, DDT and rotenone.

2. The relative toxicity of the films of undiluted insecticides is considerably different from that of the same insecticides applied in oily solution.

3. The very sparse toxic films of Gammexane soon lost their toxicity, apparently by evaporation. The pyrethrin films were also less persistent than those of DDT.

4. The test organisms can be arranged in groups showing different types of susceptibility.

5. Percentage mortality among bugs kept in motion for a specified period over a given deposit of DDT is greater than that among stationary bugs exposed to the same deposit for the same period. The addition of an irritant to a DDT spray would therefore enhance the efficiency of the insecticide.

6. A marked time lag in achieving complete mortality among bugs exposed to dry DDT films is recorded. No such lag was observed among bugs exposed to Gammexane nor among lice and flour beetles exposed to DDT. In these latter cases, percentage mortality gradually increased as the time of the exposure increased.

7. Percentage mortality among bugs exposed intermittently to DDT for a given total period of exposure did not differ appreciably from that obtained among bugs exposed continuously for the same period. After intermittent exposure for a particular total time, the length of the intervals during which the insects were in contact with the insecticide did not influence the percentage mortality.