ON THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PROTECTIVE RESPONSE OF DROSOPHILA FOR THE RESISTANCE TO INSECTICIDES

Abstract

The fact that some individuals of Drosophila melanogaster had been observed to avoid the surfaces treated with high dosages of DDT was made use of for the selection. As a result forms were obtained with a distinctly reduced frequency of landing on surfaces treated with a number of organic insecticides. Being tested by the method used in these experiments, these forms showed a higher percentage of survival as compared to the unselected controls on the substrata poisoned with DDT and tiophos a highly toxic insecticide.