INSECT PEST CONTROL

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28742, 13 November 1958, Page 14

INSECT PEST CONTROL

Radiation Used Bv Scientists (KM Zealand Pres., Association) AUCKLAND. November 12. American scientists are now using radiation to exterminate certain insect pests, but New Zealand entomologists consider the Dominion has no insect which warrants the great expense of this new method of eradication. The Americans have already eradicated the screw worm fly which breeds in animal sores from Curacao in the Dutch West Indies and they arc now continuing the campaign in their own country. The scientists' war is based on the fact that certain insects can stand a large dose of radiation in the pupal stage without endangering their lives: but when tliey grow up. they become sterile adults Females of certain insect species, of which the screw worm tty is one. allow only one mating, and so the Americans bred large numbers of male screw worm flics, exposed them to radiation, and set them free. Releases of sterile males were continued for 20 weeks and the fly was totally exterminated. An Auckland entomologist said today that New Zealand had no single-mating insect species that was such a nuisance that it would be an economic proposition Io spend the large sums needed for radioactive sterilisation.