Development of a changed response in Lucilia cuprina (Wied.) to organophosphorus insecticides in New South Wales

Abstract

Since 1956, samples of Lucilia cuprina (Wied.) from many parts of New South Wales have been tested annually for signs of resistance to organophosphours insecticides, which are used there to prevent fly-strike in sheep. For tests, 0.1 μg. diazinon per fly was applied topically; this discriminating dose was twice that required to kill 100 per cent. of susceptible flies. In 1965, some of the flies in a sample from Dubbo, in central-western N.S.W., survived the discriminating dose. Sensitivity tests of the progeny of the survivors (DB strain) and of a normal susceptible strain revealed that the LC50 of the DB strain was about three times that of the normal one. Further tests established that a roughly similar change in sensitivity had ocurred to other diethoxy (dichlofenthion, fenthion-ethyl, bromophos-ethyl, parathion) and to dimethoxy (fenchlorphos, parathion-menthyl, bromophos) organophosphors compounds. The change was therefore non-specific and, since it was also small, is regarded as an example of tolerance rather than of resistance.Subsequent field surveys in 1965–66 showed that tolerance of L. cuprina to diazinon was widespread in N.S.W. The possibility that resistant strains will be selected out by continued use of organophosphorus insecticides is discussed.