Effects of Tagging Amounts of Radioactive Phosphorus on Adults of the Oriental Fruit Moth, Grapholitha molesta (Busck) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)

Abstract

AbstractFeeding adults of the Oriental fruit moth, Grapholitha molesta (Busck), on a tagging solution of P32 containing 20–50 μc./ml. had no apparent effect on their longevity, mating, fecundity, and motility or on the viability of their eggs. The rate of 20–50 μc./ml. was in the range used for dispersal studies. Moths thus tagged had radioactivities of about 1500–2500 c.p.m.Female moths fed on solutions of P32 at 100 μc./ml. showed counting rates of more than 5000 c.p.m. These females, when mated with normal males, laid approximately 33% fewer eggs than normal females. Also, the fertility of the eggs was reduced by about 25% when only the female parent was radioactive and 15% when only the male parent was radioactive to the extent of over 5000 c.p.m.