REACTIONS OF SMALL MAMMALS TO VITAL DYES

Abstract

AbstractStudies were conducted on the reactions of small mammals to the vital dyes Rhodamine B and Nile Blue. The dyes are currently in use as biological tracers for the larch sawfly. Two species of voles and two of four individual shrews reacted indiscriminately to dyed and undyed material: the reactions of the two remaining shrews varied. It was concluded that the behavior of small mammals would not affect seriously the results of field experiments using insects labeled with these dyes.