Post-Graduate Department of Zoology, Mithila University, Darbhanga, India

Sterilization of bed-bug, Cimex hemipterus Fabr. with bisazir

By R. K. MISHRA

Abstract

The effect of bisazir on the fecundity and fertility of Cimex hemipterus Fabr. was studied by exposing newly emer ed adults to the different concentrations of chemosterilants. 94.3 O/o and 100 ' l o sterility was oitained when males were treated with 0.25 '10 and 0.5 O/O bisazir solution respectively. Bisazir affected the oviposition as well as the hatchability of eggs. Males were found more susceptible to bisazir when sterility is taken into consideration. The rate of hatchability was lower when males were treated, while higher when only females were treated.

1 Introduction

Among the bed-bugs, Cimex hemipterus Fabr. is the most common species in India. It causes serious loss of vitality due to their bites during the night and consequently sleeplessness to human beings. Although the control measure for this insect have been suggested by many workers but with limited success. The development of resistance to organochlorine and other synthetic insecticides in bed-bugs have been observed by BUSVINE (1975), SINHA (1967) and GAABOUB (1971). However, ADHANI et al. (1975) suggested the control measure for bed- bug by using the chemosterilant, hempa but only 45 "/a sterility was obtained. The present finding has therefore, been undertaken with bisazir to find out the effective control of bed-bug, C. hemipterus Fabr.

2 Materials and methods

The colony of bed-bug, Cimex hemipterus Fabr. was maintained in the laboratory at a temperature of 28 "C 5 1 "C and 65-70 '10 relative humidity (ADKINS et al. 1969). At the intervals of 24 h the eggs were collected and placed in other tubes for hatching. The nymphs were fed on rabbit blood on alternate day during the first week (ADHANI et al. 1975). In order to obtain the even film of 0.015,0.03,0.06, 0.12, 0.25 and 0.5 per cent bisazir, bis I-aziridinyl- N - methylphosphinothiotic amide, 0.25 ml of the desired solution in ethanol was poured in each of the two petri dishes, 4 cm in diameter and then petri dishes were rotated till ethanol evaporated. The adults were exposed in between the two petri dishes for 30 min, after which they were transferred to clean plastic tube for mating. The crosses were made between treated male and normal female, treated female and normal male and both treated male and female. Ten replicates of each cross was made. The eg s obtained from each female were allowed to hatch and net sterility was calculated on the formufa suggested by HAIR and ADKINS (1 964).

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248 R. K. Mishra

3 Results and discussion

The effect of different concentrations of bisazir on the reproductive potentials of C. hemipterus has been observed from three types of crosses between chemosterilant treated and normal adults. The detail of the result has been summarized in the table.

The present observation on the fecundity indicates that even at the lower concentration of bisazir solution, the egg laying capacity decreases from 176.2 eggs per female to 73.5 eggs per female when only males are treated. Such capacity further decreases to 54.2 eggs per femals when only females are treated. This indicates that females are more susceptible to bisazir when fecundity is taken into consideration. If the concentration of bisazir increases,

Effect of bisazir on the fecundity, hatchability and sterility of C. hemipterus Fabr. ~~

Con c e n t r a t i o n Sex No. of Eggs laid Hatch Sreriliry Ner sterility Q l o rreared eggs laid per P Q/Q Q / o Q/3

d 735 73.5 65.2 34.7 31.0 0.015 P 542 54.2 76.4 23.6 19.1

both 482 48.2 63.5 36.5 32.8

d 667 66.7 58.8 41.2 37.8 0.03 P 486 48.6 62.4 37.6 34.0

both 418 41.8 54.3 45.7 42.5

d 539 53.9 47.9 52.1 49.3 0.06 P 407 40.7 52.7 47.3 44.2

both 356 35.6 43.0 57.0 54.6

d 453 45.3 25.3 74.7 73.2 0.12 P 346 34.6 40.9 59.1 56.7

both 275 27.5 22.3 77.7 76.4

d 382 38.2 5.4 94.6 94.3 0.25 0 264 26.4 35.1 64.9 62.7

both 203 20.3 4.1 95.9 95.7

d 343 34.3 0 100 100 0.5 0 231 23.1 15.6 84.4 83.5

both 184 18.4 0 100 100 Con t r o 1 none 1762 176.2 94.5 5.5

lF Data based on 10 females.

the egg laying capacity decreases up to 18.4 eggs per female when both sexes are treated with 0.5 O/o bisazir solution. While ANSARI et al. (1973) observed complete inhibition of oviposition when 1 O/O tepa was applied topically to adult Dysdercus cingulatus Fabr. But BORKOVEC (1968) suggested that this decrease in fecundity might be due to the direct effect of greater lethal or might be influenced indirectly by hormonal and nutritional factors.

The 100 O/o sterility has been observed when males are treated with 0.5 '/a

bisazir while treated females with similar concentration of bisazir solution indicate 83.5 '/o sterility only. This indicates that males are more susceptible to bisazir when sterility is taken into consideration. This work is an agreement with those of ANSARI et al. (1973) in Dysdercus cingulatus and SEHGAL et al. (1974) in Dysdercus koenighii F. when treated with tepa. The sterility produc-

Sterilization of bed-bug, Cimex hemipterus with bisazir 249

tion due to the treatment of this chemosterilant might be due to the induction of gross chromosomal aberrations in sperms and ova as suggested by RAI (1964).

Acknowledgement

The author is grateful to Dr. A. B. Borkovec, Chief, Insect Chemosterilant Lab., USA, Beltsville, Maryland, for kindly supplying the sample of bisazir.

Zusammenfassung

Sterilisution der Bettwanze, Cimex hemipterus Fabr. mit Bisazir Es wurde die Wirkun von Bisazir auf die Funditat und Fertilitat von C. hemipterus untersucht, indem frisch geschlii g e Adulte dem verschieden stark konzentrierten Chemosterilants ausgesetzt wurden. Bei Behandrung der Mannchen mit 0.25 bzw 0.5 '/o Bisazir wurden 94.3 O/O bzw. 100 o/o

Sterilitat erzielt. Bisazir beeinfluke sowohl die Eizahl als auch die Schliipffahigkeit der Eier. Mannliche Wanzen erwiesen sich dem Chemosterilants gegeniiber empfindlicher als Weibchen. Die Schliipfrate der Eier war geringer, wenn die Mannchen und hoher, wenn die Weibchen behandelt wurden.

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Author's address: R. K. MISHRA, Post-Graduate Department of Zoology, Mithila University, Darbhanga-846004, India