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The Contamination of Insects of different Species exposed to Dust Deposits*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2009

M. Gratwick
Affiliation:
Imperial College Field Station, Sunninghill, Berks.

Extract

The quantities of lipophilic dyestuff picked up by specimens of five insect species, namely Vespula vulgaris (L.), Feronia madida (F.), Rhagonycha fulva (Scop.), Dysdercus fasciatus Sign, and Notostira erratica (L.), in their first few steps on a dust deposit of the dyestuff have been estimated. The uptakes per step by insects of different size and structure were shown to differ only slightly. While the uptake was found to be greater for the larger insects, the smaller insects picked up more particles per unit body weight at each step.

The ratios of the actual amounts (estimated by a colorimetric method) picked up by the different pairs of legs are similar for all the insects that have been studied and in all cases the hind legs were shown to pick up an amount at least equal to the sum picked up by the fore- and middle legs.

Type
Original Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1957

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References

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