Mass Sterilization of Laboratory-Reared Drosophila melanogaster with Residues of Tepa

In 1967, about 70 million unsexed adult Drosophila Melanogaster Meigen were exposed to residues of tepa that had been applied at 24 dosage levels ranging from 400 to 1333 mg/m2. Residues at levels of 776 and 804 mg/m2 were about equally and highly effective in sterilizing female D. melanogaster ; they also were more effective than residues at lower levels and usually as effective as residues at higher levels. Exposed females appeared to have a somewhat shorter lifespan than unexposed females at about 2 weeks or more past treatment.