Chemosterilization by Fumigation: Effects of Temperature and Time of Exposure

When male house flies, Musca domestica L., were fumigated in a circulating atmosphere with hempa at 15°C for 2.5 h, 39% were rendered sterile, and the average uptake of the sterilant was 2.27 μg/♂. At 35°C and 0.5-h exposure, sterility was 36%;, and the uptake of hempa was 3.28 μg/♂. After 2.5-h fumigation at 35°C, sterility increased to 95%, and uptake of hempa to 14.16 μg/♂. Regardless of the uptake, the metabolism of hempa was higher at the longer exposure periods. When 50 individual flies were fumigated at 35°C for 2.5 h, nonecontained less than 9.25 μg, or more than 23.71 μg of hempa; and the mean value was 15.33 μg, with a standard deviation of 3.34 μg.