A Simple ‘Response Balance’ for studying Insect Behaviour

Abstract

THE responses shown by insects to insecticides are usually measured in terms of paralysis or death. Since the insects lose their power of co-ordinated movement during the primary stages of poisoning, they cannot respond to stimuli which modify their normal behaviour. When the concentration or dosage of insecticide is very low, however, insects may be irritated or repelled by the insecticide without loss of muscular co-ordination. Under such conditions the responses shown to other stimuli, for example, a light stimulus, become of interest, especially where the kinetic effects of the chemical and light stimuli are opposed. In the present communication, a description is given of an apparatus, or ‘response balance’, used for studying systems of this kind (see diagram).