Journal of Insect Science (2006) 6 (5), 1-10

C.A. Blanco, O. Perera, J.D. Ray, E. Taliercio and L. Williams III (2006)
Incorporation of rhodamine B into male tobacco budworm moths Heliothis virescens to use as a marker for mating studies
Journal of Insect Science 6 (5), 1-10
Abstract: Rhodamine B, a dye commonly used in a variety of biological studies was incorporated into the bodies of male tobacco budworm moths, Heliothis virescens (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), by allowing them to feed freely on 0.1% rhodamine dissolved in a 10% sucrose solution. After exposing males for one to three days to this pigment, rhodamine was clearly detectable in >82% of spermatophores extracted from untreated females. The intake of this dye did not affect the life span, the production of eggs or the capacity of moths to copulate when compared with moths fed only a sucrose solution or water. Rhodamine B was easily identifiable externally but was more apparent internally in males after only one day of exposure to the pigment. Even at this short feeding duration, rhodamine was detectable in >50% of males 5 days after feeding stopped. Longer exposure to the dye significantly increased the percentage stained. Detection of rhodamine was slightly enhanced by the use of ultraviolet light. The dye accumulation in internal abdominal organs was a better indicator of the presence of the pigment than external contamination of the moth. The use of the method described in this report can be a tool for the rapid incorporation of a low cost dye in the tobacco budworm for biological, behavioral and genetic studies.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Database assignments for author(s): Carlos A. Blanco, Livy Williams, Omaththage P. Perera

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
general biology - morphology - evolution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Heliothis virescens