Mating and Fecundity in Malathion-Resistant and Susceptible Strains of the Indian Meal Moth, Plodia interpunctella1

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Abstract
Crosses within and between malathion-resistant and susceptible strains of the Indian meal moth, Plodia interpunctella (Hübner), were compared for copulation time and fecundity. Among interstrain pairs with females of a smaller nonresistant strain, resistant males mated more rapidly than a strain of nonresistant males. Resistant males apparently stimulated greater fecundity of nonresistant females. Greater fecundity of resistant females may have resulted from larger size and less inbreeding effect compared with nonresistant females. Mean fecundity from interstrain crosses exceeded values for parental strains, while variance in eggs per female was lowest in later intra-F1 and inter-F1 crosses. Since reproductive parameters may be influenced either negatively or positively by pesticide stress, biological correlates of resistance should be evaluated for strains to be used in strategies of genetic control.