Effects of Some Chemosterilants on the Viability of Eggs, Fecundity, Mortality, and Mating of the Cabbage Looper1

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Abstract
Tepa, metepa, or apholate fed to moths of the cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni (Hubner), induced variable degrees of sterility. Male moths fed tepa did not mate so frequently as untreated males. Tepa applied as a spray induced complete sterility in cabbage looper males treated when 1-4 days old. Untreated female moths mated to males sprayed with tepa produced about the same number of eggs as females of untreated pairs. Egg viability decreased with increasing concentrations of tepa. Tepa-sprayed males mated as frequently as untreated males, but abnormal copulations in which males were unable to separate from females occurred more frequently after tepa treatment than in groups of untreated males. Females sprayed with tepa laid fewer eggs than females of untreated pairs. Females sprayed with concentrations of 2 and 4% tepa laid few or no eggs and none hatched. Mortality of both male and female moths sprayed with tepa was higher at the end of the 8-day test period than that of untreated moths. Metepa and apholate were less effective than tepa in sterilizing either sex.

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