Mating Competitiveness of Unirradiated and Irradiated Mediterranean Fruit Flies13

In tests in Hawaii in 1968, the mating competitiveness of male Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), reared in the laboratory and treated with 10,000 rad gamma irradiation as pupae 2 days before adult emergence, was reduced 50%. Females treated in the same way were not affected. Also, sterilized males initially responded to mating stimuli later in the normal daily mating cycle than normal males, and the time of the peak of mating activity of both treated sexes was delayed.