EXTENDED SELECTIONS FOR PYRETHROID RESISTANCE IN THE GERMAN-COCKROACH (DICTYOPTERA, BLATTELLIDAE)

Selection experiments with a pyrethrins-susceptible and a pyrethrins-resistant strain of German cockroaches, Blattella germanica (L.), were conducted for 17 generations with either permethrin or fenvalerate as the selecting agent. Large nymphs were left on treated glass surfaces for extended periods of time each generation. Mortality was assessed at 24 h. The level of resistance was determined periodically by time-mortality testing. The VPI-susceptible strain served as the basis for comparison. The pyrethrins-susceptible strain developed resistance to pyrethrins early in the selection process; this strain ultimately became resistant to allethrin, phenothrin, permethrin, fenvalerate, cyfluthrin, and cypermethrin. Fenvalerate caused faster development of resistance than did permethrin. The pyrethrins-resistant strain, selected with fenvalerate, quickly became resistant to allethrin, permethrin, phenothrin, and fenvalerate. Ultimately, it developed resistance to all nine pyrethroids tested.