Adults of the species Cryptolestes pusillus (Schoenherr) were irradiated at ages between 2 and 7 days after emergency, with doses of: 0 (control), 12.5, 25.0, 50.0, 100.0, 200.0, 500.0, 1000.0, 2500.0 and 5000.0 Gy of gamma radiations of Cobalt-60, at a dose rate of 13.2 Gy per minute. After irradiation the insects were divided into two groups, one maintained at 25°C and the other at 30°C, at a relative humidity between 60 and 80 percent. Every two days the insects were observed for mortality. The medium life spans were respectively, at the temperature of 25°C: 65.1, 67.7, 78.8, 81.5, 20.7, 12.3, 12.5, 9.2, 5.8 and 2.6 days. At the temperature of 30°C the medium life spans were 67.5, 119.5, 160.3, 66.2, 10.2, 9.2, 9.4, 6.6, 6.3 and 2.2 days. Similar to the mortality observations, the reproduction was also determinated, and the number of adults emerged was respectively to the radiation doses at 25°C: 19, 11, 14, 16, 3, 0, 0, 0, 0 and 0 individuals. At 30°C the number of emerged adults was 299, 227, 118, 31, 7, 3, 5, 0, 0 and 0 respectively. It was concluded that radiohormesis is observed to a lower extend depending on the temperature, more at higher temperatures and less at lower temperatures, if we consider longevity. No positive effect of radiohormesis could be observed in relation to reproduction in the present study.
longevity; reproduction; gamma radiations; radiohormesis; disinfestation; Cryptolestes pusillus