La résistance au malathion augmente le succès reproducteur des mâles de Tribolium castaneum (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)

Malathion-specific resistance in the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum, is widespread and stable even in the absence of pesticide exposure. In order to understand this stability, both malathion resistant and susceptible males were placed, without pesticide, in competition but were given equal access to susceptible females. Females were then isolated and their progeny was tested for malathion susceptibility. In most cases, malathion resistance was present at a greater rate than expected. The results suggest that, in T. castaneum, selection for malathion resistance is not traded against male reproductive success. This phenomenon could explain the maintenance of malathion-specific resistance in field populations of this stored product insect