A red dye used in lipstick will kill fruit flies if they eat it and are then
exposed to ultraviolet light. The Agricultural Research Service of the US
Department of Agriculture has found a way to induce the flies to eat the dye, by
blending it with a mixture of sugars, proteins and some enigmatic “other
ingredients”. Beneficial insects such as bees ignore the mixture. In tests in
Hawaii and Texas the dye killed almost all the fruit flies preying on citrus,
mango and other fruit crops.
More from 91av
Explore the latest news, articles and features
Popular articles
Trending 91av articles
1
Largest-ever octopus was great white shark of invertebrate predators
2
QBox theory may offer glimpse of reality deeper than quantum realm
3
Symptoms of early dementia reversed by bespoke treatment plans
4
Why your opinion of used electric vehicles is probably wrong
5
The monstrous number sequences that break the rules of mathematics
6
Exercise advice for long covid may be doing more harm than good
7
Why the right kind of stress is crucial for your health and happiness
8
Is stem cell therapy about to transform medicine and reverse ageing?
9
Particles seen emerging from empty space for first time
10
Huge study reveals how Epstein-Barr virus may cause multiple sclerosis
