EFFECTS OF INGESTED ETHANOL ON ADULT DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER (DIPTERA: DROSOPHILIDAE)

An apparatus consisting of a plastic box and a feeding circuit permits the calculation of μl volumes of ethanol ingested by Drosophila melanogaster Meigen. The net amount of ethanol taken (expressed in 100% ethanol) has been examined in various experimental conditions: sucrose solutions, ethanol–sucrose solutions at various sucrose and alcohol concentrations, ethanol solutions - cube of sucrose and ethanol solutions alone. The data obtained on ingestion by Drosophila show that the consumption of sucrose solutions was inversely proportional to the concentrations of sucrose. The amount of ethanol ingested during 14 days was directly related to the concentration of ethanol in the diets although in general the total volume of solution consumed did not vary significantly in most cases. The analyses of observations of 14 days showed that decreased mortality was obtained with the rise in the concentration of sucrose in sucrose-water solutions in 0.5–3% range and the mortality increased with the rise in the concentration of ethanol in the diets, yet ethanol-sucrose was better than cube of sugar alone.