Insecticide‐resistant pollen beetles ( Meligethes aeneus F) found in Danish oilseed rape ( Brassica napus L) fields

The pollen beetle is the most important pest in Danish oilseed rape fields. In 2001, we screened a broad range of pollen beetle populations for pyrethroid and dimethoate resistance. A standard dip‐test was used to test insecticide resistance in 18 populations collected from oilseed winter and spring rape fields. The beetles were treated with four different insecticides: the pyrethroids tau‐fluvalinate, lambda‐cyhalothrin and esfenvalerate, and the organophosphate dimethoate. The results show that up to 99% of the pollen beetles survived Danish standard doses of pyrethroids and up to 36% of the beetles survived standard doses of dimethoate. Copyright © 2003 Society of Chemical Industry