Comparative Toxicity of Aqueous Solutions of Boric Acid and Polybor 3 to House Flies (Diptera: Muscidae)

LC50s and LT50s of boric acid and polybor formulated in water and 10% sucrose were determined for 3- to 5-d-old adult house flies, Musca domestica (L.), of mixed sex. Differences between boric acid and polybor toxicities were significant in 10% sucrose, but not in water. However, borates formulated in water had significantly lower LC50S than those formulated in 10% sucrose. Rate of kill for formulations in water was fairly uniform over time, whereas mortality from sucrose formulations was not observed until 17 h after treatment. Reasons for differences in the manifestation of mortality and possibilities for practical application are discussed