Eventually, they just run out of gas. To penetrate an insect's waterproof skin, known as cuticle, Teal and colleague Ron Nachman have attached the active part of the water-soluble neuropeptide to a lipid, or fatty compound, which can be absorbed through the insect cuticle. The next challenge is to find an environmentally friendly compound that will trigger pheromone production in the right amount at the right time. Teal and his team hope to eventually apply their research to cockroaches, creating a compound that will control the pests without poison. Teal also is working to develop more effective controls for the Mediterranean fruit fly, which plagues Florida's billion-dollar citrus crop.
Traditional treatment calls for the release of sterile male medflies to control an outbreak.
However, it takes several days for the sterile flies to become ready to respond sexually to the female flies. A week is a long time for this insect. Using a hormone, Teal can accelerate sexual maturity in the male flies by three or four days, a significant decrease in time. We can accelerate their maturation, and that is significant. While much of the IRB research involves altering animals' reproductive environments, it is changes in our own environment that interest zoology Professor Louis Guillette Jr.