A Radiographic Technique to Identify Healthy, Parasitized, and Diseased Sawfly Prepupae Within Cocoons

Abstract

Many entomological problems require the identification and observation of insects without disturbing their surroundings. Such problems are usually concerned with insects within host or pupal coverings and radiography is a method well suited to their solution. The technique is a special type of radiography in which soft X-rays (wave length longer than about 0.25A), passing through an object of low density, produce a shadow image on fine-grain film in contact with the object.