Cytoplasmic analysis of Ephestia cautella adult females collected in different regions of Iraq

An analysis of 333 Ephestia cautella female moths caught in dry-food storage structures in Iraq during the past 5 years, has indicated that two crossing types are present in the same population. This phenomenon may be ascribed to the continuous importation of infested dry foodstuffs since these crossing types can only exist as two allopatric populations. Theoretically speaking, the (imported) symbiotic American ( A) strain should replace the aposymbiotic native Baghdad ( B) strain unless there is a very strong counter-selection for individuals of the Baghdad crossing type.