[mnehring]

Genes don’t ‘know’ about insecticides. You may have one in a million who come up with a mutation that makes them not react to them. They are therefore able to breed versus die. The ones that survive and breed pass on this trait to new generations and so on..

[autumnraine]

Excellent way to put it!

[Mr Ramsbotham]

Genes don’t ‘know’ about insecticides. You may have one in a million who come up with a mutation that makes them not react to them. They are therefore able to breed versus die. The ones that survive and breed pass on this trait to new generations and so on.

Oh you vicious homophobe!

[flintsilver7]

That’s a very simple truth, but it will never stop people from telling you that insects are “evolving” resistance to insecticides or bacteria are “evolving” resistance to antibiotics. The mutation that confers resistance to such things also results in a weaker organism under normal circumstances. Only when they are given an unusual advantage (such as the introduction of pesticides and antibiotics) are they able to reproduce.