Using Drosophila melanogaster to validate metabolism-based insecticide resistance from insect pests

► Drosophila melanogaster is a useful in vivo model for investigating metabolism-based insecticide resistance. ► Transgenic expression of resistance genes from pest insects results in insecticide resistance in Drosophila. ► αE7 from Lucilia cuprina, GstE2 from Anopheles gambiae and Cyp6cm1 from Bemisia tabaci all confer resistance in Drosophila.