Pathogenicity of Metarrhizium anisopliae (Metch.) Sor. and Beauveria bassiana (Bals.) Vuill. to Two Species of Elateridae

Abstract

DURING 1950–59 numerous elaterid eggs, larvæ, pupæ and adults died and became ‘mouldy’ in rearing or storage at the Saskatoon Research Station. Seven fungi were isolated from such specimens in 1959. In initial screening trials, only two of these, Metarrhizium anisopliae isolated from a larva, and Beauveria bassiana from an adult of Hypolithus bicolor Esch., increased the rate of mortality of this elaterid and of Ctenicera aeripennis destructor (Brown). These fungi have not been recorded previously from H. bicolor, and Beauveria has not been recorded from C. a. destructor. It was of interest, therefore, to determine whether they are primary pathogens of these elaterids.