Infectivity of entomogenous nematodes (Steinernema and Heterorhabditis) to Boettcherisca peregrina and Musca domestica

Abstract

Entomophilic nematodes were evaluated for their infectivity to larvae of {IB}. {Iperegrina}. A suspension of nematodes was applied to 3rd-instar larvae for 48 h, and fly mortality was calculated from adult emergence data. The ALL and Mexican strains of {IS}. {Ifeltiae} [{INeoaplectana} {Icarpocapsae}] and {IS}. {Ibibionis} [{IN}. {Ibibionis}] were most infective to the larvae, followed by {IH}. {Iheliothidis}, whereas {IS}. {Iglaseri} [{IN}. {Iglaseri}] showed no significant infectivity to sarcophagid larvae. The infectivity of {IN}. {Icarpocapsae} was greatest when the sarcophagid larvae were incubated with the nematodes at 25 and 30°C than at 15, 20 or 35°C. The ALL strain of {IN}. {Icarpocapsae} almost completely inhibited the emergence of adults of {IM}. {Idomestica} when placed on standard barley bran medium (for 2nd-instar larvae) at a concentration of 105 per 100 g medium