ARS | Publication request: Mortality of Blapstinus spp. beetles exposed to various formulations of entomopathogenic fungi

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: March 28, 2012
Publication Date: March 28, 2012
Citation: Natwick, E.T., Behle, R.W., Jackson, M.A. 2012. Mortality of Blapstinus spp. beetles exposed to various formulations of entomopathogenic fungi [abstract]. Entomological Society of America. Paper #92.

Technical Abstract: Adult Blapstinus spp. (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) damage melon crops by feeding on the rind at the melon/ground interface and are difficult to control with conventional insecticides. Because entomopathogenic fungi are known to infect a wide range of insect pests, we evaluated experimental treatments of fungi from Metarhizium and Iceria fungi along with commercial Beauveria as potential microbial control agents in laboratory and field experiments for control of this pest. In the laboratory, Metarhizium anisopliae granules provided the greatest mortality of field collected beetles, followed by a commercial formulation of Beauveria bassiana. The Iceria treatment was not effective. In the 2011 field experiment, the beetle density was not sufficient to provide data to compare efficacy of the treatment. As a result, additional laboratory and field research will be conducted to compare a variety of formulations made with Metarhizium for control of Blapstinus beetles in melon crops.