Pathogenicity of the Fungus Verticillium lecanii to Aphids and Powdery Mildew

Aspects of the host specificity and pathogenicity of the hyphomycete, Verticillium lecanii , were investigated under laboratory conditions. DiVerences were observed in the pathogenicities of three strains of V. lecanii (DAOM 198499, DAOM 216596 and Vertalec) to the potato aphid Macrosiphum euphorbiae and Sphaerotheca fuliginea , the causal agent of cucumber powdery mildew. The estimated median lethal concentration required to achieve 50% mortality (LC ), 50 median lethal time leading to 50% mortality (LT ) and aphid net reproductive rate ( R ) 50 0 indicated that Vertalec and strain 198499 were more virulent to aphids than strain 216596. The estimated median colonization time for 50% of fungal colonies (CT ) showed that strain 50 198499 was the best antagonist of cucumber powdery mildew. Further comparison suggested that the mean pathogenicity of V. lecanii strain 198499 to cucumber powdery mildew was almost equivalent to that of Sporothrix flocculosa , a biological control agent of greenhouse fungal pathogens. These observations provide convincing experimental evidence that V. lecanii is biologically active against both arthropods and fungi. The potential of using V. lecanii strain 198499 in biological control is discussed.     

Preliminary evaluation of the effectiveness of a Verticillium lecanii isolate in the control of Thrips tabaci (Thysanoptera: Thripidae)

Thrips tabaci is a polyphagous pest that attacks many different crop and ornamental plant species. Recently, the need to reduce the use of insecticides in the control of thrips is more and more increasing. On that account, the possibility to make use of the entomopathogenic fungus Verticillium lecanii (DAOM198499) was evaluated in laboratory conditions. Suspension of 10(3) to 10(7) conidia/ml grown in liquid culture medium with a control (distilled water) treated on second larval stage of T. tabaci in controlled condition (16L: 8D photoperiod, 25 +/- 1 degrees C temperature, 98% RH in first 48h and 70% RH in next days). Preliminary results showed that mortality in lethal suspension (10(7) conidia/ml) of V. lecanii after 24 hours and 2-7 days in lower suspension appears. This suggests that strine DAOM 198499 of V. lecanii has the ability to control T. tabaci in greenhouse conditions.     

Pathogenicity of hyphomycet fungi to aphids Aphis gossypii Glover and Myzus persicae (Sulzer) (Hemiptera: Aphididae)

The aphids Aphis gossypii and Myzus persicae are cosmopolitan, poliphagous and damage cultivated plants. The effects of the entomopathogenic fungi Beauveria bassiana (isolate IBCB 66), Metarhizium anisopliae (isolate IBCB 121), Paecilomyces fumosoroseus (isolate IBCB 141) and Lecanicillium (= Verticillium) lecanii (isolate JAB 02) on third instar nymphs of A. gossypii and M. persicae were evaluated in the laboratory at 25 degrees C, 70 +/- 10% RH and 12h photophase. The aphids were transferred to petri dishes with a foliar disk (cotton or pepper) with a layer of 1 cm tick of agar-water. The fungi were applied in a suspension containing 1.0 x 106 to 1.0 x 108 conidia/ml. In the control treatment 1 ml of sterilized water was added to the foliar disks. The mortality of aphids was evaluated daily. B. bassiana and M. anisopliae caused 100% mortality at the seventh day after inoculation, for both species. L. lecanii was the fungus that provided mortality later in the aphids and M. persicae was more susceptible to both fungi than A. gossypii.     

Pathogenicity of the Hyphomycete Fungi Verticillium lecanii and Metarhizium anisopliae to the Western Flower Thrips,Frankliniella occidentalis

The pathogenicity of several isolates of the hyphomycete fungi Verticillium lecanii and Metarhizium anisopliae to Frankliniella occidentalis was investigated. Treatment of adult thrips with M. anisopliae resulted in at least 94% mortality at 7 days post-inoculation. In contrast, V. lecanii isolates only gave mortalities of between 20 and 70%. Detailed studies were made on the most virulent isolate of M. anisopliae (275) to determine its efficacy at different doses and temperatures. At 23 C the LC was ca. 3 105 conidia ml-1 after 5 days and the LTs were 50 50 3 and 4.5 days at 10 7 and 106 conidia ml-1 respectively. Temperature influenced fungal virulence to adult thrips; the LT at 18 and 20 C was ca. 4 days and at 23 or 26 C it was ca. 3 days. 50 Larvae were less susceptible to infection than adult thrips (27% versus 100% mortality), presumably due to the inoculum being shed with the exuvium during ecdysis. Conidia of M. anisopliae isolate 275 germinated rapidly on the surfaces of larvae, pupae and adults, with most germlings producing appressoria within 24 h post-inoculation. Fungal elements were present in significant amounts in the body 3 days after treatment.     

Impact of the entomopathogenic fungus Verticillium lecanii on development of an aphid parasitoid, Aphidius colemani

The parasitoid Aphidius colemani developed normally (approximately 90% adult emergence) when its cotton aphid (Aphis gossypii) host was treated with Verticillum lecanii conidia 5 or 7 days after parasitization. Fungus exposure 1 day before or up to 3 days after parasitization, however, reduced A. colemani emergence from 0 to 10%. Also, numbers of spores and mycelial fragments in aphid homogenates were much higher in aphids exposed to the fungus up to 3 days after parasitization than in aphids treated after 5 or 7 days. Our results suggest that the parasitoid and fungus may be used together for aphid biocontrol as long as fungus applications are timed to allow late-instar development of the parasitoid.     

Effect of a fungal lectin from Xerocomus chrysenteron (XCL) on the biological parameters of aphids

Aphids are important pests of crop plants in Europe. Increasing resistance of aphids to insecticides and their side effects on the environment and non target organism's including human's stimulated research on alterative methods of aphid control, including the use of entomotoxic proteins. Lectins are carbohydrate binding proteins that are widely distributed in nature; they have been isolated from microorganisms, fungi, plants and animals. Several of these proteins were tested for their potential biocide effect on plenty of pests. A fungal lectin, namely Xerocomus Chrysenteron lectin (XCL) was previously purified and was shown to be toxic for several pests including aphids. XCL was clearly the most toxic lectin against M. persicae. In this work, bioassays using artificial diets incorporating a broad range of XCL concentrations (from 10 microg x ml(-1) to 5000 microg x ml(-1)) were developed to assess the negative effects of XCL on the biological parameters (development duration, weight and fecundity) of M. persicae a polyphagous aphid found on more than 400 host plant species and transmitting more than 100 viral diseases. A significant mortality of aphids was observed, corresponding to the LC50 and LC90 of 0, 46 and 6, 02 mg/ml respectively after 24hrs. Significant differences of M. persicae weight, development duration and fecundity (P < 0.05) was observed between the tested XCL concentrations. Conavalia ensifomris lectin (ConA) was included as lectin reference on the bioassay experiments and was shown to be less toxic and induced lower negative changes in M. persicae biological parameters when compared with XCL.     

对桃蚜高毒力的蜡蚧菌菌株筛选

【目的】桃蚜Myzus persicae是一种世界性的重要农作物害虫,近年来已对多种化学杀虫剂产生抗性。本研究旨在筛选对桃蚜具有高毒力且培养性状优良的蜡蚧菌菌株。【方法】选用蜡蚧菌属Lecanicillium 2个种的7个菌株,即刀孢蜡蚧菌L.psalliotae 3个菌株(HFLP006, HFLP021和HFLP025)和渐狭蜡蚧菌L.attenuatum 4个菌株(HFLA032, HFLA041, HFLA064和HFLA066),接种在SDAY平板上培养并观察菌落生长与产孢性状;以2.0×10⁷孢子/mL悬浮液用浸渍法测定对桃蚜无翅成蚜的致死率和致死中时(LT₅₀);进而用系列浓度(1.0×10⁴-1.0×10⁸孢子/mL) HFLP006和HFLA032菌株孢子悬浮液测定其对桃蚜无翅成蚜的致死中浓度(LC₅₀);利用体视显微镜逐日观察1.0×10⁸孢子/mL HFLP006菌株孢子悬浮液侵染后无翅成蚜的染病症状变化。【结果】在SDAY平板上7个...     

安徽虫瘟霉对桃蚜的生物测定与时间-剂量效应分析

用“孢子浴”法将人工培养的安徽虫瘟霉（Ｚｏｐｈｔｈｏｒａａｎｈｕｉｅｎｓｉｓ）对桃蚜（Ｍｙｚｕｓｐｅｒｓｉ ｃａｅ）接种而进行定量生物测定（１８℃,光周期为Ｌ∶Ｄ１２∶１２）,包括１０个剂量（１．５～１９７．７个分生孢子／ｍｍ２）,每剂量处理蚜虫６４～１２０头,逐日观察记载死亡数至第７ｄ。接种后第３ｄ在高剂量处理中始见少量死蚜,第４～６ｄ为死蚜盛期。所获数据很好地拟合时间 剂量 死亡率模型,由模型参数估计出该菌作用于桃蚜的时间效应随剂量增大而减小,在３７．１～１９７．７个分生孢子／ｍｍ２的剂量范围内ＬＴ５０值为４．５～６．７ｄ;剂量效应在接种后随时间递减,第５～７ｄ的ＬＤ５０分别为８６．８、４３．７和３４．１个分生孢子／ｍｍ２。结果表明,安徽虫瘟霉是一种较为理想的杀蚜微生物,在寄主体内的潜伏期为４～５ｄ。     

New use of broomcorn millets for production of granular cultures of aphid-pathogenic fungus Pandora neoaphidis for high sporulation potential and infectivity to Myzus persicae

Glutinous broomcorn millets from the crop Panicum miliaceum were first used as substrate to produce granular cultures of Pandora neoaphidis, an obligate fungal pathogen specific to aphids. Carrying a water content of 36.5% after being steamed in a regular autoclaving procedure, millet grains of each 15 g (dry weight) in a 100-ml flask were mixed with 3 ml modified Sabouraud dextrose broth containing half a mashed colony of P. neoaphidis grown on egg yolk milk agar and then incubated at 20 degrees C and a light/dark cycle of 12 h/12 h for 21 days. Based on individually monitoring conidial production potential of 20 millet grains sampled from an arbitrarily taken flask at 3-day intervals, the millet cultures incubated for 6-15 days were capable of producing 16.8-23.4 x 10(4) conidia per millet grain with conidial ejection lasting for up to 6 days. The cultured millet grains individually produced significantly more conidia than apterous adults of Myzus persicae killed by P. neoaphidis (8.4 x 10(4) conidia per cadaver) and sporulated twice longer. The modeling of time-dose-mortality data from bioassays on M. persicae apterae exposed to conidial showers from the cultured millet grains and the mycelial mats produced in liquid culture resulted in similar estimates of LC(50) (millets: 21.4, 7.3, and 4.9 conidia mm(-2) on days 5-7 after exposure; mycelial mats: 22.1, 10.6, and 7.7 conidia mm(-2)) although the LT(50) estimated at a given conidial concentration was slightly smaller for the millet cultures than for the mycelial mats. This indicates that the millet grains cultured with P. neoaphidis produced conidia as infective as or slightly more infective to M. persicae than those from the mycelial mats. Based on the sporulation potential, infectivity, and ease and cost of the millet cultures, the method developed in this study highly improved in vitro cultures of P. neoaphidis and may adapt to culturing other entomophthoralean fungi for microbial control of insect pests.     

Pathogenicity of Beauveria bassiana,Metarhizium anisopliae (Deuteromycotina: Hyphomycetes), and other entomopathogenic fungi against Lygus lineolaris (Hemiptera: Miridae)

The pathogenicity of 32 fungal isolates from the genera of Beauveria, Verticillium, Paecilomyces, Metarhizium, Mariannaea, and Hirsutella to second-instar tarnished plant bug, Lygus lineolaris (Palisot de Beauvois), was tested under laboratory conditions. These isolates originated from various insect hosts and substrates from France, Denmark, Austria, Italy, Turkey, Syria, and the United States. A single exposure concentration (1 x 10(7) conidia/ ml) assay for each isolate was first conducted by immersing the insects in 10 ml of a fungal suspension for 5s. These were followed by concentration-mortality assays on five of the most pathogenic isolates using four test concentrations ranging from 2 x 10(4) to 2 x 10(7) conidia/ml. B. bassiana 726 (Bemisia-passaged GHA strain) was used as a standard for comparison in all of the assays. Among the test isolates, three produced mortality not significantly different from the water control. Mortality ranged from 35 to 98% among the other 29 isolates. The LC50 values of the five most pathogenic isolates ranged from 0.8 to 5.0 x 10(5) conidia/ml. The LT50 values for these isolates ranged from 6.0 to 6.9, 3.1 to 5.1, and 2.5 to 4.0 d for concentrations of 2 x 10(5), 2 x 10(6), and 2 x 10(7) conidia/ml, respectively. Two strains of B. bassiana (ARSEF 1394,5665) and one M anisopliae (ARSEF 3540) were more pathogenic to the nymphs than the standard, having significantly lower LC50 and LT50, values. Our results demonstrated that several genera of entomopathogenic fungi have promise as microbial control agents against L. lineolaris.     

新型球孢白僵菌孢子悬乳剂的高效杀蚜活性及其评价方法

用球孢白僵菌（Beauveria bassiana）SG8702的孢子悬乳剂与未剂型化孢子粉对桃蚜进行了杀蚜活性对比测定。孢子悬乳剂与孢子粉分别用水稀释成5个序列浓度,对甘蓝叶片上蚜虫进行相同时间的弥雾接种,前者孢子附着量分别为1.5～701.1个孢子/mm2 ,后者附着量分别为2.8～1005.9个孢子/mm2。蚜虫接种后置于23℃和12L：12D条件下饲养,定时观察8d。经时间—剂量—死亡率模拟分析,悬乳剂的剂量效应参数明显高于孢子粉,且杀蚜时间效应提前。用模型参数估计悬乳剂和孢子粉的LC50,接种后第4天分别为9.0和634个孢子/mm2,第7天为3.3和5.3个孢子/mm2。悬乳剂和孢子粉的LT50随叶面孢子附着量增大而下降,在100个孢子/mm2下为3.2d和4.5d。这表明孢子悬乳剂的杀蚜活性比未剂型化的孢子粉显著增强。作者讨论了杀虫微生物制剂评价的技术规范问题。     

Evaluation of Metarhizium anisopliae (Deuteromycota: Hyphomycetes) for control of broad mite Polyphagotarsonemus latus (Acari: Tarsonemidae) in mulberry

A study on 12 entomopathogenic fungi for controlling broad mite (Polyphagotarsonemus latus (Banks)) in mulberry found that Metarhizium anisopliae CKM-048 was the most virulent strain in controlling both larvae and adult broad mites at the concentration of 2 x 10(8) conidia/ml. There was no ovicidal effect when tested with broad mite eggs. Median lethal concentrations (LC(50)) of M. anisopliae in killing larvae and adults were 8.7 x 10(6) and 1.3 x 10(7 )conidia/ml, respectively. Median lethal times (LT(50)) of larvae and adults were 2.4 and 3.8 days, respectively, at the concentration of 2 x 10(8) conidia/ml. The fungus was found to produce protease and chitinase. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) studies were done to monitor the infection steps of the fungus on broad mites. A greenhouse test on mulberry trees revealed that M. anisopliae could reduce the broad mite population within 4 days after treatment. However, after 7 days, its efficacy was decreased significantly.     

Food consumption by Chilo partellus (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) larvae infected with Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae and effects of feeding natural versus artificial diets on mortality and mycosis

Second and third instar Chilo partellus larvae were infected with Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae (both at 1x10(8)conidia/ml) and daily consumption of maize leaves was measured. Infection by the fungi was associated with reduced mean daily food consumption. Reduction in food consumption became evident 3-4 days after treatment with the fungi for second instar larvae and 4-5 days for third instar larvae. Four conidial concentrations, 1x10(5), 1x10(6), 1x10(7), and 1x10(8)conidia/ml, were tested against second instar larvae. Food consumption dropped by 70-85% when the second instar larvae were treated with the fungi at 1x10(8)conidia/ml. Reduction in food consumption by C. partellus larvae infected with B. bassiana and M. anisopliae may offset the slow speed of kill of the fungi. The effect of artificial versus natural diets on mortality and mycoses of second instar larvae treated with the fungi at 1x10(8)conidia/ml was determined. Larvae provided with artificial diet suffered little mortality and mycoses than larvae provided with maize leaves. The LT(50) was longer for larvae provided with artificial diet.     

不同温湿度组合对安徽虫瘟霉 诱发桃蚜病害的影响

用孢子浴方法,对42批次桃蚜Myzus persicae（30～60头/批）接种大剂量（孢子79～90个/ mm²）安徽虫瘟霉Zoophthora anhuiensis的分生孢子,在20℃下保湿24 h后转入不同温度（10℃、15℃、20℃、25℃、30℃及自然变温1.5～16.6℃和8.5～20.2℃）和湿度(50%、65%、80%、90%、95%及100% RH)的组合条件下观察桃蚜的反应。结果表明,各组合条件下的桃蚜均能发病死亡,而且累计死亡率的显著差异存在于不同温度（F=7.46, P<0.01)和湿度间（F=12.54, P<0.01）。最适发病的温度为恒温20℃和变温8.5～20.2℃（日均温12.4℃）,死亡率随湿度升高而增大。在10～25℃和100% RH的组合中,温度的变化几乎不影响桃蚜的累计死亡率,但影响发病速率,在10℃、15℃、20℃和25℃下的致死时间LT₅₀值分别为8.4 天、7.1 天 、4.0 天和3.4 天。回归分析表明, 在100% RH下安徽虫瘟霉诱发桃蚜发病的起始温度为1.65℃。在10～15℃及自然变温下,病死蚜尸顺利产孢的湿度为80% RH;而在20～30℃下,蚜尸产孢的湿度为90% RH。在所有温湿组合的蚜尸中未见安徽虫瘟霉的休眠孢子发生。     

球孢白僵菌分生孢子乳悬剂对甘蓝上桃蚜的田间控制效果

利用液-酵法生产球孢白僵菌(Beauveria bassiana)SG8702菌株的分生孢子粉,配制成含孢量为10^10个.ml^-1的孢子乳悬剂Ⅰ,在此基础上按1％(W／V)的比例舔加10％砒虫琳可湿性扮剂而得孢子乳悬剂Ⅱ．于2001年7月对两种孢子乳悬剂在云南昆明进行了自然条件下甘蓝上桃蚜(Myzus persicae)的田间小区(5．5m×4．8m)药效试验,各3个浓度(含孢量分别为10^7、10^6及10^5个·ml^-1常规喷雾处理,重复设清水喷雾对照,重复3次,随机区组排列．在喷菌后连续28d的田间蚜虫密度定期抽样调查中,乳悬剂Ⅱ的1000倍稀释液喷雾有效抑制了蚜虫数量增长,喷后策7—28天防效始终在90％以上．乳悬剂Ⅰ的相同稀释液喷雾对桃蚜的控制略逊于乳悬剂Ⅱ,但喷后第7天的相对防效也达到85％,此后维持防效70％以上达两周,策24天和28天才分别降至64．4％和52．6％．用含孢量10^6和10^5个·ml^-1的菌液喷雾,乳悬剂Ⅰ仍表现出明显的控蚜效果,而舔加微量砒虫琳的乳悬剂Ⅱ的控蚜效果总是优于同一浓度下的乳悬剂Ⅰ,昆明地区夏季温和而多小雨的气候有利于孢子乳悬剂发挥作用．     

Comparison of laboratory infection of aphids by Metarrhizium anisopliae and Verticillium lecanii

The pathogenicity of the only documented ‘aphid’ strain of Metarrhizium anisopliae for the aphid, Macrosiphoniella sanborni, was established by experimental infection. Its aphicidal potential was assessed by conducting parallel experiments with Verticillium lecanii, a fungus of proven efficacy in controlling aphids. The spore germination, growth and sporulation rates of M. anisopliae were slower than V. lecanii and were most likely the principal factors determining the higher LC., values in bioassay and slower propagation of this fungus amongst aphid populations. It is concluded that M. anisopliae, except perhaps in the salt marsh habitat from which it was originally isolated, would not prove as useful an agent as V. lecanii in biological control of aphids.     

Selection of an Isolate of the Insect Pathogenic Fungus Metarhizium anisopliae Virulent to the Lettuce Root Aphid, Pemphigus bursarius

The virulence of hyphomycete entomopathogenic fungi was measured in laboratory bioassays against the lettuce root aphid, Pemphigus bursarius, a serious pest of field lettuce grown in the UK. Of 25 isolates of fungi examined, only one isolate, Metarhizium anisopliae 391.93, killed lettuce root aphids consistently. This fungus was isolated originally from the closely related saltmarsh aphid, P. trehernei. The median lethal concentration of conidia at 10 days post6- 1 inoculation estimated from five independent bioassays was 2.45 × 10⁶ conidia ml^-1. The fungus had no significant effect on the mean number of offspring/aphid produced, but it sporulated 6 profusely on host cadavers, producing approximately 4 × 10⁶ conidia/cadaver 14 days after treatment, and diseased aphids died attached to plant roots. It thus has the potential to spread through densely packed colonies of P. bursarius feeding on the roots of susceptible or partially resistant plants.     

Horizontal transmission of Beauveria bassiana in Anastrepha ludens (Diptera: Tephritidae) under laboratory and field cage conditions

The virulence of two products of the fungus Beauveria bassiana (LCPP and Bassianil) on adult Anastrepha ludens (Loew) (Diptera: Tephritidae) and their effect on the mating performance of infected males was evaluated in laboratory and field cage tests. The horizontal transmission capacity of the fungus during copulation or attempted copulation also was quantified using inoculated males as well as the impact of infection on female fecundity and longevity. Both fungal products were found to be highly virulent (LCPP, mortality = 98.7% at 1 x 10(8) conidia per ml, LT50 = 4.20 d, LC50 = 9.35 x 10(5) conidia per ml; Bassianil, mortality = 99.3% at 1 X 10(8) conidia per ml, LT50 = 4.04 d, LC50 = 2.69 x 10(7) conidia per ml). Mating success of inoculated males was not affected compared with the control group during the 3 d postinoculation. Horizontal transmission to females during the first day was 80.6 and 84.3% through mating and 15.4 and 21.6% through attempts to mate and contact during courtship for the LCPP and Bassianil products, respectively. The fertility of infected females was notably reduced, and longevity did not extend beyond 15 d. Our results suggest the possibility of using sterile flies as fungus vectors in sterile insect technique programs, but the potential benefits and shortcomings of this approach require further investigation.     

一株球孢白僵菌的分离鉴定及其对草地贪夜蛾的致病性

草地贪夜蛾Spodoptera frugiperda(J. E.Smith)是我国于2019年新发现的一种迁飞性重大害虫。为了寻找对草地贪夜蛾有高致病性的昆虫病原真菌,本实验对采自广东省广州市华南农业大学湿地的感菌稻黑蝽Scotinophara lurida若虫僵虫进行了室内分离培养,结合形态学和rDNA-ITS序列分析,采用浸虫法研究了该菌对草地贪夜蛾各龄幼虫的致病力。鉴定结果表明该病原真菌为球孢白僵菌Beauveria bassiana,编号为GZSL-1菌株。菌株GZSL-1可侵染草地贪夜蛾6个龄期的幼虫,随孢子浓度的升高,草地贪夜蛾幼虫感病死亡率增加,当浓度达到1×10~8孢子/mL时,1～3龄幼虫的累计校正死亡率皆为100%,4龄和5龄幼虫也达到57.47%和55.06%,6龄仅25.28%。接菌6 d后1～5龄幼虫的LC_(50)值分别为1.32×10~3、3.42×10~3、1.01×10~4、1.61×10~5和1.23×10~7孢子/mL。幼虫LT_(50)值随孢子悬浮液浓度增加而递减,在孢子浓度为1.0×10~4～1.0×10~8孢子/mL范围内,1龄、2龄和3龄幼虫的LT_(50)值分别为3.58～1.69 d、4.30～1.78 d和5.70～3.12 d;浓度为1.0×10~5～1.0×10~8孢子/mL时,对4龄幼虫的LT_(50)为5.45～4.85 d;浓度为1.0×10~7～1.0×10~8孢子/mL时,对5龄幼虫的LT_(50)为5.04～5.02 d。上述研究结果表明,鉴定的球孢白僵菌菌株GZSL-1对草地贪夜蛾幼虫具有较强致病性,可为草地贪夜蛾微生物防治提供候选菌种资源。     

Pathogenicity of the entomogenous fungi Metarhizium anisopliae and Beauveria bassiana against crucifer pests and the honey bee

The susceptibility of the cabbage stem flea beetle (Psylliodes chrysocephala; Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) to different isolates of the entomogenous, hyphomycete fungi Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae, all from heterologous hosts, was investigated. The most pathogenic isolates were of M. anisopliae (V208, V233, V234, V242, V245, and V248). Studies were conducted to determine the virulence of V208 and V245, and their specificity for three other crucifer pests, Phaedon cochleariae, Myzus persicae and Lipaphis erysimi and a beneficial insect, Apis mellifera. Flea beetle mortality rates increased with dose; the estimated LC₅₀ ^S of V208 and V245 at 14 days post‐inoculation were c. 10⁶ conidia ml^‐1. The respective estimated LT₅₀ values of V208 and V245 for P. chrysocephala at 1 × 10⁷ conidia ml^‐1 were 10.0 and 9.3 days, and at 1 × 10¹⁰ conidia ml LT₅₀s were 3.8 and 4.2 days. Both V208 and V245 were pathogenic for P. cochleariaeM. persicae and L. erysimi. Myzus persicae and L. erysimi died within 4 days of inoculation. Bees were less susceptible to infection at low doses, but at 1 × 10¹⁰ conidia ml^‐1almost all bees had died by day 5 when the estimated LT₅₀s for V208 and V245 were 4.4 and 8.5 days respectively.