ENTOMOPATHOGENIC FUNGI IN PREDATORY BEETLES (COL, CARABIDAE AND STAPHYLINIDAE) FROM AGRICULTURAL FIELDS

Prevalence of entomopathogenic fungi was studied in overwintering grou nd beetles (Col.: Carabidae) and rove beetles (Col.: Staphylinidae) co llected from fields of lucerne, white cabbage and white cabbage unders own with white clover. In general infection levels in adult ground bee tles and rove beetles were low (Carabidae: max. 7.6%, Staphylinidae: m ax. 7.0%). in comparison, prevalence of entomopathogenic fungi in cara bid larvae was high (19-50%). At one study site an epizootic of Beauve ria bassiana was observed, infecting 67% of staphylinid Anotylus rugos us and 37% of the staphylinid Gyrohypnus angustatus. Beauveria bassian a was the predominant fungus isolated from ground beetles and rove bee tles from all studied sites. Other fungal species included the hyphomy cetes Metarhizium anisopliae, Paecilomyces farinosus and Verticillium lecanii as well as Zoophthora radicans and Zoophthora philonthi (Zygom ycetes: Entomophthorales). Two individuals of Anotylus rugosus were fo und to have a dual infection of Zoophthora philonthi and Beauveria bas siana.