EVALUATION OF THE EFFECTS OF 2 BEAUVERIA-BASSIANA (BALSAMO) VUILLEMINSTRAINS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF COLEOMEGILLA-MACULATA-LENGI TIMBERLAKE (COL, COCCINELLIDAE)

The effect of the fungus Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin, strai ns ATCC 44860 and ARSEF 2991, on the development of the spotted ladybi rd beetle Coleomegilla maculata lengi Timberlake larvae and pupae was evaluated at concentrations of 10(2), 10(4), 10(6) and 10(8) blastospo res/ml. Duration of development of C. maculata was measured when fed o n contaminated pollen or when allowed to prey on first and second inst ars Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata Say (Col., Chryso melidae) larvae treated by pulverization. The two B. bassiana strains exhibited different effects on the duration of development of C. macul ata. Pollen or Colorado potato beetle larvae treated with B. bassiana strain ATCC 44860 increased the C. maculata development time, whereas Colorado potato beetle larvae treated with strain ARSEF 2991 reduced d evelopment time but pollen treated with the same strain had no effect.