POPULATION DEVELOPMENT OF HETERORHABDITIS-BACTERIOPHORA AND STEINERNEMA-CARPOCAPSAE IN THE LARVAE OF GALLERIA-MELLONELLA

The population development of Heterorhabditis bacteriophora and Steine rnema carpocapsae was studied in larvae of the greater wax moth, Galle ria mellonella, after initiation with one or two infective juveniles, respectively. In both nematodes, three reproductive adult generations were observed and after 3 weeks a final population of about 150 000 in fective juveniles per insect was counted. Population development of th ese two species differed in several aspects. Details of the population development in the insect host of these most commonly used entomopath ogenic nematodes could be used to establish an optimal standard for fe cundity, at least during the first generation, in in vitro culture.