A DEVICE FOR INFECTING ADULT TSETSE-FLIES, GLOSSINA SPP., WITH AN ENTOMOPATHOGENIC FUNGUS IN THE FIELD

Various chamber designs for infecting natural populations of Glossina pallidipes, G. longipennis, and G. fuscipes fuscipes with the entomopa thogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae were tested in the field. All t hree species of tsetse flies entered the chambers and became infected with the fungus. Mortality attributed to infection by M. anisopliae ra nged hom 0 to 76% for G. pallidipes/G. longipennis and from 0 to 80% f or G. fuscipes. One design proved to be more efficient than the others in permitting the passage of flies and contaminating them with fungal conidia. Dry conidia of M. anisopliae in the infection chamber retain ed their infectivity for more than 21 days in the held. (C) 1998 Acade mic Press.