Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) vuillemin - a promising microbial control agent of the satin moth (Lepidoptera : Lymantriidae)

A new isolate of the entomopathogenic fungus, Beauveria bassiana, was teste d by laboratory bioassays for potential use as a microbial control agent of the early (third) and last (seventh) instars of the satin moth, Leucoma sa licis L. Results demonstrate that this fungus is very effective against las t instars of this lepidopteran pest. Although B. bassiana was cultured succ essfully from internal contents of all cadavers examined, vegetative hyphae emerged from intact cadavers of L. salicis infected as early (third) insta r caterpillars only.