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Author Topic: Metarhizium and Hirsutella, our friends...  (Read 9140 times)

Offline AdmiralD

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Metarhizium and Hirsutella, our friends...
« on: June 25, 2005, 04:59:03 pm »


I believe this is one of a couple of spores [Hirsutella thompsonii] that will infect the virrolla mites. If this puppy was man-sized, I don't think I would like to meet it in a dark alley.

And this is the stuff [Metarhizium anisopliae] that we KNOW will get to the mites




And this is the stuff close up



Just thought you all might want to see what Metarhizium and other spores would look like.

Offline Joseph Clemens

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« Reply #1 on: June 25, 2005, 06:00:54 pm »
Excellent.

<img src="http://banners.wunderground.com/weathersticker/miniWeather06_both/language/www/US/AZ/Marana.gif" border=0
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Joseph Clemens
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10+ years in Tucson, Arizona
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No chemicals -- no treatments of any kind, EVER.

Offline AdmiralD

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Metarhizium and Hirsutella, our friends...
« Reply #2 on: July 07, 2005, 12:40:09 pm »
Here is some more information on the fungus amongus that might be useful in controling mites...please note, while this information is useful, it has not be tested on any bees that I know of. This is only a search off the internet.


M. anisopliae, an imperfect, entomopathogenic fungus is a widely distributed soil-inhabiting fungus, is called 'green muscardine fungus' due to the green color of the sporulating colonies. The fungus can infest the larvae, pupae and adults of several insect pests, such as Brontispa spp. and kill them. It may be an important controlling agent in dense populations during wet spells. It is also used to control the sugar beet curculio, {{Cleonus punctiventris}E}. The fungus has controlled many other insect pests in experimental trials, including the spittle bug, {{Mahanarva posticata}E}, leafhoppers, (Cercopidae), and the coconut palm rhinoceros beetle, Oryctes rhinoceros. It has also been investigated for the control of the pasture cockchafer, Aphodius tasmaniae, the beetle pasture pest, {{Adoryphous couloni}E}, the termite, {{Nasutiterenes exitiosus}E}, the sugar cane beetle, Antitrogus parvulus, the pecan weevil, Curculio caryae, the black vine weevil, Otiorhynchus sulcatus, cockroaches, Japanese beetle, black vine weevil, and mosquitoes.

Sprayable formulations have been used to control meadow spittlebug on sugar cane and coffee leafminer and the froghopper, {{Tomaspis saccharina}E}, in Trinidad and Grenada. M. anisopliae is highly pathogenic to many species of ticks, and is being considered as a microbial control agent for the management of ticks and {{Lyme disease}E}. However, this fungus may also infect and kill beneficial organisms. In laboratory assays, the thrips predator {{Orius insidiosis}E} showed a high rate of susceptibility to M. anisopliae.

Offline BigRog

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Metarhizium and Hirsutella, our friends...
« Reply #3 on: July 07, 2005, 01:16:41 pm »
Great post

That first pic looks like the monster from a old B&W movie
"Lurch my good man,…what did you mean when you said just now that 'You've got better things to do than run my petty little errands'…….?"

Offline Phoenix

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Metarhizium and Hirsutella, our friends...
« Reply #4 on: July 08, 2005, 09:48:21 am »
I appreciate this information, but where is the info on buying the product?  I have been reading information on this particular fungicide for a year now and yet, nobody seems to be able to purchase a product containing M.a.

Bioblast was the last product that I know of that contained M.a., but it is no longer on the market.

Offline AdmiralD

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Metarhizium and Hirsutella, our friends...
« Reply #5 on: July 08, 2005, 01:42:08 pm »
Quote from: Phoenix

Bioblast was the last product that I know of that contained M.a., but it is no longer on the market.


Have you done a google search on M.a? I keep finding it associated with a disease with grapes....If this fungus is also a disease to grapes, why not get some bad semi-rotted grape leaves and place it in the middle of the bee hive and let the bees clean it out during the fall.

Now I don't know if this will work, nor have I found information confirming the disease  is associated with grapes/wines ect. But if a few others will look when they have time, as I will continue to do so, as time allows....and maybe we might just find a 'home remedy'....that works...

If that doesn't work, but we find a source for M. a, then maybe we can grow this on a petri dish, like what is displayed above, and create our own innoculant...

and if my reasoning is poor/bad or otherwise just plain faulty, I will entertain the reason as to why it is bad faulty or just plain poor... :P

 

anything