Ecological Associations Between Entomopathogenic Fungi and Pest Insects Recorded in Latvia

Abstract: Occurrence of entomopathogenic fungi and their host range are studied. Observations of natural epizootics and collecting of diseased insects were done regularly in central and western part of Latvia. Attention was paid to registration of associations between pathogenic fungi and different insect species. Most common insect pathogenic fungi found in Latvia are Conidiobolus obscurus, C. thromboides, Entomophthora muscae, E. aphidis, Entomophthora sp., Beauveria bassiana, Metarhizium anisopliae and Verticillium lecanii. In 2002 fungus Beauveria brongniartii was identified first time in Latvia. European tent caterpillar Malacosoma neustria infected by B. brongniartii were collected