Entomopathogens isolated from field collected emerald ash borer, Agrilus planipennis in Canada

The emerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis (Coleoptera:Buprestidae) is an invasive bark beetle of ash trees in USA and Canada and has killed over 20 million ash trees. Adult beetles feed only on foliage but the key damage is inflicted by the larvae which feed underneath the bark of the trees. Its cryptic feeding habit has made this insect extremely difficult to manage and control. Suppression of pest organisms by their natural enemies is recognized as one of the most suitable long term pest management strategies for invasive species. In May of 2008, an exploratory survey of EAB’s entomopathogens was conduct within old outbreaks in Southern Ontario, Canada. Insect pathogenic fungi were most prevalent and Paecilomyces farinosus, Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae var. anisopliae (Hyphomycetes) were the most common species, comprising 24.6%, 15.5% and 5.6% of the total number of isolates, respectively. Steinernematid nematodes only infected 2.6% of both adults and larvae. Pathogens collected from this survey will serve as a source of potential biological control agents for emerald ash borer.