Pathogenicity of some hypocrealean fungi to adult Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae).

The pathogenicity of 19 hypocrealean entomopathogenic fungi from seven different genera in adult Aedes aegypti was tested. All fungi proved to be pathogenic, and Isaria fumosorosea, Lecanicillium muscarium, Lecanicillium psalliotae, Metarhizium anisopliae, Metarhizium lepidiotae, Metarhizium majus, Metarhizium frigidum, Paecilomyces carneus, and Paecilomyces lilacinus caused total mortality within 15 days of exposure of mosquitoes to the fungal culture. All fungi developed on dead individuals. The high susceptibility of adults to most tested strains underlines the interest of entomopathogenic fungi-especially those of the genera Metarhizium, Isaria, Paecilomyces and Lecanicillium--for biological control of A. aegypti.