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Susceptibility Of House Fly (Diptera: Muscidae) Larvae To Entomopathogenic Nematodes (Rhabditida: Heterorhabditidae, Steinernematidae, David B. Taylor, Allen L. Szalanski, Byron J. Adams, Richard D. Peterson Ii

David B. Taylor

The potential for entomopathogenic nematodes to control flies in cattle feedlots was determined by screening 40 strains representing 8 species of Heterorhabditis Poinar and 5 species of Steinernema Travassos for virulence toward 3rd-instar house flies (maggots), Musca domestica L. None of the 22 strains of Heterorhabditis infecting maggots caused significant levels of mortality in a filter paper assay. Ten strains of Steinernema infected maggots, of which 7 strains--4 S. carpocapsa (Weiser), 2 S. feltiae (Filipjev), and 1 S. scapterisci (Nguyen & Smart) caused significant mortality. Ten Heterorhabditis strains and 10 Steinernema strains successllly reproduced for 22 generations in maggots. No …