BIOLOGICAL AND MICROBIAL CONTROL Spinosad Interacts Synergistically with the Insect PathogenMetarhizium anisopliae Against the Exotic Wireworms Agriotes lineatus and Agriotes obscurus (Coleoptera: Elateridae)

Wedetermined that spinosad interacts synergistically with the biocontrol agentMetarhizium anisopliae (Metch) Sorokin to increase the mortality of two wild-collected wireworm species, Agriotes lineatus(L.), andAgriotes obscurus(L.).BioassayswereperformedusingaM.anisopliae isolate originally acquired from a local wireworm cadaver.M. anisopliaewas applied as a soil drench at 3.3 10 and 10 conidia per gram sand, respectively. Soil drenches also were prepared using a commercial formulation of the actinomycete toxins spinosyn-A and spinosyn-D (common name spinosad) at sublethal doses of 1.5, 3, and 6 ppm active ingredient per gram sand. Combined treatments of spinosad and M. anisopliae were synergistic in causing mortality for all spinosad concentrations. Wireworm feeding activity was reduced after exposure to both spinosad and M. anisopliae and was found to be concentration dependent. The high mortality and reduced rate of wireworm feeding suggest that spinosad and M. anisopliae treatment combinations should be tested in the Þeld.