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Boophilus annulatus, Hyalomma excavatum and Rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks were shown to be susceptible to different entomopathogenic fungi under laboratory conditions. Comparative results of bioassays using five different fungal species showed that some strains of Metarhizium anisopliae are highly pathogenic against various tick stages tested. In contrast to to their activity against insects, fungi also affected tick eggs. All tested tick stages including those feeding on a host were found to be susceptible to these fungi, except for adult H. excalatimn ticks, which were relatively resistant.

We tested the pathogenicity of 18 Metarhizium anisopliae (Metschn.) Sorokin isolates and 22 Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin isolates against Alphitobius diaperinus (Panzer) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) larvae and adults. The efficacy of the most virulent isolate-M. anisopliae K-was evaluated in containers with a concrete bottom covered with wood shavings, under simulated poultry house conditions. Application of conidia of this isolate to the shavings or directly to the concrete bottom reduced the yield of larvae in 8-15 time compared with the control. In another test, the mortality of mature larvae placed on previously inoculated shavings or bottom reached 80-90% within 14 days, compared with 14% in the control. The residual activity of conidia kept at 28°C retained its initial level during 14 days postinoculation, but declined after three weeks. Based on our data M. anisopliae has considerable potential for the control of A. diaperinus.

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