Comparing the mortality of Protaetia brevitarsis seulensis (Coleoptera: Cetoniidae) caused by entomopathogenic bacteria and Serratia marcescens (Enterobacteriales: Enterobacteriaceae)

Abstract

To investigate whether Serratia marcescens (Enterobacteriales: Enterobacteriaceae) isolated from Protaetia brevitarsis seulensis(Coleoptera: Cetoniidae) acts as an opportunistic bacterium in peroral infection, the primary entomopathogenic bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis (Bacillales: Bacillaceae) and Paenibacillus popilliae (Eubacteriales: Bacillaceae) were added to sawdust to perform a bioassay experiment. We found that peroral infection caused by S. marcescens could be fatal beyond a concentration of 4 × 10 8 pfu/mL in 2 nd stage P. b. seulensis larvae and at 6 × 10 8 pfu/mL in 3 rd stage P. b. seulensis larvae. In particular, mortality resulting from a combination of P. popilliae and S. marcescens was markedly increased in 2 nd stage P. b. seulensis larvae. Therefore, we confirmed that mortality was increased when S. marcescens was infected together with other entomopathogenic bacteria, and that peroral infection itself can be fatal beyond certain concentrations.

Identification and characterization of Metarhizium majus isolated from the edible insect Protaetia brevitarsis in Korea

“…spp. causes over 80% of the green muscardine disease and damaged to P. brevitarsis larvae reared farms from 2013 to 2015 (Kwak et al 2015). It is believed that accurate and fast identification of disease-causing microbes is essential for preventing insect diseases on mass reared insect farms, the number of which is fast increasing after approval of this insect as a temporary food ingredient by the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.…”

“…and Beauveria bassiana , respectively, and bacterial diseases include those caused by Bacillus thuringiensis and Serratia marcescens (Kwak et al . 2015).…”

“…The typical fungal diseases include green muscardine and white muscardine, caused by Metarhizium spp. and Beauveria bassiana, respectively, and bacterial diseases include those caused by Bacillus thuringiensis and Serratia marcescens (Kwak et al 2015).…”