Potential role of Collembola as biotic mortality agents for entomopathogenic nematodes

Studied the capacity for Folsomia candida (Isotomidae) and Sinella caeca (Entomobryidae) to consume three species of entomopathogenic steinernematid nematodes and to reduce the effectiveness of nematode applications against larvae of the wax moth, Galleria mellonella (Pyralidae) and Japanese beetle, Popillia japonica (Scarabaeidae). Both collembolans readily consumed large numbers of nematodes. Mortality of wax moth larvae caused by Steinernema carpocapsae declined markedly as the time of prior exposure of the nematodes to collembolan predation increased. As few as five F. candida added to chambers containing 100 or 200 S. carpocapsae caused significant reductions in nematode-induced mortality of G. mellonella within 24 h. Presence of Collembola did not reduce the efficacy of nematodes against P. japonica grubs in turfgrass plugs. Collembolan predation may be more likely to reduce the effectiveness of nematode applications against surface-feeding insects than against subterranean root-feeders. -from Authors