Entomopathogenic nematode management of small hive beetles () in three native Alabama soils under low moisture conditions.

The goal was to determine the efficacy of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) on small hive beetle (SHB) in Alabama soils. The objectives were to (i) determine the pupation success of SHB wandering larvae; (ii) determine the efficacy of EPNs on SHB wandering larvae in natural and autoclaved soil; and (iii) determine the efficacy of EPNs on SHB wandering larvae in three Alabama soil types at typical low moisture levels. The Alabama soils were Kalmia loamy sand (KLS), Benndale fine sandy loam (BFSL), and Decatur silt loam (DSL). , , S. , and were tested at population densities of 5, 10, 20, 40, and 80 third-stage infective EPN juveniles (IJ3) per 130 cm soil. Pupation success in SHB population densities of 5, 10, and 20 wandering larvae per Petri dish were similar. Of the six EPN species, achieved the highest efficacy across all EPN population densities in both natural and autoclaved soil. and achieved the next highest efficacies; however, they were significantly less effective than parasitized 87% SHB wandering larvae across all population densities tested. achieved the best efficacy colonizing 94% of the SHB in the KLS soil, 80% in the BFSL soil, and 47% in the DSL soil. In conclusions, is be a promising biological control EPN to implement into a management system on SHB.