> Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2009 17:14:12 -0500
> From: "=?windows-1252?Q?J._Waggle?=" <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Bees in Brazil and Muscardine Disease
Joe,
Muscardine disease is the early name for Metarhizium anisopliae
for its green spores! I have not heard of the disease in bees in
current times. Though it is one species of fungus introduced to
control mites. Problem is that the spores are not persistent in
hives and therefor are not in sufficient amount to control them. I
would not be surprised to hear of M.a. cropping up here or there on
its own--that is just what these fungi (entomopathogenic ) do.
Mike
Annals of the Entomological Society of America, Volume 19, Number 2,
June 1926 , pp. 180-192(13)
During the summer seasons of 1922, 1923, 1924 and 1925, a number of
the writer's stock silkworms died of a fungus affection. The disease
invariably appeared during hot, humid spells, and unless controlled
assumed epidemic proportions. The eggs, from which these silkworm
cultures were derived, originally came from healthy stock, and since
the fungus has been described as a parasite of a variety of insects,
it must have been introduced by one of them. When the affection first
appeared, the writer assumed that he was dealing with the so-called
green muscardine disease caused by Metarrhizium anisoPliae. In 1924
dead worms and cultures were sent to Miss Vera Charles, mycologist in
the Bureau of Plant Industry at Washington, who definitely identified
the fungus as Metarrhizium anisoPliae (Metsch.) Sorokin, and also gave
much valuable advice. The fungus belongs to the family Mucedineae, one
of the Fungi Imperfecti; those forms in which the ascigerous or
perfect stage has not been found
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