ISOLATION OF BACILLUS SPHAERICUS WITH IMPROVED EFFICACY AGAINST CULEX QUINQUEFASCIATUS

A Bacillus sphaericus highly toxic to 4th-stage Culex quinquefasciatus was isolated from sediment samples collected at Winter Beach marsh in Indian River County, Florida. This isolate, named WBM 1-1-13, showed significantly higher toxicity compared with strain 2297. WBM 1-1-13 is equivalent, though better initially, to the toxicity of strain 2362, the active ingredient of VectoLex®. Furthermore, the Winter Beach marsh isolate produced more Bin per unit medium than strain 2362, which suggests that this new isolate could be useful for Culex control.