Studies of the mortality of Locusta migratoria (L.) treated with a polyhedrosis virus from the grasshopper Caledia captiva(F.) (Orthoptera: Acrididae)

Preparations made from the Australian acridine grasshopper Caledia captiva (F.) that contained a recently discovered cytoplasmic polyhedrosis virus (CPV) were used to treat Locusta migratoria (L.). Feeding of the locusts with the preparations caused a significant increase in mortality. Although these deaths were associated with the viral treatment, their ultimate cause appeared to be uncontrolled proliferation of a bacterium, which is probably a strain of Enterobacter cloacae and which is usually found in locusts without ill effect. Four areas are identified where further work is necessary before the potential of the C. captiva CPV as an agent for the biological control of L. migratoria can be assessed.