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Microbial insecticides target specific insects with bacteria, viruses, amoebas, or fungi, making them safe for non-target species. They are vulnerable to the elements and may require multiple sprays for different types of infestations. Some scientists express concern about their safety and potential for resistance, but others see them as a better alternative to traditional poisons.
Microbial insecticides are a form of pesticide that work by infecting selected populations of insects with bacteria, viruses, amoebas or fungi. While this sounds potentially dangerous, many argue that it’s actually quite safe, since the insecticide is specific to the targeted species. These pesticides usually have no effect on animal populations, unless the decline of a certain insect in the area disrupts the food chain. Each type usually works against only one type of insect.
Bacterial insecticides can be used to control certain types of crop-eating caterpillars. They will kill both moth and butterfly caterpillars, however, and should only be used where they will not decrease a butterfly population. Normally, this preparation is sprayed directly onto the crops. A bacterial product works specifically on mosquito populations. It is considered extremely useful in eliminating populations that could spread the potentially deadly West Nile virus.
Several viral microbial insecticides work before diseased and kill some species of insects. They can affect moths and sawflies, depending on the virus used. Fungal insecticides can be used on cockroaches and create disease in an entire population. Amoebic ones cannot kill an insect but they can shorten its life span or prevent it from reaching sexual maturity.
While microbial insecticides may be beneficial in killing a single type of insect, people who have an infestation of several different types of insects may require the use of several different sprays. Because these products are so species-specific, they are unlikely to harm other crop-eating or infesting insects, so they may not reduce all infestations at once.
These pesticides also tend to be more vulnerable to the elements. For example, long exposure to the sun or heavy rain can kill some bacteria. Therefore, those attempting to control insect populations must time their application carefully for maximum effect.
Some scientists have expressed some concern about the safety of their microbial insecticides. Experts know for a fact that living creatures, even at the microscopic level, change and evolve, as do the creatures they affect. Some insects could develop resistance to the bacteria or viruses used to kill them, or insecticides could mutate and affect other populations. These uncertainties concern some environmentalists who see the widespread use of microbial products as potentially dangerous in the future.
For now, however, other conservationists are celebrating the development of species-specific agents that appear to be a better alternative to more frequently used poisons. These individuals argue that microbial insecticides offer a way to get rid of harmful insects while keeping beneficial insects safe.
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