Efficacy of the nematodes Pristionchus maupasi, Acrobeloides bodenheimeri and A. tricornis on target insects Ceratitis capitata and Galleria mellonella

In this study, we looked into the interactions between two insect species, Ceratitis capitata and Galleria mellonella, and four soil-borne nematodes species: Pristionchus maupasi, Acrobeloides sp., Acrobeloides bodenheimeri and Acrobeloides tricornis. We evaluated the nematodes' potential to kill insects at different developmental stages as well as their ability to proliferate inside the insect cadavers. According to our observations, Acrobeloides tricornis exhibits high parasitic effects on its insect host, C. capitata pupae, with 64% pupal mortalities at a concentration of 500 nematodes pupa-1. Acrobeloides tricornis also demonstrated the highest lethality against C. capitata larvae. However, it demonstrates limited effectiveness in killing G. mellonella larvae and does not possess the ability to reproduce inside them. Conversely, A. bodenheimeri is incapable of killing G. mellonella larvae and C. capitata pupae; instead, it thrives on freeze-killed insect larvae. On the other hand, P. maupasi displays moderate parasitic effects on G. mellonella larvae reaching 60% of killed insects at 500 nematodes larva-1, successfully infiltrating, reproducing, and emerging from the insect hosts.