NATURAL-POPULATIONS OF ENTOMOPATHOGENIC NEMATODES (RHABDITIDA, HETERORHABDITIDAE, STEINERNEMATIDAE) FROM THE HAWAIIAN-ISLANDS

Soils from 351 sites representing ecologically diverse habitats from six Hawaiian Islands (sea level to 4,200 m) were assessed for entomopathogenic nematodes using the Galleria baiting technique. Twenty-four sites (6.8%) were positive for entomopathogenic nematodes. Twenty-two sites (6.3%) were positive for a Heterorhabditis sp. from the islands of Kauai (6), Oahu (5), Maui (4), Molokai (1), and Hawaii (6), and two sites were positive for a Steinernema sp. from Maui. No entomopathogenic nematodes were recovered from soils on the island of Lanai. Heterorhabditids were highly correlated with ocean beaches within 100 m of seashore (0 m elevation). These positive sites had soils containing sand grains from coral and shells with moderately alkaline pH (8.0) and low organic content (12%). The steinernematid isolates came from inland areas in silty clay and slit loam soils with higher organic content (15-35%).