# ARS Finds Bacteria Toxic To Small Hive Beetle



## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

A bacterium discovered by U.S. Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists that is toxic to Colorado potato beetle also has been found to be toxic in varying degrees to small hive beetle.

Findings on the new bacterial species, Chromobacterium suttsuga, now called Chromobacterium subtsugae sp. Nov are published in the May issue of the International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology.

Soil rich in decomposed hemlock leaves, collected from the Catoctin Mountain region in central Maryland, was the source of the new species. The team isolated the microbe by suspending samples of forest soil in water and then plating it directly on growth medium that doesn't contain glucose. Bacteria in the samples initially formed small and cream-colored colonies that gradually turned to light-to-dark violet from the center of the colony outward.

Some 59% of small hive beetles died within five days when fed a pollen-based diet containing the bacteria and the survivors weighed only 10% as much as small hive beetles that weren't exposed to the bacteria.

Microbiologist Phyllis Martin and her colleagues will work to isolate the toxin from the bacteria. Insects usually develop resistance to toxic substances, so it is important to identify new toxins.

 Al


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## NickieL (Jun 15, 2007)

well, I hope it can kill JPB's too...


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## suburbanite (Jul 27, 2006)

:woot:


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