While emphasis with entomopathogens has often been on inundative releases, we describe here historic widespread inoculative releases of a fungal entomopathogen. Several U.S. states and municipalities conducted inoculative releases of the gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar (L.) (Lepidoptera: Erebidae), pathogen Entomophaga maimaiga Humber, Shimazu et Soper (Entomophthorales: Entomophthoraceae) after 1993, as gypsy moth populations spread into the Midwest and North Carolina. This Japanese pathogen first caused epizootics in northeastern North America in 1989 and methods for its inoculative release were tested and proven to be effective from 1991 to 1993. After 1993, spores in soil or in late instar cadavers were collected during or after epizootics and were released inoculatively into newly established populations of this spreading invasive; the goal was that spores would overwinter and germinate the next spring to infect larvae, thus speeding pathogen spread and hastening the development of epizootics in newly established populations. The fungus was released in gypsy moth populations that were separated from areas where the fungus was already established. In particular, extensive releases by natural resource managers in Wisconsin and Michigan aided the spread of E. maimaiga throughout these states. Where it has become established, this acute pathogen has become the dominant natural enemy and has exerted considerable influence in reducing gypsy moth damage. While this pathogen most likely would have invaded these new regions eventually, releases accelerated the spread of E. maimaiga and helped to reduce impacts of initial outbreaks, while further outbreaks were reduced by the pathogen’s subsequent persistence and activity in those areas.

中文翻译：

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真菌病原体 Entomophaga maimaiga (Entomophthorales: Entomophthoraceae) 的接种释放和自然传播进入美国吉普赛蛾、Lymantria dispar (鳞翅目: Erebidae) 种群

虽然对昆虫病原体的强调通常是在淹没释放上，但我们在这里描述了真菌昆虫病原体的历史性广泛接种释放。1993 年之后，随着吉普赛蛾种群蔓延到中西部和北卡罗来纳。这种日本病原体于 1989 年首次在北美东北部引起动物流行病，其接种释放方法在 1991 年至 1993 年间经过测试并证明有效。1993 年之后，在流行病期间或之后收集土壤或晚龄尸体中的孢子并释放接种到这种传播入侵的新建立的种群中；目标是孢子将在第二年春天越冬并发芽以感染幼虫，从而加速病原体传播并加速流行病在新建立的种群中的发展。这种真菌是在与已经存在真菌的地区分开的吉普赛蛾种群中释放的。特别是，威斯康星州和密歇根州的自然资源管理者的大量释放有助于 E. maimaiga 在这些州的传播。这种急性病原体在其建立的地方已成为主要的天敌，并在减少舞毒蛾损害方面发挥了相当大的影响。虽然这种病原体很可能最终会侵入这些新地区，但释放加速了麦迈加大肠杆菌的传播，并有助于减少最初爆发的影响，