Fungi in Pest Control

​Pest control is a service used by a wide variety of people. A variety of pesticides including fungi are used to help stop pests, but how do they work?

Fungi in Pesticides

The primary group of fungi used to control pesticides is called hyphomycetes. Some hyphomycetes have the ability to be mass-produced. The large production process makes it possible for pesticides to be used in several ways. You chose to can use pesticides on larger or smaller scales due to the product's commercialized availability.
Fungi in the group Hyphomycetes usually reproduce rapidly when conditions are favorable. They can be found in soil and can infect many types of pests. Certain fungal strains in pesticides can attack aphids, caterpillars, grasshoppers, ants, weevils, and more. Other types of fungi used as pesticides may be harder to produce and use for commercial purposes which may lead to higher prices to treat your landscape.

Pros and Cons of Fungal Pesticides

There are several advantages to using fungi-based pest control products. As mentioned previously, some fungal pesticides can be made in massive amounts fairly easily. They also have similar prices to bacterial pesticides. Additionally, some fungal pesticides usually do not harm humans or animals.
Predominately, spray rigs are used to apply fungal pesticides because they usually are produced in the form of spores. These types of pesticides can also affect several types of pests with the same products.
While there are advantages, there are also disadvantages. Since fungi can eliminate a plethora of insects, it could also mean that they could potentially harm insects that help your landscape. There are also factors like sunlight that can limit the effectiveness of the product that you are using.​

When and Where to Apply Pesticides

• Consistently, pests were seen, because the residue does not last for long
• Apply before pests reach the peak, and better to nip the problem in the bud because it can increase the effectiveness 
• Timing can help make the pesticides more effective.
• Applying in optimal weather can help, for instance, dry spells will make them less effective 
• Do not apply during the heat, there can also be phytotoxicity, and not during rainy days as they may not come into contact with pests ​