Coelomomyces indicus was reisolated from six larvae of Anopheles gambiae in Uganda. A crustacean copepod Cyclops sp. was found to be infected (63%). This indicated that the copepod could be an intermediate host for the fungus. All the four instars were highly susceptible to C. indicus but fourth instar Aedes aegypti was fairly susceptible (94.2%), while second instar An. gambiae (100%) and second instar C. fatigans (100%) were the most susceptible.
Laboratory tests were conducted to compare reproductive capacity and longevity of An. gambiae, C. fatigans and Ae. aegypti when infections of C. indicus were induced in each of the different larval instars. Infections of C. indicus sharply reduced the reproductive capacity and longevity of An. gambiae, C. fatigans and Ae. aegypti, regardless of the instar that were exposed and became infected. The reductions were highest when first and second instars were exposed. The tests indicated that introduction of C. indicus into laboratory populations of An. gambiae, C. fatigans and Ae. aegypti consisting of mixed larval instars, could significantly reduce the number and fertility of eggs and thus result in an average reduction of about 65.4% for An. gambiae, about 46.7% for C. fatigans and 58.7% for Ae. aegypti of the F1 progeny from those females that became infected. The importance of these results in biological control is discussed.