Challenges and opportunities for the biological control of mushroom phorid flies using predatory mites
Phorid flies (Megaselia halterata) are a significant pest in button mushroom cultivation systems and are currently an issue on a number of Australian farms. Gravid females are attracted to the odour of actively growing mycelium during both spawn run and fill, and lay eggs in the compost.
While emerging larvae feed directly on mushroom mycelium, their significant impact on yield and quality is mainly due to their ability to vector mites, Lecanicillium fungicola (dry bubble) and Trichoderma aggressivum (compost green mould). This makes them a significant biosecurity risk to individual farms.
