WO2024254558A2 - Thickening oil formulations of fungal entomopathogens - Google Patents

Abstract

A thickened pesticide formulation comprising entomopathogenic fungus spores or conidia is disclosed herein. The pesticide composition comprises the entomopathogenic fungus spores or conidia, a carrier oil, and a thickening oil, wherein the viscosity of the pesticide formulation is 1,500 to 2,000,000 cps. In some embodiments, the pesticide composition further comprises an abrasive agent and/or a lure for a target insect. Bait traps comprising the pesticide composition and methods of controlling an insect population in a designated geographical area are also described herein.

Description

Agent Reference: 11157.179WO-PCT THICKENING OIL FORMULATIONS OF FUNGAL ENTOMOPATHOGENS RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Number 63/472,082, filed June 9, 2023, to Shikano et al., titled “Thickening oil formulations of fungal entomopathogen,” the entirety of the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by this reference. TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] This disclosure relates to thickened entomopathogenic fungal formulations and an apparatus for controlling insects comprising such formulations. BACKGROUND [0002] Across the world, fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) are known for their diversity and negative impacts on agricultural production of fruits and vegetables. This family Tephritidae is moderately large, with over 4000 documented species and are endemic to Africa, Asia, Australia, the Pacific, and Central and South America. Tephritidae are primarily distributed throughout temperate, subtropical, and tropical parts of the world. Tephritid flies are also known to be excellent colonizers due to their strong ability to adapt to new regions, climates, and host species. Of the known tephritid flies, there are about 250 species that are economically significant due to their deleterious impacts on production and trade of agricultural commodities. The rise in insecticide resistance in tephritid fruit flies has also driven the need for alternative control methods. [0003] In the literature on tephritid fruit flies, the bulk of the published work focuses on negative economic trade impacts and the best control methods of a handful of family members. Many lists of the most important agricultural and horticultural pests include members of Tephritidae. Some of the most prominent and well-studied members are the South American fruit fly, Anastrepha fracterculus (Wiedemann), the Mexican fruit fly, A. ludens (Loew), West Indian fruit fly, A. obliqua (Macquart), Oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel), the olive fruit fly, B. oleae (Rossi), Queensland fruit fly, B. tryoni (Froggatt), peach fruit fly, B. zonata (Saunders), Mediterranean fruit fly (med fly), Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), apple maggot fly, Rhagoletis pomonella (Walsh), and the melon fruit fly, Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett). The ability for these flies to invade new areas is exacerbated by the increase of Agent Reference: 11157.179WO-PCT global trade over the past few decades. The trade of agricultural commodities has the inherent risk of introducing exotic pests that are costly and difficult to control or eradicate. [0004] The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) spends roughly $15 million annually on eradication and monitoring programs to prevent invasive establishment of C. capitata. If C. capitata were to establish in California, the estimated losses are over $1 billion annually in crop loss, export sanctions, and treatment costs. In the United States, many states are at risk of having a tephritid pest introduced and potentially establish. Texas and Florida are also agricultural states that have had to deal with tephritid introductions. Spending millions of dollars to eradicate Oriental and Mediterranean fruit flies. Only in Hawaii are these invasive fruit flies established. Resulting in strict quarantines on exporting agricultural commodities. [0005] In Hawaii, there are five invasive tephritids. Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett) (Melon fly) was the first to arrive in Hawaii in 1895 and then in 1910, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Mediterranean fly) arrived effectively colonizing and damaging the papaya industry. During World War II the heavy traffic of troops and supplies going back and forth from the pacific allowed for the Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) (Oriental fly) to make its way to Hawaii in 1944. Governments began to become more aware of the dangers of inadvertently introducing new species and began to restrict the free flow of goods through quarantine restrictions in and out of Hawaii. The next tephritid, Bactrocera latifrons (Hendel) (Malaysian fruit fly), made its way into the State even with the quarantine restrictions in 1983. The most recent introduction, as of 2019, with all the modern quarantine measures, was the Bactrocera oleae (Gmelin) (olive fruit fly) which has become established on Hawaii Island and Maui. [0006] Economic damage and strict quarantine strategies are the result of these introductions into Hawaii. With over 400 different species of fruit and vegetables that these fruit flies are known to infest throughout Hawaii. Some of the more economically important crops to Hawaii are: Citrus, Citrus spp.; coffee, Coffea arabica L.; eggplant, Solanum melongena L.; guava, Psidium guajava L.; mango, Mangifera indica L.; melons, Cucumis melon L.; papaya, Carica papaya L.; passion fruit, Passiflora edulis Sims.; persimmon, Diospyros kaki L.; tomato, Solanum lycopersicum L.; cucurbits, Cucurbita pepo L. Aside from the hurdles of producing these susceptible crops, exporting them from Hawaii requires postharvest treatment, which further exacerbates an already difficult agricultural economy. In the 1970’s melon flies in Hawaii caused approximately $15 million in crop losses. At the turn of the century, an estimate for the economic impact of melon fly, med fly, and oriental fly in Hawaii was about $300 million annually. The presence of these fruit flies has impacted more than the wallets of Agent Reference: 11157.179WO-PCT farmers. These flies are impacting farmer’s willingness to plant crops that are known to be susceptible hosts, limiting the potential production of certain crops in Hawaii. [0007] Tephritid flies are destructive in many nations and have become exceptionally destructive on island ecosystems without natural predators to control them. Fruit flies possess many attributes that make them exceptionally difficult to control and destructive if left unchecked. Their ability to be transported undetected by human activity makes their introductions into new regions easy. Natural high dispersal capabilities make these new introductions even more devastating if the flies are able to establish on a host or closely related species. Populations can then explode out of control during warm and humid periods. Across each genus in the Tephritidae many characteristics are shared. However, each fruit fly species has its own unique behaviors as well that can be exploited to potentially control them. A. Biology & Ecology [0008] The lifecycles of tephritid fruit flies are uniform across most species within the family. Each tephritid goes through four primary phases during its lifetime. Egg, larval, pupal, and adult phases. The first three phases are the immature stages and visual species identification can be difficult. During the adult phase most tephritid’s are easily identified by their unique body marking and wing patterns. Proper identification is critical to ensuring the proper management, quarantine, and control programs are implemented. [0009] Eggs are elongated, glistening white, rounded at one end, approximately 1mm in length (FIG. 22). They are laid into young fruits and deposited in clusters. Some will lay eggs in batches or individually, depositing eggs in as many fruits as possible over the course of the female’s lifetime. The incubation time of the eggs is impacted primarily by temperature and substrate. The substrate type impacts the time it takes for eggs to hatch in melon flies. Melon fly eggs laid in cucumbers take between 24 to 38 hours to hatch, on watermelon approximately 28 hours, and on bottle gourd, Lagenaria siceraria (Mol.) Standl. eggs took between 34 and 47 hours to hatch. Temperature impacts how many eggs will hatch and the time it takes for them to hatch. [0010] Once eggs hatch, the larvae (maggots), begin to burrow deeper into the fruit. The three instar phases are characteristic of all tephritids (FIG. 23). Each successive instar phase takes progressively longer than the one before it. The first instar is tiny and not much larger than the egg and translucent white. Second instars are slightly larger than first instars, becoming creamier in color. Third instars are the most noticeable with yellow-creamy white colored Agent Reference: 11157.179WO-PCT bodies and their dark mandibular hooks. In almost all tephritids, third instars exhibit a jumping behavior as they become fully mature. Larvae tense and fold their bodies in half then relax particular muscles launching its body into the air and many inches away from the fruit to an area to pupate in the soil. [0011] Making their way into the soil, larvae then become sluggish and contract their bodies longitudinally. Pupae are small, cylindrical, and barrel-shaped (FIG.24). Their colors vary by species, ranging from creamy tan to reddish-brown to dark brown-grey. The pupal period ranges by species, host fruits, and multiple external factors like temperature, moisture content of the soil, and soil type. As flies eclose from their puparium, they make their way to the surface of the soil. Here the teneral adults seek out a safe place to dry their bodies and wings before becoming active, searching for a food source. Each adult fly is going to exhibit unique behaviors, body coloration, and wing patterns that are characteristic of that species (FIG.21). [0012] Mediterranean flies (C. capitata) are smaller than other tephritids. With an average body length of 3.5-5 mm and wingspan of 8-10 mm. Their bodies are short and stubby with black, yellow, and brown markings. Their thorax is creamy yellow-white with symmetrical black blotches and black bristles scattered across the whole thorax. The scutellum of med flies are inflated and shiny black. The abdomen is yellow-brown in color with two narrow transverse lightly colored bands on the basal half. Wings are typically held in a drooping position, mostly hyaline with black, brown, and yellow markings. There are dark streaks throughout the wing and anterior and anal cells, with a large yellow brown band across the middle of the wing. Males are identifiable from females by the pair of bristles with enlarged dark spatulate tips next to their eyes. [0013] Melon flies (Z. cucurbitae) are smaller than an average house fly with their average body size between 8-10 mm long and a wingspan of 14-17 mm. Males are typically smaller than the females and females are identified by their ovipositor. Their bodies are a reddish- brown with three distinct lateral yellow vitta and a yellow scutellum. The abdomen is reddish- brown with 5 tergites. A “T” pattern is formed by a transverse dark band across the T3 tergite is intersected by a thin medial line connecting the T3-T5 tergite. This “T” marking is sometimes faint. Their wings are predominantly hyaline with dark costal banding along the anterior margin and interior cup with fuscous markings at the margin of the wing tip and at the dm-cu cross vein. [0014] Oriental flies (B. dorsalis) are similar in size to the melon fly. The average body size is between 8-10 mm long and a wingspan of 14-16 mm. The thorax is predominantly black with yellow lateral vitta and a yellow scutellum. Abdomens have 5 tergites with a small sixth tergite Agent Reference: 11157.179WO-PCT in females and yellow to orange, brown. The T3-T5 tergites have black medial stripes and a transverse dark line on T3, forming a “T” on the abdomen. Oriental flies wings are mostly hyaline with a dark costal banding along the anterior margin of the wings. [0015] Most tephritids become sexually mature within a few days, with some taking up to two- weeks to mature, after eclosion and finding a food source. In some species, sexually mature flies will aggregate together forming a lek. Leks are formed before sunset and the light intensity is most intense. In these leks, each territory within the lek will be occupied by one male who is actively defending his site against other males. Males will exhibit aggressive defensive actions like head butting and lunging at encroaching males. During these leks males secrete pheromones to attract females. Mediterranean fly males exhibit pheromone calling; males curl their abdomen upward exposing their rectal epithelium excreting a bubble of pheromone, while vibrating their wings to disperse the pheromone toward nearby females. [0016] Once a female has found a male, they will copulate for anywhere from a few hours to throughout the night. Gravid females will then leave in search of a place to lay their eggs. Preoviposition period, fecundity, and daily eggs laid are directly impacted by temperature for tephritids found in Hawaii. When a female is attempting to find a suitable location for her eggs, she will use both olfactory and visual stimuli to determine fruits that are suitable. The females will probe the surface of fruits with their labellum and ovipositor, preferring to oviposit in damaged areas and cracks of the fruits. Some have reported that gravid females will lay more eggs in an area where other conspecific females are present and laying. Conflicting observations of oriental fly females will defend their oviposition sites against any other females of the same or different species. B. Current Control Methods and Shortcomings [0017] Since tephritid fruit flies were introduced into Hawaii, many different control methods have been implemented to reduce the damage they can inflict, including mechanical, cultural, biological, physical, and chemical controls. In combination, these methods have been successful at reducing fruit fly damage on Hawaii farms. However, each has its own inherent pitfalls that make a single solution to keep the fly populations below a level of economic damage challenging. Mechanical Controls [0018] Most mechanical controls applied today are most effective against insects with limited movement capabilities. Fruit flies pose more of a challenge to growers who wish to control the Agent Reference: 11157.179WO-PCT insects by mechanical methods. Some growers have successfully reduced infestation rates of tephritidae in their field by netting, bagging, or wrapping fruits. Reducing the amount of produce available to gravid females. Augmentoriums have been utilized in Hawaii to cover infested plants and fruits to keep emerging adults from dispersing and mating. Mechanical controls do not require any intensive learning or skill to implement them and there are little to no negative impacts to the environment. The greatest limitation of mechanical controls being successful in most systems is the time and labor required to effectively protect each crop. For small scale producers wrapping can be more effective and lucrative. As production scale increases mechanical controls become a less viable option for crop protection. Cultural Controls [0019] Reduction in pest prevention and damages can be achieved through different farming practices and techniques. Cultural controls can vary in application from the use of resistant varieties to crop rotation and timing of planting to crop residue removal. Since tephritid fruit flies are highly polyphagous and mobile, most cultural control methods do not sufficiently control or reduce populations. The cultural practice of sanitization by removing and disposing of infested plants and fruits is effective at breaking the reproduction life cycle of the flies. By physically removing potentially infested fruit either by crushing and burying or by solarization in bags, populations can be reduced significantly. These cultural practices can be beneficial at hindering pest populations from reaching economically damaging levels. They do however require a lot of intimate knowledge of the pest’s biology and understanding the timing of when to implement these controls. If these controls are not implemented at the correct time they will not be as effective at reducing pest pressure. Chemical Controls [0020] Starting in the 20th century, many different inorganic insecticides (e.g. Bordeaux [copper(II) sulfate and lime] plus nicotine sulfate, lead arsenate, Paris green [copper(II) acetoarsenite]) were sprayed to little effect on crops to reduce infestation and emergence. Further development of pesticides like DDT in the 1940’s had some effect on tephritid fruit fly control. The most commonly used insecticide since the 1950’s is the organophosphate, malathion. As more research was done to understand fruit fly behavior and dietary requirements, combining insecticides with proteinaceous bait sprays became the recommended method of controlling fruit flies for decades. At the turn of the century GF-120® NF Naturalyte® Fruit Fly Bait (Dow AgroSciences, Indianapolis, IN, USA) containing spinosad, Agent Reference: 11157.179WO-PCT a toxin derived from a soil-dwelling bacterium, was introduced. This environmentally friendlier option was heavily relied upon in Hawaii as the primary method of control for Z. cucurbitae. Targeting areas around the cropping systems and known roosting locations instead of directly spraying the crop. Due to the effectiveness of chemical applications for many decades farmers have relied heavily on pesticides for tephritid control. This has led to a high level of resistance in Hawaii tephritids to spinosad and other classes of insecticides when inadequate rotations of pesticides are being used. The ability of these pesticide resistant populations to persist in the environment reduces the efficacy of many pesticides for the control of tephritids. Behavioral Controls [0021] Fruit fly behavior controls are focused on disrupting mating of males and females with or without the use of pheromones and semiochemicals. The two most prominent methods are Male Annihilation Technique and Sterile Insect Technique. [0022] Male Annihilation Technique (MAT) strives to decrease the male population of a species to reduce the number of mating interactions that may occur, reducing the overall population. A key mechanism that makes MAT effective against tephritids is the use of synthesized male-specific chemicals like methyl eugenol (ME; 4-allyl-1, 2-dimethoxybenzene- carboxylate), cuelure (C-L; 4-(p-acetoxyphenyl)-2-butanone), and raspberry ketone (RK; 4-(4- Hydroxyphenyl)butan-2-one). Combining these attractants with a toxicant or fumigant forms the basis for MAT. Pestiferous tephritids have been eradicated successfully using MAT on multiple islands throughout the pacific and Indian ocean. Fiberboard, coconut husks, and cotton wicks are soaked in the attractant-toxicant mixture and then distributed across the infested regions. These concentrated lure-toxicant combinations have been effective at reducing pesticide applications and tephritid pest pressure in field and forested regions. MAT can be used to eradicate invasive tephritids, but financial restrictions and geographic distribution of pest species can determine the success of a MAT program. Multiple MAT programs that were initially set out to eradicate a specific tephritid species later became suppression programs. Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) was first proposed with its principles by E.F. Knipling and Raymond Bushland in the 1950’s as a method to suppress or eradicate pest species by the release of sterilized insects. Fruit flies have been the subject of many SIT programs across the globe, each with different goals. The earliest SIT programs in the United States occurred in Hawaii to eradicate C. capitata, B. dorsalis, and Z. cucurbitae. The most successful SIT eradication programs have been accomplished on Islands in the Pacific; Z. cucurbitae from Rota and Okinawa, and B. dorsalis from the Mariana Islands. Regional programs across Agent Reference: 11157.179WO-PCT Australia, Central America, Asia, the Mediterranean, and Africa had varied levels of success achieving eradication and suppression of tephritids. One of the limiting factors for SIT to be a viable long-term component to IPM programs is the economic viability of producing sterile insects and funding for extended projects. Biological Controls [0023] Use of natural enemies to control pest populations have been applied against many different species of plant and insect pests. Natural enemies or control agents include parasitoids, predators, and pathogens. For most Tephritidae, biological control for most of the 20th century consisted of classical and augmentative biological control programs. Biological control programs began as early as 1914 with the first introductions of Opiine Braconid (Hymenoptera) parasitoids in Hawaii. Subsequent releases followed, with one the largest biological control programs against fruit flies from 1947-52, where 29 parasitoid species were collected from across the world and reared in Hawaii for release. Many of the programs began as classical programs but had to shift to augmentative control programs due to the inability of parasitoid agents to become established in the wild. Psyttalia fletcheri (Silvestri) was successfully established in Hawaii on Z. cucurbitae with parasitism percentages that varied according to the host fruit species. Although a level of control is afforded through established parasitoid wasps, parasitism is not adequate alone to fully control tephritids in many programs. [0024] The lifecycle of most tephritid flies leaves them susceptible to predation in their larval and pupal state. Although predation may attribute to some larval and pupal mortality it has not been the primary focus of most research. Observations of ants, beetles, spiders, and even mice have been implicated in preying upon third instar larvae exiting fruit and pupae. Garcia et.al. found there were a total of 56 species of predators associated with tephritid fruit flies in the Americas and Hawaii with ants as the most likely to predate on tephritids. [0025] Pathogens and biological pesticides that utilize nematodes, bacteria, fungi, and viruses are being brought to the forefront in the biological control of fruit flies. Some pathogens are more effective at controlling the flies while they are in the soil (nematodes, fungi) while others may be able to be applied to adults (fungi, bacteria, viruses). Research into gut symbiosis and compatible bacterial pathogens, like Wolbachia, are being tested and applied to tephritids as another option for biological control. During the pupal stage many tephritids (Ceratitis, Bactrocera, Anastrepha, Rhagoletis) are susceptible to entomopathogenic nematodes (EPN). EPN’s could be an effective part of an IPM program to control fruit flies during the soil stage of their lifecycle. Agent Reference: 11157.179WO-PCT [0026] Entomopathogenic fungi are another biological control agent that are being examined in more depth for their application toward the control of fruit flies. Due to the nonspecific nature of EPFs they can be applied toward a wide array of pest species. Economically significant genera of fruit flies have been studied for their susceptibility to EPFs, including Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium spp.. Multiple life stages have been shown to be susceptible to EPF infection; larvae, pupae, adult. Soil drenching is the most practical application at this time to employ EPF into any cropping system without exposing the fungi to excessive amounts of ultraviolet light. However, adult tephritids are more susceptible to fungal infection than the pupal phase. Thus the vulnerability of the EPF to ultraviolet light limits the ability of EPF to be applied toward the longest phase of a fruit fly’s life cycle, which is the adult stage. Opportunity to Develop a New Management Tool [0027] There are a multitude of IPM tools that can be utilized for the control of tephritids globally. All IPM strategies that are implemented to control fruit flies aim to reduce fly populations below economic thresholds. Damage from female fruit flies during oviposition results in unmarketable products and persistence of pest populations. Many geographical, environmental, and economic factors influence the effectiveness and availability of some IPM tools to producers and conservationists. Considerations for organic or small scale- producers to reduce reliance on chemical pesticides has led to a shift in research. There is an emphasis on researching and developing control programs that are organic, affordable, environmentally sound, and easy to implement. [0028] Entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) have been shown to be effective in the control of multiple pest species. Recent studies have shown that EPF’s like Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin and Metarhizium anisopliae (Metsch.) Sorokin are effective at achieving high rates of mortality in adult fruit flies. Commercial EPF products are available but are not able to be applied in a way that would effectively control these fruit flies. Development of a product that incorporates these EPF could become a powerful addition to many integrated pest management (IPM) programs across the State, Nation, and Globe. [0029] Multiple studies have tested the efficacy of Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin and Metarhizium anisopliae (Metsch.) Sorokin to multiple life stages and genera of tephritids. Both B. bassiana and M. anisopliae are commercially available. Although many studies have Agent Reference: 11157.179WO-PCT shown the efficacy of EPF and suggest their incorporation into fruit fly IPM programs, only a few have considered using EPF to control the adult populations. [0030] The majority of current methods are passive in their control of females, while many IPM strategies successfully target the males. Repeatedly, MAT has proven to be successful in controlling male fruit flies. Exploiting the attractiveness of male lures to target females via horizontal transmission of insecticides has been shown effective at reducing females in the field. Horizontal transmission to control entire populations by exploiting males, using them as vectors, to deliver insecticides can be an effective way to reduce broadcast spraying of pesticides. EPF could be employed in a similar fashion to these attract and kill stations. Horizontal transmission of B. bassiana

anisopliae in multiple tephritid species has been confirmed to induce significant reductions in female numbers after exposure to infected males. [0031] To effectively utilize EPF in an attract-and-kill fashion to control tephritid fruit flies, multiple requirements must be met. First, the development of a carrier agent that prolongs the viability of EPF spores by protecting them from water exposure and ultraviolet radiation. Second, the development of an auto-dissemination station that can disperse the EPF product to the target members of a population. Some researchers have suggested that such stations could significantly increase the efficacy of EPF as a major tool for control of fruit flies while reducing the risk toward non-target species. Third, an effective lure that is compatible with the EPF spores. All three components must be considered in depth through lab and field experiments before determining the applicability of EPF in controlling adult tephritid fruit flies. SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE [0032] Disclosed herein is a pesticide composition comprising entomopathogenic fungus spores or conidia in a thickened oil formulation. The composition comprises the entomopathogenic fungus spores or conidia, a carrier oil, and a thickening agent. In some embodiments, where the thickening agent is not abrasive, the pesticide composition further comprises an abrasive material. In some aspects, the abrasive material is in an amount of 10% by weight/volume of the composition, for example, where the abrasive material is diatomaceous earth. In some embodiments, the pesticide composition further comprises a lure for a target insect. [0033] In some aspects, entomopathogenic fungus spores or conidia is a genus selected from the group consisting of: Beauveria, Metarhizium, Hirsutella, Isaria, Lecanicillium, Paecilomyces, Entomopthora, and Nomuraea. In some aspects, the entomopathogenic fungus is a species selected from the group consisting of: Beauveria bassiana, Metarhizium anisopliae, Agent Reference: 11157.179WO-PCT Metarhizium brunneum, Hirsutella thompsonii, Isaria fumosorosea, Lecanicillium lecanii, Lecanicillium longisporum, Paecilomyces lilacinus, Entomopthora muscae, and Nomuraea riley. In particular embodiments, the entomopathogenic fungus is B. bassiana or Metarhizium anisopliae. [0034] In some aspects, the carrier oil is selected from the group consisting of mineral oil, petroleum distillates, an oil isolated from a botanical source, or mixtures thereof. In some embodiments, the carrier oil comprises canola oil or mineral oil. In certain embodiments, where the carrier oil is mineral oil, the composition comprises petroleum oil. [0035] In some implementations, the thickening agent in the pesticide composition is in an amount sufficient to result in the composition having a viscosity of 1,500 to 2,000,000 cps. For example, the pesticide composition has a consistency resembling lotion, petroleum jelly, or a paste. In some embodiments, the thickening agent is in an amount of at least 10% by weight/volume of the composition. In some aspects, the thickening agent is selected from the group consisting of: glyceride flakes, Dermofeel® Viscolid, cornstarch, diatomaceous earth. In some embodiments, the composition comprises cornstarch is in an amount of at least 1 g/ml of the composition. In other embodiments, the composition comprises glyceride flakes or Dermofeel® Viscolid in an amount of at least 10% by weight/volume of the composition. [0036] In some aspects, the lure for the target insect is in an amount of 0.01-10% by volume of the composition. [0037] In some embodiments, the pesticide composition has widespread efficacy against multiple species of fruit flies. The composition comprises Beauveria bassiana at a concentration of at least 2.0 x 10¹⁰ conidia per ml, the carrier oil, and the thickening agent. In some embodiments, the composition further comprises an abrasive material and/or a lure for fruit flies. In some aspects, the carrier oil is selected from mineral oil and an oil from a botanical source (for example, canola oil). In some embodiments, the composition further comprises a thickening agent and/or a lure for fruit flies. In some aspects, the thickening agent is in an amount of sufficient to results in the composition having a consistency resembling petroleum jelly. Accordingly in some implementation, the thickening agent is in an amount of at least 10% by weight/volume of the composition. In some aspects, the thickening agent is selected from the group consisting of: glyceride flakes, Dermofeel® Viscolid, and cornstarch. Where the thickening agent is glyceride flake or Dermofeel® Viscolid, the composition comprises the thickening agent is in an amount of 10% by weight/volume of the composition. Where the thickening agent is cornstarch, the composition comprises the thickening agent is in an amount of at least 1 g/ml of the composition or in an amount of about 1.4 g/ml of the composition. In Agent Reference: 11157.179WO-PCT some aspects, the abrasive material is in an amount of 10% by volume of the composition. In particular embodiments, the abrasive material is diatomaceous earth. In some embodiments, the lure is selected from the group consisting of: cuelure, trimedlure, methyl eugenol, and raspberry ketone. In certain embodiments, the lure for fruit flies is in an amount of 10% by volume of the composition. A bait station comprising the pesticide composition disclosed herein is also described. The bait station comprises a chamber and a reservoir for retaining the above described pesticide compositions. In some embodiments, the reservoir for retaining a pesticide composition is a fabric saturated with the pesticide composition. Where the pesticide composition has a consistency resembling petroleum jelly, the reservoir is a surface within the chamber onto which the pesticide composition is provided. [0038] A method of controlling an insect population in a designated geographical area is further disclosed. The method comprises providing the above described pesticide composition to the designated geographical area. In some embodiments, the pesticide composition is applied on a surface within the designated geographical area. Where the pesticide composition has a consistency resembling petroleum jelly or a paste, the pesticide composition is provided to the designated geographical area in a bait trap. [0039] The foregoing and other aspects, features, and advantages will be apparent from the DESCRIPTION and DRAWINGS, and from the CLAIMS if any are included. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0040] Implementations will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended and/or included DRAWINGS, where like designations denote like elements. [0041] FIG.1 is a graph of the lethal concentration survivorship curves from probit analysis of Bactrocera dorsalis, Ceratitis capitata, and Zeugodacus cucurbitae exposed to multiple concentrations of Botanigard® ES in aqueous suspension. The data is from Trial 1. Gray shading indicates 95% confidence intervals. Data from the control and highest concentration (2.0e+08 spores per/ml), which mainly produced 0 and 100% mortality, were excluded from the analysis. [0042] FIG.2 is a graph of the lethal concentration survivorship curves from probit analysis of B. dorsalis, and Z. cucurbitae exposed to multiple concentrations of Botanigard® ES in aqueous suspension. The data is from Trial 2. Gray shading indicates 95% confidence intervals. Data from the control which produced 0% mortality, were excluded from the analysis. [0043] FIG.3 shows the Kaplan-Meier survival curves of Aprehend® and the BotaniGard® in mineral oil formulation (BGM) on three substrates: filter paper, cotton cloth fabric, and PIG® Agent Reference: 11157.179WO-PCT Oil-Only Absorbent Mat. Survival curves are shaded by 95% confidence intervals with individual p-values between each control and treatment. Z. cucurbitae flies were exposed to each treatment for five-minute periods before release and monitoring for mortality. After 14 days exposure, all escaped and surviving flies were censored from the analysis. The BGM formulation treatment was statistically more effective than Aprehend® treatment on each treated substrate: filter paper (p = 0.00041), cloth (p ≤ 0.0001), and PIG® Oil-Only Absorbent Mat (p ≤ 0.0001). [0044] FIG.4 is a graph of the Kaplan-Meier survival curves of the BotaniGard® in mineral oil formulation (BGM) with diatomaceous earth incorporated at 2.5, 5.0, and 10.0%. Survival curves of Z. cucurbitae are shaded by 95% confidence intervals. Flies were passed through 4- inch treated tubes and monitored for mortality for 14 days after exposure, all escaped and surviving flies were censored from the analysis. [0045] FIG. 5 is a representation of Kaplan-Meier survival curves of the BotaniGard® in mineral oil formulation with diatomaceous earth incorporated at a concentration of 10.0% (BMD). Survival curves of B. dorsalis, C. capitata, and Z. cucurbitae are shaded by 95% confidence intervals. [0046] FIGs.6A-6F show representative Kaplan-Meier survival curves of the BotaniGard® in mineral oil formulation with diatomaceous earth incorporated at 10.0% (BMD) with 95% confidence intervals. Horizontal transmission trials for forced and passive transmission for B. dorsalis are shown on FIG. 6A and 6B respectively, C. capitata forced and passive transmission are represented in FIG. 6C and 6D respectively, and Z. cucurbitae forced and passive transmission are shown in FIG.6E and 6F, respectively. Flies were censored from the data if they escaped out of cages and after 14 days for forced trials and 18 days for passive trials. [0047] FIG.7 shows a graph of the average germination rates (± SE) of the BotaniGard® in mineral oil formulation, with 10% diatomaceous earth incorporated (BMD), during 12 weeks of exposure in control (lab), direct sun (sun), and indirect sun (shade) conditions. [0048] FIG. 8 is a representation of the Kaplan-Meier survival curves with 95% confidence intervals of Z. cucurbitae that were forced to contact the weathered BMD formulation. BMD treated fabrics were exposed to three climatic conditions; control (lab), direct sun (sun), and indirect sun (shade). Mortality tests at two week intervals shown in Fig.7A for week 0, 7B for week 2 and 7C for week 4, were done to determine longevity and efficacy of the BMD formulation after initial exposure. Flies were censored from the data if they escaped out of cages and after 14 days. Agent Reference: 11157.179WO-PCT [0049] FIG. 9A shows a boxplot of the number of visits by Z. cucurbitae to potential carrier oils. FIG.9B shows the preferred oil (canola) was then compared in a two choice test against mineral oil. Significant differences (Tukey HSD) are indicated by different lower case letters. [0050] FIGs. 10A. and 10B depict boxplot of the number of visits by Z. cucurbitae flies to canola oil with or without sugar (FIG. 10A) or molasses (FIG. 10B0. Least-squares means showed no significant difference between oil with and without a carbohydrate source incorporated. [0051] FIG.11 graph of the average germination rates (± SE) BMD formulation thickened with cornstarch (CORN), Dermofeel® Viscolid (DMV), and mono- and di-glyceride flakes (GF) during 8 weeks of exposure in control (lab), direct sun (sun), and indirect sun (shade) conditions. [0052] FIG. 12A shows the mean amount (± SE) of cornstarch, glyceride flake and non- thickened BMD formulations that dripped out of an inverted plastic cup when exposed to constant temperatures of 25, 30, 35, and 40^C. The formulations were applied on a cloth fabric lining (fabric) or directly to the plastic surface (none). FIG. 12B is a close up of FIG. 12A (reduced y-axis values), to compare only the cornstarch and glyceride flake-thickened formulations. [0053] FIGs.13A-13C depict Kaplan-Meier survival curves with 95% confidence intervals of Z. cucurbitae adults exposed to weathered thickened BMD formulation. Cornstarch and glyceride flake-thickened BMD formulations were exposed to control (lab), direct sun (sun), and indirect sun (shade) over a four-week period (March 18 to April 15). Testing intervals were at week 0 (FIG. 13A), week 2 (FIG. 13B0, and week 4 (FIG. 13C). Thickened formulations maintained significant efficacy over the four-week period compared to the non-thickened BMD formulation during the same period. Flies were censored from the data if they escaped out of cages and after 14 days. [0054] FIGs.14A-14C show the Kaplan-Meier survival curves with 95% confidence intervals of Z. cucurbitae adults exposed to weathered thickened BMD formulation. Cornstarch and glyceride flake-thickened BMD formulations were exposed to control (lab), direct sun (sun), and indirect sun (shade) over a four-week period (July 29-August 26). Testing intervals were at week 0 (FIG. 14A), week 2 (FIG. 14B), and week 4 (FIG. 14C). The upper temperatures reached 40ºC (104ºF) during a heat wave between weeks 2 and 4. Flies were censored from the data if they escaped out of cages and after 14 days. [0055] FIGs.15A and 15B depict boxplot of the numbers of visits by Z. cucurbitae (FIG.15A) and B. dorsalis flies (FIG. 15B) in two-choice tests to the canola oil formulation containing Agent Reference: 11157.179WO-PCT three liquid lure concentrations at 0.01, 0.1, and 1.0% (± SE). Cuelure was used for Z. cucurbitae and methyl eugenol for B. dorsalis. Least-squares means showed a significant difference between formulations with 10.0% lure incorporated for both species. FIG. 15C shows the average germination rates (± SE) of the canola oil formulation containing three concentrations of liquid cuelure and methyl eugenol. These results indicate that the lures had no negative effect on spore germination. Boxplot of average spore pick-up rates by Z. cucurbitae from cuelure-incorporated formulation is shown in FIG. 15D and by B. dorsalis from methyl eugenol-incorporated formulation is shown in FIG.15E. Formulations with 1.0% lure increased fly spore pick up rates significantly. [0056] FIGs. 16A and 16B depict boxplots of average spore pick-up rates of Z. cucurbitae (FIG. 16A) and B. dorsalis (FIG.16B) with each improvement: canola oil, thickening agent, and liquid lure. Tukey HSD test with normal distribution showed that formulations with all the additional components significantly increased the number of spores picked up by the flies. [0057] FIGs.17A and 17B show Kaplan-Meier survival times for B. dorsalis (FIG.17A) and Z. cucurbitae (FIG.17B) that were passively exposed to the BMD formulation and to the final formulation (BotaniGard® with diatomaceous earth, canola oil, cornstarch, and liquid lure). Accompanying log-rank tests confirmed that the additions to the formula decreased the time to death in both sexes and species significantly. Flies that survived beyond 20 days were censored out of the analysis. [0058] FIG.18 graph is a representation of at what temperature(s) (in Celsius) the thickened formulation will hold its state. It is also to determine which thickening agent is the better of the three tested and which percentage of that agent is better. [0059] FIGs.19A-19D show an exemplary implementation of the formulation in a bait station. Male pheromone lure traps used for monitoring populations can be modified into baiting stations as shown in FIG. 19A. The bait station inside may be lined with BMD formulation- soaked fabric as shown in FIGs. 19C and 19D. FIG. 19B shows the passive horizontal transmission where sexually mature unmated males and females were placed into the cage with a cup lined with fabric soaked in BMD formulation hung in the cage and inside each cup was a pheromone lure. [0060] FIG. 20 shows the forced horizontal transmission. Males and females were identified after eclosion and placed into cages to mature until 14±2 days old (10±2 days old for C. capitata). Females were placed into cages without being treated. Males were put through the treatment tubes; ensuring only males were exposed to treatment. Agent Reference: 11157.179WO-PCT [0061] FIG.21 shows the three species of tephritid fruit flies used (Z. curcurbitae on the left, B. dorsalis on the center and C. capitata on the right). [0062] FIG. 22 shows eggs that are white, elongated and elliptical, approximately 1mm long. Incubation period is 1-2 days. One female can lay hundreds to thousands of eggs over her lifetime. Females lay eggs in clusters. [0063] FIG. 23 illustrates that all instar phases are apodal and shift in color as they mature. Third instars have a “popping” behavior that they exhibit to leave the fruit when they are ready to pupate. [0064] FIG.24 shows the pupae stage. Pupa are 5-6mm long, barrel-shaped, with a black dot on the posterior end. Pupal cases vary in color from light yellow to dark brown/coppery reddish brown. Pupal period lasts approximately one week. After eclosion, teneral adults are less active and pale in color. [0065] FIG.25 illustrates some of the current and historical controls for Tephritid flies. [0066] FIG. 26 shows the three material or substrates the two commercial products, BotaniGard® and Aprehend®, were tested on. [0067] FIG.27 shows the crude formulation (BMD) created. [0068] FIG.28 illustrates the design for the carrier oil testing. [0069] FIG.29 is a representation of the B. bassiana life cycle. [0070] FIG.30 shows the mineral oil formulation trials results. FIG. 31 shows the Melon flies (Z. cucurbitae) killed after contacting the thickened fungal formulation. The insert shows the fungal spores growing at the initial site of infection (mouth) and a cadaver completely covered in fungus (bottom), which could lead to the spread of infection to other pests. DETAILED DESCRIPTION [0071] Detailed aspects and applications of the disclosure are described below in the following drawings and detailed description of the technology. Unless specifically noted, it is intended that the words and phrases in the specification and the claims be given their plain, ordinary, and accustomed meaning to those of ordinary skill in the applicable arts. [0072] In the following description, and for the purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the various aspects of the disclosure. It will be understood, however, by those skilled in the relevant arts, that embodiments of the technology disclosed herein may be practiced without these specific details. It should be noted that there are many different and alternative configurations, devices Agent Reference: 11157.179WO-PCT and technologies to which the disclosed technologies may be applied. The full scope of the technology disclosed herein is not limited to the examples that are described below. [0073] The singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to “a step” includes reference to one or more of such steps. [0074] The word “exemplary,” “example,” or various forms thereof are used herein to mean serving as an example, instance, or illustration. Any aspect or design described herein as “exemplary” or as an “example” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other aspects or designs. Furthermore, examples are provided solely for purposes of clarity and understanding and are not meant to limit or restrict the disclosed subject matter or relevant portions of this disclosure in any manner. It is to be appreciated that a myriad of additional or alternate examples of varying scope could have been presented but have been omitted for purposes of brevity. [0075] When a range of values is expressed, another embodiment includes from the one particular value and/or to the other particular value. Similarly, when values are expressed as approximations, by use of the antecedent “about,” it will be understood that the particular value forms another embodiment. All ranges are inclusive and combinable. [0076] As used herein, the term “about” when referring to a measurable value such as an amount, is meant to encompass variations of ±20%, ±10%, ±5%, ±1%, and ±0.1% from the specified value, as such variations are appropriate. It is to be understood that in the present specification, the use of the term “about” in connection with a numerical value also affords support for the exact numerical value as though it had been recited without the term “about”. [0077] Throughout the description and claims of this specification, the words “comprise” and “contain” and variations of the words, for example “comprising” and “comprises”, mean “including but not limited to”, and are not intended to (and do not) exclude other components. [0078] As required, detailed embodiments of the present disclosure are included herein. It is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limits, but merely as a basis for teaching one skilled in the art to employ the present invention. The specific examples below will enable the disclosure to be better understood. However, they are given merely by way of guidance and do not imply any limitation. [0079] The present disclosure may be understood more readily by reference to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying figures and examples, which Agent Reference: 11157.179WO-PCT form a part of this disclosure. It is to be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the specific materials, devices, methods, applications, conditions, or parameters described and/or shown herein, and that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments by way of example only and is not intended to be limiting of the claimed inventions. The term “plurality”, as used herein, means more than one. When a range of values is expressed, another embodiment includes from the one particular value and/or to the other particular value. Similarly, when values are expressed as approximations, by use of the antecedent “about,” it will be understood that the particular value forms another embodiment. All ranges are inclusive and combinable. [0080] More specifically, this disclosure, its aspects and embodiments, are not limited to the specific material types, components, methods, or other examples disclosed herein. Many additional material types, components, methods, and procedures known in the art are contemplated for use with particular implementations from this disclosure. Accordingly, for example, although particular implementations are disclosed, such implementations and implementing components may comprise any components, models, types, materials, versions, quantities, and/or the like as is known in the art for such systems and implementing components, consistent with the intended operation. [0081] Tephritidae (Diptera) is a globally distributed fruit fly family, containing many species that are considered to be major economical pests. Tephritid flies cause severe damage through the oviposition activities of females. Females puncture the fruits which become scarred and have discoloration at the puncture site as eggs hatch and larvae (maggots) feed and bore into the fruits. This life cycle can cause up to 100% loss of fruit crops and remaining produce is subject to strict quarantine regulation being imposed on exporting countries. Tephritid fruit flies first invaded Hawaii in the late 1800’s. Currently, there are five introduced tephritid species, all of which harm Hawaii’s agricultural sector and limit their ability to export produce to the continental United States. The first tephritid was Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett) (melon fly) 1895; followed by Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Mediterranean fruit fly) 1910; Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) (Oriental fruit fly) 1944; Bactrocera latifrons (Hendel) (Malaysian fruit fly) 1983; Bactrocera oleae (Gmelin) (olive fruit fly) 2019. This disclosure discusses the three older introductions of Melon fly, Med fly, and Oriental fruit fly. [0082] Management of these invasive fruit flies have shifted from broadcast sprays of crops with chemical insecticides to methods that target specific life stages and behaviors. These include field sanitization to kill eggs and larvae, insecticidal soil drenches to kill late-stage larvae and pupae, releases of biological control agents (i.e., parasitoids) that target larvae, Agent Reference: 11157.179WO-PCT sterile insect technique (SIT), and insecticide-laced bait sprays and attract-and-kill bait stations. Bait stations contain an insecticide with either male lures to target mainly male flies or a protein source to mainly target reproductively immature females, who need protein to develop their ovaries. Notably, none of the available eradication tools, including bait sprays and bait stations, target reproductively mature females. This is important because mature females are significantly less attracted to protein baits than immature females. Moreover, two established fruit fly species in the U.S. (olive fly, Bactrocera oleae, in California and melon fly, Zeugodacus cucurbitae, in Hawaii) have exhibited resistance to Spinosad, which is the active ingredient in the most widely used protein bait GF-120. [0083] Additionally, B. dorsalis has shown a propensity to develop resistance to Spinosad in selection experiments in the lab and resistance alleles have been found in field-populations of Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata, in Spain. Thus, an over-reliance on GF-120 to target female fruit flies may be an unsustainable strategy. [0084] Many tephritids exhibit unique mating behaviors where males will aggregate together to form leks. This behavior gives an opportunity for the formulation to be dispersed amongst both sexes of the flies through mating. Z. cucurbitae are known to gather at dusk on non-host plants, which surround crop fields. They release pheromones to attract females while defending small territories from competing males. These pheromones have been synthesized into parapheromones, which play a large role in current trapping and monitoring programs globally. One of the more recent IPM tools incorporated into Z. cucurbitae management in Hawaii is a bait station that contains fipronil and a male lure (Amulet C-L; 0.34% active ingredient fipronil, 9.39% C-L, 90.27% inert ingredients; BASF, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA). The male flies are attracted to the lure (Cue-lure), which they consume, and in doing so, contact and ingest the insecticide fipronil. Fipronil is relatively slow- acting and provides the males with enough time to horizontally transmit the fipronil to reproductively mature females via contact during courtship or through their regurgitant during food-sharing. Field experiments in Hawaii demonstrated that the Amulet C-L bait stations significantly reduced the numbers of female Z. cucurbitae. [0085] Fungal biopesticides have been shown to be effective against tephritid fruit flies but the optimal method of application has not been determined. So far, fungal pathogens have been tested as soil drenches to target late-stage larvae and pupae, mixed into protein baits to target adults, and directly applied to adults. Fungal pathogens take at least several days to kill their hosts. Thus, there is ample time for spore-contaminated adult males to transfer spores to sexually mature females during courtship and mating. Horizontal transmission of Beauveria Agent Reference: 11157.179WO-PCT bassiana (Bals.) Vuill. (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae) and Metarhizium anisopliae (Metchnikoff) Sorokin (Hypocreales: Claviciptaceae) have been demonstrated in several Tephritidae species. [0086] Disclosed herein is a formulation of the fungal entomopathogen B. bassiana that targets three species of fruit flies through direct contact with the spore formulation and through horizontal transfer of spores. Furthermore, the disclosed B. bassiana formulation could be used in a bait station. The formulation maximizes spore longevity and pickup of spores by male flies. [0087] Accordingly, a pesticide composition targeting fruit flies comprising Beauveria bassiana in a concentration of at least 2.0 x 10¹⁰ conidia per ml is described. In particular embodiments, BotaniGard® is the source of B. bassiana in the disclosed pesticide composition, for example the BotaniGard® ES formulation. Accordingly, the pesticide composition comprises dilutions of the BotaniGard® ES formulation such that the concentration of B. bassiana in the composition is about 2.0 x 10¹⁰ conidia per ml. The pesticide composition further comprises a carrier oil and an abrasive material. [0088] It is known that dormancy of entomopathogenic fungus spores or conidia can be maintained in oil-based formulation. As the examples demonstrate, the inclusion of a thickening agent that enable the production of a thickened oil-based formulation does not negatively impact the pesticide properties of oil-based entomopathogenic fungus formulations. In fact, the thickened formulation maintains long-term viability of the fungal spores and conidia (for weeks and month) and allows for targeted applications to surfaces with minimal dripping or run-off (stays in place on vertical and inverted surfaces). Application of the thickened formulations can also be adjusted, such as varying depths, to allow for targeting of different sized pest species. Insects that contact the thickened formula on acquire large amounts of fungal spores and conidia, akin to a person stepping in sludge. The increased exposure leads to a higher pest death rate. These characteristics make the new formulations highly suitable for use in attract-and-kill devices such as bait stations, where it would be paired with a lure and placed in strategic locations for several weeks. It is also suitable for use as a barrier treatment where it could infect any pest that walks across the fungal barrier. Moreover, insects that acquire the thickened formula on will spread the formula on to other members of its species when they engage in courtship, mating, or aggregation behaviors. Thus, on the whole, fewer fungal spores and conidia can be used in the thickened formulations compared to broadcast spray applications. [0089] Thus, a general pesticide composition comprising the entomopathogenic fungus spores or conidia, a carrier oil, and a thickening agent is described herein. This composition is the first Agent Reference: 11157.179WO-PCT entomopathogenic fungus formulation that not only extends the shelf life of such a pesticide composition while also enhancing the distribution (or spreadability and adhesion) of the entomopathogenic fungus to insect to effect pest control properties. The thickened oil-based formulation allows the entomopathogenic fungus spore or conidia to remain in a dormant stage while awaiting contact with target insects. In some implementations, the general pesticide composition further comprises an abrasive material and/or a lure for a target insect. Where the thickening agent is not abrasive, the inclusion of the abrasive material may be preferred to enhance the efficacy of the pesticide composition, as abrasion of the insect exoskeleton improves adhesion of the entomopathogenic fungus spore or conidia to the insect. [0090] In some aspects, the carrier oil is mineral oil, petroleum distillate, or an oil isolated from a botanical source, for example, commercially available vegetable oil, canola oil, soybean oil, peanut oil, or castor oil. In particular implementations, the carrier oil is mineral oil or canola oil. In certain implementations, the carrier oil is mineral oil. In such implementations, the composition comprises petroleum jelly. [0091] In some aspects, the pesticide composition comprises the thickening agent in an amount sufficient result in the composition having a viscosity of 1,500 to 2,000,000 cps. In some embodiments, the composition has a viscosity of 1,500 to 2,000,000 cps in the temperature in which the pesticide composition would be administered, for example, 2ºC-40ºC, 10ºC to 30ºC, 18ºC to 25ºC, 20ºC to 22ºC, or about 21ºC. In some embodiments, the pesticide composition comprises an amount of the thickening agent sufficient to result in the composition having a consistency resembling lotion, petroleum jelly, or a paste. In certain embodiments, the pesticide composition comprises the thickening agent is in an amount of at least 5%, at least 10%, or about 10% by weight/volume of the composition. Suitable thickening agents may be found in hydrocarbons, gelatines, starches, gelatins, silica, or polymerized or hydrogenated oils. In some aspects, the thickening agent is selected from glyceride flakes (for example, monoglyceride and/or diglyceride flakes), hydrogenated oil from a botanical source (for example, Dermofeel® Viscolid or hydrogenated vegetable oil), or cornstarch. In certain embodiments, the pesticide composition comprises mono- and di-glyceride flakes or Dermofeel® Viscolid at an amount of about 10% by weight/volume. In particular embodiments, the pesticide composition comprises a starch (for example, cornstarch) at an about of at least 1 g/ml, for example, about 1.4 g/ml. [0092] For certain embodiments, the thickening agent includes an abrasive material. For other embodiments, the pesticide composition comprises two sources of thickening agent, once of which is the abrasive material. Options for the abrasive material include calcium silicate, Agent Reference: 11157.179WO-PCT calcium carbonate, silicon dioxide, talcum powder, bentonite clay powder, and other anticaking agents and abrasive minerals, such as diatomaceous earth. In some embodiments, the abrasive material is diatomaceous earth. In certain embodiments, the amount of abrasive material in the pesticide composition is at least 2.5%, at least 5%, 2.5-10%, or about 10% by weight/volume. In particular embodiments, the pesticide composition comprises diatomaceous earth as the abrasive material in an amount of 10% by volume. [0093] In some embodiments, the pesticide composition further comprises a lure for a target insect in an amount of at least 0.01%, at least 0.1%, at least 1%, 0.01-10%, 0.01-1%, 0.1-1%, 0.1-10%, about 0.01%, about 0.1%, about 1%, or about 10% by volume of the composition. Where the target insect is fruit flies, the lure is selected from the group consisting of: cuelure, methyl eugenol, and raspberry ketone. In certain implementations, the pesticide composition comprises the lure for fruit flies in an amount of at least 0.01%, at least 0.1%, at least 1%, or about 10% by volume of the composition. The particular embodiments, the pesticide composition comprises the lure for fruit flies in an amount of about 10% by volume of the composition. [0094] In certain embodiments, the pesticide composition further comprises a phagostimulant, for example sugar or molasses. [0095] Also described herein is a bait station for controlling an insect populations comprising the pesticide composition described herein. In some implementations, the bait station comprises a chamber and a reservoir for retaining the pesticide composition described herein. In certain embodiments, the pesticide composition in the bait trap comprises a lure. The chamber houses the reservoir for retaining a pesticide composition, and the chamber comprises an opening, wherein insects attracted by the pesticide composition is able to enter the chamber. In some aspects, the reservoir for retaining a pesticide composition is a fabric saturated with the pesticide composition or another form of membrane material that absorbs an oil-based formulation. In such embodiments, the consistency of the pesticide composition resembles a lotion. The membrane material may be filter paper (for example Whatman 1540-125 filter paper), nylon, polysulfone, polyethersulone, polyvinylidene fluoride, or polytetrafluorethylene. In other implementations, where the pesticide composition further comprises a thickening agent, the reservoir for retaining a pesticide composition may be a surface within the chamber onto which the pesticide composition having a consistency resembling petroleum jelly is provided. [0096] In other implementations, the bait station comprises a surface covered by the pesticide composition with the abrasive material and the lure. The surface is exposed to the environment Agent Reference: 11157.179WO-PCT and is not contained within a chamber or vessel. For example, the surface may be a board coated with the pesticide composition having a consistency resembling petroleum jelly or a paste. Where the pesticide composition has a consistency of a lotion, the surface may be sprayed with the pesticide composition. [0097] A method of controlling an insect population in a designated geographical area is further described. The method comprising providing a pesticide composition described herein to the designated geographical area. For example, the pesticide composition is applied on a surface within the designated geographical area, for example, on or around a surface on a cropping system or on or around the surface of a potential roosting location of the targeted insect. In other implementations, the method comprises providing a bait trap described herein to the designated geographical area. EXAMPLES [0098] The present disclosure is further illustrated by the following examples that should not be construed as limiting. The contents of all references, patents, and published patent applications cited throughout this application, as well as the Figures, are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety for all purposes. Example 1. Formulation Development A. Testing Existing Products on Different Substrates [0099] Two commercial products containing B. bassiana were tested for efficacy against Z. cucurbitae. Aprehend^® (ConidioTec, Centre Hall, PA, USA) is a ready-to-use ultra-low volume formulation spray designed to manage bed bugs (Cimex lectularius L.) (Hemiptera: Cimicidae). Aprehend^® is sprayed on along bed frames, baseboards, walls, etc. to produce a barrier that bed bugs will walk across while searching for a blood meal and pick up fungal conidia. [0100] BotaniGard^® ES (BioWorks, Inc., Victor, NY, USA) is a product formulated to be diluted and sprayed in greenhouses, nurseries, and fields to control a wide variety of soft- bodied insects. Both Aprehend and BotaniGard^® ES contain B. bassiana strain GHA at different concentrations and different inert ingredients. BotaniGard^® ES was diluted in Heavy Mineral Oil (Fisher Scientific Co., Fair Lawn, NJ) to 2.0 x 10¹⁰ conidia per ml, while Aprehend® is a ready-to-use product and 2.2 x 10⁹ conidia per ml. [0101] Each product was applied to three different materials: filter paper, fabric (97% cotton; 3% spandex), and PIG^® Oil-Only Absorbent Mat (Polypropylene) (New Pig Corp., Tipton, PA, USA) (FIG. 26). BotaniGard® in mineral oil (“BGM formulation”) and Aprehend® were Agent Reference: 11157.179WO-PCT applied to each material and left to aerate for 24 h in the dark at 25ºC. The lid of a 9 cm petri dish lid was lined with each treated material. Petri dishes had a hole on the side for flies to be aspirated in. Twenty Z. cucurbitae flies were aspirated into each treated petri dish and left for 15 min to ensure flies had sufficient time to walk around in the dish. The flies were then released into 30 × 30 × 30 cm mesh cages with water, sugar, and yeast hydrolysate. Mortality was monitored daily for 14 d. Each day, dead flies were removed from the cages and placed in humidity chambers to confirm infection status as described above. Two replicates of each treated material were tested for each formulation, with reciprocal control cages for each material. B. Addition of an Abrasive Material (Diatomaceous Earth) [0102] Once it was determined that the BotaniGard® ES was more effective than Aprehend®, albeit at a higher concentration of spores. The BotaniGard® formulation was further customized to be more effective for fruit flies (FIG. 27). The first modification to the formulation of BotaniGard® in mineral oil (2.0 x 10¹⁰ conidia per ml) was the addition of an abrasive material, diatomaceous earth (DE), at three concentrations (2.5%, 5%, 10% by weight/volume). DE is commonly used in gardens to control arthropod pests. In addition to absorbing insects’ cuticular lipids, DE has sharp edges that scratch the surface of the arthropod’s exoskeleton and causes it to desiccate. Many studies have shown that the addition of DE can enhance the efficacy of fungal entomopathogens. They hypothesize that the scratches made by DE to the insect’s exoskeleton improve the adherence and penetration of fungal hyphae. The formulation containing each concentration of DE was applied to 10 × 10 cm strips of white cotton fabric and then left to aerate for 24 hours in the dark at 25ºC. A 50 ml conical bottom centrifuge tube (Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., Waltham, MA) with a 1 cm diameter hole at the bottom of the tube, which served as an exit hole for the flies, was lined with the treated fabric. A group of twenty mixed-sex Z. cucurbitae were then placed into the top end of the tube and the lid was closed. The small opening on the bottom of the tube was inserted into a 30 × 30 × 30 cm mesh cage and the flies were allowed to exit the tube on their own (via walking) and enter the cage. It was not possible to control the amount of time spent in the tube. The flies could not be forced to exit as flies that attempted to fly in the tube became stuck on the oily treated fabric. The flies spent anywhere from two seconds to two minutes in the tube. Each treated fabric was used two times for a total of forty flies and three replicate cages were set up for each treatment. Fabric treated with only mineral oil was used as a control. Each cage contained water, sugar, and yeast hydrolysate, and mortality was monitored daily Agent Reference: 11157.179WO-PCT for fourteen days. Each day, dead flies were removed from the cages and placed in humidity chambers to confirm infection status. C. Test of DE-Incorporated Formulation on Three Fruit Fly Species [0103] Upon determining that 10% DE significantly improved the efficacy of the BotaniGard® formulation diluted in mineral oil (“BMD formulation” [BotaniGard® + mineral oil + 10% DE] on fabric), it was tested on C. capitata, B. dorsalis, and Z. cucurbitae. Each species was exposed to the modified formulation or a control (BMD formulation without BotaniGard®) using the fabric- lined tube method described herein. Individual treated fabric strips were used for each DE percentage. Each treatment had three replicate cages with 40 flies per cage. Each day, dead flies were removed from the cages and placed in humidity chambers to confirm infection status as described above. Example 2. Horizontal Transmission of Formulation A. Horizontal Transmission – Forced Male Contact [0104] Males were forced to contact the fungal spores (naturally by walking over the spores) to determine if spore-contaminated males were capable of transferring the spores onto naïve females during courtship and mating. Pupae of C. capitata, B. dorsalis, and Z. cucurbitae were placed in individual 10 ml plastic cups. The sex of the newly emerged flies were visually determined, and they were placed in their respective male or female cages to prevent mating. The flies were provided with water, sugar, and yeast hydrolysate and maintained for 14 days for Z. cucurbitae and B. dorsalis and 10 days for C. capitata until they were sexually mature. Groups of twenty unmated sexually mature females were transferred to 30 × 30 × 30 cm mesh cages. Twenty males were forced to contact the BMD formulation by using the method described above. The males were allowed to walk out of the treatment tube directly into the cage containing untreated females. Two treated and two control cages were set up for each species. Each day, dead male and female flies were counted and removed from the cages and placed in humidity chambers to confirm infection status as described above. B. Horizontal Transmission – Passive Male Contact [0105] In this experiment, it was examined whether males will voluntarily acquire a lethal quantity of spores and transfer enough spores to kill sexually mature females. Six cages were set up. In three of the cages, an inverted yellow plastic cup (12 cm height x 9 cm diameter opening; Universal Distribution Center LLC, Edison, NJ) lined with BMD formulation-treated Agent Reference: 11157.179WO-PCT fabric was hung. The other three cages received control cups lined with untreated fabric (FIG. 19). Each cup was aerated for 24 h prior to placing in the cages. A species-specific male lure plug cuelure (C-L; 4- (p-acetoxyphenyl)-2-butanone; Scentry Biologicals Inc., Billings, MT) for Z. cucurbitae, methyl eugenol (ME; 4-allyl-1, 2-dimethoxybenzene-carboxylate; Scentry Biologicals Inc., Billings, MT) for B. dorsalis, and trimedlure (TML; t Butyl-4(or5)-chloro-2- methyl cyclohexane carboxylate; Scentry Biologicals Inc., Billings, MT) for C. capitata was hung inside their respective cups to encourage males to enter.20 male and 20 female unmated sexually mature flies (14 trimedlure ± 2 days old) into each cage were released. Each cage contained water, sugar, and yeast hydrolysate, and mortality was monitored daily for fourteen days, including the sex of the dead fly. Dead flies were removed from the cages and placed in humidity chambers to confirm infection status as described above. The spore-treated cups remained in the cage throughout the duration of the experiment. I. Germination & Formulation Longevity [0106] Next, the longevity of the BMD formulation was determined under simulated field conditions. In each location, six inverted plastic yellow cups (Universal Distribution Center LLC, Edison, NJ) were hung side by side. Five cups were lined with fabric saturated with the BMD formulation. One of the treated fabric liners was used to determine spore germination rates and the other four for Z. cucurbitae mortality bioassays. One cup without a treated liner contained a HOBO® MX2300 Series Data Logger (Onset Computer Co., Cape Cod, MA) to monitor temperature and relative humidity. On the roof of Gilmore Hall at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, one location was selected that was exposed to direct sunlight for most of the day and another location that was shaded for most of the day. Cups were also hung in the laboratory as a control (25±1º C; 70±5% RH). Treated cups were tested for 12-week period during the months of May to August. [0107] Viability of the spores were assessed at 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, and 12 weeks post environmental exposure by measuring the germination rate of the spores. The protocol in Shikano et al., “Persistence and Lethality of a Fungal Biopesticide (Aprehend) Applied to Insecticide-impregnated and Encasement-type Box Spring Covers for Bed Bug Management.” Journal of Economic Entomology, 2019, 112(5): 2489-2492, with some modifications. A one cm² piece of fabric was cut from the treated fabric and placed in a glass vial containing 5ml of odorless kerosene (Klean Heat Kerosene Alternative, Klean Strip, Memphis, TN). The vial was vortexed for one minute to release the spores from the fabric. The spore suspension was then plated on Sabouraud Dextrose Agar (SDA) (10 cm petri dish) by pipetting three 10µl drops on Agent Reference: 11157.179WO-PCT each plate and gently tilting in a circular motion to spread the droplets without the droplets touching each other. Plates were then incubated at 25°C for 18 hours. After incubation, spores were counted under a phase-contrast microscope at 400x zoom. Spores were considered germinated when the germ tube was longer than the diameter of the conidia. The first 300 conidia were counted per drop and the average of all three drops was used to estimate the germination rate for each plate. There were three SDA plates used per location. The initial (week 0) germination rate was measured the day the BMD formulation was made, which was one day before the treated cups were hung at their respective locations. [0108] The efficacy of freshly treated fabric (week 0) was tested following the tube method described above. At week 2, 4, 6, and 8, the weathered formulation-soaked fabric strips were collected from each location and lined the inside of a 50 ml centrifuge tubes and tested for fly mortality as described previously. Each treatment had three fabric strips; each strip had two groups of 15 flies (30 per treated strip) pass through per replicate. Three replicate cages per treatment were run simultaneously, with each cage containing 30 flies (90 flies total). Each cage contained water, sugar, and yeast hydrolysate, and mortality was monitored daily for fourteen days. Dead flies were removed from the cages and placed into small cups with a damp paper towel to determine if the flies died from fungal infection. Example 3. Formulation Optimization A. Changing the Carrier Oil [0109] The mineral oil used in our BMD formulation may be a potential deterrent to the flies. Therefore, the attraction of Z. cucurbitae to alternative oils was compared, which included soybean oil, canola oil, peanut oil, (J.M. Smucker Co., Orrville, OH) and castor bean oil (NOW foods Inc., Bloomingdale, IL). Pieces of fabric (7.5 × 7.5 cm) were soaked with each oil and let drip dry and aerate for 24 hours prior to testing. One oil-soaked fabric piece was placed in a 10 cm petri dish and a cotton wick (3.75 cm) soaked in a 9:1 water-yeast hydrolysate solution was placed in the center of the fabric piece. Four fabric pieces, each treated with a different oil (canola, soybean, peanut, and castor oils), with protein wicks were then placed in separate corners of a 40 × 40 × 60 cm cage containing 250 ± twenty mixed-sex flies (FIG.31). The petri dish lids were removed at the same time and a timelapse recording for each petri dish was taken for one hour. Each time lapse video was analyzed to determine the number of visitations to each oil sheet. Three cages of flies were run simultaneously, with the position of the oil-treated fabrics randomized in each cage to account for positional bias. Flies were starved of protein for one day prior to testing. The most preferred oil (i.e., canola oil) was then tested against mineral Agent Reference: 11157.179WO-PCT oil (Heavy Mineral Oil; Fisher Scientific Co., Fair Lawn, NJ) using the same methods, except with only two petri dishes per cage. [0110] The carrier oil significantly influenced the visitation of Z. cucurbitae to a yeast hydrolysate-treated cotton wick (F = 7.923, df = 4, p = 0.004). More Z. cucurbitae visited the protein wick on canola oil-soaked fabric than castor (p ≤ 0.0001), peanut (p ≤ 0.0001), or soybean oils (p ≤ 0.0001) (FIG.9A). The average time spent on the oil-treated fabric per visit was not statistically significant between the oil types. Canola oil and mineral oil was then compared in a choice test and found that canola oil was greatly preferred (p >0.0001) or was far less repellent than mineral oil (FIG.9B). B. Adding a Phagostimulant [0111] Incorporation of a phagostimulant, such as sugar, could increase the spore pick-up rate by encouraging the flies to probe at the formulation. Two sugar sources were tested, table sugar (C&H Sugar Co., Crockett, CA) and Grandma’s Original unsulphured molasses (B&G Foods Inc., Parsippany, NJ). Both sugar sources were incorporated into the BotaniGard® + canola oil + 10% DE formulation at a rate of 1 part sugar source to 10 parts formulation. Pieces of fabric (7.5 × 7.5 cm) were soaked with the formulation with or without the sugar source and left to aerate for 24 h. They were then placed in individual 10 cm petri dishes. One fabric piece treated with sugar-added formulation was placed in a 40 × 40 × 60 cm cage with a piece of fabric treated with the formulation without sugar for a two-choice test. Each cage contained 250 ± 20 flies and three cages were set up for each sugar source. Time lapse videos were recorded and analyzed as described above. The flies were sugar-starved for one day prior to testing. [0112] Incorporation of a sugar or molasses to the formulation (BotaniGard® + canola oil + DE) did not increase fly attraction and probing relative to the formulation without these phagostimulants. Fly visitations did not significantly change with the addition of table sugar (F = 0.38, df = 1, p = 0.56) or molasses (F = 0.153, df = 1, p = 0.71). The amount of time flies spent on the sugar-incorporated (FIG.10A; p = 0.71) or molasses-incorporated (FIG.10B; p = 0.75) formulations also did not change. C. Thickening the Formulation [0113] Thickening agents were added to the formulation to reduce settling of spores in the oil and to increase adherence of the formulation on the flies. Three thickening agents were separately incorporated into the formulation with the preferred carrier oil (BotaniGard® + canola oil + 10% DE). The thickening agents were glyceride flakes (MDF) (Mono and Agent Reference: 11157.179WO-PCT Diglyceride flakes, Modernist Pantry LLC., Eliot, ME), Dermofeel® Viscolid MB (DV) (Evonik Co., Hopewell, VA), and cornstarch (ACH Food Companies Inc., Chicago, IL). The MDF and DV thickening agents were added to the formulation at a concentration of 10% (or 1g per 10 ml of oil) to achieve a Vaseline-like consistency. The cornstarch was directly mixed into the formulation at a rate of 1.4g/ml of oil. To dissolve the MDF and DV, canola oil was heated to 60° C (140° F). The oil containing MDF or DV was cooled to room temperature before mixing in the DE and BotaniGard®. All of the thickeners produced a formulation with a consistency similar to petroleum jelly. [0114] Thickening the formulation eliminated the need for a fabric lining in the cups. Thus, approximately 3g of each thickened formulation was applied evenly to the inside of 454 ml yellow plastic cups. Four cups treated with each thickened formulation were hung in a direct sun-exposed area and shaded area on the roof of Gilmore Hall and in the laboratory as described previously to assess the impacts of the thickeners on spore longevity. Germination rates were assessed every two weeks (0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks) using the methods previously described, except instead of cutting a 1 cm² piece of treated fabric, a 1 cm² area inside the cup was swabbed. Additionally, cups containing fabric liners treated with non-thickened formulation were also hung for comparison. [0115] In addition to spore viability, the effectiveness of the weathered thickened formulations on fly mortality was tested. Mortality tests were conducted with the same thickened formulations described above, except that the DV-thickened formulation was not tested. The cornstarch and glyceride flake-thickened formulations were applied to modified 50 ml centrifuge tubes. The treated tubes were then hung inside an inverted yellow plastic cup and hung in a direct sun-exposed area and a shaded area on the roof of Gilmore Hall and in the laboratory. This experiment was conducted at the same time as the spore viability tests of the weathered thickened formulations. Mortality tests were conducted every two weeks (0, 2, and 4 weeks) as described previously. Briefly, the treated tubes were removed from the yellow cups and a mixed-sex group of 25 Z. cucurbitae were passed through each tube to allow all flies to walk over the formulation. Two replicates per thickening agent and location were used, with 25 flies per replicate (50 flies total per treatment and location). Controls for each thickened formulation without BotaniGard® were also tested. Flies exited the tubes into a 30 × 30 × 30 cm mesh cage and were provided water, sugar, and yeast hydrolysate. Mortality was monitored daily for 14 days, and sporulation of cadavers confirmed. Next, it was tested whether thickening the formulations would reduce runoff of the formulation in the inverted cups at various temperatures. Runoff tests were performed in incubation chambers set to one of four constant Agent Reference: 11157.179WO-PCT temperatures (40, 35, 30, and 25°C). Inverted yellow plastic cups (Universal Distribution Center LLC, Edison, NJ) were weighed to the nearest 0.01 g and re-weighed after each thickened formulation was applied. The treated cups were then hung in the incubation chambers and weighed after one week to determine the amount of formulation that dripped out of each cup (FIG. 18; Table 23). Runoff tests were also tested with a fabric substrate and without a fabric substrate for a total of six treatments for three formulations: 1) non-thickened canola oil on fabric, 2) cornstarch- thickened canola oil on fabric, 3) glyceride flake-thickened canola oil on fabric, 4) non-thickened canola oil directly on cup, 5) cornstarch-thickened canola oil directly on cup, 6) glyceride flake-thickened canola oil directly on cup. Four replicate cups were set up for each treatment and temperature. [0116] Three thickening agents were incorporated to the formulation (BotaniGard® + canola oil + DE) and assessed spore viability over an eight-week period under simulated field conditions and in the lab. The results showed that both cornstarch and glyceride flakes had no negative impact on germination rates relative to the BMD formulation while Dermofeel® Viscolid caused significant decreases in spore germination (FIG. 11). Three-way repeated measures ANOVA showed that there are significant differences in germination rates between thickening agent, location, and the time (week) (Table 9). There are statistical differences (p ≤ 0.0001) when a one-way ANOVA between the location and week with thickening agent type as the effect were run including cornstarch, glyceride flakes, Dermofeel® Viscolid, and the BMD formulations (Table 10). One-way ANOVA between the location and week with formulation as the effects were run again, censoring the Dermofeel® Viscolid formulation from the analysis. This resulted in no significant differences in germination rates between formulations except at week 6 in the sun location (p = 0.0005) and week 8 in the lab location (p = 0.0008) cornstarch thickened formulations had higher germination rates (Table 11). Further pairwise t-test comparisons with Bonferroni adjustment (Table 12) indicated that the cornstarch thickened formulation had better germination at week 6 than the glyceride flakes (p = 0.01) and the BMD formulation (p = 0.016) in the sun. Also at week 8 cornstarch thickened formulation had better germination than glyceride flakes (p = 0.003) and the BMD formulation (p = 0.041) in the lab. Difference in germination rates between locations matched closely to what was seen in earlier germination trials (FIG. 11). Pairwise t-test comparisons with Bonferroni adjustments of formulation type and week by the location were run. This showed a trend of the lab kept formulations having a higher germination rate with the sun kept formulations having the lowest germination rates, and the shade kept formulations germination rates falling in between the lab and sun (Table 13). Agent Reference: 11157.179WO-PCT [0117] Runoff testing with or without a fabric substrate (i.e. use in a trap) showed that cornstarch and glyceride flakes significantly decreased the amount of formulation that melted off of the traps (FIG. 12A) while reducing the need for a fabric substrate. BMD formulation with and without a fabric substrate had significantly higher rates of run-off when compared to either thickened formulation (p ≤ 0.0001). Cornstarch and glyceride flake thickened formulations held equally well (p = 0.537) and fabric substrate had no significant benefit to reduce runoff. The cornstarch thickened formulation without the fabric held better than the glyceride flakes without fabric at each temperature 25 (p = 0.004), 30 (p = 0.02), 35 (p = 0.001), and 40º C (p = 0.029) (FIG.12B). [0118] Modified centrifuge tubes lined with BMD formulation on fabric, or treated on the inside wall with cornstarch and glyceride flake-thickened formulations were hung inside inverted yellow cups and weathered at three locations. These tubes were used for testing the formulations’ effectiveness against flies at biweekly intervals for four weeks during the spring (March 18 to April 15) (FIGs. 13A-13C). Tubes treated with cornstarch and glyceride flake- thickened formulations killed significantly more flies than the BMD formulation at each location and week (Table 14). There were no significant differences between the cornstarch and glyceride thickened formulations except at week 4 (FIG.13C) in the shade location, where the cornstarch-thickened formulation had higher efficacy than the glyceride flake-thickened formulation (χ² = 16.9, df = 1, p ≤ 0.0001). (Table 18). [0119] A second trial was conducted from July 29 to August 26 comparing only the cornstarch and glyceride flake formulations. Formulations maintained at each location were effective in killing melon flies relative to their controls until at least week 2 (Tables 15, 16 and 17; FIGs. 14A-14C). Germination rates of the spores declined dramatically in the sun and shade locations in Week 4, which coincided with much higher average outside temperatures than the first two week (Table 18). Multiple days between week 2 and 4 had high temperatures of 38.4ºC± 0.94. B. bassiana has a maximum thermal threshold for growth of 35ºC (95ºF). D. Incorporating Liquid Lure [0120] Plugs of male parapheromones to lure male fruit flies are standard practice in monitoring populations and for the male annihilation technique. For our formulation, it was hypothesized that incorporating a liquid form of the lures directly into the formulation would increase visitation and potentially oral probing. Therefore, C-L was added to the non-thickened canola oil formulation (BotaniGard® + canola oil + 10% DE) for Z. cucurbitae and ME for B. dorsalis. Lures were added to the formulation at 0.01, 0.1, 1, and 10%. The lure-incorporated Agent Reference: 11157.179WO-PCT formulations were then assessed for effects on spore viability and fly attraction. Three pieces of fabric (7.5 x 7.5 cm) were saturated with each of the lure-added formulations and hung in the lab out of direct light. Pieces of fabric saturated with the formulation without lure served as the control. Spore viability over time was assessed by cutting a one cm² piece of the treated fabric each week for three weeks, and germination rates were determined following the methods described previously. [0121] For testing male attraction, the fabric was treated with the same lure-incorporated formulation as described above. Two-choice tests with controls that did not have any lure incorporated were tested. Each cage contained 250 ± 20 flies with three replicate cages per treatment. Time lapse videos were recorded and analyzed as described above. Z. cucurbitae (14 ± 2 days old), B. dorsalis (14 ± 2 days old), and C. capitata (10 ± 2 days old) flies were used to ensure males were sexually mature and at the age when they would be most attracted to parapheromones. [0122] Incorporating species-specific liquid lure at the 10% concentration significantly increased the number of visits of B. dorsalis (p ≤ 0.0001) and Z. cucurbitae (p ≤ 0.0001) when compared to controls without any lure. Lower concentrations elicited no significant increase in visitation (FIG. 15A, 15B). Incorporation of liquid C-L and ME lures to the formulation did not negatively impact spore germination rates over the three-week period (FIG.15C; Table 19). One-way ANOVA and TukeyHSD test showed that incorporation of liquid lure at a 1% concentration increased the numbers of spores the flies picked up. C-L at 1% significantly increased spore pick-up compared to 0.1% (p = 0.033), 0.01% (p = 0.0004), and 0% (p = 0.0003) (FIG.15D). ME at 1% lure increased spore pick-up compared to 0.1% (p ≤ 0.0001), 0.01% (p ≤ 0.0001), and 0% (p ≤ 0.0001) (FIG.15E). E. Efficacy Observations Related to Formulation Improvement [0123] For both Z. cucurbitae and B. dorsalis, adding one of cornstarch or 1% lure to canola oil did not significantly increase spore pickup compared to canola oil alone (FIGs. 16A and 16B). However, adding both cornstarch and lure significantly increased spore pickup compared to canola oil alone as well as combinations of canola oil with lure and canola oil with cornstarch (Table 20). Example 4. Lethal Concentrations [0124] A dip method was used to determine the lethal concentrations of B. bassiana to Z. cucurbitae, B. dorsalis, and C. capitata (LC50 and 90). An aqueous stock suspension at the Agent Reference: 11157.179WO-PCT highest label rate of BotaniGard^® ES (1 × 10⁹ conidia per ml) was prepared. The stock suspension was serially diluted to produce six concentrations (2 × 10⁸, 4 × 10⁷, 8 × 10⁶, 1.6 × 10⁶, 3.2 × 10⁵, 6.4 × 10⁴ conidia/ml) and a control of distilled water. [0125] Three groups of 15 flies (45 flies total) were aspirated into 30 cm × 5 cm (L × D) clear plastic tubes with mesh covering each end of the tube. These tubes were then dipped into each concentration of B. bassiana, while the suspension was being continuously stirred to ensure that the spores were evenly dispersed. As soon as a tube was fully submerged, it was immediately removed and placed on a paper towel to drip dry. Once the excess solution was off the tube, the flies were released into a cage and provided with water, sugar, and yeast hydrolysate. Mortality was monitored daily for 14 d. Each day, dead flies were removed from the cages and placed in a high humidity chamber (i.e., small cups with a damp paper towel) to stimulate sporulation of the cadavers and confirm that the flies were infected by the fungi when they died. Flies that died within 24 h were assumed to have died from handling and were removed from analyses. Nine cages of fifteen flies (a total of 135 flies) were assessed at each concentration per species with three replicates. The bioassay was repeated with ten concentrations for Z. cucurbitae and B. dorsalis using the same methods (1x 10⁹, 1x 10⁸, 5x 10⁷, 1x 10⁷, 5x 10⁶, 1x 10⁶, 5x 10⁵, 1x 10⁵, 1x 10⁴, 1x 10³ conidia/ml). Nine cages of twenty flies (180 flies total) were tested at each concentration per species with three replicates. The bioassay was not repeated for C. capitata. [0126] Pairwise comparisons using a log rank test of the lethal concentration (LC) curves with a bonferroni adjustment indicated that there was a statistical significance between each species in trial one and two. With the closest curve in trial one being that of Z. cucurbitae and B. dorsalis (p = 0.034) and the curves between B. dorsalis and C. capitata (p ≤ 0.0001), and Z. cucurbitae and C. capitata (p ≤ 0.0001). There was a greater significance between the LC curves of Z. cucurbitae and B. dorsalis (p ≤ 0.0001) in trial 2 (FIGs.1 and 2; Table 1.). In the second trial, the number of spore concentrations was increased and obtained better lethal concentration curves. Along with the pairwise comparison, the probit analysis LC50 or LC90 showed that Z. cucurbitae had a longer mean and median survival time at most concentrations (Table 2). Z. cucurbitae required a higher concentration of spore during both iterations of the trial. This is why Z. cucurbitae was used as the primary testing fly going forward. Example 5. Formulation Development II. Testing Existing Products on Different Substrates Agent Reference: 11157.179WO-PCT [0127] When Z. cucurbitae were forced to contact a dilution of BotaniGard® ES in mineral oil (BGM) and the bed bug biopesticide, Aprehend®, 69% of flies exposed to Aprehend® were still alive 14 d post exposure compared to only 35% of flies alive after exposure to BGM (χ² = 57.9, DF = 1, P= 3e-14; FIG.3). Survival differences showed the BGM formulation was more effective than Aprehend® regardless of the substrate on which each formulation was applied (FIG.3): fabric (χ²= 43.3, DF = 1, P < 0.0001), filter paper (χ²= 7.5, DF = 1, P = 0.006), PIG® Oil-Only Absorbent Mat (χ²= 16.2, DF = 1, P < 0.0001). BGM formulation was more effective on fabric than filter paper (χ²= 21.7, DF = 1, P < 0.0001) and PIG® Oil-Only Absorbent Mat (χ²= 19.6, DF = 1, P < 0.0001). III. Abrasive Trials Results [0128] The incorporation of the diatomaceous earth (DE) to the mineral oil formulation killed Z. cucurbitae more quickly and increased overall mortality (FIG. 4). Mortality was greatest when 10% DE was incorporated into the formulation as opposed to no DE (0% DE; χ² = 106, DF = 1, P < 0.0001), 2.5% DE (χ² = 75.7, DF = 1, P < 0.0001) and 5% DE (χ² = 66.6, DF = 1, P < 0.0001). IV. Mortality Trials Results [0129] Z. cucurbitae, B. dorsalis, and C. capitata all exhibited high mortality when they were forced to walk over the BMD (BotaniGard® + mineral oil + 10% DE) formulation (FIG.5). Z. cucurbitae took longer to die than C. capitata (χ² = 38, DF = 1, P < 0.0001) and B. dorsalis (χ² = 50.2, DF = 1, P < 0.0001) (Table 3). Since Z. cucurbitae had the highest median survival time, it appeared to be the most resilient to B. bassiana infection. Therefore, it was used as the target fly for testing for most of the research. Example 6. Horizontal Transmission of Formulation I. Forced Horizontal Transmission Trials Results [0130] When males were forced to contact the formulation and then were released into cages containing sexually mature unmated females, significant female mortality occurred (Table 4). Female mortality was lower and lagged male mortality (FIGs. 6A, 6C, and 6E), which is indicative of females acquiring a low dose of spores from the males. Even with lower mortality in male Z. cucurbitae compared to the other species, female mortality was observed. Significant differences between control and treated sexes survival curves also showed there was a difference in the mortality times (Table 5). Agent Reference: 11157.179WO-PCT II. Passive Horizontal Transmission Trials Results [0131] When male and female flies were presented with an inverted yellow cup containing a male lure plug and the cup lined with the mineral oil formulation (FIG.19), mortality of both sexes was higher than their respective controls (Table 7). For Z. cucurbitae and C. capitata, female mortality lagged behind male mortality, indicating that males contacted more spores and/or contacted the spores earlier than females (FIGs.6D and 6F; Table 6). Since Z. cucurbitae and C. capitata females are not attracted to their respective male lures, the results suggest that the males entered the cup, contacted the spores, and transferred them to the females. B. dorsalis males and females died at a similar rate. This was likely because females are attracted to males who have fed upon ME, and female B. dorsalis were observed entering the cups and probing at the ME plug alongside the males (FIG.6B). Further testing is needed to determine the affinity of B. dorsalis females to ME plugs without male contact. C. capitata had high rates of control mortality. This might be attributed to lower colony health or higher activity of the flies; C. capitata males were observed engaging in more intense/aggressive behaviors towards one another in the cage than the other two species. Example 7. Germination & Formulation Longevity I. Germination Testing Results [0132] Germination rates declined steadily over a 12-week period in all conditions (FIG. 7). Least-squares pairwise comparison showed that germination rates of the BMD formulation declined significantly faster under full sun than in the lab (p = 0.0015), while there were no significant differences between lab and shade (p = 0.36), or shade and sun (p = 0.07). II. Weathered Formulation Mortality Trials Results [0133] Fabric treated with the BMD formulation were hung inside inverted yellow cups under simulated field conditions on the roof of Gilmore Hall. Initial testing to confirm our expected mortality gave similar results as before at week 0 (χ² = 197, df = 1, p ≤ 0.0001). Compared to treated fabric stored in the laboratory, exposure of Z. cucurbitae to the weathered treated fabrics in the shade and the sun resulted in significantly lower mortality (FIG.8; Table 8). [0134] Effectiveness of the treated fabrics in the lab decreased over time. By week four, the sun and shade treatments were rendered ineffective. Agent Reference: 11157.179WO-PCT Example 8. Final Comparison (Testing Improvements) I. Final Formulation Horizontal Transmission Testing Results [0135] When the initial BMD formulation (BotaniGard® + mineral oil + DE on a fabric liner) is compared to an optimized formulation (BotaniGard® + canola oil + cornstarch + lure + DE with no liner), for both B. dorsalis and Z. cucurbitae, the optimized formulation induced significantly higher and faster mortality in both males and females (Tables 21 and 22; FIGs. 17A and 17B). Overall, all the combined incorporated improvements decreased the time to mortality while achieving remarkably high mortality within 11 days. Example 9. Materials and Methods A. Colony Maintenance & Rearing Methods [0136] Three species of fruit flies (FIG.21) were maintained in a laboratory at The University of Hawaii at Manoa. All stages of the flies were maintained in temperature-controlled rooms at 25ºC, approximately 70% RH and natural lighting from windows. Adult flies were housed in mixed- sex groups of 500 flies in 30 × 30 × 30 cm plastic and mesh cages (BugDorm, Mega View Science Co., Ltd., Taiwan). They were provided with water-soaked cotton balls and sucrose and yeast hydrolysate (MP Biomedicals LLC, Solon, OH) for sugar and protein sources, respectively. Mated fruit flies (at least 10 days old) were given access to fruits for oviposition for 24 hours. Z. cucurbitae were provided with zucchini, B. dorsalis with ripe papayas, and C. capitata with clementine oranges with the rind peeled back. After 24 hours, fruits were removed from the cages and placed into 1 L plastic cups. The cups were lined with a coffee filter and had holes at the bottom to allow liquid from the decomposing fruit to drain. These cups were placed into another 1 L cup, which collected the liquid. The stacked cups containing fruits were placed in a secondary container (28 L clear storage container), which was covered with a mesh cloth (FIG.20). Fresh fruits were added to the cups daily to ensure larvae had enough food to fully develop before pupation. The final instar larvae wriggled or jumped out of the fruits and onto the bottom of the secondary container where they pupated. Pupae were collected from the bottom of the secondary containers. [0137] The Z. cucurbitae colony was originally collected from infested zucchini fruits from a commercial farm inEwa, HI. Experiments on this population began at generation F6. B. dorsalis and C. capitata colonies were obtained from the USDA Agricultural Research Service Pacific Basin Branch (Hilo, HI). All flies were used after they became sexually mature, which was approximately 14 d after eclosion for Z. cucurbitae and B. dorsalis and 10 d for C. capitata fruit flies. Agent Reference: 11157.179WO-PCT B. Comparison: Testing Improvements & Spore Pick-up I. Spore Pickup Rates [0138] The impacts of combining the most attractive carrier oil with thickening the formulation and incorporating a liquid lure on the numbers of spores picked up by male flies were assessed. All treatment formulations contained BotaniGard® and 10% DE with the following remaining ingredients: (1) canola oil, (2) canola oil + cornstarch, (3) canola oil + lure, (4) canola oil + cornstarch + lure. The (5) BMD formulation (BotaniGard®, mineral oil, and 10% DE) was also included. All non-thickened formulations were applied to fabric while thickened formulations were directly applied to the inside of a modified 50 ml centrifuge tube. Each tube was aerated for 24 h prior to exposing flies. Five male Z. cucurbitae were then passed through the treated tubes into a 30 × 30 × 30 cm cage where they were then recaptured and placed into a 5 ml glass vial containing 1 ml of odorless kerosene (i.e., five flies in 1 ml of odorless kerosene) (Tables 27-29). The vial was vortexed for 1 min to release the spores from the flies and the spore suspension was loaded onto a hemocytometer. Spore counts were performed at 400x magnification under a phase contrast microscope and the estimated numbers of spores per ml (i.e., number of spores per five flies) was calculated. Six replicate vials were counted per formulation, with five flies per vial and three 10µl drops of spores were counted per replicate. II. Horizontal Transmission – Passive Contact [0139] A passive horizontal transmission experiment was conducted to determine how the final formulation, which contains a thickening agent and male lure (C-L), compares to the non- thickened mineral oil and canola oil formulations. All treatment formulations contained BotaniGard® ES and 10% DE with the following remaining ingredients: (1) canola oil, (2) canola oil + cornstarch, (3) canola oil + lure, (4) canola oil + cornstarch + lure, and (5) BMD (no additional components other than BotaniGard®, mineral oil, and 10% DE). The methods described above were followed with some modifications. All non-thickened formulations were applied to fabric lining the inside of yellow plastic cups while thickened formulations were directly applied to the inside wall of the cups. Each treated cup was aerated for 24 hours. Twenty male and twenty female sexually mature virgin Z. cucurbitae were placed into each cage. A treatment cup with a C-L plug was then hung in each cage. Daily mortality was recorded for 20 d, and sporulation of cadavers confirmed. Treatment cups remained in the cage throughout the duration of the experiment. Four replicate cages were set up for each treatment. Agent Reference: 11157.179WO-PCT III. Horizontal Transmission – Passive Contact – Final Formulation vs. Mineral Oil Formulation [0140] Lastly, the final formulation was tested (canola oil + cornstarch + lure + DE) applied directly to the inside of the yellow cup against our initial formulation (mineral oil + DE), which was applied to fabric lining the inside of the cup. This passive horizontal transmission experiment was conducted as described previously using Z. cucurbitae (with C-L plugs) and B. dorsalis (with ME plugs). Three replicate cages were set up for each treatment. IV. Statistical Analyses Lethal concentrations were calculated using a generalized linear model using a binomial distribution and probit link. Probit analysis assumed that the percent response (fly deaths) is related to the log concentration (concentration of spores) as the cumulative normal distribution. Lethal concentrations with 100% and 0% mortality were excluded from the data analysis. The germination of B. bassiana spores were analyzed by generalized linear model (GLM) using a binomial distribution. The survival times, mean, and median survival times were obtained by Kaplan-Meier survival estimator [230,231]. In all mortality trials, flies that survived beyond 14 days were censored from the data set. The mean survival time of the Kaplan-Meier estimation becomes biased when more than 30% of the data is censored while the median survival time is minimally biased [232]. Survival differences between the entire distributions of survival curves were compared using nonparametric log-rank tests weighing each death with the Kaplan-Meier estimate of survival as a log-rank (rho = 0) [233,234]. Spore germination percentages and thickening agent run-off tests were analyzed using three-way repeated measures ANOVA with multiple pairwise comparisons to determine the group mean differences with Bonferroni adjustment. Choice tests for different oils, lure concentrations, and phagostimulants were analyzed using GLM using a Poisson distribution with least-squares pairwise comparison. All analyses were performed on R version 4.1.0. Example 10. Tables Table 1. Probit analysis results, consisting of lethal concentrations (LC50 and LC90) for Bactrocera dorsalis, Ceratitis capitata, and Zeugodacus cucurbitae, exposed to multiple concentrations of BotaniGard® ES in aqueous suspension. Trial 1 used six serially diluted concentrations of BotaniGard® ES and Trial 2 used 10 serial dilutions. Agent Reference: 11157.179WO-PCT

Agent Reference: 11157.179WO-PCT ⁿ _i ^l _{a S} ^{g E} _n ^{u ®} _{f d} ^{o r} t _a ^{y G} _{t i} ^{il n} _{i a} ^{b t} _i ^t _{o p} ^{B e} _{c f} ^{s o} _u ^{s s} _{e s} ^{s ’} _o ^t _r ^{d o e} _{h l} ^{o p} _{c it} ^l _{h u} ^c _a ^{m e n o t} _{i y} ^{d t}i _{e l} ^{s i} _{o b} ^{p a} _{i x r} ^{e a ,} _{v e e} ^a _t ^{h i} t _b ^{r w} _{u o} ^{c h} _{u s} ^c _{y .} ^ti ^Z _l ^{a d} _t ^r _{n o} ^a _, m ^a _{e t} ^{s at} _{o i} ^{d p} _{l a} ^{a c} _{t .} ^o t ^{C d} _{, n} ^s _i ^a _l ^{s a} _{e s} ^r m _o ⁱ t ^{d l} _{. a}

^{B v} _i ⁰ ₁ ³) _{3 3} 4₇ ^% ₅ 4 ^% ₇ 4 ^% ₄ ⁰ ₁ 4 %⁰ _{1 r} ^v _r ^x _{4 0} ^{. 4} _. ^{3 0} _{18 -} ⁸ _{. -} ¹ _{> - -} ⁰ _{. -} ¹ _{> - -} ⁰ _. ^x _{0 -} ¹ _{> - -} ³ ₄ ^x _{0 -} ^o _f ^{u s} _s ^. ₉ . _{6 (} ¹ ₅ ⁴ ₃ ⁵ ₃ ^. ₁ ^. ₅ ^. _{1 e n} ^{a m} _{i a i} ^{t d n} e _a ⁱ _{l l s} ^o _r ^t ₎ ^% _{l l} % ^{% o} %^{o a} m^s _{a n} ⁴ ₇ ⁰ ₅ ⁴ 4¹ _{- - 9} ¹ - 4¹ _{- -} ⁷ - 4¹ _{- - 0} ⁰ _r ^t _n - 4¹ _{- -} ⁰ _r ^t -_v ^{o .} _9. ⁰ _{> . > 6} ^. _{> .} ^o _{> 2} ^. _n ⁱ _d ^b _{C (} ⁵ _{4 6} ⁰ _{2 C 2} ^o C_v ^{n r} _{a . u} ^{B s} _n ^{a o} _t ^{a a † † L L} _y ^ti ^{a a † † L L} _y ^ti ^{a a † † L L} _y ^ti ^{a a † L L} _y ^ti ^{a r} _{e e} ⁱ _e ^M _e ^r n⁾ _E n . _u ^{a S a} _{i C} s _e ^± ₍ ^{d L} _{C l e} ^{5 U} n⁾ _E n 9^{. 5 a} _t ^a _{C 0 9} ^. ₀ ^r _o ^a _e ^{S ±} _{i (} ^{d L} _{C l e} ^{5 U} n⁾ _E n 9^{. 5 a} _t ^{a S a} _{i C} L _{C l} ^{† 5 U} n⁾ _E n 5 ^a _t ^{a S a} _{i C} L _{C l} ^{† 5 U} n⁾ _E 5 ^a _t ^{a S} 0 ₉ ^. ₀ ^r _{o e} ^± ₍ ^d _e9 ^. _{0 9} ^{. r} _{o e} ^± ₍ ^d _e9 ^. _{0 9} ^{. r} _{o e} ^± ₍M- _n ^o _{i o} ^p M M M M M M M M ₀ M M M ₀ M M _n ^a _l ^s _{n x} ^p _a ^{e e} p _{r e e} ^{Ks e .} _{u t} ^{f a s} _{a t si} ^at n ^at_i ^l _{i si} ^at_{i a} ^{b s} _r ^l _a ^b _{r 2 s r} ^{u s u} _e ^{u o l} _{o i} ^{t p} c _a ^{c o} _{c r d} ^u _c ^o _{c d} ^u _b ^{e a} _u ^e _{f .} ^{. . .} _c ^. _T ^q _a ⁿ _i C _{B Z B Z} Agent Reference: 11157.179WO-PCT

1_{1 2} ³ _{. i} 7 _{l 9} ^a _t ^r _o m ^% 5_{5 5 1} ^{w 7} _{. o} ^{l 0} _{9 f} ^{o e %} _{s 0} ^u _{a 65 6} ⁴ _. ^{c 7} _{e 7} ^{b d} _e m ⁰ _{18 -} ^% _{0 r} 0 ^o . ^{f 6} _{r 5} ^e _{p e} ^{b %} _t 4 ^{o 1} _{- - 3 n >} ⁹ _. ³ _{d 4} ^l _u ^{o %} _c 4 _n 1 _{> - - 2} ⁴ _. ^o _i ^{t 4} _{a 2} m^it _s ^e 4 ^{% 1} ₄ ^t _{a > - -} ² _. ^{8 h} _{t 1 e} ^t _o 4 ^{% n} _e 1 ^d > _{- - 4} ⁹ _{. s} 2 ^e 1 _h ^s _a D 4¹ % ^a > _{- -} ⁹ _{2 .} . ^s 9 ⁱ _s ^y _l ^a _n 4¹ _{> - -} % ^{a 2} ₀ ^{r .} _{e 4} ⁱ _e M-_n 4¹ % ^a _{l > - -} ⁵ ₁ ^{p .} _{a 2} ^{K m a †} _o n^aL i _C ^L _y ^{t r d L} _C i _{f l} ^{a d} _{e e} ^{5 U} 9^{. 5} _{t 0 9} ^. ₀ ^r _o ^v _i ^r M M _e ^{d s} _e mⁱ t^l _a ^v _i ^v _r ^u _{S †} Agent Reference: 11157.179WO-PCT Table 3. Mortality following forced contact with the BMD formulation and fungal infection percentages. Kaplan-Meier survival times for B. dorsalis , C. capitata, and Z. cucurbitae, exposed to BotaniGard® ES in mineral oil formulation containing 10% diatomaceous earth (BMD). Mean and median survival times, mortality and fungal infection percentage show the efficacy of the BMD formulation against each species.

a Dashes denote that estimation could not be performed because of low mortality. ^b Confirmation of dead flies by fungal infection percentages were calculated from the mortality percentages. Table 4. Forced Horizontal Transmission Mortality following male contact to BMD formulation subsequently exposed to unexposed females. Kaplan-Meier survival times for B. dorsalis, C. capitata, and Z. cucurbitae, which were forced to contact the BMD formulation. All three species showed female mortality and survival times followed the males at a slight lag.

Agent Reference: 11157.179WO-PCT

a Dashes denote that estimation could not be performed because of low mortality. ^b Confirmation of dead flies by fungal infection percentages were calculated from the mortality percentages. Table 5. Forced Horizontal Transmission Survival Differences. Kaplan-Meier log rank comparison of the BMD formulation between treatment and sex for B. dorsalis, C. capitata, and Z. cucurbitae, with males forced into contact with the BMD formulation and subsequently exposed to sexually mature, unmated adult female flies.

Table 6. Kaplan-Meier survival times for B. dorsalis, C. capitata, and Z. cucurbitae, which were passively exposed to the BMD formulation. The results report passive horizontal transmission mortality following unexposed male and females with access to a BMD formulation treated trap.

Agent Reference: 11157.179WO-PCT

Table 7. Kaplan-Meier log rank comparison of the BMD formulation between treatment and sex for B. dorsalis, C. capitata, and Z. cucurbitae, with sexually mature unmated adult males and females given access to a trap treated with BMD formulation.

Table 8. Mortality survival differences of weathered formulations over a four-week period.

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Table 9. ANOVA table (type III tests) showing the significance of all three effects.

^a Formulation type is the comparison of the formulations with different thickening agents incorporated. Table 10.

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Table 11. Simple simple main effect table: One-way Anova (location*week) and how formulation type (form) effects germination percentages. DMV INCLUDED creates the significant p

Table 12. Simple simple pairwise comparison with Bonferroni adjustment :: Aragorn: Pairwise t-test (location*week) with pairwise comparisons of formulation (form) type effects Agent Reference: 11157.179WO-PCT germination percentages. DMV REMOVED removes significant p’s. Abbreviations: BMD (non-thickened formulation); CORN (cornstarch thickened formulation); GF (glyceride flake thickened formulation)

Agent Reference: 11157.179WO-PCT

Table 13. Pairwise T-test grouping (form*week) with pairwise comparisons of formulation (location) type effects germination percentages. DMV REMOVED removes significant p’s. Abbreviations: BMD (non-thickened formulation); CORN (cornstarch thickened formulation); GF (glyceride flake thickened formulation)

Agent Reference: 11157.179WO-PCT

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Table 14. Thickened Weathered formulation survival differences. The initial week 0 mortality trials were run the day each formulation was made.

Survival differences were calculated using the G^ρ (ρ = 0; log rank) family of tests to compare survival curves. Table 15. Weathered Formulation Mortality Survival Time Table

Agent Reference: 11157.179WO-PCT

Agent Reference: 11157.179WO-PCT

Table 16. Kaplan-Meier log rank comparison of the survival curves of Z. cucurbitae adult flies exposed to BMD thickened formulations exposed to control (lab), direct sun (sun), and indirect sun (shade) for 0, 2, and 4 weeks. Sexually mature unmated adult flies were forced to contact the weathered treated fabric strips.

Table 17. Kaplan-Meier survival times for Z. cucurbitae, forced in contact with thickened BMD formulations exposed to control (lab), direct sun (sun), and indirect sun (shade) for 0, 2, Agent Reference: 11157.179WO-PCT and 4 weeks. High temperatures (up to 40ºC (104 ºF)) between weeks 2 and 4 significantly reduced spore viability.

Agent Reference: 11157.179WO-PCT

Table 18. Germination rates of cornstarch and glyceride flake-thickened and non-thickened BMD formulations (±SE) over a four-week period in Trials 1 and 2. Mean temperature and relative humidity (±SE) differed in each location and may have impacted the spore viability and longevity of each formulation.

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Agent Reference: 11157.179WO-PCT Table 19. Pairwise T-test grouping (lure*week) with pairwise comparisons of formulation (concentration) type effects germination percentages.

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Table 20. Log-rank pairwise comparison of spore pick-up rates of B. dorsalis and Z. cucurbitae adult flies exposed to BMD formulation and at various stages of modification (carrier oil, thickening agent, and liquid lure).

Agent Reference: 11157.179WO-PCT

Table 21. Kaplan-Meier survival times for B. dorsalis and Z. cucurbitae that were passively exposed to the BMD formulation and to the final formulation (BotaniGard® with diatomaceous earth, canola oil, cornstarch, and liquid lure).

^a Dashes denote that estimation could not be performed because of low mortality. ^b Confirmation of dead flies by fungal infection percentages were calculated from the mortality percentages. Table 22. Kaplan-Meier log-rank comparisons for B. dorsalis and Z. cucurbitae that were passively exposed to the BMD formulation and to the final formulation (BotaniGard with diatomaceous earth, canola oil, cornstarch, and liquid lure).

Agent Reference: 11157.179WO-PCT

Table 23. Runoff testing for a one week period at 25, 30, 35, and 40ºC

Claims

Agent Reference: 11157.179WO-PCT CLAIMS I/We claim: 1. A pesticide composition comprising: entomopathogenic fungus spores or conidia; a carrier oil; and a thickening agent. 2. The composition of claim 1, further comprising an abrasive material, wherein the thickening agent is not abrasive. 3. The composition of claim 2, wherein the abrasive material is in an amount of about 10% by weight/volume of the composition. 4. The composition of claim 3, wherein the abrasive material is diatomaceous earth. 5. The composition of any one of claims 1-4, further comprising a lure for a target insect. 6. The composition of claim 1, wherein the entomopathogenic fungus is from a genus selected from the group consisting of: Beauveria, Metarhizium, Hirsutella, Isaria, Lecanicillium, Paecilomyces, Entomopthora, and Nomuraea. 7. The composition of claim 6, wherein the entomopathogenic fungus is a species selected from the group consisting of: Beauveria bassiana, Metarhizium anisopliae, Metarhizium brunneum, Hirsutella thompsonii, Isaria fumosorosea, Lecanicillium lecanii, Lecanicillium longisporum, Paecilomyces lilacinus, Entomopthora muscae, and Nomuraea riley. 8. The composition of claim 6, wherein the entomopathogenic fungus is B. bassiana or Metarhizium anisopliae. 9. The composition of any one of claims 1-4, wherein the carrier oil is selected from the group consisting of mineral oil, petroleum distillates, an oil isolated from a botanical source, or mixtures thereof. 10. The composition of claim 9, wherein the carrier oil comprises canola oil. 11. The composition of claim 9, wherein the carrier oil comprises mineral oil. 12. The composition of claim 11, wherein the composition comprises petroleum jelly. 13. The composition of any one of claims 1-4, wherein the thickening agent is in an amount sufficient to result in the composition having a viscosity of 1,500 to 2,000,000 cps. 14. The composition of claim 13, wherein the thickening agent is in an amount sufficient to result in the composition having a consistency resembling petroleum jelly. 15. The composition of claim 13, wherein the thickening agent is in an amount sufficient to result in the composition having a consistency resembling lotion. Agent Reference: 11157.179WO-PCT 16. The composition of claim 13, wherein the thickening agent is in an amount sufficient to result in the composition having a consistency of a paste. 17. The composition of claim 13, wherein the thickening agent is in an amount of at least 10% by weight/volume of the composition. 18. The composition of claim 13, wherein the thickening agent is selected from the group consisting of: glyceride flakes, Dermofeel® Viscolid, and cornstarch. 19. The composition of claim 17, wherein the thickening agent is glyceride flake or Dermofeel® Viscolid. 20. The composition of claim 12, wherein the thickening agent is cornstarch, the composition comprises the thickening agent is in an amount of at least 1 g/ml of the composition. 21. The composition of claim 5, wherein the lure for the target insect is in an amount of 0.01- 10% by volume of the composition. 22. The composition of claim 5, wherein the target insect is fruit flies, the lure is selected from the group consisting of: cuelure, trimedlure, methyl eugenol, and raspberry ketone. 23. The composition of claim 22, wherein the lure for fruit flies is in an amount of 0.1-10% by volume of the composition. 24. A bait station comprising: a chamber; and a reservoir for retaining a pesticide composition, the pesticide composition comprising: entomopathogenic fungus spores or conidia; a carrier oil; and a thickening agent, wherein the chamber houses the reservoir and comprises an opening, allowing insets attracted by the pesticide composition to enter the chamber. 25. The bait station of claim 24, wherein the reservoir for retaining a pesticide composition is a fabric saturated with the pesticide composition. 26. The bait station of claim 25, wherein the pesticide composition has a viscosity of 1,500 to 2,000,000 cps. 27. The bait station of claim 26, wherein the pesticide composition has a consistency resembling petroleum jelly. 28. The bait station of claim 26 or 27, wherein the reservoir is a surface within the chamber onto which the pesticide composition is provided. 29. The bait station of any one of claims 19-25, further comprising a lure for a target insect. Agent Reference: 11157.179WO-PCT 30. The bait station of claim 24, wherein the thickening agent is not abrasive, the pesticide composition further comprises an abrasive material, and the abrasive material enhances the efficacy of the pesticide composition by abrading the insect exoskeleton. 31. The bait station of claim 24, wherein the carrier oil in the pesticide composition maintains the dormancy of the entomopathogenic fungus spores or conidia and enhances the spreadability and adhesion of the pesticide composition to insect surfaces. 32. A method of controlling an insect population in a designated geographical area, the method comprising providing a pesticide composition to the designated geographical area, wherein the pesticide composition comprises: entomopathogenic fungus spores or conidia; a carrier oil; and a thickening agent. 33. The method of any one of claims 32, wherein the carrier oil is selected from the group consisting of mineral oil, petroleum distillates, an oil isolated from a botanical source, or mixtures thereof. 34. The method of claim 33, wherein the carrier oil comprises canola oil. 35. The method of claim 33, wherein the carrier oil comprises mineral oil. 36. The method of claim 35, wherein the pesticide composition comprises petroleum jelly. 37. The method of any one of claims 32-36, wherein the thickening agent is not abrasive, the pesticide composition further comprises an abrasive agent. 38. The method of any one of claims 32-36, wherein the pesticide composition further comprises a lure for a target insect. 39. The method of any one of claims 32-36, wherein the pesticide composition is applied on a surface within the designated geographical area. 40. The method of any one of claims 32-36, wherein the pesticide composition is provided to the designated geographical area in a bait trap.