AGRICULTURAL BIOLOGY, 2016, V. 51, ¹ 1, pp. 128-136 ISSN 2412-0324 (English ed. Online) (SEL’SKOKHOZYAISTVENNAYA BIOLOGIYA) ISSN 0131-6397 (Russian ed. Print) ISSN 2313-4836 (Russian ed. Online) Ecological approach to developing microbial biologicals doi: 10.15389/agrobiology.2016.1.128rus doi: 10.15389/agrobiology.2016.1.128eng STRAINS FROM NATURAL SOURCES IN THE LENINGRAD REGION: ISOLATION AND IDENTIFICATION V.P. ERMOLOVA Federal Agency of Scientific Organizations, 3, sh. <...> Podbel’skogo, St. Petersburg, 196608 Russia, e-mail Ermolovavalya1940@mail.ru Acknowledgements: Supported by the Ministry of Education and Sciences of the Russian Federation (Agreement ¹ 14.604.21.0024, RFMEFI60414Х0024) A b s t r a c t Recently crystal-forming bacilli of group are considered the main microbial producers of insecticides. <...> For these bacilli the high adaptability is characteristic leading to wide distribution of these anaerobic spore-forming bacteria in nature. <...> The same subspecies and variants were isolated on different continents regardless the presence and prevalence or absence of the host insects of this entomopathogen. <...> In the paper the data are represented isolation from natural substrates in the territory of Leningrad province. <...> A total of 24 samples of soil, litter, water, silt, sick and died insects have been collected. <...> Among more than 3,000 colonies, 62 ones with specific morphology were found. <...> By microscopy with black aniline dye a total of 12 isolates of 62 isolates tested were found out to form both spores and differently shaped crystals of the endotoxin. <...> The microorganisms were selected with regard to entomocidal and larvicidal activity and identified using H. De Barjac, A.A. Bonnefoi (1968) and O. Lysenko (1985) schemes. <...> With regard to biological properties (production of acetyl methyl carbonate, lecithinase, pigment, -exotoxin; pellicle in broth culture; sucrose, mannose, cellobiose, salicin fermentation; starch degradation; proteolytic activity) these isolates are close to standard strains. <...> Isolates are characterized by high productivity, entomocidal and larvicidal activity and can be used as producers of biologicals against insects and larvae. <...> The activity against Say larvae in isolates ¹¹ 12, 41 of the BtH1 serovar was the same as in standard strain BtH1 with LD50 at 0.19 %. <...> In the isolates ¹¹ 33, 44 of the BtH14 serovar the titer was the same as in the standard strain, and the activity was <...>