ABSTRACT
The toxicity of imidacloprid to cat fleas on glass was investigated at 20, 26, 30, and 35 degrees C. Imidacloprid was most toxic to adult cat fleas at 35 degrees C and to larvae at 20 degrees C. Piperonyl butoxide (PBO), a synergist, increased the relative potency of imidacloprid (1:5 imidacloprid:PBO) 16-fold at 26 degrees C against adults, but had no effect at 35 degrees C. No synergism occurred in larvae at 20 degrees C, but addition of PBO (1:5 imidacloprid:PBO) doubled toxicity at 26 degrees C. PBO (1:5 imidacloprid:PBO) could possibly be used to synergize imidacloprid premise treatments (20-30 degrees C), but it is not likely to be effective in pet treatments because no synergism occurred in adult fleas at 35 degrees C (average fur temperature of tested cats and dogs).
Subject(s)
Cats/parasitology , Imidazoles , Insect Control/methods , Insecticides , Pesticide Synergists , Piperonyl Butoxide , Siphonaptera/physiology , Animals , Biological Assay , Dogs , Host-Parasite Interactions , Larva , Lethal Dose 50 , Neonicotinoids , Nitro Compounds , TemperatureABSTRACT
Commercially available spray-dried protein sources were evaluated as replacement laboratory cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis felis (Bouché), larval diets for slaughterhouse-collected heat-dried blood. Percentage of adult emergence of fleas reared on adult flea feces (87.7%) and spray-dried bovine blood (79%) did not significantly differ, and yeast supplementation did not significantly increase adult emergence for spray-dried diets. However, yeast supplementation of heat-dried blood increased percentage adult emergence from 0 to 41.7%. Spray-dried bovine blood was found to be a satisfactory laboratory diet for cat flea larvae.
Subject(s)
Siphonaptera/growth & development , Animals , Cats , Cattle , DietABSTRACT
In north-central Florida, cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis felis Bouché, larvae survived outdoors year round. Their survival was greatest (up to 84.6%) outdoors in the fall, from September to November, when both temperatures and relative humidities were moderate. Female cat fleas developed faster than males. Development times for flea larvae were shortest (20-24 d) in June and July. From January to March, flea larval mortality was highest (91.7-100%) and development times the longest (36-50 d) outdoors. This was the result of low temperatures and low relative humidities associated with the passage of cold fronts during this time of year. Flea larvae survived light frosts in protected microhabitats such as inside a doghouse and under a mobile home.
