Data on flea control using fipronil grain bait with black-tailed prairie dogs at Badlands National Park, South Dakota, 2020-2021
Dates
Publication Date
2022-07-26
Start Date
2020
End Date
2021
Citation
Eads, D.A., 2022, Data on flea control using fipronil grain bait with black-tailed prairie dogs at Badlands National Park, South Dakota, 2020-2021: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P9WOCEI6.
Summary
We collected fleas from colonies of black-tailed prairie dogs in Badlands National Park, South Dakota, 2020-2021. Specifically, we tested fipronil grain for flea control on two colonies: Colony A in 2020 and Colony B in 2021. To assess on-host flea numbers (in 2020 and 2021), we anesthetized trapped prairie dogs (and their fleas) with isoflurane in induction chambers for processing. We combed each individual with a fine-tooth comb for 30 seconds to remove and count fleas. We released all animals, after they were recovered from anesthesia, at the location where they were captured. To assess off-host flea numbers (in 2021), we used a plumber’s cable to insert a 20- by 20-centimeter flannel-cloth as deep as possible into burrow tunnels. [...]
Summary
We collected fleas from colonies of black-tailed prairie dogs in Badlands National Park, South Dakota, 2020-2021. Specifically, we tested fipronil grain for flea control on two colonies: Colony A in 2020 and Colony B in 2021. To assess on-host flea numbers (in 2020 and 2021), we anesthetized trapped prairie dogs (and their fleas) with isoflurane in induction chambers for processing. We combed each individual with a fine-tooth comb for 30 seconds to remove and count fleas. We released all animals, after they were recovered from anesthesia, at the location where they were captured. To assess off-host flea numbers (in 2021), we used a plumber’s cable to insert a 20- by 20-centimeter flannel-cloth as deep as possible into burrow tunnels. We then shook the cable for 30 seconds to imitate movement by a host. We removed the cloth from the burrow and counted detected fleas. Total flea counts from individual prairie dogs or burrows were considered an index of flea abundance.
The first data set (Fleas 2020.csv) includes data from captures and combings of individual prairie dogs in 2020 and the second data set (Fleas 2021.csv) includes data from captures and combings of individual prairie dogs and swabbing of individual burrows in 2021.
Funding and logistical support were provided by the US Geological Survey; Prairie Wildlife Research; National Park Service; US Forest Service; and US Fish and Wildlife Service.
Click on title to download individual files attached to this item.
Fipronil Grain Fleas 2020-2021 METADATA.xml Original FGDC Metadata
View
18.38 KB
application/fgdc+xml
Fleas 2020.csv
925 Bytes
text/csv
Fleas 2021.csv
14.49 KB
text/csv
Related External Resources
Type: Related Primary Publication
Eads, D., Buehler, L., Esbenshade, A., Fly, J., Miller, E., Redmond, H., Ritter, E., Tynes, C., Wittmann, S., Roghair, P., and Childers, E., 2022, One Health in action: flea control and interpretative education at Badlands National Park: Journal of Vector Ecology, v. 47, no. 2, https://doi.org/10.52707/1081-1710-47.2.227.
