Tactical uses of Nylar® to manage ticks entering human habitation on dogs

Abstract

The effect of Nylar[] against engorged larvae and nymphs of Amblyomma americanum, the lone star tick, Dermacentor variabilis, the American dog tick, and Rhipicephalus sanguineus, the brown dog tick was evaluated when applied to commercial, textured and sculptured style carpets at 86.12 []l/3.31 ml water/1014.51 cm² carpet. Treated commercial style carpets produced the most desirable results across all tick species. A. americanum seemed to be the most susceptible to Nylar[] as over 99% control was achieved against engorged larvae regardless of carpet type. Over 94% control of A. americanum nymphs was observed on the commercial style carpets, and over 55% control of A. americanum nymphs occurred in the textured and sculptured style carpets, respectively. Control of 100%, 95.5% and 85% of engorged D. variabilis larvae was estimated on the Nylar[] treated commercial, textured and sculptured style carpets, respectively. Control of engorged D. variabilis nymphs on the Nylar[] treated commercial style carpet was estimated at 11.7%. No control of the engorged D. variabilis larvae was observed on the textured style carpet and only 3.1% control was estimated on the sculptured style carpet. The Nylar[] treated commercial style carpet was the only carpet type to produce any control (70.7%) of engorged R. sanguineus larvae. No control of engorged R. sanguineus nymphs was achieved. The effects of Nylar[] on ticks and fleas were evaluated when treated carpets were offered as bedding material to dogs in suburban residences. This experiment was conducted during a period of extreme temperatures and drought in Brazos County. As a result, few arthropods were collected, but a method to test these types of compounds on carpet under field conditions was developed and demonstrated to be successful as the experimental carpet bedding design remained intact for the duration of the study. A total of nine ticks and 86 fleas were collected from the carpets. More than a nine-fold number of adult fleas was collected from control-carpet halves compared to the Nylar[]-treated carpet halves. These data suggest that flea development on the Nylar[]-treated carpet halves was disrupted.