Pupation site selection of cat fleas (Siphonaptera : Pulicidae) in variouscarpet types and its influence on insecticide efficacy

Pupation sites of cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis (Bouche), larvae were det ermined in three styles of nylon and one style of wool carpet. Nylon saxony carpet had 59.3% of pupae at the top of the pile and 40% at the base of th e pile. In nylon contract carpet, 55.2% of pupae were found at the top, 42. 6% in the middle, and only 2.2% at the base of the pile. Nylon loop carpet contained 59.2% of pupae at the base, 25.5% in the middle, and 15.3% in the top of the pile. Wool loop carpet had 92.4% at the base and 3.8% both in t he middle and top of the pile. Bioassays comparing the control of pupae man ually placed at the base of carpets to that in carpets with natural pupatio n showed that control of pupae in the latter was 39-68% higher. Pupal contr ol after natural pupation was greatest in nylon saxony and nylon contract c arpets and lowest in nylon loop and wool loop carpets. Additional studies d emonstrated that vacuuming provided the same level of pupal control on nylo n saxony carpet as a spray application of permethrin to the carpet surface. Therefore, pupae that survived chemical and mechanical control treatments in nylon saxony carpet probably pupated away from the surface of the pile. Application of permethrin to the base of nylon saxony carpet did not signif icantly increase control. Future bioassays with cat nea pupae in carpet sho uld be performed after natural pupation and consider carpet make and style.