Human health practitioners and wildlife biologists use insecticides to manage plague by suppressing fleas (Siphonaptera), but insecticides can also kill other ectoparasites. We investigated effects of deltamethrin and fipronil on ectoparasites from black‐tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus, BTPDs). In late July, 2018, we treated three sites with 0.05% deltamethrin dust and 5 sites with host‐fed 0.005% fipronil grain. Three non‐treated sites functioned as experimental baselines. We collected ectoparasites before treatments (June‐July, 2018) and after treatments (August‐October, 2018, June‐July, 2019). Both deltamethrin and fipronil suppressed fleas for at least 12 months. Deltamethrin had no detectable effect on mites (Arachnida). Fipronil suppressed mites for at least 12 months. Lice (Phthiraptera) were scarce on non‐treated sites throughout the study, complicating interpretation. Concentrating on eight sites where all three ectoparasites where found in June‐July, 2018 (before treatments), flea intensity was greatest on BTPDs carrying many lice and mites. These three ectoparasites co‐occurred at high numbers, which might facilitate plague transmission in some cases. Lethal effects of insecticides on ectoparasite communities are potentially advantageous in the context of plague management.

中文翻译：

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治理草原犬鼠疫的鼠疫：杀虫剂为杀螨虫药。

人类健康从业人员和野生生物生物学家使用杀虫剂通过抑制跳蚤来控制鼠疫（Siphonaptera），但是杀虫剂也可以杀死其他体外寄生虫。我们调查了溴氰菊酯和氟虫腈对黑尾土拨鼠（Cynomys ludovicianus）的体外寄生虫的影响，BTPD）。在2018年7月下旬，我们用0.05％溴氰菊酯粉尘处理了3个部位，使用0.005％氟虫腈谷物喂食了5个部位。三个未处理的部位用作实验基准。我们在治疗前（2018年6月至7月）和治疗后（2018年8月至10月，2019年6月至7月）收集了体外寄生虫。溴氰菊酯和氟虫腈均能抑制跳蚤至少12个月。溴氰菊酯对螨虫（蛛形纲）没有可检测的作用。Fipronil抑制螨虫至少12个月。在整个研究中，未经处理的地方没有虱子（Phthiraptera），这使解释变得复杂。集中于2018年6月至7月（治疗前）发现的所有三种外寄生虫的八个地点，跳蚤强度在携带许多虱子和螨虫的BTPD上最大。这三种外寄生虫同时发生，在某些情况下可能会促进鼠疫传播。在鼠疫管理的背景下，杀虫剂对体外寄生虫群落的致死作用可能是有利的。