Field studies on dominant rodents and the efficacy of certain insecticides to their fleas in Dakahlia Governorate, Egypt.

A preliminary survey of domestic rodent and the efficacy of bendiocarb, diazinon and pirimiphos-methyl insecticides to their fleas were carried out in Dakahlia Governorates (Aga, Meet-Ghamr, El-Senbellawen, Temi El-Amded, Beni-Abed, Dekernes, Nabarow, Talkha, Menia El-Nasr and El-Kordy). Rodent index (number of rodent/trap) and percentage frequency of drodent species were recorded from October 2010 to May 2011. The main rodent species found were the Norway rat, Rattus norvegicus, the grey-bellied rat, R. rattus alexandrinus, the white-bellied rat, R. r. frugivorus and the house mouse, Mus musculus. The rodent index at Beni-Abed, Nabarow, Meet-Ghamr, Dekernes and El-Kordy centers showed 0.46, 0.39, 0.34, 0.33 & 0.33, respectively, while Menia El-Nasr center showed the lowest (0.08). Aga, Talkha, El-Senbellawen, and Temi El-Amded centers showed moderate (0.25, 0.21, 0.2 & 0.16, respectively). The commonest flea species was the oriental rat flea, Xenopsylla cheopis, the mouse flea, Leptopsylla segnis, the dog flea, Ctenocephalides canis and the sticktight flea Echidnophaga gallinacea. The highest number of fleas was on R. norvegicus (Flea index=10.9) while lowest number was on Mus musculus (Flea index=0.1). X. cheopis was the highest frequency distributed for all domestic rodent species (60.9%), while, C. canis was the lowest (1.6%). The results showed that bendiocarb was effective (Lc50=0.389%) than diazinon (Lc50=1.039%) and pirimiphosmethyl (Lc50=2.056 %).