Toxicity of Six Insecticides to the Cat Flea1

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Abstract
A method is described for colonizing the cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis (Bouche), indoors by confining a cat in a modified laboratory rack. Cats from San Juan, Puerto Rico, provided the original fleas to start the colony. Adult fleas from the colony were tested using World Health Organization (WHO) methods. The following mortalities resulted with 3 of the insecticides at the highest WHO concentrations DDT (4% concentration), 5% mortality; dieldrin (4%), 5%; Bay 39007 (o-isopropoxyphenyl methylcarbamate) (1.6%), 35%. LC50 and LC90 values of the other 3 insecticides were: Bay 41831 (0,0-dimethyl O-4-nitro-M-tolyl phosphorothioate), 0.18% and 0.35%; fenthion, 0.56% and 1.45%; malathion, 2.70% and 6.00%. Larvae were less susceptible to each insecticide than adults. The cat flea in Puerto Rico is now resistant to DDT, dieldrin, and malathion, according to the results of these laboratory tests.

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