Some Abiotic Factors Affecting the Survival of the Cat Flea, Ctenocephalides felis (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae)

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Abstract
Some abiotic environmental factors influencing the survival of the cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis (Bouché), in semi-arid and temperature climates were studied. Pupae survived outdoors throughout most of the year except July and August, when temperatures often exceeded 35°C. As temperatures increased, the time required to kill larvae exposed to 12 and 33% relative humidity (RH) decreased. At 27°C, 16-h exposures to 12% RH and 24-h exposures to 33% RH provided 100 and 97% mortality, respectively. Larvae survived only when the RH was >50% for several consecutive days or the microhabitats provided substantially higher than ambient humidity. Soil moistures of 1 to 10% permitted larval development even when larvae were held at 12 ± 2% RH. Soil moistures from 20 to 50% were deleterious. Emerged and preemerged adults survived short exposures to low temperatures but were killed by 10-day or 5-day exposures at 3 and −1°C, respectively. Exposures to 3°C for 5 days killed all immature stages.

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