Ectoparasites of Arizona Bats

Abstract

Due to the increasing number of studies of bats in the southwestern United States and the public health problems which these animals present, a compilation of the ectoparasites of the bats that occur in Arizona is deemed appropriate at this time. Bats in their seasonal activities cover large areas, even migrating between the United States, Canada, and Mexico, and there is a considerable opportunity for dissemination of their ectoparasites. Notable among these parasites is the tick, Dermacentor andersoni, a known vector of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. We have undertaken a survey of the literature and the collecting of bats in Arizona. In the course of this work over 20,000 bats of various species were checked for parasites by the authors. The bats inspected in this survey were obtained in various ways: by visual inspection of caves, mines and houses for bats; by mist-netting over waterholes and streams, and caves and mines, by shooting isolated bats over waterholes and in caves and mines. The ectoparasites were otbained by the use of K. A. A .D. which was dropped over the more active ectoparasites. This caused their immediate death and greatly facilitated the collecting. All of the specimens were preserved in K. A. A. D. which is a mixture of one part kerosene, two parts glacial acetic acid, ten parts 95% ethyl alcohol and one part dioxane.