Project Overview
Distribution and frequency of anticoagulant rodenticide resistance among commensal rodents in the northeastern U.S.
Commodities
- Community and Urban Pest Management: residential/housing
Target Pests
- Target Pests: rodents
Practices
- Pest Management: cultural control, exclusion, habitat modification, mechanical control, monitoring/scouting, pesticides, prevention, sanitation, traps
- Sustainable Communities: public participation, quality of life
Proposal abstract:
Commensal rodents are a common group of urban pests that are universally medically and economically important. Applying rodenticides is the primary method used for commensal rodent control by pest control companies as well as by homeowners. The most used active ingredients are anticoagulants. A challenge to this approach is the widescale development of rodenticide resistance around the world. Most of the rodenticide resistance studies are European based. There has been only one scientific research on rodenticide resistance research in the U.S. during the past 36 years. This lack of knowledge on rodenticide resistance has made it difficult for professionals to make science-based rodent management decisions. Contemporary control efforts are often calendar-based and involve the use anticoagulant rodenticide products based on applicators’ experience or conjecture. Thus, monitoring of rodenticide resistance among commensal rodents is important for designing more effective rodent management strategies and stimulate the use of alternative control strategies and IPM. Our objective is to assess the prevalence of anticoagulant rodenticide resistance among commensal rodent populations in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York based on molecular analysis. We will collect live and freshly killed rodents from apartment and non-apartment buildings in urban environments in New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. PCR and genotyping technique will be used to detect the presence of mutations in vkorc1 gene, which is associated with rodenticide resistance. The anticipated outcome of this project is lowered use of less effective rodenticides, reduced impact to predators and scavengers. We will disseminate the results in both scientific and trade journals as well as in pest management conferences.
Project objectives from proposal:
To assess the frequency of anticoagulant rodenticide resistance among commensal rodent populations in New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania.
