Unique Presentation Identifier:

59

Program Type

Graduate

Faculty Advisor

Douglas G. Barron

Document Type

Presentation

Location

Face-to-face

Start Date

9-4-2026 11:00 AM

End Date

9-4-2026 11:30 AM

Abstract

Ectoparasites, such as mosquitoes (Culicidae), blackflies (Simuliidae), and biting midges (Ceratopogonidae), have been shown to reduce population viability by lowering post-fledging survival and decreasing the lifetime reproductive success of adult birds. This issue is particularly concerning for songbirds such as the Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) because their nestlings are relatively naked and have limited mobility, making them highly vulnerable to attacks by biting flies. However, the specific mechanisms attracting ectoparasites to nests remain understudied. We hypothesized that biting fly and mosquito abundance would be significantly higher at active Eastern Bluebird nests than that of empty boxes and would increase with nest stage advancement. To test these predictions, we studied a network of 113 nest boxes along fence lines of Arkansas Tech University's rotationally grazed cow pastures. Boxes were monitored from March through August of 2025 with 81 active nests followed to fledging or failure. Insects were sampled during the stages of incubation, early nestling, and late nestling stages using CDC gravid traps, CDC light traps, and sticky traps. When trapping was completed, we identified collected specimens to species and sex. Subsequently, we quantified insect abundance to evaluate the relationship between nest occupation, nest stage and number of insects trapped. To date, preliminary analyses have successfully identified 9 different species of insects collected. By elucidating the relationship between nest activity and ectoparasite abundance understanding of host-parasite dynamics will broaden providing insight into managing for these insects.

Comments

External Faculty Mentor: Dr. Emily McDermott, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville

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Apr 9th, 11:00 AM Apr 9th, 11:30 AM

Bluebird Bait: Quantifying the Attraction of Ectoparasites to Nestling Eastern Bluebirds (Sialia sialis)

Face-to-face

Ectoparasites, such as mosquitoes (Culicidae), blackflies (Simuliidae), and biting midges (Ceratopogonidae), have been shown to reduce population viability by lowering post-fledging survival and decreasing the lifetime reproductive success of adult birds. This issue is particularly concerning for songbirds such as the Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) because their nestlings are relatively naked and have limited mobility, making them highly vulnerable to attacks by biting flies. However, the specific mechanisms attracting ectoparasites to nests remain understudied. We hypothesized that biting fly and mosquito abundance would be significantly higher at active Eastern Bluebird nests than that of empty boxes and would increase with nest stage advancement. To test these predictions, we studied a network of 113 nest boxes along fence lines of Arkansas Tech University's rotationally grazed cow pastures. Boxes were monitored from March through August of 2025 with 81 active nests followed to fledging or failure. Insects were sampled during the stages of incubation, early nestling, and late nestling stages using CDC gravid traps, CDC light traps, and sticky traps. When trapping was completed, we identified collected specimens to species and sex. Subsequently, we quantified insect abundance to evaluate the relationship between nest occupation, nest stage and number of insects trapped. To date, preliminary analyses have successfully identified 9 different species of insects collected. By elucidating the relationship between nest activity and ectoparasite abundance understanding of host-parasite dynamics will broaden providing insight into managing for these insects.