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National Wildlife Research Center NWRC) |
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Brown Treesnake Research at NWRC
Fumigants and Toxicants
A potential means for deterring the spread of brown treesnakes
from Guam is to apply a fumigant to outbound cargo. Products already registered
with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) for fumigation were
tested by NWRC scientists, and methyl bromide was found to be highly effective
against the snakes. However, when methyl bromide was also found to be an ozone
reducer, attention shifted to two other fumigants: sulfuryl fluoride and magnesium
phosphide. Methyl bromide is now also registered with the USEPA for use on
treesnakes and registrations for sulfuryl fluoride and magnesium phosphide
are pending. There is limited potential for application of cargo fumigants
as the compounds are highly toxic, expensive and difficult to apply.
NWRC scientists also began looking at oral toxicants, initially pyrethrins
(plant compounds for controlling insects) because these compounds are already
registered with the USEPA. Ultimately, the pyrethrins showed limited efficacy
for killing brown treesnakes. Subsequently, an NWRC researcher investigated
over-the-counter analgesics and found that acetaminophen was highly toxic
to brown treesnakes, even at low-levels (the 80-mg tablet used is equivalent
to a children's dose of acetaminophen). Also, brown treesnakes will eat dead
mice. Thus these mice, with acetaminophen inserted, can be used as a bait
delivery system. The toxic baits can be placed in bait stations around buildings
and fences, etc. or used in wide-scale broadcast efforts, accomplished with
aircraft, for the treatment of the interiors of large or inaccessible areas.The
mice/acetaminophen method of control is registered with USEPA. (see label)
Tests have shown that baiting poses minimal risks to crows, coconut crabs or land hermit crabs. Thousands of hours of video monitoring of dead mouse baits and snake carcasses in the field showed that risks to nontarget species were negligible.
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