The pelage of prairie voles, pine mice, deer mice, and shrews forms a
habitat for many kinds of parasitic arthropods. The fleas, lice, and
mites from the prairie vole were collected, counted, and identified. The
ectoparasites from the other small mammals living in the same habitat as
the prairie vole were also considered. Some ectoparasites begin to leave
the host when it dies, and any counts of ectoparasites made from
snap-trapped voles may fall short of the number which was on the animal
when it was alive. The average number of fleas recorded from live voles
exceeds that found on snap-trapped voles (see table 4). The numbers of
lice and mites were estimated, but selected voles were examined to
obtain absolute numbers of these kinds of ectoparasites.
The fleas, lice, and mites were mounted on one inch by three inch glass
slides; the ticks were preserved in 70 per cent alcohol. Dr. E. W. Baker
identified the mites; Dr. R. A. Cooley and Dr. Glen M. Kohls, the ticks;
Dr. G. W. Wharton, the chiggers; and Dr. Gordon F. Ferris, the lice. To
each of these gentlemen I am grateful. The fleas were identified by
myself.