Arthropod faunal composition on Kentucky equine premises

Thirty-nine arthropod species representing the families Muscidae, Chloropidae, Tabanidae, Simuliidae, Culicidae, and Ixodidae were collected from Kentucky equine premises using dry ice-baited canopy traps, light traps, water samples, tick drags, and animal inspections during late April to mid-October 1987 and 1988. Thirty-three species were collected from canopy traps, consisting of 74.3% muscid, 16.7% chloropid, 5.0% simuliid, 3.8% tabanid, and 0.2% culicid species. Light traps attracted eight culicid and water samples yielded three culicid species. One ixodid species was collected with drags, and animal inspections yielded two muscid and two ixodid species. Comparison of species assemblages among farms and across years using multivariate principal component analysis (PCA) yielded three distinct principal components, and PCA scores for each farm per year were correlated with biotic and abiotic environmental factors and management practices. The proximity to cattle herds was the best predictor of similarity in species assemblages among farms, reflecting the high percentage of muscid species collected. Poor management practices were partially responsible for proportionally larger populations of culicids, ixodids, and muscids on some farms.