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Baited traps are one of the more effective tools for tegu management and removal, but increasing trap efficiency could improve rapid response to new invasions. USGS FORT researchers teamed up with National Park Service (NPS) biologists who regularly trap tegus throughout the Greater Everglades to test the efficacy of baited trap methods. Traditionally, traps are baited with a single egg. In 2023 and 2024, USGS FORT and NPS scientists tested whether decoy eggs or multiple real eggs produced similar or increased capture rates. In a new publication, researchers present the results of this study. Their findings are clear: traps baited with three real eggs increased tegu trap rate, without trapping more non-target species.

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Ongoing research on the biology of both Burmese pythons and tegus in the Everglades provides a foundation for effective management planning. Studies published in the past year specifically added to our current understanding of these invasive reptiles’ reproductive biology and interactions with native species: 

• Seasonality of reproductive hormones – Researchers found that key reproductive hormones surged in males right before the winter breeding period, as days were getting shorter and temperatures cooler. With this improved understanding of the timing of reproductive activation in male pythons, managers may be able to develop more targeted control methods. 
• Potential influence on native seed dispersal – Researchers found 60 different native and invasive plant species seeds in the gut contents of pythons and tegus in the Greater Everglades, suggesting that these invasive reptiles may be influencing seed dispersal in their new environments. This phenomenon could have far-reaching consequences, including greater dispersal of plant species to new environments, or reduced dispersal of plant species through the consumption of native seed dispersers.