Bait baskets reduce trap disturbance and rebaiting for invasive Argentine black and white tegus (Salvator merianae) in the Greater Everglades Ecosystem, USA

Effective invasive species management can be informed by strategies that maximize removal while minimizing costs. In the southeastern United States, metal-mesh bait baskets are routinely used to protect chicken egg lures in traps targeting invasive Argentine black and white tegu lizards (Salvator merianae). These bait baskets are designed to reduce bait loss and nontarget species captures, potentially lowering rebaiting frequency and associated labor. Using data from a multi-year trapping effort and from a crossover experiment on the periphery of Everglades National Park, Florida, we evaluated the influence of bait baskets on tegu and nontarget capture rates, trap disturbance, and rebaiting needs. We found no evidence that bait baskets affected tegu or nontarget capture in either the multi-year or crossover experiment datasets, but they did reduce trap disturbance and rebaiting frequency in the multiyear dataset following their implementation in 2016. In the crossover experiment, rebaiting frequency declined only in the first trial. Overall, bait baskets may enhance trap efficiency by extending functional trap time and reducing maintenance costs.