[Trend in the emergence of flea imagoes from cocoons in the nests of a mountain gopher (Spermophilus musicus) in the central Caucasian highland natural focus of plague].

The results of observations of a trend in the emergence of flea imagoes from cocoons in the nests of mountain gopher (Spermophilus musicus) (Elbrus region) confirm that the dominant species: Citellophilus tesquorum elbrusensis and Ctenophthalmus golovi golovi have two generations. Emergence of first-generation imagoes from cocoons is recorded in July-August in the nests where the grophers constantly inhabit in May-June. These are brood-rearing and other summer nests and, to a lesser degree, former wintering ones. Hatching of the bulk of second-generation flea imagoes is observed in the nests constantly inhabited by grophers in July-August (these are nests made from summer holes and renovable wintering nests). The onset of emergence of second-generation imagoes from cocoons in both flea species is noted in September; some specimens hibernate in the cocoons, by emerging from them next April.