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April 2003 Wildlife Services (WS), a program within the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), uses several methods to manage brown tree snake populations on Guam and the Northern Marianas Islands. The purpose of these management efforts is to reduce the number of brown tree snakes, particularly around military bases, airports, and shipping ports, in order to minimize the risk of accidently exporting this invasive species to Hawaii or the continental United States. Brown tree snakes were first introduced to Guam in the late 1940s or early 1950s hidden away in cargo shipments. Effective Snake Repellents Snake management methods used by WS include trapping and the use of snake–sniffing detector dogs. To improve these management methods, research is underway to develop toxicants, reproductive sterilants, improved trap lures, and chemical repellents. Research has shown that cinnamon oil, clove oil, and eugenol are effective snake repellents. Snakes will retreat when sprayed directly with these oils and will exit cargo or other confined spaces when these oils are introduced to the area. On March 6, 1996, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published in the Federal Register a notice exempting certain minimum risk pesticides from regulation under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). The exemption, issued by EPA under the authority of FIFRA Section 25(b) and codified at 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 152.25, applies to cinnamon oil, clove oil, and eugenol. These materials are exempt from the requirements of FIFRA when used as pesticide active ingredients provided that: 1. They are used alone or in combination with other active ingredients exempted under FIFRA 25(b);
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