The Ecology and Behavior of the Lone Star Tick (Acarina: Ixodidae). IV. The daily and seasonal activity patterns of adults in different habitat types1

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Studies on caged, known-aged, l-year-old and unknown-aged, field-collected adult lone star ticks were conducted during the spring and summer of 1971 to observe their daily and seasonal activity in 4 different habitat types. The number of active ticks was lowest in the meadow habitat and highest in the bottomwoods. Seasonal activity began in February when adults exhibited host-seeking behavior on the ground. Ticks began ascending vegetation and cages in mid-to-late April and a peak in percentage of ascended ticks was reached in late May and early June. The percentage ascended remained constant until early July when ticks began descending in association with lower humidities and higher temperatures. After reaching a low in mid-July, a second ascent of the population was observed in late July, corresponding to increasing humidities and lowering temperatures. Climatic factors seemed to influence vertical migration. The daily behavior of adults varied from one time of the year to another. During the late winter and early spring, ticks were in close association with the leaf litter and soil. During May the percentage of ticks ascending seemed to increase from morning to evening. During June the percentage at higher levels remained constant throughout the day, while during July there was an upward movement of ticks from mid-afternoon until evening and a downward movement between early morning and mid-morning.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: