The Quantity of Blood Ingested by the Lone Star Tick (Acarina: Ixodidae)1

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Abstract
The amount of blood (as estimated by the amount of hemoglobin converted to pyridine hemochromogen) present in the lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum (L.), during each of its developmental stages after feeding on laboratory hosts was measured. Larvae allowed to feed to repletion contained about one microliter after spending close to 4 days on the host. Replete nymphs spent about the same amount of time on the host and imbibed about 19 microliters. Adult females ingested an average of 0.74 milliliters of blood but the time spent prior to repletion was variable (range: 7-15 days; average: 9.8 days). All stages concentrated the ingested meal, presumably by eliminating excess ions and water.

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