Field Observations of Questing and Dispersal by Colonized Nymphal Amblyomma maculatum Koch (Acari: Ixodidae)

The Journal of Parasitology
José Santos Portugal, Jerome Goddard

Abstract

:  Almost nothing is known about the questing and dispersal behavior of immature Gulf Coast ticks (Amblyomma maculatum), a vector of both medical and veterinary concern. This experiment examined host-seeking (questing) and dispersal of marked, previously colonized, nymphal A. maculatum released in field plots in rural Oktibbeha County, Mississippi during 2015. A total of 500 (250 per replication) A. maculatum nymphs were painted and released in 5 plots (50 ticks each time). Observations were then made 5 times, approximately every 3 days, searching the plots for ticks from the release points outwards to 50 cm. Mean overall vertical questing height of ticks in Replication 1 in March (5.13 cm) was significantly higher than that of Replication 2 in April (2.57 cm) for a combined mean questing height of 3.58 cm. Ticks dispersed at a mean rate of 1.71 cm/day (Replication 1) and 0.98 cm/day (Replication 2), for an overall mean dispersal rate of 1.27 cm/day. When observation days where tick movement was impacted by adverse weather conditions were excluded, means between the replications were much closer. Only 38 of 2,500 possible total observations (1.5%) of the marked ticks were subsequently seen questing in this study, perhaps mirror...Continue Reading

References

Jan 1, 1991·Annual Review of Entomology·G R Needham, P D Teel
Sep 19, 1986·Journal of Medical Entomology·J Goddard, B R Norment
Apr 1, 2005·Journal of Medical Entomology·Jerome Goddard, Christopher D Paddock
Jul 19, 2007·Journal of Vector Ecology : Journal of the Society for Vector Ecology·Jerome Goddard
May 11, 2015·Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases·Chelsea L WrightWayne L Hynes
Sep 4, 2015·Journal of Medical Entomology·Christopher D Paddock, Jerome Goddard

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