Seasonal activity and spatial distribution of host-seeking adults of the tick Dermacentor variabilis

2001 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 413-421 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. G. Burg
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Distribution ◽  
Dermacentor Variabilis ◽  
Seasonal Activity ◽  
Host Seeking

Supercooling Points of Adult Dermacentor variabilis (Acari: Ixodidae) From a Population Near the Northern Distribution Limit

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew E M Yunik ◽  
Neil B Chilton
Keyword(s):  
Cold Hardiness ◽  
Dermacentor Variabilis ◽  
Subzero Temperatures ◽  
Host Seeking ◽  
Short Period ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Northern Distribution ◽  
Dog Tick ◽  
Provincial Park ◽  
Established Population

Abstract The northern distributional limit of Dermacentor variabilis Say, the American dog tick, is expanding in Saskatchewan and Manitoba (western Canada). The ability of D. variabilis to continue to expand its range northwards will depend upon the ability of individuals within populations at the species distributional edge to withstand very low temperatures during winter. One component of cold hardiness is the supercooling point (SCP), the temperature below 0°C at which an individual freezes. In this study, the SCP was determined for 94 questing D. variabilis adults (44 females and 50 males) from an established population near Blackstrap Provincial Park in Saskatchewan. SCP values ranged from −18.2 to −6.7°C, with a median of −13.3°C. This suggests that host-seeking D. variabilis adults differ in their ability to survive exposure to subzero temperatures, for at least a short period of time, without freezing. The distribution of SCPs was bimodal, but there was no significant difference in SCP values between female and male ticks, and no relationship between SCP and tick body weight. It remains to be determined what factors contribute to the variation in SCP values among questing D. variabilis adults.

Synthetic Pyrethroid, Natural Product, and Entomopathogenic Fungal Acaricide Product Formulations for Sustained Early Season Suppression of Host-Seeking Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae) and Amblyomma americanum Nymphs

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Terry L Schulze ◽  
Robert A Jordan
Keyword(s):  
Natural Product ◽  
Ixodes Scapularis ◽  
Tick Control ◽  
Amblyomma Americanum ◽  
Synthetic Pyrethroid ◽  
Activity Period ◽  
Synthetic Pyrethroids ◽  
Seasonal Activity ◽  
Early Season ◽  
Host Seeking

Abstract We compared the ability of product formulations representing a synthetic pyrethroid acaricide (Talstar P Professional Insecticide), a natural product-based acaricide (Essentria IC3), and an entomopathogenic fungal acaricide (Met52 EC Bioinsecticide) to suppress Ixodes scapularis Say and Amblyomma americanum (L.) nymphs when applied following USEPA approved manufacturers’ label recommendations for tick control using hand-pumped knapsack sprayers before the beginning of their seasonal activity period in the spring. We applied Met52 EC Bioinsecticide (11% Metarhizium anisopliae Strain F52) to five 100 m2 plots (10.6 ml AI/plot) in mid-April 2020. Two weeks later at the end of April 2020, we treated an additional five 100 m2 plots each with either Talstar P Professional Insecticide (7.9% bifenthrin @ 2.5 ml AI/plot) or Essentria IC3 (10% rosemary oil, 5% geraniol, and 2% peppermint oil @ 86.6 ml AI/plot). Weekly sampling of all plots through the end of June 2020 showed that both Met52 EC Bioinsecticide and Essentria IC3 failed to maintain a 90% suppression threshold for I. scapularis, compared to control plots, and required two additional applications over the course of the trial. In contrast, Talstar P Professional Insecticide suppressed 100% of I. scapularis nymphs and ≥96 and 100% of A. americanum nymphs and adults, respectively. Such pre-season applications of synthetic pyrethroids significantly reduce the early season acarological risk for exposure to host-seeking ticks as well as the frequency of acaricide applications.

THE SEASONAL ACTIVITY OF HEMATOPHAGOUS DIPTERA ATTACKING CATTLE IN INSULAR NEWFOUNDLAND

1985 ◽  
Vol 117 (8) ◽  
pp. 995-1006 ◽  
Author(s):  
John W. McCreadie ◽  
Murray H. Colbo ◽  
Gordon F. Bennett
Keyword(s):  
Total Sample ◽  
Blood Feeding ◽  
Seasonal Abundance ◽  
Seasonal Activity ◽  
Black Flies ◽  
Biting Midges ◽  
Predominant Species ◽  
Early Evening ◽  
Host Seeking ◽  
Major Pest

AbstractA cattle-baited (C-B) trap and a Trueman–McIver (T-M) segregating CO2 trap provided information on seasonal abundance, host-seeking activity, and blood-feeding of biting-flies near St. John's, Newfoundland. A total of 19 682 biting-flies (26 species) were collected (C-B trap = 11 407; T-M trap = 8275) from 26 May to 16 September 1982. Black-flies (Simuliidae) comprised 94.1% of the total sample (C-B trap = 10 747; T-M trap = 7773). Mosquitoes (Culicidae), biting midges (Ceratopogonidae), and tabanids (Tabanidae) comprised the remainder. Blood-fed flies represented 54.7% of the total catch in the C-B trap, but the proportion varied considerably among species. Black-fly activity was concentrated in June and July, though flies were also collected in May, August, and September. Prosimulium mixtum was the predominant species in June and Simulium venustum/verecundum complex was the major pest in July. Prosimulium mixtum was most active from mid-morning to late-afternoon, with little evening activity. Simulium venustum/verecundum complex showed 2 peaks of activity, one in the morning and another in the early evening. A few P. mixtum and S. venustum/verecundum complex were active after dark. Captures from the T-M and C-B traps were compared to test the reliability of the T-M trap as an indicator of activity of biting-flies attracted to cattle. Significant correlations (P < 0.001) between the number of flies collected in the 2 traps were found for P. mixtum and S. venustum/verecundum complex. Remaining species were taken in numbers too low for analysis.

scholarly journals Unexpected winter questing activity of ticks in the Central Midwestern United States

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (11) ◽  
pp. e0259769
Author(s):  
Ram K. Raghavan ◽  
Zoe L. Koestel ◽  
Gunavanthi Boorgula ◽  
Ali Hroobi ◽  
Roman Ganta ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gulf Coast ◽  
Ixodes Scapularis ◽  
Dermacentor Variabilis ◽  
Amblyomma Americanum ◽  
Seasonal Activity ◽  
Winter Activity ◽  
Questing Activity ◽  
Gulf Coast Tick ◽  
Dog Tick ◽  
Insight Into

Unexpected questing activity of ticks was noted during the winter months of January and February in the Central Midwestern states of Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. From nine geographically distinct locations, four species of ticks were collected using the flagging method, of which the lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum, was most abundant, followed by the American dog tick, Dermacentor variabilis, the Gulf coast tick, Amblyomma maculatum, and the Black legged tick, Ixodes scapularis. More A. americanum nymphs were caught questing than male or female adults. The winter activity of these medically important ticks in this region poses concern for public health and offers an insight into future tick activity in light of ongoing climate change. More studies on the seasonality of these tick species, and how different climate parameters affect their seasonal activity in this region are warranted and would be expected to benefit for both human and veterinary medicine.

scholarly journals Tonic Immobility Is Influenced by Starvation, Life Stage, and Body Mass in Ixodid Ticks

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kennan J Oyen ◽  
Lillian Croucher ◽  
Joshua B Benoit
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Tonic Immobility ◽  
Life Stage ◽  
Rhipicephalus Sanguineus ◽  
Blood Feeding ◽  
Dermacentor Variabilis ◽  
Pathogen Transmission ◽  
Ixodid Ticks ◽  
Host Seeking

Abstract The ability to escape predation modulates predator–prey interactions and represents a crucial aspect of organismal life history, influencing feeding, mating success, and survival. Thanatosis, also known as death feigning or tonic immobility (TI), is taxonomically widespread, but understudied in blood-feeding vectors. Hematophagous arthropods, such as ticks, are unique among animals as their predators (birds, mice, lizards, frogs, and other invertebrates) may also be their source of food. Therefore, the trade-off between predator avoidance and host-seeking may shift as the time since the last bloodmeal increases. Because ticks are slow-moving and unable to fly, or otherwise escape, we predicted that they may use TI to avoid predation, but that TI would be influenced by time since the last bloodmeal (starvation). We therefore aimed to quantify this relationship, examining the effect of starvation, body mass, and ontogeny on TI for two tick species: Dermacentor variabilis (Say) (Acari: Ixodidae) and Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Latreille) (Acari: Ixodidae). As we predicted, the duration and use of TI decreased with time since feeding and emergence across species and life stages. Therefore, ticks may become more aggressive in their search for a bloodmeal as they continue to starve, opting to treat potential predators as hosts, rather than avoiding predation by feigning death. Antipredator behaviors such as TI may influence the intensity and amount of time ticks spend searching for hosts, driving patterns of tick-borne pathogen transmission. This identification and quantification of a novel antipredation strategy add a new component to our understanding of tick life history.

PARASITIZATION OF MEADOW VOLES, MICROTUS PENNSYLVANICUS (ORD), BY AMERICAN DOG TICKS, DERMACENTOR VARIABILIS (SAY), AND ADULT TICK MOVEMENT DURING HIGH HOST DENSITY1

1986 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 102-113 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. F. Carroll ◽  
J. D. Nichols
Keyword(s):  
Population Density ◽  
Host Density ◽  
Adult Tick ◽  
Dermacentor Variabilis ◽  
Microtus Pennsylvanicus ◽  
Meadow Vole ◽  
Meadow Voles ◽  
Annual Basis ◽  
Host Seeking ◽  
Significant Difference

The numbers of host-seeking adult American dog ticks, Dermacentor variabilis (Say), in a sweet gum field in Maryland reflected changes in the population density of a host species, the meadow vole, Microtus pennsylvanicus (Ord), which within 1.5 yr fell from an estimated 157 to 8 voles on a 0.8 ha grid. During high vole density, there was no significant difference (P &gt; 0.05) in tick burdens between sexes on an annual basis. Juvenile and subadult voles (&lt; 33 g) harbored significantly fewer D. variabilis larvae and nymphs than did mature voles (&gt; 33 g) on an annual basis. However, during periods of both peak host-seeking activity by D. variabilis larvae and nymphs and high host density nearly all the voles examined were infested. There was no evidence of a relationship between weight of adult voles and likelihood of parasitization by D. variabilis during months of moderate tick host-seeking activity. Of 163 adult D. variabilis recaptured ≥ one week after marking, 86 (52.7%) had moved &gt; 3.8 m, 59 (36.2%) &gt; 5.3 m.

scholarly journals The Factors Influencing Seasonal Dynamics and Spatial Distribution of Stable Fly Stomoxys calcitrans (Diptera, Muscidae) within Stables

Insects ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marek Semelbauer ◽  
Barbara Mangová ◽  
Marek Barta ◽  
Milan Kozánek
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Distribution ◽  
Stable Fly ◽  
Seasonal Activity ◽  
Light Conditions ◽  
Air Humidity ◽  
Stable Flies ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
Relative Air Humidity ◽  
Flight Season ◽  
Positive Effect

The biology of the stable fly is fairly well known, but factors influencing the distribution of adult stable flies within stables are still inadequately investigated. The four experimental stables were located in south western Slovakia. Within each stable, five sticky traps were localized along the stable, and the flies were weekly counted during the flight season of years 2015–2017. Seasonal activity and stable fly abundance in relation to temperature, rainfall, light conditions, relative air humidity, and cows per stable were evaluated. The seasonal activity of the stable fly shows one large peak at the end of summer and a second smaller peak just before the end of the flight season. The spatial distribution of stable flies was unique for each stable. All of the environmental variables had significant and mostly positive effect on stable fly abundance. The strongest and most positive effect on stable fly counts was temperature and rainfall five weeks prior to collecting session. Within the stable, cow number, air humidity, and light conditions are the strongest candidates to influence their distribution.

Age effect analysis of Dermacentor variabilis (Say) adult populations during seasonal activity (Acari: Ixodidae)

1987 ◽  
Vol 65 (2) ◽  
pp. 455-457 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. D. McEnroe ◽  
H. B. Specht
Keyword(s):  
Water Deficit ◽  
Dermacentor Variabilis ◽  
Age Effect ◽  
Population Estimation ◽  
Water Deficit Stress ◽  
Low Density ◽  
Seasonal Activity ◽  
Effect Analysis ◽  
Questing Activity ◽  
History Of

The age effect, as measured by survival under modest water deficit stress of adult Dermacentor variabilis, reveals the history of previous questing activity. This method can be used for an age analysis of the population where low density prevents the use of the mark and recapture technique for population estimation.

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