Feeding and reproductive parameters of adult female Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae) and Amblyomma americanum parasitizing white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus).

ABSTRACT

White-tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus (Zimmermann) (Artiodactyla Cervidae) are the main host for adult Ixodes scapularis Say (Acari Ixodidae) (blacklegged tick) and all stages of Amblyomma americanum Linnaeus (Acari Ixodidae) (lone star tick). However, literature describing the feeding and reproductive parameters of these tick species when feeding on this host is limited. We experimentally infested white-tailed deer with adult pairs of either I. scapularis or A. americanum to improve our understanding of these tick-host relationships. Our study used tick-naïve white-tailed deer and restricted host grooming throughout the infestation. For I. scapularis, the days to repletion (mean ±â€…SE, 6.04 ±â€…0.07), engorgement weight of replete females (0.20 ±â€…0.0032 g), duration of oviposition (32 ±â€…0.45 d), egg mass weight (0.10 ±â€…0.0027 g), and number of eggs laid per tick (1,803.00 ±â€…49.00) were recorded. Data from A. americanum were also recorded, including days to repletion (11.00 ±â€…0.063), engorgement weight of replete females (0.63 ±â€…0.025 g), duration of oviposition (37.00 ±â€…1.30 d), egg mass weight (0.34 ±â€…0.017 g), and number of eggs laid per tick (5,873.00 ±â€…291.00). These biological parameter data could be used as variables in models (e.g., LYMESIM 2.0) to determine how white-tailed deer influence I. scapularis and A. americanum populations in nature, and to evaluate the protective efficacy of tick-antigen-based antitick vaccines.