![]() ![]() A simple description of soft ticks is they look like a small, symmetrical bean with legs. Soft ticks have a leathery body, are more oblong and “fatter” than hard ticks, and their mouthparts are not visible when viewed from above. Their appearance is much different than the hard ticks. Regularly grooming, washing bedding, and examining the dog are strongly recommended to prevent tick infestations.Most ticks that people come into contact with are hard ticks that have a hardened, shield on their backs called the scutum and their mouthparts are visible when viewed from above the tick. There are many products that can be applied to prevent or treat a tick infestation on an animal including topical treatments and sprays. Removing rodent harborage areas may reduce an infestation.īecause dogs can easily pick up ticks while walking on infested grass or roaming through wooded areas, it is necessary to treat the pet properly. If pesticides are applied, cutting the vegetation short increases effectiveness and allows for better coverage. Additionally, it makes it difficult for ticks to climb on the vegetation and wait for its host. Keeping grass and weeds cut short decreases humidity, which helps kill ticks or makes an area undesirable for ticks and rodents. By maintaining grass short, removing possible rodent harborage, and sealing cracks and crevices in and around the property one can directly reduce or prevent local tick populations. Shrubs, weeds, tall grass, clutter and debris on the property attracts the rodents that are hosts for immature ticks. However, it is possible for residential areas to support populations of this tick. The American Dog Tick occurs primarily in wooded, shrubby and long-grass areas. Mating occurs on the host and the female engorges within six to 13 days after which she drops from the host to lay her eggs and then she dies, thus completing the cycle (Matheson 1950). As the hosts brush the vegetation, the ticks grab onto the passing animal. Questing adult ticks climb onto a grass blade or other low vegetation, cling to it with their third pair of legs, and wave its legs as a potential host approaches. This process can take anywhere from three weeks to several months.Īdults can survive two years without feeding, but readily feed on dogs or other larger animals when available. After engorging, they fall off the host, digest their blood meal and molt into an adult. After successfully questing for their second host, which is normally a slightly larger mammal (such as a raccoon or opossum), the nymphs will blood feed over a three to 10-day period. Nymphs can survive six months without a blood meal. This process can take as little as a week, although this period is often prolonged. After feeding, larvae detach from their host and fall to the ground where they digest their blood meal and molt into the nymphal stage. After contacting and attaching to a host, larvae require from two to 14 days to complete blood feeding. Under favorable conditions, larvae can survive up to 11 months without feeding. This host location behavior is called questing. 1969).Īfter hatching, larvae remain on the ground or climb growing vegetation where they wait for small mammals, such as mice, to serve as hosts for their first blood meal. About 26 to 40 days later, depending on the temperature, the eggs hatch into larvae (James et al. She then lays anywhere from 4,000 to 6,500 eggs on the ground (Matheson 1950). She digests the blood meal and develops her egg clutch over the next four to 10 days. This cycle also requires three different hosts and requires at least 54 days to complete, but can take up to two years depending on the host availability, host location and the temperature.Īfter five to 14 days of blood feeding, a fully engorged female D. The cycle requires a blood meal before progression from larva to nymph, from nymph to adult and by the adult for egg production. Gravid females may lay from 4,000–6,500 eggs.Īmerican Dog Ticks develop from the egg stage, to the 6-legged larva, to the 8-legged nymph, and finally to the adult. In northern regions, larvae and nymphs are active spring to autumn while adult questing appears to be highest in spring. In warmer regions of its southern range all three stages may be active on hosts throughout the year with a pronounced increase of occurrence during spring. The American Dog Tick exhibits a three-host tick life cycle. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |