Development of the Taiga Tick Ixodes persulcatus Schulze, 1930 Population under Laboratory Conditions

Abstract

The dynamics of development of the population of taiga ticks Ixodes persulcatus Schulze, 1930 from Eastern Siberia was studied under experimental conditions. Ticks were reared at 23–25°C, relative humidity of 80–90%, and a light: darkness ratio of 16: 8 h. The mean time of egg incubation was 35.2 days; the feeding of females, larvae, and nymphs took 6.4, 3.5, and 4.5 days, respectively. The existence of two subpopulations, differing in the time of development of engorged larvae into nymphs and nymphs into adults, was experimentally demonstrated. Most ticks had short periods of larval and nymphal development that lasted 25 ± 2 and 40 ± 4 days, respectively. However, some ticks exhibited prolonged development time of 75.5 ± 2 and 95 ± 9 days, respectively. The total duration of the life cycle was 121 days in the former group and 226 days in the latter group.