![]() ![]() Lone star tick larvae will feed on almost any bird or mammal, but adults prefer mammalian hosts. Life cycles of the two Amblyomma species in Louisiana are similar. Fully engorged females will dislodge from the host, drop to the ground, and seek a place to lay eggs and repeat the life cycle. During this period, they mate on the host. Following the nymphal molt to adults, females and males seek a host and feed for several days. After feeding for another one to three days, nymphs dislodge, digest and molt to the adult stage. Nymphal ticks search and quest in similar fashion until another host is found, though typically not in such concentrated aggregations as larvae. ![]() Following feeding, larvae dislodge their mouthparts and spend a period digesting the meal, then molt into the next stage as a nymph. Hundreds to thousands of larval ticks may be present on a particular questing point, leading to large numbers of them on a single host. The larva latches onto the host and seeks an ideal position on the host’s body to attach and feed for one to three days. This is called “questing.” Questing behavior is specific to ticks and refers to scaling some vertical surface, such as a tall area of grass, to wait for a host to pass by. Larvae go through a variable resting period before seeking out a warm-blooded host to obtain a blood meal. Larvae hatch during the following days or weeks, depending on local conditions. Eggs are normally laid in a large mass in a sheltered location, such as leaves or mulch, on or near the ground. ![]() Lone star tick adult females lay approximately 5,000 eggs after a blood meal. The lone star and Gulf Coast tick can be difficult to differentiate by nonspecialists, but both are common disease vectors in the southeastern United States. The Gulf Coast tick is regarded by many entomologists as Louisiana’s most attractive tick!īoth species of Amblyomma are similar but have subtle differences. Males lack the dorsal white plate but have thin white lines running in various patterns along the body. The dark brown portion of the top surface (scutum) is significantly reduced in females, whereas males possess a scutum that covers the entire dorsal side. Females are slightly larger than males and possess a small, white plate on their dorsal surface. Adults of this species are also sexually dimorphic. Eggs, larvae and nymphs are nearly identical to those of the lone star tick. Nymphal stage ticks possess all eight legs and are lighter brown than the adults.Īmblyomma maculatum, the Gulf Coast tick, is a similar species in appearance, size and distribution. Nymphs are slightly larger at approximately 1/10 of an inch (1.5 to 2.5 mm) wide. Larval ticks are often referred to as “seed ticks.” They are also frequently mistaken for chiggers, which are the larvae of thrombiculid mites, a very different organism. They are a light tan to white in color and have light brown legs. Larvae are less than 1/25 of an inch (1 mm) wide and only have six legs. ![]() Lone star tick eggs are minute, shiny, brown ovals that are laid in a large mass. Males possess subtle tan to white markings along the edges of the body. Females possess a white dot on their dorsal surface behind the head. Blood-engorged females can reach up to ½ of an inch (12 mm) in width. Adult females are approximately 1/8 of an inch wide (3 to 4 mm), while the adult males are slightly smaller in length and width. The lone star tick is a brown tick with eight legs and long piercing-sucking mouthparts. This species is a vector of serious diseases in humans and animals, including ehrlichiosis, heartland virus, southern tick associated rash illness (STARI) and tularemia. Amblyomma americanum, or the lone star tick, is widely distributed across the southeastern parts of the United States. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |