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A comparative evaluation of northern and southern Ixodes scapularis questing height and hiding behaviour in the USA
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 August 2020
Abstract
Ticks display a distinct type of host-seeking behaviour called questing. It has been proposed that the questing behaviour of Ixodes scapularis explains the geographic variation in Lyme disease (LD) risk in the eastern USA because the northern population has been shown to quest more often than the southern population. The height at which questing occurs is variable and this study aimed to characterize questing height for I. scapularis. Ticks were collected from a northern and southern state (i.e. Maryland and Texas) and bioassays were conducted. We report that nymphs from Texas quested at lower heights compared to nymphs from Maryland. In addition, only Texas nymphs exhibited a behaviour we call ‘hiding behaviour’. These results may reflect the different composition of hosts between these two areas as the south has a higher abundance of lizards. In contrast, there was no significant difference in questing height between Maryland adults and Texas adults which was to be expected since adults are feeding on white-tailed deer in both locations. If all southern I. scapularis nymphs are questing at lower heights, this might make them less likely to come into contact with humans and this may be contributing to the geographical difference in LD prevalence.
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- Copyright © The Author(s), 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press
Footnotes
Current address: USDA–ARS Knipling–Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory, 2700 Fredericksburg Rd. Kerrville, TX 78028, USA.
This article reports the results of research only. Mention of a proprietary product does not constitute an endorsement or a recommendation by the USDA for its use. The USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
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