Duration of Exposure to Suboptimal Atmospheric Moisture Affects Nymphal Blacklegged Tick Survival

• Published in: Journal of medical entomology Vol. 44; no. 2; pp. 372 - 375
• Main Authors: Rodgers, Sarah E., Zolnik, Christine P., Mather, Thomas N.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lanham, MD Entomological Society of America 01-03-2007
• Subjects: Analysis of Variance; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; dehydration (animal physiology); dry air; dry environmental conditions; duration; environmental exposure; exposure duration; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humidity; Ixodes - physiology; Ixodes scapularis; Medically important nuisances and vectors, pests of stored products and materials: population survey and control; mortality; Nymph - physiology; nymphs; relative humidity; SHORT COMMUNICATIONS; Survival Analysis; survival model; tick abundance; ticks; Time Factors; Vectors. Intermediate hosts; Parasitiformes; Relative humidity; tick abundance; Parasite; Environmental factor; Survival; exposure duration; survival model; Arachnida; Acari; Ixodida; Arthropoda; Models; Exposure time; Invertebrata; Vector; Ixodidae
• ISSN: 0022-2585; 1938-2928
• DOI: 10.1603/0022-2585%282007%2944%5B372%3ADOETSA%5D2.0.CO%3B2

The biological processes affecting Ixodes scapularis Say survival are complex. Understanding these processes will be beneficial for predicting tick distribution and population dynamics. This research shows that the duration for which nymphal ticks are exposed to drying air is an important factor for their survival. Experimental analysis of variance results show that duration of exposure to dry air (duration) is as important as vapor pressure deficit (relative humidity) (duration, relative humidity, P < 0.0001). Ticks do not survive when exposed to dry air for long periods; however, the return of humid air within 4–8 h has as large a positive impact on tick survival, as does constant humid air. This experiment exposes nymphal ticks to conditions of suboptimal humidity for different durations and then returns them to saturated conditions that are more typical of daily relative humidity fluctuations experienced during summer in southern New England forests.