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Attachment-site patterns of adult blacklegged ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) on white-tailed deer and horses.
Abstract: The attachment site pattern of adult Ixodes scapularis Say on white-tailed deer and horses in Maryland was determined by whole-body examinations during fall and spring periods of tick host-seeking activity. On deer in the fall, both female and male I. scapularis attached largely to anterior dorsal body regions, with attachment to the ears (outside), head, neck, and brisket accounting for 87.9% of females and 86.6% of males. The attachment pattern of females differed between bucks and does during fall, but not in spring, and both females and males were more abundant on bucks than does during fall, but not in spring. Neither female nor male attachment patterns on deer differed between fall and spring seasons. In contrast to deer, the ears and neck of horses were largely devoid of blacklegged ticks, and 84% of the females were attached either on the chest, in the axillae of the fore and rear legs, or under the jawbone. The restricted attachment of female blacklegged ticks to ventral body regions of horses may reflect avoidance of light. An understanding of the attachment patterns of adult I. scapularis, an increasingly abundant and economically important species, enhances sampling of feeding ticks, deticking to limit host irritation or exposure to tick-borne pathogens, and identifies body areas that should be targeted for delivery of repellents or acaricides.
Publication Date: 1998-05-30 PubMed ID: 9542346DOI: 10.1093/jmedent/35.1.59Google Scholar: Lookup The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
Summary
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The research investigates the tendencies of adult Ixodes scapularis, otherwise known as the blacklegged tick, to attach to certain body parts of white-tailed deer and horses. The findings suggest that these ticks show specific preference for different locations on the two different animals.
Study Methodology
- The study was conducted in Maryland and involved whole-body examinations of deer and horses during the fall and spring periods, times when ticks are highly active.
- The main purpose of the study was to observe and record the attachment sites of female and male Ixodes scapularis on these hosts.
Findings on Deer
- For deer, the study showed that both female and male ticks were primarily found on the anterior dorsal body regions – specifically the outside of the ears, head, neck, and brisket.
- It was discovered that 87.9% of females and 86.6% of males were located in these regions during the fall season.
- The study also found differences between the attachment patterns on bucks and does in the fall, though this difference disappeared in the spring.
- More ticks were found on bucks than does in the fall, but the distribution was equal in spring. The attachment patterns did not notably vary between the two seasons.
Findings on Horses
- Contrastingly, horses were largely free of ticks on their ears and necks.
- A vast majority, 84%, of female ticks were found to be attached either on the chest, under the jawbone, or in the axillae region of the fore and rear legs.
- The researchers posit that the preference for these ventral body regions in horses may be due to ticks’ aversion to light.
Implication of the Study
- The insights derived from these findings could contribute to better handling of tick-related issues in the described hosts.
- Knowing their preferred attachment sites may assist in better sampling of feeding ticks, more effective deticking procedures, and identifying target areas for application of repellents or acaricides.
- This understanding is particularly important given the increasing prevalence and economic impact of the Ixodes scapularis species.
Cite This Article
APA
Schmidtmann ET, Carroll JF, Watson DW.
(1998).
Attachment-site patterns of adult blacklegged ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) on white-tailed deer and horses.
J Med Entomol, 35(1), 59-63.
https://doi.org/10.1093/jmedent/35.1.59 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Arthropod-borne Animal Diseases Research Laboratory, USDA-ARS, Laramie, WY 82071, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Deer / parasitology
- Female
- Horses / parasitology
- Ixodes
- Male
- Tick Infestations / parasitology
- Tick Infestations / veterinary
Citations
This article has been cited 11 times.- Poh KC, Evans JR, Skvarla MJ, Kent CM, Olafson PU, Hickling GJ, Mullinax JM, Machtinger ET. Patterns of deer ked (Diptera: Hippoboscidae) and tick (Ixodida: Ixodidae) infestation on white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in the eastern United States. Parasit Vectors 2022 Jan 20;15(1):31.
- Sundstrom KD, Lineberry MW, Grant AN, Duncan KT, Ientile MM, Little SE. Equine attachment site preferences and seasonality of common North American ticks: Amblyomma americanum, Dermacentor albipictus, and Ixodes scapularis. Parasit Vectors 2021 Aug 14;14(1):404.
- Poh KC, Skvarla M, Evans JR, Machtinger ET. Collecting Deer Keds (Diptera: Hippoboscidae: Lipoptena Nitzsch, 1818 and Neolipoptena Bequaert, 1942) and Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) From Hunter-Harvested Deer and Other Cervids. J Insect Sci 2020 Nov 1;20(6).
- Anderson K, Ezenwa VO, Jolles AE. Tick infestation patterns in free ranging African buffalo (Syncercus caffer): Effects of host innate immunity and niche segregation among tick species. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2013 Dec;2:1-9.
- Wilhelmsson P, Lindblom P, Fryland L, Nyman D, Jaenson TG, Forsberg P, Lindgren PE. Ixodes ricinus ticks removed from humans in Northern Europe: seasonal pattern of infestation, attachment sites and duration of feeding. Parasit Vectors 2013 Dec 20;6:362.
- Ruiz-Fons F, Acevedo P, Sobrino R, Vicente J, Fierro Y, Fernández-de-Mera IG. Sex-biased differences in the effects of host individual, host population and environmental traits driving tick parasitism in red deer. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2013;3:23.
- Baer-Lehman ML, Light T, Fuller NW, Barry-Landis KD, Kindlin CM, Stewart RL Jr. Evidence for competition between Ixodes scapularis and Dermacentor albipictus feeding concurrently on white-tailed deer. Exp Appl Acarol 2012 Nov;58(3):301-14.
- Kiffner C, Lödige C, Alings M, Vor T, Rühe F. Attachment site selection of ticks on roe deer, Capreolus capreolus. Exp Appl Acarol 2011 Jan;53(1):79-94.
- Kiffner C, Lödige C, Alings M, Vor T, Rühe F. Abundance estimation of Ixodes ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) on roe deer (Capreolus capreolus). Exp Appl Acarol 2010 Sep;52(1):73-84.
- Carroll JF, Allen PC, Hill DE, Pound JM, Miller JA, George JE. Control of Ixodes scapularis and Amblyomma americanum through use of the '4-poster' treatment device on deer in Maryland. Exp Appl Acarol 2002;28(1-4):289-96.
- Shimizu K, Shimozuru M, Yamanaka M, Ito G, Nakao R, Tsubota T. Seasonal infestation patterns of ticks on Hokkaido sika deer (Cervus nippon yesoensis). Parasitology 2024 Oct;151(12):1317-1325.
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