Date of Award

Fall 2014

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Biological Sciences

Program/Concentration

Biology

Committee Director

Holly D. Gaff

Committee Member

Daniel E. Sonenshine

Committee Member

Wayne Hynes

Call Number for Print

Special Collections LD4331.B46 K45 2014

Abstract

Amblyomma maculatum, Ixodes scapularis and Dermacentor variabilis are three of the hard-bodied ticks found in the United States. This study explored three aspects of the appetence process of these tick species: attraction, desiccation survival, and locomotive activity. The first portion of this work was to improve one of the standard methods used for collecting ticks from the environment, the tick trap. To determine the attractants needed to capture all life stages of the three chosen species of ticks in the field using tick traps, a series of experiments were conducted using laboratory-reared larval, nymphal and adult A. maculatum, I. scapularis and D. variabilis ticks. The immature stages of D. variabilis (p=0.0 14 (gaseous): p=0.0 13 ( dry ice)) and A. maculatum (p=0.023 (dry ice)) showed statistically less attraction to carbon dioxide than the adults of the same species. In addition to the testing of effective attractants, comparisons of desiccation rates and locomotive patterns of D. variabilis and A, maculatum were examined. Adult and nymphal A. maculatum and D. variabilis were used in a desiccation study since they are both metastriates and have similar respiratory structures. No statistically significant differences in desiccation survival rates between D. variabilis and A. maculatum were detected. Finally, adult A. maculatum and D. variabilis locomotive behavior patterns were analyzed. The locomotive activity study provided significant differences (pIxodes scapularis was omitted from the desiccation and locomotor experiments because I. scapularis is known to be an ambush specialist similar to D. variabilis. This study provided insight into what entices ticks of all life stages, as well as the comparison of survival rates and movement patterns for adult ticks, that will assist in tick population surveillance research. In addition, it provides valuable information about the behaviors of the recently expanding A. maculatum population, as well as for two other tick species. In conclusion, the results of this study show that tick trap techniques could be improved using alternate attractants in combination with the standard dry ice to attract all life stages of ticks.

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DOI

10.25777/vg8m-0c38

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