Effect of Age on the Attachment Rate of the Parasitic Stages of the Lone Star Tick, Amblyomma Americanum (Linnaeus) (Acarina: Ixodidae), in the Laboratory1

Abstract

Various age groups of the 3 parasitic stages of the lone star tick, AMBLYOMMA AMERICANUM (L.), were placed in feeding chambers on guinea pigs and their respective attachment rates determined. With larvae, 2–31% attached at 1–3 days posteclosion, and at 4–7 days posteclosion, 68–74% attached. With nymphs, only 20% and 55% attached at 1 and 2 days, respectively, after molting, but 68–88% attached from 3 to 7 days after molting. With adults, there was little difference in attachment rate between the sexes. Attachment rate increased from 1 to 3% at 1 day after molting to >70% at 8–9 days after molting.