[at-l] Re: Sew...if a flea...

[KAB@concordia-ny.edu (Kurt Bodling)]

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What librarians are good for:

This link provides some of the answer to the life of a tick. Basically, it
sounds like it depends on the type of tick. The Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
carrier has a life cycle of a few years, for example. And the Relapsing Fever
Ticks "can survive starvation for months or even years" (and who knew there
were such things?). Anyway, check this out for info on both mites and ticks:

http://vector.ifas.ufl.edu/chap05.pdf

Confirming this info on longevity is another university web site:

http://www.insects.ucr.edu/ebeling/ebel9-3.html#ticks

where you get the following fun information about dog ticks: "Nymphs also
could live for more than a year without food; the maximum period was 584 days
(Smith et al., 1946). Unengorged adults may live for more than 2 years if they
do not find dogs or other large animals to which they can attach themselves.
The engorgement of females requires 5 to 13 days, and mating takes place on
the host. In the absence of suitable hosts the life history of the American
dog tick may be prolonged to 2 or more years, but under favorable conditions,
it may not take more than 3 months."

Now, isn't that more than you wanted to know??? Incidentally, it doesn't
appear that the deer tick (the folks that brought you Lyme disease) have been
studied as extensively.


Now go back to enjoying your hikes!

concordia



> Message: 42
> From: ARTCLOUTMN@aol.com
> Date: Wed, 6 Nov 2002 19:49:28 EST
> Subject: Re: [at-l] Sew...if a flea...
> To: AThiker@smithville.net, at-l@backcountry.net
>
>
> In a message dated 11/6/02 9:32:23 AM, AThiker@smithville.net writes:
>
> << How long can a tick live on the
> edge of that leaf without mammalian blood before it dies? >>
>
> 2 or 3 years and more. I read this somewhere. Doesn't that tick you off?
>
> Art
>
> -