Models of temporal variation in questing activity in individuals of Ixodes ricinus (Acari: Ixodidae)

• Published in: Experimental & applied acarology Vol. 23; no. 12; pp. 977 - 986
• Main Authors: Van Es, R.P, Gettinby, G, Hillerton, J.E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer 01.12.1999
• Subjects: Algorithms; Animals; Behavior, Animal; Biological and medical sciences; dehydration (physiological); duration; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; host seeking; Ixodes ricinus; Ixodidae; Least-Squares Analysis; Medically important nuisances and vectors, pests of stored products and materials: population survey and control; Models, Biological; questing duration; stochastic processes; temporal variation; Ticks - physiology; Time Factors; Vectors. Intermediate hosts; England; Parasitiformes; Stochastic model; Hydration; Host; Searching behavior; Time variation; Arachnida; Acari; Ixodida; Arthropoda; Pathogenic; Ectoparasite; Ixodes ricinus; Invertebrata; Vector; Ixodidae
• ISSN: 0168-8162; 1572-9702
• DOI: 10.1023/A:1006331331642

Intensive observations of the questing activity of Ixodes ricinus ticks in the field were made to provide data on the range of durations of periods of continuous questing activity, and of the variation in questing activity between individuals. Continuous periods of questing were observed to extend to a maximum of 28 hours. Substantial variation in questing activity between individuals was observed. Models fitted to the distribution of durations of bouts of questing activity provide insights into the questing ecology of I. ricinus. Results suggest that questing duration may not be solely dependent on the state of hydration of the tick. A function fitted to the frequency distribution of the proportions of active life that individuals spend on questing, provides an empirically-based model that can be used to generate a stochastic expression of variation of questing activity in individuals in a questing population.