Observations on the Seasonality of Ixodes scapularis Say in Mississippi, U.S.A

ORCID

Goddard: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2617-7141

MSU Affiliation

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences; Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology and Plant Pathology

Creation Date

2026-10-30

Abstract

To assess the seasonality of adult and immature Ixodes scapularis ticks, weekly collections were made year-round with a drag cloth at two 0.5 ha sites in northern Mississippi. One hundred and four collection attempts were made between August 1, 2010 and July 31, 2011, and a total of 256 adult and 6 nymphal I. scapularis were collected from the sites. From Wall Doxey State Park near the Tennessee state line, 233 adult ticks were collected, whereas only 23 were collected from Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), which is located approximately 350 km southeast of that point. Three nymphal I. scapularis were collected from each collecting site, and no larval I. scapularis were collected at either site. The first adult I. scapularis was collected on October 19, 2010 at Wall Doxey Park, while at Noxubee NWR the first adult I. scapularis was collected 3 days later (October 21, 2010). The last adults were collected on April 3, 2011 at Noxubee NWR and on May 25, 2011 at Wall Doxey Park. Most adults were caught during March (97 adults, 37.9% of all I. scapularis collected), and no adults were collected from June through mid-October. The first I. scapularis nymph was collected on August 2, 2010 at Wall Doxey Park. Two more nymphs were collected (one each) at Noxubee NWR on September 3, 2010 and September 16, 2010. Another nymph was collected on March 14, 2011 at Noxubee NWR, then two more on May 17, 2011 at Wall Doxey Park. Statistical analyses showed no significant correlation between vapor pressure deficit (VPD) and number of adult ticks collected, or temperature and VPD combined and number of adult ticks collected. © 2013 Systematic & Applied Acarology Society.

Keywords

Ixodes scapularis, Mississippi, sampling, seasonality

Publication Date

10-15-2013

Publication Title

Systematic and Applied Acarology

Publisher

Systematic and Applied Acarology Society

First Page

212

Last Page

217

Rights

© 2013 Systematic & Applied Acarology Society

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Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.11158/saa.18.3.2