Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 2.2
Lifecycle of H. spinigera Under Laboratory Conditions at Ambient Temperature
Stage
Phase
Duration (in days)
Engorged females
Pre-oviposition
2
5
18
23
Oviposition
1
39
Post-oviposition
29
33
Egg
Incubation
Larva
Quiescent
3
10
Life span (maximum)
320
Parasitic
2
6
Molting
10
15
Nymph
Quiescent
3
10
Life span (maximum)
276
Parasitic
2
6
Molting
12
15
Adults
Quiescent
5
10
Life span (maximum)
323 (M) and 339 (F)
Parasitic
7
16
160 days at ambient temperature, which ranged from 18 to 35
C and relative
humidity from 80% to 90%. The unfed males and females from the colony readily
fed on calf or rabbit and engorged within 8
118
13 days. The weight of a fully
engorged female fed on laboratory rabbit ranged from 0.105 to 0.23 g and those fed
on calf from 0.146 to 0.298 g. Oviposition usually commenced 2
5 days after
detachment and continued for 17
25 days. The number of eggs laid by the females
fed on rabbit ranged from 388 to 3,136 and those fed on calf from 1,804 to 3,536.
The eggs hatched 25
30 days after laying. The larvae were not ready to feed until
5
7 days after hatching. They readily fed and engorged on chick, mice, or rabbit
within 3
16 days after detachment. The pre-
feeding, feeding, and the molting periods of the nymph were almost the same as
for larvae. They fed well on chick or rabbit. The females were ready to feed
25
6 days and molted to nymphs in 13
30 days after molting (
Table 2.2
).
Behavioral Studies of Different Developmental Stages Under Forest
Conditions
17
Engorged females: In one of his field experiments carried out by Bhat, 45 ticks
were released in 9 lots, each consisting of 5 ticks, during 1964 and 1965. The
engorged females, as soon as released on the ground cover, began to seek their way
downward, crawling slowly and moving their forelegs. They dragged themselves
under the litter and were out of sight within 5
10 min. Movement of these ticks
ceased as soon as they came in contact with the underlying hard soil or the humus.
Ticks released on the grazing ground also moved horizontally till they reached dark
places under the grass cover. Ticks released during monsoon months came to rest
