The Relationship between Adult Ixodes Questing Behavior and Temperature, Relative Humidity, and Time of Day During the Late Fall Season, Poster 31

Ixodes scapularis, the black-legged tick, is responsible for transmitting Lyme disease in the Northeastern United States. The tick seeks a host through a behavior termed “questing”. This study strives to tease apart... [ view full abstract ]

Ixodes scapularis, the black-legged tick, is responsible for transmitting Lyme disease in the Northeastern United States. The tick seeks a host through a behavior termed “questing”. This study strives to tease apart abiotic factors to investigate the individual relationships between adult I. scapularis tick questing behavior and temperature, relative humidity (RH), and time of day. Ticks were collected throughout Addison County, Vermont using the flagging method, briefly housed in indoor tick chambers, and transferred to outdoor tick arenas containing dowel rods as climbing structures. The arenas contained mixed-sex groups of ticks. From late October to late November, data was compiled at different times of day on percentage of ticks questing, questing height, temperature, and relative humidity. A positive relationship was found between warmer weather and tick questing height and frequency while no relationship was discovered between tick questing and either RH or time of day. Results indicate that in the late fall months, adult tick questing behaviors are highly dependent on temperature but are not closely correlated with RH conditions or time of day during daylight hours.