Abstract
Data collected from a longitudinal survey carried out over 2 years on four farms in western France were used to assess the incidence and infestation of Ixodes ricinus on rodents. Once a month, on each farm, 25 Sherman live traps were set in hedges bordering selected pastures. A total of 799 micromammals were examined, including Apodemus sylvaticus, Clethrionomys glareolus, Microtus agrestis, Microtus arvalis, and Crocidura spp. Larvae and nymphs of I. ricinus were found. Small numbers of Ixodes (Exopalpiger) trianguliceps were also recovered from each farm. The mean infestation rate of the I. ricinus larvae (1.6–5.9) among all animals examined varied between farms Most animals were infested by only a single tick, but one M. agrestis harboured 43 I. ricinus larvae. Larvae or nymphs were found throughout the year, with peaks from March to October.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abacus Concepts 1992. Statview, 512+TM, Release no. 1.01. Abacus Concepts, Inc., Berkeley, USA.
Aeschlimann, A. 1972. Ixodes ricinus, Linnée, 1758 (Ixodoidea; Ixodidae). Essai préliminaire de synthèse sur la biologie de cette espèce en Suisse. Acta Trop. 29: 321–340.
Evans, GO. 1950. The seasonal incidence of Ixodes ricinus (L.) on cattle in mid-Wales. Bull. Entomol. Res. 40: 459–458.
Gern, L. and Aeschlimann, A. 1986. Etude séroépidémiologique de 2 foyers à babésie de micromammifères en Suisse. Schweiz. Arch. Tierheilk. 128: 587–600.
Gilot, B. and Pautou, G. 1982. L'évolution des populations de tiques (Ixodidae et Argasidae) en relation avec l'artificialisation des milieux dans les Alpes Françaises. Incidences épidémiologiques. Acta Trop. 39: 337–354.
Gilot, B., Pautou, G., Moncada, E. and Ain, G. 1975. Première contribution à l'étude écologique d'Ixodes ricinus (Linnée, 1758) (Acarina, Ixodoidea) dans le Sud-Est de la France. Acta Trop. 32: 232–258.
Kurtenbach, K., Kampen, H. Dizij, A., Arndt, S., Seitz, H.M., Schaible, U.E. and Simon, M.M. 1995. Infestation of rodents with larval ixodes (Acari: Ixodidae) is an important factor in the transmission cycle of Borrelia burgdorferi s.l; in German woodlands. J. Med. Entomol. 32: 807–817.
Lees, A.D. and Milne, A. 1951. The seasonal and diurnal activities of individual sheep ticks (Ixodes ricinus L.). Parasitology 41: 198–208.
L'Hostis, M., Dumon, H., Dorchies, B., Boisdron, F. and Gorenflot, A. 1995 Seasonal incidence and ecology of the tick Ixodes ricinus (Acari: Ixodidae) on grazing pastures in western France. Exp. Appl. Acarol. 19: 211–220.
Lundqvist, L. and Brinck-Lindroth, G. 1990. Patterns of coexistence: ectoparasites on small mammals in northern Fennoscandia. Holartic Ecol. 13: 39–49.
Matuschka, F.R. Fisher, P., Musgrave, K., Richter, D. and Spielman, A. 1991a. Hosts on which nymphal Ixodes ricinus most abundantly feed. Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg. 44: 100–107.
Matuschka, F. R., Richter, D. and Spielman, A. 1991b. Differential detachment from resting hosts of replete larval and nymphal Ixodes ticks. J.Parasitol. 77: 341–345.
Mermod, C., Aeschlimann, A. and Graf, J.F. 1973. Ecologie et ethologie d'Ixodes ricinus Linnee 1758, en Suisse (Acarina, Ixodoidea). Première note: fluctuations numeriques. Acarologia 15: 197–205.
Mermod, C., Aeschlimann, A. and Graf, J.F. 1973. Ecologie et éthologie d'Ixodes ricinus L. en Suisse. Quatrième note: comparaison de deux populations d'altitude différentes. Acarologia 17: 442–451.
Milne, M. A. 1948. The ecology of the sheep tick, Ixodes ricinus L. Part 2: observations on hill and moorland grazing in northern England. Parasitology 39: 173–197.
Morel, P.C. and Perez, C. 1972. Morphologie des stases préimaginales des Ixodidae S. Str. d' Europe occidentale. I: Exopalpiger trianguliceps (Birula, 1895). Cah. ORSTOM., Sér. Entomol. Med. Parasitol. 10: 47–55.
Morel, P.C. and Perez, C. 1977a. Morphologie des stases préimaginales des Ixodidae S. Str. d'Europe occidentale. V: les larves des Ixodes S. Str. Acarologia 19: 579–586.
Morel, P.C. and Perez, C. 1977b. Morphologie des stases preimaginales des Ixodidae S. Str. d' Europe occidentale. VI: les nymphes des Ixodes S. Str. Acarologia 19: 395–405.
Nilsson, A. 1981. Spatial differentiation of ectoparasites on small mammals. Holartic Ecol. 4: 184–190.
Nilsson, A and Lundquivst, L. 1978. Host selection and movements of Ixodes ricinus (Acari) larvae on small mammals. Oikos, 31: 313–322.
Perez-Eid, C. 1989. Dynamique saisonnière des nymphes et adultes d'Ixodes ricinus en phase libre sur la végétation, dans le foyer alsacien d'encéphalite à tiques. Acarologia 30: 356–360.
Perez-Eid, C. 1990. Les relations tiques-petits mammifères dans le foyer alsacien d'encéphalite à tiques. Acarologia 31: 131–141.
Tovornik, D. 1988. Geographic distribution and other population parameters of Ixodes (Exopalpiger) trianguliceps (Birula, 1895) in Yugoslavia. Biol. Vestn. 36: 33–54.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
L'Hostis, M., Dumon, H., Fusade, A. et al. Seasonal incidence of Ixodes ricinus ticks (Acari: ixodidae) on rodents in western France. Exp Appl Acarol 20, 359–368 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00130548
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00130548