ETHOLOGICAL FEATURES AND SURVIVAL OF DERMACENTOR RETICULATUS FEMALES DURING EGG LAYING TIME IN LABORATORY CONDITIONS

Abstract

Dermacentor reticulatus are very unstable material for cultivation, since minor changes in living conditions adversely affect the survival of ticks, as a result of which they may die or fall into diapause. It has been established that the creation of the most favorable conditions for ixodides does not provide them with stable vital activity and 11.76% of the fed females fell into diapause and died without laying eggs. It was noted that the number of eggs laid depended on the degree of saturation of the female. Thus, females with the lowest weight laid from 1245 to 2065 eggs, medium-fed females laid from 3220 to 5775 eggs, and the most saturated laid in the range of 5880–6225 eggs.Studying the features of the biorhythms of Dermacentor reticulatus mite under laboratory conditions is not only fundamental, as knowledge of the biology of ixodides, but also of practical importance, since for research purposes it is necessary to maintain a culture of ticks in sufficient quantities throughout the calendar year. One of these goals is to develop and then introduce the most effective and economically viable methods to combat them. Ixodides living in the Northern Trans-Urals are very unstable material for cultivation, and minor changes in cultivation conditions adversely affect the viability of ticks, as a result of which they may die or fall into diapause, and in most cases, without returning to active life. Given these features, researchers need to improve the laboratory culture of these arthropods.The need for experimental material and the absence of an acceptable method for cultivating the tick D. reticulatus in the autumn-winter period was the reason for our research work.