Geographic Occurrence of Ixodes scapularis and Amblyomma americanum (Acari: Ixodidae) Infesting White-tailed Deer in North Carolina Author(s): Charles S. Apperson, Jay F. Levine, and William L. Nicholson Source: Journal of Wildlife Diseases, 26(4):550-553. Published By: Wildlife Disease Association DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7589/0090-3558-26.4.550 URL: http://www.bioone.org/doi/full/10.7589/0090-3558-26.4.550

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Journal

Geographic

Occurrence

of Ixodes

Amblyomma

americanum

White-tailed

Deer

Charles Carolina tology,

scapularis

(Acari:

in North

of

Wildlife

Infesting

Carolina

8401,

North

Carolina

State

University,

Raleigh,

North

Carolina

27695,

USA

A state-wide survey to determine the occurrence and comparative numbers of ticks infecting white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) was conducted in North Carolina (USA). One thousand six hundred twenty nine deer were examined in 60 of 100 counties; with the ex-

cies, from

abundant

(Main

ception

al.,

A state-wide determine

of

one

county

in

the

piedmont

deer,

prevalence,

which

region,

1985).

ducted

(Odocoileus

to

of several between

tailed blyomma

and

deer

and the americanum)

lone

ticks (Ixodes scapularis) mented through surveys (Smith, 1974;

rectly cline from 1986). been Lyme et al., Lyme

The tember

et

species white-

al.,

and

survey was to December

1970)

and

Both

species

implicated disease 1984). disease

The

In

potential et al.,

1989;

have

cases early

of and

the

of as

is endemic.

Adults

tick

(Ixodes

mant

(Spiel-

1979), sence

of this

and Lyme tick

in

ex-

of and

stations.

vanvol-

Cooper-

containing

survey check

80%

forms, and inthe head and com-

body per-

recorded.

vector

1985) in the northeastern United States where

exam-

centage of ticks. All ticks collected from each deer were placed in separate vials and a survey form was completed for each deer examined. The date, county and specific location where each deer was killed was

northern

deer

were

was obtained from Wildlife Resources

vials

forceps and to carefully

from Septo 1987;

Assistance

check

given

Ticks were identified stage and species using

established

1983

deer

1986.

I.

of

present results white-tailed

biologists, members clubs, taxidermists hunter

et condis-

I. scapu-

ears of each deer. In a study recently pleted by Bloemer et al. (1988), these regions were shown to have the largest

de-

vectors of Schulze

North Carolina, were reported as

at were

ethanol, structed

of deer et al.,

recently

1985

deer are

Spielman

and occurrence

conducted during

et al., 1990) and antibodies spirochete have been found deer (Magnanelli et al., is the

man et al., midwestern

of ticks

as (Levine

unteers ators

indithe

>90% in

Commission ous hunting

Burgdor-

by monitoring

1981;

on deer

survey was the geographic

amining deer for ticks the North Carolina

stan tick (Amblack-legged

of ticks following exclusion tick-infested habitats (Bloemen

dammini)

disease

Clymen

med

has been docuof ticks infesting

Cooney

demonstrated

1983 (Levine to the Lyme in white-tailed 1986).

1977;

et al.,

dammini. In this report, we of the survey of ticks infesting deer in North Carolina.

virgini-

anus) are preferred hosts of ticks. The association

differentiated et al., 1979), to feed occurs

tribution of A. americanum laris, and the possible

survey.

deer

recently (Spielman

have a predilection where this species

however, White-tailed

was

I. scapularis

also and,

all tick-infested deer occurred in the coastal plain. Ixodes scapularis (46%) and Amblyornma americanum (53%) were the most prevalent species encountered and accounted for more than 98% of the 4,286 ticks collected. Some specimens of Dermacentor albipictus and Amblyomma maculatum also were collected. Key words: Ticks, Ixodes scapularis, Amblyomma americanum, distribution, white-

fer,

1990, pp. 550-553 Association 1990

and

lxodidae)

ABSTRACT:

deer

Disease

S. Apperson,’ Jay F. Levine,2 and William L Nicholson,2 ‘Department of Entomology, Box 7613, North State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, USA; 2 Department of Microbiology, Pathology and ParasiBox

tailed

26(4),

Diseases, © Wildlife

and

Strickland,

550

1965;

and counted. The of each tick species

each county and the of each species of tick

spe-

to developmental standard keys (DiaSonenshine,

presence or was recorded

abfor

relative abundance was calculated as a

SHORT COMMUNICATiONS

TABLE

1.

Occurrence

of

ticks

on

white-tailed

deer

in North

Carolina. (%) of deer

Number Number

Region

Coastal

examined

plain

sc apularis

Ixodes Females

with

ticks

Amblyomrna

Males

206 (54)

382

164

551

Females

(43)

americanum

Males

Nymphs

85 (22)

21(6)

106

Larvae

57 (15)

(28)

Piedmont

478

0

0

0

0

0

1 (