Author Question: What is the life cycle of the Western black-legged tick? What will be an ideal ... (Read 61 times)

leilurhhh · **on:** Jul 21, 2018

What is the life cycle of the Western black-legged tick?

What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

What is the life cycle of the deer tick and the black-legged tick?

What will be an ideal response?

T4T · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 21, 2018

Answer to Question 1

The cycle in question 4 is followed by the Western black-legged tick, except that the dusky-footed woodrat,
a common California rodent, is the reservoir for the Borrelia organism in the West

Answer to Question 2

In the Northeast and upper Midwest, white-footed mice serve as a reservoir (an immune host) for ticks
carrying the Borrelia organism. These ticks have a two-year life cycle. They lay their eggs in the spring, and
the larvae that emerge feed on white-footed mice. The larvae then remain dormant during the winter and
develop into nymphs the following spring. The nymphs feed for three or four days on white-footed mice and
then move to their preferred host, the white-tailed deer.