Gray J S
Department of Agricultural Zoology and Genetics, University College, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland.
Exp Appl Acarol. 1987 Mar;3(1):61-71. doi: 10.1007/BF01200414.
This study established that in an open rough-grazing habitat in Ireland a large proportion of female ticks mated in the vegetation rather than on the host, confirming observations made by other workers in scrub and forest habitats in Switzerland and Russia. It was found that many ticks active from October onwards had already mated even though they were moulted and apparently derived from the spring population. This activity was at odds with the view that such ticks are prevented from becoming active in autumn by a behavioural diapause. Laboratory and plot experiments involving observations on questing activity and feeding showed that the behavioural diapause of females was abolished by exposure to males. Male ticks did not show a behavioural diapause. In areas of high tick density this mechanism could result in the transfer of ticks from spring to autumn populations and, since the mortality rate of the autumn population is higher, could also contribute to density-dependent population regulation.
本研究证实，在爱尔兰的一个开放式粗放放牧栖息地中，很大一部分雌性蜱虫是在植被中而非宿主身上交配的，这证实了瑞士和俄罗斯其他研究人员在灌木丛和森林栖息地所做的观察。研究发现，许多从10月起活跃的蜱虫即使已经蜕皮且显然源自春季种群，也已经交配。这种活动与认为此类蜱虫因行为滞育而在秋季无法活跃的观点相悖。涉及对搜寻活动和进食观察的实验室及实地试验表明，雌性蜱虫的行为滞育会因接触雄性而消除。雄性蜱虫没有表现出行为滞育。在蜱虫密度高的地区，这种机制可能导致蜱虫从春季种群转移到秋季种群，而且由于秋季种群的死亡率较高，这也可能有助于密度依赖性种群调节。
