Life cycle in the laboratory and seasonal activity of the tick Rhipicephalus glabroscutatum (Acarina: Ixodidae).

The life cycle of Rhipicephalus glabroscutatum Du Toit was studied under laboratory conditions at 26 C +/- 1C. The preoviposition period was 6.0 +/- 0.12 days. The mean number of eggs was 2,044 +/- 186 (maximum 3,053, minimum 748), and the greatest production was recorded on day 3 (234 eggs/female). The incubation period was 37.4 +/- 0.32 days (maximum 41, minimum 35). The feeding time of larvae and nymphs of this two-host tick was 20.2 +/- 0.33 days (16-28). Nymphs producing males weighed less (4.09 +/- 0.07 mg) than those producing females (6.62 +/- 0.08 mg). The combined larval-nymphal feeding time of the former was shorter (19.3 +/- 0.90 days) than that of the latter (20.4 +/- 0.90 days). The molting period of nymphs to adults of both sexes was similar. Engorged females weighed (mean +/- SE) 204.0 +/- 10.75 mg and the feeding time was 7.9 +/- 0.34 days. Spermatogenesis was completed on day 5 after the commencement of feeding, and pairing between males and females and mating occurred subsequently. The adult ticks were active during early summer and were much more prevalent on kudu than on angora goats and cattle. Immature stages were not found during this study.