Life cycle of Ixodes minor (Acari: Ixodidae) in the laboratory.

Details of the laboratory life cycle of 3 generations of Ixodes minor Neumann were recorded. Larvae and nymphs were fed on white laboratory mice and adults were fed on woodrats. Nymphs fed for 4 d and larvae for an average of 4 d; approximately 10 to 11 d were required for females to engorge. After feeding, females laid approximately 1,600 eggs that required an average of 39.7 d to hatch. Eggs were maintained at 97.5% RH and approximately 25 degrees C as were all stages of the ticks when not feeding. The life cycle in the laboratory required approximately 180 d; however, in nature it probably takes longer. I. minor has been recorded from several rodent and bird species known to be infected with Borrelia burgdorferi (Johnson, Schmid, Hyde, Steigerwalt & Brenner). This study provides data on the life cycle of a potential enzootic tick vector of this spirochete.