Some factors affecting infestation of white-tailed deer by blacklegged ticks and winter ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) in southeastern Missouri

A total of 5,669 ticks of 4 species was collected from 515 hunter killed, white-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus (Zimmerman), in southeastern Missouri from 1993 through 1995. The American dog tick, Dermacentor variabilis, (Say) (4 adults), the lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum (L.) (57 adults, 2 nymphs), the blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis (Say) (3,120 adults), and the winter tick, Dermacentor albipictus (Packard) (2,059 adults, 436 nymphs, 1 larva) were collected. Patterns of adult D. albipictus and I. scapularis infesting deer were analyzed with respect to upland versus lowland habitat, county, and host sex. Prevalence and intensity of infestation by D. albipictus were higher on bucks than does, and a higher infestation prevalence was recorded for this tick on deer from upland than from lowland habitats. Mean intensities for D. albipictus were not significantly different between counties. Prevalence and mean intensity of infestation for I. scapularis were significantly higher on deer from uplands than lowlands and on bucks than does; mean intensities also differed between counties for this tick. Because adjacent populations, as well as the sex of the host, can differ in infestation rates, differences between local populations of I. scapularis should be recognized to optimize tick surveys and population models