A programmable environmental system for maintenance and observation of individually housed ticks |
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Authors: | J M Pound J E George J A Miller |
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Affiliation: | Knipling-Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory, USDA, Kerrville, Texas 78029-0232. |
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Abstract: | This paper describes an inexpensive, space-saving, and labor-efficient method for housing and making repeated observations of individual ticks held under specific photoperiodic, temperature, and humidity conditions. Using 96-well assay plates to house ticks, various developmental parameters, sex, survival, etc., of several thousand individual ticks can be recorded routinely in less than 1 hr. This design also permits more than 3,500 individual ticks to be maintained in 1 small (18.9-L) aquarium that serves as a humidity chamber. A small, unilluminated constant temperature incubator was converted inexpensively into a light and temperature programmable unit to contain the aquarium by adding a timing system, light fixture, and a second thermostat. |
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