Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-06-15
LIFE HISTORY OF CATTLE TICK.
Facts on Which the Campaign For
Eradicatins the Pest Is Based.

Facts on Which the Campaign For
Eradieatins the Pest Is Based.
An intimate knowledge Of the life
history Of the cattle tick is necessary
to those who have the pest to contend
with in order that they may wage their
battle more intelligently and at the
same time secure better and greater re-
suits. A knowledge of the manner in
which the tick propagates can not fall
to be Of value in the war Of exter-
mination now being carried on against
| 1t in the south.
Only a part of the development OF
the tick takes place on the host (ani-
mal), while the remainder occurs In
the pasture. The female tick, which
Is attached to the skin Of the host, In
creases enormously in size as result
of drawing liberal quantities Of blood,
and when fully engorged drops to the
ground, where she at once begins to
search for a suitable hiding place that
will serve as a protection from the sun
and enemies. The female ticks may be
devoured by birds, destroyed by ants,
or may perish as the result Of unfavor-
able conditions, such as, for example,
low temperature, lack Of moisture, etc.,
so that many may be destroyed with
out having laid its eggs.
Egg-laying begins during the spring,
summer and falls months In 2 to 20
days and during the winter months In
13 to 9S days. The eggs are small,
elliptical shaped bodies, Of light am
ber color that later changes to dark
brown, one -fiftieth Of an inch In length,
coated with a sticky secretion that
causes them to adhere in clusters and
keeps them from drying out. During
egg laying the tick gradually shrinks
to about one-third or one-fourth her
former size. The egg-laying period
continues for from four days in the
summer to ISL days beginning In the
fall, and during this period from sew
eral hundred to 5000 eggs may be de-
posted. The mother tick then dies
within a few days.
In from 10 days Tin summer) to 1SS
days Gin fall or winter) after the eggs
have been deposited they begin to
hatch. From each one issues small,
oval, six-legged seed tick, at first am
ber colored, later changing to rich
brown. After crawling slowly about
the shell it usually remains quiescent
for several days; then it displays great
activity, especially If the weather Is
warm, and ascends the nearest bit Of
vegetation, such as grass, herbs, or
shrubs
Since each female lays her eggs at
one spot, thousands of newly hatched
ticks or larvae will appear at the same
place and later will ascend nearby grass
stems and collect on the blades. This
accounts for the brown masses Of lar
vac observed clinging to vegetation In
pastures or on fence posts. This up
ward instinct Of the ticks increases
their chances Of reaching a host, for
when the vegetation is disturbed they
become very active, extending their
long legs violently upward in an at
tempt to seize hold of host.
During its life in the pasture the
seed tick takes no food and hence does
not increase in size, and unless 1t
reaches a host 1t dies Of starvation.
This fact Is significant and Is taken
advantage Of in the work of extermi-
mating the ticks. Their endurance,
however, is very great, and under GER
tain conditions they have been found to
live without nourishment nearly eight
months during the colder part Of the
year.