The Thibodaux sentinel. (Thibodaux, La.) 1905-1912, 1909-06-19
Life History q the Cattle
Ticl.
Facts on With the Cam.
paign for Graduating the
Pest is Based.

= paign for Eraelcatlng the
Pest is Based.
$ An intimate knowledge Q
the life historynf the cattl
: tick is necessary to those VIII,
have the pest tc contend Will
in order that tIey may wag,
a, their battle moe intelligent
ly and at the same time Sc
=, cure better and greater re
+ suits. A knowledge Of tn,
h manner in whidl the tick pro
pagates can notfail to be OF
value in the wa of externin
alton now beinf carried On a
against it in the south.
Only a part # the develop.
ment of the tik takes place
on the host (snimaD, while
+ the remainder occurs in the
b pasture. Th female tick,
which is attched to the skin
Of the hos, increases enor-
mousl iasizsee lis a result of
drawing liberal quantities of
blood, and when full engorg-
ed drops to the ground,
where sheat once begins to
search for a suitable hiding
liace that will serve as a pro-
Lection from the sun and enc
mies. The female tick may
be devoured by birds, des-
troyed by ants, or may perish
as the result Of unfavorable
conditions, such as, for ex-
ample, low temperature, lack
Of moisture, ETC., SO that
many may be destroyed with
out having laid any eggs.
Egg-laying begins during
the spring, summer, and fall
months in 2 to 20 days during
the winter months in Ii to SO
days. The eggs are small.
elliptical-shaped bodies, of a
light amber color that later
changes to dark brown, one
fiftieth of an inch in length,
coated with a sticky secretion
that causes them to adhere il
clusters and keeps them from
drying out. During egg-lay-
ing the tick gradually shrinks
to about one-third Or one
fourth her former size. The
egg-laying period continues
for from 4 days in the sum-
mer to Isl days beginning in
the fall, and during this
period from several hundred
to 5000 eggs may be deposit
ed. The mother tick then
dies within a few days.
In from 10 days lin summeD |
tuI 6666 dla : Il fal or winter
after the eggs haze been del
posted they begii to hatch. |
From each one isa1es a small
oval, six-lrgged s4d tick, at
first amber coidred, later
changing to a rich Thrown. AT
ter crawling slowiE about the
shell it usually remains quies-
cent for several days; then it
displays great activity, es-I
pecially if the weather is
warm. and ascends the near
est bit of vegetation, snch as
grass, herbs, or shrubs.
Since each female lays her
eggs at one spot thousands Of
newly Matched ticks or larvae
will appear at thesame place
and later will ascend nearby
grass stems and collect on the
blades, This accounts for
the brown mass Of larvae OBJ
serving clinging to vegetation
in pastures Or on fence posts.
This upward instinct of the
ticks increases their chances
# reaching a host, for when
he vegetation is disturbed
hey become very active, ex-
lending their long legs VIC
emily upward III an attempt
% seize hold Of host.
N During its life in the pas
.nre the seed tick takes no
'ood and hence does not in
crease in size, and unless it
caches a host it dies, of STAR
yation. This fact is signifi-t
ant and is taken advantage
# in the work Of exferminat-i
ng the ticks. Their endu-
ance, hoWever,Iis very great,
md under certain conditions
hey have been found to live
without nourishment nearly
'jght months during the cold
II part of the year.
The length Of the period
rom the time females drop