Larvae survive tinfed for over five months in cool weather, but 

 in Texas during midsummer they succumb in about two months. At 30^C, 

 and 1% R.H., unfed Egyptian larvae survive for up to thirty days 

 (H. S. Hurlbut, personal communication). 



Larvae molt to nymphs in warm summer weather about four days 

 following completion of feeding. 



Nymphs usually feed twice, in a matter of half an hour (some- 

 times two hoxurs) and molt a week or two (sometimes longer) after- 

 wards. Some nymphs \indergo a third molt before reaching adulthood; 

 this phenomenon cannot be correlated with sex, food supply, or 

 climatic conditions. Unfed second instar nymphs survive up to a 

 year but first instar nymphs are known to live for only up to nine 

 months . 



Female feeding has been discussed above. Copulation is simi— 

 lar to that described for 0, moubata (page 134) • 



Adults may live as long as three years without food (LabovO— 

 bene 1881 ) but this appears to be exceptional. Unfed adiilts gen- 

 erally succumb more rapidly than engorged adults, which normally 

 appear to live from five to thirteen months, but which may on oc- 

 casion survive longer. 



Besides being a particularly intriguing sttidy for some workers, 

 the ability of the fowl tick to withstand starvation for long pe- 

 riods no doubt axjcoxmts in part for its wide distribution ajid large 

 numbers. Observations made by Newman (1924.) on longevity without 

 food were summarized as follows: Test 1: An isolated female lived 

 two years and three months, (2) it produced fertile eggs four months 

 after isolation, and (3) larvae lived for three months. Test 2; 

 (l) MELles died four months after isolation, (2) first female died 

 after two years and four months, (3) two females lived three years, 

 (4) three females lived fovu: years, and (5) the maximum time a fe- 

 male lived was four years and five months. Removal of fowls from 

 a hotise or yard is in Itself of little use in ridding the premises 

 of ticks. 



Larval survival without food for 228 days at 22°C. to 26°C. 

 and 90^ to 10Q& relative humidity was reported by Roveda (194-0), 

 At temperatures of 37°C , to 38*^ , and at relative humidities of 

 Z'Sja to 10Q& larval survival was reduced to an average of 50 days, 



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