than in ticks of the genus Haemaphysalis. In contrast 
to the continental rabbit tick, which rarely bites man, 
the wood tick readily bites and engorges on man. In 
fact, the wood tick is the only tick in Illinois that is 
likely to attack a human being. 
Larvae and nymphs of this tick prefer mice as 
hosts, although, in some areas and under certain con- 
ditions, rabbits are said to be important hosts for the 
immature stages (Eddy & Joyce 1944). Portman (1944) 
recorded that in southern Missouri larvae occur on rab- 
bits in spring and even as early as January or February. 
Adults, which are not found frequently on rabbits (Smith 
et al. 1946), prefer larger mammals, for example, dogs 
(formerly, in all probability, coyotes and wolves), deer, 
raccoons, and opossums. 
In Lee County, larvae and nymphs of the variable 
wood tick were found to infest rabbits, but only in lim- 
ited numbers. Larvae were taken in May and nymphs in 
June and July. No adults were collected from any of 
the rabbits examined. 
The reason the variable wood tick is associated 
in the early stages with rabbits, but not usually with 
them as a mature tick, is unknown at present. If it is 
not a matter of direct sensory reaction, it may be that 
the movement patterns of the adult tick and the rabbit 
do not coincide. Adults of this tick move to the edges 
of broad, bare pathways (large-animal trails) and roads 
(Smith e¢ al. 1946) and climb the overhanging vegetation 
to await a host. It could be presumed, therefore, that 
only animals that frequent such avenues of travel would 
be apt to become infested by adults. Seemingly, rabbits 
do not often use pathways made by larger animals and, 
according to Stone & Cram (1902), they follow their own 
narrow runways. Furthermore, when rabbits come out to 
roadsides, they may not regularly move close to the 
overhanging grasses and herbs where the adult ticks 
wait. By contrast, dogs, wolves, and other large mam- 
mals are said to follow large-animal trails habitually 
and may often brush against the vegetation that har- 
bors ticks. 
Larvae and nymphs of the variable wood tick occur 
mostly away from roadsides and paths, according to 
Smith et al. (1946), and, although they usually select 
mice as hosts, they occasionally feed on rabbits. 
Ixodes dentatus Marx; eastern rabbit tick; fig. 6. — 
As recently as 15 years ago, the eastern rabbit tick 
had not been reported from areas west of the Appala- 
chian Mountains (Bell & Chalgren 1943). Cooley & 
Kohls (1945) gave the first midwestern record, a single 
female from Ames, Iowa. Ecke & Yeatter (1956) report- 
ed on the first Illinois specimens. We now have an 
additional Iowa record, a specimen from Edron, col- 
lected by Dr. Thomas G. Scott, and nine locality rec- 
_ords from Illinois, fig. 7. 
Fig. 6.—/xodes dentatus, eastern rabbit tick, unengorged 
adult female. Adults of this species may be distinguished from 
adults of the other rabbit ticks in Illinois by the relatively 
long mouthparts (palps, indicated by arrow) and lack of scal- 
lops (festoons) around the posterior dorsal margin of the body. 
Determination of the immature stages can be made by using 
the key published in Cooley & Kohls (1945). 
ja Se ot 
f 
( ee 
\ i j 
\ Hh 
ale Sa Ho 
f a z 
pe oo / 
¢ fe 
3 jee 5 
{_ b—-4 ie ye 
\ pel - 2 
\ a ; 
K j 
\ { 
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)) e 
J e 
wT~, ene 
f 
f 1 j 
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7 e 
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Fig. 7.—/xodes dentatus distribution in Illinois, based on 
Illinois Natural History Survey records. 
