8 



THE CATTLE TICK CAN BE DESTROYED 



Engorged Female Tick 



Having completed its development on the 

 animal, and having been filled to its entire 

 capacity with its host's nourishing blood, it is 

 ready to fall to the ground where it seeks 

 seclusion and comfort to deposit its eggs 



instinct of the seed ticks to climb up- 

 ward is a very important adaptation to 

 increase tiieir cliances of reachint^ a 

 host. If the vegetation upon which 

 tliey rest is disturbed, they become 

 very active and extend their long front 

 legs upward in a divergent position, 

 waving them violently in an attempt 

 to seize hold of a host. 



The seed tick during its life on the 

 pasture takes no food and consequently 

 does not increase in size, and unless it 

 reaches a host to take up the parasitic 

 portion of its development, it dies of 

 starvation. The endurance of seed ticks 

 is very great, however, as they have 

 been found to live nearly eight months 

 during the colder part of the year. 



Development on Cattle 



The parasite phase of development 

 begins when the larva or seed ticks reach a favorable host, such as a 

 cow. They crawl up over 

 the hair of the host and 

 commonly attach them- 

 selves to the skin of the 

 escutcheon, the inside of 

 the thighs and flanks, and 

 to the dewlap. They at 

 once begin to draw blood 

 and soon increase in size. 

 In a few days the young 

 tick changes from a brown 

 color to white, and in from 

 five to twelve days sheds 

 its skin. The new form 

 has eight legs instead of 

 six, and is known as a 

 nymph. In from five to 

 eleven days after the first 

 molt the tick sheds its 

 skin and becomes sexually 

 mature. It is at this stage 

 that males and females 

 are with certainty dis- 

 tinguishable for the first 



Ticks of all sizes shingled on hide 

 of a cow, all sucking the life's blood 



