no 
Biolofiy of Ixodidae 
contrai’y to what occurs when they are put on sheep, they behave like 
two-host ticks. This peculiar behavioiir on hedgehogs is doubtless due 
merely to the gorged larvae remaining entangled amongst the host’s 
spines. The larvae remain upon the host 6-15 days (3^ to 41 days 
according to Lounsbury) before they drop off gorged. When they drop 
off as gorged nymphs from hedgehogs they do so 25-46 days after the 
larvae ai’e put on the host. Nymphs remain upon the host for about 
eight days. Females remained upon a calf 6-8 days. Males remain 
longer upon the host—I have seen camels in Biskra upon which only 
males could be found. The time required for metamorphosis from the 
egg to the larval stage is 35-51 days and from the larval to the 
nymphal stage the period required is 16-20 days. Nymphs change to 
adults in 95 days at 14° C. to 12-15 days at 37° C., metamorphosis, as 
is usual with ticks, being markedly accelerated by warmth. Oviposition 
commences 6-12 days after the gorged and fecundated female abandons 
the host; the process lasts 27-59 days, and during this period, the 
temperature being 15-1.9° C., a female lays 10350-15500 eggs. Two of 
the four females received from Algeria only laid 4300 and 4350 eggs 
re.spectively; this relatively small number is attributable to their having 
been removed from their host in Africa when they were incompletely 
gorged. The females survive for 0-26 days after oviposition has ended. 
Copulation must take place upon the host. Longevity is marked: 
larvae were lively after 345 days, nymphs after 89 days and adults 
after 369 days at room temperature ; some adults lived over 421 days. 
From the data given in my protocols, the shortest time required for 
the completion of the life cycle was 151 days, made up as follows: 
From time egg is laid to emergence of larva 
Time required 
in days 
35 
(Eggs at 18° C.) 
Larva hardens ... 
7 
Larva stays on host 
6 
Metamorphosis; Larva to Nymph 
IG 
(Larvae at 19° C.) 
Nymph hardens 
7 
Nymph stays on host 
6 
Metamorphosis; Nymjjh to Adult 
20 
(Nymphs at 18° C. 
Adult hardens ... 
7 
Adult ¥ stays on host 
G 
Gorged ¥ drops off host and waits before laying ... 
G 
From time egg is laid to emergence of larva 
35 
(Eggs at 18° C.) 
151 days 
