434 
Biology of Ixodidae 
HAEMAPHYSALIS INERMIS. 
The biology of this species has been studied by Dr E. Brumpt of 
Paris, who has kindly placed his notes at my disposal, thus enabling me 
to compile the following account of the life-history of H. inermis. 
Brumpt finds that the adults, which are very active, occur commonly 
on deer in France during the months November to April inclusive. 
They quickly abandon the host and readily reattach themselves to the 
hedgehog or dog in the laboratory. The ticks occur in all situations 
upon the host, but they attach themselves by preference, as does 
I. ricinus, in places where the skin is thin. On deer, they occur in 
the axillary and inguinal regions and occasionally upon the ears. 
H. inermis requires three hosts iipon which to feed in the larval, 
nymphal and adult stages respectively. Both sexes occur upon the host 
on whom copulation takes place. Brumpt has never found the sexes 
attached at the same spot on the host as is usually seen in H. concinna. 
Time the tick remains ivpon the host [Laboratory Experiments). 
The larvae, when a week old, attach themselves immediately in any 
situation upon the host, be it either a mammal (hedgehog, mouse, rat) 
or reptile (lizard); they gorge very rapidly, some being replete in IJ hours; 
the majority, however, engorge in 2-3 hours, whilst some feed for 20 
hours. Their bodies appear bright red at first, owing to the blood 
ingested, but after some days they assume a bluish hue. 
The nymphs are often ready to feed a few days after emergence; 
they gorge rapidly: some are replete within 1 hour, the majority gorge 
within 2 hours, whilst others remain longer upon the host, but in no 
case do they remain attached longer than 24 hours upon a mammal. 
They suck blood for longer periods when attached to cold-blooded 
animals (lizards) at room temperature. 
The females may remain attached to the host for weeks whilst 
awaiting the male, during which time they appear but partiallj’' fed. 
In the presence of the male, i.e. when the female is fecundated, she 
usually grows replete and abandons the host in about 8 days. 
Time required for metamorphosis. 
Egg to larva : the larvae emerge 7-8 weeks after the eggs are laid 
when the latter are kept at 18° C. 
Larva to nymph : the nymphs emerge after 17 days at 25° C., the time 
being reckoned from when they dropped from the host as gorged larvae. 
