title: The feeding behaviour of larvae, nymphs and adults of Rhipicephalus appendiculatus.
abstract: The pre-feeding and feeding periods of larvae, nymphs and adults of Rhipicephalus appendiculatus on rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) were investigated. Larvae and nymphs required at least 8-9 days after hatching and moulting respectively before they could attach and start feeding, while adults required at least 6-9 days. But longer periods of starvation improved the proportion of ticks that successfully fed. After attachment, there was always an initial period of slow feeding, which was followed by a phase of very rapid feeding before the engorged ticks detached from the host. Larvae detached 4-5 days after attachment, nymphs detached after 5-6 days and adults detached 7-9 days after attachment.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D009758:Nymph; D011817:Rabbits; D013987:Ticks / Q000502:physiology*