title: A programmable environmental system for maintenance and observation of individually housed ticks.
abstract: This paper describes an inexpensive, space-saving, and labor-efficient method for housing and making repeated observations of individual ticks held under specific photoperiodic, temperature, and humidity conditions. Using 96-well assay plates to house ticks, various developmental parameters, sex, survival, etc., of several thousand individual ticks can be recorded routinely in less than 1 hr. This design also permits more than 3,500 individual ticks to be maintained in 1 small (18.9-L) aquarium that serves as a humidity chamber. A small, unilluminated constant temperature incubator was converted inexpensively into a light and temperature programmable unit to contain the aquarium by adding a timing system, light fixture, and a second thermostat.
authors.affiliation: Knipling-Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory, USDA, Kerrville, Texas 78029-0232.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Pound
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: George
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004772:Entomology / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006799:Housing, Animal; D006813:Humidity; D008297:Male; D013696:Temperature; D013987:Ticks / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology