SEASONAL ACTIVITY OF NYMPHAL IXODES-SCAPULARIS (ACARI, IXODIDAE) IN DIFFERENT HABITATS IN NEW-JERSEY

Activity patterns of nymphal Ixodes scapularis Say were compared betwe en habitat types (dominant tree types: mixed deciduous, oak, white pin e, red cedar, sassafras, and spicebush). Both the time of peak abundan ce and the relative abundance of questing nymphs at the peak were comp ared. Several smoothing algorithms were tested with-the data to determ ine if they could be used to estimate the time of peak abundance more accurately. Determination of the time of peak abundance using the raw data or simple moving averages was susceptible to outliers. Weighted a verages were less susceptible to outliers. The seasonal pattern of nym phal abundance was similar in all habitat types. Variation in the time of peak abundance between habitats was low. Peak densities were lower in deciduous habitats (0.24 +/- 0.05 nymphs per square meter) than in nondeciduous habitats (0.85 +/- 0.15 nymphs per square meter); this c ould have resulted from higher host use of the nondeciduous areas. The se data suggest that there are differences in the population dynamics of nymphs found in different habitats.