U. Zieger et al., DYNAMICS OF FREE-LIVING IXODID TICKS ON A GAME RANCH IN THE CENTRAL PROVINCE, ZAMBIA, Onderstepoort journal of veterinary research, 65(1), 1998, pp. 49-59
Free-living ixodid ticks were collected at monthly intervals from Janu
ary to December 1996 by drag-sampling the vegetation of Mtendere Game
Ranch in the Chisamba District of the Central Province, Zambia. Ticks
belonging to 11 species were recovered. Rhipicephalus appendiculatus w
as most abundant, comprising 90 % of the total number collected. All l
ife stages of this tick showed a definite seasonal pattern of activity
. The adults were present mainly during the rainy season (February and
March), the larvae during the cool and dry season (May to August), an
d the nymphs during the hot and dry season (August to October). Adults
were most abundant in the wooded areas and nymphs in the open grassla
nds. Larvae of Amblyomma variegatum were only found from May to Septem
ber, while larvae of Boophilus decoloratus were present throughout the
year with peaks of abundance from January to February and again from
August to November. Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi larvae occurred thro
ughout the year. Recent burning of the vegetation did not seem to affe
ct the number of ticks collected. A possible burning regime to achieve
a degree of tick control is discussed.