Flagging versus dragging as sampling methods for nymphal Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae)
Journal of Vector Ecology
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Abstract
The nymphal stage of the blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae), is responsible for most transmission of Borrelia burgdorferi, the etiologic agent of Lyme disease, to humans in North America. From 2010 to fall of 2012, we compared two commonly used techniques, flagging and dragging, as sampling methods for nymphal I. scapularis at three sites, each with multiple sampling arrays (grids), in the eastern and central United States. Flagging and dragging collected comparable numbers of nymphs, with no consistent differences between methods. Dragging collected more nymphs than flagging in some samples, but these differences were not consistent among sites or sampling years. The ratio of nymphs collected by flagging vs dragging was not significantly related to shrub density, so habitat type did not have a strong effect on the relative efficacy of these methods. Therefore, although dragging collected more ticks in a few cases, the numbers collected by each method were so variable that neither technique had a clear advantage for sampling nymphal I. scapularis.
Suggested Citation
Rulison, E., Kuczaj, I., Pang, G., Hickling, G., Tsao, J., Ginsberg, H.S., 2013, Flagging versus dragging as sampling methods for nymphal Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae): Journal of Vector Ecology, v. 38, no. 1, p. 163-167, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1948-7134.2013.12022.x.
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Flagging versus dragging as sampling methods for nymphal Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae) |
| Series title | Journal of Vector Ecology |
| DOI | 10.1111/j.1948-7134.2013.12022.x |
| Volume | 38 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Publication Date | May 23, 2013 |
| Year Published | 2013 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Wiley |
| Contributing office(s) | Patuxent Wildlife Research Center |
| Description | 5 p. |
| Larger Work Type | Article |
| Larger Work Subtype | Journal Article |
| Larger Work Title | Journal of Vector Ecology |
| First page | 163 |
| Last page | 167 |