. Ectoparasites of the cottontail rabbit in Lee County, northern Illinois. Parasites. than in ticks of the genus Haemaphysalis. In contrast to the continental rabbit tick, wliich rarely bites man, the wood tick readily bites and engorges on man. In fact, the wood tick is the only tick in Illinois that is likely to attack a human being. Larvae and nymphs of this tick prefer mice as hosts, although, in some areas and under certain con- ditions, rabbits are said to be important hosts for the immature stages (Eddy & Joyce 1944). Portman (1944) recorded that in southern Missouri larvae occur on
. Ectoparasites of the cottontail rabbit in Lee County, northern Illinois. Parasites. than in ticks of the genus Haemaphysalis. In contrast to the continental rabbit tick, wliich rarely bites man, the wood tick readily bites and engorges on man. In fact, the wood tick is the only tick in Illinois that is likely to attack a human being. Larvae and nymphs of this tick prefer mice as hosts, although, in some areas and under certain con- ditions, rabbits are said to be important hosts for the immature stages (Eddy & Joyce 1944). Portman (1944) recorded that in southern Missouri larvae occur on rab- bits in spring and even as early as January or February. Adults, which are not found frequently on rabbits (Smith et al. 1946), prefer larger mammals, for example, dogs (formerly, in all probability, coyotes and wolves), deer, raccoons, and opossums. In Lee County, larvae ami nymphs of the variable wood tick were found to infest rabbits, but only in lim- ited numbers. Larvae were taken in May and nymphs in June and July. No adults were collected from any of the rabbits examined. The reason the variable wood tick is associated in the early stages with rabbits, but not usually with them as a mature tick, is unknown at present. If it is not a matter of direct sensory reaction, it may be that the movement patterns of the adult tick and the rabbit do not coincide. Adults of this tick move to the edges of broad, bare pathways (large-animal trails) and roads (Smith etal. 1946) and climb the overhanging vegetation to await a host. It could be presumed, therefore, that only animals that frequent such avenues of travel would be apt to become infested by adults. Seemingly, rabbits do not often use pathways made by larger animals and, according to Stone S Cram (1902), they follow their own narrow runways. Furthermore, when rabbits come out to roadsides, they may not regularly move close to the overhanging grasses and herbs where the adult ticks wait. By contrast, dogs, wolves, and ot
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