Seasonal occurrence of Ixodidae on cattle in Northern Province, Nyasaland

Abstract

For some years past in Northern Province, Nyasaland, work has been in progress to determine the mortality amongst native cattle due to east coast fever (Wilson, 1944). As an integral part of such a survey, routine tick collections were made during cattle inspections. It was then intended to map the various species of tick concerned in the hope that their geographical distribution might offer a partial explanation for the prevalence or absence of east coast fever in certain areas. Such a map for the western portion of Kenya Colony has been provided by Lewis (1939), ‘according to the groups of dominant species of ticks’; but in Kenya, climate, soils and vegetation show wide contrasting variations, and conditions are scarcely comparable to those existing in the smaller territory of Nyasaland.