Trees as Habitats of the Fowl Tick, Argas persicus (Oken)

Abstract

All stages of Argas persicus were found in crevices in the bark of 49 of 266 trees belonging to 16 species in West Pakistan. These trees had not been used as roosts by domestic birds. The infestation seemed to be restricted to those trees used by vultures (Pseudogyps bengalensis) or herons (Ardea cinerea) for nesting or roosting. Several of the ticks collected contained recently sucked avian blood in the gut but intramuscular injection of crushed material from the ticks into a hen produced no blood infection.Infested trees may be important as sources of the pest near poultry farms and chicken houses.