OVIPOSITIONAL BIOLOGY OF BOOPHILUS MICROPLUS CANESTRINI (ACARI : IXODIDAE)

Studies on the seasonal effect on the ovipositional biology of B. microplus revealed that female ticks exposed in the month of July lay more eggs than in other months of the year at room temperature and atmospheric relative humidity. In the present study pre-ovipositional period varies from 3 to 6 days in the month of May and June and 6 to 9 days in the month of January. It was obesrved that ovipositional period varie from 5 to 22 days in the month of June and July and 8 to 27 days in the month of January. Hatchability percentage of the eggs varied from 89.4 to 93.5 percent. The hatching period ranged from 35 to 38 days and 46 to 49 days in the month of August and January respectively. The overall observation made on most of the parameters of ovipositional biology do not indicate much difference among groups. The slight difference in ovipositional period and duration of egg development may be due to difference in atmospheric temperature and relative humidity.