Survival of the lone star tick (Acari: Ixodidae) under flooding conditions: a laboratory evaluation.

In the laboratory, lone star ticks, Amblyomma americanum (L.), were able to survive submersion in water at 20°C for up to 19 weeks (unfed nymphs). The LT50 (lethal time) ranged from 3.4 to 5.5 days for engorged larvae, nymphs, and females and eggs, and 3.3 to 3.5 weeks for unfed larvae and adults. Unfed nymphs survived the longest (LT50 = 7.3 weeks). The lengthy survival of the ticks in water indicates that periodic flooding of land has little long-term effect on lone star tick populations.