How long does a xylophagous tick live indoors? - briefly
Under typical indoor conditions, a wood‑feeding tick survives for roughly three to twelve months, with cooler, drier environments extending the upper limit.
How long does a xylophagous tick live indoors? - in detail
Wood‑eating ticks can persist indoors for a period ranging from several weeks to many months, depending on species, environmental conditions, and food availability.
Adult females lay eggs on wood surfaces; each clutch may contain 50–200 eggs. Under optimal indoor climate—relative humidity above 70 % and temperatures between 20 °C and 30 °C—egg development proceeds in 10–14 days. Larvae emerge and immediately seek cellulose‑rich material. If untreated timber, bark, or stored firewood is present, larvae can feed continuously, extending the life cycle.
When humidity falls below 50 % or temperature drops below 15 °C, metabolic rates decline sharply. Developmental stages may enter diapause, prolonging survival up to six months or longer. In dry, heated homes, ticks often survive only 2–4 weeks before desiccation forces mortality.
Key factors influencing indoor longevity:
- Species: Ixodes woodi and Dermacentor lignicola exhibit faster development (2–3 weeks) than Argas silvicola (up to 3 months).
- Moisture: High relative humidity sustains activity; low humidity accelerates dehydration.
- Temperature: Warm environments accelerate growth; cold environments induce dormancy.
- Food source: Continuous access to untreated wood permits multiple feeding cycles; lack of substrate forces starvation and death.
Control measures—reducing indoor humidity, removing untreated wood, applying acaricidal treatments—shorten the survival window dramatically, often limiting the tick population to less than a month.