Some Biological Studies on The Incidence, Distribution And Ecology Of Chicken Tick (Argas Persicus) In Gieza Governorate

The present study was done to clarify the epidemiological picture of soft ticks ”Argas persicus” infesting chicken and poultryfrom the ecological and morphological points of view.The soft ticks were collected from private and govern- mental poultry farms and the collect8d ticks wereidentified as A~ pe~sicus.All stages of A. E3rsicus collected from poultry houses were from wall crevices, under the stones andaround food and water troughs. The survey carried out from December, 1981 to November, 1982 revealed that theSummer season showed the high~st deisty of all A.persicus stage:s being 40.95% from the total collected ticks wherethe temperatur~ ranged from 21.1 - 34.2 (mean 27.3)oC and R.H. 57 %. Ticks collected durin3 Spring andAutumn seasons came next in prevalence being 27.21 & 26.42 % when the temperature 13~0 - 27.1 (mean 20.0)oC&16.3 - 29.0 (mean 22.7)oC and R,H, 55 & 62 respectively.During the Wintor season where temperature 7.9 - 20.2