The vector tick Ixodes ricinus feeding on an arboreal rodent—the edible dormouse Glis glis

摘要: The reservoir competence and long life expectancy of edible dormice, Glis glis, suggest that they serve as efficient hosts for Lyme disease (LD) spirochetes. Their arboreality, however, may reduce the probability to encounter sufficient questing Ixodes ricinus ticks acquire perpetuate LD To define potential role this small arboreal hibernator in transmission cycle spirochetes, we examined their rate density infestation with subadult throughout season activity. Of 1081 dormice captured at five study sites Southern Germany inspected 2946 capture occasions, 26 % were infested least one many on ear pinnae. distribution feeding was highly aggregated. Although only few individuals harbored nymphal soon after emergence from hibernation, increased steadily reached about 35 September. Dormice inhabiting a site conspecifics seemed more likely be by numerous ticks, particularly nymphs, than those living densely populated sites. Male parasitized nymphs females, independent age body mass. Our observation season, population density, sex affect rates suggests contribution spirochetes depends mainly ranging behavior level