Study and comparison of population density indices of Ixodes ticks of different biotopes of Kyiv and Cherkasy regions

Ixodes ticks play an important role in the spread of various infectious diseases. Representatives of the Ixodes family carry a large number of pathogens. Zoonotic infections, such as tick-borne borreliosis, tick-borne encephalitis, ehrlichiosis, anaplasmosis, etc., are especially dangerous. Areas of distribution of Ixodes ticks are quite diverse: forests, meadows, shrubs, city parks and various types of green spaces in cities. The study of the quantitative and species composition of ticks in natural foci of infectious diseases is an important component of assessing the epizootiological biopotential and forecasting the risks of infectious diseases in certain areas. In the studies, we studied and compared the distribution of Ixodes ticks based on the population density index of Ixodes ricinus and Dermacentor reticulatus in two different habitats: anthropogenically transformed semi-natural forest environment and meadow-type with pastures. The first – the forest area is located in the forest park tract "Golendernya" in Bila Tserkva, Kyiv region. The second – a natural meadow area is located in the Cherkasy region, Lysyansk United Territorial Community (OTG), village Zhabianka. Collection of Ixodes was performed by the usual method on the flag. The population density index is expressed in relation to the number of ticks per 1 m2 of the surveyed area with a correction factor of 1.2. A total of 12,000 m2 of total habitat area was surveyed, 572 specimens of Ixodes ticks were collected, including 393 Ixodes ricinus and Dermacentor reticulatus 179, respectively. 356 Ixodes ticks were collected in the Golendernia tract, of which 339 were Ixodes ricinus and only 17 were Dermacentor reticulatus. Accordingly, in Golendernia tract the population density index of the surveyed area of 6 thousand m2 Ixodes ricinus is 0.07 specimens/m2 (95.9%) and Dermacentor reticulatus – 0.003 specimens/m2 (4.1%). 216 specimens of Ixodes ticks were collected in the natural meadow biotope, of which 162 – Dermacentor reticulatus and 54 – Ixodes ricinus. The population density index of the surveyed area of 6 thousand m2 in the meadow biotope with mites of the species Dermacentor reticulatus is 0.03 specimens/m2 (75.0%), and with mites of the species Ixodes ricinus – 0.01 specimens/m2. (25.0%). Population density indices between Ixodes ricinus and Dermacentor reticulatus have a statistically significant difference (p <0.01) which is due to the types of habitats. Key words: Ixodes tiks, Ixodes ricinus, Dermacentor reticulatus, population density index, habitats.