COMPARISON OF THE EFFICIENCY OF COLLECTING TICKS METHODS DEPENDING ON THE DESIGN OF THE FLAG

Abstract

The aim of the study – to compare the effectiveness of collecting ticks method, depending on the design of the flag (the number of ticks collected by the flag of 1 km route).

Materials and methods. Comparison of the effectiveness of collection facilities was carried out on the territory of 5 tracts of the Ternopil region. Comparison conditions: the use of collection facilities at the same time in one place, which means the same weather conditions, the same relief, vegetation, one hour, the same distance and the same duration in time, were used to collect ticks: the traditional flag (waffle fabric in the size 100×100 cm on a wooden leg), a flag on the G-shaped holder (fluffy flannel size 100×100 cm on a metal G-shaped telescopic holder with a spring clamp), flag with parallel metal rods (a fluffy flannel measuring 100×100 cm with two metal rods on opposite parallel edges).

Results and discussion. On the traditional flag, the average number of specimens per flag-kilometer was 3.9, for the flag on the G-shaped holder – 12.7, for a flag with two metal rods in the opposite parallel edges – 13.4 specimens. Provided that all requirements are met, the flag with two metal rods on the opposite parallel edges worked more efficiently. The predominant efficiency is due to a more dense adherence to the surface of the entire fabric area, that is, by increasing the area of the working flag. This is confirmed by the fact that the ticks cling to the entire area, while to the flag on a wooden arm only in places lower than 1/3-1/2 parts. The results were argued by the corresponding automated mathematical program Statistica 6.0 using Kruskal-Wallis criterion.

Conclusions. A flag with two metal rods on opposite parallel edges has significant advantages over the traditional and allows you effective collecting ticks in natural biotopes.