Dr. Murai Éva - Gubányi András szerk.: Parasitologia Hungarica 29-30. (Budapest, 1997)

first maximum occurred in May at 14.25 °C temperature, 76.5% relative humidity and 78.37 mm precipitation, while the second at the beginning of autumn, in a wet period in September and October, at 10.4 °C temperature, 79% relative humidity and 37 mm precipitation. Here it seems appropriate to mention Cvjetanovic (1956) who pointed out for Dalmatia that air humidity might play an important role in tick biology, especially for species appearing in the cooler months. To a certain extent that suggestion is consistent with our results. Muftié (1965) provided data on the activity and intensity of Ixodidae appearance in Northeast Serbia, which were dependent on the combined effects of average temperature, relative humidity and amount of precipitation. Our investigations revealed that the highest percentage of /. ricinus females in comparison with males was found in West Serbia in 1989 (65.63%» vs. 34.37%). Female prevalence has also been reported by Z. Petrovic and Bordjoki (1955a), Milutinovic et al. (1987) and Milutinovié (1992). In 1989, the most widespread species was 7 ricinus. Two species of the genus Haemaphysalis - sulcata and punctata - appeared to be its constant companions in the region surveyed. Out of the eight species encountered within the territory of West Serbia, the species Haemaphysalis sulcata was predominant in 1990 (41.85%>) and in the period 1989-1990, when it had a maximum in April and an autumn peak in September. This species was found by Z. Petrovic and Bordjoki (1955a) in the continental parts of Montenegro during May and September, which corresponds to the dynamics of this species in East and South Serbia (Milutinovic 1992) and only to the autumn population in West Serbia. The species was also confirmed by other authors (Z. Petrovic et al. 1955b, K. Petrovic 1955, Cvjetanovic 1956). In contrast to the other detected species characterised by a dominance of females, Haemaphysalis sulcata showed male prevalence. This species showed a dominance of males also in East and Southeast Serbia (Milutinovic et al. 1996). Haemaphysalis punctata was more abundant in 1990 (15.89%) than in 1989 (14.22%»). This species reached the maximum abundance twice a year, in April and September, in the years 1989 and 1990. Furthermore, this species had a spring peak in April and an autumn peak in September (1985, 1986, 1989, 1990) or October (1984, 1987, 1988) in the area of East and Southeast Serbia (Milutinovié 1992). Moreover, the appearance of spring and autumn populations of this tick species was discussed by Muftic (1965) for Northeast Bosnia. He reported that with the fall of temperature from 10 to 2 °C and a sudden drop of relative humidity below 86%, only a few ticks could be collected or they were not found at all. Additionally, our results were similar to those obtained by Tovornik (1980) for the eastern part of the island of Bra and by Milutinovié et al. (1987) for Northeast Serbia. The total and within species prevalence of Haemaphysalis punctata females was 10.78%) and 71.57%>, respectively. A higher number of females was also reported by Milutinovié (1992) for the region of East and Southeast Serbia and by Milutinovié et al (1989) for Northeast Serbia. Two species of the genus Dermacentor - D. marginatus and D. pictus - had a spring peak in April at a temperature of 10.02 °C, 75%» relative humidity and 37 mm precipitation under the same temperature, relative air humidity and precipitation as Haemaphysalis sulcata and H. punctata, while these species were rarely encountered in September. By comparing the results of abundance analysis for these species with the values of the above-mentioned environmental factors revealed in East and Southeast Serbia (Milutinovié 1992), it has been ascertained that macroclimatic factors have significant effects on the dynamics of the tick populations.