The ecology of ectoparasitic insects

Abstract

Ectoparasitic insects are those species that spend much of their adult lives in close association with the habitat created by the skin and its outgrowths of mammals and birds or with the host's nest or roost. Such insects possess obvious adaptations to their habitats and derive their food from their host. They belong to 7 orders, only 2 of which are exclusively ectoparasitic: the lice, Phthiraptera, with one half (51%) of the approximately 6000 known species of ectoparasites, and the fleas, Siphonaptera (34%). The remaining species belong to the orders Diptera (11%), Hemiptera (2%), Coleoptera (1%), Dermaptera (<1%) and Lepidoptera (<1%). In "his book on the ecology of ectoparasitic insects, the author examines the ecology of such insects as a whole, both of those of importance to man and of those of no importance, in order to elucidate those factors that regulate their distribution and abundance. There are chapters on the following topics: ectoparasitism amongst insects; the ectoparasite's habitat; field and laboratory methods; maintenance on or near the host; relationships with other organisms; population dynamics; ectoparasites and host health; and conclusions. These are followed by species and reference lists, and a subject index.