Figure 5.

Ixodes rinicus larvae that feed on B. afzelii-infected mice have a faster larva-to-nymph moulting time compared to larvae that feed on uninfected control mice. The mean larva-to-nymph moulting time (days) for the larvae that fed on the B. afzelii-infected mice (mean = 41.3 days; median = 40 days; n = 776 ticks) was 1.0 day faster compared to the larvae that fed on the uninfected control mice (mean = 42.3 days; median = 42 days; n = 753 ticks), and this difference was highly significant (p < 0.0001). The larva-to-nymph moulting time was monitored over a period of 54 days after the start of the larval blood meal. The boxplots show the median (black line), 25th and 75th percentiles (edges of the box), and minimum and maximum values (whiskers).