Several tick slide-mounting techniques have been used for many years with varying degrees of success. The classic Canada balsam technique employed by entomologists and acarologists over many decades is efficient but time consuming (RL Palma 1978 New Zeal Entomol 6: 169-170). The classic methods used in Acarology include the water soluble media such as Berlese, Faure and Hoyer (GM Krantz 1978 A Manual of Acarology, Oregon State University Book Store, 2nd ed., Oregon, 509pp., A Fain 1980 Inter J Acarol 6: 169-170). Water soluble media are inadequate in the humid tropic, even when the slides are ringed with a water-proofing material such as Glyptal. Crystallization of the media, probably due to absorption of water, is the main problem with slide-mounting specimens.
