Tick
(Ixodes Ricinus)
The common sheep or deer tick senses the presence of a victim by smell, body heat, moisture and vibrations, using specialised organs in its legs.
Then, when the deer, sheep, cat, dog or human brushes past, it climbs aboard (it can’t jump), sinks its jaws into the victim’s flesh, latches on and proceeds to drink its blood.
Proteins in its saliva stops the blood from clotting. Scientists hope these substances may help them develop drugs to treat heart diseases and strokes.
Ticks can pass illnesses to the creatures they feed on. About one in 20 carries the bacteria which causes the most potentially serious of these, Lyme disease.
Fascinating fact:
Ticks are very resilient. They can survive in a vacuum for a while, and are able to endure periods of starvation, dehydration and temperatures as low as -18C. They feed on penguins in Antarctica.
Ticks are most active in our part of the world from March to October. They drink the blood of birds and mammals, reptiles and amphibians, and domestic pets and humans. They are found in tall grass, shrubs, bushes and bracken where deer or livestock are nearby, often on the boundary between lawns and woodland.
Ixodid (hard) ticks typically live for three years. They spend year one as larvae on small mammals or birds, move on to small rodents for year two, then feed on larger mammals – cows, deer or humans – in year three. Soft ticks (argasidae) move between up to seven hosts, spreading disease as they go.
Ticks are arachnids, like spiders. They have six legs as larvae but grow two more after their first blood meal. They lay their eggs in moist leaf litter, and the young transform from larvae to nymphs and then adults.
Did you know
How to avoid tick bites, and what to do if you get one? Here’s a quick guide.
Tick season is generally March to October but you should be aware of them all year round. Symptoms from a bite can take up to three months to appear.
To avoid ticks, stay on paths and avoid long grass when walking. Wear long-sleeved tops and trousers tucked into socks (pale fabrics help you spot ticks on clothes) and put insect repellent on exposed skin.
When you get home, check yourself, children and pets thoroughly, focusing on the nooks and crannies where ticks like to hide.
If you find one, grasp it gently with a tick remover or fine-toothed tweezers, as close to the skin as you can, then pull steadily. If the tick’s mouthparts stay in the skin when you remove it, they should drop out naturally in time. Wash the area and apply antiseptic cream.
You will probably be fine after removing the tick. But keep an eye on the area and speak to a GP if you see a pink or red – often ‘target-shaped’ – rash, have a temperature of 38°C or above, or have flu-like symptoms or a swollen lymph node. These could be symptoms of lyme disease, which is most effectively treated if caught early. Most people who get lyme disease recover in weeks but a few suffer debilitating fatigue for years. Learn more on the NHS website.