What is the fear of a gray mite: what danger lies behind the dull color
Ticks differ in lifestyle, size, color. Gray ticks are representatives of Ixodes ricinus. The parasite acquires such a shade after blood saturation. These bloodsuckers pose the greatest danger to humans, as they carry dangerous tick-borne infections.
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Ixodid tick what kind of parasite
These are insects belonging to the arthropod family Ixodidae. Representatives of this species have a high level of parasitism and a body structure typical of most ticks.
The appearance and structure of the body of the parasite
A hungry pest looks like a spider. The body is oval in shape, covered with a hard chitinous shell, which prevents its destruction. The color varies from reddish to dark brown, the satiated parasite acquires a gray tint.
The body shape is oval, the adult has 4 pairs of tenacious legs. The length of the body ranges from 1 to 4 mm. After drinking blood, the tick increases in size by about 10 mm. Females are noticeably larger than males.
Life cycle
The life cycle of parasites includes several stages of development: egg, larva, nymph, adult. The insect begins to parasitize even at the larval stage - during this period, rodents and birds become its victims.
To move to each new stage, the tick needs food, after which molting occurs.
An adult (imago) is a sexually mature tick; at this stage of development, parasites actively multiply. The entire life cycle of a tick can last 3-4 years, in some cases up to 8 years.
Under unfavorable conditions, the pest falls into suspended animation, which can last for several years, after which the insect wakes up and continues its life activity.
Varieties
There are several varieties of ixodid. It is customary to divide them according to the following criteria:
habitat and adaptability. For example, some have adapted to live in the forest zone, others in the desert, and so on.
The nature of parasitism is burrow and pasture. The first for laying eggs climb into holes and nests, the second - lay eggs on the surface of the soil.
The nature of attachment is single-host, two-host, three-host.
Habitat for parasites
Peak periods
Tick attacks should be feared all year round. There are cases when the ixodid tick hibernated in a haystack, and when this hay was used for dog bedding, it woke up and bit the animal. Often parasites are found in thawed patches above heating mains.
The seasonal spike in tick activity occurs in late March and early April.
The insect needs the soil to warm up to a temperature of +3-5 degrees, and the air temperature to reach an average daily mark of +10 degrees. The maximum number of bites is recorded from May to June.
In the hot summer period, their activity decreases, however, if the tick is in damp grass and in the shade, it feels great. In summer, the parasite is more active in the early morning and evening. When the weather is too dry and in the rain, they hide. Pest activity decreases only at the end of September.
Who carries gray ticks
Humans contribute to the spread of ticks. Often people bring parasites on clothes and shoes, in baskets of mushrooms and bouquets of wildflowers. The parasite can get to the summer cottage with hay, grass, spruce branches.
Pets pick up ticks and bring them into the house on their fur. Also parasites are carried by rodents, hares, birds. It is known that a large number of mites hide in the needles of hedgehogs.
What is the danger of a parasite bite
The main danger of the tick is its ability to carry dangerous infections that cause disability and death of humans and animals. In addition, parasites are very hardy and can live for several years.
For a person
For a person, the following tick-borne infections are most terrible:
- encephalitis;
- borreliosis (Lyme disease);
- hemorrhagic fevers;
- typhus and relapsing fever.
For animals
Animals are also susceptible to infectious diseases carried by ticks:
- piroplasmosis;
- erlichiosis;
- anaplasmosis.
Pest control methods
Various chemical agents are used to combat the Yesodidae. All of them differ in the form of release and method of application.
Akaritsidı
Acarcidal preparations not only scare away, but also destroy parasites by affecting their nervous system. Among the popular and effective drugs:
Animal protection products
To protect pets, drugs that have a contact effect are used. When choosing a remedy, you should take into account the age, weight, breed and health of the pet. The following drugs are most effective:
Protection measures and prevention
Not every tick is infected with dangerous viruses, but it is impossible to determine this "by eye" and the risk of infection will always exist.
How to protect yourself from ticks
In order to protect yourself as much as possible from the attack of parasites and infection with the infections that they carry, you must:
- do preventive vaccinations against tick-borne encephalitis: you can do this for free at any clinic or private medical center;
- when going for a walk in potentially dangerous places, choose the right clothes: it should be of a light shade (this way it is easier to detect a tick); tuck pants into socks and boots, and a jacket into pants; be sure to protect your head with a scarf or hood;
- use chemical insect repellents - treat clothes and skin with them, if allowed by the instructions;
- every 30 minutes of walking, inspect the body and clothes for the presence of parasites on it;
- when returning home, before entering the apartment, once again inspect clothes and pets;
- carefully inspect items brought from the forest: flowers, grass, baskets.
What to do after a tick bite
The attached parasite must be removed as soon as possible. The less time an insect spends on a person, the lower the risk of infection. For this, it is recommended to go to the emergency room.
For self-extraction, a special tool (“klescheder”), curved tweezers, thread is suitable.
If none of the above is present, then you can use ordinary cosmetic tweezers. The algorithm of actions is as follows:
- prepare a test tube or other container in a tightly closed lid;
- put on rubber medical gloves;
- capture the parasite as close as possible to the bite site;
- gently scroll it in any direction and carefully remove;
- treat the bite site with an antiseptic;
- place the tick in a container and send it to the laboratory for analysis within 48 hours.
If the head or proboscis of the tick is torn off, a black dot will be visible in the middle of the bite site. In this case, it is necessary to generously treat the wound with iodine and wait for the rejection of the foreign body.
If after a while there is swelling, the skin has changed color, you should immediately inform the doctor about it.
After a tick bite, you need to carefully monitor your well-being. If alarming symptoms appear, such as fever, headache, aching joints, you should contact a medical facility as soon as possible and report that there was a tick bite.
Emergency prevention of tick-borne encephalitis
Emergency prevention of tick-borne encephalitis is carried out with the help of immunoglobulin or antiviral drugs. The decision on the need for emergency prophylaxis, the choice of the drug and the frequency of its administration is made exclusively by the doctor.
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