What does a tick look like: photos of the most dangerous ticks that carry deadly diseases

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There is no such person who has not encountered ticks. Someone came across these parasites in the meadow, some treated pets for demodicosis, and someone even had scabies himself. All this is the impact of insects called mites. What a tick looks like, a photo and a description of the main species, can protect people and animals.

Content

Description of the tick
Types of ticks
Interesting facts about ticks

Description of the tick

The tick is an arthropod, which belongs to arachnids. There are more than 54 thousand of their species, so the appearance and habits of different representatives are different. But the structure and features are approximately the same.

Photo of a hungry and well-fed tick.

The structure of the tick

Arthropods are divided into two types, depending on the structure. They may have a body:

fused head and chest, species are called leathery;
with a movable attachment of the head to the body, but with a dense shell. They are called armored.

Insects can be from 0,08 mm to 4 mm in size. None of the representatives has wings and can't jump.

Sight, touch and nutrition

Ticks do not have organs of vision as such, they do not have eyes. But thanks to their sense organs, they are good hunters. The oral apparatus consists of chelicerae and pedipalps. The first serve to grind food, and the second - to worry.

Became the prey of a tick?

Yes, it happened No, fortunately

Type of food

Ticks can be of two types depending on their dietary preferences: saprophages and predators.

A feature of this class is the highest adaptability to the environmental conditions in which they live.

Saprophages feed on plant sap, organic residues, fat, pieces of dust, dead human skin.

Predators prefer blood, can prey on people and animals. Easily tolerate hunger and have a high survival rate.

Reproduction and life cycle

Among ticks, there are practically no individuals capable of live birth. Most of them go through a full life cycle.

Tick development cycle

It is convenient to trace the life cycle on the example of predatory species of ticks.

In order for a female to lay eggs, she must be fully satiated. To do this, she feeds on blood for 8-10 days. One individual is able to lay up to 2,5 thousand eggs. The period for which larvae appear from eggs is different for each species.

The larvae are small, like a poppy seed, have three legs, and are otherwise similar to adult arthropods. They are tenacious, can live under water for a long time or in inappropriate conditions.

The process of turning a larva into a nymph occurs after the predator has been saturated for 5-6 days. The nymph has 4 pairs of limbs and is larger. At these stages, ticks cause the same harm as adults.

Under unfavorable conditions, in winter or with a lack of nutrition, the nymph can be in the same state for a long time, before turning into an adult. The lifespan differs depending on the types of ticks, living conditions and sufficient nutrition.

Types of ticks

Many species of ticks have not yet been studied at all. They are distributed everywhere and in all places of the biosphere. Not all are pests, but there are dangerous representatives.

Ixodid ticks

Ixodid ticks are predators and parasites, they are dangerous for people and domestic animals. In nature, there are more than 650 representatives of this species, which are ubiquitous. It is confirmed that even in Antarctica there are ixodid ticks that parasitize penguins. The bodies of this type of ticks have a clear division into the belly and cephalothorax, the hard shell is covered with a chitinous layer. The structure of their oral organs corresponds to the type of food: the proboscis consists of upper and lower jaws that cut the skin. The tentacles help to find the victim, they are the organ of touch. The sizes of insects can be from 2,5 mm to 4 mm, however, when saturated with blood, the belly of these individuals increases by 2,5 times. These representatives are carriers of a number of diseases dangerous to humans and animals.

Argas mites

Argas mites also pose a threat to pets, as well as cattle and humans. They bite painfully, many members of this species have toxic saliva that causes terrible itching and pain, getting into the blood when bitten. Parasites have a long lifespan, even hungry they can exist for 8-10 years. Representatives can be either miniature 3 millimeters or quite impressive - 3 cm. Usually they are yellow, gray or brownish, when saturated, the bodies become dark brown or brown. Distinctive features of this species is sexual dimorphism - the male is noticeably smaller than the female, maybe even several times. In addition to cohabitation next to people, they are very fond of the nests of their birds, they are also common in cracks and in buildings for various purposes. They love different caves and crevices of stones.

Shell mites

Shell mites are not dangerous to people and pets. Most of them live on the surface of the soil, but some also live in trees. Armored species feed on various residues of organic products, eat carrion, lichens or fungi. They are actively hunted by various birds, which are their natural enemies. Arachnids can be carriers of helminths, even tapeworms, so they can often be a threat to the same birds. According to the name, they have a strong dense shell, which, when saturated, also, like in other species, noticeably swells.

Gamazov mites

Gamasid mites are a very rich species, there are more than 6000 varieties. Depending on the subspecies, the sizes can be from 0,2 to 2,5 mm. Their bodies are oval, slightly brown or white. Among the representatives may be omnivorous predatory and parasitic individuals. Most of all they pose a threat to animals. They can parasitize in nests, burrows, hives, soil and livestock habitats. Among the gamasid arachnids, there are also dangerous for people who bite painfully and carry various diseases.

Subcutaneous mite

Representatives of subcutaneous mites are constant companions of a person, in a small amount they always live on the skin and contribute to the normal function of secretion. When the presence of subcutaneous mites is much greater than the norm, they actively multiply, living under human skin and bring a large number of problems: itching, irritation and discomfort. The most common problem that a person may encounter is demodicosis, acne and allergic reactions. This type of parasite multiplies rapidly. Although females live for about 90 days, each of them during this time can lay about 100 eggs, of which viable mites will appear in a few days.

Scabies Ticks

A species of arachnid that causes scabies. They can parasitize both animals and humans. In the process of life, they make micro-holes in the skin of people and animals, their passages, which itch and become inflamed. The larvae that appear from the eggs of the itch feed on blood, due to severe itching, an infection is often introduced into the wounds. Microspoky arachnids outside the human body are not adapted to life.

Ear mites

These tiny mites live only in cats and dogs in the auricles. They multiply rapidly and in large numbers cover the auricles inside, provoking strong combing, up to wounds and inflammation. For humans, this species is not dangerous.

dust mites

They are also called linen or bed for their preferences in habitats. They feed on the remnants of human skin, dust, feathers. Their favorite places are upholstered furniture, bedding, mattresses, pillows, soft toys and pet beds. The bites of these tiny ticks are inconspicuous, but they do a lot of other harm. In the process of life, they emit waste that a person inhales. The body reacts to these particles as the strongest allergens.

spider mite

Members of this family are plant pests. Among them are only vegetarians that feed on soft tissue juices. They lead to a deterioration in the condition of the plant and even complete death. They do not disdain any parts of plants, both in the garden, in the garden and on indoor flowers. The fight against this type of pest is a difficult task, especially when they are widespread.

water mites

Among this family there are inhabitants of fresh and salt water bodies. They are parasites of the inhabitants of the water, predators. They live in the gills of the inhabitants of the sea or on the body of insects. They pierce the victims, inject the secret that turns them into food. This group has more than 5000 representatives. They are small in size, slightly elongated or oblong, with elongated hind legs that are covered with bristles and help to swim.

barn ticks

This type of tick does not directly harm humans, but spoils food. Grains infected with the pest do not germinate well, stocks of cereals, flour and other bulk products become clogged, moldy and rot. If food infected with a tick enters the human body, then frustration, allergies, and even poisoning begin. These species are tiny, up to 0,5 mm in size, white-brown, almost transparent, but have strong jaws.

pasture mite

This is a common representative of the Ixodes order. It is distributed in Siberia, Asia and Europe, in the forest-steppe and forest. They harm animals and prey on humans as well. Their bites are harmful and dangerous, they can be a carrier of encephalitis or plague. Hungry ticks show aggression, bite the skin 4-5 times before starting to stick. A well-fed bloodsucker can reach a size of 15 mm.

Brown dog ticks

These representatives are dangerous only for dogs, they do not feed on human blood or very rarely. Lives on the coasts and in the forest-steppe. Arachnids can stay without food for a long time, hide in crevices, walls and under stones. After eating the blood of their victim, they simply fall away until the next time.

Ticks harvesters

A small order of small arachnids with long legs and an oval body. These representatives live in the forest floor and under stones, live in hot countries. Among the representatives found predators and spores of fungi, lichens.

steppe tick

Distributed everywhere where there are plants. In the steppe, even on low grass, on lawns and lawns, this representative of arachnids lives. He suffers a large number of diseases when biting, does not shun domestic animals, livestock, but prefers people.

Taiga tick

Another representative of the Ixodes. Prefers thickets of trees, according to the name, in bushes and tall grass. The size of adult females is 3,8 mm, and when they are fed with blood - 13 mm. It carries a number of diseases that can be dangerous for people and animals.

Interesting facts about ticks

Not all mites are harmful and bad. But there are a few facts that may surprise you.

Some individuals can live for 3 years without food.
Ticks have parthenogenesis, they lay unfertilized eggs, but offspring appear from them.
A tick infected with encephalitis lays already infected eggs.
Males do not have much appetite, they eat very little. Females stick around for a few days.
These arachnids are one of the most tenacious creatures. Some of them can exist in a vacuum and even withstand the beam of an electron microscope.

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