Meadow tick: what is the danger of this quiet hunter, waiting for his prey in the grass

What is a pasture tick

The species Dermacentor reticulatus belongs to the family of ixodid ticks. In Russia, it occupies a leading place among other species in terms of the frequency of transmission of diseases dangerous to animals and humans.

Appearance

The appearance of the meadow tick is typical for all representatives of the ixodid:

• the body size of a hungry parasite is 4-5 mm; after drinking blood, it increases in size by 1 cm;
• the body is oval, flat, consists of a head (gnatosomes) and a body (idiosomes), in males the anterior end is sharper than in females;
• the color is brownish, there is a noticeable white pattern on the back;
• the body of the female is more elastic and covered with a chitinous shield only by a third;
• an adult has 4 pairs of legs, nymphs and larvae have 3, paws are brown with white transverse stripes;
• unlike most species of ticks, meadow ticks have eyes, although they are very poorly developed.

Internal structure

The nervous system of the pest is primitive and consists only of the neural tube, which runs under the upper shield from the head to the anus of the tick. 22 nerve endings depart from the tube, which control the functioning of the limbs, proboscis and internal organs.

Respiratory function is carried out with the help of trachea, lungs are absent. The tracheal openings open in the area near the hind legs.

The digestive system also has a simple structure. The mouth opening and salivary glands lead to the pharynx, which works like a pump during feeding. The pharynx opens into the esophagus, which passes into the rectum. 12 blind processes depart from the intestine, which fill with blood during the absorption of food. The intestine leads to the rectal bladder, which ends in the rectal opening.

Life cycle and reproduction

The development of the tick takes place during the year, the life cycle consists of the following stages:

Individuals are clearly divided into males and females. They have a high reproduction rate. Only well-fed mites reproduce. The male, having drunk blood, fertilizes the female and dies. The female after feeding leaves the body of the host and lays eggs. One female can lay up to 500 eggs.

Morphologically related species

In appearance, the meadow mite is most similar to Dermacentor daghestanicus. It differs in that in females, the scutellum is almost completely covered with a white pattern, narrow spots of a dark background are present only in the region of the cervical grooves.

Geographic distribution

The meadow tick lives in deciduous and mixed forests of Siberia and Europe, the largest concentrations of parasites are found in pastures and meadows, in places of mass cattle walking, while the pest is resistant to floods and floods. Distributed in the steppes of Ukraine, in the Crimea, in the Caucasus, in Kazakhstan (with the exception of its southern part), in the mountains of Central Asia, southern and eastern Siberia.

Periods of activity of a pasture tick

Pests are highly resistant to cold and wake up from hibernation with the appearance of the first thawed patches. The first peak of their activity in the season falls on April-May: during this period, bloodsuckers are very aggressive due to hunger and attack large and medium-sized mammals.

By the middle of summer, the activity of ticks decreases - this period lasts until August.

At the end of summer/beginning of autumn, another surge of activity begins; they completely stop their vital activity only with snowfall. Only adults are able to survive the winter, larvae and nymphs that do not have time to molt die.

Natural enemies of meadow mites

Nature has taken care that the population of ticks does not increase indefinitely. Bloodsuckers are at the very end of the food chain and are an important link in it. Ticks have enough natural enemies, they are eaten:

• birds (mainly sparrows, thrushes, starlings, tick-eating weavers, drags);
• other insects (spiders, ground beetles, ants, riders, dragonflies, wasps);
• reptiles (lizards, frogs and toads).

The worst enemies of ticks are fungal spores that cause diseases of arthropods.

Why is the parasite dangerous?

The saliva of a meadow tick may contain viruses and bacteria that cause diseases dangerous to humans:

1. Tick-borne encephalitis. It is considered the most dangerous disease of all that ticks carry. The disease affects the central nervous system of a person, most of the infected people become disabled. As a result of infection with encephalitis, severe nervous and mental disorders occur: paralysis, paresis, impaired cognitive and higher mental functions.
2. Tularemia. Symptoms of the disease are marked enlargement of the lymph nodes, severe fever and headache, sleep disturbance. Tularemia can lead to serious complications such as arthritis, meningitis, encephalitis, pneumonia, and toxic shock. The disease is treated with antibiotics in a hospital setting.
3. Omsk hemorrhagic fever. It manifests itself in the form of hemorrhagic rashes on the skin, a sharp increase in temperature, muscle and headache.
4. Piroplasmosis (babesiosis). Pets are susceptible to the disease, but humans can also become infected if their immunity is significantly reduced. Animals infected with piroplasmosis most often die, especially if therapy was not started on time. Symptoms of babesiosis: fever, discoloration of the mucous membranes and urine, disruption of the gastrointestinal tract.

Pest control measures

Measures to combat dermacentor marginatus are the same as with other ixodid.

Preventive measures

In order to avoid the attack of a dangerous bloodsucker, it is recommended to carry out the following preventive measures:

• carrying out preventive vaccinations of humans and domestic animals;
• the use of protective clothing for walks in the habitats of the parasite, the prevention of open areas of the body;
• the use of repellents and insecticidal-repellent preparations;
• regular inspection during a walk of the body and clothes for the appearance of ticks on them;
• clearing the territory from deadwood, plant and other debris, preventing littering of the territory.

Fighting activities

Extermination measures in premises, on plots and tents are carried out with the help of special insecticidal and acaricidal chemicals in the form of dusts and aerosols.

Processing can be done independently or with the involvement of special services.

To destroy parasites on farm animals, acaricidal treatment is carried out with drugs approved by the veterinary service.

Protection from the bites of a dangerous parasite

Here are more details on how to protect yourself from a meadow tick bite:

1. For walking in potentially dangerous places, you should choose clothes of light colors - it is easier to detect a parasite on it. Jacket, sweater should be tucked into pants, and pants - into socks and boots. Be sure to use a hat (preferably a scarf) and a hood. It should be remembered that the tick crawls from the bottom up.
2. Be sure to use repellent and insecticidal, acaricidal preparations. The former scare off bloodsuckers with a smell, the latter destroy them by paralyzing them. For humans, drugs are available in the form of sprays, aerosols, ointments. For animals - in the form of collars, drops on the withers and sprays.
3. During the walk and after returning home, it is necessary to carefully examine the body. Ticks choose to bite areas with more delicate and thin skin: the area behind the ears, in the groin, neck, abdomen, under the knee, elbows.