Moose fly - photo, description, why it is dangerous

The world of insects is very diverse and these small representatives of the fauna are not always harmless and safe. They can attack not only their immediate “masters,” but also humans. At the end of summer, especially in calm weather, there is a high probability of encountering a small blood-sucking parasite in the forest. This is an elk fly or a deer bloodsucker, an encounter with which does not bode well, because it can bite and be quite painful.

How dangerous is the moose fly for humans?

Moose tick activity peaks during warm weather.
Ideal conditions for them are areas with high humidity and dim light. The thicket of the forest fits this description. Insects have a diurnal lifestyle. The victim is attacked en masse. Since they cannot find a more attractive object than a person, they attack him. Are ticks dangerous to humans? It seems possible to judge the danger of moose flies to humans after conducting research. According to them, a fifth of the subjects did not show any negative consequences. However, repeated contact, which took place several years later, led to the need for a long course of treatment.

For some, this period lasted almost 6 months. It was noted that the body does not get used to frequent bites. On the contrary, after some time it gives a stronger reaction. The skin of people who have been bitten becomes more susceptible to toxins that enter the body along with the saliva of bloodsuckers. Very often, a variety of dermatoses begin due to a moose tick bite.

Once the insect is under clothing, it takes some time for it to get comfortable. From this moment until the moment of the bite, about an hour can pass. The tick will not leave the body on its own. With the help of its tenacious claws, it is firmly attached to the skin. You won't crush it even under clothes.

There are also people for whom a bite does not have any consequences.

Moose fly bites are treated in the same way as other harmful insects. Wipe the sore spot with ice cubes, medical alcohol, ammonia, aloe juice, and chamomile decoction. Lubricate with Zvezdochka balm and Menovazin. If there is an allergic reaction, take antihistamines and treat sore spots with antiallergic ointments.

Entomologists, strictly speaking, do not know such an insect as the moose flea. Among the existing species of fleas, elk fleas are absent, and even animals close to them - for example, deer and roe deer - do not have their own.

The first two types of insects belong to typical fleas: their biology and appearance are similar to those of cats and fleas. The deer bloodsucker is precisely a fly, but due to the fact that it is most often found crawling in fur, it is also called a flea.

Let's take a closer look at all these insects and find out what danger they can pose to humans and how to protect ourselves from them.

Lifestyle

The deer flea is active during the day. Sunlight doesn't really scare her. After puberty, they form a pair that will stay together all the time. They can attack en masse. For their existence, they choose places with sufficient humidity, warm temperature and dim light. The cover of the forest suits her quite well. Finds animals by smell. It waits for the right moment and flies onto its back. Then it quickly hides in the covers of fur. Settles down and drinks blood. Under favorable conditions, it does not leave its place of residence until the end of its life.

It should be noted that for some reasons the deer bloodsucker has been little studied. And some scientists are inclined to think that all these names refer to different insects: there are flies, fleas, lice and ticks.

How to treat bites

The deer bloodsucker bites hard and painfully. Traces remain in the form of redness, small bloody spots, and swelling. The affected area is itchy and itchy. The bite itself is not so much dangerous as the infection that occurs when scratching.

You can eliminate itching with folk remedies: ice cubes, calendula tincture, aloe juice, soda paste. All means that are used go into the arsenal. This is usually enough to calm the skin. If this does not happen, you should purchase an ointment for insect bites at the pharmacy. The simplest inexpensive remedy is Zvezdochka balm.

If you have allergies or suppurations, you should visit a doctor. Since you will need antihistamines and antiallergic ointments, which are not recommended to be used without a doctor's prescription.

To protect yourself from insects, you need to choose clothes, protect your head with a headdress, apply a protective agent, and after visiting the forest, inspect your body and head. Moose fly activity peaks in August.

The moose fly, moose tick, moose louse, and deer bloodsucker are all the same insect belonging to the family Hippoboscidae. The three-millimeter body has a flattened shape and is covered with light brown leathery dense integument. On the head, in deep depressions, there are antennae that practically do not protrude above the surface. The moose fly has large eyes consisting of more than 2.5 thousand facets. Its eyes occupy ¼ of its entire body; in addition to them, there are 3 more simple eyes on the fly’s head. The mouthparts of this insect are of the piercing-sucking type and have a similar structure to the proboscis of the fly, which is called the autumn fly. The deer bloodsucker has dense and transparent wings with a small number of veins, their length ranges from 5.5 to 6 mm. On the sides of the chest are strong legs with thickened thighs and asymmetrical claws. The moose fly is equipped with an elastic abdomen, which can greatly increase in size when eating.

Why is it called a tick? Despite the presence of well-developed wings, these insects fly rather poorly and over short distances. They actually need wings to fly to the scent of a warm-blooded animal. And as soon as they reach their goal, they are immediately dumped. Their entire future life already takes place on the body of the owner-breadwinner. They burrow into his fur, bite through his skin and begin to feed on blood. This is where the comparison with the common louse and tick came from.

After a couple of weeks of a serene life, the bloodsuckers reach puberty, they begin to live in pairs: a female with a male. After fertilization, 16 days later, the female gives birth to the first larva. Note that it gives birth, since this type of insect is viviparous, or rather, puppet-bearing. The female first develops an egg in her body, then a larva. Three-millimeter formed prepupae are already born. After a few hours, they turn into a false cocoon (puparium), become covered with a hard shell and fall to the ground. This usually occurs from October to March. The pupae will remain in this state until August, and then new winged moose flies will appear. During her life (about six months), the female manages to lay up to 30 such puparia.

Moose fleas live in northern Europe, Scandinavia, and Siberia. Most often they are found in the taiga and cold regions of Russia. Several insects are called moose fleas:

goat fleas;
deer bloodsuckers;
alakurt.

The deer bloodsucker is an annoying large fly. It is also called a flea, louse,... A flat, flattened body with a durable chitinous cover allows the insect to withstand strong physical pressure, so it is not so easy to crush it. The size of the bloodsucker does not exceed 3.5 mm. The characteristic light brown shiny color sets the fly apart from elk fleas.

Up to 1000 specimens can be concentrated on the body of one moose. On average, 200-300 flies constantly live on an animal. very painful, cause itching, anxiety. In their place, redness and rash appear. It has been experimentally established that the moose fly prefers a thick coat of hair and therefore most of it is concentrated in the neck and back area.

The moose louse hunts during the daytime. Interestingly, she does not attack children. This selectivity is determined by the size of the prey, because deer bloodsuckers prefer larger carriers. Hunters experience insect attacks more often than others during the division of prey.

Digging into the body of its victim, the insect folds its wings, swells and firmly adheres to the skin, for which it received the popular name - moose tick.

Life cycle

Elk lice live in pairs, the fertilized female carries an egg, in which after a certain time a pupa develops, then a larva. After 16-18 days, she gives birth to a 3-4 mm larva called a prepupa, which turns into a puparium after 2 hours. The birth of the next pupa occurs in a couple of days; during her life, the female manages to give birth to 20-30 larvae.

Puparia, which have a hard shell, fall to the surface of the earth in autumn-winter (from October to March), where they remain for six months of their development until August. After this, young flies with wings hatch from the larvae (see moose lice in the photo), which actively search for their owner and provider, flying to the grass and bushes. After its discovery, the flies settle in the fur, shedding their wings.

Thus, the moose louse lives its entire life cycle in 5-6 months, dying in the spring after actively laying pupae.

On a note!

Most often, pests settle on forest animals, but they are also found among livestock (goats, cows, sheep, etc.).

How to cure a moose tick bite?

The moose fly bites quite painfully. On the skin, the bite sites may swell, turn red, and small bloody spots may remain. In some cases, in addition to these symptoms, there may be itching. To remove it, you can use calendula tincture, ice, soda paste or aloe juice. Also used for this purpose are remedies for flea bites and ointments for various insect bites, for example, Zvezdochka balm.

If you have allergies, medications and ointments should be prescribed by a doctor. You should not self-medicate, as this may worsen the situation.

The world of insects is poorly understood by a person far from entomology (the science of insects), and we tend to exaggerate or underestimate the danger of individual representatives of this class of arthropods.

Surely, many have heard about such an insect as the moose fly or the deer bloodsucker, and have even encountered it. Where the bloodsucker lives, what danger it poses to humans, and how to deal with it - we will analyze all these questions in detail!

The moose fly is also sometimes called the moose tick or moose louse. For nutrition and reproduction, it needs the blood of artiodactyls: deer, roe deer, elk, deer, and cattle.

People often confuse an insect with a tick and, in a panic, run to the clinic to get a vaccine against it, removing a moose fly tangled in their hair or clothes. Externally, due to the structural features of the body, the bloodsucker really resembles a tick. In fact, this is a completely different insect, however, not so safe.

Appearance

What does a moose fly look like? If you look at it with the naked eye, it is a small brown fly, its body length reaches 1/3 of a centimeter. A good way to show what this insect looks like is a photo where the individual is magnified tens of times, or under a microscope. The body of the insect is flattened, a third of the head is occupied by huge eyes.

Photo - What does a moose fly look like?

Nutritional Features

Warm-blooded animals are attacked by moose bloodsuckers only during daylight hours. Both females and males need blood. Once on the host’s body, the insect chooses a place where the hair is thicker. Having shed its wings, which have become unnecessary, the bloodsucker bites into the skin.

Moose flies live, settling on the host’s skin, for a long time - about six months, not only sucking blood, but also managing to reproduce.

Reproduction

The moose fly is a viviparous insect. An adult female gives birth to one prepupa larva. The development of the offspring occurs in its abdomen. Larvae are born all year round. The first prepupae appear at the beginning of autumn (August-October). Every 2-4 days the female lays a new larva. The larvae harden, turning into puparia - false cocoons, inside which the pupa is located.

The puparia are smooth, do not cling to the owner’s fur and simply roll off the animal to the ground. The development of pupae requires favorable conditions - warm weather. From about October to spring, bloodsucking larvae freeze, being in suspended animation, and with the onset of warm weather they “wake up”. Bloodsuckers begin to reproduce after a couple of weeks of attachment to the skin; during the life cycle, the female lays up to three dozen puparia.

Habitat

Deer bloodsucker

The deer bloodsucker fly is another name for the elk fly. In Latin, the name of the bloodsucker is: Lipoptena cervi.

The deer bloodsucker, the photo of which allows you to examine the insect in detail, until it sheds its wings, looks like a fly. When the wings are shed, it is easy to confuse it with a tick or flea, as we discussed above.

Harm to humans

Sometimes, after being in the forest, you can find a small brownish midge with a slightly flattened body on your clothes or hair - this is a moose fly.

How is the bloodsucker dangerous for humans?

They prefer to jump on adults, but insects are rarely found on children. Perhaps the bloodsucker is attracted by the size of the victim, as well as the slowness. Most often, moose flies attack people in windless, warm weather.

Removing a bloodsucker from the body is not so easy: its tenacious legs and flat body make the task difficult. The moose fly attaches itself to a person, but some people do not feel the bite. Others react painfully, and the consequences of an elk fly attack are very difficult to bear. Various types of dermatosis are not all the harm that a fly can bring to a person. Studies have proven that the bloodsucker is a potential carrier of Lyme disease (Borreliosis), etc.

Reproduction

The bloodsucker fly is viviparous. The larvae are incubated in the abdomen, reproducing when they are ripe for pupation. Gives birth to one every 2-3 days. After mating, the first larva is born after 16-20 days.

Large prepupae up to 3 mm in size do not undergo changes, they simply harden and fall to the ground. Further development of the fly continues in the forest litter, the top layer of soil. The first puparia appear at the end of August, in September. Pupae born from October to March continue to develop only with the onset of warm days in the spring, at a temperature of +15 degrees Celsius.

Around the end of August, winged, blood-sucking young individuals appear. The moose fly acquires the ability to mate after sucking blood. After 20 days, the first puparia appear, subsequent ones are born every 3 days. The lifespan of the imago is 6 months. During this time, one female manages to lay about 30 larvae. The full development cycle lasts 2 years.

Mating occurs on the animal's body. The flat fly spends its entire life on one host. Sexually mature individuals are divided into pairs, the male is attached to the body of the female. Only by the beginning of summer do elk and deer have the opportunity to completely free themselves from parasites.

Interesting!
In places where deer and elk feed and rest, hunters or gamekeepers have the opportunity to observe how tits feast on bloodsucker pupae. They literally fall in colonies from animal fur. Pests were often found on the bodies of wild dogs, wild boars, bears, wolves, wolverines, and birds. Cattle suffer from pest attacks.

Preventive measures

The smell of sweat and warmth are especially attractive to moose lice. Therefore, for a trip to the forest you need to choose the appropriate clothes. The most reliable option is a special protective suit that reliably hides all parts of the body. It is desirable that it be made of thick fabric, have cuffs on the legs and sleeves, as well as a collar that fits well to the neck.

To protect the most exposed part of the body - the head - you can use a mosquito net. It is indispensable during forest walks in the summer. You can also protect yourself from moose fleas using specialized products, such as repellents.

Many users note that not all of them are effective. Therefore, when purchasing them, you should opt for a powerful drug that has a noticeable odor and a high saturation of active ingredients.

Experts recommend using Deta or Taiga sprays. All clothes need to be treated with them so that bloodsuckers can smell the smell from a great distance and do not even try to consider a person as their potential victim.

Externally, the insect looks like a fly because it is endowed with wings. But unlike it, the moose flea is able to withstand extreme pressure on the body. This is possible due to the structure of the insect - compacted covers of a strongly flattened body, the length of which reaches 3 mm or more. The largest individuals can have a body length of up to 4 mm. The color of the integument is light brown or amber.

The deer bloodsucker differs from its bloodsucking counterparts in other features:

What does an insect look like?

The small moose fly lives in wooded areas where there is a large population of members of the deer class. These are Siberia, North America, Primorsky Krai, the European part of Russia and other regions. When the population of feeders decreases, the elk tick is able to survive by feeding on the blood of birds. And with an increase in the number of insects themselves, they begin to attack humans. But feeding on his blood, the ectoparasite is not able to give birth to offspring.

The deer bloodsucker differs from its bloodsucking counterparts in other features:

head strongly bent forward with compacted integument;
the presence of thick antennae in the deep frontal depressions;
two large eyes (occupying 25% of the surface of the head) with a complex facet;
three simple eyes;
piercing-sucking apparatus. It became the reason why the moose fly received such a name among the people, because in its structure it resembles the proboscis (sucking apparatus) of a zhigalka (a type of fly);
very developed and strong legs;
thickened thighs;
the presence of asymmetrical strong claws on the legs;
dense, well-developed wings. In bloodsucker flies they reach a length of 5-6 mm;
abdomen. When bearing offspring and during feeding, it increases by 1.5-2 times.

Having found its “breadwinner”, the bloodsucker sheds its wings. Without them, it vaguely resembles a tick with wings, which is why the insect has so many names. To stay on the “victim’s” body, insects cling to hairs, like a louse. They move along them. A small insect that looks like a tick with wings causes significant discomfort to animals.

The appearance and method of feeding gives the insect many common names. In appearance, moose lice look like flies, but after carefully examining the insect, you can notice differences from other pests.

This parasite has a light brown color and a flattened body, the size of which is up to 5 mm. Most of the body is occupied by the organs of vision. The insect has two large eyes and three auxiliary ones. Such a number of visual organs and their sizes provide the moose tick with visibility, but this fly can only distinguish between large and small objects.

The parasite has three pairs of legs, at the ends of which there are claws, with which the insect is held on the fur of animals. In appearance, the moose fly is similar to a tick; when the body is saturated, its body increases, but it has 6 legs, and the tick has 8. The deer bloodsucker lives on the wool of cattle.

The moose louse (scientific name is the deer bloodsucker) is a type of blood-sucking insect that feeds primarily on the blood of warm-blooded animals. They parasitize the body of artiodactyl animals - deer, elk, deer, etc.

Outwardly, the insect resembles a fly, so it is easy to confuse it with it. People even have a name for it: deer fly. It has the following morphological characteristics:

Light brown color.
Body size up to 5 mm.
5 eyes – 2 large and 3 small.
A small proboscis with which the parasite feeds.
Mustache on the head.
3 pairs of paws ending in claws, with the help of which the parasite clings to the outer cover of animals.

Harm to animals

The danger of the elk fly for animals
Hunters counted up to 300 individuals on the body of one deer. The pest is able to stick tightly to the fur and cannot be torn off even with teeth.

The bite of an elk fly causes pain, discomfort, and after a while inflammation of the affected area, swelling, and itching.
Animals react painfully to the attack of parasites, sleep poorly, and lose strength.
In domestic cows, the amount of milk decreases, and beef breeds of cattle lose weight.
The tick-like fly is especially dangerous for young animals. If the infection is severe, calves become ill, are delayed in development, and even die.
The wool comes in clumps and takes on a sloppy appearance. The wounds often become infected and begin to fester.
During the day, the female feeds about 20 times and drinks about 1.5 ml of blood in one procedure. With severe infection, young animals die from anemia, adults become weak and sickly.

On a note!
The deer bloodsucker does not carry diseases, but causes damage to health through its vital activity.

general information

This insect has a flattened body and a light brown shell. If you look closely, you can see subtle antennae on his head. The eyes of the moose fly are very developed - they are quite large. In addition to the main pair of huge eyes, this insect has three more, the size of which is much smaller. As for the oral apparatus, it is almost the same as that of the most common fly.

The body length of an adult is only 3 mm. The length of the wings is approximately 5.5-6 mm. Their texture is transparent and very dense. On the sides of the insect's body there are quite strong legs, on which there are claws. The elastic abdomen increases in size in the process of absorbing food, the role of which is played by the blood of animals, mainly artiodactyls.

By the way, not only elk and deer can become victims of the elk flea, but also a number of other animals - foxes, bears, wolves, wild boars, as well as livestock. Sometimes they bite people, causing them a lot of trouble. Mostly these insects make their attacks in daylight, when there is no wind.

During its life, which lasts six months, this parasitic insect gives birth to at least thirty larvae.

How to protect yourself from moose lice

Of course, you are not 100% likely to be affected by deer lice.

There are also a number of precautions that will help you avoid bites and their consequences (Figure 6)

So how can you protect yourself from moose lice?

Wear clothes with closed or tucked in, narrow legs and sleeves that will prevent the parasite from reaching your skin.
Take advantage of protection. Any insects are repelled by unpleasant odors, and anti-insecticidal aerosol in the forest is the best option.
Special mesh “breathable” suits are also sold, through which not a single insect can get through. Having put on such protection, you won’t have to worry about bloodsucker deer or any other insect.

Figure 6. In nature, it is necessary to wear protective clothing and a hat.
On the positive side, this species is very attached to forest plantations and households. The moose fly, as a rule, does not reach residential buildings. If a random individual flies into your home, try to drive it out of the room into fresh air, or kill it with mosquito and insect spray.

The danger of this blood-sucking insect for humans and animals is revealed in the video.

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Parasitism on humans

Despite rare cases of transmission of infectious diseases by parasites and predictably developing symptoms after infection, the question of interaction with bloodsuckers remains open.

The elk tick is capable of attacking not alone, but with a “team”; the total swarm can be up to 120 individuals. The larger the prey appears to the insect, the more likely it is to land on it. For this reason, children on the street or at home will most likely not be affected by elk ticks.

As soon as the insect hits the skin, it waits 5-10 seconds (sometimes several minutes), after which it goes to the hair or under clothing. Whatever the type of skin a person has, the elk tick will leave consequences on the epidermis in any case. People with high sensitivity or thin skin feel the bite very painfully; people with a higher pain threshold may not even notice the first day. The pain is accompanied by a strong burning sensation, complemented by itching and instant redness. However, a full bite mark may only appear after a few days (Figure 4).

Figure 4. The bite of this parasite is extremely dangerous for humans

According to research, elk lice can leave four types of marks on humans:

Fleeting - a mild rash with a crust, disappears in 4-5 days.
Medium - the appearance of a tubercle with a crust, disappears in 10-12 days.
Severe - the appearance of blisters and redness within a radius of 10-15 centimeters from the lesion, which resolve within 1 month.
Extremely severe - development of hippoboscosis, dermatitis, erythema, the treatment of which will take up to six months.

How to protect yourself from attack

Seeing a man, a deer fly flies onto his clothes. As she lands, she clings to the fabric with her feet. Then it makes its way through the canvas to the skin and digs in. The insect prefers those areas of the skin where hair grows

Therefore, when going into the forest, you need to pay special attention to the presence of a headdress.

What other precautions should you take:

wear clothing that meets all safety requirements;
wash with tar soap;
spray special insect repellents on clothing;
after leaving the forest, carefully inspect your clothes;
at home, completely undress and examine your entire body for bites or ticks.

If it is possible to carry out frequent watering, it is better to replace the special product with ordinary water - the moose fly does not tolerate high humidity.

The amazing creature has similarities with,. At a certain stage of development, there is a pair of transparent wings on the back, which reach a length of 6 mm. The insect uses them only to move upward, a short distance. Outwardly it looks like a fly, but after it gets on the host’s body, it sheds its wings and is more like a flea or tick.

The body is elongated, up to 3.5 mm in size. Shiny dark cover, flattened shape. A clearly visible head with pronounced large eyes. In addition to them, there are 3 more simple eyes on the head.

The body is flat with a durable chitinous cover. In a hungry state, the insect is very difficult to crush. As food arrives, as well as during pregnancy, the abdomen greatly increases in size.

The mouthparts of the moose fly are piercing-sucking, resembling the structure. The proboscis has a row of hard chitinous bristles that act as teeth and help gnaw through the skin of warm-blooded animals. A photo of a moose fly is shown below. You can clearly see an amazing creature with different names.

Moose louse development

The development of a fly takes 5 months

The pupa remains on the ground all the time before hatching. In search of prey, she climbs a bush or grass.

In most cases, moose ticks search for victims in the forest. However, there are cases when they attack domestic cattle. The forest attracts insects due to its conditions: lack of wind, sufficient level of dampness, little sunlight.

One of the important stages in the life of a deer bloodsucker is the search for a mate. Partners stay together throughout their lives. Insects can find each other before they settle on an animal, or after that. Lice often attack in large groups. For more information about the insect, watch this video:

Having climbed up the fur, the louse reaches the skin and digs in. Before this, the insect gets rid of its wings.

Reaction to bites

The peculiarity is that after the bite, not only the proboscis, but also the head. To remove it, you need to take the body with your fingers, twist it, then the head will come out along with the proboscis.

Check that no parts are left under the skin. Otherwise, it will lead to complications, dermatitis, and severe allergies.

Reduced immunity and a tendency to allergies in humans leads to unpleasant reactions to a bite.

Consequences of bites:

Itchy blisters;
Eczema;
Burning of the bite site;
Headache;
Fever.

Usually the reactions go away within 24 hours, but sometimes treatment is delayed for several weeks. If you are bitten, be sure to go to the hospital and bring the tick for analysis. Experts will find out what ails the arachnid and protect humans from transmitting the disease.

To relieve an allergic reaction, doctors prescribe ointments and antihistamines. Sometimes eczema goes away quickly, in some cases it takes months to treat.

How to cure moose fly bites?

The louse got its name because its main food is the blood of representatives of artiodactyls, in particular moose.

wear clothing that covers the entire body;
the trouser legs, cuffs and collar must fit tightly, otherwise the moose fly, which we described above as a dangerous bloodsucker, will crawl into the holes towards the body;
treat your hands, face, and neck with repellents. Typically, moose lice treatment is made with DET;
apply repellent to clothing. If you have any difficulties purchasing a ready-made repellent, you can use regular tar soap. This remedy for moose lice in the forest will save you no less effectively;
Bring with you special tools for removing ticks - a lasso handle, a tick gun or an ordinary strong thread. After physically feeling the bite, you need to try to remove the blood-sucking fly as carefully as possible by pulling its proboscis out of the body;
take hydrogen peroxide and iodine, hand sanitizers and an antihistamine for moose flies in your backpack - the person providing assistance also sanitizes the hands.

Removing the insect will not be easy. It must be remembered that a flat fly is a sticky one, having a body structure in which classical physical methods of fighting do not work. If there is no confidence that the ectoparasite will be correctly extracted, you need to use oily substances. If complications are detected, consult a doctor immediately. It often happens that a moose fly is found in an apartment. In this case, you need to try to drive it out or scare it off with repellent.

Let's take a closer look at all these insects and find out what danger they can pose to humans and how to protect ourselves from them.

The entire life of an elk flea is divided into two stages. The first is searching for the owner. It begins from the moment the fly hatches from the puparia - a kind of pupa in which the insect survives the winter and develops during spring and summer. In central Russia, the bulk of young deer bloodsuckers appear in August-September, but in general the period of emergence of young individuals extends from June to November.

A young fly lies in wait for its future host on the branches of a bush or in the grass.

After mating, the female begins to actively feed, and one larva develops in her uterus in turn. Bloodsuckers are characterized by viviparity - the female gives birth to a formed and developed pupa, which, having fallen to the ground, hardens and continues its development only six months later - in the spring.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qr8XZ0_wQ2A

It is very painful, especially for a person who is not used to it. Those who are often in the forest and are attacked by mosquitoes sometimes do not even feel the bites of the bloodsucker.

The louse got its name because its main food is the blood of representatives of artiodactyls, in particular moose.

Fighting bloodsuckers

To protect yourself from a specific insect, you must adhere to basic preventive rules:

Treat the area adjacent to the house with insecticidal preparations that are safe for people, indoor plants and pets. For this purpose, special devices are used that break down the poison into cold steam.
If a flat fly is found in an apartment, you can get rid of it using repellents or professional control by spraying carbon dioxide, the liquid fraction of which has a temperature of -50°C.
Regularly mow tall and dense thickets of grass.
Spray lawns and trees with water with additives of crushed garlic and alcohol or decoctions of tansy and wormwood.
Use strong repellents containing DET or perform water treatments with tar soap foam.

All this will become a reliable barrier for moose flies and protect people and animals from dangerous bites.

Is the moose tick dangerous for humans, and why?

If we consider from a medical point of view whether such a tick is dangerous for humans, then we can give a clear answer: no. Since they are not carriers of infections

, as a result of which various diseases that cause serious harm to human health do not develop against the background of a bite.

But everyone’s body is individual, and unpleasant symptoms and consequences after a bite are possible:

slight redness that goes away within a few days;
rash, itching, swelling;
with a one-time bite, independent active resistance of the body, which can manifest itself in a deterioration in health (with multiple bites, health can deteriorate more);
the appearance of hard papules (the disappearance of which occurs within 1-2 weeks);
allergic dermatitis;
pain at the site of the bite and around it.