Ticks: description, types, what they look like, features and lifestyle

The onset of spring brings not only excellent weather, outdoor picnics and walks, but also such an unpleasant phenomenon as the activation of ticks. Ticks are small arthropods from the order of arachnids that have lived on the planet for several million years. Since they live mainly in the soil, the period of their activity occurs when it warms up to +5 degrees. Many of the representatives of this subclass are carriers of severe diseases such as tick-borne typhus, encephalitis and borreliosis. The number of species of mites is amazing and is recorded at approximately 50 thousand, but researchers divide the subclass itself into three groups: harvest mites, parasitiform and acarimorph mites.

Pliers: description

Such representatives of the arachnid species are not large in size, as they grow in length up to 3 mm and no more. The average size of these living creatures is in the range of 0.1-0.5 mm. Ticks, like all arachnids, lack wings. Adults have up to 4 pairs of legs, while juveniles have only 3 pairs of legs. Ticks also do not have eyes, but this feature does not prevent ticks from sensing their prey at a considerable distance, thanks to the presence of a special sensitive apparatus. Depending on the structure of the body, ticks are divided into several groups: leathery, with a head that is fused to the chest, and also with a head that is movably connected to the body (armored). Depending on this, each group breathes in its own way: the first 2 groups supply oxygen to their organs through the skin or trachea, and the last group breathes through a special organ.

Dogs and cats

Not only people, but also animals are often bitten by ticks. Especially cats and dogs.

If this circumstance is detected, the animal should be immediately taken to a veterinarian, who can remove the parasite and properly treat the bite site. In the future, the animal may also need to be tested for signs of diseases carried by ticks.

Thus, a tick bite is a fairly serious danger that should never be ignored . It is better to take all necessary measures in a timely manner, as well as to protect yourself as much as possible for the future.

Diet of ticks

Depending on their diet, ticks are divided into:

• Saprophages that feed on organic matter.

Saprophages are involved in the process of converting humus, therefore they are considered very useful living beings. Parasitic mites, whose diet consists of plant sap, cause significant damage to agriculture. They destroy crop reserves at high speed.

Dust or scabies mites eat dead particles of human skin. Barn mites cause serious damage to food stored in warehouses. Subcutaneous mites eat fat that accumulates in human hair follicles. Spider mites suck the juices of various plants, including cultivated ones. Ear mites feed on the fat layer located in the ear canals.

• Predators that parasitize both animals and plants.

Blood-sucking ticks are constantly in their hiding places, where they wait for their potential victim. On the legs of these arachnids there are special claws and suction cups that allow them to cling to clothing, the body or skin of humans or animals. After they land on the body of their victim, they move to their places of vital activity. This could be the armpits, groin, head or neck area, etc. In this case, mites can parasitize the body of other types of mites or thrips.

Ticks, and especially their bites, are quite dangerous for humans, since parasites are carriers of fatal diseases such as encephalitis and others that are no less dangerous.

Ticks can remain without food for 3 years, but if they are very lucky, they become quite voracious, increasing in weight up to 120 times after being saturated with blood.

5 Most Dangerous Ticks in the World

Clothing, shoes, repellents

In order to avoid a tick bite, it is recommended to take preventive measures in advance, namely:

1. Thoroughly treat the body with repellents (their varieties were described in detail above).
2. Before going into a forest or other area where ticks live, you should carefully select your clothing. It should fit snugly to the body, pants should be tucked into shoes or socks. A minimum area of ​​the body should remain open. Moreover, the legs must be protected especially carefully, since they are the first to be attacked by ticks.

Types of ticks with photos and descriptions

Scientists know about more than 40 thousand species of ticks, which are divided into 2 main groups. For example:

• Parasitiforms, such as gamasid, argasid, nutallium and ixodid ticks.
• Acariformes, such as scabies, hair, feather, marine, freshwater, thyroglyphoid, acaridia, oribatiformes, sarcoptiformes and thrombidiformes.
• Haymaking ticks are also isolated as a separate group.

Main types of ticks and their description:

Ixodid ticks

They differ in that their body is covered with reliable chitinous plates. Moreover, they can have quite impressive sizes. There are species that reach a length of up to 2.5 cm. This type of tick prefers to parasitize in temperate latitudes, where they hide in the leaves of trees and shrubs. Therefore, they are found on almost the entire Eurasian continent. Potential victims of ixodid ticks are wild or domestic animals, as well as humans. If it gets on the skin of its victim, it will be able to feed on blood for several weeks. The female is quite fertile, as she is capable of laying up to 17 thousand eggs per season.

Argasid mites

They prefer to live in crevices of various buildings and outbuildings, and can also live in bird nests, which birds do not use. Their potential victims are poultry and animals, although they can also attack humans. They are often found in chicken coops. Argas mites bite quite painfully, and a profuse rash appears at the site of the bite and unbearable itching occurs. This parasite is characterized by soft skin, and the head protrudes slightly beyond the body and seems barely noticeable.

Armored mites

They are found on the soil surface, although there are species that live in trees. These ticks are not parasites, since they feed on natural food, in the form of mushrooms, lichens, living plants and their remains, and they also eat various carrion. Despite this, oribatid mites pose a certain danger to both birds and animals. The fact is that they can infect with various types of helminths, including tapeworms.

Gamasid mites

They settle in bird nests, chicken coops, and also in rodent burrows, since they parasitize on them. This parasite lives for a little more than 6 months, growing up to 1 mm in length. During this period of time, the parasite can cause serious damage to poultry farms. Their vital activity leads to significant loss of feathers in birds, as well as the appearance of extensive scratching on the skin.

Subcutaneous mites

They live under the skin of humans or animals, causing a lot of discomfort. However, if parasites are not properly controlled, they can live for years, causing severe itching and irritation. The female lives no more than 3 months, but during this period she lays an average of 100 eggs, from which viable individuals emerge in just a couple of days.

Scabies mites

These are parasites that can cause a difficult-to-treat disease called scabies. At the same time, ticks parasitize both humans and animals. The problem is that parasites make a lot of tiny passages in the skin of a person or animal, which leads to itching and redness. Ticks feed on skin secretions. Adult ticks live no more than one and a half months, but during this time the female manages to lay eggs several times.

Ear mites

They settle in the ears of cats and dogs. They pose no danger to humans, but cause a lot of trouble to animals. Animals scratch their ears vigorously, which often leads to severe inflammation.

Dust mites (bed, linen)

They do not parasitize the body of humans or animals because they feed on dust, fluff, feathers or dead particles of human epidermis.

They often cause a disease such as asthma, which is practically untreatable. The female lives up to 4 months and during this time lays about 3 and a half hundred eggs.

Spider mites

They do not parasitize humans, animals or birds, as they are “vegetarians”. Their main diet consists of plant sap. They can be found on the plant if you look under the underside of the leaves. In addition to the fact that they actively suck juices from plants, they can infect the plant with gray rot. This disease can lead to the death of the plant.

Water (sea) mites

For their life activities, they choose various bodies of fresh water. Some species prefer to live in salty sea water. As a rule, they parasitize mollusks and other insects living in the water column.

Predatory mites

They destroy their relatives, so people use this factor in the fight against parasites in greenhouses and greenhouse farms. Typically, predatory mites help control spider mites.

Barn mites

These are quite serious pests that cause great damage to grain or flour stocks, although they do not pose a danger to humans. Its vital activity leads to the unsuitability of food products, as they become clogged with waste from the vital activity of parasites. This leads to the appearance of mold and rot, after which it is unsafe to eat such products.

Pasture mites

They are found in the southern regions of Russia, Kazakhstan, Transcaucasia, etc. Prefers to live in forest or forest-steppe zones. They pose a danger to both animals and humans, since after their bites you can become infected with encephalitis, plague, fever, etc.

Brown dog ticks

They pose a great danger to dogs, although they are safe for humans. They are found almost everywhere, but especially numerous populations are found in coastal areas and on the Black Sea coast.

Top 5 most dangerous types of ticks for humans.

Species diversity

What types of ticks are there, what do they eat and where do they live? These questions are asked by novice entomologists and simply nature lovers.

Saprophages

A large number of mites belong to the group of saprophages. They feed on organic debris and do not pose a threat to humans. The lifestyle and significance in nature is similar to earthworms. Saprophages contribute to the formation of soil humus. A typical representative of this group is the oribatid mite. It is the dominant species found in forest soil. Their number reaches hundreds of thousands of individuals per 1 m2. The size of adult individuals is 0.7-0.9 mm, their body is black.

Oribatids are an important link in the soil food chain. Oribatid mites have slow metabolism and development. The life cycle from egg to adult takes from several months to 2 years.

Attention. Some types of helminths parasitize the body of oribatids; feeding on grass with ticks, animals can become infected with tapeworms.

Phytophages or plant mites

Among arthropods, many species feed on plant sap or their remains. Phytophages are pests of indoor plants and agricultural crops. Their habitats are leaves, buds, roots, and bulbs. What types of mites can be found on plants?

Pests feed on the cell sap of plants, they bite into tissues and pierce leaves. General damage contributes to the drying out and death of crops. Spider mites are the most famous parasite on indoor flowers and agricultural crops. Due to its small size (0.3-0.5 mm), it is not immediately noticed on plants. The consequences of its vital activity are spots on the leaves and the appearance of cobwebs.

Mites live in colonies, hiding on the backs of leaves. Favorable conditions for their development are temperatures of 27-280 and low humidity. Larvae and adults feed on plant sap. If not treated with acaricidal preparations, spider mites can destroy the entire crop. On indoor plants, in addition to the common spider mite, you can find other species: red, Atlantic, red-legged.

Gall mites are members of the family of dangerous pests of forest trees and cultivated plants. They settle on apple trees, plums, pears, and grapes. They are small in size - 0.1-0.3 mm. The body is spindle-shaped and has four legs. Pests suck sap from tissues, causing deformation and the formation of galls (pathological formations on leaves, roots and other parts of plants).

Barn

This group of mites feeds on solid food - grain, flour and other products. Barn mites are distinguished by their viability and wide distribution. They settle not only in places where human supplies are stored, but also in animal burrows. They can be found in the soil, on tree roots, in mosses, and above-ground parts of plants.

The flour mite eats cereal and sunflower seeds, dry fruits and vegetables, and cheese. Body size is from 0.2 to 0.5 mm, the color is transparent. If it gets into food, it causes poisoning; if inhaled, an asthmatic reaction occurs.

Water inhabitants

Water mites have a rounded body and elongated legs with bristles, a structure that facilitates swimming. The larvae parasitize mollusks and aquatic insects. The development of ticks is unusual, there are two egg phases - primary and secondary, the larvae also go through two stages - six-legged and eight-legged. Members of this family are often brightly colored.

Where do ticks live?

Various types of ticks are found on almost all continents, regardless of climate zone. Ticks prefer damp areas of the landscape, so they are more often found in forest ravines, in undergrowth, in thickets of coastal vegetation, in flooded meadows, on overgrown paths, on animal fur, in dark warehouses, etc. Some species live in ponds, rivers, lakes and seas, and some species prefer human habitation and various outbuildings.

Prevention of infection

It is difficult to protect a cat from becoming infected with ticks, especially if she lives in a private yard and walks wherever she wants. In order for your pet to be in good shape and delight you with a pleasant purring, you need to examine it after every walk.

Use a thick comb to comb near the ears, paws, belly, under the arms, inspect the ears and paw pads for ticks. If a parasite is found, it must be removed immediately.

In summer cottages where cats live, it is advisable to regularly mow the lawn, remove tall grass, and treat the area with insecticides that kill the parasite. It is recommended to frequently vacuum the floors in the house and carry out wet cleaning so that not a single bloodsucker can ruin the life of a pet. Use folk or chemical means to protect cats from tick attacks.

Mechanism of spread of ticks

On their own, ticks are not able to expand their living space, since they are able to overcome a few meters, but by attaching themselves to the body of a bird or animal, they are able to significantly expand their habitat. Ixodid ticks prefer to be in the temperate climate of Eurasia, but taiga and dog ticks are more common in Siberia, the Far East or the Baltic states.

What types of animal are there?

In total, there are more than 54,000 different species of ticks, which are grouped into 6 orders (Opilioacarida, Holothyrida, Ixodida, etc.). Thus, on the territory of the Russian Federation the following types of ticks are most often found:

• encephalitic;
• ixodid;
• argassy;
• gamas;
• subcutaneous;
• scabies;
• bed.

Attention . Judging from the point of view of danger, the entire set of tick species can be divided into two groups: those that do not pose a danger to people (for example, bed ticks) and individuals that pose a threat to human health, and sometimes life (encephalitis, ixodid ticks, etc. .).

Development (reproduction) cycle of ticks

Most species of ticks reproduce using eggs, although viviparous species are also found. All arachnids, including ticks, are characterized by division into the opposite sex. Blood-sucking parasites have the most interesting life cycle. In this case, the following stages of development are distinguished:

• Laying eggs.
• Appearance of larvae.
• Transformation into a nymph.
• Adult stage.

Laying eggs

Somewhere towards the end of spring, with the arrival of summer, the female begins laying eggs. In this case, the number of eggs can reach up to 3 thousand, but before that the female must be saturated with blood. Tick ​​eggs look quite voluminous compared to the size of the parasites themselves. Eggs consist of cytoplasm and a nucleus, which are covered with a reliable two-layer shell of various shades, depending on the species. Moreover, their shape can also be varied, both round and oval, both elongated and flattened.

What to do if you are bitten?

What to do if you are bitten by a forest tick? Many people get scared and start doing things that aren’t quite right, dousing the tick with vegetable oil and vodka. It is important to provide first aid correctly, as human health depends on it.

First aid

First aid should be provided by doctors, so it is advisable to go to a special institution so that they can get the forest tick and properly treat the affected area. But if this is not possible, then you should remove the parasite yourself. To do this, you will need forceps, alcohol or chlorhexidine, soap and water.

In almost every pharmacy you can buy a kit that includes tools for extracting forest ticks. You can buy it and take it with you when you go outdoors.

The process itself consists of several stages:

1. First, treat your tools with alcohol. The place where the tick sits should also be treated. If possible, wash your hands with soap to avoid introducing another infection through the wound.
2. Take tweezers and fix it as close as possible to the head of the parasite. This is very important, because when pulling out a tick, you need to remove it entirely. If the body is torn away from the head, then it will be impossible to get it out on your own. Moreover, as long as part of the tick is under the skin, it continues to poison the human body.
3. Having captured the parasite, begin to slowly scroll it counterclockwise. At the same time, you need to pull it slowly and under no circumstances pull it out with all your might.
4. Once you have taken out the tick, place it in a container and take it to the laboratory. There they will conduct research and tell you whether the tick was sick and whether the person became infected.
5. Wash the wound thoroughly with soap, lubricate it with an antiseptic and bandage it.

Mark the day of the bite on your calendar to monitor whether any symptoms develop and, if so, how quickly.

Once a tick is discovered, action must be taken immediately. No pills, syrups or traditional methods will help. To minimize the possibility of infection, you need to remove the entire parasite as quickly as possible.

Do I need to go to the hospital?

Do I need to go to the hospital after a tick bite? Of course yes! Even if you pulled it out yourself, the doctor should examine the bite site and check whether everything was removed. Moreover, the health station records every forest tick bite, and the victims are under observation for some time (even if the tick was not a carrier of the disease).

A week after the bite, the person who was attacked by the tick must have his blood tested. This should not be neglected even if there are no symptoms, since, for example, Lyme disease develops slowly.

It is necessary to go to the hospital as an emergency if a tick has bitten a person with allergies, immunodeficiency, as well as a child or pregnant woman. Here the clock counts. You should not try to do something yourself, as this can lead to undesirable consequences.

How dangerous is a tick larva to humans?

After about 2-4 weeks, tick larvae emerge from the eggs, which have a direct resemblance to adult individuals. The only differences are their small size (only 0.5 mm) and the presence of 3 pairs of limbs, since adults have 4 pairs.

The body of parasites is not yet fully formed and some elements may be missing. The larvae appear in the warm season, so during this period they are most active. Since the larvae are still very small, they are not able to rise to a significant height. In this regard, their food items are rodents, hedgehogs, lizards, etc. Digging into the body of its victim, the larva consumes blood for 6 days, after which it falls off and ends up on the ground. The next stage of its development begins - the nymph stage. The larvae are not particularly affected by flooding and can remain under water for up to a month.

According to American scientists, the bite of a tick larva is as dangerous as the bite of an adult. This is especially true in relation to ticks, which carry dangerous diseases such as encephalitis.

How to protect yourself?

It is worth noting that today there is no single means to completely protect yourself from tick bites. Only comprehensive measures will help avoid attacks from these parasites. This includes the following:

• the use of special means that repel and kill ticks (repellents, acaricidal agents and insecticidal-repellent preparations);
• vaccination;
• compliance with measures to prevent tick bites (correct selection of clothing when visiting places with abundant vegetation, examining the body after walks in the forest, etc.).

When choosing special preparations to combat ticks, you should remember that today there are quite a lot of counterfeits of chemical protection products . In this regard, it is recommended to buy these substances in specialized stores or large retail outlets with a good reputation.

Repellents

The main effect of products classified as repellents is to repel ticks. However, they do not kill these parasites.

As an example, we can name several names of tick repellents:

• "DEFI-Taiga";
• "Reftamide maximum";
• "Gal-RET-kl" and many others.

Typically, tick repellents are applied in circular strips to exposed areas of the body such as the ankles, knees, chest, etc. The repellents contain a substance called diethyltoluamide, which repels ticks and causes them to crawl away from the body area. , to which such a product is applied.

Acaricides

Unlike repellents, their action is aimed at killing the parasite. The active component of acaricidal agents is alphamethrin . It has a nerve-paralytic effect. When ticks come into contact with clothing treated with acaricides, their limbs become paralyzed, causing them to fall to the ground.

The most popular products in this category include:

• "Picnic-Anticlesh".
• "Reftamid taiga".
• “Tornado-anti-mite”, etc.

Insecticidal and repellent agents

Products classified as insecticidal-repellents combine the properties of the previous two substances, namely:

• they repel ticks from humans;
• cause parasite paralysis of limbs.

Insecticidal-repellent products contain two active components: diethyltoluamide and alphamethrin. It is due to this combination that they have a double effect in the fight against ticks. As a rule, they are produced in the form of an aerosol (for example, “Kra-rep”, “Moskitol-spray Special protection against ticks”, “Tick-kaput aerosol”, etc.).

Vaccination

As noted above, today there is no single vaccine that could completely protect a person from a tick bite of any kind. There is a vaccine only against tick-borne encephalitis, which provides almost 95% protection for the vaccinated person.

However, do not forget that it only protects against encephalitis. If the tick turns out to be a carrier of another disease, then it will not help. In this regard, it is not recommended to neglect the general rules for the prevention of tick bites even after vaccination.

Typically, the tick-borne encephalitis vaccine includes three doses. It is given to a person according to the following standard scheme:

• 0–1 (3) – 9 (12) months – imported vaccinations;
• 0–1 (7) – (12) – domestic vaccines.

Revaccination is carried out every 3 years.

As a rule, stable immunity to the development of this type of disease appears in a vaccinated person 2 weeks after the second dose. However, in order to maximize the effect of vaccination, it is recommended to give a third one a year after the second dose.

Tick ​​nymph and its danger

The nymph already has 4 pairs of legs, and its size reaches almost 2 mm. This parasite is already moving much more actively, so large animals or birds serve as food for it, and can also attack humans. What is most interesting is that the tick in the guise of a nymph overwinters and only with the onset of spring warmth it turns into sexually mature individuals of different sexes.

Nymphs, like adults, are capable of infecting humans with many serious diseases. Therefore, despite the fact that the tick individual has not yet formed properly, it is quite dangerous.

Tick ​​bite and diseases

The tick bite itself is a rather painful sensation, which is accompanied by negative emotions, itching, burning, and inflammatory processes. If only it all ended there! Together with saliva, the parasite is capable of transmitting some, sometimes fatal, ailments to its victim. For example:

• Lyme Borreliosis.
• Tick-borne encephalitis.
• Epilepsy and hyperkinesis.
• Arthritis.
• Jades.
• Problems with the gastrointestinal tract.
• Pneumonia or pulmonary hemorrhage.
• Heart arrhythmia and blood pressure problems.
• Paralysis of the limbs, with loss of capacity and ability to care for oneself.

Symptoms of a tick bite

As a result of a tick bite, a number of negative reactions of the human body are possible. This is especially true for people prone to allergies. For example:

• Inflammation of the bite site, which is accompanied by a significant increase in body temperature, fatigue and general weakness, chills, aches throughout the body, photophobia, swollen lymph nodes or Quincke's edema.
• In addition, severe headache, nausea and vomiting, and signs of hallucination with breathing problems are possible.

First aid for a tick bite

A tick bite is characterized by the fact that the parasite digs into the body of its victim. The first task is to get rid of the parasite, and you need to adhere to a number of rules. Firstly, the parasite cannot be crushed, and secondly, it must only be removed entirely. The head must not be allowed to remain in the human body. Before the extraction process itself, the problem area must be treated with hydrogen peroxide, iodine or another antiseptic. The steps are as follows:

• The protruding outer part of the parasite must be lubricated with vegetable oil and wait about 5 minutes. The respiratory organs are located in the tail part of the tick. When the parasite begins to suffocate, he will somehow begin to get out of this trap.
• The tick can be treated with kerosene and after 10 minutes it will either come off on its own or its grip will weaken. In this case, you can “unscrew” it using tweezers.
• If there is a wax candle nearby, then it is set on fire and the melted wax is directed towards the part of the parasite protruding from the human body. The wax will harden and cut off oxygen to it, which will force the tick to crawl out.

Mandatory step! The live tick should be stored in a plastic bag. After this, it should be taken to the laboratory for examination. The earlier the disease is detected, the easier it will be to cope with it.

In any case, after a tick bite, it is better to seek help from a specialist. In some cases, it is necessary to immediately call an ambulance. Otherwise, death is possible.

How to remove a tick with a thread If bitten by a tick How to Remove a tick with a THREAD Poddubnye

Diseases carried by bloodsuckers

The main danger of a tick bite is that these arachnids are carriers of many serious diseases, among which are the following:

• tick-borne encephalitis;
• Lyme disease (borreliosis);
• hemorrhagic fever;
• tularemia;
• babesiosis;
• ehrlichiosis;
• vesicular rickettsiosis, etc.

Many of the diseases listed above pose a serious threat not only to health, but also to human life. That is why a tick bite should not be ignored.

Lyme disease - symptoms, consequences, treatment

This is one of the most common diseases transmitted through ixodid tick bites. Symptoms of Lyme disease can vary depending on the stage of the disease. There are three stages in total:

1. The first stage – lasts from 3 to 30 days. It is characterized by symptoms such as:
   the appearance of chills;
2. increased body temperature;
3. headache;
4. development of muscle aches;
5. weakness;
6. increased fatigue;
7. the appearance of erythema at the site of the bite (redness in the form of a ring), etc.
8. Second stage - may occur 1–3 months after the bite. Typically, the following symptoms occur:
   cranial nerve palsies;
9. development of meningitis;
10. photophobia;
11. throbbing pain in the head;
12. fatigue increases significantly;
13. severe weakness.
14. The third stage - begins from 6 months to 2 years from the moment of the acute period of Lyme disease . Characteristic symptoms: damage to joints, skin, as well as chronic neurological syndromes.

Lyme disease carries serious irreversible consequences and changes in the human body, namely:

• disability;
• body paralysis;
• death.

To combat borreliosis, complex treatment is used, during which the patient is prescribed antibacterial drugs, etiotropic and pathogenetic agents. Moreover, the treatment regimen is selected individually and largely depends on the stage of development of the disease.

The signs of Lyme disease, diagnosis and treatment are described in the video:

Encephalitis

It is not uncommon for people to also develop encephalitis after being bitten by an infected tick. This disease is characterized by the following symptoms, which are somewhat similar to regular flu:

• increased fatigue;
• fatigue;
• muscle weakness;
• loss of appetite;
• aching bones;
• increase in body temperature.

The most serious consequence of tick-borne encephalitis is damage to the nerve cells of the human brain. As a result, motor functions may be impaired, memory loss, and disability may develop. In severe cases, death is possible.

Treatment of tick-borne encephalitis is carried out strictly in a hospital setting. Moreover, there is no specific therapy for this disease. As a rule, the patient is prescribed corticosteroids. Sometimes tracheal intubation is required, followed by connecting the patient to mechanical ventilation (artificial pulmonary ventilation).

The disease tick-borne encephalitis and its symptoms are described in the video:

Tick ​​protection

Nowadays, modern industry has launched the production of many products - repellents that can protect humans and pets from tick attacks. At the same time, you can choose drugs for both adults and children. As a rule, the products are available in the form of sprays, which simplifies their use; just spray them on clothes. It should also be noted that there are some folk remedies that repel parasites. Due to their great sensitivity, parasites detect unpleasant odors at a distance of several meters. That's why:

• Ticks cannot tolerate the odors of many plants, including geraniums, marigolds and lavender. When going into nature, it is enough to put fragments of these plants in your pockets.
• Essential oils from the same plants have the same positive effect. To repel parasites, simply apply them lightly to your wrists and clothing.
• To protect yourself from the negative consequences of tick bites, it is better to go to a special institution and get vaccinated against tick-borne encephalitis. This disease is considered the most dangerous and most common.

Myths and misconceptions: is it an insect or not, when and for whom are they dangerous?

There are a variety of myths among people regarding ticks and their danger to humans. As an example, here are some of the most common misconceptions:

• Myth No. 1: Ticks are insects - this is a misconception. This parasite belongs to animals (subclass - arthropods, class - arachnids).
• Myth No. 2: Ticks are dangerous only from May to June - in fact, carriers of serious diseases from this category of arachnids pose a danger to human health, regardless of the time of year. Moreover, their peak activity occurs in May and September. This means that it is at this time that the risk of a bite increases.
• Myth No. 3: Ticks most often bite people wearing white clothes - the visual apparatus of these parasites is primitive, so they cannot distinguish colors. They grab onto everything that moves past them. The color of a person's clothing in this case does not matter.
• Myth No. 4: The tick bite area needs to be filled with oil, then it will come out on its own - such a measure will not be beneficial, moreover, its use can be dangerous for humans if the tick turns out to be a carrier of serious diseases.
• Myth No. 5: You can protect yourself from a tick bite by getting vaccinated - there is no single vaccine that protects against all diseases that can be transmitted by ticks. For example, there is a vaccination against encephalitis ticks, but it will not prevent the development of Lyme disease.

Interesting facts about ticks

• The smallest tick is known to reach a size of 0.08 mm. Because of this, this species is listed in the Guinness Book of Records.
• 3 adult specimens, each 0.2 mm in size, form a point commensurate with the size of a faintly noticeable point.
• The subfamily of ticks “Argasidae” has the ability of omovampirism, when hungry individuals attack their relatives who were able to get enough blood.
• The tick-borne encephalitis virus, like many other diseases, is transmitted transovarially. This means that an infected tick is able to lay already infected eggs, passing the disease on to future generations of ticks.
• Female ixodid ticks feed much more actively than males. As a result of complete saturation, the individual becomes 150 times larger than its hungry relatives.
• Ticks can lay completely unfertilized eggs, although completely viable larvae are subsequently born from them. This phenomenon is called parthenogenesis, which allows ticks to give birth to offspring without having sexual partners.
• Ticks can live up to 3 years without food, and such a hunger strike does not cause them any harm.