Deer Ticks

Deer Tick

Most people who live somewhat close to nature have encountered the common deer tick and have probably been disgusted by them. It is an external parasitical arachnid that feeds on blood from mammals and birds. It is also quite harmful in some parts of the world as it is number two, short after the mosquito, when it comes to spreading diseases. Therefore it is very important to remove the deer tick as soon as you find one, and that you are very careful when doing so. The deer tick has a harpoon shaped mouth with which it anchors itself to its host. If poorly removed the deer tick might be injured and infect you with some very nasty diseases.

Deer tick � Where?

The deer tick can be found almost anywhere in the world but they are most common in North America, Europe and some parts of Africa. Although it is a common belief that the tick can jump onto its host it is not the truth. The deer tick climb trees and high-growing grass and will then fall onto or grab bypassing mammals or birds.

Deer tick � The Life Cycle

The deer tick's life starts with an egg, the eggs hatch in the late summer and brings into the world a larvae. The deer tick larvae is quite small, no bigger than a printed period, and will not move very much. Instead it will be waiting for a small mammal or bird to pass by so it can grab on and begin feeding. Most of the animals that the larvae feed on are reservoirs of diseases and it is in this stage that the tick itself becomes contagious. It is therefore not born dangerous but will become so quite soon after it has hatched. The larvae then release its grip of the host and transforms into a nymph. The nymph then finds itself a somewhat larger host for feeding, this is where humans and household pets get into the picture. The nymph will feed until it is full and then once again release so it can fall to the ground. There it will transform into an adult, fully grown, deer tick. Once again feeding is on the schedule and although humans and pets once again are targets, so are deer and livestock. In this period of their life the deer tick also mates with other deer ticks of the opposite sex. The female deer tick will, after a short time of pregnancy, lay around 3000 eggs in a safe spot and the life cycle of the deer tick will be complete.

Deer tick � Carriers of Disease

In its larvae state deer ticks become carriers of diseases as they suck the blood of contagious creatures. When the nymph or adult deer tick then attaches itself to a human chances are that it will pass the diseases on and infect its human host. The list of diseases is quite long and contains some pretty serious ones. Relapsing fever, Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, tularemia, equine encephalitis, Colorado tick fever, and several forms of ehrlichiosis are just some of the diseases that the tick spreads so the best thing is to remove a tick as soon as you find one.

Deer Tick