Are Ticks Turning Predatory?

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Published on November 15, 2019 2:00:04 PM ● Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPQO4RTgBA8

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These small, wild creatures are parasites spreading to various countries to find human hosts. Are ticks turning predatory?

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Number 5 Lee Farmer
In May 2015, he led a team of mountaineers through the Nepalese Himalayas. Then, by the end of June, by his own admission, he was “as weak as a kitten”.
What Is It?
Ticks are small creatures, from 0.1 to 0.2 inches long, which belong to the Parasitiformes order. Their life cycle has four stages from egg to larvae, to nymphs and then adults. An adult tick’s body features two segments and legs tipped with claws. The anterior part is retractable and contains mouthparts adapted for piercing through skin. Ticks are extremely resilient creatures and may go without feeding for up to 18 weeks.
Number 4 Jackson Oblisk
Light pink spots formed all-over him and he couldn’t move, eat or drink. He was treated with antibiotics and woke up on the day of his second birthday.
Where Is It Located?
Ticks have been around ever since the Cretaceous period, 146 to 66 million years ago. Specimens have even been found preserved in amber, along with dinosaur feathers. This would indicate that the tick has also been a parasite of dinosaurs. Nowadays, ticks enjoy a global distribution and tend to be found where their host species occur. They may also move across various areas as parasites of migratory birds. Ticks prefer warm, humid climates because they need a certain degree of moisture in the air when they undergo metamorphosis. Most tick species are split into two families – hard ticks, also known as Ixodidae and soft ticks, or Argasidae. The difference is that hard ticks have a dorsal shield and their mouthparts are in a beak-like formation at the front, instead of on the underside. While most ticks prefer to lie in tall grass, those from the Hyalomma genus are known to live in harsh desert conditions.
Number 3 Averey Mell
Then Averey’s mother found two Dogwood ticks behind her ear, which were reportedly engorged to about the size of a quarter. Tick paralysis usually occurs when the tick is embedded in the human host for a long time.
How?
Perhaps the most remarkable aspect about the tick is its incredible ability to detect a host. This is done through a unique sensory structure, known as Haller’s organ, located in a minute cavity on its front-most leg. It can detect odors and chemicals emanating from the host as well as vibrations or changes in temperature and air currents. Through Haller’s organ, a tick can even perceive infrared light given out by the host. Some ticks will cling to leaves or grass with their first legs outstretched waiting to attach to an animal.
Number 2 Behavior
According to recent observations, ticks of the Hyalomma genus might be turning predatory towards humans. As previously mentioned, these ticks live in rough climates where finding a host can be difficult. In July, 2019, Hyalomma marginatum was spotted in the Netherlands as an invasive species. It was most likely introduced to the country through seasonal bird migration.
How to?
In the absence of proprietary removal tools, this can be done with a pair of fine-tipped tweezers. Always make sure to remove the tick in its entirety and clean the wound with soap and water. This will make it harder for ticks to latch on to you. When it comes to controlling the tick population as a whole, one researched methods is the release of the parasitoid Ixodiphagus hookeri.