Any of numerous bloodsucking arachnids of the order Acarina, including the families Ixodidae and Argasidae, somewhat larger than the related mites and having a barbed proboscis for attachment to the skin of warm-blooded vertebrates: some ticks are vectors of disease.
Tick reproduction
A male and female tick mate, and the female lays fertilized eggs that hatch into six-legged tick larvae. Tick larvae molt and eight-legged nymphs emerge, which then molt into eight-legged adults. Infesting wild animals, pets and people, as well as transmitting a range of diseases, ticks reproduce sexually.
Danger of Tick
Ticks carry many serious diseases, including Lyme disease, encephalitis and typhus. They can live for over 500 days without a meal.
Direct effect; Feeding by large numbers of ticks causes reduction in live weight and anemia among domestic animals, while tick bites also reduce the quality of hides. Apart from irritation or anemia in case of heavy infestations, tick can cause severe dermatitis
Ticks attach firmly to their host, feed slowly and may go unnoticed for several days while feeding. Ticks are divided into two groups: hard and soft. Hard ticks have a shield plate on their backs and are tapered at the head end; they are easily recognized by people. Soft ticks lack the shield-like plate; they have a blunt head end and look like pieces of bark or debris. Both groups are important vectors of disease.
To feed, they grab onto a host, secrete an anesthetic and painlessly burrow into the skin with their mouth parts. Bites can cause skin irritations or even allergic reactions in some people.
How to get rid of Tick | Tick Control
- The first step in removing these ticks is to de-clutter your home, because ticks hide almost anywhere. Pick up items from the floor, and don’t leave dirty laundry lying around. Your tick infestation is an opportunity to do a little spring-cleaning
- Clean your house thoroughly. The next step is to clean your entire home thoroughly from top to bottom. Clean out shelves, dust forgotten corners and sweep, mop, and vacuum all floors.
- Wash dirty clothes in hot water. Ticks attach to dirty clothing or bed linens. Wash your clothes or linens you suspect may be tick-infected in hot water suitable for the fabric type.
- Avoid leaving dirty laundry on the floor, and if you suspect any clothes or linens might have ticks, do not put them in the laundry hamper, because this will contaminate the other clothes. Put them straight into the washing machine.
- Your vacuum cleaner will be your best friend during the tick control or removal process, because you can suck up ticks from all over the house; in animal bedding, in cracks in the floor and wall, on baseboards and crown molding, and on and underneath furniture.
- Treat indoor pets. Indoor pets, usually dogs, are the number one source of tick infestations. Dogs can carry ticks in from outdoors, or catch them from other animals in the local neighborhood, you need to restrict movement of your pets.
- Wear light-colored clothing. Ticks are easier to see on a light background.
