Ecoguard

The soft ticks are represented by only a few species in Australia and are often associated with nests or resting places of animals. These ticks have a wrinkled appearance, which is akin to soft leather. The hard ticks comprise the majority of our ticks and are distinguished by a hard dorsal plate in the shape of a fingernail and elongated mouthparts that have rows of backward pointing teeth. Some species of tick use these teeth in conjunction with a cement to remain attached to the host while blood feeding. The ticks have a hard body shell, elongated mouthparts, and eight legs in the nymph and adult stages. The males and females are dark brown in color and have no white markings. Ixodes ticks are much smaller than the common dog tick.. Nymphs are about the size of a poppy seed, adults the size of a small apple seed. Ticks do not fly or jump. They live in tall grass, leaf litter and shrubs.

 

pinhead to corn kernel size or bigger

Physical contact is not the only method of transportation for ticks. Ticks can't jump or fly, although they may drop from their perch and fall onto a host. Some species stalk the host from ground level, emerging from cracks or crevices located in the woods or even inside a home or kennel, where infestations of "seed ticks" (the six-legged stage of newborn ticks) can attack in numbers up to 30,000 at a time. Weak or elderly dogs, puppies, and cats are particularly endangered and can die from anemia from a sudden influx of seed ticks. Seed ticks also attack horses, cattle, moose, lions and other mammals, causing anemia, various diseases, paralysis and even death. Such infestations can be difficult to detect until thousands have attached themselves to an animal and eradication can be difficult. Mature ticks are harder to see. Frequent grooming and chemicals for control may control the spread of seed ticks and adults. Changes in temperature and day length are some of the factors signaling a tick to seek a host. Ticks can detect heat emitted or carbon dioxide respired from a nearby host. They will generally drop off the animal when full, but this may take several days. In some cases ticks will live for some time on the blood of an animal. Ticks are more active outdoors in warm weather, but can attack a host at any time.

 

Ticks are blood-feeding parasites that are often found in tall grass and shrubs where they will wait to attach to a passing host. A tick will attach itself to its host by inserting its chelicerae (cutting mandibles) and hypostome (feeding tube) into the skin. The hypostome is covered with recurved teeth and serves as a hammer. Ticks can be found in most wooded or forested regions throughout the world. They are especially common in areas where there are deer trails or human tracks. Ticks are especially abundant near water, where warm-blooded animals come to drink, and in meadows wherever shrubs and brush provide woody surfaces and cover.

 

 

Ticks inject a toxin that may cause local irritation or a mild allergic reaction, however most tick bites cause little or no symptoms. In some cases ticks can pose a serious threat to human health.Tick borne diseases, tick paralysis and severe allergic reactions, while uncommon, can pose a serious health threat. Tick-borne diseases occurring in Australia are Australian Tick Typhus or 'Spotted Fever' (along the coastal strip of eastern Australia from North Queensland to Victoria) and 'Flinders Island Spotted Fever' (in Victoria,Tasmania and Flinders Island in Bass Strait). Early symptoms of tick paralysis can include rashes, headache, fever, flu like symptoms, tenderness of lymph nodes, unsteady gait, intolerance to bright light, increased weakness of the limbs and partial facial paralysis. At the site of the bite there may be a black scab or eschar. In some susceptible people tick bite may cause a severe allergic reaction or anaphylactic shock, which can be life threatening. If swelling of the face and throat causes breathing difficulties, seek urgent medical attention.

Ticks and Lyme Disease- Lyme Disease is caused by a bacterium and has become the most common tick borne disease in the world. It has been reported from every continent, though there is no conclusive evidence that it is found in Australia. Lyme Disease causes a range of non-specific symptoms including fever, fatigue, headaches, myalgia, arthralgia, muscle and joint pain and sore and swollen lymph glands.These symptoms can occur within days, weeks or months of being bitten. A characteristic skin lesion, erythema migrans, may also appear within 3 to 30 days at the site of the tick bite. Lyme Disease can be treated with antibiotics .