Do you know what ticks are? Is that insect harmful? Find out the answers in this article.
There are many different kinds and varieties of insects in the world, and the lines that follow will provide more information about ticks:
tick insect
There are more than 800 different species of tick insects, which are one of the small spider species that feed on blood. Tick insects belong to the Arachnida phylum.
The tick life cycle is very complex, including eggs, larvae, and nymphs, all the way to adult males and females. Since it cannot fly or jump, it spreads by crawling.
The tick insect has a strong desire to survive, as evidenced by the fact that it can go up to a year without its primary source of nutrition, blood. However, once it does get access to blood, it sticks to the body and feeds for long periods of time. Some tick species may be categorised as pathogenic because they have the potential to spread diseases between humans and animals.
Types of tick insect
Ticks come in a variety of varieties, as we already mentioned, but they all belong to one of two families:
- Hard tick (Ixodidae)
The tick insect begins its life cycle with eggs, which hatch and develop into a larva. The larva then starts to look for an organism whose blood it will feed on, which causes the nymph to develop and start to show signs of feathering. The nymph then keeps looking for a bigger source of nutrition until it matures into an adult tick.
The hard tick insect has a life cycle that can last anywhere between one and two years, depending on the species. The bite of this type is painless, and its feeding period may extend from hours to weeks.
It should be noted that this family contains 700 different species of ticks.
- Soft ticks (Argasidae)
The majority of the tick life cycle, which begins with eggs and ends with adult ticks, is similar. However, in soft ticks, the insect may go through seven stages, from larva to nymph, and each stage requires blood feeding.
Depending on the type, the soft tick's life cycle can last anywhere from a few months to several years. The bite of the soft tick is usually painless and lasts for a period ranging between 15-30 minutes, and this may make it difficult to detect it.
The fact that this family contains 200 species is noteworthy.
Examples of pathogenic ticks
There are numerous instances of pathogenic ticks, such as:
1. American dog tick
In addition to tick paralysis, it can also spread tularemia and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
2. Blacklegged Deer Tick
They might spread illnesses like Lyme disease, which produces a rash and a fever.
Symptoms of a tick bite
The tick insect may transmit several diseases from animals to humans and may cause several symptoms. The most noticeable of these potential symptoms are listed below:
- High body temperature.
- goosebumps.
- Muscle and joint pain.
- Headache and general fatigue.
- Numbness and pain are present where the injury occurred.
- skin rash
- Redness and itching in the impacted area.
- Shortness of breath.
The correct way to treat a tick bite
The way a tick bite is treated may be different from the way other insects are bitten, and the way it is treated varies from person to person because it depends on a number of variables, including the type of tick, how long the tick insect was inside the body, and the symptoms, which vary from case to case.
The most crucial advice to follow in the event of a tick bite is as follows:
- Remove the insect immediately.
- Clean the injury site well.
- Disinfect and protect the affected area to prevent infection.
- See a doctor as soon as possible so that he can accurately diagnose the condition.