As we welcome summer, the weather is warming up, and it is time to put away the winter clothes and head outside to have some fun. But do you know what else is on its way out? A lot of pests, especially ticks.
Ticks are among the most dangerous little bugs because they can transmit and spread deadly diseases such as Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. One unintentional bite from this tiny bugger could change your life forever. So, how well do you know them?
Here are a few interesting facts about ticks:
Ticks Are a Type of Arachnid
Ticks, contrary to popular belief, are related to spiders and scorpions rather than ants and cockroaches. They have four pairs of legs, and their bodies are divided into two sections, as opposed to insects, which have three.
They Voraciously Feed on Blood
Ticks die if they go more than a few days without a host. This is because their only source of nutrition is animal blood. They must have blood in order to survive, just as humans must have food to survive.
Ticks Prefer Dogs to Cats
Cats are thought to be cleaner animals because they occasionally take a shower with their saliva. This ‘showering’ could get rid of any ticks that are clinging to the skin. Dogs, on the other hand, do not. If you do not wash your dog, they will remain dirty until they are bathed. As a result, ticks are more likely to stay longer and even reproduce faster on dogs. They are so numerous in dogs that they outnumber cats.
They Are Not Able to Fly or Jump
Ticks are cunning pests that linger on tall grass, bushes, or brush and wait for the right moment to crawl on a host. To find a home, the crawler or jumper must crawl or jump on a passing host. They hold on to their host with their supper sticky back legs, then latch firmly to get a better grip before feeding.
Ticks Feed Continuously for 24 to 48 Hours
They find a spot and dig their curved teeth into the flesh of the host after latching on tightly. And then feed for the next day or two. You can still reduce Lyme disease transmission chances if you notice a tick latching onto your skin during this time. However, to remove it from the skin, it is best to use a tweezer rather than your fingers.
Female Ticks Can Lay Between 2000 and 18000 Eggs in a Single Cycle
The tick’s life cycle is as follows: egg, larva (6 legged), nymph (8 legged), adult. When the egg hatches into a larva, it feeds on a host before dropping to the ground to digest the food. Within 1-3 weeks, the larva transforms into an eight-legged nymph and seeks a host. It can molt several times before reaching adulthood.
Female adults mate immediately after 24 hours of feeding. The male stays close to the female, they breed, and the female lays the eggs. They both die as a result of this, and the cycle continues.
