Castor beetle (Ixodes ricinus)

• Kingdom: Animals (Animalia)
• Phylum: Arthropods (Arthropoda)
• Class: Arachnida (Arachnids)
• Order: Ticks (Ixodida)
• Family: Hard ticks (Ixodidae)
• Genus: (Ixodes)
• Species: Wood tick (Ixodes ricinus)

Size:

• Head-body length: 4–5 mm, fully saturated up to 10 mm

Look:

• Legs: Since ticks belong to the arachnids, they have eight legs.
• Color: Brown and black, elongated-oval body
• Shield: In adult females, it consists of a small, oval, black shield (scutum) on the front of the back, which is shiny and hard. This dark patch contrasts sharply with the larger, brownish body, which is elastic and stretchable to absorb blood. Males have a completely dark, almost black shield covering the entire back.

Life cycle:

• Reproduction: After mating on the host, the fertilized female leaves it to lay eggs in a protected place.
• Development: After about two to five weeks, the larvae hatch and seek a host for their first blood meal. After molting, they develop into nymphs, which feed on blood again before developing into adult ticks. Adult females require another blood meal to lay their eggs. The entire cycle can take several years, and the tick can survive for years without feeding.
• Egg laying: Between 1000 and 4000 eggs
• Lifespan: 3-8 years

Habitat:

• It prefers to live directly on its host , especially in areas with thin skin, such as the ears, neck, and between the toes.
• Outside of its host, the common wood tick prefers damp, shady habitats such as forests, meadows, parks, and gardens with high humidity and dense vegetation. It is particularly common in deciduous and mixed forests with tall grass, shrubs, or undergrowth, where it lies in wait for hosts such as mammals, birds, or humans. In urban areas, it occurs in gardens, city parks, and along forest edges.

Nutrition:

• It feeds exclusively on blood and requires several blood meals for its development from larva to adult tick.
• The common wood tick can survive for years without feeding.

Behave:

• The wood tick relies primarily on an ambush strategy. It climbs grasses, bushes, or undergrowth and waits there with outstretched front legs for a passing host.

Engraving:

• The common wood tick uses its mouthparts to penetrate the skin and extract blood from its victim.
• It takes several days to collect blood.
• Disease transmission

Disease transmission:

• The common tick (Ixodes ricinus) can transmit Mediterranean spotted fever (Rickettsia conorii), tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), and Lyme disease to humans. These diseases can cause flu-like symptoms, skin rashes, joint inflammation, or, in severe cases, neurological damage. Prompt removal of the tick and monitoring of the bite site are important for early detection of potential infections.

Wear protective clothing:

• Long trousers, closed shoes and light-colored clothing to make ticks easier to spot.
• Tuck your trouser legs into your socks.

Use tick repellents:

• Apply to skin and clothing to repel ticks.

Search:

• After spending time in nature, check your body: Pay particular attention to armpits, backs of knees, groin area and behind the ears.

House and garden:

• Keeping lawns short and shrubs trimmed back reduces tick habitats in gardens and parks.

Vaccination:

• Consider getting vaccinated against tick-borne encephalitis (TBE): It protects against tick-borne encephalitis.

Stay calm

• Remove the tick as quickly as possible, but carefully to avoid mistakes.

Remove ticks properly

• Use tick tweezers, a tick card, or pointed tweezers.
• Position the tool as close to the skin as possible and grasp the tick by the head or directly by the mouthparts, not by the abdomen.
• Pull the tick out slowly and straight on, without twisting or squeezing it, to avoid tearing off the head.

Disinfect the puncture site

• Disinfect the area after removal with alcohol, iodine or a suitable disinfectant.

Dispose of the tick safely

• Do not crush the tick with your fingers!
• Dispose of them by submerging them in alcohol, soapy water, or a tightly sealed plastic bag. Alternatively, they can be burned.

Observe the puncture site

• Watch for redness, swelling, or flu-like symptoms over the next few days to weeks.
• If a ring-shaped redness or other symptoms develop, consult a doctor immediately.