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Ticks
Ticks
The black legged tick, Ixodes
scapularis is responsible for the transmission of the bacteria
that causes Lyme Disease in the Northeast. In this area,
approximately 25% of the black legged ticks are infected, 75% are
not infected with the bacteria.
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.
Life
Cycle of the
Black
Legged Tick
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The life cycle of
the tick requires 2 years to complete.
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The
adult female ticks drop off their hosts (usually
white-tailed deer) and lay approximately 2,000 eggs in the
spring..
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These
eggs hatch into larvae later in the summer.
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Larvae
feed on mice (some of the mice are infected with the
bacteria that causes Lyme Disease) and other small mammals.
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Once
they feed, the larvae are inactive until the next spring
when they turn into nymphs.
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Once
the nymphs feed in late spring and early summer, they become
adults. In the fall, adults attach and feed on hosts such as
dogs, cats, white-tailed deer and humans. The adult females
mate, drop off their hosts and lay their eggs in the spring
as the cycle starts again.
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Infected
Black-Legged Ticks Spread Lyme Disease
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Most cases
of Lyme Disease are transmitted by the bite of an infected
tick during the nymphal stage in the spring and summer.
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Infected
adult ticks can transmit the bacteria that causes Lyme
Disease in the fall also. |
See how the
black-legged tick attacks and bites
in the slow motion movie at this website!
http://www.biosci.ohio-state.edu/~acarolog/tickgone.htm
Where
do ticks go during the winter months?
 Nowhere!
- They are protected from
the cold in tall grass, leaf litter, woods, shrubs, etc.
- They die at the end of
their two-year life cycle.
- Adult males
die once they mate. (on a deer in late fall)
- Adult females
die once they lay their eggs. (early spring)
- Those ticks
that have not found suitable hosts may continue searching for a blood meal
needed to complete their life cycle throughout the winter.
They will continue to feed if the temperature is above 35 degrees!
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