How can I recognize a tick?
Ticks belong to the mites, i.e. the arachnids. Adults have eight legs, although nymphal stages may have only six legs. They are three to twelve millimeters in size, depending on their age. Their body consists of two parts: The anterior part of the head with the legs, and the trunk, which can expand to accommodate blood. Depending on the species, the dorsal shield is brown or gray in color. The creepy-crawlies have a highly developed stinging apparatus. They use part of their mouthparts to cut the skin and then insert a proboscis to take in blood.
Where do ticks live?
Ticks prefer to stay at the edges of forests, bush areas, or in tall, dense grass (for example, in parks). They climb up the vegetation and wait for a potential host to approach. If the host touches the tick, it attaches itself to it – it “jumps up”. On the host, it looks for a free skin spot to suck blood. Popular “victims” of ticks are humans, but also other mammals or birds. Ticks are found on the coast and on the highlands up to about 2,000 meters above sea level. However, they need high humidity in order not to dry out.
What diseases do ticks transmit?
What is special about the tick?
How do I remove ticks correctly?
A tick that has bored into the skin should be removed as soon as possible. Grasp the body of the tick with your fingers or tweezers and carefully pull out the parasite. But be careful: the head should not be torn off if possible. Then disinfect the area, for example with alcohol. If you want to be absolutely sure, you can have the removed tick examined for Lyme disease pathogens. However, it is advisable to clarify the costs for this beforehand.
