Tick ​​- description, species, where they live, what they eat, photo. Why do we need ticks in nature: meaning, benefits and harms What is the use of ticks

There are over 50,000 varieties of ticks. They are divided into herbivorous and pathogenic. Few people know that these arthropods are not only carriers of various infections, but also pests, since they cause damage agriculture and food industry.

Most of the ticks are saprophages (predators) that benefit by destroying other pests. They also feed on soil organic matter, which contributes to its decomposition to humus.

What types of ticks do not benefit, but harm nature

The first signs of the appearance of ticks on garden plot are

• cobwebs on plantations;
• growths;
• indistinct light spots.

This indicates that the trees are under threat of destruction.

There are several types of ticks, some of them are not indifferent to coniferous trees and shrubs, such as boxwood or pine. There are varieties of these arthropods that live only on broad-leaved tree species. In nature, there are superfamilies of garden herbivorous mites

• gallic;
• brown;
• cobweb.

They settle on fruit and berry crops.

Garden mites are small arachnids. Males are smaller than females, their length is from 0.03 mm to 10 mm. The body is divided into two parts, the abdomen and the cephalothorax. Has it round shape and covered with bristles. The tick has two pairs of eyes. It moves with the help of 6 pairs of appendages. It sucks juice from plants and fruits with the help of piercing-sucking mouthparts.

There are more than 1200 species in nature spider mites. This is very small insects leading a hidden lifestyle. Males range in size from 0.3 mm to 0.6 mm, and females up to 1 mm. You can recognize the defeat of this type of tick by changing the color of the leaves on the plant, which become brown-brown. Then they curl up and fall off. This type of pest can destroy 80% of the crop. It is also a carrier of gray mold and various viral infectious diseases of agricultural plants.

Gall mites differ from other brethren in the absence of hind legs. Most often, this variety can be found on cherry plum, plum and pear. Outgrowths form on the leaves of trees, where the tick lives. Affected branches are cut and burned.

The brown mite mainly settles on horticultural crops. Most often it can be seen on apple trees. Color - red-brown. This species reproduces very quickly. By the end of summer, there are many pests on the tree that dehydrate it. As a result, the apple tree dries up.

The benefits and harms of ticks

Ticks can be found everywhere, even in Antarctica. They live both on land and in water. They are able to move long distances, despite their tiny size. They are mainly found in bird nests, burrows, residential and utility rooms. Some species even live under the skin and in the respiratory system of mammals.

But not all species are dangerous to crops or humans. There are groups of ticks that bring tangible benefits.

• Exterminate plant pests.
• Recycle their leftovers.
• Participate in the process of soil formation.

There are species of these arthropods that are used to make certain types of cheese. But this is where the benefits of ticks in nature end.

Thus, the tick, despite the small list positive properties, is an indispensable link in nature. It serves as an excellent food for birds, frogs, lizards, ants.

In the fight against them biological agents practically useless, because the mites multiply very quickly. Therefore, one has to apply chemicals to protect crops, plantings and their health.

Ixodid ticks (Ixodidae) are one of the most famous families of the subclass Ticks (Acari). They are found on all continents and live within almost all distinguished natural and climatic zones. Ixodids live even outside the Arctic Circle, which indicates their high adaptability and ability to survive in extreme conditions.

Greatest species diversity ticks are characteristic, first of all, of the forests of the tropics and subtropics (due to the relatively high level humidity, complex longline composition of vegetation and richness of possible hosts).

We will talk further about exactly where and in what months of the year the risk of meeting ticks is greatest ...

Where are ixodid ticks found?

Ticks concentrate where there are the necessary microclimatic indicators and where their potential hosts live. Within the main natural areas these bloodsuckers are distributed in a mosaic pattern and can often form massive aggregations.

At the same time, it should be borne in mind that ticks migrate insignificantly in the horizontal direction - they take a wait-and-see attitude, and resort to active pursuit only in exceptional cases.

Below in the photo, ticks are clearly visible in a bird around the eyes:

Thus, the main habitats of ticks are:

• forest trails;
• well-heated and moist forest edges and forest clearings;
• pastures;
• parks and squares in cities, lawns;
• kitchen gardens, gardens in the country, which are often visited by pets and people.

Therefore, this group of species has developed special adaptations to counteract the harmful effects of the environment. These resistances are expressed in the choice of habitats, and here two groups of ticks are distinguished:

• pasture bloodsuckers;
• burrow bloodsuckers.

Pasture and burrow bloodsuckers

In search of better microclimatic conditions, some species of ticks took a simplified path and settled in the burrows of their hosts, where it is always warm enough, humid and there is food. Other species have adapted to life in forests and open spaces.

On a note

On a note

With a lack of water in the body, ticks descend on wet substrates and absorb moisture throughout the body.

It is a common misconception that ticks fall from trees and shrubs. In reality, they do not climb trees, but are exclusively in the grassy layer. Therefore, it is juicy, tall grass in places of frequent movement of animals and people that poses the greatest danger.

As for burrow mites, they live almost exclusively in the burrows and nests of their owners, and for this reason they usually do not pose a danger to humans. These include, first of all, Argas ticks, less often similar species are also found among Ixodids.

The life cycles of ticks are quite complex, which is associated with the peculiarities of metamorphosis and the need to search for and change hosts. At the same time, the vital activity of the same species differs significantly within different natural zones, and directly depends on the microclimatic indicators of habitats. The rhythms of life cycles are entirely dependent on seasonal dynamics abiotic factors, such as duration daylight hours, humidity, temperature, etc.

On a note

The most primitive are continuous cycles, in which synchronization with seasonal rhythms is minimized. This type of ontogeny is characteristic of species living in a warm and humid tropical climate or in the burrows of animals and birds, where fluctuations in microclimatic parameters are insignificant.

The most complex cycles are characteristic of ticks, which need special adaptations to survive adverse environmental conditions (primarily winter temperatures).

The longest and most complex cycles of development are characteristic of the European taiga and forest tick, whose ranges have shifted far to the north, much further than the ranges of other species. Normally, for the full development of each stage of ontogenesis, about 1 year is needed, therefore the minimum period of development from an egg to an adult is 3 years, and the maximum is 6 years.

Imagoes, mostly adult and hungry females, attack large mammals and humans in April-May, and the peak of aggressiveness falls on the second decade of May. At this time, they are waiting for their prey in tall grass in pastures, near ponds, forest paths, in parks and squares in cities.

On a note

Often, the eggs are attached to grassy vegetation, less often the female lays them directly on the fur of animals - then the hatched larvae will not need to look for a host.

The eggs laid in summer hatch into larvae that feed on small rodents and birds. They are tiny and have only 3 pairs of limbs, so they are sometimes confused with insects.

The photo below shows the larvae of the tick:

After feeding, the larvae look for a place for wintering: they mainly choose leaf litter and depressions in the bark of trees. There, in a state of diapause, small bloodsuckers wait out the winter. If the larva does not have time to feed before the onset of cold weather, it dies.

Sometimes the larvae have time to molt into nymphs before winter, but often molting also occurs only after leaving diapause. Each molt is accompanied by bloodsucking.

Tick ​​nymphs differ from larvae in their larger size and the presence of another (fourth) pair of legs. They are able to feed on larger animals such as dogs, cats, foxes, hares.

In the spring and summer-autumn period of the 3rd year from the beginning of the life cycle, adult individuals appear. They begin to feed immediately, or again go into diapause. Feeding is necessary for the female primarily for the maturation of eggs, so it is imperative that mating occurs before feeding. Males either do not feed at all, or feed for a very short time, since they perform only the function of inseminators.

The most common and massive in Russia and the CIS countries, common forest (dog) and taiga ticks carry a number of pathogens of extremely dangerous human diseases, such as:

• different forms of tick-borne encephalitis;
• tick-borne typhus;
• Lyme disease (borreliosis);
• tularemia and some others.

On a note

The tick infects its host already during suction, when it injects saliva containing pathogens of a particular infection under the skin. Moreover, the longer the tick is on the body, the more likely it is to get sick.

Symptoms of the disease do not appear immediately: the incubation period can last up to one month. In the case of tick-borne encephalitis, the development of the disease can proceed in different ways, but there are also general symptoms: more often there is a sharp increase in temperature, muscle and headaches. In case of tick-borne borreliosis hallmark infection is the appearance of the so-called migrating annular erythema - on the skin near the wound left after a tick bite, concentric rings of reddish, brown or yellow color(an example is shown below).

Prevention measures: how to protect yourself from the negative consequences of contact with ticks

On a note

Be that as it may, you should not relax either, since only the correct and timely measures taken will minimize the likelihood of undesirable consequences.

First you need to remove the tick. This is easy to do on your own, using, for example, tweezers or special devices to extract ticks.

After removing the tick, the wound must be disinfected (it can be treated with alcohol, brilliant green, iodine or hydrogen peroxide). It is recommended to wash your hands thoroughly with soap. The extracted tick should be taken for analysis to make sure it is not infected and, if necessary, take appropriate measures (for example, emergency prevention of tick-borne encephalitis consists of injections of gamma globulins).

Ticks in most people are associated with dangerous bites, infectious diseases and other troubles. But, like any living organism in the ecosystem of our planet, nature needs ticks. From the point of view of biological balance, these arachnids bring almost more benefits than harm.

The greatest danger to humans is ixodid ticks, which feed on blood and are carriers of dangerous diseases. At the same time, these arachnids are indispensable in the ecosystem, since they act as a regulator of natural selection. Weak animals after the bite of such a tick die, giving way to the strongest, and those, in turn, develop immunity. Thus, in nature, the numerical balance of individuals is maintained.

Here a prime example of how an obvious good for nature at the same time has an extremely negative effect on a person. Therefore, the question of the benefits and harms of ticks should be considered in more detail, because the answer to it is completely ambiguous.

Is there any benefit from ticks?

The concept of "benefit", of course, is inseparable from human culture, therefore, despite the biased attitude of people towards ticks, the latter provide tangible assistance in various industries.

In addition, ticks are an important link in the ecological system, helping to produce natural selection and maintain balance, and they are also part of the food chain, for example, birds and frogs eat ixodid ticks with pleasure.

What harm do they bring?

The most dangerous for both people and animals are. And in the first place among them is the taiga (encephalitic) tick, which is a carrier of encephalitis, borreliosis, ehrlichiosis and other equally dangerous diseases. Since these arthropods feed exclusively on blood, infection occurs after a bite, along with saliva, viruses and pathogens of terrible diseases enter the body of the victim.

In addition to blood-sucking arachnids, human health can be threatened by subcutaneous, scabies and other mites, which are carriers of such unpleasant diseases as scabies, dermatitis and others.

Why do we need ticks in nature? Apparently then, in order to occupy the ecological niche clearly assigned to them and fulfill their direct duties, which appeared in them in the process of evolution.

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The tick (lat. Acari) is one of the most ancient inhabitants of our planet. Contrary to the erroneous opinion, ticks are not insects, but are representatives of the arachnid order.

Description of ticks. What does a tick look like?

In size, these representatives of arthropods rarely reach 3 mm; in general, the size of mites ranges from 0.1 to 0.5 mm. As befits arachnids, ticks lack wings. Adult ticks have 4 pairs of legs, while pre-pubescent specimens have three pairs of legs. Having no eyes, ticks navigate in space with the help of a well-developed sensory apparatus, thanks to which they can smell the victim 10 meters away. According to the structure of the body, all types of ticks can be divided into leathery, with a fused head and chest, and hard (armored), in which the head is movably attached to the body. The supply of oxygen also depends on the structure of the body: the former breathe through the skin or trachea, while the armored ones have special spiracles.

What do ticks eat?

According to the way of feeding, ticks are divided into:

Blood-sucking predatory mites wait for the prey, settling in ambush on blades of grass, twigs and sticks. With the help of paws, equipped with claws and suction cups, they attach to it, after which they move to the place of nutrition (groin, neck or head, armpits). Moreover, the victim of a tick can be not only a person, but also other herbivorous mites or thrips.

A tick bite can be very dangerous, as ticks are carriers of diseases, including encephalitis. Ticks can go without food for up to 3 years, but at the slightest opportunity they show miracles of gluttony and can increase in weight up to 120 times.

Types of ticks. Classification of ticks.

Ticks have more than 40,000 species, which scientists have divided into 2 main superorders:

Description of the main types of ticks:

. It is absolutely harmless to birds, animals and humans, as it is a complete "vegetarian" and feeds on plant juices, settling from the bottom of the leaf and sucking the juices out of it. It is a carrier of gray rot that is detrimental to plants.

It feeds on its relatives, therefore, sometimes it is specially settled by a person in greenhouses and greenhouses to combat spider mites.

Barn (flour, bread) mite. For a person, in principle, it is safe, but for stocks of grain or flour it is a serious pest: products are clogged with waste products of the flour mite, which leads to its decay and mold formation.

lives in the southern part of Russia, in Kazakhstan, Transcaucasia, mountains Central Asia, in the south of Western Siberia. It mainly settles in forest-steppes or forests. Dangerous for animals and humans, can be a carrier of encephalitis, plague, brucellosis, fever.

harmless to humans, but dangerous to dogs. Lives everywhere. Particularly active in coastal areas and on Black Sea coast.

Where do ticks live?

Ticks live in every climate zone and on all continents. Due to the fact that ticks prefer wet places, they choose forest ravines, undergrowth, thickets along the banks of streams, flooded meadows, overgrown paths, animal hair, dark warehouses with agricultural products, etc. Some species are adapted to life in the seas and reservoirs with fresh water. Some ticks live in houses and apartments, for example, house ticks, dust mites, flour mites.

Spread of ticks.

How long does a tick live?

The lifespan of a tick depends on the species. For example, house dust mites or dust mites live 65-80 days. Other species, such as the taiga tick, live up to 4 years. Without food, ticks can live from 1 month to 3 years.

Reproduction of ticks. Stages (cycle) of development of ticks.

Most mites are oviparous, although there are some viviparous species. Like all arachnids, ticks have a clear division into females and males. The most ineresting life cycle observed in blood-sucking species. The following stages of tick development are distinguished:

• Larva
• Nymph
• adult

Tick ​​eggs.

In late spring or early summer, the female tick, having saturated with blood, makes a clutch of 2.5-3 thousand eggs. What do tick eggs look like? The egg is a rather large cell in relation to the size of the female, consisting of the cytoplasm and nucleus, and covered with a two-layer membrane, which is painted in various colors. Tick ​​eggs can be completely different shape- from round or oval, to flattened and elongated.

What do tick eggs look like?