Should I be afraid of flying ticks? What does a moose tick look like and what danger does a flat fly stick to
What kind of troubles do not lie in wait for a person in the forest. And they can be not only wild animals, but also various ones. Many have found flies in tangled hair. A little later, small papules form on the human body, accompanied by itching, redness and pain. All these symptoms are evidence of an attack by a deer bloodsucker, which is popularly referred to as an elk tick.
What does it look like
On a note!
What it looks like:
- Outwardly, the moose tick is similar to a small fly, the body size of which does not exceed 3.5 mm. Moreover, females are usually larger than males (a photo of an elk tick is presented below).
- The light brown fly has a soft and elastic abdomen, which is able to stretch when taking a large amount of food and bearing offspring.
- The bloodsucker is the owner of 3 pairs of strong legs growing from the chest, at the ends of which there are asymmetrical claws.
- On the flattened and directed head of the moose tick, there are antennae and rather large eyes of a facet structure, in addition to them there are 3 simple eyes. However, the bloodsucker does not shine with vision, focusing on the terrain and the victim along the contours.
- On the sides of the dense leathery body of the deer bloodsucker are well-developed transparent wings. But the pest does not fly very well and is not capable of flying long distances.
Where does it live
Moose ticks are common in northern China, Scandinavia, and North America. You can also meet flying bloodsuckers in Russia: especially in the European part of the country and in Siberia. The number of pests varies depending on the number of artiodactyls of the deer family.
Interesting!
Like its other relatives of the Hippoboscidae family, the moose flea has a live birth, and therefore, the development of the egg and larva continues in its womb. This process usually takes place at the end of September. After 2-3 days, very large sizes (up to 4 mm) prepupa or puparia appear, which the female gives birth at certain time intervals. After 2 days from the moment the uterus is empty, the next larva enters the uterus from the uterus-like expansion of the oviduct, which is born in a similar way. During life, the female gives birth to about 20-30 puparia.
The body of the puparia does not grow, but only acquires a dark color and a hard surface. Then it falls to the ground, where it remains to winter. The development of the future individual will continue only with the advent of spring. The process of pupa formation takes almost the entire summer period until August, as a result of which an elk tick with wings appears (a photo of a flying tick is presented below). In some regions of the Russian Federation, the appearance of adults is delayed until mid-October.
The newly appeared individual settles on a tree or bush, where it lies in wait for prey. When such a bloodsucker is found, it clings to the animal's hair, sheds its wings and, having reached the skin, proceeds to the meal. After 15–20 days of active feeding, the flies begin to show sexual dimorphism: their body darkens, their head shrinks, their abdomen grows, and their wing muscles atrophy. After that, mating of adults takes place: having chosen a partner, the male tightly clings to her, subsequently continuing to live as a couple.
On a note!
Not only animals are subject to attacks of bloodsuckers, a person can also become a victim of a pest. The reaction to the bite of a moose flea varies: some do not feel the prick at all, while others may experience pain and sometimes very severe. And more often such a reaction is observed in people with sensitive skin.
On a note!
Therefore, in order to prevent the attack of a moose tick, it is necessary to choose the right equipment. The most closed clothing should be sufficiently spacious, have tight-fitting cuffs and a hood. Moreover, the edges of the pants must be tucked into socks or shoes. Mosquito nets are used to protect the face and neck. Reliable protection against insects can also be the active ingredient in which DEET acts.
Moose fleas live in the northern part of Europe, Scandinavia, and Siberia. Most often they are found in the taiga and in the cold regions of Russia. Moose fleas are called several insects:
- goat fleas;
- deer bloodsuckers;
- alakurt.
The deer bloodsucker is an annoying fly of large size. It is also called a flea, louse,. A flat flattened body with a strong chitinous cover allows the insect to withstand strong physical pressure, so it is not so easy to crush it. The dimensions of the bloodsucker do not exceed 3.5 mm. The characteristic light brown shiny color distinguishes the fly from elk fleas.
Up to 1000 specimens can be concentrated on the body of one elk. On average, 200-300 flies constantly live on an animal. very painful, cause itching, anxiety. In their place, redness and a rash appear. It has been experimentally established that the moose fly prefers a thick woolen cover and therefore most of them are concentrated in the neck and back.
On a note!
With a large population, people also become victims of the deer bloodsucker. There are cases when in one minute a person was attacked by 100-120 individuals.
Moose louse hunts during the daytime. Interestingly, she does not attack children. Such selectivity is due to the size of the prey, because deer bloodsuckers prefer larger carriers. Insect attacks are most often experienced by hunters during the division of prey.
Sticking into the body of its victim, the insect folds its wings, swells and firmly sticks to the skin, for which it received the popular name - moose tick.
Reproduction of moose ticks
Interesting!
This species tends to live in pairs. Male and female always stay together. After mating, the female needs constant nutrition and absorbs more blood than the male. Moose ticks are characterized by live birth. In the abdominal cavity of the female, larvae are formed, which are called puparia.
Throughout her life, the female lays up to 30 puparia, which gradually roll out of the animal's fur and often become food for birds. The peak of breeding activity of elk mites occurs by the end of autumn, the beginning of winter. With the onset of spring, deer bloodsuckers die.
How dangerous are the bites of a deer bloodsucker for a person
The following measures will help protect yourself from attacks by deer bloodsuckers in the forest:
- wear protective clothing made of dense fabrics with long sleeves;
- use a mosquito net to protect your face;
- use powerful repellents that repel forest fleas;
- periodically check the skin for the presence of moose mites;
- upon returning home, take a bath with tar detergent.
If moose flea bites cause severe pain, then the bite sites must be disinfected with an iodine solution or alcohol tincture. Ordinary ice will help relieve itching, and pharmacy ointments should be used to relieve inflammation and swelling. If the condition worsens and severe allergic reactions appear, you should consult a doctor.
Tien Shan flea Alakurt
The Tien Shan moose flea is large in size. There are individuals, the length of which in a fertilized form reaches 9-10 mm. In males, the body is concave, in females, after fertilization, the body swells in length and takes on a worm-like appearance. For such a characteristic feature, a flea is called a black or white worm.
At the end of October, after snow falls, black worm-like fleas begin to fall from plants to the ground. Severe frost does not prevent their reproduction.
On a note!
Unlike most types of fleas, alakurt is forced to live on the victim's body all the time. In this, it is in many ways similar to lice. On one donor, there may be numerous accumulations of Tien Shan fleas. Red bloody streaks appear on the body of the animal, severe exhaustion sets in, which ultimately often leads to the death of the victim, on which the Alakurt colony settled.
Cases of attacks of Tien Shan fleas on people have not been recorded.
Outwardly, the moose tick is a fly, the body size of which does not exceed 5 mm. Has a large head. He sees poorly, despite the presence of a pair of eyes and three additional eyes. Focuses on the terrain and the victim along the contours. It has dense and transparent wings, which sheds after it finds a prey. At this point, the insect looks very much like an ordinary tick.
Human danger
A deer bloodsucker bites a person hard and painfully. On the body there are characteristic redness, swelling.
Bite marks appear to be small bloody dots. The use of folk remedies usually helps to eliminate itching. In practice, the use of tincture of calendula, aloe juice, ice cubes and soda paste has shown its effectiveness. To soothe the damaged area on the skin, it is recommended to use flea bite remedies. The simplest and most inexpensive ointment is the Asterisk balm. After visiting the doctor, the victim may be prescribed antihistamines and ointments with anti-allergic properties.
Precautionary measures
In order not to become a victim of bloodsuckers of this species, it is necessary to follow safety rules when going to the forest. It is advised to wear clothes that cover the body as much as possible, and tuck pants into socks or shoes. Cuffs on sleeves and trousers should fit snugly around the wrists and ankles. It is best to cover your head with a scarf or cap.
Remember that it is much more difficult to detect insects on colorful and dark clothes than on light ones.
It is good to use a special mosquito net for protection. It will make it possible to protect the face, neck and ears from bites. Repellents containing more than 20% DEET should also be used. Inhabitants of Siberia for protection before going to the forest apply tar in strips on open areas of the skin.
Video "Details about moose bloodsucker"
From this video you will learn about what a moose bloodsucker (moose tick) is.
A fly is a small insect that looks like a tick. It is familiar to everyone who visits the forests in the second half of August - early September. It was at this time that moose lice are most common.
Extensive of these insects. They are distributed throughout almost the entire European and Asian territory, in Siberia, Scandinavia, and China. They are also found in North America and North Africa. In other words, moose lice, the photo of which is presented in the article, live everywhere - except for the south, but it is in forest lands.
The body of the deer bloodsucker is flat, light brown, sometimes slightly darker, glossy, 3-4 mm long and up to 2 mm thick. The abdomen is able to stretch depending on the amount of blood drunk. Legs with thickened hips, powerful and tenacious, with sharp claws. The head is large, round with two large eyes located on the sides and three small ones in the center. A sharp proboscis is able to pierce even an animal. On the back - 5-6 mm wings.
Having attacked the victim and buried themselves in the hair, moose lice shed their wings, breaking them off at the very base on their own, thereby cutting off the opportunity for themselves to change the owner. Insects pierce the skin and begin to suck blood, and after they have had enough, they look for a partner for mating. Within half a month after the start of feeding (and they feed up to 20 times a day, each time sucking out up to 1.5 ml of blood), the female is ready to produce offspring. All winter, until the beginning of March, the female gives birth to new insects. Moose lice are viviparous insects, eggs and larvae develop directly in the mother's body, and she lays a 3-4 mm prepupa, which then hardens and falls to the ground. During life on the body of the breadwinner, the female is able to lay up to 30 prepupa, from which a new generation will hatch by autumn. Insects that have not found a host die by winter.
Moose lice, unlike ticks, are not carriers of diseases. They do not contain tick-borne encephalitis pathogens.
People are not particularly afraid of these insects, often mistaking them for small flies. Although the bites of these creatures are quite painful. Most often they bite open places - the neck and lower part of the head.
Even though these insects are not dangerous, given that they can hide in clothes for a long time, after going into the forest, it is necessary to conduct a thorough examination of the body and things that were worn. Hair must be combed with a comb with densely spaced teeth.
The bloodsucker is light brown, small in size, no more than 5 mm, most of it is the head. The body is slightly flat, the abdomen is soft. The insect has 6 paws with large claws, long wings up to 2 cm and 5 eyes - 2 large and 3 small.
Despite their "wingedness" and "big eyes", bloodsuckers fly poorly and have poor eyesight, capable of distinguishing only the general outlines of objects.
Moose, deer, bears, wild boars become victims of bloodsuckers
Moose ticks live less than a year. They are amazing in that they create strong couples, jointly attack animals and develop.
The insect has puppetry. They do not lay eggs, but like viviparous, they bear pupae in their abdomen until they mature. Pupae (puparia) are smooth, black in color, after birth they fall from the wool into the grass. During the winter months, puparia are found in the snow.
In a pregnant bloodsucker, the abdomen swells, in which the chrysalis matures.
At the end of summer, a larva emerges from the cocoon. She quickly finds herself a partner for later life.
Together, bloodsuckers lie in wait for their prey in the bushes and tall grass, then fly over to the body of the animal, firmly grabbing onto its fur.
Once on the "breadwinner", they break off their wings and look for a place to bite. This happens within 30 minutes.
The bloodsucker breaks off its wings, falling on the animal's fur
After the first feeding, young insects begin to grow up - they darken, the abdomen increases, and the head decreases. The development process takes 3 weeks. Upon its completion, the insect is ready to give offspring. The male keeps near the female, clinging to her.
Adults breed from October to March. The female lays on average about 30 pupae per life cycle, 1 pupae every 2–3 days. Therefore, she must eat well. Usually the insect sucks blood up to 20 times a day.
Typically, ticks settle in the back and neck, where the animal cannot remove them. In humans, insects climb into the hair at the back of the head. Sometimes up to 1 thousand bloodsuckers can settle on one animal.
Danger of bites for humans
As already mentioned, the vision of a moose tick allows them to distinguish only large objects, so a person, especially a small child, does not attract their attention.
But there are times when these insects attack a person, despite the fact that human blood does not provide them with the necessary nutrients necessary for procreation. This usually happens in late summer and early autumn, at the peak of their activity, during the day in calm weather. Many cases of mass attacks of bloodsuckers have been recorded. Foresters, hunters, and shepherds most often become victims of moose ticks.
Bloodsuckers are not carriers of any infectious diseases. Therefore, their bites can not cause serious harm to health.
The reaction of the body can be varied. Usually, redness, itching, swelling appear in the bite area, and a burning sensation is felt. Unpleasant sensations pass within 1-2 weeks.
The main danger of the insect is that bites can cause complications in the form of allergies and dermatitis:
- macular rash is the appearance of voluminous red papules with a crust. Papules quickly spread throughout the body. such rashes are not accompanied by inflammatory processes or itching, and after them no marks and scars remain on the skin;
- papular rash - rash, accompanied by peeling and inflammation. Treatment and supervision of a dermatologist is necessary;
- red and edematous dermographism - persistent skin irritation, the appearance of a tumor at the site of the bite, occurs in people prone to urticaria;
- the appearance of inflammatory nodes, erythema. Long-term treatment up to six months is required.
The first bites of bloodsuckers are usually not accompanied by complications. But in subsequent cases, serious reactions of the body are possible.
Moose tick protection
Fans of hunting and long hikes in the forest need to know how to protect themselves from an accidental meeting with a bloodsucker. How to dress:
After a walk, carefully inspect yourself and your clothes for insects, comb your hair, as it is in this area that insects will try to hide. The louse transferred with clothes can settle in the house for a while.
What to do if bitten by a moose tick
If the insect still attacked you, you need to find it on the body and remove it.
You can do this in the following way:
After the bloodsucker is removed, treat the bite site:
Once in the village, be sure to consult a doctor.
How to get rid of a moose tick in the house, on the site
Moose bloodsucker lives in forests with a large number of wild animals. Also, these insects can settle in villages, in summer cottages. Sometimes hunters bring their prey home, and with it the moose fly, hidden in thick wool. In this case, the person is at greater risk of being bitten.
There are several ways to deal with moose ticks:
