Ticks are a particular genre of arthropods descending from the families of invertebrates with external skeletons. They cannot be classified under any form of insect or spider family, but fall under the category of mites. It can be said that all ticks are a minor group of bugs, but not all mites can be called ticks. A long and exhausting list of ticks exist within the world, yet it must be observed by select members of the society, such as those who work in botany and animal study. The reason being, that ticks mostly affect animals and at a lower level, humans. Being carnivorous in nature the parasites have tremendous ability to cause damage at large scale.
Like most predatory animals, ticks feed on blood. Due to their nature of latching onto a host for long periods of time that extend from days to months, they are called external parasites. For a while they cannot enter the body and exist within, the most they can do is to bury their mouth segments into the lower levels of the skin. Upon the blood they feed, they can further develop and produce eggs. Feeding on nothing but blood they have a dependency upon it, and without it, they cannot survive. With these blood-sucking tendencies, the more they ingest, the bigger they grow. They can turn from brown into a greenish-blue color on continuous feeding.
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Dangers of Ticks
Ticks are dangerous because of multiple reasons. They can latch on to any feeding source through a simple jump or brush against the surface they reside. Upon their arrival of the host, they migrate towards the warm and moist areas of the body. Being minute in nature, one does not even notice their existence until they are bitten. Ticks tend to embed themselves within the hair or armpits. Any areas where they are kept safe from the elements, they will make it their resting place.
The bite of a tick is a usually harmless and creates no visible symptoms. You may remove a tick if it bites into you as it causes irritation. In most cases, ticks gorge themselves to fulfill their appetite, only to fall off once they are full.
In cases where a tick may create allergies for the individual they parasitically feed on, they may cause some symptoms which are mildly uncomfortable. Such symptoms may be:
- Rashes
- Mild pain on bite site
- Blistering areas
- Constricted breathing
The dangerous part of a tick bite is the tick itself. Being continuous travelers, they can carry diseases which they can spread into the bloodstream from one bite to the next. There are many diseases that ticks can carry, which have a very particular set of symptoms. Such symptoms that may be observed are,
- Red, blistering spots
- On and off fever spots
- Nausea and migraines
- Muscular pain
- Swelling of the lymph nodes
- Pain in the chest cavity
The ticks carry diseases much like the flu. They are considered airborne viruses because of the diminutive size of the ticks and the speed at which they are distributed. The most typical of tick-borne infections includes the following.
- Lyme Disease
- Colorado Tick Fever
- Babesiosis
- Relapsing fever
- Rocky Mountain Fever
- Tularemia
- South African Tick Fever
In some extremely rare cases, ticks cause paralysis, which can further lead to long-term coma and eventually to death if not treated immediately.
How Do They Get on You?
Ticks are mostly found outside in the wild. Their general hiding spots would include under the blades of grass and tree leaves. In most cases, they reside within shrubbery or underbrush waiting for their next host to pass by.
The easiest way for a tick to latch onto humans is during any physical exercise. Hikers and travelers are the most common prey to ticks. The reason behind is that due to constant interaction with the outside and gentle nudges against any woodland organism, they provide opportunities for the ticks to attach themselves to them. Owners of pets are the most susceptible to tick feeding. The ticks use the pets to migrate to other sources. In work the other way around as well. Ticks may attach themselves to humans only to detach themselves to migrate to their pets.
One will never notice if a tick has attached themselves to them until the moment they are bitten. Various kinds of ticks exist throughout the countries of the world in large populations. Being most active during summer months (warm weather), one should be most careful of tick bites. Especially if they are the area is known to be tick-infested, one should consider using some of the products that are mentioned below.
How to Get Rid of Ticks with these Best Selling Products
There are many products created by specialists to combat tick infestations and further distribution of diseases. Some of these products have risen in fame due to their high success rates in preventing all kinds of tick-related issues.
1. Ben’s 30 Deet Tick & Insect Wilderness Formula
It was one of the first proven ways to get rid of ticks. Taking part in the Insect Repellant test program a few years ago, it was proven to be quite useful in multiple criteria. Tests of consumer reports came back with a 92% success rate.
2. InsectGuard Permethrin Treated Tick and Mosquitoes Insect Repellent
These are a set of insect guards that worn over legs and arms. One size fitting all, these leg gaiters/ sleeve cuffs is treated within the thread. Before they are woven into fitting clothes, the threads are treated with permethrin insect repellent. On exposure to the elements, the repellents will not lose their ability to protect the user from insects they seek protection. The product exudes a compelling and thoroughly odorless scent that affects the nervous systems of the insects. By doing so, the insects tend to stay away and hover at a distance.
3. Botanical Solutions Tick Guard Repellent Spray
A non-toxic solution that incorporates natural ways to keep the user safe from disease carrying ticks, the Botanical Solutions Tick Guard Spray boasts a natural blend of extracts that provide a strong repellant to the ticks.
4. Repel 100
The Repel 100 was the first repellent that had the ability to provide protection for up to ten hours at a time. It helped in protecting numerous insects along with the disease carrying ticks. However, it came with a particular set or rules of application. Due to its strong nature, it is not to be used in enclosed spaces of the body, for it may cause an adverse reaction in itself.
5. Repel HG-94138 Tick Defense Unscented Aerosol
Concocted using Picaridin, this aerosol was created especially for ticks that carry the Lyme Disease within them. The spray forms a powerful repellant for the ticks having the ability to be used on clothing and skin together.
6. Damminix 27213 Tick Tube
These tubes are created using permethrin, a compound based on natural compounds that have been extracted from within the chrysanthemum flower. Being biodegradable in nature, these can be spread around your lawn or yard. They use nature as their way of spreading. Seeming to stick to the unobservant nature, mice use these to make nests. By doing so, mites and ticks are repelled and killed off on exposure while not harming the mice themselves. The Damminix tick tube can kill large hordes of ticks every passing season. If used properly, they can reduce ninety-seven percent of infected ticks.
Do Natural Repellents Work?
As most repellents use DEET within their formulas, they are classified more under pesticides due to the nature of their compounds. However, various repellents use natural compounds in their mixtures. By doing so, they use nature to ward off the ticks. The ticks also have tendencies to have preferences related to smell. Natural based compounds, such as the scent of chrysanthemum or crushed sunflower, have the ability to turn away ticks away from targeted hosts. Linseed oil also provides the same ability. By mixing them in the proper ratios, these compounds can become powerful repellents for ticks.