The following are the preferred hosts of New Jersey’s most common tick species: Most of the commonly-encountered species are three-host ticks. Multi-host species leave their hosts after each meal to molt before finding a new host or returning to the previous host for their next meal. One-host ticks feed on the same host during each stage of life and only leave their host when they are ready to reproduce. Adults feed one final time so they can reproduce. Some species molt through several nymphal stages, while others only undergo one nymph stage before becoming an adult. Nymphs again need to feed in order to molt. Seed ticks need to feed in order to molt into nymphs. Eggs hatch into larvae, also called seed ticks. All species develop through the stages of egg, larva, nymph, and adult. Tick species are split into three groups: one-host, two-host, and three-host. Rodent burrows, bird nests, animal dens, dog or pet houses, livestock pens, hiking trails, and campgrounds are very attractive to hungry ticks. Ticks can sense carbon dioxide and sweat output, so they know exactly where to find potential hosts. They are also attracted to high host populations. Ticks are attracted to humid, shady areas with plenty of hiding spots like grassy fields, overgrown lawns, woods, brush piles, naturalized areas, and more. While feeding upon their hosts, they tend to hide near the head, neck, underarms, or groin. Ticks do not live on their hosts, but they like to live near them. As long as a host is near and temperatures are above freezing, ticks can survive. They prefer warm, humid climates, but they are able to adapt to a wide variety of environments. Ticks generally live in wooded areas, tall grass or brush. That being said, ticks emerge any time temperatures are above freezing which means that tick exposure is possible year-round. Ticks are most active in New Jersey from April to September with peak activity occurring during May, June, and July. Males have streaks of white around the edges of their bodies and are slightly smaller than unfed females. They are roughly 3 mm in size before a meal, and can reach ½ inch after a meal. Females have a single white dot in the middle of their reddish-brown or tan bodies, which is what earned the species its name. Lone Star ticks are easily recognizable by their unique color patterns. As they feed, their bodies develop a gray color. Females are roughly 5 mm while unfed and can reach ½ inch in size after feeding. Males have much larger shields than females and their bodies grow to be around 3.6 mm in size. Deer ticks become more reddish-brown in color as they feed.Īmerican dog ticks, also referred to as wood ticks, are reddish brown with gray or whitish markings on their shields. Females reach between 3 and 5 mm in length, but they can grow to 10 mm after a meal. The female’s much smaller shield is also dark in color, while the rest of her body is brown or reddish-orange. The male’s scutum covers most of its body, while the female’s covers only a small part. Their scutum, or the shield that covers their body, is black or dark brown in color. Adult males are smaller than their female counterparts, only growing to around 3 mm long. deer ticks), American dog ticks, and Lone Star ticks.īlacklegged ticks, as their name suggests, have all-black legs. The three most common species of ticks in New Jersey are blacklegged ticks (a.k.a. Male ticks do not grow as much as females after feeding female ticks feed until they are engorged and become much larger than fed males. Male and female ticks both feed on the blood of humans and animals. Nymphs also have eight legs, however larvae only have six. Ticks vary in appearance depending on species, but all adult ticks have eight legs and a body whose shape is reminiscent of an apple seed. This makes them relatives of spiders, scorpions, and mites. Though often thought to be insects, ticks are in fact arachnids. What Are Ticks and What Do They Look Like? Keep your family and pets safe this tick season by arming yourself with everything you need to know about these blood-sucking pests. Ticks are among the worst pests in terms of disease transmission.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |