Ixodes ricinus

[Dark Raptor]

Do you like these beasts?

Sorry for bad pics... I've been using scaner ;P

Ixodes ricinus, adult female.

...and taken earlier. I. ricinus nymph.

Thanks to ImageShack for Free Image Hosting

 

[Elizabeth]

Like them? We have Ixodes pacificus here, and as a result, we do have to worry about Lyme disease. Same with your Ixodes? A Lyme disease carrier?

Anyway, I bring the ticks into the kindergarten class that I teach so they can see what they look like. What is truly amazing is the comparative sizes of an unfed adult female and a fed female. How do they stretch that much? Ouch!!

Well, nice pics, even if they are scanned. Thanks!

 

[Dark Raptor]

Like them? We have Ixodes pacificus here, and as a result, we do have to worry about Lyme disease. Same with your Ixodes? A Lyme disease carrier?

Yes. The same situation is in Poland. Thicks also carry other diseases like these, caused by Babesia and Borelia (they destroy red blood cells). But the worse is probably tick-borne meningoencephalitis.

 

[Murziukas]

I don't really like these as they spread the same diseases her in Lithuania too. I always pick them as I hunt or hick outdoors...

 

[orcrist]

As a hiker... naturally I do not like them... at all. That female looks like it's been feeding well, what do you feed them on?

 

[Dark Raptor]

As a hiker... naturally I do not like them... at all. That female looks like it's been feeding well, what do you feed them on?

I found her when she was 'full of blood' already. Probably she was feeding on dog or cat.