Not all ticks known to science are dangerous to people and pets. For our latitudes, protection against the families of ixodid and argas mites, which are representatives of one order of arachnids, Ixodida, is relevant.

They are the ones who are able to attack humans, animals, birds and even reptiles, choosing their blood for their own saturation, development and reproduction.

Argas and Ixodid ticks

Often, the tick endows the victim with pathogens of several diseases at once.

Of the 200 species of representatives of argas bloodsuckers in our latitudes, only 3 can carry a danger with their bites for warm-blooded animals, including humans:

• settlement - lives on domestic farm animals, as well as dogs and cats, but it is also found on wild rodents, birds, small ungulates, does not neglect human blood;
• shell - an inhabitant of mainly pigeon nests, but it can feed on the blood of other birds, it sticks to humans during extreme hunger;
• Caucasian - rages closer to the southern regions, attacks people.

As for the ixodids, out of the 650 species known to scientists for our continent, 2 species show aggression towards animals and humans:

• taiga - the main range is traditionally based closer to the north and Asia, covering the taiga zone, and thoroughly extends beyond it, including the Arkhangelsk region, due to the migration of ticks on temporary hosts;
• canine (European) - received the basic distribution on the European part of our continent, but the range is significantly shifted towards Asia, up to Kamchatka.

For your information! For the lion's share of the inhabitants of Russia, there is a great chance of encountering both ixodid and argas bloodsuckers, so it is important to understand them and know what a tick of both species looks like.

What argas mites look like

Important! Therefore, it is very difficult to notice a tick that is not drunk on the body, crawling on clothes or on the body in search of a convenient place to dig into the skin and suck blood. But already bloated and well-fed, embedded under the skin, it is easy to notice. Be careful after your walks!

What ixodid ticks look like

External differences between the sexes are pronounced - the female looks different, there is practically no similarity upon visual examination.

For your information! The size of a well-fed male does not reach the size of a hungry female. And although it rarely and briefly sticks, due to its microscopic size, it is difficult to find it even if it is gripped and full, in contrast to the bloated, drunken female.

Ticks are the oldest invertebrates with a primitive structure. Their miniature body size helps them spread everywhere and survive. Their torso is split in two, with the border closer to the front. Four pairs of legs consist of several segments, the end is the tarsus, armed with claws and suction cups.

Information. Adults have 8 legs, and larvae have 6.

In representatives of different species, the number of eyes varies from 0 to 5. The body of arthropods can be soft, leathery or covered with a hard shell.

Classification

Attention. Diseases transmitted to humans and pets by ticks are called acarises.

Variety of mite species

Life cycle

Depending on the species, the life expectancy and developmental stages of arachnids differ significantly. Reproduction occurs sexually. The female is often larger than the male, which in many species dies after fertilization. Typical phases of a tick's life are:

• egg;
• larva;
• nymph;
• an adult.

Average individuals live from several weeks to months, but there are also centenarians. These include ixodid and armored mites. V winter period and under unfavorable conditions, arthropods enter diapause, a state of slowing down of all processes, allowing them to survive without food.

Species diversity

What are ticks, what do they eat and where do they live? These questions are asked by novice entomologists and just nature lovers.

Saprophages

The group of saprophages includes a large number of ticks. They feed on organic debris and pose no threat to humans. The way of life and meaning in nature is similar to that of earthworms. Saprophages contribute to the formation of soil humus. A typical representative of this group is the armored mite (oribatid). It is the dominant species that can be found in forest soil. Their number reaches hundreds of thousands of individuals per 1 m 2. The size of adults is 0.7-0.9 mm, their body is black.

Oribatids are an important link in soil the food chain... Armored mites have a slow metabolism and development. Life cycle from egg to adult takes from several months to 2 years.

Phytophages or plant mites

Among arthropods, many species feed on plant sap or plant debris. Phytophages are pests of indoor plants and agricultural crops. Leaves, buds, roots, bulbs become their habitat. What types of mites can be found on plants?

Ticks live in colonies, hiding on back side leaves. Favorable conditions for their development the temperature is 27-28 0 and low humidity. Larvae and adults feed on plant sap. In the absence of treatment with acaricidal preparations, spider mites can destroy the entire crop. On indoor plants in addition to the common spider mite, other species can be found: Atlantic, red-footed.

Gall mite - members of the family dangerous pests forest trees and cultivated plants. They settle on apple trees, plums, pears, and grapes. Differ small size- 0.1-0.3 mm. The body is fusiform, there are four legs. Pests suck sap from tissues, causing deformation and the formation of galls (pathological formations on leaves, roots and other parts of plants).

Barn

This group of mites feeds on solid foods such as grains, flour, and other foods. Barn mites are viable and widespread. They settle not only in places where human stocks are stored, but also in animal burrows. They can be found in the soil, on the roots of trees, in mosses, and aboveground parts of plants.

Information. Argasids are capable of starving for 11 years.

Gamaz

• egg;
• larva;
• nymph 1;
• nymph 2;
• an adult.

Life expectancy is 7 months.

This order includes the Phytoseiidae predators used in plant pest control. Ticks 0.2-0.8 mm in size are natural regulators of the phytophagous population. Their body is oval in shape, it is covered with bristles. For movement, 4 pairs of legs are used. Popular view predatory family- phytoseiulus is produced for the destruction of spider mites in the open closed ground (in greenhouses). Its color ranges from orange to cherry. The male is smaller than the female and can only be seen under a microscope.

Information. The nymphs of the predator destroy the eggs of the spider mite, which are insensitive to many insecticidal drugs.

Redling mites

The variety of mite species is part of nature. Only a small part of these small animals are dangerous to humans. Most of them, due to their microscopic size, remain invisible to us.

Due to the fact that the subclass of ticks is very, very diverse, the question may arise - what does their danger depend on? For example, which ticks are more dangerous - large or small? When you find a large tick on a dog, cat, or your own skin, it's no surprise that you can get very frightened if you think that the scale of the tick implies the scale of the problems associated with it. But let's look at it in order.

The world's largest ticks

When dealing with ticks, you need to understand that the danger to humans does not directly depend on the size, it is just that most types of microscopic ticks are not blood-sucking and cause trouble mainly for crops. Ticks that bite humans and animals belong to macro mites, and the fact that we are able to see them with the naked eye already makes them quite large representatives of their subclass. But not all large pliers dangerous.

In general, among the most large species ticks can be called:

• Argas mites
• Ixodovs
• Acariform

The first two types are exactly those who should be avoided, and those whom a person most often associates with the word "tick" because of the possibility of transferring the most terrible diseases (Lyme disease, tick-borne typhus, encephalitis and many other viruses).

Argas mites can reach from 3 mm to 3 cm.Such variations are easily explainable - the size of the tick directly depends on whether it had time to get saturated with blood, so that the smallest will be hungry ticks, and the largest - ticks after a bite, besides the female. At such moments, the tick has a rounded shape, its abdomen stretches due to which it hardly looks like an arachnid, while in a hungry tick it is easy to see four pairs of long legs.

Ixodid ticks- the largest. The largest tick in the world, recorded in the Guinness Book of Records, is a representative of this particular species - 3.6 cm. Their average indicator is 3 cm, which in itself is not small. In the photo on the right is a female, and on the left is a male ixodid tick. If you notice a small tick on the body, it probably has not yet had time to adhere to the skin.

Are small ticks dangerous?

The smallest mites belong to the order of the same acariform mites, they are also called "acarins". They are rarely more than 1 mm, and the smallest mite is only 0.08 mm long.

What a small tick looks like can only be seen under a microscope. In general, all mites look about the same, but mites have a soft body.

Shell mites are most often found on plants and flowers.

Danger to humans and animals

Tick ​​borne diseases

Ticks transmit pathogens of some diseases:

• spotted fever;
• tick-borne encephalitis;
• tularemia;
• babesiosis;
• borreliosis (Lyme disease);
• spirochetosis (relapsing fever).

Tick-borne infections in animals

An animal becomes infected not only from a bite, but also when it accidentally swallows an arthropod. Here is a list of possible illnesses:

• bartonellosis;
• hepatozoonosis;
• ehrlichiosis;
• borreliosis;
• piroplasmosis.

What to do after a tick bite

In case of a tick bite, first aid should be provided immediately.

First aid

You need to pull out a live tick, and this should be done carefully so as not to crush it, as it can release infectious agents into the body. It is advisable to use tools purchased at the pharmacy (a pincer wrench, forceps, lasso pen), but a thread or tweezers will do. The person removing the tick needs to wear gloves and prepare a container with a lid or a small plastic bag with a lock. The procedure is carried out as follows:

A special tool for removing ticks is sold in pharmacies. To remove the tick, the thread is tied in a knot as close to the proboscis as possible. When removing a tick with tweezers, it is important to grab it correctly

It happens that saliva trapped in the wound causes allergic reactions. People with weakened immunity and children are especially susceptible to them. Allergy Signs:

• weakness, drowsiness, fever;
• joint aches and headache;
• dizziness and nausea;
• itchy rash around the bite and on different parts of the body.

The listed signs appear with a moderate allergic reaction and disappear after taking antihistamines. But a bite can have more serious consequences:

• difficulty breathing and loss of consciousness;
• hallucinations;
• Quincke's edema (swelling of the face, limbs, or throat).

If the listed symptoms appear after the bite, you need to urgently call an ambulance.

Where to go if bitten by a tick

Disease symptoms

Signs of tick bite disease can be varied.

Tick-borne encephalitis

Severe viral disease affecting the gray matter of the brain. It is characterized by fever and intoxication, which leads to damage to the central nervous system (central nervous system). Severe encephalitis can cause mental retardation, paralysis and death.

Initial symptoms (appear within 1–2 weeks):

• loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting;
• temperature rise to 39ºC;
• fever;
• headache and muscle pain.

Later, there is a temporary relief, but soon the disease begins to progress.

Tick-borne encephalitis can cause muscle wasting

Relapsing fever

This is a group of life-threatening infectious diseases, accompanied by difficulty in consciousness. Period normal temperature body alternates with attacks of fever. The initial symptoms appear after 3 days:

• cardiopalmus;
• sudden fever;
• headache and muscle pain;
• nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain;
• rash in the form of cherry-colored papules;
• enlargement of the liver and spleen.

The duration of the symptoms is 3–6 days, after which a two-day remission occurs, and after a few days the second stage is observed, which has similar manifestations. In total, 4–5 such exacerbations occur during the illness. Subject to correct treatment, then complete recovery occurs.

Relapsing fever, among other symptoms, is characterized by the appearance of a rash

Lyme disease

A disease that affects the joints, nervous and cardiovascular systems, skin. Symptoms appear 2 days after the lesion:

• bone and muscle pain;
• fatigue, headache;
• fever;
• a specific rash in the shape of a circle.

If treatment is started on time, the development of pathogens will be suppressed and the patient will quickly recover. Otherwise, a few months after the first signs appear, the nervous system, heart and blood vessels, as well as joints are affected, which leads to disability.

With borreliosis, a circular rash appears

Babesiosis

Severe infectious disease. The initial symptoms appear a week after the bite:

• tiredness, loss of appetite;
• chills, fever, increased sweating;
• muscle pain.

The severe form leads to destruction of blood cells, anemia, jaundice, enlargement of the liver and spleen. With complications, acute renal failure occurs, the lungs, heart and brain are affected, which leads to death.

Babesiosis affects erythrocytes, which is clearly visible in laboratory analysis

Tularemia

Acute focal infection affecting the skin, lungs and mucous membranes. Symptoms begin to appear in the first 2 hours after the bite:

• a sudden increase in temperature up to 41ºC;
• headache, chills;
• nausea, vomiting;
• thickening of the lymph nodes;
• purulent ulcers at the site of the bite.

Heart rate malfunctions, enlargement of the liver and spleen are also possible. Treatment is carried out only in a hospital.

With tularemia, the bite site becomes denser

Spotted fever

It affects blood vessels and causes renal failure. Stroke is possible. The first manifestations of symptoms occur 2-3 weeks after the bite:

• a sudden increase in body temperature;
• nausea, vomiting;
• headache, joint and muscle pain;
• a purple or red rash that starts to spread from the limbs and spreads to the rest of the body.

In the future, the development of pneumonia is possible. With timely application for medical help the treatment will be quick.

A spotted fever rash first appears on the limbs.

Diseases of animals

Ticks carry diseases that are dangerous to animals:

Unfortunately, even with early treatment, all these diseases lead to damage to internal organs and destruction of the nervous system. If you notice any of the listed signs, you should immediately contact your veterinary clinic.

How to protect yourself from tick bites

Preventive measures should be taken to avoid bites.

In the woods

The following rules must be observed:

There are various drugs that paralyze and subsequently kill the bloodsucker. Clothes, a tent and other items are treated with an acaricide-repellent agent, for example, Medilis comfort. Bare bodies are sprayed with insect repellents blood-sucking insects, for example, DEFI-Taiga. For children under 7 years old, special creams are used: Camarant, Off, etc.

If there are no special preparations at hand to protect against ticks, then they will do. folk remedies... it essential oils cloves, lavender, eucalyptus and tea tree, as well as garlic and Asterisk balm:

• garlic is taken orally before going outside (going into the forest);
• Star balm is applied on the wrist, in the neck and ankles, as well as behind the ears;
• essential oils are diluted with water: take 50 ml of water for 15 drops. The resulting mixture is poured into a bottle and shaken. A small amount of the product is placed in the palm of your hand, rubbed and applied to the neck, hair and limbs. After a walk, clothes and shoes are sprayed with the remains of the solution.

To scare away ticks, you can use well-known means, for example, Zvezdochka balm

In the apartment

Vaccination is the most effective protection. Unfortunately, if we are talking about a person, then vaccinations do not exist against all diseases carried by ticks, but only against tick-borne encephalitis. For this, FSME-Immun and Encepur injections are used. Children are prescribed Encepur for children and FSME-Junior. Vaccinations take place in 3 stages and are carried out in two ways:

• standard;
• accelerated (shorter intervals of time are made between vaccinations).

Vaccinations against encephalitis with Russian drugs are allowed from the age of three. Some foreign vaccines are suitable for children from one year of age.

Video: vaccination against encephalitis

Tick-borne encephalitis vaccination plan for adults and children over 12 years old

Standard vaccination with Encepur is carried out in several doses. The interval between the first and second vaccinations is 1-3 months, between the second and third - 9-12 months.

With the accelerated method, vaccinations are given at intervals of 7 days. Revaccination is carried out 3 years after the last one.

Injections with FSME-Immun are also carried out in several stages. 1-3 months should pass between the first two vaccinations, the second and third provide a break of 5-12 months. With the accelerated vaccination, only two injections are given at intervals of 2 weeks. Revaccination is carried out after 3 years.

Tick-borne encephalitis vaccination plan for children under 12 years of age

With the standard vaccination with Encepur injection, the interval between the first two vaccinations is 1-3 months, the third is carried out after 1 year. With the accelerated scheme, the break before each subsequent procedure (there are three in total) is seven days. A year later, the first revaccination is done. Subsequent injections every 3 years.

The method of vaccination of children with an injection of FSME-Junior coincides with the vaccination plan for adults with an injection of FSME-Immun.

Ticks do not have eyes, but the sense of smell is well developed. They sense the warmth and smell of an animal or a person at a distance of 10 meters, which enables them to quickly find a victim. Unfortunately, the most best period for forest walks just coincides with the time when these arthropods are active. Therefore, in order to avoid trouble, you need to think about preventive measures in advance.

True amount different types ticks discovered and described by zoologists are thousands of times greater than the number that the average inhabitant of the planet knows. If you ask any person to name the types of ticks known to him, then, most likely, he will remember only 2-3 names, in best case- up to 5, and, rather, will name not specific species, but certain groups, varieties corresponding to certain characteristics.

For example, almost all the inhabitants of Eurasia are well aware of ixodid ticks - the very ones among which there are carriers of tick-borne encephalitis, a deadly disease. Many people also know about scabies itching (and not only those who have had scabies themselves), and spider mites are well known to gardeners and flower growers. These species as well dust mites and the red beetle mites, perhaps, represent the whole "set" known to the general public.

For example, the photo below shows a well-known canine tick - the main vector of tick-borne encephalitis in the European part of Russia:

And this creature with an indescribable body shape - itch itching (photo taken using a microscope):

Today, science has described more than 54 thousand species of ticks, and their number is constantly increasing due to the discovery of new representatives of this group of arthropods, many of which are microscopically small. Scientists suggest that there are about a million different species of ticks living on Earth, and they have yet to be named.

On a note

By species diversity ticks even surpass the order of spiders - the latter are just over 42 thousand species.

Compared to the number of studied living species of ticks, not so many fossil forms of ticks have been described - about 150. This is partly due to the fact that the remains of ticks that lived in previous eras are difficult to find and identify. In addition, there is a hypothesis that this group of arthropods is currently experiencing its heyday - living conditions on modern earth are optimal for ticks, and this promotes active speciation in many of their genera and families.

However, in reality, most ticks are completely harmless to humans and animals. The most extensive groups in terms of the number of species are saprophagous mites that live in the soil and feed on the decaying remains of dead plants and animals. These creatures are extremely useful for biocenoses, and not only do not harm, but also bring enormous benefits to natural ecosystems and agriculture.

On a note

The mites (Acari) are grouped into a large subclass in the arachnid class. It is interesting that the spiders themselves in this class form a detachment, and among the ticks scientists have identified several different squads, and therefore had to form a subclass to combine them.

The variety of ticks is exclusive even for the arthropod type. Among them there are both microscopically small forms, distinguishable only under a microscope, and animals with a body size of up to 10 mm (especially after saturation). They have a very varied color, various forms bodies and very effective and quirky adaptations for their lifestyle. No wonder that general characteristics this subclass is not easy to give.

The photo below shows the Argas mite:

Ticks live in a wide variety of biotopes - from dry steppes to rainforest, from earthen bedding to carpets in apartments. Even their species living under water are known. In huge quantities, they inhabit the upper layers of the soil, where sometimes hundreds of individuals are found in 1 cm3 of land.

The essential problem is the classification of all this diversity of species. As a rule, they are divided into groups according to anatomy, various physiological characteristics and lifestyle. Groups of the same order (taxa) are included in higher associations, as a result, orders and families are formed, each of which is characterized by certain features of their representatives.

This division is very arbitrary. The systematics of the subclass is constantly being revised, and many experts offer their own options for dividing the group into subgroups. In particular, it is popular to distinguish hay mites as a superorder for their very specific structure.

The photo below shows a hay mite (Opilioacarus segmentatus):

This superorder is notable for the fact that it includes the most famous ticks among the people - ixodic ticks, the very ones that city dwellers of central Eurasia fear in panic because certain representatives of some of their species can be infected with the tick-borne encephalitis virus and, when bitten, can infect humans with it. ... Since this disease is deadly, intensive therapy is required after infection, while reliable prevention of the disease is quite difficult.

Another interesting feature of this group is its very low representation in paleontological remains. The reason for this "gap" in the evolutionary chronicle is not fully understood, but it is this that leads to the difficulty in tracing the developmental path of this group of ticks. Some soil gamasid mites are considered the closest to the original forms, and various predatory forms of the same group are the most highly developed. Although it is not entirely correct to speak unequivocally about the evolutionary superiority of one group over another.

On a note

It is incorrect to talk about saprophyte mites. Saprophytes include only microorganisms - bacteria or unicellular fungi. Ticks that feed on decaying organic matter are called saprophages. It is also incorrect to call ticks saprotrophs - the fundamental difference between saprotrophs and saprophages is that saprotrophs do not leave solid waste products (excrement) after feeding, while saprophages do.

A remarkable group in this superorder is the uropod mites, mainly inhabiting the soil. Among them are:

It is interesting

Most epidemiologically significant species are:

Tick-borne encephalitis is carried by several other types of ticks: Ixodes pavlovskyi, Haemaphysalis concinna, Dermatocentor marginatus and others. There are only 14 species, which are outwardly quite similar to each other, and in some cases it is extremely difficult to identify them (especially when it comes to immature individuals). For this reason, the common name was fixed among the people - " Tick-borne Encephalitis", Which sometimes also applies to those species of ixodids that do not carry the virus, but outwardly look like true carriers.

On a note

Notable, for example, among them are the myrmecophilous mites Antennophoridae, which live in anthills, attach to the lower part of the ants' heads and feed on food debris left by ants on their jaws. An example is shown below in the photo:

Gamasid saprophagous mites inhabit the corpses of animals and insects, excrement, and other organic debris in huge numbers. It is noteworthy that these species settle on various scavengers. For example, if it is easy to knock on a dried manure crust with a stick, imitating the touch of a fly or a rat, hundreds of macrochelis or caliphora mites instantly emerge on the surface of the crust, ready to grab onto an insect in order to “fly” with it to a new forage substrate.

The photo shows a scarab beetle covered with ticks:

The traced name of this group from Latin is thyroglyphoid ticks. The group got its Russian-language name because its representatives very often settle and multiply in huge quantities in storage facilities of agricultural products. Here different types feed on grain, husks, molds, animal products.

It is interesting

The most notable of the barn mites are the following:

• Flour mite damaging flour, starch, bran, various grain processing products;
  
• Cheese mite, which is often found in long-stored cheeses;
• Sugar mite, which damages sugar and raw materials for its production;
  
• Wine mite, settling on the surface of the wine, if the container with it is not hermetically closed;
• Bulb mite, pest of onion, potato, garlic, beet stocks.
  

All of them lead to damage and deterioration in the quality of stored products.

Itch

It is interesting

Moses of itch pruritus can sometimes be seen under the skin with the naked eye - they look like a mesh of lines.

The larvae emerging from the eggs feed on the epidermis in the maternal passages for some time, turn into nymphs, crawl out to the surface of the skin, where males turn into adults and mate with immature females. After that, the females bite into the skin and begin to make their own passages.

The vital activity of scabies itch causes severe itching in a person - the disease itself is called scabies. Likewise, scabies can occur in cats, dogs, rats, and many other animals.

Zheleznitsa

Iron mites are very specific mites. At least by outward appearance they are very different from other ticks, as they have an elongated rear part of the body, similar to a tail. Moreover, their length together with such a "tail" is no more than 0.3-0.4 mm.

The most interesting of these mites is that they constantly live on the human body. Of these, the most common are two:

1. Demodex folliculorum - lives in hair follicles most of the time;
2. Demodex brevis - inhabits the sebaceous glands, the secretion of which is excreted into the hair follicles.

Both species feed on the secretions of the glands and normally do not harm humans. However, with abundant reproduction, they can cause demodicosis, a dermatological disease in which the skin is exfoliated, foci of inflammation develop and itching occurs.

According to research data, these ticks are ubiquitous - they are infected with almost 100% of the world's population. And precisely due to the fact that the infestation by them practically does not manifest itself in any way, most people do not even know about such an infection, just as they do not know about the existence of the glands themselves.

The so-called dust mites (Dermatophagoides sp.)

This group includes several species of very small mites that have adapted to living in human housing and feeding on exfoliating skin particles present in household dust.

It is known that each person loses about 1.5 g of dry dead epidermis per day - this is what these creatures consume for food. Moreover, this amount of "food" is enough for the existence of a whole population indoors.

It is interesting

Today, the ability of dust mites to feed on molds has been discovered.

Due to their microscopic size, dust mites can settle inside mattresses and upholstery upholstered furniture from where it is almost impossible to expel them. They are in large quantities inhabited by carpets, cracks behind the baseboards, dust in the corners of the room, and therefore the fight against them in most cases is a difficult task.

The photo below shows the dust mite Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus in a carpet:

At the same time, dust mites can cause severe allergies. It is believed that most cases of asthma develop in response to the constant inhalation of air, which gets dust with excrement and chitinous covers of these creatures. The excrement contains specific digestive proteins that cause sensitization in humans.

Types of spider mites that harm agriculture

Perhaps of all the pest mites Agriculture, arachnids are most famous.

Firstly, they are diverse and there are more than 1200 known species. Secondly, they are very versatile in nutrition. The typical species of this family, the common spider mite, is widespread throughout the world and affects at least about 200 plant species. Moreover, these 200 species are only those that are known to scientists. Perhaps the diet of this mite is even more diverse. He is capable of hitting the majority garden crops grown in middle lane Russia, but cucumbers, tomatoes, eggplants, bell pepper and strawberries.

Its relatives are less versatile, but no less harmful from that. Garden, hawthorn, citrus and other mites of this group are considered a real disaster in gardens and vegetable gardens.

Finally, spider mites cause serious plant damage, significantly reducing the yield of fields and orchards. In addition, ticks infect flowers and trees in natural biotopes.

On a note

This group of pests got its name because, infecting plants, ticks entangle their habitat with a thick cobweb, in which, as in a refuge, they feed and reproduce.

It is not surprising that spider mites are actively fought with, and the most effective and rational way to destroy them is to attract other mites to this ...

Enemies of spider mites - phytoseiulus

Phytoseiulus are the most numerous family of gamasid mites. There are more than 2000 species of them, the overwhelming number of which are voracious predators that destroy many small invertebrates.

In this group, Phytoseiulus persimilis is of the greatest economic importance, which is used in biological control of spider mites. One adult individual of this predator eats up to 20 adults per day spider mites, their eggs and larvae, and the more intensely it feeds, the more eggs it lays and the more voracious larvae and nymphs are then born.

On a note

Phytoseiulus feed not only on spider mites, but also on thrips, nematodes and some other harmful invertebrates. Therefore, their use in biological control is considered a complex method of plant protection.

Today, nurseries for growing phytoseiulus are already operating in Europe, which are sold in batches to greenhouses and orchards. Here they are released on plants, and within a few weeks their number grows rapidly due to a decrease in the number of spider mites. This works without insecticides and other chemicals protect the crop.

Redling mites and other carnivorous species

Perhaps every person has seen these ticks. They come across in large numbers in spring and early summer under stones in the forest or in vegetable gardens, where they move smoothly, as if "floating" on the ground in search of their victims - small insects and other mites.

In Japan and on the islands The Pacific these ticks carry the pathogen of tsutsugamushi fever.

Representatives of this group are of great economic importance, since they can cause serious diseases in poultry.

Normally, these ticks are commensals and do not lead to serious consequences for birds. They settle in feathers and feed on their walls. Each of them has its own colony, from which ticks can move to neighboring feathers.

Wild birds usually carry out some hygienic procedures to help control the number of these ticks, and a significant part of such "nesting birds" die during molting. However, when birds are kept in tight enclosures, ticks multiply here in huge numbers, causing itching, inflammation, breaking off feathers, which is why the birds do not gain the required weight and even die.

Oribatid mites as carriers of helminthiasis

Oribatids are generally considered useful mites involved in soil formation. Millions of them can live in one cubic decimeter of forest soil - they constantly eat the remains of plants and animals and turn them into a substrate assimilated by plants.

The ability of oribatids to spread helminth eggs is important. So, some species of this group of ticks eat the eggs of tapeworms of the family Anoplocephalata, after which larvae hatch from the eggs in their organisms, and then the ticks themselves with plants are eaten by cattle. Already in the digestive tract of the animal, ticks die, and the larvae of helminths are released and embedded in the intestinal epithelium, causing moniesiasis. This disease leads to a slowdown in the growth of young cows, sheep, goats, to a decrease in milk yield and sometimes even to the death of animals.

The photo shows a winged tick of the Galumnidae family, a carrier of helminthiases in cattle:

In conclusion, we note that even the main groups of ticks are difficult to consider at least briefly. Nevertheless, the above information is already enough to roughly imagine the diversity and great amount species of ticks, as well as their importance for ecosystems and human life.