Ticks

Ticks are an increasingly common problem in the UK, particularly in wooded and grassy areas. These small, blood-sucking parasites can transmit diseases to both humans and animals, making them a serious public health concern.

What are ticks?

Ticks are arthropods, the same family as mites and spiders. Ticks go through several life stages; larvae, nymph and adult, with each life stage needing to consume a bloodmeal in order to moult to the next life stage and for adult ticks to produce eggs. Larvae are roughly 0.5-1mm in size and weirdly have 6 legs, nymphs are slightly bigger at around 2-3.5mm- about the size of a poppy seed and have 8 legs, whereas adult ticks have 8 legs and are roughly 7-15mm in size, engorging to 4x their unfed size. Both male and female ticks blood feed at all life stages and do so by embedding their barbed mouthparts deep into the skin. There are roughly 20 species in the UK, most of which have a preferred host to feed on.

Ticks are most active in the warmer months, with numbers increasing from late March and peaking in late spring and summer, remaining active until October. In some areas ticks can be found year-round, so vigilance is key. Here in the UK they can spread several diseases of animals and can transmit Lyme disease and tick-borne encephalitis to humans.

Preventing tick bites is key to avoiding tick-borne illnesses. Wearing long sleeves and trousers, using insect repellent, and checking yourself and your pets for ticks after spending time outdoors can all help reduce the risk of tick bites. If you do find a tick attached to your skin, remove it carefully with tweezers and monitor the bite site for any signs of infection or illness. If you experience any symptoms such as fever, fatigue, or a rash, seek medical attention immediately.