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Castor Bean Tick questing, Heeswijk-Dinther, Netherlands
A situational shot to display typical behavior. This is an adult female Ixodes ricinus, the most common tick found in the Netherlands. Few ticks make it to adulthood, as they require at least one blood meal for each life stage, which significantly reduces odds. The solution is for the adult female to lay an enormous amount of eggs after her last blood meal, which she is in the process of finding on the photo.
Most tick species are blind, and compensate with a highly sophisticated detection organ that enables it to detect an incoming target from a distance (supposedly by vibration, scent and even the composition of air). This detection in advance is needed for timing the attack. Contrary to popular belief, ticks don't jump, they cross over to their victim by walking, so there has to be a brief moment of direct contact at least.
For a fascinating overview of their entire life cycle, have a look at this excellent video:
Ixodes ricinus is a chiefly European species of hard-bodied tick. It may reach a length of 11 mm when engorged with a blood meal, and can transmit both bacterial and viral pathogens such as the causative agents of Lyme disease and tick-borne encephalitis.
comments (4)
The sensory organs you alluded to are called Haller's organs. They are located on the tips of the tick's front legs. They look like tiny pits when viewed under a microscope, but the exact morphology differs between species and even between the males and females of a single species. Posted 4 years ago