There are more than 48,000 species of mites; many types of mites are microscopic in size and it is impossible to see them without special instruments. Most types of ticks do not exceed 5 mm in length. Most ticks are not dangerous to humans and feed on vegetation or smaller insects, but there are representatives of this species that have earned notoriety by clinging to human skin and feeding on our blood.
The greatest danger to human health and many animals is ixodid ticks, since they are known carriers infectious diseases. Now you can recover from almost any disease, but you shouldn’t tempt fate and it’s better to think in advance about your own protection before going to the forest or going to the country, because many types of ticks carry serious diseases.
Types of ticks
Ixodid ticks
Ticks use a wait-and-see strategy to find their prey. A forest tick can hide on a branch or leaf for a long time until it climbs onto a victim that has stopped nearby.
The forest tick is a long-lived insect and can live from one to four years, depending on habitat conditions.
Furniture mites (dust mites)
Controlling these mites is quite simple and should be done regularly. general cleaning premises and wipe dust from tables and cabinets several times a week.
Demodex mite (subcutaneous mite)
Demodex mites are often found on the skin of healthy people and do not cause trouble; they can live on the host’s body for a long time, waiting for the person’s immune system to weaken in order to penetrate the inner layers of the skin. This happens when a person becomes very ill or undergoes surgery.
Symptoms of the disease include dry, parched skin on the face, ears, neck and eyelids. Symptoms include itching and redness of the skin.
Skin treatment for subcutaneous mites is quite tedious and lengthy, and can take up to 4 months. For treatment, special antibacterial ointments are used; they are applied to damaged areas of the skin.
Argasid mites
Also known as softies and lurkers due to their appearance and habitats. Argasid mites can be found in caves, rubble, burrows, abandoned barns and other similar places.
Gamasid mites
Photo of a gamas tick
Predatory mites
They live in human homes and feed on dust mites and other small insects. They live almost everywhere, in carpets, clothes, blankets in dusty areas of the room. Predatory mites do not feed on the blood of people or pets and do not cause harm; on the contrary, by feeding on other mites they reduce the number of dust mites in the air and dust.
The elk tick feeds mainly on the blood of deer, elk, horses and other large animals; they have also been found on the bodies of foxes, wild boars, badgers and other animals.
These flies can also feed on human blood; the moose tick is not actually a tick, and the only similarity between them is that both species feed on blood. The confusion occurs due to a specific way of moving; for this they use wings and fly well, but when they hit a prey, the deer bloodsucker sheds its wings and moves with the help of its legs.
There are many varieties of ticks throughout the world. Not all types of ticks are found in Russia, since they are practically absent from tropical and subtropical habitats. In total, this subclass of arachnids contains more than 50 thousand. various types, and their number is only growing every year.
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Therefore, it is important to know the types of ticks and consider the possibility of infection from them. In addition, few species are capable of biting humans, which makes them easy to remember and identify if necessary. This is extremely important for providing timely medical care bitten person.
- argasaceae;
- gas;
- ixodidae;
- Krasnotelaceae.
Moreover, in the family of red mites, only the larval stages of development are dangerous for people. The larva is very small in size and after its bite a rash with elements of unpleasant itching appears.
Ixodid type pest
As a separate species Tick-borne Encephalitis does not exist. Each species of the Ixodid family may contain a carrier of the causative agent of tick-borne encephalitis. By appearance tick disease cannot be determined. That is why people who are bitten are checked for preventive purposes. Each type of tick, along with a specific habitat, also has certain local diseases and illnesses. On the territory of Russia, encephalitis is distinguished by this specificity.
The Ixodidae family itself is called hard due to its chitinous shell. And two representatives of this family are the main carriers of encephalitis. The first species is the taiga tick, and the second is the no less famous dog tick. Ixodid ticks prefer moist, dark places. They often live in mixed and deciduous forests, so they are collectively called forest species.
The forest tick lives in the crown of low trees, grass, and on the leaves of bushes. It is able to cling tightly to fur and clothing and crawl for a long time in search of open skin (usually a person’s neck and head are open). Ticks do not jump onto humans from trees and do not glide in search of a victim. It is a myth. But when passing by a branch, you can pick up a tick from it, which clings quite strongly due to its structure. Forest ravines or the banks of rivers and streams are always saturated with ticks. Therefore, you should wear closed clothing if you have to walk through tall grass.
Ixodid ticks have small size. About 2.5 cm - an adult. Ticks spend almost their entire lives on the ground or greenery. Moreover, after fertilization by one male of several females, the latter must feed intensively, which is what happens in the case of attachment to an animal or person. The feeding period can reach two weeks. After this, the female will fall off and make a large clutch in top layer soil. In one clutch, the female is capable of laying almost 5 thousand eggs, which, in turn, will begin to reproduce already on next year. Although in most cases due to natural conditions reproduction occurs only after two years.
Read also: The habitat of the encephalitis tick and what are the consequences of the bite?
Argasaceae family
Argasid ticks are called soft ticks or lying in wait. The first name comes from the soft cover of the body, and the second from its habitat. These are mainly caves, crevices and earthen holes. They are often found in the Caucasus, even in ordinary auls or villages. They lead an active night life and only in exceptional cases can they cling during the day, as they do not like light.
The cyclical life of the Argas tick is approximately the same as that of the Ixodid tick. But the number of nymphal phases increases greatly in unfavorable conditions. And so everything is the same - egg, larva and imago. All stages of development are accompanied by blood feeding. The lifespan of a tick sometimes reaches almost 30 years under favorable conditions. Under unfavorable conditions, of course, less. In addition, this type of tick is capable of starving for almost 15 years. As well as containing any pathogen for a long time.
Under normal conditions temperature conditions argasaceae are active only under warm conditions. Under constant, especially anthropogenic, conservation conditions desired temperature activity occurs during any time of the year.
The main difference from other types of ticks is their rapid saturation. Within half an hour the tick will attach itself, become saturated and fall off. At the same time, in a couple of minutes it can infect relapsing fever and other diseases. The bite site has severe itching that does not go away within a couple of weeks. In this case, it is possible to turn purple skin and dermatitis if scratched.
Cat ticks reach a length of 1.5 cm and are often found on mammals, especially sheep and other livestock. Each period of the year is distributed according to the nutrition of different phases of tick development. Only adult larvae feed all year round, and each time they are saturated within half an hour.
Gamas variety
External structure diagram
Life cycle
Reproduction of some varieties occurs before the onset of the imaginal phase, that is, at the tritonymph stage. The average tick lives quite a short time. Many individuals live only a few weeks.
Ixodid ticks are the longest-lived of these animals and can live up to several years.
When hitting unfavourable conditions some species can enter a state of diapause. This is a condition in which metabolic processes in the body are slowed down and are used to survive unfavorable conditions.
Species diversity and features
As noted above, the types of ticks are extremely diverse. Let's look at some groups of these animals that are most important for humans and their economic activity. Mites include agricultural pests. These species are carriers of the most dangerous diseases for humans spread by these organisms - tick-borne encephalitis and. Experts who study ixodid ticks (sometimes incorrectly called “ixoid ticks”) state that they are the most significant for human health. These types of ticks are carriers of the most dangerous diseases for humans spread by these organisms - tick-borne encephalitis and (Lyme disease). The genus Ixodes includes more than 240 species. It is this genus of ticks that is most significant for human health. In Russia, the most dangerous diseases are transmitted by two representatives of this genus: the taiga tick (Ixodes persulcatus) and the dog tick (Ixodes ricinus).
The taiga tick predominates in the Asian part of Russia, as well as in some European regions of our country. In the European part of Russia, the canine species dominates. The forest species is another variant of the name for the dog tick. The most common disease (for the northern hemisphere) transmitted by these organisms is borreliosis. It is caused by spirochetes that enter the human bloodstream when bitten by an infected tick. At the very beginning, this disease manifests itself:
- aching muscles
- chills
- headache
- general weakness
The defeat gradually increases various systems organism, even to the point of death. Unlike Lyme disease, tick-borne encephalitis is dangerous viral disease, caused by a neurotropic, RNA-containing pathogen. This disease is characterized by seasonality due to life cycle ixodid ticks. In the Russian Far East, a subtype of this disease is common, characterized by a more severe course and increased mortality. Similar to Lyme disease, encephalitis is initially characterized by fever, malaise, muscle pain, and headache. Dog and taiga ticks are the main carriers of encephalitis in Russia. The bite of a taiga tick infected with the pathogen is dangerous for humans due to the fact that it transmits dangerous infection to the stricken owner. The bite is also dangerous for people because, in addition to encephalitis, it can spread borreliosis.
In some cases, some types of insects are confused with mites. For example, lice are not mites, they are insects. Also classified as insects is the moose louse (otherwise known as the moose tick). In fact, this is not a louse or tick, but blood-sucking flies called deer bloodsucker (Lipoptena cervi). That is, the so-called moose ticks belong to the class of insects, not arachnids.
Subcutaneous view (demodex) under a microscope
Argas species
The rat mite is a representative of the Gamasaceae. It, like the mouse, attacks rodents, birds and people. When bitten by infected rat mites, itching and dermatitis develop. This species is also dangerous because it can even infect with plague and rat typhus.
However, it causes significant harm, affecting crops and indoor plants.
Practical significance and danger
Let’s summarize, which ticks are dangerous for humans, what dangers do they pose, and why is a certain species dangerous for humans? It is believed that of all the species diversity, Ixodidae are the most dangerous to humans. Statistics on tick bites show that not all ixodids are carriers of infectious diseases. Many individuals do not carry pathogens of infectious diseases, and their bite is fraught with only painful sensations. How dangerous ticks are to humans depends on what diseases they carry. Their number in a certain region and the level of their infection with the pathogen directly reflect the degree of risk to the population.
Among the widespread diseases transmitted by these animals, encephalitis and borreliosis are the most dangerous, and it is these that people who spend time in nature should be wary of.
Scabies is a much less dangerous, but very unpleasant disease and a fairly common disease. Dust mites, invisible to our eyes, are permanent inhabitants of homes and can cause unnoticed harm to the health of the human respiratory and immune system. Certainly, modern science knows not everything about these animals, and further research is required important group species.
The onset of spring brings not only excellent weather, outdoor picnics and walks, but also such an unpleasant phenomenon as the activation of ticks. Ticks are small arthropods from the order of arachnids that have lived on the planet for several million years. Since they live mainly in the soil, the period of their activity occurs when it warms up to +5 degrees. Many of the representatives of this subclass are carriers of severe diseases such as tick-borne typhus, encephalitis and borreliosis. The number of mite species is amazing and is recorded at approximately 50 thousand, but researchers divide the subclass itself into three groups: harvest mites, parisitoform mites and acarimorph mites.
For many, “ticks” are only those that live in the forest and bite animals and people. But in nature there are a huge number of ticks, divided into species and differing in diet and lifestyle. We will now look at some types of mites. The classification of mites distinguishes three independent orders.
In addition to the three main and collective groups into which scientists classify ticks, there are many other species. Let's look at the most common ones:
- in most cases they are carriers of encephalitis. Particular activity occurs in May-July; insects live in grass or bushes and it is from the vegetation that they fall on humans. Moving from below, the tick looks for appropriate place with thin skin, most often the wrists, neck, head.
- Argasid mites They differ from other species in that they hunt all year round. They live in dark and hard to reach places such as nests, caves and various cracks. If there is a lack of blood intake, argasid mites hibernate. However, it only takes them half an hour to be completely saturated with blood, and only a minute to infect a victim with a serious disease.
- Subcutaneous mites live under human skin, as their name suggests. They develop and live under the skin quite for a long time until they are hatched by feeding on dead cells. Acne, itching and severe redness occur at the affected areas. Infection occurs from carriers of the disease through towels, touches and personal hygiene items.
- Scabies mites capable of moving from animal to person, causing a disease such as scabies. Infection from other people through household items, especially bedding and combs, is also common.
- live in pillows, blankets and mattresses, feeding on dust and exfoliated particles of dead epidermis. They do not feed on human blood and are not capable of biting. It is impossible to see dust mites with the naked eye; they are microscopic. Very often they are confused with those that feed on human blood.
- Spider mites They live on plants, feed on their sap and entangle them in their web. Plants wither and die if measures are not taken in time.
What does a tick look like?
All these types of ticks look different. Only a few small individuals reach a size of 4 mm, but mostly they average value 0.1-0.5 mm. The body is of two types: an fused head and chest, turning into the abdomen, and a body with a hard shell.
Animal ticks do not have eyes, but are endowed with a sharp sensory apparatus that allows them to perfectly navigate in any space. It is important to note that, like other representatives of arthropods, ticks do not have wings, so they are not able to fly or jump.
Tick habitats
In almost every corner of the world, with the exception of the most northern latitudes. Ground ticks prefer high humidity, so most often they live near water, in bushes, mosses, animal burrows or grass and fallen leaves.
There is an opinion that ticks live in trees and can fall on top of their prey at any moment. This is not true, because ticks are not able to climb to a height of more than a meter, so they prefer to hunt from the grass, from the branches of low bushes, such as blueberries, or from fallen leaves. This is why you should be wary of “halts” while hiking. 
Most often, ticks wait for their prey in paths on the grass or near a forest road. But in a pine forest, where the humidity is much lower than deciduous and mixed forests, it is almost impossible to encounter ticks. The preference of ticks for a warm place of residence is also proven by their distribution in barns with bakery products or grain, flats and even deep layers of human skin.
Can ticks jump and fly?
None of the tick species can fly, so there is no need to fear an attack from the air. Can ticks jump from tree branches and bushes? No, they are not capable of jumping. Their main way of attacking a victim is to cling to it. Ticks do not prefer to climb to a height above one and a half meters, but this is quite enough for them. In the event of a threat, such as a fire, the ticks simply detach from a branch or blade of grass and simply fall down. Some might call it a jump, but it's just an uncontrolled fall down.
How do ticks reproduce and lay eggs?
Reproduction forest ticks occurs after full saturation. After fertilization, the female must feed on blood for about 10 days to produce offspring. At one time, she is capable of laying 5,000 eggs, which in the first stages after birth are located on low plants. Then, after the larvae emerge, they need to find a host - a vertebrate animal that will supply them with blood. This is what will allow the larvae to turn into nymphs (more adult individuals).
Mouthparts and feeding habits of ticks
Helps ticks absorb food special devices: chelicerae, or claws, which crush food, and pedipalps, which serve for chewing food. In arthropods that feed on blood and plant juices, the limbs are modified: the pedipalps are fused and perform the function of piercing the skin or outer shells of plants, and the chelicerae form a proboscis with serrations for reliable attachment. All this is a piercing-sucking oral apparatus.
Ticks that feed on solid food (flour, seeds) have a gnawing oral apparatus. The chelicerae are transformed into claws, and the pedipalps perform their original function of chewing.
According to their feeding method, ticks are divided into two types:
- Saprophages- individuals that feed on the remains of organic matter. This includes plant sap, rotting organic remains, millet, flour, particles of exfoliated human epidermis, as well as subcutaneous fat;
- Predators– ticks attach themselves to vertebrates and feed on their blood. They can live up to 3 years without food, but still constantly lie in wait for the victim and wait for an opportune moment.
How does a tick attach itself and where does it bite most often?
The process of ixodid tick attachment to a victim is divided into two categories: passive and active. The first involves the tick living in grass, bushes or near paths, where many people or animals accumulate. Without wasting any effort, the tick, having found its future owner, attaches itself to it. But this only happens in cases where a person’s legs are open, because the tick attacks from below. However, clothes are not a hindrance for him - the tick makes its way up it, finding open area bodies.
The second method of attack is active. It is built on an instinctive level, since the tick senses its prey and possible ways makes his way to her. Following his incredibly acute senses, he makes his way closer to the grass, crawling onto it, and waits for the approach of a person or animal. When the victim approaches optimal distance, the tick, spreading its two front legs with claws forward, clings to fur, skin or clothing. If the target is lost, but the tick, driven by hunger and instinct, continues to pursue it.
The picture shows the most favorite places where ticks bite. The places with the thinnest and most delicate skin seem to be the most attractive for ticks to bite. As already mentioned, these include the neck and head. But you should also pay great attention to examining the groin area, armpits, chest and abdomen, because most ticks keenly sense the smell of sweat, which is very attractive to them.
Tick-borne diseases
Having suffered from it, it is impossible to say for sure that there will be no further serious consequences. The thing is that many representatives of this species are carriers of diseases that are terrible for humans. The most serious include encephalitis, Lyme disease, and ehrlichiosis. Relapsing tick-borne fever, tularemia, babesiosis, and spotted fever are also common. All entail an extremely serious condition, often ending in disability and an extremely long rehabilitation period, and sometimes death.
Lyme disease - symptoms, consequences, treatment
It is provoked by the bite of a tick, which carries a spirochete and is called ixodic. Infection occurs when saliva from an infected arachnid enters a wound on the skin. There are also cases when a person himself, while scratching his skin, rubs in an infection from a crushed tick. The main symptom after injury is a red spot, the surface of which rises above other areas of the skin, with a white center, which then turns into a crust and a scar. 
Within 1.5 months, disorders of the nervous system, cardiac apparatus and joints appear. Paralysis, insomnia, depression, and hearing loss are common. The outcome of this disease is usually not fatal, but the effects on the heart can be serious. To treat Lyme disease, experts prescribe antibiotics (from 2 weeks); in more severe cases, they are administered intravenously.
Encephalitis - symptoms, consequences, treatment
Encephalitis is one of the most serious diseases, which is an acute disorder in the brain. Its cause lies in the immune system, which mistakenly attacks its own tissues. Encephalitis ticks live in many forests in Europe and Russia, but refusing to visit them is not guaranteed to save you from the disease - ticks are often hidden in branches and fur.
Surprisingly, even after drinking the milk of an infected cow or goat, a weak body can become infected with encephalitis. The virus spreads within 1.5 weeks, affecting the gray matter of the brain, accompanied by convulsions, paralysis of either certain muscles or entire limbs. After damage to the entire brain, severe headaches, vomiting, and loss of consciousness are observed. The consequences are very serious - disability and, in frequent cases, death. To treat encephalitis, doctors prescribe intravenous immunoglobulin, and antiviral drugs are required for prevention.
How to protect yourself from ticks?
There are several simple rules that everyone can follow to avoid tick bites:
- clothing that securely covers all parts of the body, especially arms and legs;
- headdress;
- closed and high shoes, or trousers tucked into them;
- Light-colored clothing, which makes it easier to see ticks;
- treating exposed skin with repellent;
- examining yourself and loved ones every half hour;
- refusal to collect flowers, branches and plants.
Repellents
Repellent is a type of tick repellent. The spray can be sprayed not only on clothes, but also on the skin, but you need to make sure that it does not erode and repeat the procedure again. Special attention It is worth paying attention to the areas of the armpits, abdomen, neck and wrists - most often ticks choose them to bite. Of course, this remedy is not an exact guarantee that all ticks will bypass a person, but still, the use of repellents significantly reduces the likelihood of being bitten.
Acaricides
These remedies are the most powerful and effective. The substance used in the spray affects nervous system tick due to which its limbs go numb. But we must remember that acaricidal agents are extremely harmful to the skin and, moreover, they should not be inhaled. Adults are advised to treat their clothes, but never wear them, wait a while for everything to dry completely, and only then put them on. One spraying with such an acaricidal spray gives an effect for about two weeks.
Insecticidal and repellent agents
This type It is considered the most convenient and reliable, because it combines two products together, which means it not only repels ticks, but also paralyzes them. The convenience is that the product can be applied to skin and clothing. In addition, the drugs fight not only ticks, but also other blood-sucking insects, which also has its own benefits - mosquitoes will not bother you.
Vaccination
The most severe disease carried by ticks is produced so that the human immune system can recognize the virus and begin to fight it. First, you need to contact a therapist who will tell you where it is best to perform this procedure.
It is important to note that this can only be done in hospitals that are licensed to provide this type of vaccination. If the drug is stored incorrectly, the vaccine is useless and sometimes dangerous. In Russia, drugs of domestic, German and Austrian origin are used. The advantage of foreign vaccines is that they have much fewer contraindications and side effects.
What should I do if bitten by a tick?
If there is no hospital nearby, then you need to, following all the rules, remove the tick yourself. The animal is on the skin for half an hour to two hours, so during this time it can be detected and removed. Under no circumstances should a tick be crushed or pulled out; only twisting it will help get rid of it.
How to remove a tick?
The most effective methods to remove a tick:
- Using ordinary tweezers or a clamp, you can remove the tick from the skin by twisting it, but without squeezing it too much;
- with a strong thread - you need to tie it in a knot as close as possible to the tick’s proboscis, and then, shaking and pulling upward, remove the animal;
- clean fingers.
After removing the animal, the wound must be disinfected with iodine or brilliant green, and the hands must be washed again with soap.
Should you go to the doctor after a tick bite?
Definitely yes. If possible, you should immediately contact a specialist to remove the tick from the skin and then examine it. Any emergency room, on-duty surgeon or infectious disease specialist will do, who will perform the procedure and also reliably disinfect the bite site.
Where can I submit a tick for analysis?
If the victim managed to remove the tick in the hospital, the animal must be sent to the laboratory to be tested for infection. If the tick is removed at home, it is necessary to place it in a small jar along with a moistened piece of gauze or cotton wool so that it does not dry out. It is definitely worth considering that the tick must be alive, this is the only way the study will be carried out.
Usually, all tests can be carried out at the sanitary and epidemiological station or special epidemiology centers, the addresses of which can be precisely clarified with the ambulance. We have compiled a list of other cities in Russia.
The true number of different species of ticks discovered and described by zoologists is thousands of times greater than the number known to the average inhabitant of the planet. 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 scenario- up to 5, and, rather, will name not specific species, but certain groups, varieties, corresponding to certain characteristics.
For example, almost all residents of Eurasia are well aware of ixodid ticks - the same ones that carry tick-borne encephalitis, a deadly disease. Many people also know about scabies (and not only those who themselves suffered from scabies), and gardeners and flower growers are well aware of spider mites. These species, as well as dust mites and red mites, perhaps represent the entire “set” known to the general public.
For example, the photo below shows the well-known dog tick, the main carrier of tick-borne encephalitis in the European part of Russia:
And this creature with a difficult-to-describe body shape is an itch itch (photo taken using a microscope):
Today, science has described more than 54 thousand species of mites, and their number is constantly increasing due to the discovery of new representatives of this group of arthropods, many of which are microscopically small in size. Scientists estimate that there are about a million different species of ticks on Earth, and they have yet to be named.
On a note
By species diversity Mites even surpass the order of spiders - the latter number just over 42 thousand species.
Compared to the number of living species of ticks studied, not many fossil forms 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 contributes to active speciation in many of their genera and families.
However, in reality, most ticks are completely harmless to people and animals. The most extensive groups in terms of the number of species are saprophagous mites that live in the soil and feed on decaying debris dead plants and animals. These creatures are extremely useful for biocenoses, and not only do not harm, but also bring great benefits to natural ecosystems and agriculture.
On a note
Mites (Acari) are grouped into a large subclass of the Arachnida class. It is interesting that the spiders themselves form an order in this class, and among mites, scientists have identified several different orders, and therefore a subclass had to be formed to unite them.
The diversity of mites is exceptional even for the phylum arthropods. 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 very varied colors, various shapes bodies and very effective and bizarre adaptations for their lifestyle. No wonder that general characteristics this subclass is not so easy to give.
The photo below shows the Argas mite:
Ticks live in a wide variety of biotopes - from dry steppes to tropical forests, from earthen bedding to apartment carpets. There are even known species that live under water. They inhabit the upper layers of the soil in huge numbers, where sometimes hundreds of individuals are found in 1 cm3 of soil.
A significant 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 characteristics of their representatives.
This division is very arbitrary. The taxonomy 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 harvest mites as a superorder for their very specific structure.
The photo below shows the harvest mite (Opilioacarus segmentatus):
This superorder is notable for the fact that it includes the most famous ticks among the people - the ixodid ticks, the same ones that urban residents of central Eurasia are terrified of because individual representatives of some of their species can be infected with the tick-borne encephalitis virus and, when bitten, can infect a person with it. . Since this disease is deadly, intensive care is required after infection, but 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 record is not fully understood, but it is precisely this that makes it difficult to trace the developmental path of this group of mites. Some soil gamasid mites are considered to be the closest to the original forms, and the most highly developed are various predatory forms of the same group. 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 saprophytic mites. Saprophytes include only microorganisms - bacteria or single-celled fungi. Mites that feed on decaying organic matter are called saprophages. It is also incorrect to call mites saprotrophs - the fundamental difference between saprotrophs and saprophages is that saprotrophs do not leave behind solid waste products (excrement) after feeding, while saprophages do.
A remarkable group in this superorder is the uropod mites, which mainly inhabit the soil. Among them are:
This is interesting
The 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, 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 has stuck among the people - “encephalitis tick”, which sometimes also applies to those species of ixodids that do not carry the virus, but look similar to the true carriers.
On a note
Notable among them, for example, are the myrmecophilous mites Antennophoridae, which live in anthills, attach to the lower part of the ants' heads and feed on food debris remaining on the ants' jaws. The photo below shows a corresponding example:
Gamasid saprophagous mites in huge numbers inhabit the corpses of animals and insects, excrement, and other organic remains. It is noteworthy that these species settle on various carrion insects. For example, if you lightly tap a dried crust of manure with a stick, simulating the touch of a fly or rat, hundreds of macrochelys or califora mites instantly appear on the surface of the crust, ready to grab onto the insect and then “fly” with it to a new food substrate.
The photo shows a scarab beetle covered in mites:
The tracing name of this group from Latin is thyroglyphoid mites. The group received its Russian-language name because its representatives very often settle and reproduce in huge quantities in storage facilities for agricultural products. Here different types They feed on grain, husks, molds, and animal products.
This is interesting
The most notable among 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 the raw materials for its production;
- Wine mite that settles on the surface of wine if the container with it is not hermetically sealed;
- Bulb mite, a pest of onion, potato, garlic, and beet stocks.
All of them lead to damage and deterioration in the quality of stored products.
Itching
This is interesting
The passages of scabies 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 for some time on the epidermis in the maternal passages, turn into nymphs, crawl to the surface of the skin, where the males turn into adults and mate with immature females. After this, the females bite into the skin and begin to make their own passages.
The vital activity of scabies causes severe itching in a person - the disease itself is called scabies. Likewise, mange can occur in cats, dogs, rats and many other animals.
Zheleznitsy
Ironweeds are very specific mites. At a minimum, in appearance they are very different from other ticks, since they have an elongated back 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.
These mites are most interesting because they constantly live on the human body. Of these, the two most common types are:
- Demodex folliculorum - lives most of the time in hair follicles;
- Demodex brevis - inhabits the sebaceous glands, the secretion of which is excreted into the hair follicles.
Both species feed on gland secretions and normally do not harm humans. However, when abundant reproduction they can cause demodicosis - dermatological disease, in which the skin exfoliates, foci of inflammation develop and itching occurs.
According to research, these ticks are widespread - almost 100% of the planet's population is infected with them. And precisely due to the fact that infestation by them practically does not manifest itself in any way, most people do not even know about such infection, just as they do not know about the existence of the ironworts 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 approximately 1.5 g of dry dead epidermis per day - this is what these creatures consume as food. Moreover, this amount of “food” is quite enough for the existence of an entire population indoors.
This is interesting
Today, the ability of dust mites to feed, including mold fungi, 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 They inhabit carpets, cracks behind baseboards, and dust in the corners of the room, and therefore fighting them in most cases is a difficult task.
The photo below shows a Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus dust mite 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 constant inhalation of air that contains dust from the excrement and chitinous coverings of these creatures. Excrement contains specific digestive proteins that cause sensitization in humans.
Types of spider mites that harm agriculture
Perhaps, of all the mites that are pests Agriculture, arachnids are the most famous.
Firstly, they are diverse and there are more than 1200 known species. Secondly, they are very versatile in nutrition. The type species of this family, the common spider mite, is distributed 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 tick is even more diverse. It is capable of infecting most garden crops grown in middle lane Russia, but most of all, cucumbers, tomatoes, eggplants, bell peppers and strawberries suffer from it.
Its relatives are less versatile, but no less harmful. Garden, hawthorn, citrus and other mites of this group are considered a real disaster in gardens and vegetable gardens.
Finally, spider mites cause serious damage to plants, significantly reducing the yield of fields and gardens. In addition, mites infect flowers and trees in natural habitats.
On a note
This group of pests got its name because, when infecting plants, mites entangle their habitat with a thick web, in which, as if in a shelter, they feed and reproduce.
It is not surprising that spider mites are actively combated, and the most effective and rational way destroying them consists in attracting other ticks to this...
Enemies of spider mites - phytoseiulus
Phytoseiulus is the largest family of gamasid mites. There are more than 2,000 species, the vast majority of which are voracious predators that destroy many small invertebrates.
In this group, Phytoseiulus persimilis has the greatest economic importance, which is used in biological control with spider mites. One adult 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 equally voracious larvae and nymphs are then born.
On a note
Phytoseiulus feed not only on spider mites, but also thrips, nematodes and some other harmful invertebrates. Therefore, their use in biological control is considered an integrated method of plant protection.
Today in Europe there are already nurseries for growing phytoseiulus, which are sold in batches to greenhouses and garden farms. Here they are released onto plants, and within a few weeks their numbers grow rapidly due to a decrease in the number of spider mites. This is possible without insecticides and other chemicals protect the harvest.
Red mites and other predatory species
Perhaps every person has seen these ticks. They are found in large numbers in spring and early summer under stones in the forest or in vegetable gardens, where they move smoothly, as if “swimming” along the ground in search of their victims - small insects and other mites.
In Japan and on the islands Pacific Ocean These ticks carry the causative agent of tsutsugamushi fever.
Representatives of this group are of economic importance because they can cause serious diseases in poultry.
Normally, these mites are commensals and do not lead to serious consequences for birds. They settle in feather stumps and feed on their walls. Each feather forms its own colony, from which mites can move to neighboring feathers.
Wild birds usually carry out some hygienic procedures to help control the number of these mites, and a significant part of these “hosts” die during molting. However, when birds are kept in cramped enclosures, mites multiply here in huge numbers, cause itching, inflammation, and breaking off feathers, which is why the birds do not gain the required weight and even die.
Oribatid ticks as carriers of helminth infections
Oribatids for the most part are considered useful mites involved in the formation of soils. Millions of them can live in one cubic decimeter of forest soil - they constantly eat the remains of plants and animals and transform them into a substrate assimilated by plants.
The ability of oribatids to spread helminth eggs is important. Thus, some species of this group of mites eat the eggs of tapeworms of the Anoplocephalata family, after which the larvae hatch from the eggs in their bodies, and then the mites themselves and the plants are eaten by cattle. Already in the digestive tract of the animal, the ticks die, and the helminth larvae are released and burrow into the intestinal epithelium, causing monieziosis. This disease leads to a slowdown in the growth of young cows, sheep, goats, a decrease in milk yield and sometimes even to the death of animals.
The photo shows a winged tick of the family Galumnidae, a carrier of helminth infections in cattle:
In conclusion, we note that even the main groups of mites are difficult to examine even briefly. However, the above information is already enough to roughly imagine the diversity and huge number of varieties of ticks, as well as their significance for ecosystems and human life.
