As of: March 28, 2024, 3:30 p.m
By: Sandra Barbara Furtner
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It is larger than domestic ticks, an active hunter and primarily targets larger animals: the Hyalomma tick. How to recognize the arachnid.
The Hyalomma tick, a species of tick that originally comes from Africa, the Middle East and Asia, has been increasingly finding its way into Europe in recent years. This species of tick, known for its size and special hunting behavior, is likely to continue to spread. In contrast to the common wood tick, the giant ticks are active hunters that can also track their prey using their eyes. The wooden trestle can simply be dropped blindly.
Which animals does the Hyalomma tick particularly target?
The photo shows a Hyalomma tick. The striped legs are clearly visible. © picture alliance/dpa | Andrea Schnartendorff
Large animals kept on pasture:
The Hyalomma tick prefers large animals such as cattle, horses and sheep that are kept on pasture. Due to her size and activity, she is able to easily crawl onto them and attach herself there.
Wild animals:
In addition to farm animals, wild animals can also fall victim to the Hyalomma tick. Animals that spend time in the wild, such as deer, roe deer, wild boars and birds, are particularly susceptible to attack by this type of tick.
Migratory Birds:
Migratory birds play an important role in dispersal. They can transport the ticks over long distances and thus contribute to their reproduction.
Pets:
Pets such as dogs, cats and other small animals can also be infected by the Hyalomma tick. Dogs that spend a lot of time outdoors are particularly at risk.
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What distinguishes the Hyalomma tick from domestic ticks?
Size:
The Hyalomma tick is significantly larger compared to the common wood tick. While the wood tick is around 3 to 5 millimeters in size, adult and engorged Hyalomma ticks can reach a size of up to 2 centimeters. Their striped legs are also characteristic.
Color:
The Hyalomma tick is characterized by its brown or reddish-brown color, while the wood tick is usually dark brown to black in color.
What diseases can be transmitted to animals?
Our native ticks can carry viruses or bacteria and transmit diseases to dogs. In addition to Lyme disease, these also include babesiosis and anaplasmosis. FMSE can also be transmitted. According to
Parasitenportal.de,
the Hyalomma tick can transmit, for example, theileriosis, babesiosis or the West Nile virus to horses. The diseases that Hyalomma can transmit to dogs and cats still need to be researched in more detail.
Which diseases can be transmitted to people?
Both the wood tick and the Hyalomma tick can transmit diseases to humans. However, these differ. The wood tick is known for transmitting, for example, Lyme disease and tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), while the Hyalomma tick is associated with diseases such as Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever and tick-borne spotted fever.
How can you protect yourself?
Check your pet and yourself for ticks after an outdoor trip. By the way, you shouldn't remove ticks with your fingers or flush them down the toilet. What to do if a tick has bitten you? You can find step-by-step instructions on how to properly remove ticks here. Ask your veterinarian to tell you about the different spot-on products.
The editor wrote this article and then used an AI language model for optimization at her own discretion. All information has been carefully checked. Find out more about our AI principles here.