1.03.2006

Even In Winter...


...you have to be vigilant. This deer tick (probably Ixodes scapularis) was trying to hitch a ride on my hand. Deer ticks are about the only species of tick we see out and about in the winter. They look sort of like walking apple seeds :)

6 comments:

R.Powers said...

Nice. You and your camera really do macro well. The walking appleseed description is perfect.

Mr. Bloggerific Himself said...

Had that little sucker gotten on me, time would be TICK TICK TICKing...

Crowe said...

Are these the sort that carry encephalitus?

Here, it's usually sheep ticks that people and especially dogs pick up from the grass. Many's the time I've removed a sheep tick from a mutt, using a hot wire or paraffin.

Pushesrb said...

Ugh...ticks *shudder* Pesky little things.

Oh, by the way, good luck tomorrow :) And of course, have fun (or at least try.) Just take some Far Side Comics...lol.

Eddo said...

Ew! I don't think we have those in the wonderful bug-free city of Plano, Texas. Thank God. I don't like things that suck my blood! Little vampire buggers that spread disease. North Carolina is pretty, but now that I see this little bug, it has one more strike against it - the first one being that it is not Texas.

swamp4me said...

SGJ, deer ticks are known to carry Lyme Disease. Luckily, the incidence of Lyme Disease is very low here. Yale University is currently conducting a study and one of their researchers has been working at Treebeard's park collecting ticks and determining what types of diseases they may be carrying.

Eddo, not to burst your bubble, but Texas has ticks, too! :)