Tick Larva
Ixodes sp., probably Ixodes ricinus, the Deer Tick, Sheep Tick or Castor Bean Tick, a larva, approximately 0.7mm long and with its mouthparts firmly embedded in my skin. To provide a sense of scale, the distance between the tick larva and the red spot on my skin is approximately 6mm. The larva was 'collected' from Woodwalton Fen NNR on August 10, 2022 and photographed at home shortly after discovery the following day.
Even if you have smooth skin, these tiny flesh-coloured larvae, scarcely larger than a grain of sand, are almost impossible to spot until the bite-site starts to become reddened and itchy. Although the majority of tick-borne infections are thought to be acquired from tick nymphs, a 2015 study in the US has indicated that larvae can also acquire infections via transovarial transmission from an infected parent.
Now, where did I put the tweezers...
Tick Larva
Ixodes sp., probably Ixodes ricinus, the Deer Tick, Sheep Tick or Castor Bean Tick, a larva, approximately 0.7mm long and with its mouthparts firmly embedded in my skin. To provide a sense of scale, the distance between the tick larva and the red spot on my skin is approximately 6mm. The larva was 'collected' from Woodwalton Fen NNR on August 10, 2022 and photographed at home shortly after discovery the following day.
Even if you have smooth skin, these tiny flesh-coloured larvae, scarcely larger than a grain of sand, are almost impossible to spot until the bite-site starts to become reddened and itchy. Although the majority of tick-borne infections are thought to be acquired from tick nymphs, a 2015 study in the US has indicated that larvae can also acquire infections via transovarial transmission from an infected parent.
Now, where did I put the tweezers...