Squat little Tick (Ixodoidea, Arachnida) - probably a Pacific Coast Tick (Dermacentor occidentalis)
This is a another squat little Tick (superfamily Ixodoidea of the Arachnida) in the woods perched on a dead grass stem. I first thought it was a Western Black-Legged Tick (Ixodes pacificus), but Alice corrected me. It's really a female Pacific Coast Tick (Dermacentor occidentalis). Damn, even tick IDs are difficult! I got this photo at 1:1 magnification with my macro lens, but it was breezy this morning as the fog blew out. If you stand back about 10 feet, it looks great! (San Marcos Pass, 1 May 2013)
It's just waiting (and waiting...) for a suitable host to come along - like you or me. Ticks can spend weeks just waiting... like an extended moment that passes just like that. If you get ticked, just pull the damn thing out! Use tweezers if you have to. The first sign of a tick bite is a persistent irritation. The bites usually swell up and itch for a day after you remove the tick. No big deal.
Squat little Tick (Ixodoidea, Arachnida) - probably a Pacific Coast Tick (Dermacentor occidentalis)
This is a another squat little Tick (superfamily Ixodoidea of the Arachnida) in the woods perched on a dead grass stem. I first thought it was a Western Black-Legged Tick (Ixodes pacificus), but Alice corrected me. It's really a female Pacific Coast Tick (Dermacentor occidentalis). Damn, even tick IDs are difficult! I got this photo at 1:1 magnification with my macro lens, but it was breezy this morning as the fog blew out. If you stand back about 10 feet, it looks great! (San Marcos Pass, 1 May 2013)
It's just waiting (and waiting...) for a suitable host to come along - like you or me. Ticks can spend weeks just waiting... like an extended moment that passes just like that. If you get ticked, just pull the damn thing out! Use tweezers if you have to. The first sign of a tick bite is a persistent irritation. The bites usually swell up and itch for a day after you remove the tick. No big deal.