TICKS AND MITES

Tick and Mites

1. Ticks are arthropods (invertebrates with external skeletons and jointed legs), but they’re neither insects nor spiders. Ticks belong to a special group of mites; all ticks are mites, but not all mites are ticks. The term ‘tick’ is also used botanically to describe certain kinds of plants (such as Tick Trefoil and Beggar’s Ticks) and their seeds that are adapted to adhering to animal fir (and our clothing).

2. All ticks are external parasites. The tick, itself, cannot burrow into the skin. Instead, only their mouth part actually enter the skin. Ticks require a blood meal to develop and to produce eggs. They feed on nothing else but blood.

3. Many have evolved a close ecological association with, and dependence on, their normal hosts and may not even feed upon other kinds of animals if given the opportunity.






How Ticks can spread disease?

Ticks transmit pathogens that cause disease through the process of feeding.

• Depending on the tick species and its stage of life, preparing to feed can take from 10 minutes to 2 hours. When the tick finds a feeding spot, it grasps the skin and cuts into the surface.
• The tick then inserts its feeding tube. Many species also secrete a cement-like substance that keeps them firmly attached during the meal. The feeding tube can have barbs which help keep the tick in place.
• Ticks also can secrete small amounts of saliva with anesthetic properties so that the animal or person can't feel that the tick has attached itself. If the tick is in a sheltered spot, it can go unnoticed.
• A tick will suck the blood slowly for several days. If the host animal has a bloodborne infection, the tick will ingest the pathogens with the blood.
• Small amounts of saliva from the tick may also enter the skin of the host animal during the feeding process. If the tick contains a pathogen, the organism may be transmitted to the host animal in this way.
• After feeding, most ticks will drop off and prepare for the next life stage. At its next feeding, it can then transmit an acquired disease to the new host.

How Ticks find their host?

• Ticks find their hosts by detecting animals´ breath and body odors, or by sensing body heat, moisture, and vibrations. Some species can even recognize a shadow. In addition, ticks pick a place to wait by identifying well-used paths. Then they wait for a host, resting on the tips of grasses and shrubs. Ticks can't fly or jump, but many tick species wait in a position known as "questing".

• While questing, ticks hold onto leaves and grass by their third and fourth pair of legs. They hold the first pair of legs outstretched, waiting to climb on to the host. When a host brushes the spot where a tick is waiting, it quickly climbs aboard. Some ticks will attach quickly and others will wander, looking for places like the ear, or other areas where the skin is thinner.

How Ticks survive?

1. Have four life stages.

2. After hatching from the eggs, ticks must eat blood at every stage to survive.

3. Ticks that require this many hosts can take up to 3 years to complete their full life cycle, 
and most will die because they don't find a host for their next feeding.

Relative sizes of several ticks at different life stages.

Ticks can feed on mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. Most ticks prefer to have a different host animal at each stage of their life,

Disease that carry by Ticks

• Anaplasmosis is transmitted to humans by tick bites primarily from the blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis) in the northeastern and upper midwestern U.S. and the western blacklegged tick (Ixodes pacificus) along the Pacific coast.
• Babesiosis is caused by microscopic parasites that infect red blood cells. Most human cases of babesiosis in the U.S. are caused by Babesia microti. Babesia microti is transmitted by the blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis) and is found primarily in the northeast and upper midwest.
• Borrelia miyamotoi infection has recently been described as a cause of illness in the U.S. It is transmitted by the blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis) and has a range similar to that of Lyme disease.
• Colorado tick fever is caused by a virus transmitted by the Rocky Mountain wood tick (Dermacentor andersoni). It occurs in the the Rocky Mountain states at elevations of 4,000 to 10,500 feet.
• Ehrlichiosis is transmitted to humans by the lone star tick (Ambylomma americanum), found primarily in the southcentral and eastern U.S.
• Heartland virus infection has been identified in eight patients in Missouri and Tennessee as of March 2014. Studies suggest that Lone Star ticks may transmit the virus. It is unknown if the virus may be found in other areas of the U.S.
• Lyme disease is transmitted by the blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis) in the northeastern U.S. and upper midwestern U.S. and the western blacklegged tick (Ixodes pacificus) along the Pacific coast.

How to Control??

. The infested house and/or kennel should be thoroughly cleaned in order to eliminate as many ticks as possible. Vacuuming is very helpful inside. Pet bedding and pet areas should be cleaned well.

2. Kennels, dog houses, and structures occupied by pets should be thoroughly treated to control ticks that have dropped off the dog and that reside in harborage areas.
Residual insecticide sprays and dusts should be applied carefully to all potential tick harborage areas.

3.Ticks like to reside in the upper portions of structures in cracks and crevices and the areas used by dogs.

Recommended residual insecticides inside would be Bifen IT or Conquer.

4.Non residual space sprays that contain Pyrethrins such as CB 80 may be useful to supplement the residual sprays. It may used on a daily basis and is a contact killer.

5.Control domestic animal (host)

MITES

1.Mites are tiny arthropods, related to ticks. Several types of mites can be found in homes and of these a few may bite humans. Most mites are harmless predators of insects, or feeders on decaying plant material. 

2. Some pest mites feed on stored products like cheese and grain. Others are merely nuisance pests, accidentally entering homes from their normal outdoor habitat. 

3.  Only a few mite species are parasitic on birds or mammals, but these can occasionally become biting pests in homes. 

4. Identifying the type of mite and/or likely host is the first step in solving an indoor mite infestation.

5.Mites are small arthropods belonging to the subclass Acari (also known as Acarina) and the class Arachnida.

Life cycle of Mites..

Disease that carry by Mites..

1. scrub typhus

2. rickettsial

How to prevent?

1.Avoid poor hygiene

2.Pesticides for outdoor residual treatment

3.Keeping grasses cut short and removing vegetable near buildings.

4.Repellent

ENJOY THE VIDEO :))

FLEAS AND LICE

Fleas and Lice

With nearly 2,000 species and subspecies, fleas thrive in warm, humid environments, and feed on the blood of their hosts. Dogs play host to the cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis), whose dark brown or black body is usually one to three millimeters in length.

Fleas are hearty and nimble, and when searching for a host, they can jump 10,000 times in a row (the length of three football fields). Three pairs of legs make for excellent leaping capabilities (up to two feet), and a laterally flattened body allows for quick movement in a dog’s fur.

With a complete life cycle ranging anywhere from 16 days to 21 months, depending on environmental conditions, fleas are most commonly found on a dog’s abdomen, the base of the tail and the head. With heavy infestations, however, fleas can thrive anywhere on the body. They feed once every day or two, and generally remain on their host during the interim.

 Cats and dogs are the main host, human may also be affected by fleas bite. 

- Each bite produce a small, hard, red spot with a noticeable puncture wound. 
- Female flea only mate once but she can lay 25 eggs a day and produce several hundred eggs during  her life. 

                    Flea after Feeding

                                  Fleas

Life Cycle of Fleas..

- Have four main stages in their life cycle

- The total flea life cycle can range from a couple weeks to several months, depending on environmental conditions.

ADULT: The adult flea is very flat side to side. There are hair-like bristles on the flea body and legs to aid in their navigation through pet hair. Fleas have 3 pairs of legs, the hindmost pair designed for jumping. Fleas are well known for their jumping abilities.

Adult fleas prefer to live on the animal and their diet consists of blood meals courtesy of the host animal. The female flea lays white, roundish eggs. The adult female flea can lay up to 50 eggs per day1, 500-600 eggs2 over several months

.

EGG: The eggs are not sticky (like some parasites), and they usually fall off of the animal into the carpet, bedding, floorboards, and soil. When the flea egg hatches varies -- anywhere from two days to a few weeks, depending on environmental conditions. The larva emerges from the egg using a chitin tooth, a hard spine on the top of the head that disappears as the flea matures

.

LARVA (plural = larvae): The larval stage actually has three developmental stages within this stage. Larvae are about 1/4" (6.35 mm) long, and semi-transparent white. They have small hairs along their body and actively move. They eat the feces of adult fleas (which is mostly dried blood) and other organic debris found in the carpet, bedding, and soil. Depending on the amount of food present and the environmental conditions, the larval stage lasts about 5 to 18 days (longer in some cases) then the larva spins a silken cocoon and pupates.

PUPA (plural = pupae): The pupa is the last stage before adult. The adult flea can emerge from the cocoon as early as 3 to 5 days, or it can stay in the cocoon for a year or more, waiting for the right time to emerge. When is the right time? (Never, say pet lovers everywhere!) Stimuli such as warm ambient temperatures, high humidity, even the vibrations and carbon dioxide emitted from a passing animal will cause the flea to emerge from the cocoon faster. This brings us back to the adult flea.

The entire life cycle is quite variable, as evidenced by the variability in each life stage progression. As mentioned above, the cycle can be as short as two weeks or as long as two years.

Disease that carry by Fleas.

1. Parasitic dermatitis is an allergic reaction that is caused by a pet's hypersensitivity to substances in flea saliva.
2. Bartonella strains are bacterial parasites that are transmitted through flea or tick bites. Bartonella  can infect humans, dogs, cats and rodents.
3. The most notable flea is xynopsylla which carry Yersinia pestis.

LICE

1. Lice are tiny, wingless, parasitic insects that feed on your blood. Lice are easily spread especially by schoolchildren through close personal contact and by sharing belongings.

2. 

The head louse (plural, lice) is scientifically known as Pediculus humanus capitis, and an infestation with head lice is medically known as Pediculosis capitis.

3. Head lice are obligate parasites. This means that they cannot survive without a human host—this species can live only on human hosts, so you cannot get them from your dog, cat, guinea pig, or any other kind of furry pet you may have.

4.Head lice have no wings, so they cannot fly. They have six legs with claws at the ends—that is how they attach themselves to hair.

5. It is important to emphasize that poor hygiene, skipped baths or showers, or any other hygiene issue is not the cause of head lice. Children who live in crowded conditions may have more of a problem with head lice, but that is only because they are living close to one another and may sleep in the same bed.

6. The only way head lice spread from one person to another is by direct head-to-head contact (as when kids hug or put their heads together to look at the same book) or by the sharing of hats, caps, hair ties, scarves, or any personal item such as combs or brushes.

7. Lice feed on blood—they use their mouth parts to bite into the skin and secrete a substance that acts to block clotting. They feed about four to five times every day.

8. Head lice can be found anywhere on the scalp, but are commonly found on hairs at the back of the neck and around the ears.

9. There are a number of treatments that can effectively get rid of head lice—these include over-the-counter (OTC) products, natural products, and prescription medications.

10. Body lice are a bit different from head lice. They lay their eggs on clothing instead of on the body. Body lice can carry a number of diseases, including louse-borne typhus, relapsing fever, trench fever, and bubonic plague.

           

• Head lice. These lice develop on your scalp. They're easiest to see at the nape of your neck and over your ears.
• Body lice. These lice live in clothing and on bedding and move onto your skin to feed. Body lice most often affect people who aren't able to bathe or launder clothing regularly, such as homeless or transient individuals.
• Pubic lice. Commonly called crabs, these lice occur on the skin and hair of your pubic area and, less frequently, on coarse body hair, such as chest hair, eyebrows or eyelashes.

Life cycle of Lice..

How to Control the Lice??

• Avoid head-to-head (hair-to-hair) contact during play and other activities at home, school, and elsewhere (sports activities, playground, slumber parties, camp).
• Do not share clothing such as hats, scarves, coats, sports uniforms, hair ribbons, or barrettes.
• Do not share combs, brushes, or towels. Disinfest combs and brushes used by an infested person by soaking them in hot water (at least 130°F) for 5–10 minutes.
• Do not lie on beds, couches, pillows, carpets, or stuffed animals that have recently been in contact with an infested person.
• Machine wash and dry clothing, bed linens, and other items that an infested person wore or used during the 2 days before treatment using the hot water (130°F) laundry cycle and the high heat drying cycle. Clothing and items that are not washable can be dry-cleaned OR sealed in a plastic bag and stored for 2 weeks.
• Vacuum the floor and furniture, particularly where the infested person sat or lay. However, spending much time and money on housecleaning activities is not necessary to avoid reinfestation by lice or nits that may have fallen off the head or crawled onto furniture or clothing.
• Do not use fumigant sprays or fogs; they are not necessary to control head lice and can be toxic if inhaled or absorbed through the skin.
• Avoid a poor hygiene 
• Good sanitary 

Enjoy the video ;)

MOSQUITO

MOSQUITO.......

Mosquitoes, the insects that are universally hated the world over. These pesky, disease-carrying pests make a living by sucking the blood out of just about anything that moves, including us. But take a moment to look at things from the mosquito's perspective. All mosquito need water to breed.

1. Mosquitoes are the deadlist animal on Earth.

 More deaths are associated with mosquitoes than any other animal on the mosquitoes may carry any number of deadly diseases, including malaria, dengue fever, yellow fever, and encephalitis. Mosquitoes also carry heartworm, which can be lethal to your dog.

2. Only female mosquitoes bite humans and animals; males feed on flower nectar.
Mosquitoes mean nothing personal when they take your blood. Female mosquitoes need protein for their eggs, and must take a blood meal in order to reproduce. Since males don't bear the burden of producing young, they'll avoid you completely and head for the flowers instead. And when not trying to produce eggs, females are happy to stick to nectar, too.

3. Some mosquitoes don't bite humans, preferring other hosts like amphibians or birds.
Not all mosquito species feed on people. Some mosquitoes specialize on other animals, and are no bother to us at all. Culiseta melanura, for example, bites birds almost exclusively, and rarely bites humans.

4. Mosquitoes fly at speeds between 1 and 1.5 miles per hour.
That might sound fast, but in the insect world, mosquitoes are actually rather slow.

 

If a race were held between all the flying insects, nearly every other contestant would beat the pokey mosquito. Butterflies, locusts, and honey bees would all finish well ahead of the skeeter.

5. A mosquito's wings beat 300-600 timesper second.

This would explain that irritating buzzing sound you hear just before a mosquito lands on you and bites.

6. Mosquito mates synchronize their wing beats to perform a lover's duet.
Scientists once thought that only male mosquitoes could hear the wing beats of their potential mates, but recent research on Aedes aegypti mosquitoes proved females listen for lovers, too. When the male and female meet, their buzzing synchronizes to the same speed.

7. Salt marsh mosquitoes may travel up to 100 miles from their larval breeding habitat.
Most mosquitoes emerge from their watery breeding ground and stay pretty close to home. But some, like the salt marsh mosquitoes, will fly lengthy distances to find a suitable place to live, with all the nectar and blood they could want to drink.

8. All mosquitoes require water to breed. Some species can breed in puddles left after a rainstorm.

Just a few inches of water is all it takes for a female to deposit her eggs. Tiny mosquito larva develop quickly in bird baths, roof gutters, and old tires dumped in vacant lots. If you want to keep mosquitoes under control around your home, you need to be vigilant about dumping any standing water every few days.

9. An adult mosquito may live 5-6 months.
Few probably make it that long, given our tendency to slap them silly when they land on us. But in the right circumstances, an adult mosquito has quite a long life expectancy, as bugs go.

10. Mosquitoes can detect carbon dioxide from 75 feet away.
Carbon dioxide, which humans and other animals produce, is the key signal to mosquitoes that a potential blood meal is near. They've developed a keen sensitivity to CO2 in the air. Once a female senses CO2 in the vicinity, she flies back and forth through the CO2 plume until she locates her victim.

                                                               

  

Aedes aegypti

4 Types of Mosquitoes.

1. Culex

2. Aedes

3. Mansonia

4. Anopheles

Life cycle of Mosquitoes.

 

The Different between Mosquito Male and Female

Female Mosquito	Male Mosquito

1.  Male mosquitoes survive by feeding on flower nectar and sweet juices. Female mosquitoes not only feed on various sugars for energy, but also require the nutrition of blood for the development of their eggs. Without regular intakes of blood, their ability to reproduce quickly diminishes.

2. The Egg Development Process of the Common Female MosquitoThe typical female mosquito bites humans and mammals and sucks blood in order to acquire enough protein to produce her eggs. When you fall prey to a mosquito bite, there are fortunately a few natural as well as store bought remedies that we help tame the itch! Once a blood meal is obtained, she will rest a few days until the eggs are fully developed. Once they are ready, the female lays the eggs and then continues her search for a new host.

3. Some Particular Types of Female MosquitoesEven though most species of female mosquitoes need blood for their offspring, some types can actually lay a batch of eggs without a blood meal. Others do not drink the blood of mammals, but will feed only on the blood of amphibians or other insects. Then, there are a few species of female mosquitoes that do not drink blood at all; like male mosquitoes, they only feed on nectar and other sugars.

Common Mosquito Species in Malaysia

Carrying Vector Dengue

1. Albopictus

2. Aegypti

                     Albopictus

Carrying Vector Malaria

1.Donaldi

2.Maculatus

3.Sundaicus

4.Anopheles

5.Balabacencis

6.Lecosphyrus

                      Anopheles

Disease that carry from Mosquito

1. Albopictus ---->Denggue Fever

2. Anopheles ---->Malaria

3. Aedes Aegypti---->Yellow Fever

                                    >Chikungunya

                                    >Denggi berdarah

4.Genus mansonia ---->Filariasis

5.Genus Culex ---->West Nile fever

                                 >Japanese Encefalitis

                                 >St. Loius encephalitis

How to control and prevent the mosquito?

1. Naturally, the best way to avoid mosquito bites is to prevent coming into contact with them in the first place. You can avoid insect bites by staying inside between dusk and dawn, which is when they are most active. Mosquitoes are also thicker in shrubby areas and near standing water.   

 2.

• Drain—Mosquitoes require water in which to breed, so carefully drain any and all sources of standing water around your house and yard, including pet bowls, gutters, garbage and recycling bins, spare tires, bird baths, etc.
• Dress—Wear light colored, loose fitting clothing—long sleeved shirts and long pants, hats, and socks
• Defend—While the AMCA recommends using commercial repellents, I highly recommend avoiding most chemical repellents for the reasons already discussed; try some of the natural alternatives instead

3. Plants Hold the Key to Repelling Mosquitoes Safely

• Cinnamon leaf oil (one study found it was more effective at killing mosquitoes than DEET)
• Clear vanilla oil mixed with olive oil
• Wash with citronella soap, and then put some 100 percent pure citronella essential oil on your skin. Java Citronella is considered the highest quality citronella on the market
• Catnip oil (according to one study, this oil is 10 times more effective than DEET)
• Lemon eucalyptus was found very effective in a 2014 Australian study, a mixture of 32 percent lemon eucalyptus oil provided more than 95 percent protection for three hours, compared to a 40 percent DEET repellent that gave 100 percent protection for seven hours

Use a natural formula  that contains a combination of citronella, lemongrass oil, peppermint oil and vanillin to repel mosquitoes, fleas, chiggers, ticks, and other biting insects

4.Home remedies and other tips.

• Vanilla Extract: A few different recommendations for this one, each contradicting the other. Some say to dab Vanilla Extract on your pulse points, others say to rub it all over your skin & dab your clothes. Some say the cheap stuff is what you have to use, others say the real, pure Vanilla is the only thing that will work. Some say to apply it full strength, others say you can dilute it with water and spray it on. Play around with Vanilla to see what gives you best results–there are plenty of believers for this one so I think there’s something to it.
• Garlic: This isn’t a favorite thing to do day-to-day, but if you’re going camping or hiking through heavily infested areas, try a garlic powder and water paste. Apply to pulse points, behind knees, on shoes and ankles and a dab or two on your cheeks or somewhere on your face and neck. Remember–keep out of eyes. And maybe stay out of public places too
• Essential Oils: Mix choice of essential oils with rubbing alcohol, or witch hazel, or distilled water and spritz on body or directly on cloth to rub on body (shake before each use). Or add a few drops in baby oil or olive oil then rub on skin. You can also apply drops along a strip of fabric (cotton) and tie around wrist.

5. Make barriers between you and the bugs.

6. Don't hang out near standing water.

Enjoy the video :)