Introduction As this province has no reported soft , they will not be discussed any Ticks are small, wingless further. Ticks have four stages in their (bugs) that are related to spiders, mites and life; the egg, larva, nymph and adult (see scorpions. In most cases in this province, they image). With the exception of the egg are of no known direct concern to humans, as stage, all stages require a blood meal to they are only occasionally found on domestic allow larvae to grow into nymphs, and for or wildlife. The exception is the black- nymphs to grow into adults. A blood meal legged , which is able to transmit Lyme consumed by the adult female gives her The Ticks of disease. Details on the biology and the energy to lay eggs. The adult male importance of ticks in this province are may not feed; but if it does, only a small detailed in this pamphlet. A more specific blood meal is required for survival. Newfoundland pamphlet, “ in Newfoundland,” is also available. Ticks that are attached to the same for all of the feeding stages are called one-host ticks. Those that feed, drop onto the ground between stages, and then feed on a new host are called three-host ticks. Ticks commonly reside in Bottom view of scapularis tall grass or shrubs waiting to attach onto Background new hosts as they brush by (termed

Ticks are common external parasites questing). of certain types of animals across North America. There are two general types; the Ticks can cause problems by 1) hard ticks and the soft ticks. feeding on blood, 2) spreading diseases such as Lyme disease, Q-fever and tularemia, 3) irritating their host when Forestry and Agrifoods Agency they pierce the skin, 4) causing tick Animal Health Division paralysis (occurs when female ticks P.O. Box 7400 release a toxin into the host while St. John's, NL A1E 3Y5 feeding), 5) causing an allergic reaction from saliva and, 6) creating a wound that t 709.729.6879 becomes infected. f 709.729.0055 [email protected] Tick lifecycle stages (egg not shown) Permanent Ticks in Newfoundland and Labrador Common What to do if you find a tick? Latin Name Hosts or Name Transient Ticks that have established stable populations in this If a tick is found on an animal or person, it should be Rabbits, cats, province are termed permanent species. Ticks that have Haemaphysalis Rabbit lynx, mice, foxes, removed by grasping the mouthparts with tweezers, as close leporis- P arrived on an animal that has been elsewhere and are tick squirrels, to the skin as possible, and carefully detaching from the skin. palustris unlikely to establish a permanent population are termed chipmunks It should then be preserved alive (if possible) in a small Seabird transient species. The following table identifies ticks that Ixodes uriae Seabirds P container with slightly damp cotton. The tick can either be have been found in Newfoundland as well as some of their tick Squirrel taken to a local public health office (if found on a person), a Ixodes marxi Squirrels, dogs P characteristics. tick veterinary clinic (if found on a pet), a Conservation Officer (if Mice, shrews, found on a wild animal) or to the Animal Health Laboratory In the Maritime provinces, the winter tick Mouse rabbits, rats, Ixodes muris P (709.729.0230) in St. John’s. Further advice can be given (Dermacentor albipictus) is common on moose but has not tick voles, muskrats, once the tick is identified. Follow-up advice on health related been reported in this province. dogs, cats Voles, mice, matters will be provided by the public health or veterinary

squirrels, clinic involved. Many people are familiar with the rabbit tick, as they Ixodes chipmunks, Vole tick P are often seen in high numbers on wild rabbits (hare) when angustus shrews, dogs, the rabbit population is high. It is not uncommon to see large cats, little brown numbers feeding along the edges of the rabbit’s ears. bats, people Mice, squirrels,

Black- foxes, wolves, Ixodes The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, in legged rats, rabbits, T scapularis cooperation with Memorial University and the Public Health tick coyotes, domestic Agency of , is currently studying ticks that are present animals, people in the province. Mice, voles, rabbits, coyotes, foxes, muskrats, When is a tick not a tick? rats, shrews, American Dermacentor woodchucks, T dog tick variabilis In many areas you can find small, wingless insects wolves, bears, living on the skin of sheep. These are called the sheep ked weasels, (Melophagus ovinus) or sheep tick. This insect is not a domestic , the black-legged tick animals, people member of the tick family and is actually a modified fly. Coyotes, rabbits, Brown dog Rhipicephalus dogs, cattle, T tick sanguineus people (rarely) Small birds, Lonestar Amblyomma rodents, cattle, T tick americanum deer, people

Ticks reported in Newfoundland Rabbit ticks on snowshoe hare and lynx

Sheep Ked