![]() ![]() It draws a blood meal from the host until it is engorged with blood, and its abdomen more than doubles in size, turning redder in color. A barbed feeding tube helps keep it latched on more securely. It bites the victim without pain because its saliva has an anesthetic chemical in it that numbs the bite site. It then crawls to warmer parts of the body because blood is closer to the surface in those areas. With its front legs outstretched, it clings onto whatever it can: fur, tail, clothing, etc. Early diagnosis of Lyme Disease improves treatment effectiveness and symptom management.Ĭommonly found in the Eastern United States, the Black-legged Tick adult sits on low plant vegetation (shrubs, ferns, flowers) until a potential host animal walks by. If you have been bitten by a Black-legged Tick, seek medical attention and get tested for Lyme Disease. Complete removal of the tick's head and feeding tube within 24 hours of the initial bite can reduce possible infection according to the CDC. Because the infecting vector may be in the feeding tube, even if the tick is crushed or decapitated, it may still transmit the bacteria. Because of this, the Center for Disease Control encourages those who find ticks on themselves to remove them as soon as possible. The longer the tick has to feed, the greater the opportunity for the bacteria to transfer and infect. It is during feeding that the Lyme Disease-causing bacteria can pass from the tick into the host (deer, human, mouse, etc.). This arachnid picks up the Lyme disease-causing bacteria by feeding on mice and deer. The Black-legged Tick is a carrier of Lyme disease and transmits it to humans.
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