Skjaldemjøden
04-12-2015, 09:37 PM
This hazard is relatively unknown by foreigners, so I've decided to bring it forth to the attention of TA members. :icon1:
Skovflåten (Ixodes ricinus), as it's called in Denmark, is a tick that carries both the Lyme disease and the TBE (Tick-borne encephalitis) virus. It is commonly found around trees anywhere in Europe, but, being sensitive to the dry, mostly in the humid seasons. The female Skovflåt must suck blood at least thrice in her lifetime to lay eggs. At first she will seek small fauna like birds or mice, then bigger animals such as hares, hedgehogs, squirrels, dogs or cats, and in the final stage a red deer or a human host. A Danish politician, Mimi Jakobsen, was left partially facially-paralyzed after being bitten by a skovflåt a few years ago. They are very small and the bite doesn't hurt or itch. :twitch00:
http://www.danmarksinsekter.dk/318x424skovflaatpaafinger0169.jpg
http://www.naturguide.dk/magasin/images/farligedyr/skovflaat_grafik.jpg?672841
The best measure you can take to avoid being bitten is to stretch your socks over your pants and wear boots when visiting the woods. Always shake off your cloths before entering a house, and from time to time do a full body check. The tick prefers unexposed body parts, like the underarms or groin (my little brother had one on his testicles when he was five, but fortunately it couldn't find any blood vessels), but will also plant itself on the scalp :033102st: or back of the knee. If you are bitten never squeeze or try to pull out the tick. :no: Also, don't try burning it off/ applying citrus or any other home remedy. You risk forcing it to release the contents of its stomach :bullet puke, which include said bacteria and virus, into your blood system. Instead, carefully grab the dorsal shield (scutum) with tweezers and turn it in a gentle circular motion :crazy: until the parasite pulls its head out. A special tool can also be bought in most pharmacies.
http://media.avisen.dk/GetImage.ashx?imageid=750705&sizeid=25
If a ring appears around the bite mark you should consult a doctor and take penicillin. :thumbs up
http://www.skovflaat.dk/images/borreliose.jpg
Skovflåten (Ixodes ricinus), as it's called in Denmark, is a tick that carries both the Lyme disease and the TBE (Tick-borne encephalitis) virus. It is commonly found around trees anywhere in Europe, but, being sensitive to the dry, mostly in the humid seasons. The female Skovflåt must suck blood at least thrice in her lifetime to lay eggs. At first she will seek small fauna like birds or mice, then bigger animals such as hares, hedgehogs, squirrels, dogs or cats, and in the final stage a red deer or a human host. A Danish politician, Mimi Jakobsen, was left partially facially-paralyzed after being bitten by a skovflåt a few years ago. They are very small and the bite doesn't hurt or itch. :twitch00:
http://www.danmarksinsekter.dk/318x424skovflaatpaafinger0169.jpg
http://www.naturguide.dk/magasin/images/farligedyr/skovflaat_grafik.jpg?672841
The best measure you can take to avoid being bitten is to stretch your socks over your pants and wear boots when visiting the woods. Always shake off your cloths before entering a house, and from time to time do a full body check. The tick prefers unexposed body parts, like the underarms or groin (my little brother had one on his testicles when he was five, but fortunately it couldn't find any blood vessels), but will also plant itself on the scalp :033102st: or back of the knee. If you are bitten never squeeze or try to pull out the tick. :no: Also, don't try burning it off/ applying citrus or any other home remedy. You risk forcing it to release the contents of its stomach :bullet puke, which include said bacteria and virus, into your blood system. Instead, carefully grab the dorsal shield (scutum) with tweezers and turn it in a gentle circular motion :crazy: until the parasite pulls its head out. A special tool can also be bought in most pharmacies.
http://media.avisen.dk/GetImage.ashx?imageid=750705&sizeid=25
If a ring appears around the bite mark you should consult a doctor and take penicillin. :thumbs up
http://www.skovflaat.dk/images/borreliose.jpg