There is a very good chance that right now there are mites on your body. What's worse is they are most likely on your face! Don't be alarmed, it's normal and studies regarding the two species of mites that reside on humans have found them on every human tested!
Ticks, on the other hand, are probably not on you right now. If they are, it's because they got on you while you were outside in tall grass or in shrubbery. Let's look at the similarities and differences between ticks and mites.
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Both ticks and mites are members of the Arachnida class of organisms, which includes spiders and scorpions. Before we get into the differences between ticks and mites, let's look at what they have in common.
Both ticks and mites have six legs in the larvae stage and eight legs when they are nymphs and adults. They don't have separate heads and bodies. Their bodies are all one mass. The part of the tick and mite that contain the parts they feed with are on the capitulum.
The three major components of their mouths are the palps, chelicerae, and hypostome. Both ticks and mites feed on animals whether it be blood, dead skin, or skin oils. Let's now look at the differences between ticks and mites.
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The most obvious difference between ticks and mites is their size. Ticks can be seen with the naked eye and are generally one millimeter long, but can expand up to three centimeters in length after feeding. Mites are microscopic creatures that are generally less than a millimeter and are difficult to see with the naked eye.
Ticks have short hair or none at all on their bodies, while mites have long hair on their bodies. The hypostome is the structure on ticks and mite's capitulum that allows them to attach to their host. The hypostome is visible in ticks and contains barbs that point back towards their body. It is inserted into the host and serves to very effectively anchor itself to the host. In fact, removing a tick when it is feeding is very difficult and many times the capitulum is separated from the rest of the tick body. The hypostome of mites is not visible from the outside and doesn't contain barbs. This means mites can easily be removed from their hosts.
All ticks live off of other organisms. They gorge on blood and then drop off of the host. Some mites don't feed on living organisms while others do. Mites can feed on plants and animals while ticks strictly live on animal hosts. Both ticks and mites transmit disease to their hosts.
Let's now compare the diseases that are tick borne and mite borne. Ticks transmit three major diseases including Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and babesiosis. Mites transmit two major diseases, including scrub typhus and scabies. There are other minor ailments associated with mites such as anemia, dermatosis, paralysis, and otoacariasis, which is an infestation of mites in the ear canal. Let's now discuss how to prevent encountering ticks and mites.
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The best way to prevent being a host for a tick is to stay out of the areas where ticks are common such as tall grasses, shrubbery, and dense forests. If you do need to venture out into nature where ticks are common it is recommended that you wear long sleeve shirts, long pants, and head coverings. When you leave these areas, have someone check you for ticks because you won't feel them feeding on you until after they have started feeding.
As mentioned earlier, some species of mites already live on us, and for the most part they are harmless as it is theorized they only eat dead skin or skin oil. Practicing proper hygiene and regularly washing clothes and bed sheets along with general house cleaning will prevent mites from becoming a problem.
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Ticks and mites are part of the same class of organisms called Arachnida. The things they share in common are:
Their differences are:
Tick bites can be prevented by staying out of tall grasses, dense shrubby and forests, and covering the skin with clothing. Mites can be controlled with proper hygiene.
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This activity will help you assess your knowledge of the similarities and differences between ticks and mites.
Based on the given scenario, determine whether the following statements are true or false. To do this, print or copy this page on a blank paper and underline or circle the answer.
Greg was hired as a helper in an old poultry farm. The farm mostly contained chickens and ducks. On his first day, he was tasked to feed the poultry. After a while, he felt severe irritation with swelling and raised reddish spots on his skin. He sustained multiple bites on different parts of his body, especially in the arms and legs. Some samples of tiny live insects were obtained from his clothing. Most of these insects were oval-shaped with a reddish color.
True | False 1. A tick or mite would use its retractable structure known as chelicerae to anchor into Greg's skin.
True | False 2. Greg should wear long-sleeve shirts, long pants, and head coverings next time.
True | False 3. Color is a feature that can be used to differentiate a tick from a mite.
True | False 4. Mites and ticks are parasitic organisms that derive nutrients from their host's body.
True | False 5. All kinds of mites are microscopic and cannot be directly seen by the human eye.
True | False 6. Greg obtained these reddish spots from mites.
True | False 7. Greg's bite wounds should be disinfected to prevent further infection and possible transmission of diseases.
True | False 8. Most mites live in the soil and strictly feed on plants.
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