Changes

*No festoons

*No festoons

*Anterior anal grooves

*Anterior anal grooves

===Ixodes ricinus===

There are a number of ''Ixodes'' species present in the UK, however the most prevelant are ''I.ricinus'', ''I.canisuga'' and ''I.trianguliceps''.  

This is a common hard tick found in the UK. As with most hard ticks ''Ixodes ricinus'' is a 3 host tick as well as a 3 stage life cycle. The ticks spend the mojority of their life on the ground, only requiring a blood meal prior to moulting to the next stage. The ''Ixodes ricinus'' life cycle normally takes 3 year but can range from 2 - 7 years in some cases, during this life cycle the tick will normally feed 3 times. After becoming adult the female will mate once whilst on the host before being shed to the ground. The female will lay several thousand eggs in matted vegetation such as rough pasture and hedgerows, following this she will die.  

====''I. ricinus''====

This hard tick is found throughout Europe and north Africa living in woodland, forests and bushes. Its life cycle can last between 1 and 6 years but normally takes 2 or 3 and involves three hosts. When feeding the female can grow up to 200 times her original size, feeding also causes paralysis in the host. The adults will target medium to large mammals such as sheep, cattle, dogs, deer, horses and humans whilst the larval and nymphal stages will attack smaller mammals, birds and reptiles. Once the adult female has fed once for a number of hours and mated on the host she will drop to the floor and lay her eggs in matted vegetation before dieing. ''I.ricinus'' is known to transmit Lyme disease (''Borrelia burgdorferi'') to cattle, horse and humans as well as Q fever (''Coxiella burnetti''). There a number of other infectious agents transmitted by ixodes species including ''Babesia divergens'', ''B.bovis'', '' B.ovis'', ''Rickettsia conorii'', ''Anaplasma marginale'', ''Ehrlichia phagocytophila'' and ''Staphylococcus aureus''.

All stages of this tick attack small mammals such as mice, rats and voles but also accidentally found on man, horses, small birds and lizards. This tick is also a three host tick that lives in humid forested locations. It is known to transmit ''Babesia microti'' (human babesiosis) as well as Q fever, TBE, tuleraemia, Lyme disease and Louping ill.

This is known as the hedgehog tick however it will also affect dogs, ctas, ferrets and weasels. This is commonly seen in msall animal practice.  

===Haemaphysalis spp.===

===Haemaphysalis spp.===

*Posterior anal groove

*Posterior anal groove

*Festoons on the posterior margin

*Festoons on the posterior margin

There are two species found in the UK and europe ''D.reticulatus'' and ''D.marginatus'', the ornate sheep tick however this is absent from the UK. ''D.reticulatus'' is a three host tick found on meadows, pastures and forests in England and Wales. Adults will parasitse large mammals whilst larval and nymphal stages attack small mammals, insectivores and sometimes birds. The tick is known to transmitt a number of disease in man and and veterinary species. ''D.reticulatus'' is responsible for transmitting ''Babesia canis'' in dogs, ''B.divergens'' and ''B.ovis''in cattle as well as Q fever (''C.burnetii''), tularemia, ''Brucella'', ''Anaplasma ovis'' and ''Rickettsia conorii'' the cause of Boutonneuse fever. In horse ''D.reticulatus'' is responsible for the transmission of ''Babesia caballi'' and ''B.equi''. ''D.marginatus''

There are two species found in the UK and europe ''D.reticulatus'' and ''D.marginatus'', the ornate sheep tick however this is absent from the UK. ''D.reticulatus'' is a three host tick found on meadows, pastures and forests in England and Wales. Adults will parasitse large mammals whilst larval and nymphal stages attack small mammals, insectivores and sometimes birds. The tick is known to transmitt a number of disease in man and and veterinary species. ''D.reticulatus'' is responsible for transmitting ''Babesia canis'' in dogs, ''B.divergens'' and ''B.ovis''in cattle as well as Q fever (''C.burnetii''), tularemia, ''Brucella'', ''Anaplasma ovis'' and ''Rickettsia conorii'' the cause of Boutonneuse fever. In horse ''D.reticulatus'' is responsible for the transmission of ''Babesia caballi'' and ''B.equi''. ''D.marginatus''