| The major species found in the UK, though rarely, is ''H.punctata'', the red sheep tick. This is a three host tick that can complete its life cycle in a single year but in Wales takes between 2 - 3 years due to envirnmental conditions. ''H.punctata'' bites cause paralysis in sheep and cattle which the adults target as the third host, though they may also attach other medium to large mammals and humans. The larval and nymphal stages target small mammals, birds and lizards. As with many other ticks ''H.punctata'' transmits a number of diseases including tick born encephalitis (TBE), Q fever, tularaemia, ''Rickettsia slovaca'', ''[[Theileria]] mutans'', ''T.ovis'', ''T.recondite'', ''Babesia major'', ''B.motasi'', ''Anaplasma mesaeterum'', Crimean Congo Haemorrhagic Fever, ''Borrelia burgdorferi'' (spanish lyme disease). | | The major species found in the UK, though rarely, is ''H.punctata'', the red sheep tick. This is a three host tick that can complete its life cycle in a single year but in Wales takes between 2 - 3 years due to envirnmental conditions. ''H.punctata'' bites cause paralysis in sheep and cattle which the adults target as the third host, though they may also attach other medium to large mammals and humans. The larval and nymphal stages target small mammals, birds and lizards. As with many other ticks ''H.punctata'' transmits a number of diseases including tick born encephalitis (TBE), Q fever, tularaemia, ''Rickettsia slovaca'', ''[[Theileria]] mutans'', ''T.ovis'', ''T.recondite'', ''Babesia major'', ''B.motasi'', ''Anaplasma mesaeterum'', Crimean Congo Haemorrhagic Fever, ''Borrelia burgdorferi'' (spanish lyme disease). |
− | 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''
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