Skip to content

Just added to your cart

    Qty:
    View cart ()
    SurfaceScience | OneTab | OneMop | OneWipe | BioBrand | 1-800-682-6943
    • Home
      • BioBrand®
      • Gardian HS Monitor™
      • Graffiti-Be-Gone
      • Gun-It™
      • OneCoat™
      • OneTab™
      • OneTab™ PRO+
      • OneMop™
      • OneWipe™
      • TotalSTOP
      • Spray
      • Wipes
      • All TotalSTOP
      • Wholesale
      • Cleaning Tabs
        • Household Cleaning Tabs
        • Household Disinfectant Tabs
        • Appliance Maintenance Tabs
      • Mop & Mop Accessories
        • Telescopic Mop Pole
        • Interchangeable Bases
        • Replacement Mop Pads
      • Microfibre Wipes
        • Disposable Microfibre Wipes
      • Eco-Friendly Cleaners
        • Leather & Vinyl
        • Fabric & Canvas
        • Odour & Spot Removers
        • OneTab™
      • Exterior Surface Coatings
        • Exterior Ceramic Coatings
      • Commercial Cleaners
        • OneTab™ PRO+ Cleaning Tabs
        • Fabric & Canvas
        • Leather & Vinyl
        • Odour & Spot Removers
        • Graffiti & Spray Paint Remover
      • Commercial Disinfectants
        • Disinfectant Tablets
      • 2-in-1 Smart Dispensers
        • Monitors & Dispensers
        • Mounts & Stands
      • OneMop™ & Mop Accessories
        • Telescopic Mop Pole
        • Interchangeable Bases
        • Replacement Pads
      • OneWipe™ Microfibre Wipes
        • Disposable Microfibre Wipes
      • Accessories
        • Monitors & Dispensers
        • Dispenser Mounts & Stands
        • Refillable Spray Bottles
        • Carboy
        • Refill Systems
      • Leather & Vinyl
        • Protector
        • Cleaner
      • Fabric
        • Cleaners
        • Protectors
        • Odour & Spot Removers
      • Exterior
        • Soaps & Washes
        • Coatings & Protectants
        • Canvas Cleaners & Protectors
      • About Us
      • Our Mission
      • Our Brands
      • Vendor Catalog
    • Contact
    Login Log in Cart
    0 items
    • Home
      • Our Brands Menu
      • Our Brands
      • BioBrand®
      • Gardian HS Monitor™
      • Graffiti-Be-Gone
      • Gun-It™
      • OneCoat™
      • OneTab™
      • OneTab™ PRO+
      • OneMop™
      • OneWipe™
      • TotalSTOP
      • TotalSTOP Menu
      • TotalSTOP
      • Spray
      • Wipes
      • All TotalSTOP
      • Wholesale
      • Household Menu
      • Household
        • Cleaning Tabs Menu
        • Cleaning Tabs
        • Household Cleaning Tabs
        • Household Disinfectant Tabs
        • Appliance Maintenance Tabs
        • Mop & Mop Accessories Menu
        • Mop & Mop Accessories
        • Telescopic Mop Pole
        • Interchangeable Bases
        • Replacement Mop Pads
        • Microfibre Wipes Menu
        • Microfibre Wipes
        • Disposable Microfibre Wipes
        • Eco-Friendly Cleaners Menu
        • Eco-Friendly Cleaners
        • Leather & Vinyl
        • Fabric & Canvas
        • Odour & Spot Removers
        • OneTab™
        • Exterior Surface Coatings Menu
        • Exterior Surface Coatings
        • Exterior Ceramic Coatings
      • Commercial Menu
      • Commercial
        • Commercial Cleaners Menu
        • Commercial Cleaners
        • OneTab™ PRO+ Cleaning Tabs
        • Fabric & Canvas
        • Leather & Vinyl
        • Odour & Spot Removers
        • Graffiti & Spray Paint Remover
        • Commercial Disinfectants Menu
        • Commercial Disinfectants
        • Disinfectant Tablets
        • 2-in-1 Smart Dispensers Menu
        • 2-in-1 Smart Dispensers
        • Monitors & Dispensers
        • Mounts & Stands
        • OneMop™ & Mop Accessories Menu
        • OneMop™ & Mop Accessories
        • Telescopic Mop Pole
        • Interchangeable Bases
        • Replacement Pads
        • OneWipe™ Microfibre Wipes Menu
        • OneWipe™ Microfibre Wipes
        • Disposable Microfibre Wipes
        • Accessories Menu
        • Accessories
        • Monitors & Dispensers
        • Dispenser Mounts & Stands
        • Refillable Spray Bottles
        • Carboy
        • Refill Systems
      • Automotive Menu
      • Automotive
        • Leather & Vinyl Menu
        • Leather & Vinyl
        • Protector
        • Cleaner
        • Fabric Menu
        • Fabric
        • Cleaners
        • Protectors
        • Odour & Spot Removers
        • Exterior Menu
        • Exterior
        • Soaps & Washes
        • Coatings & Protectants
        • Canvas Cleaners & Protectors
      • Discover Menu
      • Discover
      • About Us
      • Our Mission
      • Our Brands
      • Vendor Catalog
    • Contact
    Home › Beat The Deet Blog › All About Ticks, Bites, and Tick-borne Illnesses

    Access Denied
    IMPORTANT! If you’re a store owner, please make sure you have Customer accounts enabled in your Store Admin, as you have customer based locks set up with EasyLockdown app. Enable Customer Accounts

    All About Ticks, Bites, and Tick-borne Illnesses

    by Crysta Hammond May 1, 2022
    Beat The Deet Blog - All About Ticks, Bites, and Tick-borne Illnesses | by TotalSTOP

    Ticks are found on all 7 continents and carry more zoonotic pathogens than any other type of vector, meaning they bring more types of pathogens over to people from animals than any other creature. 

    As of 2020, 27 tick-borne pathogens have been identified globally, and 18 of them are found in the United States & Canada. According to the Tick Awareness Canada Association (TACA), 18 species of ticks can generally be found across Canada.  

    It is speculated that climate change may be why tick populations are spreading into new areas, increasing tick-borne illnesses in humans.

    There should be more awareness about ticks & tick-borne, so let’s take a look.


    Introduction to Ticks

    Ticks are arachnids and do not belong to the class Insecta meaning they are not insects. They are external parasites and drink mostly mammal, avian and reptilian blood. 900 species of ticks have been found all over the world. 

    There are three tick families, the Ixodidae, the Argasidae, and Nuttalliellidae. The major families are Ixodidae, hard-bodied ticks with 700 species, and Argasidae, with 200 species. The Nuttalliellidae has only one species, and it is only found in Aftrica.

    The Ixodidae are by far the more serious family as it includes blacklegged ticks, dog ticks, and lone star ticks.

    Ticks have an ovoid/pear-shaped body. Ixodidae have a hard shield termed as scutum and a beak-like structure at the front, whereas Argasidae’s are without a hard shield and mouthparts are located on the underside of their body. Ticks live up to 2 to 3 years and undergo 4 stages in their lifecycle, namely egg, larva, nymph, and finally an adult. 


    Hardiness of Ticks

    Did you know that ticks can survive in a running vacuum for up to 30 minutes?

    Ticks are extremely tough and hardy. During dormant periods, their metabolism slowdowns, which lets them survive for extensive periods. They can endure drought for 18 weeks and live without a host for 36 weeks. Ticks can also withstand extreme temperatures. They can survive −18°C for more than two hours and −7°C and −2°C for at least two weeks. They have even been found in the chills of Antarctica, feeding on penguins! Their endurance and resilience are almost scary.  


    Habitat of Ticks

    Tick species are widely distributed around the globe. For a supporting ecosystem, ticks require two elements. Enough supportive hosts and high humidity levels. Ticks tend to flourish more in warm, humid climates and where there is sandy soil, hardwood trees, rivers, and the presence of animals. A habitat preferred by ticks is where an unmaintained area meets a maintained one, such as where a lawn meets the forest or an overstory of trees or shrubs. 82% of tick nymphs are found in the 3-meter boundary closest to the lawn's edge.


    How Ticks Locate

    How Ticks Locate Hosts

    You’d be amazed to know that these parasites locate their hosts by sensing their body heat, odour, moisture, and vibrations and can even detect carbon dioxide levels in the breath at nighttime using a minute cavity known as Haller’s organ. Haller’s organ is located at the terminal segment of the first pair of a tick’s legs and, ticks can even use it to perceive infrared light emanating from a host’s body.


    How Ticks Attack

    People think ticks jump onto their hosts, but this is a misconception. Ticks are incapable of flying or jumping. What they do is wait. Using their 3rd and 4th pair of legs, they maintain their position on a grass blade or a leaf. In contrast, their frontal legs are ready to grasp and climb onto any passing host upon receiving an olfactory or environmental stimulus. 

    Some ticks instantly attach themselves and start feeding, while some search for thinner skin. Upon locating the suitable spot, they grasp and cut into the epidermis using chelicerae (specialized appendages), making a hole. Then they insert a hypostome, a rugged harpooned-like structure near their mouth that allows them to stabilize firmly on a host. An anticoagulant (blood thinner) is then secreted to stop platelets from aggregating while they feed. This is when diseases get transmitted from the tick to the host.


    Diet of Ticks

    The diet of ticks is totally comprised of blood, and they do not use any other food source. All of their nutritional requirements are fulfilled by consuming it. They need blood to grow, develop instars, and lay eggs. Their hematophagous diet is the sole reason that ticks are vectors of many debilitating diseases affecting humans and other animals.


    Tick-borne Illnesses

    Ticks can harbor more than one pathogen and transmit more than one pathogen to humans and other animals. These includeLyme disease, Alpha Gal allergies, Babesiosis, Bartonella infection, Borrelia mayonii infection, Borrelia miyamotoi infection,Bourbon virus infection, Colorado tick fever, Ehrlichiosis, Heartland virus infection, HGA- Human Granulocytic Anaplasmosis, Mycoplasmosis infection, Powassan disease, Q Fever, Relapsing Fever Tick Fever also known as Recurrent Fever or Famine Fever, Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF), Rickettsia, STARI (Southern tick-associated rash illness), Tick paralysis, Tularemia infection.

    All of these are severe debilitating diseases and shouldn't be taken lightly.  

    In the absence of sufficient protection, these little critters keep spreading their onslaught across Canada. Between 2009 and 2021, the Provincial Public Health Unit of the Canadian government recorded 14,616 cases.

    information provided by:  Provincial Public Health Unit of the Canadian Government


    Lyme Disease

    Lyme disease is the most common disease caused by ticks. It is caused by a bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato. In the genus Ixodes, at least 15 species of ticks are a vector of this bacterium. 

    The symptoms include fever, fatigue, neuroborreliosis, arthritis, cranial nerve palsy, erythema migraines, carditis, and influenza-like illness.


    Tick removal

    Once discovered, ticks should be safely removed as soon as possible. If a tick gets removed within 24 hours, the chances of transmitting diseases are more diminutive. 

    Ticks are to be pulled off using tweezers very carefully. Grasp them with tweezers close to the mouth and not the body. Squeezing the body could possibly squeeze their possibly infectious toxic bodily fluids into the host's system. Pull them out without rotation. They can be frozen with either a custom spray or medical wart remover prior to removal. 

    Tick Removal Image

    Dispose of the ticks either by dropping them in soapy water or alcohol, flushing them down the toilet, or sticking them to a disposable tape. Fold the tape over them and then throw it away. 


    Tick Repellents

    TotalSTOP Deet-Free Insect Repellent

    Tick bite prevention is very important and you can safely exercise it with TotalSTOP. TotalSTOP is a DEET-free insect repellent utilizing Icaridin as an active ingredient. Icaridin is recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), the CDC, and is EPA-Registered. It provides long-lasting, 12-hour protection from all kinds of ticks and mosquitos and 10-hour protection from black flies.

    Icaridin is approved for use in 40+ countries, and TotalSTOP is perfect for the whole family including individuals with skin sensitivities, children that are 6+ months, pregnant, and nursing mothers!

    TotalSTOP is available in spray & wipes. It is non-toxic, odourless & water-resistant with a non-greasy formula that lasts all day.


    About The Author:

    Abdullah

    Abdullah is a certified gold-medal horticulturist. Passionate about gardening since childhood, he chose it as a career and now works as a senior horticulturist and also dedicates his time to leading his village farming community. Currently they are trying to plant more trees and flowering vines and shrubs to make their village attractive. Most of Abdullah's time is spent gardening, painting, moth rearing, tending to his pet fish and frogs, and community service.

    Beat The Deet with TotalSTOP Deet-Free Icaridin Insect Repellent | from SurfaceScience

    • Share Share on Facebook
    • Tweet Tweet on Twitter
    • Pin it Pin on Pinterest
    Back to Beat The Deet Blog
    Invalid password
    Enter

    Our Brands


    • BioBrand®
    • Gardian HS™
    • Graffiti-Be-Gone
    • Gun-it™
    • OneCoat™
    • OneTab™
    • OneTab™ PRO+
    • OneMop™
    • OneWipe™
    • TotalSTOP

    Discover


    • Our Brands
    • Blogs
    • News
    • Corporate
    • Distribution
    • Private Labelling
    • Contact

    Quick links


    • Privacy Policy
    • Shipping Policy
    • Return Policy
    • Terms of Service
    • Safety Data
    • Download Centre
    • Wholesaler Access

    Subscribe


    Payment methods
    • American Express
    • Apple Pay
    • Diners Club
    • Discover
    • Mastercard
    • PayPal
    • Shop Pay
    • Visa
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Linkedin
    • YouTube
    • RSS
    Payment methods
    • American Express
    • Apple Pay
    • Diners Club
    • Discover
    • Mastercard
    • PayPal
    • Shop Pay
    • Visa

    © 2023, SurfaceScience Powered by Shopify
    Use left/right arrows to navigate the slideshow or swipe left/right if using a mobile device
    • Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh.
    • Press the space key then arrow keys to make a selection.