Shocking footage reveals what attracts blood-sucking ticks
The ticks are seen flying the human equivalent of many flights of stairs.
Blood-sucking ticks are drawn towards their human or animal hosts by static electricity, new research has revealed.
Because the tiny insects are not able to jump, they utilise the naturally accumulated electrostatic charges of their victims to propel themselves great distances.
Video of the mechanism used by the ticks has been supplied by the University of Bristol, whose scientists made the discovery. It shows the tiny creatures being propelled across the room like magic.
How does the static electricity mechanism work?
Researchers began their tests with electrically charged rabbit fur and then moved to electrodes, which drew the ticks several centimetres across a room. The human equivalent would be like jumping a number of flights of stairs.
Lead author Dr Sam England explains how it works. “We see this when we get a static shock after bouncing on a trampoline, or when rubbing a balloon on our hair, for example. But this electrostatic charging also happens to animals in nature when they rub against objects in their environment like grass, sand, or other animals,” she said.
Key tick facts you need to know:
People in tick-prone areas are advised by government to cover up and wear a repellent.
In Australia, the paralysis tick can kill pets.
They can also harm wildlife when the animal’s immune system is compromised.
Could the discovery help prevent tick bites?
Other insects like mites, fleas, and lice could also be utilising the same mechanism and it’s possible studying their movement could lead to the development of new technologies.
But it’s preventing bites from ticks that would likely be the most immediate application. Researchers hope the discovery could help us avoid their bites as they can lead to crippling illnesses like Lyme disease or even death.
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“Until now, we had no idea that an animal could benefit from static electricity in this way, and it really opens up one’s imagination as to how many invisible forces like this could be helping animals and plants live their lives,” Dr England said.
The study was published in Current Biology.
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