Latin: Argas reflexus
The pigeon tick with the Latin name Argas reflexus is a pest that – as the name suggests – parasites on the pigeon. They live especially near domestic pigeon nests, just as they can also stay in old pigeon nests. The pigeon tick is found on Danish soil but is not very widespread in Denmark.
Appearance
The pigeon tick is quite easy to recognize on its body shape. It is fairly flattened and has the shape of an egg. The female pigeon tick is quite large and can grow over 1 centimeter long, just as she can grow more than ½ centimeters wide. The pigeon tick larva, however, is somewhat smaller in its size. And in its first stage, it measures less than 1 millimeter.
Biology and behavior
The pigeon tick is a parasite that feeds on the pigeon’s blood. Already when the little pigeon tick larva hatches from its egg, it immediately finds a pigeon or pigeon cub, which it can attach itself to and thus live on its blood. Here it clings for the first 2 to 10 days of its life.
When it has finished its meal, the larva hides in hiding in a crack or crack no more than a few meters from the nest, where it moves to change skin. The larva goes through several stages – where it alternately seeks out its meals on the pigeon and seeks shelter to change skin – until it is finally fully developed as either a sexually mature male or female.
If the larva ends up as a male, it only has to worry about having to suck blood from a pigeon once a year. The life of a pigeon tick female is somewhat difficult. Because after mating, she must have a pigeon blood meal for each serving of eggs she lays. A female can lay between 20 and 70 eggs at a time. The hatching takes place after a month.
Pigeons ticks can live a long life and their normal life cycle lasts between 2 to 3 years. However, there are also reports of large populations of pigeon ticks in Germany, which have survived for 13 and 21 years, respectively, after the pigeon slaughter. Such stories, however, are extremely rare, and most ticks are rarely seen after the fifth year. The reason for the pigeon ticks ability to survive is that they can manage to starve in cool surroundings for several years in a row.
Damage
The pigeon tick live as described by the blood of domestic pigeons, which is why they can be a nuisance to their powerless hosts. In particularly severe cases of infestation, where the ticks occur in large numbers, the pigeons can even become weakened and even die of anemia.
Areas on ceilings where pigeons have lived for a long period of time can therefore be hearths for pigeon ticks. And if the residence is abandoned, the pigeon ticks may find themselves searching for new hosts to spy on. It is therefore not without precedent that the pigeon ticks have sought further into the dwelling and possibly tried to bite sleeping people.
However, human blood is not a good starting point for pigeons, as they can neither survive for long nor multiply on this type of blood. A bite from a pigeon tick can be painful and it can cause swelling and redness in the affected area.
Prevention and pest control
To avoid problems with pigeon ticks, you should be extra careful when cleaning pigeons, pigeon droppings and pigeon nests. It is recommended that all cracks and crevices in the affected area be powdered with an insect repellent that can control the pigeon tick. Pay special attention in rooms where housing may be arranged later, as the pigeon mites, as described, can survive for a very long time, even after the pigeons have left the area.
If there are signs of pigeon ticks in the home, there will probably only be quite a few uninvited guests. They can be removed and made harmless as soon as they are detected. It can be beneficial to powder with insect repellent in the areas that are suspected to be the place where the ticks enter. In the event of a major attack, it is recommended to contact a professional pest control company. The control is most effective in the period from April to September, when it is hot, and the ticks are thus most active.
"Pests in House and Home"
"Bed Bugs - Bites, Stings and Itches"
"Food Pests"
"Husets dyreliv" (Insects Around the House - Only danish)
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"Stuefluen" (Common Housefly - Only danish)