{"id":12948,"date":"2019-12-19T04:29:00","date_gmt":"2019-12-19T09:29:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/ticks\/?p=12948"},"modified":"2024-07-27T08:22:39","modified_gmt":"2024-07-27T12:22:39","slug":"ticks-so-small-they-crawl","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/tick-notes\/ticks-so-small-they-crawl\/","title":{"rendered":"Ticks So Small&#8230; They Crawl Right Through Your Socks!"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"post_content\">\n<div class=\"fullwidth\">\n<p>All ticks come in small, medium, and large sizes; officially these life stages are termed <b>larva, nymph and adult<\/b>&nbsp;(male and female), respectively. But just how small&nbsp;<b><u>is<\/u><\/b>&nbsp;small?<\/p>\n<p>We&#8217;ve heard words like &#8212;&nbsp;<strong><i>tiny, miniscule, microscopic, tick dust, seed tick, grain of sand, can&#8217;t see &#8216;ums<\/i><\/strong> &#8211; to describe larval ticks. We&#8217;ve also heard expletive comments (a lot) related to people&#8217;s larval tick exposures. But these ticks are so small, they even can crawl right through your socks!! (but probably not nylon stockings). One of the biggest problems with larval ticks is that you rarely encounter just one. Stories that include \u201ctick nest\u201d usually end up being about larval ticks. Some people end up finding hundreds biting them from a single encounter. We&#8217;ve found a few hundred attached and feeding to the <a href=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/tick-notes\/a-curious-larval-tickencounter\/\">toes of a dog<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-12948 gallery-columns-1 gallery-size-full'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/larvae_socks_images_web_lg_01\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1713\/Larvae_Socks_Images_Web_Lg_01.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"larval ticks on a person&#039;s sock with the caption &quot;Ticks so small...&quot;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1713\/Larvae_Socks_Images_Web_Lg_01.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1713\/Larvae_Socks_Images_Web_Lg_01-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1713\/Larvae_Socks_Images_Web_Lg_01-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1713\/Larvae_Socks_Images_Web_Lg_01-364x273.jpg 364w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1713\/Larvae_Socks_Images_Web_Lg_01-500x375.jpg 500w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1713\/Larvae_Socks_Images_Web_Lg_01-1000x750.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/larvae_socks_images_web_lg_01b\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1713\/Larvae_Socks_Images_Web_Lg_01b.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"larval ticks on a person&#039;s sock\" srcset=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1713\/Larvae_Socks_Images_Web_Lg_01b.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1713\/Larvae_Socks_Images_Web_Lg_01b-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1713\/Larvae_Socks_Images_Web_Lg_01b-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1713\/Larvae_Socks_Images_Web_Lg_01b-364x273.jpg 364w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1713\/Larvae_Socks_Images_Web_Lg_01b-500x375.jpg 500w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1713\/Larvae_Socks_Images_Web_Lg_01b-1000x750.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/larvae_socks_images_web_lg_02\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1713\/Larvae_Socks_Images_Web_Lg_02.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"larval ticks shown after they crawled through a person&#039;s sock with the caption &quot;...they crawl right through your socks!&quot;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1713\/Larvae_Socks_Images_Web_Lg_02.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1713\/Larvae_Socks_Images_Web_Lg_02-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1713\/Larvae_Socks_Images_Web_Lg_02-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1713\/Larvae_Socks_Images_Web_Lg_02-364x273.jpg 364w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1713\/Larvae_Socks_Images_Web_Lg_02-500x375.jpg 500w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1713\/Larvae_Socks_Images_Web_Lg_02-1000x750.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/larvae_socks_images_web_lg_03\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1713\/Larvae_Socks_Images_Web_Lg_03.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"larval ticks shown after they craweled through a person&#039;s sock\" srcset=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1713\/Larvae_Socks_Images_Web_Lg_03.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1713\/Larvae_Socks_Images_Web_Lg_03-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1713\/Larvae_Socks_Images_Web_Lg_03-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1713\/Larvae_Socks_Images_Web_Lg_03-364x273.jpg 364w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1713\/Larvae_Socks_Images_Web_Lg_03-500x375.jpg 500w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1713\/Larvae_Socks_Images_Web_Lg_03-1000x750.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/larvae_socks_images_web_lg_04\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1713\/Larvae_Socks_Images_Web_Lg_04.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"larval ticks compared to the spaces between sock threads\" srcset=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1713\/Larvae_Socks_Images_Web_Lg_04.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1713\/Larvae_Socks_Images_Web_Lg_04-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1713\/Larvae_Socks_Images_Web_Lg_04-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1713\/Larvae_Socks_Images_Web_Lg_04-364x273.jpg 364w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1713\/Larvae_Socks_Images_Web_Lg_04-500x375.jpg 500w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1713\/Larvae_Socks_Images_Web_Lg_04-1000x750.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/larvae_socks_images_web_lg_04b\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1713\/Larvae_Socks_Images_Web_Lg_04b.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"larval ticks compared to the spaces between sock threads upclose\" srcset=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1713\/Larvae_Socks_Images_Web_Lg_04b.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1713\/Larvae_Socks_Images_Web_Lg_04b-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1713\/Larvae_Socks_Images_Web_Lg_04b-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1713\/Larvae_Socks_Images_Web_Lg_04b-364x273.jpg 364w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1713\/Larvae_Socks_Images_Web_Lg_04b-500x375.jpg 500w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1713\/Larvae_Socks_Images_Web_Lg_04b-1000x750.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/larvae_socks_images_web_lg_05\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1713\/Larvae_Socks_Images_Web_Lg_05.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"blacklegged tick larval crawling through the threads of a sock\" srcset=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1713\/Larvae_Socks_Images_Web_Lg_05.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1713\/Larvae_Socks_Images_Web_Lg_05-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1713\/Larvae_Socks_Images_Web_Lg_05-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1713\/Larvae_Socks_Images_Web_Lg_05-364x273.jpg 364w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1713\/Larvae_Socks_Images_Web_Lg_05-500x375.jpg 500w, https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1713\/Larvae_Socks_Images_Web_Lg_05-1000x750.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p>While larvae are mostly <u>noninfective<\/u> right out of the egg, they have been found to be carrying disease agents like the newly recognized human pathogen <i>Borrelia miyamotoi<\/i>, the agent of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (<i>Rickettsia rickettsiae<\/i>), and the cattle parasite&nbsp;<i>Babesia bovis<\/i>. Some larval tick bites also have been linked to development of red meat allergies. Pathogen transmission leading to infection following larval tick bites is usually a rare event&#8230; but it can happen.<\/p>\n<p>One way to protect yourself from ticks that can crawl through your socks is to&nbsp;<u>always<\/u> wear tick repellent socks when outside in tick habitat. Purchasing <a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/bestrepellent\">socks pre-treated with permethrin<\/a> or treating your own with a permethrin spray are terrific ways to keep these tiny blood suckers from biting you.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Learn more about how to <a href=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/prevention\/protect-yourself\/\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/prevention\/protect-yourself\/\">protect yourself from l<\/a><a href=\"_wp_link_placeholder\">arval ticks<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>All ticks come in small, medium, and large sizes; officially these life stages are termed larva, nymph and adult\u00a0(male and female), respectively&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1338,"featured_media":12969,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[448],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12948","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tick-notes"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12948","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1338"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12948"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12948\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25472,"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12948\/revisions\/25472"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12969"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12948"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12948"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/tickencounter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12948"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}