This graph shows the proportion of lyme disease compared to other diseases that are spread by contact with an animal or insect bite. This is one suggested method of tick removal. Care must be taken not to squeeze the body of the tick, as this may force infectious fluid back into the skin. This photograph shows the natural habitat of ticks. Note that this is a park campground intended for both adults and children.
Ticks often hang from overhead branches and drop when they sense body heat below.
A favorite site for ticks is the hairline on the back of the neck. This is a close-up photograph of a tick embedded in the skin. Ticks are important because they can carry diseases such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever, tularemia, Colorado tick fever, Lyme disease, and others. Rocky Mountain spotted fever is caused by the organism Rickettsia rickettsii and is transmitted by a tick bite. This is the typical appearance of the rash.