Plague of ‘monster ticks’ infesting British vacation hotspots throughout Europe
Holidaymakers have been warned of a plague of ‘monster ticks’ overrunning a number of holiday destinations popular with British tourists this summer.
The bloodsucking parasites are four times larger than normal ticks and can carry deadly diseases. Brits are being warned to look after the aggressive mites at resorts in Spain, the Balearic Islands and southern Italy.
Known as Hyalomma lusitanicum, the massive bugs are usually found in tropical climates including Africa and southeast Asia and only found in low numbers in Europe. But scientists say the parasites are growing in numbers, which is raising alarm bells as the species appears to be thriving in colder climates.
Read more: UK tourists warned about visiting holiday hotspot ‘between March and November’
The ticks, which can transmit the deadly Crimean-Congo fever (CCHFV), were found in almost every part of Barcelona back in 2022.
(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
But this spring, they were found to have spread out to eight areas of the northeastern region of Catalonia.
They have also been spotted in the UK, Portugal, Sardinia, Malta and more recently in Germany and Sweden as well as northern parts of Italy.
Polish health experts have already warned its citizens that the ticks could soon reach its borders with Warsaw scientists now launching a special programme to try and map the approaching threat. The ticks, which are carried by wild animals like rabbits, are understood to actively hunt for its prey unlike other typically species of ticks.
(Image: Getty Images)
Carlos Pradera, a specialist in pest control, said: “H. lusitanicum actively seek out their prey, running towards them once they detect their presence.”
He told La Vanguardia that its most distinguished characteristic is high mobility that allows it to wait for an animal or human to pass before leaping onto their skin.
If you do find a tick on yourself, experts recommend using tweezers to grab the tick by the head – never the body – and pull it out immediately.
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