It is distinguished by its great speed when looking for prey: what do we really know about the giant tick spotted in the Gard ?

Nearly a week ago, a giant tick was found in a town in Gard during a butterfly inventory. Fabrice Melet, SVT teacher and naturalist nbsp;at the André-Chamson school complex in Vigan wanted to provide additional information.

"This tick has been present in Languedoc-Roussillon for 2 to 3 years and for longer in Corsica. She would have reached the Pays Viganais probably about a year ago. It spreads quickly in grassy and dry areas, such as for example the Causse de Blandas", indicates Fabrice Mélet, professor of SVT at the Lycée du Vigan, following an article on this tick in our area.

What are the characteristics of the giant tick ?

"Its main characteristics are its large size (8 mm as an adult) compared to the common tick Ixodes Ricinus (5 mm maximum), its striped legs and its great speed when it looking for prey. It is important to know that, although it can carry the Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) virus, no cases of transmission of this virus have currently been reported in France, which means that the The common tick, a frequent carrier of the bacteria responsible for Lyme disease (boreliosis) and/or the encephalitis virus, is, for the moment, much more dangerous than the tick. ;nbsp;giant", explains the teacher.

The giant tick compared to a normal tick. ML – DR

How to react ?

"On the other hand, cases of giant ticks contaminated with the virus responsible for CCHF were discovered in 2023 in a farm in the south of France, it is therefore important to follow the progression of the virus in the tick population, warns Fabrice Mélet.

"For this, for any tic recovered, you can send it to Citiques. If you have to move through the bush, it is preferable to wear light, covering clothing to protect yourself and you should know that a tick can only be removed in the bush. using tick tweezers, underlines the professor.