Key Points at a Glance
- In late spring, summer, and fall, ticks are at their peak in our part of the world.
- But what species of ticks are actually found in Switzerland—and which ones are dangerous to humans and animals?
- Scientists currently believe there are several species causing trouble in our region.
- Some of them are particularly dangerous to dogs, while the common wood tick and other species pose a risk to humans.
In principle, ticks—which are usually only a few millimeters in size, even when fully engorged—can pose a danger as early as March if temperatures are unusually high. As a rule, however, the peak season begins in May. Worldwide, there are approximately 900 known species of these arachnids; in Switzerland, new species are continually being added to the native population due to climate change. Currently, researchers estimate that there are eight species of ticks native to our region.
It's almost always the common wood tick
Not all of these eight species are dangerous to humans or animals—but the common wood tick certainly is. As the best-known and most widespread species of hard tick in Europe, it thrives throughout Switzerland and is found almost everywhere—in urban gardens and parks as well as in natural areas such as meadows, clearings, forests, and undergrowth. When a person in Switzerland is bitten by a tick, it is usually by this species.
You usually don’t notice when this tick bites; often, the spot doesn’t start to itch until hours later. By then, however, transmission of early summer meningoencephalitis (ESME) or Lyme disease may have already occurred. Dogs and cats are also not safe from the bite of the common wood tick; in addition, this bloodsucker also infests mice, birds, roe deer, and red deer.
Four more species of ticks that bite humans
Humans are potential hosts for four other tick genera found in Switzerland. One example is the hedgehog tick, which uses not only the spiny mammals that give it its name and other wild animal species (foxes, martens, etc.), but also dogs, cats, and us two-legged creatures as hosts, and can also transmit Lyme disease and TBE. The pigeon tick, on the other hand, as its name suggests, prefers pigeons but also bites humans.
The Hyalomma tick, which originates from Asia and Africa and is increasingly spreading across Europe—where it thrives in the increasingly mild winters—can grow up to two centimeters long. It seeks out larger animals such as dogs, as well as humans, as hosts, and can infect us with tick-borne spotted fever and Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever. The tick of the genus *Ixodes inopinatus*, which is slowly migrating to our region from more southern climes, transmits Lyme disease.
Examine dogs and cats thoroughly
If you often take your dog for walks in meadows and forests, you should check him regularly for ticks. This is because brown dog ticks, sheep ticks, and riparian forest ticks—which are also common in Switzerland—like to choose our four-legged friends (yes, cats are affected too) as their hosts. (By the way, you can find products to protect against ticks here.)
While cats can often remove the parasites completely on their own thanks to their fine, sharp teeth, dogs are unable to do so. Incidentally, the riparian forest tick also very rarely targets humans; in such cases, it can transmit TBE. It is particularly dangerous for dogs because this tick can also carry Babesia protozoa, which cause potentially fatal canine malaria.
