Who can bite besides a tick? - briefly
Various arthropods and annelids can bite humans. Examples include mosquitoes, fleas, sandflies, mites, spiders, leeches, horseflies, and blackflies.
Who can bite besides a tick? - in detail
Biting organisms other than ticks include a wide range of arthropods and some vertebrates. Their capacity to pierce skin, obtain blood, and transmit pathogens varies by species, feeding mechanism, and ecological niche.
Mosquitoes (family Culicidae) inject saliva containing anticoagulants while probing for blood. They are vectors of malaria, dengue, Zika, and West Nile virus.
Fleas (order Siphonaptera) pierce the host’s epidermis with a serrated mouthpart. They transmit Yersinia pestis, murine typhus, and tapeworms such as Dipylidium caninum.
Lice (order Phthiraptera) embed their mandibles into skin or hair shafts. Body lice spread Rickettsia prowazekii and Bartonella quintana; head lice are primarily a nuisance.
Sandflies (subfamily Phlebotominae) deliver a painful bite and can transmit Leishmania parasites, causing cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis.
Horseflies and deerflies (family Tabanidae) possess scissor‑like mouthparts that lacerate tissue. Their saliva may spread anthrax spores and various equine pathogens.
Blackflies (family Simuliidae) use a sharp proboscis to feed on blood, acting as vectors for Onchocerca volvulus, the cause of river blindness.
Mites (order Acari) such as chiggers (Trombiculidae) embed larval mouthparts into skin, causing intense dermatitis. Some mite species transmit scrub typhus (Orientia tsutsugamushi).
Bedbugs (Cimex lectularius) feed nocturnally, injecting anesthetic saliva. Although not proven disease vectors, they cause significant dermatological reactions.
Ticks belong to the subclass Acari, but other arachnids like spider mites and certain scorpions can deliver painful bites, occasionally resulting in allergic reactions or envenomation.
Vertebrate agents include certain bat species that may inflict a bite while feeding on blood (vampire bats), and rodents that bite when handling or during infestation, potentially transmitting Hantavirus or plague bacteria.
In summary, the spectrum of biting organisms extends beyond ticks to include mosquitoes, fleas, lice, sandflies, horseflies, blackflies, chiggers, bedbugs, other arachnids, and a limited number of vertebrates. Each group possesses distinct anatomical adaptations for blood acquisition and, in many cases, the ability to transmit infectious agents.