• BROOKINGS, S.D. - After a long winter, it is understandable for South Dakotans to want to spend as much time outdoors as possible. Unfortunately, ticks like the warm weather as well, says Buyung Hadi, SDSU Extension SDSU Extension Urban Entomology Specialist.
• "Tick bites by themselves can pose a risk of causing tick paralysis due to a toxin in the tick's saliva. On humans, tick paralysis is more likely to be seen on children," Hadi said. "This effect is reversible if the tick is removed at the onset of the paralysis."
• He adds that ticks also vector some human diseases. Diseases that can potentially be transmitted by American dog tick and Rocky mountain wood tick are listed in Table 1.
• Details on ticks found in South Dakota
• Generally, there are two families of ticks: hard ticks or Ixodidae and soft ticks or Argasidae, Hadi explains. 
• "The 'hard' and 'soft' parts of the family names refer to a shield-like structure at the back of the hard ticks' bodies; the soft ticks lack this structure. Both families are present in South Dakota," he said.
• Male and female hard ticks are typically different in appearance. Female hard ticks are capable of enormous expansion upon engorgement. The mouthparts of hard ticks extend forward and are visible from above . Soft ticks are leathery and the males and females generally look similar. The mouthparts of soft ticks are attached below the body and are not readily visible from above. The habitats for the two tick

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