Parasite on belly button!

[slinkycat]

Reading answerprancers question below reminded me of something I'd tried to forget! Just got back from touring in Scotland and one morning when I went for a shower I noticed blood coming from near my belly button and on closer inspection there was a small insect attached to my skin. I brushed it off in panic, but then picked it up to show hubby.
First thought was that it was a tick, but it wasn't like ticks I've found on my cats,too flat and small, any ideas?

[Answerprancer]

Could be a deer tick, what colour was it ?

[Answerprancer]

btw, sheep ticks often start off flat, when they embed themselves they look a bit like off-white crashed stealth bombers.

[wildwood]

Have you saved it in formaldehyde? Probably a tick, as they are very fond of blood. There are many species and they look quite different from before they've had a feed or after.

Unlike proper insects, Ticks and Mites have eight legs and are closely related to spiders. Most look gross but here is a pretty one.

http://tinypic.com/r/k1xb11/7

[RATTER15]

Almost certainly a tick, many different types of ticks and they often look different depending how engorged with blood they are.

[Prudie]

I've often had ticks on me after being in the countryside and thay look like tiny spiders. It's only after they've sucked up blood that the big ball thing appears like you get on pets.

[slinkycat]

no, saved it in a bit of tissue wildwood, so its a bit dessicated now! Prudie, it did actually look like a little black spider, so maybe it was a tick, must have caught it before it embedded itself, thank god!

[KARL]

Lymes disease is spread by insects so, depending on how long ago this was, it might be worth your while to have yourself checked for it. It is a very debilitating and potentially dangerous disease. See http://news.bbc.co.uk.../scotland/6641115.stm

[lankeela]

This was the storyline in the TV soap 'Doctors' this week - one of them had been bitten by a tick on holiday and ended up with Lyme's Disease.

[lankeela]

You can watch the episode here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/...mes/b00twzqy#synopsis

[slinkycat]

Yes I was a bit concerned about Lyme's disease but I've checked it out and apparently the tick has to be attached for 2-3 days or more to give the bacteria chance to enter the body, this one wasn't even engorged so should be fine.