Definition

1. Noun:
   • A wingless fly that is an external parasite on sheep and cattle: This refers to a specific type of insect, also known as a ked, that lives on the skin of these animals and feeds on their blood.
   • A tick that is parasitic on sheep, cattle, and humans; can transmit serious diseases: This refers to a hard-bodied tick that attaches to hosts to feed and can act as a vector for illnesses such as looping ill in sheep and Lyme disease.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The farmer checked the flock for sheep tick. (The farmer inspected the sheep for the parasitic insect.)
  • The sheep tick is a known vector for Lyme disease. (This parasitic tick can transmit Lyme disease bacteria.)

Advanced Usage

• The term "sheep tick" can be ambiguous, as it is used for two different parasites: a wingless fly () and certain species of hard ticks (e.g., ). The specific meaning is often clear from context, such as discussing livestock management (often the fly) or disease transmission (often the tick).
  • Control of the sheep tick is essential for preventing looping ill in the flock. (Managing the parasitic tick is crucial to stop the spread of the viral disease.)

Variants and Related Words

• Sheep ked: Another name for the wingless fly , which is a specific type of "sheep tick."
  • The sheep ked, or sheep tick, causes irritation and wool damage.
• Tick (n): The general category of arachnid parasites to which one type of "sheep tick" belongs.
• Parasite (n): A general term for an organism that lives on or in a host.

Synonyms

• Ked (for the wingless fly).
• Castor bean tick (a common name for , one tick species called "sheep tick").

Notes on Different Meanings

• The primary confusion lies in the dual reference:
  • The Sheep Ked: A small, brown, wingless fly that spends its entire life on sheep. It is a true insect.
  • The Hard Tick: A larger, arachnid parasite that attaches temporarily to feed from various hosts, including sheep. It is this tick that is a noted disease vector.

Noun

1. parasitic on sheep and cattle as well as humans; can transmit looping ill in sheep (acute viral disease of the nervous system); a vector for Lyme disease spirochete
2. wingless fly that is an external parasite on sheep and cattle