Tick
Scientific Name: Ixodida
Order & Family: Order: Ixodida; Family: Ixodidae (Hard Ticks) or Argasidae (Soft Ticks)
Size: 1mm to 10mm depending on species and life stage; can grow much larger when engorged with blood.
Natural Habitat
Grassy, wooded, or brushy areas; often found on tall grass or leaf litter waiting for a host.
Diet & Feeding
Hematophagous (blood-feeding); they consume the blood of mammals, birds, and sometimes reptiles/amphibians.
Behavior Patterns
Uses a behavior called 'questing' where they hold onto leaves with back legs and stretch front legs out to grab a passing host. They undergo four life stages: egg, larva, nymph, and adult.
Risks & Benefits
High risk to humans and animals as vectors for various diseases including Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and Ehrlichiosis. They provide little ecosystem benefit other than serving as a food source for some birds and reptiles.
Identified on: 4/10/2026