Hard Tick

Wooded areas, tall grass, and leaf litter

Blood from mammals, birds, and sometimes reptiles/amphibians

Questing behavior (waiting on grass for a host), slow feeding process lasting several days, and complex life cycle involving larval, nymph, and adult stages.

Risks include the transmission of pathogens such as Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and babesiosis; they provide no direct benefit to humans but are food for some bird and reptile species.