Hard Tick
Scientific Name: Family Ixodidae (species uncertain from image)
Order & Family: Order Ixodida, Family Ixodidae
Size: 3mm to 5mm unfed; up to 15mm when fully engorged.
Natural Habitat
Wooded areas, tall grass, leaf litter, and shrubs where they wait for hosts.
Diet & Feeding
Obligate hematophages (blood-feeders), consuming blood from mammals, birds, and sometimes reptiles.
Behavior Patterns
They exhibit 'questing' behavior by climbing to the tips of vegetation and extending their legs to latch onto passing hosts. They undergo four life stages: egg, larva, nymph, and adult.
Risks & Benefits
Significant risk as vectors for diseases such as Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and Anaplasmosis. They have no direct benefits to humans, though they are a food source for some birds and reptiles.
Identified on: 3/17/2026