Black-legged tick (Deer tick)

Wooded areas, tall grass, and leaf litter where they wait for hosts

Blood from mammals (including humans), birds, and reptiles

Quests by positioning themselves on vegetation with legs outstretched to latch onto passing hosts; progresses through three life stages (larva, nymph, adult) over two years

Primary vector for Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, and babesiosis; no significant benefits to humans, though they serve as food for some birds and reptiles