Tick

Grassy, wooded, or brushy areas; they often wait on the tips of vegetation to latch onto a host.

Hematophagous; they feed exclusively on the blood of mammals, birds, and sometimes reptiles/amphibians.

They exhibit 'questing' behavior by holding onto leaves with back legs and reaching out with front legs to grab a passing host. They undergo four life stages: egg, larva, nymph, and adult.

Significant health risk as vectors for diseases such as Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and Ehrlichiosis. They provide no direct benefit to humans and function as parasites in the ecosystem.