Hard tick

Woodlands, tall grasses, brush, and areas frequented by mammalian hosts.

Obligate hematophages; they feed exclusively on the blood of mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians.

Ticks use a behavior called 'questing' where they cling to vegetation and reach out with their front legs to latch onto a passing host. They undergo a multi-stage life cycle: egg, larva, nymph, and adult.

Significant health risks to humans and animals as vectors for diseases such as Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and anaplasmosis. They offer little to no benefit to ecosystems other than being a minor food source for some birds and reptiles.