Tick

Wooded areas, tall grass, shrubs, animal nests and burrows. They latch onto hosts passing by.

Blood of mammals, birds, and sometimes reptiles and amphibians, feeding for several hours to days.

Questing (waiting on vegetation for a host), slow-moving, can attach firmly to hosts. They go through four life stages: egg, larva, nymph, and adult. Each active stage requires a blood meal.

Risks: Can transmit various diseases to humans and animals, including Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis, and Powassan virus. Benefits: Play a role in the food chain for some predators, but generally considered pests due to disease transmission.