Tick
Scientific Name: Ixodida (Order)
Order & Family: Ixodida (Order)
Size: Typically 3-5 mm in length, but can swell significantly when engorged with blood (up to 10 mm or more).
Natural Habitat
Grassy, wooded, and bushy areas; often found on hosts (mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians).
Diet & Feeding
Strictly hematophagous (blood feeders). They feed on the blood of vertebrates.
Behavior Patterns
Questing behavior (climbing onto vegetation and waiting for a host to pass by). They attach to a host and feed for several days. Life cycle typically involves four stages: egg, larva, nymph, and adult, each requiring a blood meal.
Risks & Benefits
Potential risks: Ticks are vectors for numerous diseases including Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis, and babesiosis. Benefits: Minimal known direct benefits to humans or ecosystems, though they are part of the food chain for some animals.
Identified on: 10/19/2025