Community identification
Tick
Ixodida (Order)
- Order & Family
- Order: Ixodida; Families: Ixodidae (Hard Ticks) and Argasidae (Soft Ticks)
- Size
- 1 mm to 10 mm depending on life stage and whether they are engorged with blood.
Natural Habitat
Wooded areas, tall grasses, shrubs, and leaf litter where they wait for hosts to brush by.
Diet & Feeding
Obligate hematophages; they feed exclusively on the blood of mammals, birds, and sometimes reptiles/amphibians.
Behavior Patterns
They exhibit 'questing' behavior by climbing to the tips of vegetation and extending legs to grab passing hosts. They undergo four life stages: egg, larva, nymph, and adult.
Risks & Benefits
High risk as vectors for various diseases including Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and Anaplasmosis. They provide no significant benefits to humans and can cause anemia or tick paralysis in heavy infestations of animals.