Soft Tick

Scientific Name: Argasidae (genus likely Ornithodoros or Argas)

Order & Family: Order: Ixodida; Family: Argasidae

Size: 3mm to 10mm depending on species and life stage; they have a leathery, wrinkled appearance.

Soft Tick

Natural Habitat

Typically found in bird nests, bat caves, rodent burrows, or cracks and crevices of rustic cabins and woodpiles.

Diet & Feeding

Hematophagous (blood-feeders); they feed on the blood of birds, mammals, and occasionally humans.

Behavior Patterns

Unlike hard ticks, they are rapid feeders (typically finishing a meal in 15–30 minutes) and often feed at night. They can survive for years without a blood meal.

Risks & Benefits

Significant risk to humans as they can transmit Tic-Borne Relapsing Fever (TBRF) caused by Borrelia bacteria. They have no documented benefits to the ecosystem other than serving as a food source for some predators.

Identified on: 4/10/2026