Hard Tick

Wooded areas, tall grasses, leaf litter, and areas with high humidity and animal activity.

Hematophagous; they feed exclusively on the blood of mammals, birds, and sometimes reptiles/amphibians.

They exhibit 'questing' behavior, where they cling to vegetation with their back legs and reach out with their front legs to latch onto a passing host. They undergo four life stages: egg, larva, nymph, and adult.

Significant health risks to humans and animals as they are vectors for diseases such as Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and Anaplasmosis. They offer little benefit beyond being a food source for some birds and reptiles.