Tick

Scientific Name: Ixodida (Order)

Order & Family: Order: Ixodida; Families include Ixodidae (Hard Ticks) and Argasidae (Soft Ticks)

Size: 1mm to 5mm (unfed), can swell significantly after feeding.

Tick

Natural Habitat

Grassy, wooded, or bushy areas with high humidity and host availability.

Diet & Feeding

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

Behavior Patterns

Questing (waiting on vegetation for a host), attaching for long periods to feed, and undergoing multi-stage life cycles (larva, nymph, adult).

Risks & Benefits

Risks include the transmission of pathogens such as Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and Anaplasmosis. They generally do not provide direct benefits to humans.

Identified on: 6/23/2026