Ticks

Behavior and Habitat of Ticks

Most species of ticks feed on the blood of mammals, birds, and reptiles. Ticks are not insects, such as fleas, but are actually arachnids, more related to spiders, scorpions, and mites. They have a four-stage life cycle: eggs, larvae, nymphs, and adults. Depending on its species, a tick may take less than a year or up to several years to go through its four-stage life cycle. While ticks need a blood meal at each stage after hatching, some species can survive years without feeding. Ticks are commonly found near wooded or vegetated areas. They need an area with high humidity (to maintain moisture balance) and a mix of animal species to act as hosts. Hard ticks seek hosts by an interesting behavior called "questing." Questing ticks crawl up the stems of grass or shrubs, or perch on the edges of leaves on the ground, with their front legs extended. Carbon dioxide, heat, and/or movement serve as stimuli for questing behavior. Subsequently, these ticks climb onto a potential host which brushes against their extended front legs or drop down onto a potential host from a high perching area when shadows/movement are observed.