Tick Behavior

Quck answer

Ticks are parasitic arachnids that feed on the blood of animals and humans. They have mouthparts designed to pierce the skin and suck blood. Ticks can transmit diseases such as Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and tick-borne encephalitis. Ticks are found in grassy and wooded areas, and can attach themselves to humans and animals as they pass by. To prevent tick bites, it is important to wear protective clothing, use tick repellent, and check for ticks after spending time outdoors. If a tick is found, it should be removed carefully with tweezers to avoid leaving the mouthparts in the skin.

Wild Animals

Understanding Tick Behavior

A blacklegged tick on a quest
Photo courtesy CDC/James Gathanay, William Nicholson

Soft and hard ticks have different behaviors when it comes to finding food. Soft ticks usually live in the nests and burrows of animals where they lay eggs. The larvae, nymphs, and adults crawl through the nest to find hosts. They feed at night and detach from the host quickly. Unlike hard ticks, soft ticks usually finish their meal in a short time.

Hard ticks use a behavior known as questing to find food. They position themselves on grass blades, leaves, or other vegetation, stretch their clawed limbs outward, and wait for their hosts to pass by. Ticks cannot jump or drop onto their hosts; they hang on when a host brushes them. Larvae quest at ground level, nymphs climb higher to find larger hosts, and adults climb highest to find large animals to feed on.

Ticks use several signals to decide when and where to quest. Some tick species have eyes and can detect color and movement. Both soft and hard ticks can detect carbon dioxide (CO2) that animals produce as they exhale. By following these signals, ticks can find their hosts with ease.

Some hard tick species find a host as larvae and stay on that host for their whole life. These are known as one-host ticks. Others are two-host ticks, which mature from larvae to nymphs on one host and then find a second, larger host as adults. Most hard tick species are three-host ticks that feed and drop to the ground at each stage of their lives.

Since ticks need blood for food, they can transmit diseases from one host to another. The United States has different tick species, including the brown dog tick, the American dog tick or wood tick, the blacklegged tick or deer tick, and the lone star tick.

To learn more about tick species worldwide, consult the databases of the Armed Forces Pest Management Board and the Tick Identification Key.

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FAQ

1. What are ticks?

Ticks are tiny arachnids that belong to the family Ixodidae. They are parasitic and feed on the blood of mammals, birds, and reptiles. Ticks are commonly found in grassy and wooded areas all over the world.

2. How do ticks attach to their hosts?

Ticks use their front legs to find a host and then climb onto the host’s skin. They use their mouthparts to pierce the skin and then secrete a cement-like substance to anchor themselves in place. Once they are attached, they begin to feed on the host’s blood.

3. Can ticks transmit diseases?

Yes, ticks can transmit diseases such as Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and tick-borne encephalitis. The risk of contracting a disease from a tick bite depends on the type of tick and the area where the bite occurred.

4. How can I protect myself from tick bites?

You can protect yourself from tick bites by wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants, using insect repellent that contains DEET, and checking yourself and your pets for ticks after spending time outdoors.

5. How do ticks feed?

Ticks feed by inserting their mouthparts into the skin of their host. They secrete an anticoagulant to prevent the host’s blood from clotting and then begin to suck up the blood. Ticks can feed for several days.

6. Can ticks survive indoors?

Ticks prefer to live outdoors in grassy and wooded areas. However, they can survive indoors if they find their way inside on a host animal or on clothing. It is important to check for ticks after spending time outdoors and to remove any ticks that are found.

7. How do I remove a tick?

To remove a tick, use a pair of fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible. Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Do not twist or jerk the tick as this can cause the mouthparts to break off and remain in the skin. After removing the tick, clean the bite area with soap and water.

8. What should I do if I develop symptoms after a tick bite?

If you develop a rash, fever, or other symptoms after a tick bite, seek medical attention. Early treatment can help prevent the development of more serious illnesses.