Tick is the common name that along with other mites make up the Acaring Family. Ticks by nature are external parasites like Fleas they live on the blood of their host animal, bird or reptile. Ticks are carriers of several diseases including Lyme disease. They are often found in tall grass, where they will wait to attach themselves to a passerby. Ticks cannot jump or fly but they can drop onto their host. Some will actually stalk their prey until they can make contact. The length of day or the change in temperature can cause ticks to look for a host. They will drop from their host once they are full. In some cases this can take several days. With their harpoon like mouth structure that has a series of barbs that are angled backward ticks are hard to remove once they have penetrated their host. They can be found around where there are horse or deer trails.
