What can a tick do? - briefly
A tick attaches to a host, ingests blood, and can transmit disease‑causing microorganisms. It also releases anticoagulant compounds to keep the blood flowing during feeding.
What can a tick do? - in detail
Ticks attach to vertebrate hosts, pierce the skin with a specialized mouthpart, and ingest blood. Their salivary secretions contain anticoagulants, anti‑inflammatory agents, and immunomodulators that facilitate prolonged feeding and suppress host defenses.
During the blood meal, ticks can acquire and transmit a range of pathogens, including bacteria (e.g., Borrelia burgdorferi), viruses (e.g., Powassan virus), and protozoa (e.g., Babesia spp.). Transmission occurs through saliva, regurgitation, or fecal contamination of the bite site. Some species retain pathogens transstadially, allowing infection of subsequent hosts after molting.
Ticks locate hosts by detecting heat, carbon‑dioxide, and movement. Sensory organs on the forelegs, known as Haller’s organs, process these cues, guiding the questing behavior that positions the arthropod on vegetation to latch onto passing animals.
Reproduction involves a single blood meal for females, after which they lay thousands of eggs in protected microhabitats. Egg development proceeds without further feeding, and larvae hatch ready to seek hosts. Males typically feed minimally and focus on mating.
Survival strategies include:
- Desiccation resistance: waxy cuticle and behavior that reduces exposure to dry conditions.
- Diapause: metabolic slowdown during unfavorable seasons, triggered by photoperiod and temperature cues.
- Host specificity: some species preferentially infest particular mammals, birds, or reptiles, enhancing ecological niche exploitation.
Ticks impact ecosystems by regulating host populations, serving as food for predators such as birds and small mammals, and influencing pathogen dynamics within wildlife communities. Their capacity to move between wildlife, domestic animals, and humans positions them as critical vectors in zoonotic disease cycles.