What does a tick do when it feeds? - briefly
During a blood meal, a tick inserts its hypostome, releases anti‑coagulant saliva, and gradually engorges over several days. The saliva also suppresses the host’s immune response, allowing prolonged attachment.
What does a tick do when it feeds? - in detail
A tick attaches to the host’s skin using its specialized mouthparts, the capitulum, which includes chelicerae and a hypostome. The hypostome, covered with barbed hooks, penetrates the epidermis and anchors the parasite firmly, preventing dislodgement during blood intake.
During attachment, the tick secretes a complex saliva containing anticoagulants, anti‑inflammatory agents, and immunomodulatory proteins. These compounds inhibit clot formation, reduce pain perception, and suppress the host’s immune response, allowing uninterrupted feeding for several days.
The feeding process proceeds in distinct phases:
- Insertion and anchoring – the hypostome penetrates to the dermal layer; cement-like substances are released to seal the feeding site.
- Saliva injection – a cocktail of bioactive molecules is delivered continuously to maintain blood flow and evade host defenses.
- Blood ingestion – the tick expands its body as it draws blood through a dorsal canal into the midgut; the volume can increase up to 200 times the unfed weight.
- Engorgement – the midgut epithelium stores the meal, and the tick’s cuticle stretches to accommodate the volume.
- Detachment – after the required nutrient load is reached, the cement loosens, and the tick drops off the host to digest the blood and proceed to the next developmental stage.
Throughout feeding, the tick’s sensory organs monitor host temperature and movement, adjusting saliva composition as needed. The prolonged attachment period enables transmission of pathogens that may be present in the saliva, highlighting the medical significance of each step in the feeding cycle.