What does a tick larva feed on? - briefly
Tick larvae obtain nutrition by sucking the blood of small vertebrate hosts, primarily rodents, birds, and occasionally reptiles. A single blood meal enables them to molt into the nymph stage.
What does a tick larva feed on? - in detail
Tick larvae emerge from eggs fully capable of locating a host and require a single blood meal to progress to the next developmental stage. Their nutrition consists exclusively of vertebrate blood; plant material, detritus, or other food sources are not utilized.
Typical hosts include:
- Small mammals such as voles, mice, and shrews
- Ground‑dwelling birds, especially nestlings and fledglings
- Reptiles and amphibians, notably lizards and salamanders in moist habitats
- Occasionally larger mammals when larvae encounter a suitable attachment site
The feeding process begins with questing behavior—climbing vegetation and extending forelegs to detect carbon dioxide, heat, and movement. Upon contact, the larva inserts its hypostome into the host’s skin, secretes a cementing protein to secure attachment, and draws blood through a slow, continuous flow. Feeding duration ranges from several hours to two days, depending on host species and environmental temperature.
Species‑specific preferences shape host selection. Ixodes ricinus larvae favor rodents and birds in temperate forests, while Dermacentor variabilis larvae more frequently attach to ground‑dwelling mammals in grassy areas. Amblyomma americanum larvae preferentially feed on small mammals and reptiles in subtropical regions. These preferences reflect evolutionary adaptations to host availability and habitat structure.
Environmental factors—temperature, humidity, and host density—directly influence questing activity and successful attachment rates. Optimal humidity (≥80 %) maintains larval desiccation resistance, whereas temperatures between 10 °C and 25 °C accelerate metabolism and shorten feeding time.
Acquisition of pathogens occurs during this blood meal. Larvae may ingest bacteria, viruses, or protozoa present in the host’s bloodstream, subsequently transmitting them to the next host after molting into nymphs. Understanding the precise host range and feeding dynamics of tick larvae is essential for modeling disease cycles and implementing targeted control measures.