What happens to a tick after it has bitten? - briefly
After a blood meal, the tick drops off its host, its body swells as it digests the blood and synthesizes proteins needed for growth, and within a few days it molts into the next life stage.
What happens to a tick after it has bitten? - in detail
After a tick secures a feeding site, its mouthparts, especially the barbed hypostome, remain embedded in the host’s skin. Saliva containing anticoagulants, anti‑inflammatory compounds, and immunomodulators is injected continuously, preventing clot formation and reducing host detection.
The blood intake proceeds in two phases:
- Initial slow phase (0–24 h): The tick ingests a small volume of plasma while its digestive enzymes begin processing the meal. Pathogens present in the saliva can be transmitted during this period, depending on the species.
- Rapid engorgement phase (24–48 h for most hard ticks): The tick’s midgut expands dramatically, allowing intake of several times its body weight in blood. Weight can increase from a few milligrams to over 100 mg.
Physiological changes accompany the blood meal:
- Midgut expansion stretches the cuticle, triggering hormonal signals that halt molting until feeding completes.
- Digestive enzyme activation breaks down hemoglobin and plasma proteins, supplying amino acids for growth and reproduction.
- Reproductive development accelerates; females begin vitellogenesis, producing eggs that will be laid after detachment.
Detachment occurs when the tick is fully engorged. The hypostome releases its grip, and the tick drops off the host, often within hours. Once detached, the tick seeks a sheltered environment to complete its life cycle stage:
- Molt to the next stage (larva → nymph → adult) if it has not yet reached adulthood.
- Egg laying for engorged adult females; a single female can deposit thousands of eggs within a few days.
Throughout these processes, the tick’s immune system remains active, neutralizing host antibodies introduced with the saliva. Successful feeding therefore involves coordinated mechanical attachment, biochemical suppression of host defenses, rapid nutrient acquisition, and subsequent development or reproduction.