What is the folk name for a tick? - briefly
In everyday language, a tick is commonly called a bloodsucker. The term reflects its habit of feeding on the blood of mammals and birds.
What is the folk name for a tick? - in detail
The ordinary colloquial label for the small arachnid that attaches to skin is “tick.” In everyday speech the creature is also called a “bloodsucker,” reflecting its habit of feeding on blood. Regional dialects add variations: in the United Kingdom the term “mite” is sometimes applied, especially for the smaller species; in the United States the phrase “dog tick” or “deer tick” identifies the species most often encountered on pets or wildlife. Rural communities may refer to the organism as a “bush bug” or simply a “bug,” emphasizing its presence in vegetation. Some cultures use the name “chigger” for the larval stage, although true chiggers belong to a different family. The terminology remains informal and differs from the scientific classification (Ixodida).