When does a tick start feeding on blood? - briefly
Ticks commence blood ingestion within minutes of attaching, after a brief salivation phase that lasts about 30‑60 seconds, and they begin drawing blood once their hypostome penetrates the skin and a feeding canal is established.
When does a tick start feeding on blood? - in detail
Ticks attach to a host and begin ingesting blood only after several coordinated steps. The process starts when the mouthparts, called the hypostome, penetrate the skin and the tick secures itself with backward‑pointing barbs. Immediately following attachment, the tick injects saliva containing anticoagulants, anesthetics, and immunomodulatory compounds. This salivation occurs within the first few minutes and creates a feeding site that prevents clotting and reduces host awareness.
The actual intake of blood commences after the salivary cocktail has established a stable pool of fluid under the skin. For most ixodid (hard) ticks, measurable blood flow into the gut starts approximately 30–60 minutes after attachment. The initial phase, known as the “slow feeding” stage, involves ingestion of small volumes (0.5–2 µL per hour) while the tick remains largely immobile.
Key temporal milestones:
- 0–5 min: Attachment, hypostome insertion, saliva injection.
- 5–30 min: Saliva spreads, host tissue dilates, anticoagulant effect takes hold.
- 30–60 min: First detectable blood enters the tick’s foregut; the tick begins weighing more.
- 24–48 h: Feeding rate accelerates, especially in nymphs and adults, reaching several milliliters for engorged females.
Soft ticks (argasids) differ: they feed rapidly, often completing a blood meal within a few hours. Their feeding onset occurs within minutes of attachment, with continuous ingestion until the host is fully engorged.
The trigger for blood intake is the mechanical and chemical feedback from the host’s tissue, which signals the tick’s salivary glands to increase flow. Once the tick’s gut pressure rises, peristaltic movements draw blood through the foregut, midgut, and into the haemocoel where it is stored for digestion.
In summary, a tick initiates blood consumption after a brief attachment period, typically within the first hour for hard species, while soft species begin feeding almost immediately. The progression from salivation to actual ingestion defines the start of the feeding cycle.