Where do tick larvae lay? - briefly
Tick larvae usually attach to small mammals, birds, or low vegetation such as leaf litter and grass, where they take a brief blood meal before dropping off to molt. After feeding, they seek a protected microhabitat to develop into the next stage.
Where do tick larvae lay? - in detail
Tick larvae emerge from eggs in protected microhabitats such as leaf litter, moss, and soil beneath low vegetation. Moisture levels above 70 % relative humidity and temperatures between 10 °C and 25 °C favor larval survival. After hatching, larvae ascend onto grasses, shrubs, and ground‑level foliage where they engage in questing behavior, extending their forelegs to detect potential hosts.
Typical hosts for the larval stage include:
- Small mammals (e.g., white‑footed mice, voles, shrews)
- Ground‑dwelling birds (e.g., sparrows, thrushes)
- Reptiles and amphibians (e.g., lizards, salamanders)
- Occasionally larger mammals when larvae attach during low‑level host movement
Host selection is driven by host size, activity patterns, and habitat overlap with the larvae’s questing zone. Larvae attach for a brief feeding period of 2–5 days, then detach and fall to the ground to molt into nymphs. The initial deposition sites—leaf litter, forest floor debris, and shaded understory—provide the necessary microclimate for egg laying and subsequent larval emergence across most Ixodes, Dermacentor, and Amblyomma species.