Where do ticks live and what do they feed on? - briefly
Ticks inhabit grasslands, forests, shrublands and leaf litter, often waiting on vegetation for a passing host; they also reside directly on mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians. Their diet consists exclusively of the blood of these vertebrate hosts.
Where do ticks live and what do they feed on? - in detail
Ticks inhabit moist microenvironments where humidity prevents desiccation. Typical locations include leaf litter, forest floor detritus, low‑lying vegetation, tall grasses, shrub thickets, and the undersides of leaves. In temperate regions they are common in deciduous and mixed forests; in grassland ecosystems they occupy the base of meadow grasses and hedgerows. Domestic settings provide suitable habitats in yards, barns, and animal shelters, especially where straw, compost, or accumulated debris retain moisture. Ticks climb vegetation to a height of several centimeters, a behavior known as “questing,” to intercept passing vertebrate hosts.
Feeding requires a blood meal from a vertebrate host. All active stages—larva, nymph, and adult—must obtain blood to develop. Host range spans mammals (deer, rodents, livestock, humans, dogs, cats), birds (ground‑feeding and perching species), reptiles (lizards, snakes), and amphibians (frogs, salamanders). Larvae typically feed on small mammals or ground‑dwelling birds; nymphs expand the host spectrum to medium‑sized mammals; adults preferentially attach to larger mammals such as deer or humans. Attachment involves insertion of the hypostome, secretion of cement proteins, and prolonged feeding that may last from several hours to days, culminating in engorgement.
Key ecological factors influencing habitat selection include temperature, relative humidity above 70 %, and availability of host traffic. Seasonal activity peaks correspond to favorable climatic windows: spring and early summer for larvae and nymphs, late summer to autumn for adults. In arid zones ticks retreat to microhabitats that retain moisture, such as cracks in soil or shaded rock crevices, until favorable conditions return.
Understanding the precise habitats and host preferences of ticks informs control strategies, surveillance, and public‑health interventions aimed at reducing tick‑borne disease risk.