You’re likely to encounter a tick if you spend time in wooded or grassy areas. These pests latch onto hosts and feed on their blood. Ticks can target you and your furry family members, so it’s important to know a little bit about them. Check out a few interesting facts about ticks.
5 Important Facts About Ticks
1. Ticks Can Have Many Hosts
Ticks aren’t technically insects; they are arachnids. Insects are classified as having three pairs of legs and one pair of antennae. Arachnids have four pairs of legs and no antennae. Ticks are closer relatives of spiders and scorpions than of insects.
2. Ticks Can Have Many Hosts
Different tick species have preferred hosts, but they are opportunistic and will choose a host they can easily find. Outdoor mammals are their go-to hosts, but they commonly latch onto indoor pets too. Humans can also be a host for these pests. Ticks locate hosts through the detection of breath, body odors, body heat, moisture, and vibrations caused by movement.
3. Ticks Can Be Found Worldwide
These pests can be found throughout the world and across the United States. If they can find a host, it’s likely they will be active in the area. Ticks are most common in warm, humid locations. Different species are more likely to be seen in certain regions than others.
4. Ticks Have Preferred Habitats
Though ticks can be found worldwide, they do have preferred habitats. Ticks live in wooded or grassy areas. They like tall grass, shrubs, brush, and other vegetation close to the ground where they can hide and wait for a host to walk by them. You can find them in yards, gardens, and near the edges of woods. Stone walls and woodpiles can also act as shelter for ticks.
5. Ticks Stay on Their Host to Feed
When a tick finds a host, it crawls around on their skin looking for a good spot to attach itself. Once attached, the tick will remain in place where it can continue to feed. Depending on the tick’s stage of life, it can remain on the host for up to about 10 days. After feeding, female ticks fall off to lay their eggs.
Interesting Facts About Ticks
Though ticks are pests, they are still intriguing creatures. We’ve made a list of a few interesting facts about these pests.
- Ticks can’t fly, and they don’t jump like fleas.
- More than 90 tick species can be found in the United States.
- Tick populations are on the rise. Urbanization and fragmentation of natural woodlands can be tied to this population increase because they have caused deer and mice populations to increase. This has provided ticks with more potential hosts.
- Hard-bodied ticks are most commonly found deep in the woods.
- Soft-bodied ticks have a tough, leathery outer shell. These ticks are most commonly found in cabins, caves, yards, and on birds.
- The tick life cycle goes through for stages: egg, larva, nymph, and adult.
- Some ticks may need only one host during their lifecycle, while other species (usually the hard-bodied ticks) may require two or even three hosts throughout their life cycles.
- Depending on the species and their stage of life, ticks can go without feeding for 100 to more than 500 days. Their lifespan lasts from two months to two years.
How to Treat for Ticks
You don’t have to wait for a tick problem to treat your yard. Using a plant-based pest control product as a preventative measure can help ensure your yard isn’t overrun by pests. Our Mosquito & Tick Killer and Yard Bug Spray kill ticks on contact and provide residual repellency. They are formulated with plant essential oils, making them a more environmentally and family-friendly solution. For protection when spending time outdoors, you can use an effective plant-based bug repellent. Our Natural Insect Repellent repels ticks, mosquitoes, and flies.
Anytime you head outdoors, you want to be aware of the environment and any pests you could encounter. The more you know about these pests, the easier it will be to avoid them. If you’re dealing with ticks or other pests, we want to help! Check out our Maggie’s Farm Simply Effective™ Pest Control products for a more environmentally and family-friendly solution.