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hard tick
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Diagram of the life cycle of the black-legged tick (Ixodes scapularis), showing seasonal stages from engorged female laying eggs in spring, larva and nymph stages feeding on animal and human hosts in summer, and adult ticks on hosts in fall and winter. Arrows indicate progression through each stage, with illustrations of ticks and typical hosts such as deer, horses, dogs, and humans.
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hard tick

arachnid
Also known as: Ixodidae
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Diagram of the life cycle of the black-legged tick (Ixodes scapularis), showing seasonal stages from engorged female laying eggs in spring, larva and nymph stages feeding on animal and human hosts in summer, and adult ticks on hosts in fall and winter. Arrows indicate progression through each stage, with illustrations of ticks and typical hosts such as deer, horses, dogs, and humans.
Tick life cycle The life cycle of the hard tick Ixodes scapularis, a carrier of the bacterium that causes Lyme disease in humans, requires two years for completion. Eggs are deposited in the spring, and larvae emerge several weeks later and feed once during the summer, usually on the blood of small mammals.

Hard ticks are a type of arachnid belonging to the order Ixodida, characterized by a hard outer shell. These obligate parasites feed on the blood of animals and are significant vectors of diseases to humans and other animals, second only to mosquitoes in the number of diseases transmitted.12

Hard ticks attach to a host and feed continuously for several days during each life stage. After feeding, the adult female detaches to lay eggs and dies. The larvae hatch, seek a host, feed, and molt into nymphs. Nymphs then find a host, feed, and molt into adults. Adult hard ticks can wait up to three years for a host. While most live in fields and woods, some, like the brown dog tick, are household pests. Ticks can also cause harm by secreting neurotoxins that may lead to paralysis.13

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  5. How Long Can Ticks Live Without Food?

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