Tick

Order Acarina

• Appearance: Appearance differs by species, but all adults are very small, roundish, with eight legs (larvae or seed ticks have six legs); 1/8" to ½" long.
• Habits: Live on the bodies of mammals, birds and reptiles.
• Diet: Blood; all species can swell to a considerable size after feeding.
• Reproduction: Differs by species, but typical indoor cycle begins with up to 5,000 eggs laid in floor cracks and carpets; eggs hatch in 19 to 60 days; larvae will lay in wait for contact with suitable host.
• Other Information: Ticks are known carriers of many serious diseases, including encephalitis, tick paralysis, typhus and Lyme disease; adults can live over 500 days without a meal.