Tick Life Cycle
Ticks have three life stages: larva, nymph and adult. In each stage they feed by sucking blood from animals. Then they drop off, enter a dormant period, and molt to become the next stage. Most Lyme disease is transmitted by nymphal ticks, which are smaller than a poppy seed in size and easily escape detection. Their bite is painless.
Animal Hosts
Adult ticks feed and mate primarily on deer. You may also find adult ticks on your dogs, horses, and other domesticated animals. Nymphs feed primarily on smaller animals, including squirrels, mice, lizards, rabbits, robins, starlings. Migratory birds play an important role in distributing ticks throughout the country. For information on California ticks and habitats click here to find out more about California.
