Photomacrograph of a tick (unknown species). Tick is the common name for the small arachnids in the super family Ixodoidea. They are external parasites that feed on the blood of mammals, birds, and occasionally reptiles and amphibians. Ticks like humid conditions and can be found in wooded areas, tall grasses, urban parks, fields and at the edges of lawns or meadows. Most tick bites are not harmful but ticks can be vectors of some diseases most commonly Lyme disease. They have complex mouthparts, which allow the tick to latch on to the host, and their body has a concertina structure that allows the abdomen to expand when feeding. They also have 6 or 8 legs which they often use to hold on to the hairs of their host. Width of image is 5 mm.
