Tick

About the Tick

They transmit Lyme disease to an estimated 476,000 Americans annually. They do not jump or fly - they quest, climbing vegetation and grabbing hosts that brush past. They can survive 2-3 years without feeding. They inject anesthetic compounds so hosts do not feel the bite. They also inject anticoagulants and immunosuppressants. Some species can cause paralysis through a neurotoxin in their saliva. Over 900 species. They are arachnids, not insects, with 8 legs as adults. They require blood meals to progress through each life stage.