They are blood-sucking creatures that attack humans, dogs, cats, and other animals. They can be found in wooded, grassy, or brushy areas, and can transmit diseases such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever, tularemia, ehrlichiosis, and Lyme disease. They can live for up to 18 months without food or water, and when they do find a suitable host, some remain attached for up to 15 days. A tick will crawl up the nearest grass blade, weed stalk, or shrub, anchor its hind legs, and wave its other legs in the air. When a suitable host passes by, it latches on.
Some species can sense the carbon dioxide exhaled by a host.
After climbing aboard, ticks often wander around on their host and may even have a quick taste before settling down. Then they attach themselves by sinking their heads and mouth parts into the host's flesh. As they feed, their mouth parts become anchored with a cement-like chemical that makes them difficult to remove. The nymph stage in its life cycle is the most likely stage at which they carry the spirochete. Research indicates that to transmit the disease, the tick needs to feed on you for at least 24 hours.