The life cycle of the tick is complicated. It involves multiple hosts, including wild and domestic animals and man. Larvae, nymph, and adult ticks wait in vegetation for a suitable host to drop on to and attach themselves.
Ticks feed on the blood of the animals they attach themselves to.
The male tick is a small flat insect about the size of a match head. The male does little or no feeding, but can remain on the host for long periods of time. She attaches herself to the skin of an animal and becomes engorged with blood. At this point the female tick looks light brown and is puffed up, and bean shaped. The male and female ticks mate at this time while still on the host animal.