Ticks are at the top of the list of annoying and disgusting pests. These arachnids love one food – blood. They drink blood at each stage of life – from larva to nymph to adult. Ticks hang out in shrubs, tall grasses and low-lying tree branches, just waiting to hitch a ride on an unsuspecting victim. They drink the blood of birds, small animals, pets and even humans.
Once a tick has found a host, they make a small cut on the skin and insert a straw-like feeding tube to drink the blood. They can stay for as long as two days, slowly drinking blood. Then they drop off and wait for their next meal.
Fun Facts about Ticks for Kids
- Ticks are small and hard to see. Most are less than ¼ inch long.
- Ticks carry diseases and can spread disease from one animal to the next.
- Some ticks have barbed feeding tubes so they are hard to dislodge. Some even inject a pain-killing substance into the host so it doesn’t feel the tick.
- Most ticks must remain on the host for several hours to spread disease.
Tick Vocabulary
- Annoying: pesky, bothersome
- Disgusting: icky, revolting
- Unsuspecting: unaware
- Host: an animal or person
- Dislodge: release or remove
Learn More All About Ticks
Watch this interesting video and learn more about a tick’s life cycle:
A video to help you understand the life of a tick.
Tick Q&A
Question: How can I avoid ticks?
Answer: Wear long clothing, socks and shoes when hiking, as well as a tick repellent. Check yourself when you return home for ticks.
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Question: What should I do if I find a tick?
Answer: You should ask a grownup to help you remove the tick slowly and carefully with pointed tweezers.
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