Life Cycle of Ticks

Ticks are arachnids who are closely related to the spider. Ticks feed on the blood of mammals, and have a short life span that is divided into four parts: egg, larva, nymph and adult.

Egg

• After feeding, female ticks drop off of the animal they have fed on to lay eggs. These eggs hatch into larvae by the summer.

Larva

• The larvae feed on small mammals during the summer months and then remain dormant until the following spring.

Nymph

• When the spring arrives, the larvae become nymphs. These nymphs feed on small mammals, such as rodents, through the spring and summer.

Adult

• Nymphs molt into adults in the fall and complete their cycle. The typical life cycle of a tick is two years.

Lyme Disease

• Nymphs and larvae can become infected with Lyme disease when they feed on small mammals. The nymphs then transmit the disease through their regular feeding on various mammals. A specific carrier of Lyme disease is the white-footed mouse.