Ticks are bloodsucking arachnid parasites known to carry and transmit diseases.
Most species of mites and ticks lay eggs, but in some species the young are born live. The mite usually lays its eggs in the wounds it makes in an animal's skin or on the outside of a plant. The females of some species lay their eggs on plant leaves in loose webs, which they spin with silk produced in glands near their mouths. Tick eggs are laid in masses on the ground. The eggs of mites and ticks develop into larvae, which have three pairs of legs.
The larvae develop into nymphs, which have four pairs of legs, and the nymphs develop into adults. The adult mite or tick has a saclike body, with no separation of head, thorax, and abdomen. Piercing mouthparts are adapted for sucking juices from plants and for penetrating skin.
When a mite or tick bites, its entire head is thrust into the wound. An anchoring structure below the jaws holds firmly to the wound. In the mite this structure is smooth, and the mite is easily brushed off. In the tick this structure is toothed; ticks can be removed from the skin with tweezers, but care must be taken to remove the entire tick, not just the exposed body.