Ticks are small arachnids that belong to the insect Order Acarina together with mites. They are external parasites (ectoparasites) that feed on the blood of their host. Their hosts could include any of the following: birds, mammals, amphibians, and the occasional reptiles. They are carriers of diseases and can lay up to a hundred eggs at a time or fifty eggs per day.

Ticks are mostly found on tall grasses. They rest in the highest grass tip and then attach themselves to animals or humans who pass them. They do not jump, contrary to popular beliefs, from one host to another. They use a mouth part structure that is shaped like a harpoon in attaching themselves to their host when sucking blood. Once full, they just drop off the animal.

It is not advisable to pull out ticks forcefully. Doing so will squeeze back the contents of the tick into the bite and will lave the harpoon-like structure behind, causing infection.