There are nearly 900 species of tick in the world, and while they differ from species to species, they have one thing in common: they are bloodsucking arachnids. There are two ‘types': hard ticks and soft ticks. However, they are somewhat similar in appearance: they are relatively flat when not engorged, are not segmented, and have four pairs of legs. Each leg is covered in short, spiny hairs and has a claw at the end. This helps the tick grasp blades of grass and leaves, as well as holding on to their hosts.
The tick feeds by attaching to the host with its mouthparts. It has two chelicerae, which pierce the host's skin. The two palps move out of the way during feeding, and the hypostome is a needle-like part that ‘injects' into the host to feed. The hypostome is barbed. These barbs point back towards the tick, which is why it is difficult to remove an