There are two types of ticks, hard and soft. The hard ticks have an exposed head and mouth, and a shield that covers most of the upper body. The soft tick is sac-like with no hard shield. Instead, they have a leathery exoskeleton for protection.
There are a variety of species of ticks. Hard tick species include the brown dog tick, American dog tick, Rocky Mountain wood tick and the deer tick. Soft ticks species include the common fowl tick and the relapsing fever tick.
Soft ticks are found in caves and nests, and can attach themselves to birds and bats. Hard ticks are found in deep woods with tall grasses and bushes, and will attach themselves to all sizes of mammals during various stages of the tick's life cycle.
Hard ticks have a four-stage life cycle-egg, larva, nymph and adult. The tick mates when it is on the host's body. After mating, the female tick drops to the ground and lays her eggs. Once the eggs hatch, the larvae must feed on a host. After this first meal, they drop again to the ground and shed their skin to emerge as nymphs. The nymph will then find a host, feed, then molt and become an adult.
Soft ticks molt through several stages. The first stage occurs about 7 days after they hatch from their eggs. First, they find a host and feed, then they molt through the first stage. Nymphs will molt through 3 or 4 more stages, feeding between stages, until they reach adulthood. This process can take several years. Soft ticks feed at night and are most active during that time.
Both hard and soft ticks can carry diseases that are harmful to humans and pets. Take precautions when outdoors during tick season, which usually runs from April to September.