Ticks are among the most significant blood-sucking arthropods worldwide. They transmit
various pathogens that can cause disease and death in people, domesticated animals, and
wildlife. Ticks have several morphologic features and physiologic mechanisms that facilitate
host selection, ingestion of vertebrate blood, mating, survival, and reproduction. Although
the natural history of ticks varies considerably among species, these arthropods are well-
adapted to survive in tropical, temperate, and even subarctic habitats. Key factors, including …