Tick fact sheet | Field of Mars EEC

What are ticks?

Ticks are small arachnids, so they are related to spiders rather than insects. They are parasites, which means they feed on the blood of other animals. Ticks can bite mammals, birds and reptiles, and some species also bite people.

There are almost 900 tick species worldwide, and more than 70 species have been recorded in Australia. In the Sydney region, the best-known species is the Australian paralysis tick, Ixodes holocyclus. This species lives along eastern Australia and may feed on native mammals, pets, livestock and people. Illustration of an adult tick showing eight legs and mouthparts. An adult tick.

Fast facts – Ticks

Scientific group – Ticks are arachnids in the order Ixodida.
Appearance – Ticks have a compact body and mouthparts for piercing skin and feeding. Larvae have 6 legs, while nymphs and adults have 8 legs.
Size – Ticks are very small before feeding, but they can swell after taking a blood meal.
Diet – Ticks feed on blood from a host.
Habitat – Ticks live in moist, sheltered places such as bushland, forest edges, long grass, leaf litter and dense vegetation.
Life cycle – Egg → larva → nymph → adult.
Adaptations – Many hard ticks use questing and can sense body heat, moisture, vibration and carbon dioxide to help them find a host.

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Close-up dorsal view of a tick before feeding, showing body pattern and legs. A tick before feeding.

Where do ticks live?

Ticks need moist, sheltered conditions so they do not dry out. The Australian paralysis tick is most common in humid coastal bushland and forests along eastern Australia, but ticks can also live in suburban gardens and bush edges where there is long grass, leaf litter and dense vegetation.

Soft ticks often live in places used by their hosts, such as nests, burrows, roosts or bedding areas. At Field of Mars Reserve, shady ground covers, shrubs, trees and leaf litter can all provide suitable habitat for ticks.

An engorged female paralysis tick with a swollen grey body. A tick can swell after feeding on a host.

What do ticks eat?

Ticks feed on blood. The animal a tick feeds on is called a host. Different tick species prefer different hosts, but many can feed on mammals, birds and reptiles.

A tick uses special mouthparts to attach to the skin. While feeding, it releases saliva that helps it stay attached and take in blood. In some people, tick saliva can also cause allergic reactions.

Short-beaked echidna walking through bushland, an animal that can be a tick host. Many native animals can be tick hosts.

What is the life cycle of a tick?

Ticks have four main life stages: egg, larva, nymph and adult. Larvae hatch from eggs and climb vegetation to find a first host. After feeding, they drop to the ground and moult into a nymph. Nymphs then find another host, feed, and moult into adults.

Adult females need a blood meal before they can produce eggs. After feeding, they drop from the host and lay eggs on the ground. Because ticks need a host at several stages of their life cycle, their survival depends on both suitable habitat and the presence of animals.

Many tiny tick larvae clustered on the tips of grass blades while waiting for a host. Tick larvae cluster on grass while waiting for a host.

What adaptations do ticks have to help them survive?

Ticks have several adaptations that help them find and feed on hosts. Many hard ticks use a behaviour called questing. They climb onto grass or low plants, stretch out their front legs, and wait for an animal to brush past.

Ticks can also sense body heat, moisture, vibration and carbon dioxide. Their mouthparts help them stay attached, and their saliva helps them feed for a long time. Their bodies can expand as they fill with blood, which allows them to take in a large meal before dropping off.

Tick on grass with front legs extended, waiting to attach to a passing animal. A tick quests on grass, waiting for a host to brush past.

Why are ticks important?

Ticks are not popular animals, but they are still part of bushland ecosystems. They are one of many small invertebrates living in leaf litter, grasses and shrubs, and they are part of the many feeding relationships that connect animals in an ecosystem.

Ticks also show how closely living things are linked. They depend on wildlife hosts and suitable habitat to survive. Studying ticks helps scientists learn more about parasites, animal health and the movement of species through the environment.

Small dark tick perched on the tip of a dry grass stem with its front legs extended. A questing tick waits on a grass stem

How can you stay safe around ticks?

When you visit bushland, wear covered shoes and stay on clear tracks when possible. After being outdoors, ask an adult to check your clothes, hair and skin for ticks.

If you find a tick on you, tell an adult straight away. Do not scratch or squeeze it. Follow current health advice about tick bites and tick allergy. Call 000 immediately if someone has trouble breathing, becomes dizzy, collapses, or shows signs of anaphylaxis after a tick bite.

Shaded coastal bushland track with dense vegetation beside the path. Stay on clear tracks to reduce contact with long grass and dense vegetation.

More invertebrate fact sheets

Arachnid fact sheet – Ticks are arachnids (relatives of spiders and mites).
Invertebrate fact sheets – Overview of insects, arachnids and other invertebrates.

Habitats and ecosystems

Leaf litter habitats fact sheet – Leaf litter stays damp and provides shelter for many small animals.
Ground cover habitats fact sheet – Grasses and low plants create shaded pathways and hiding places near the ground.
Shrub habitats fact sheet – Dense shrubs create cool, sheltered conditions near the ground.
Rock and log habitats fact sheet – Logs and rocks provide moist shelters used by invertebrates and their hosts.
Tree habitats fact sheet – Trees support food webs and provide shelter for many animals.
Eucalypt forest fact sheet – Local bushland habitat where ticks and hosts may occur.
Field of Mars Reserve fact sheet – Learn about the local reserve habitats that support wildlife and invertebrates.

Common ringtail possum fact sheet – A common Sydney mammal that can carry ticks.
Short-beaked echidna fact sheet – A foraging mammal that moves through leaf litter and logs.
Swamp wallaby fact sheet – A browsing marsupial that travels through dense vegetation.
Eastern water dragon fact sheet – A common lizard in Sydney bushland and creek edges.
Brush turkey fact sheet – A ground-feeding bird that forages through leaf litter.
Red-bellied black snake fact sheet – A reptile that lives in damp bushland and creek habitats where ticks can occur.

Attributions

References

Australian Museum. n.d. Australian Paralysis Tick. [online] Available at: https://australian.museum/learn/animals/insects/australian-paralysis-tick/

Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care / CDCA. 2023. Guidance note for medical practitioners and hospitals – Introduction to ticks, Australian ticks and tick-borne diseases and illnesses. [pdf] Available at: https://www.cdc.gov.au/system/files/2025-09/guidance-note-for-medical-practitioners-and-hospitals-introduction-to-ticks-australian-ticks-and-tick-borne-diseases-and-illnesses_0.pdf

ASCIA (Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy). n.d. Tick allergy. [online] Available at: https://www.allergy.org.au/ticks

ASCIA (Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy). 2021. How to safely remove ticks (animation). [online] Available at: https://www.allergy.org.au/about-ascia/info-updates/how-to-safely-remove-ticks-animation

Healthdirect Australia. n.d. Tick bites – symptoms, treatments and prevention. [online] Available at: https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/tick-bites

NSW Health. n.d. Ticks. [online] Available at: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/environment/pests/parasites/Pages/ticks.aspx

Gofton, A.W., Doggett, S., Ratchford, A., Oskam, C. and Paparini, A. 2018. Human Tick-Borne Diseases in Australia. [online] Available at: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6360175/

Image attributions

An adult tick. – Field of Mars EEC (original illustration).

A tick before feeding. – Stephen L. Doggett. Used with permission. © State of New South Wales (Health Administration Corporation – NSW Health Pathology).

A tick can swell after feeding on a host. – Stephen L. Doggett. Used with permission. © State of New South Wales (Health Administration Corporation – NSW Health Pathology).

All bushland animals can become a tick host. – “Tachyglossus aculeatus aculeatus (Short-beaked Echidna or Spiny Anteater)” by Arthur Chapman. Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic. Available at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/32005048@N06/3693525272

A macro photo of tick larvae. – Stephen L. Doggett. Used with permission. © State of New South Wales (Health Administration Corporation – NSW Health Pathology).

Tick questing for a passing animal. – Stephen L. Doggett. Used with permission. © State of New South Wales (Health Administration Corporation – NSW Health Pathology).

A questing tick waits on a grass stem. – “File:American Dog Tick (33970820776).jpg” by USFWS Mountain Prairie / Krista Lundgren. Public domain. Available at: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:American_Dog_Tick_(33970820776).jpg

Stay on clear tracks to reduce contact with long grass and dense vegetation. – Field of Mars EEC (original image).

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