Tick fact sheet | Field of Mars EEC

What are ticks?

Ticks are small arachnids (relatives of spiders) that feed on the blood of animals and sometimes humans. Animals that feed on other animals are called parasites.

There are almost 900 tick species worldwide, mainly grouped into hard ticks (Ixodidae) and soft ticks (Argasidae). Australia has over 70 tick species.

In the Sydney region, the best-known species is the Australian paralysis tick (Ixodes holocyclus). It is found along eastern Australia and feeds on many hosts including native mammals, pets, livestock and people. An illustration of a tick. An adult tick.

Fast facts – Ticks

What are they – Ticks are arachnids and parasites that feed on animal blood.

Local species – The Australian paralysis tick (Ixodes holocyclus) is found along eastern Australia.

Body features – Larvae have 6 legs; nymphs and adults have 8. Hard ticks have a visible mouthpart structure (capitulum).

Diet – Blood from hosts such as mammals, birds and reptiles.

Habitat – Humid, sheltered habitats: bushland edges, long grass, leaf litter, and dense vegetation. Soft ticks often live in nests or roosting sites.

Life cycle – Egg → larva → nymph → adult, with a blood meal needed between stages.

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

What do ticks look like?

Ticks have a compact body and a head-like mouthpart structure called a capitulum, used to pierce skin and feed. Hard ticks often look flat and seed-shaped before feeding, then swell as they fill with blood. Soft ticks usually look wrinkled and leathery, and their mouthparts are less obvious from above. Tick larvae have 6 legs, while nymphs and adults have 8 legs.

Am engorged female paralysis tick with a swollen grey body. An engorged tick after feeding.

Where do ticks live?

Ticks need humid, sheltered conditions so they don’t dry out. The Australian paralysis tick is most common in humid coastal bushland and forest along eastern Australia, but ticks can also occur in urban areas where there is long grass, leaf litter, garden vegetation, or bushland edges.

Soft ticks often live in sheltered places used by their hosts, such as nests, burrows, roosts, or bedding areas.

Shaded coastal bushland track with dense vegetation (a humid habitat where ticks can live) Coastal national parks provide humid and sheltered habitats for ticks.

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 will feed on a range of mammals, birds or reptiles.

While feeding, a tick inserts its mouthparts and releases saliva that helps it feed (for example, reducing pain and helping blood flow). Tick saliva can also trigger allergic reactions in some people.

Short-beaked echidna on the ground showing its sharp spines, stocky body, short legs and long snout. All bushland animals can become a tick host.

How do ticks find a host?

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 sense cues like body heat, moisture, vibration and carbon dioxide (from breath).

Tick on grass with front legs extended, waiting to attach to a passing animal. Tick questing for a passing animal.

What is the life cycle of a tick?

Most ticks have a four-stage life cycle: egg → larva → nymph → adult.

Larvae hatch from eggs and climb vegetation to find a first host. After feeding, they drop off and moult into a nymph. Nymphs then feed and moult into adults. Adult females need a blood meal to produce eggs, which are laid on the ground.

Many tiny larval ticks clustered on the tips of grass blades. A macro photo of tick larvae.

What happens if a tick bites me?

Most tick bites cause mild irritation, but ticks can sometimes cause bigger problems such as:

Allergic reactions.
Tick paralysis, especially dangerous for pets.
Tick-borne illnesses, only some tick species can transmit human pathogens.

What should I do if I find a tick on me?

Tell an adult straight away.
Do not scratch or squeeze the tick.
Follow trusted health advice for tick bites and allergies.
Some Australian heath guidance recommends killing/freezing the tick first, for example, with an ether-based freezing spray.
Call 000 immediately if someone has trouble breathing, becomes dizzy, collapses, or shows signs of anaphylaxis after a tick bite.

More invertebrate fact sheets

Invertebrate fact sheets – overview
Arachnids fact sheet

Habitats and ecosystems

Tick hosts

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). 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.

WA Health. n.d. Ticks. [online] Available at: https://www.health.wa.gov.au/Articles/S_T/Ticks.

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

Images

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

A tick before feeding. Doggett, S. n.d. [Photograph]. © State of New South Wales (Health Administration Corporation – NSW Health Pathology).

A engorged tick after feeding. Doggett, S. n.d. [Photograph]. © State of New South Wales (Health Administration Corporation – NSW Health Pathology).

Coastal national parks provide humid and sheltered habitats for ticks – Field of Mars EEC (original image)

All bushland animals can become a tick host. "Tachyglossus aculeatus aculeatus (Short-beaked Echidna or Spiny Anteater)" by Arthur Chapman CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 (cropped)

Ticks reach out from plants to grab a host. Doggett, S. n.d. [Photograph]. © State of New South Wales (Health Administration Corporation – NSW Health Pathology).

A macro photo of tick larvae. Doggett, S. n.d. [Photograph]. © State of New South Wales (Health Administration Corporation – NSW Health Pathology).

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