| Ticks are members of the class Arachnida, which includes spiders, scorpions, daddy longlegs, and mites. All ticks are carnivorous, feeding on the blood of various species of birds, reptiles, and mammals, including human beings. Ticks use their mouthparts to anchor themselves to the skin, where they cut a small hole and suck the blood. A number of tick species transmit diseases infecting livestock, pets, and humans. |