Soft ticks have no outer shell and are larger and more raisin-like in shape. Most ticks are flat until they consume blood. After draining blood from an animal, ticks will become engorged and their ...

The tick’s sticky, protein-rich saliva transforms into a solid cement cone to keep it fixed to the skin for days. This shape-shifting liquid is the tick bioadhesive. “It’s extremely exciting and ...

Tick bites are often harmless, but the longer a tick stays on you, the higher your risk of exposure to a tick-borne illness, like Lyme disease. If you stay vigilant and check yourself for ticks ...