What Attracts Ticks?

Ticks are attracted to areas where the ground is covered with high grass, weeds, fallen leaves and other plant litter because they thrive in areas close to the ground with high humidity. Ticks seek these areas because they provide protection against the harsh, drying impact of the sun and wind, according to Stop Ticks on People.

Ticks can be on the move in temperatures above 40 degrees. They cannot survive in areas that are hot and dry because it dries out their bodies, according to Stop Ticks On People.

Ticks are also attracted to overgrown, weedy areas because that is the habitat where deer, mice, chipmunks and other rodents live. Deer and other rodents are the favorite host animals for ticks, according to National Geographic. They also attach themselves to other hosts, including dogs, cats and people, where they feed exclusively on blood.

Stop Ticks On People states that birdfeeders, woodpiles and stone walls also attract ticks because their rodent hosts come to these areas to feed, hide and nest.

The deer tick, also known as the black-legged tick, is the carrier of Lyme disease and other serious diseases such as babesiosis and erlichosis, according to Stop Ticks On People.

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