I have entered my tick fan arc

“Questing” refers to when a tick makes its way to the tip of a long blade of grass and outstretches its front legs, waiting for a host to come by so it can hitch a ride.

Today I learned that ticks actually do a lot more for the ecosystem than just being a food source to other animals, including being an ecosystem indicator and using the diseases they carry as their own population control for the species they target!
I had no idea that by spreading disease to sickly, old, or unlikely to survive animals (for example deer), ticks play a part in both making sure a species thrives and ALSO preventing overpopulation. In places like the UK, where I live, the fact we have no large predators whatsoever to control these species’ populations on a larger scale means these ticks are doing an INCREDIBLY important job for us, even if it’s still at a lower magnitude. Isn’t that neat!!
Even as a nuisance and sometimes a threat to us humans when left unchecked, I find it hard not to admire these little bloodsuckers for the work they do. Be careful, check yourself and your pets after a day out, and enjoy these arachnids from a safe distance!