What Ticks Are

This section explores the biological classification of ticks and the two main types you're likely to encounter. Learn how ticks relate to other arachnids and how their different body structures and feeding habits distinguish hard ticks from soft ticks.

In this section

  • Ticks Are Arachnids, Not Insects — And Come in Two Main Kinds — A plain-language explainer on where ticks sit in the tree of life: they are arachnids related to spiders and mites, not insects, and the ticks people actually encounter fall into two major families — hard ticks and soft ticks — whose bodies and feeding habits differ in ways that shape how they spread disease.
  • The Species That Matter — identification guide to specific tick species, including geographic range and disease associations; this article covers tick taxonomy and arachnid classification (hard vs. soft ticks, family-level relationships), which provides the framework for species-level identification
    Not medical advice. See a healthcare provider for medical decisions. Medical Disclaimer