Let me share with you a difference between ticks and mites.
| Aspect | Ticks | Mites |
| Introduction | Ticks are generally larger | Mites are generally smaller |
| Visibility | Visible to the naked eye | May require magnification for visibility |
| Habitat
|
· Grasslands
· Forests · Urban areas
|
· Soil
· Vegetation · Water · Animal hosts |
| Lifecycle
|
Typically have a four-stage lifecycle:
· Egg · Larva · Nymph · Adult |
Diverse lifecycles
|
| Diseases | · Lyme disease
· Rocky Mountain spotted fever |
· Skin irritations
· Allergic reactions |
| Legs | Typically have four pairs of legs | Variable number of legs usually eight |
| Body Segments | Body usually divided into two parts idiosoma and gnathosoma | Body may have a fused or unfused idiosoma |
| Subgroups | · Mainly divided into three families: Ixodidae (hard ticks)
· Argasidae (soft ticks) · Nuttalliellidae |
· Diverse subgroups, including Prostigmata
· Mesostigmata, · Astigmata · Cryptostigmata |
| Examples | · Ixodes scapularis (deer tick)
· Amblyomma americanum (Lone Star tick) |
· Sarcoptes scabiei (the itch mite)
· Tetranychus urticae (the two-spotted spider mite) |