What is characteristic of the blood feeding habits of Argasid ticks compared to Ixodid ticks?
Answer
They engage in short, rapid feeding episodes, sometimes lasting minutes.
Soft ticks contrast sharply with hard ticks (Ixodids) in their feeding rhythm. While hard ticks typically require one long blood meal lasting several days to advance through life stages, Argasids are known for taking brief, rapid blood meals, often attaching only for a few minutes up to an hour before quickly retreating to sheltered, dark areas like cracks in walls or under bedding. This behavior means people might be bitten multiple times over a short period without noticing the initial attachment, partially due to anesthetic properties in their saliva.
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