Appearance differs by species, but all adults are very small, roundish, with eight legs (larvae or seed ticks have six legs); 1/8 to 1/2 inch long. Live on the bodies of mammals, birds and reptiles. Diet is blood; all species can swell to a considerable size after feeding. Differs by species, but typical indoor cycle begins with up to 5,000 eggs laid in floor cracks and carpet; eggs hatch in 19 to 60 days; larvae will lay in wait for contact with suitable host. Ticks are known carriers of many serious diseases, including encephalitis, tick paralysis, typhus and Lyme disease; adults can live over 500 days without a meal.

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