To approximately what length does an unfed female Wood Tick swell after successfully taking a blood meal?
Answer
Nearly half an inch long
The process of engorgement significantly alters the appearance and size of the female American Dog Tick once she has attached and begun feeding. An unfed female, initially measuring about $1/8$ inch, will swell dramatically as she consumes blood. This swelling can cause her body mass to increase substantially, leading to a length approaching nearly half an inch. During this engorged stage, her coloration also shifts, typically turning a reddish-brown hue, which is often the point at which an unnoticed tick is finally discovered by its host.
Related Questions
What scientific name refers to the Wood Tick, also known as the Plains Tick?What is a defining physical feature of an unfed adult female American Dog Tick?To approximately what length does an unfed female Wood Tick swell after successfully taking a blood meal?How many separate hosts are required for the *Dermacentor variabilis* three-stage life cycle to complete development?Which serious systemic illness is the American Dog Tick most widely cited for transmitting to its host?What approximate height limits where actively questing Wood Ticks are rarely found off the ground?Why must individuals avoid using older, unverified methods like burning an attached Wood Tick with a match?What type of creature typically serves as the first host sought by newly hatched *Dermacentor variabilis* larvae?What specific preventative step involving clothing, performed immediately upon entering a structure, can kill hitchhiking Wood Ticks?Beyond Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF), what other named disease is the American Dog Tick capable of transmitting?