What shape and color does an engorged female wood tick develop into after feeding?
Answer
A distended, grayish or greenish-blue sac
The physical change in the female wood tick following a successful blood meal is drastic, causing it to lose much of the specific patterning visible when unfed. The body stretches dramatically and becomes distended. This engorged state transforms the tick into a rounder structure resembling a sac, often taking on a noticeable grayish or greenish-blue hue due to the massive volume of blood stored internally for subsequent egg development.
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