Do insects live in the tundra?

There's no doubt about it, ticks are nasty little buggers. Any creature that attaches itself to your skin and sucks your blood is high on the list of things you want to avoid. Worse yet, ticks present a health risk for both dogs and humans. They can transmit a number of diseases, including Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Lyme disease, and--in the case of the female wood tick--something called tick paralysis. As unsavory as they are, ticks are remarkable parasites that can live for years. They wait patiently for a host to pass by, then leap onto it. Within a few hours, the tick attaches itself to the host by burrowing its head into the skin, engorging itself with blood. They can feed for a few hours or a few weeks (go ahead and say it--yuck), then drop off the host to lay thousands of eggs. They are categorized as hard ticks or soft ticks, and each has its own unique way to turn your stomach. Different ticks have distinct lifestyles that influence when they're most active. Most present a higher risk during warmer months, but they're a year-round threat in many places.