Randy Strong, age 11, of South Sioux City, Nebraska, for his question:

What exactly are wood ticks?

Enemy ticks are waiting for us, out there in the woods and grassy meadows. No, they are not clockwork robots, nor are they small insects, as some people suppose. Nobody knows for sure why they were named ticks, though perhaps the name was taken from an older word meaning a pest. And certainly these wretched little blood suckers are genuine pests and some are downright dangerous.

The numerous ticks look like squat, eight legged ovals with heads too small to be noticed. The largest species is an inch long, the smallest types are almost invisible. Though they are mistaken for insects, the ticks actually belong in the Arachnida Class, along with the mites and spiders. Certainly those eight skinny legs disqualify them from the six legged insect class.

For reasons unknown, all the ticks are no good parasites. They feed on the blood of living animals and people. The different types have various common names, such as the cattle tick, who favors animals of the cow family. The wood tick is a pesky creature that latches onto human hikers and campers.

A tick's tiny head is fitted with a mini tool kit to seek and secure food. There is a pair of stubby feelers, used to select a likely spot    which may be a patch of skin on your bare leg. A rough, raspy finger called the hypostome clings to the skin while a pair of tough jaws dig a hole. Then the hypostome jabs into the hole and the tick is fixed in place. Its barbs point backward, which is why a gorging tick is so difficult to dislodge.

Next, the pesky parasite jabs in a syphon to suck out the blood. As it clings and gorges, its body swells to several times its normal size. If the pest is a female, after dinner she may drop to the ground and lay 4,000 to 8,000 eggs.

The larvae that hatch are tiny six legged creatures. They crawl up on grasses and bushes and wait for passing victims. They may attach themselves to birds or mammals. Though immature, they have their blood¬sucking tool kits.

We may re attacked by several types, but the most likely one is the wood tick, lurking in woods and grassy meadows. When we explore these wondrous wild regions, it is wise to wear boots and tough trousers. If a tick should –fix himself onto your bare skin, do not try to yank him out. 'His wretched little head will remain embedded and may cause a nasty sore. If you dab the wretch with a drop of gasoline, kerosene or chloroform, he will relax his grip and fall off in one piece.

Blood sucking is bad enough. But the wretched ticks also spread diseases among both animals and people. Germs may be carried on their mouths and feet. In some cases ticks pass on their infections through the next generation of eggs. Some types weaken and wipe out herds of cattle. Among human, one type; spreads a dread disease called Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Actually, there is nothing good to say about these wretched parasites.