Podcast Summary: Who Smarted? – Episode: "Why do Ticks want to drink your blood?"

Release Date: July 28, 2025

Introduction

In the engaging and educational episode titled "Why do Ticks want to drink your blood?" from the podcast "Who Smarted?", hosted by Atomic Entertainment and Starglow Media, young listeners embark on an adventure into the world of ticks. This episode seamlessly blends humor, storytelling, and scientific facts to captivate curious minds, making complex topics accessible and entertaining for children, parents, and educators alike.

Meeting the Tick

The episode kicks off with the Trusty Narrator taking listeners on a nature hike. At [00:03], the narrator shares excitement about finding various insects like ladybugs and crickets. However, the discovery of a tiny creature—a tick—introduces an element of caution:

• Trusty Narrator (00:21): "I definitely don't want to bring this one home. Smarty pants, what's a tiny creature you find in the woods that you're best avoiding? Is it A, a firefly, B, a butterfly, or C, a tick?"

Upon correctly identifying the tick, the narrator humorously refers to ticks as “nature's vampires” to highlight their blood-feeding behavior.

Understanding Ticks as Parasites

The Talking Tick chimes in, defending its existence:

• Talking Tick (00:39): "Yeah, what's wrong with me?"
• Trusty Narrator (00:41): "No offense, talking tick, but you're like nature's vampires."

The narrator clarifies that ticks are parasites—organisms that survive by living on or in a host and deriving nutrients at the host's expense:

• Trusty Narrator (01:12): "There's a word for a creature who survives by living on or in another creature called a host and deriving nutrients at the host's expense. This word starts with the letter P. Any guesses what it is? Is it a paragraph, A paralegal or a parasite? The answer is parasite."

Diving into Tick Biology

The episode delves deeper into the biology of ticks, starting with their species diversity:

• Trusty Narrator (03:20): "How many different species of ticks do you think there are? Are there 250, 550 or 850?"
• Talking Tick (03:29): "There might be 850 species, but there's really only two. Hard ticks and soft ticks."

Key Differences Between Hard and Soft Ticks:

• Hard Ticks: Possess a shiny back called a scutum and have mouthparts that protrude to latch onto hosts. They feed until full and then shed their skin.

  • Talking Tick (03:48): "Me, I'm a hard tick, so my back has a covering called a scutum."

• Soft Ticks: Have a soft, round exoskeleton with mouthparts hidden under their bodies. They are generally less persistent feeders.

Anatomical Features:

• Legs: Adult ticks have eight legs, similar to spiders.

  • Trusty Narrator (05:41): "If you said eight legs, you're right. That's because ticks are just like spiders."

• Mouthparts: Ticks use chelicerae (fang-like structures) to pierce the skin of their hosts.

Lifecycle of Ticks

Ticks undergo several developmental stages, each requiring a blood meal:

1. Larvae: Hatch with six legs and feed on small hosts like rodents and birds.
2. Nymphs: Develop into eight-legged individuals, feeding on larger hosts such as squirrels and rabbits.
3. Adults: Mature ticks feed on even larger hosts, including cows, deer, and humans.

• Talking Tick (06:20): "Ticks aren't born with eight legs. When a female tick lays thousands of eggs, larvae with only six legs hatch out. It's not until we grow into nymphs... that we have eight legs."

Feeding Behavior:

• Ticks quest by climbing vegetation and waiting for a host to brush past.

  • Talking Tick (10:27): "Questing is the word used to describe ticks searching for food."

• After feeding, ticks swell significantly and drop off to digest, remaining dormant until needing another meal.

Ticks and Their Hosts

Ticks are opportunistic feeders, targeting a variety of hosts based on their life stage:

• Larvae: Small rodents, birds, reptiles.

• Nymphs: Squirrels, birds, rabbits.

• Adults: Cows, elk, dogs, sheep, deer, humans.

• Trusty Narrator (08:00): "Are there specific animals that you prefer as hosts?"

• Talking Tick (08:03): "Absolutely. Tick larva... And adult ticks. Oh, we love feeding on cows, elk, dogs, sheep, deer, and even humans."

Association with Deer:

• Trusty Narrator (08:40): "Ticks are often associated with deer."
• Talking Tick (08:44): "Deer are one of our favorite and most plentiful food sources. If there's lots of deer around, you can be sure there's also lots of ticks."

The Threat of Lyme Disease

A significant portion of the episode focuses on Lyme disease, a serious illness transmitted through tick bites:

• Trusty Narrator (12:52): "Do you know why ticks are so dangerous to humans? The answer right after this quick break."

• Talking Tick (12:58): "Oh, that. Yeah, that's not good, smarty pants."

• Trusty Narrator (13:18): "Lyme disease can affect your skin, your joints, and your nervous system. Symptoms can include fevers, headaches, fatigue, and a skin rash."

Prevention and Treatment:

• Preventive Measures:

  • Wear long pants and boots.
  • Use insect repellent.
  • Perform tick checks after being outdoors.

• Removal:

  • Use tweezers to remove ticks.
  • Wash the area with soap and water.
  • Apply antiseptic.

Protection Against Ticks

Practical advice is provided to help listeners protect themselves from tick bites:

• Clothing: Dressing appropriately when in wooded or grassy areas.

  • Talking Tick (13:47): "If you're gonna be in the woods, always wear long pants and boots."

• Repellents: Using effective insect repellents to deter ticks.

• Tick Checks: Regularly inspecting the body for ticks after outdoor activities.

• Safe Removal: Guiding on how to safely remove ticks to prevent infection.

Ticks’ Predators and Survival

While ticks are adept parasites, they have their own set of predators:

• Natural Predators:

  • Red-billed oxpeckers
  • Wasps
  • Spiders

• Trusty Narrator (10:55): "What animals would possibly want to eat a tick?"

• Talking Tick (10:59): "Birds like the red billed oxpecker love eating ticks. Also wasps and spiders."

Sensory Mechanisms:

Ticks rely on senses other than sight to locate hosts:

• Trusty Narrator (15:30): "How do you crawl around and find a host if you can't see it?"
• Talking Tick (15:30): "We have other senses that help us find our hosts. Our first pair of legs, access sensors. To find heat and carbon dioxide."

Historical Perspective on Ticks

The episode highlights the evolutionary longevity of ticks:

• Trusty Narrator (14:35): "How long do you think ticks have been around?"

• Talking Tick (14:35): "450 million years."

• Context: Ticks have been around longer than other common parasites like mites (380 million years) and bed bugs (325 million years).

Conclusion and Final Thoughts

The episode concludes with the Trusty Narrator and the Talking Tick wrapping up their discussion, reinforcing the importance of understanding ticks and protecting oneself from their dangers. The narrator extends gratitude to listeners and encourages sharing the podcast with friends and family.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Trusty Narrator (00:41): "No offense, talking tick, but you're like nature's vampires."

• Talking Tick (01:12): "Parasite."

• Trusty Narrator (03:20): "Are there 250, 550 or 850 [tick species]?"

• Talking Tick (03:48): "I'm a hard tick, so my back has a covering called a scutum."

• Trusty Narrator (05:41): "If you said eight legs, you're right. That's because ticks are just like spiders."

• Talking Tick (06:20): "It's not until we grow into nymphs... that we have eight legs."

• Trusty Narrator (08:03): "If there's lots of deer around, you can be sure there's also lots of ticks."

• Trusty Narrator (13:18): "Lyme disease can affect your skin, your joints, and your nervous system."

Production Credits

• Written by: Sarah Sweetek
• Voices: Adam Tix Davis, Charlotte Creepy Crawly Cohn, Jerry Colbert
• Technical Direction and Sound Design: Josh Host Hahn
• Associate Producer: Max Questing Kamasky
• Theme Song: Brian Spidey Sense Suarez (Lyrics by Adam Tex Davis)
• Produced by: Adam Tex Davis and Jerry Colber
• Recorded and Mixed at: Relic Room Studios
• Production Company: Atomic Entertainment

Final Thoughts

"Who Smarted?" successfully transforms complex scientific topics into entertaining and digestible content for young audiences. This episode on ticks not only educates listeners about the biology and behavior of these arachnids but also emphasizes the importance of preventive measures against tick-borne diseases like Lyme disease. Through interactive segments, humorous dialogues, and engaging storytelling, the podcast fosters a love for learning and curiosity about the natural world.