| − | The major species found in the UK, though rarely, is ''H.punctata'', the red sheep tick. This is a three host tick that can complete its life cycle in a single year but in Wales takes between 2 - 3 years due to envirnmental conditions. ''H.punctata'' bites cause paralysis in sheep and cattle which the adults target as the third host, though they may also attach other medium to large mammals and humans. The larval and nymphal stages target small mammals, birds and lizards. As with many other ticks ''H.punctata'' transmits a number of diseases including tick born encephalitis (TBE), Q fever, tularaemia, ''Rickettsia slovaca'', ''[[Theileria]] mutans'', ''T.ovis'', ''T.recondite'', ''Babesia major'', ''B.motasi'', ''Anaplasma mesaeterum'', Crimean Congo Haemorrhagic Fever, ''Borrelia burgdorferi'' (spanish lyme disease).
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