Question about tick anatomy and life cycle. Any help?

One of the zoos in Germany (I think it was Hamburg zoo) did an experiment on the aestivation (suspended animation) of ticks. Some ticks have evolved to do nothing, until a warm-blooded animal pes by; then they launch themselves in the direction of the animal and latch on. I beleive thay they kept adult ticks waiting around on small branches for years; and found they were still alive, when the experimenters brushed up against the branches. Amazing how the metabolism of such a small animal could keep it going for years like that.