PT27.S4.Q05 - ticks attach themselves to host animals

TheBatman

Why is answer (B) wrong?

So, I understand that:

1. Ticks drop off host when fed to capacity, and not before.
2. Deer ticks feeding off white-footed mice must drop off between noon and sunset.
3. White-footed mice are strictly nocturnal.
4. White-footed mice spend all daytime hour in underground nests.

Answer B says: Deer ticks sometimes drop off their hosts without having fed at all.

Okay, I understand that Ticks drop off host when fed to capacity, and not before. BUT, I also know that Deer ticks feeding off white-footed mice must drop off between noon and sunset.

So I assumed that if Deer ticks started feeding on the mice really late in the day, they would have to drop off them right at sunset, EVEN if they didn't finish feeding!!!

Also, I thought ticks and deer ticks behave differently because the sentence "Deer ticks feeding off white-footed mice must drop off between noon and sunset" to me contradicts "Ticks drop off host when fed to capacity, and not before." This is because I assumed that no matter what, deer ticks MUST drop off their hosts AT SUNSET regardless if they didn't finish feeding.

Sentences 1 and 2 feel contradicting to me.

Why am I wrong to think those things? How can I properly adjust my though pattern?
https://7sage.com/lsat_explanations/lsat-27-section-4-question-05/

AllezAllez21

My interpretation of the phrase "invariably drop off between noon and sunset," is that IF they are going to drop off on a certain day, then they will do it between noon and sunset, NOT that they must drop off every day.

So, the tick attaches and begins feeding. It stays on the host for X period of time, be that 1 second or 1 month. Then, once it is fed to capacity, it drops off on some day during the period between noon and sunset.

I think the phrase "and not before then" forces you to eliminate B even if we accept your understanding that each and every day a tick must fall off before sunset. If they never drop off before they're fed to capacity (as stated in the stimulus), then it must be that even a tick that attached itself 10 seconds before sunset is able to feed itself to capacity within those 10 seconds.