Different Types of Ticks Found in the United States

Hard Ticks (Ixodidae)

• Life cycle: egg, larva, nymph, adult
• Spans 1-2 years
• Bite is usually painless
• Feeding lasts hours to days (or weeks)
• Includes most disease-carrying species

Soft Ticks (Argasidae)

• Nymphal stage may include up to 7 phases
• Life cycle: months to years
• Bites are brief: 15-30 minutes
• Raisin-like shape, no hard shell
• Often feed at night while victims sleep

American Dog Tick (Wood Tick)

Dark brown body; females have off-white shield. Found in grassy fields, meadows, scrubland. Females lay 4,000+ eggs.

Diseases: Rocky Mountain spotted fever, tularemia, tick paralysis

Blacklegged Deer Tick

Reddish-orange body, black shield, dark black legs. Found in grass, brush, leaves, fallen logs.

Diseases: Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, babesiosis, Powassan virus, ehrlichiosis

Brown Dog Tick

Reddish-brown, narrow body tapers at head. Primary host is dogs. Can survive 18 months without feeding. Females lay 4,000 eggs.

Diseases: Rocky Mountain spotted fever (dogs and humans)

Lone Star Tick

Reddish-brown with distinctive white dot ("lone star") on adult females. Notoriously aggressive biter. Found in tall grass and woodland areas.

Diseases: Alpha-gal syndrome (red meat allergy), ehrlichiosis, RMSF, STARI, tularemia

Rocky Mountain Wood Tick

Reddish-brown; cream-colored backs on adult males. Found in scrublands, open grasslands, trails. Saliva contains neurotoxin causing tick paralysis.

Diseases: Colorado tick fever, RMSF, Q fever, tularemia, tick paralysis

Western Blacklegged Tick

Found in grasslands, near water, deer trails, dense woodlands. All life stages can bite humans.

Diseases: Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, babesiosis, bartonella

Eastern seaboard to Gulf Coast

Diseases: Rickettsia parkeri rickettsiosis

Females lay 8,000+ eggs

Eastern US

Diseases: Powassan virus disease

Light brown, sesame seed size

Baja Mexico to Oregon

Diseases: RMSF, Colorado tick fever, tularemia

Active year-round in CA

Eastern US (emerging)

Diseases: Anaplasmosis, babesiosis, ehrlichiosis

Risk to US humans unknown

Western US to Texas

Diseases: Tick-borne relapsing fever

Feed at night, 15-30 min

Nationwide

Diseases: None known to humans

Stays on host entire life cycle

Stay away from tall grasses, overgrown shrubs, low-hanging branches.

Long sleeves, pants tucked into socks, light colors. Tape pants/sock junction.

DEET (10-30%) on skin, permethrin on clothing only.

Avoid brushing against vegetation when hiking.

Inspect yourself, others, and pets after being outdoors.

Use tweezers, grasp near skin, pull straight up without twisting.

Wash with soap and water, apply antiseptic.

If fever or symptoms develop after a bite.