How to Identify a Lone Star Tick

Adult female Lone Star ticks are reddish-brown with a single, distinctive white dot (the 'lone star') on the back. Males have scattered white streaks along the edge. Nymphs are very small — about the size of a poppy seed — which is why many bites go unnoticed.

Lone Star ticks (Amblyomma americanum) are larger, aggressive biters with a white dot on females and are most associated with alpha-gal syndrome. Blacklegged or deer ticks (Ixodes scapularis) are smaller and darker with an orange-red rear body and are the main vector for Lyme disease.

American dog ticks (Dermacentor variabilis) are brown with a mottled, ornate gray or cream-colored shield. They tend to be larger and rounder, especially when engorged, and can transmit Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

Larvae are roughly the size of a poppy seed, nymphs about a sesame seed, and unfed adults around an apple seed. Engorged adults can swell much larger after feeding. Nymphs cause many bites because they're so easy to miss.

These illustrations are for awareness only and are not a substitute for professional identification. If you're unsure, save the tick in a sealed bag with a moist paper towel, take a clear photo, and contact your state health department or a university extension program.