The ticks that bite people and pets

• Lone Star tick

  Amblyomma americanum

  Also called turkey tick, northeastern water tick, seed tick (larval stage)

  

  Know the Lone Star tick by the female's white dot. It is linked to alpha-gal syndrome, ehrlichiosis, STARI, Heartland virus and tularemia, but not Lyme.

• American dog tick

  Dermacentor variabilis

  Also called wood tick, eastern wood tick, dog tick

  

  Know the American dog tick by its silvery-gray shield. Found east of the Rockies, it carries Rocky Mountain spotted fever and tularemia.

• Asian longhorned tick

  Haemaphysalis longicornis

  Also called longhorned tick, bush tick, cattle tick, New Zealand cattle tick

  

  The invasive Asian longhorned tick is spreading in the eastern US. One animal can carry thousands. CDC has confirmed no US human illness from it yet.

• Blacklegged tick

  Ixodes scapularis

  Also called deer tick, black-legged tick, bear tick

  

  Know the blacklegged (deer) tick by its dark shield and legs. It spreads Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, babesiosis and Powassan virus.

• Brown dog tick

  Rhipicephalus sanguineus

  Also called kennel tick, red dog tick, American brown dog tick, Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato

  

  The brown dog tick lives with dogs and can breed indoors. It spreads Rocky Mountain spotted fever in the US Southwest. How to spot it and clear it.

• Gulf Coast tick

  Amblyomma maculatum

  

  Know the Gulf Coast tick by its silver stripes. Its range is spreading inland. It spreads Rickettsia parkeri rickettsiosis, a milder spotted fever.

• Rocky Mountain wood tick

  Dermacentor andersoni

  Also called wood tick, Rocky Mountain tick

  

  Know the Rocky Mountain wood tick by its silver-gray shield. It lives in the high West and spreads RMSF, Colorado tick fever and tularemia.

• Western blacklegged tick

  Ixodes pacificus

  Also called western black-legged tick, California blacklegged tick

  

  The western blacklegged tick spreads Lyme disease and anaplasmosis on the Pacific Coast. Spot it by its dark legs and half shield.

Not sure what you found?

Answer a few questions about what you can see and narrow it down, or compare the common species side by side.