Understanding this aspect of their behavior helps us see the importance of taking precautions when outside or around animals. In recent years, however, research has shown that ticks actually undergo periods of “questing” in which they behave in certain ways that improve their chances of finding a host to latch onto. It was thought that ticks were passive organisms that we accidentally picked up as we walked through brush or tall grasses. Dog ticks live in areas that are not covered by trees, but this is not the case for deer ticks, which can be found in many types of wooded areas. You may find dog ticks indoors at any time of the year.ĭeer ticks and dog ticks may live in brushy or grassy vegetative areas or in ground covering. Deer ticks are also active in the fall and can find a host in weather that’s above freezing. Both are prevalent in the northeastern part of the country, but you can also find them in southern states and western coastal states.īoth deer ticks and dog ticks are active in the spring and summer months. You can encounter deer and dog ticks throughout the United States. Adult females are most likely to bite in the spring and summer.ĭog ticks may carry diseases that can make you very sick, including Rocky Mountain spotted fever and tularemia. These parasites live near homes and can even spend their entire lives inside, which may be up to 2 years.ĭog ticks are nearly double the size of deer ticks, so they may be easier to spot. They’re mostly associated with feeding from dogs, but they don’t exclusively prey upon your four-legged friends.
Dog ticksĭog ticks are another type of parasite that can transmit disease if they attach to you. Ticks may feed from you for up to 5 days.
This gives them ample time to contract harmful bacteria that can spread to you.Īccording to the Minnesota Department of Health, 1 in 3 adult ticks and 1 in 5 nymph ticks have the bacteria that causes Lyme disease.Ī tick needs to be attached to you for a full day or 2 before it can spread the disease, but you may be susceptible to other diseases during that time. Tick larvae feed off of smaller hosts, like rodents and birds, before they reach the stages where they’ll attach to humans. You’re susceptible to illness from a tick bite because their prior animal hosts may have diseases like Lyme, babesiosis, and anaplasmosis. These ticks live for up to 2 years, and the females will feed off a human in their nymph and adult cycles.ĭeer ticks will feed off a few different animals or humans during their lifespan, which is how they spread disease. Deer ticks, or black-legged ticks, feed on more than just deer - including humans. Often from late spring through early fall, when temperatures remain above freezing.ĭon’t let the name fool you. – dog beds and other areas where pets sleep and spend time overgrown natural areas, including grass, plants, and logs – They can live indoors for their entire life cycle – Prevalent in the east of the Rocky Mountains and along the Gulf and Pacific coasts – But they have been identified in all 48 contiguous states.
– Mainly in the eastern, central, and southern United States Slightly smaller than a quarter of an inch Very small: Adults are the size of a sesame seed, and nymphs are the size of a poppy seed. Reddish brown with white shield (females), grooved shield, eight legs and a narrow shape. Red-orange body with black shield (females), and eight dark legs