![]() The nymphal stage is translucent to slightly gray or brown. Identification: The larval stage of the blacklegged tick is extremely tiny and nearly translucent, which makes it extremely difficult to see. Maps showing Ohio counties with the blacklegged tick are available at /. This species has become much more common in the state since 2010, particularly in regions with the tick’s favored forest habitat. The blacklegged tick recently has emerged as a serious pest in Ohio. Blacklegged Tick or Deer Tick (Ixodes scapularis) Immediate tick removal usually results in a quick recovery. Toxins in the tick's injected saliva have been known to cause tick paralysis in dogs and humans. This species may also transmit tularemia. The male remains on the host and continues to feed and mate for the remainder of the season until his death.ĭiseases: The American dog tick is the primary transmitter of Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF). The female feeds for seven to 11 days then drops to the ground and remains there for several days before laying approximately 6,000 eggs then dying shortly thereafter. Males obtain a small blood meal then mate with the female while she is attached to the host. Attached American dog ticks are frequently found on the scalp and hairline at the back of the neck. It then clings to the host’s fur or clothing and crawls upward seeking a place to attach and feed. The adult tick waits on grass and weeds for a suitable host to brush against the vegetation. Adults are most commonly encountered by humans and pets.Īdults are active during spring and summer, but they are most abundant from mid-April to mid-July. Adult ticks feed on a wide variety of medium to large size mammals such as opossums, raccoons, groundhogs, dogs, and humans. The immature stages of this species feed on rodents and other small mammals. After feeding, the female is much larger (~5/8 of an inch long) and mostly gray.īiology: American dog ticks prefer grassy areas along roads and paths, particularly next to woody or shrubby habitats. The adult American dog tick is the largest tick in Ohio at approximately 3/16 of an inch (unfed females, fed, and unfed males). Immatures are very small and rarely observed. Identification: Adults typically are brownish with light grey mottling on the scutum. The American dog tick is the most commonly encountered species throughout Ohio. Photo by Jeffery Alfred, used with permission from Iowa State University Extension. From left to right: male, unfed female, and engorged female. Important Tick Species in Ohio American Dog Tick (Dermacentor variabilis)įigure 2. Adult female ticks greatly increase in size during feeding but adult males do not. Nymphs become engorged, but they are much smaller than the adults. Most species feed on a different type of host during the adult stage, with larvae and nymphs preferring smaller hosts. Ticks must consume blood at every stage to develop. Adult ticks often have distinct characteristics and markings, but immature stages (larvae and nymphs) are entirely tan or brown and difficult to identify to species. Ticks have a life cycle that includes the egg and three stages: six-legged larva, eight-legged nymph, and eight-legged adult. In Ohio, soft ticks are not pests of humans. The scutum covers almost the entire upper surface of the adult male whereas it covers only the front portion of the female. They are called hard ticks because they possess a scutum (hard plate) on their upper surface just behind the mouthparts (see Figure 1). Many of the species in Ohio, including the three of medical importance and the brown dog tick, are hard ticks. Other tick species are rarely encountered in Ohio. This fact sheet provides information on these four species. The brown dog tick, although uncommon, is the only tick that can become established indoors in homes with dogs and kennels. Three tick species in Ohio are medically important because they are disease vectors: the American dog tick, the blacklegged tick (commonly called the deer tick), and the lone star tick. The scutum is outlined in yellow on the upper surface of an adult male and female hard tick. Proper protection from ticks and prompt removal are crucial to preventing infection.įigure 1. Most importantly, some species of ticks may infect the host with any of several different diseases, which can result in mild to serious illness or death. Ticks are blood-feeding parasites that can significantly impact the quality of life and health of humans and pets.
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