Different types of ticks in the US

There are over 850 types of ticks worldwide.¹ These tiny yet significant arachnids are found in most parts of the world, from dense forests to arid deserts. Each tick species has adapted to its environment, playing a role in the ecosystems they inhabit. In the United States alone, approximately 90 types of ticks have been identified, with the Deer tick and American dog tick being the most common.¹

Identifying the common types of tick

While different types of ticks can vary in size, color, and body type, they all share some key identifying features. All ticks are arachnids, eight-legged relatives of spiders. They have a distinct body in two sections, unlike insects with three. They lack wings and rely on finding a host to feed on blood. Their most defining feature is their mouthparts, designed to pierce the skin and anchor them for extended feeding. Regardless of the type of tick, they can pose health risks by transmitting various diseases to both humans and animals.

Deer tick (black legged tick)

Size: Less than ⅛ of an inch
Color: Reddish-brown body with dark legs
Habitat: Wooded, brushy areas where deer and small rodents live
Location: Northeastern, Mid-Atlantic, and North-Central states
Disease: Known to transmit Lyme disease

Brown dog tick

Size: ⅛-½ inches long
Color: Brown, may become reddish-brown when engorged
Habitat: Prefer indoor environments, especially where dogs are present
Location: Found in all states
Disease: Known to transmit Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Canine Babesiosis, and Canine Ehrlichiosis

American dog tick (wood tick)

Size: ¼-½ inches long
Color: Dark brown body with whitish to grayish markings
Habitat: Grassy areas with low vegetation where mammals pass
Location: Predominantly in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico
Disease: Can transmit Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever or Tularemia

Lone star tick

Size: ¼-½ inches long
Color: Reddish brown with a white spot or streaks
Habitat: Wooded areas, tall grass, brush
Location: Eastern, southern, and midwestern United States
Disease: Can transmit Ehrlichiosis, Tularemia, and Southern Tick-Associated Rash Illness (STARI)

Gulf coast tick

Size: ¼-½ inches long
Color: Reddish brown with white markings on the shield or legs
Habitat: Wooded areas, tall grass, brush
Location: Southeastern United States, from Texas to Florida, north to Virginia
Disease: Can transmit Rickettsia parkeri

Western black-legged tick

Size: ⅛-⅜ inches long
Color: Reddish brown
Habitat: Wooded areas, especially with leaf litter
Location: Western United States and Canada
Disease: Can transmit Lyme disease, Babesiosis, Borrelia miyamotoi, and Anaplasmosis

Tick prevention

No matter the type of tick, prevention is crucial for staying healthy and avoiding tick-borne diseases. Taking precautions to prevent tick bites is essential to avoid a variety of tick-borne illnesses such as Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Dengue virus, and ehrlichiosis. To help prevent ticks in your yard, maintain it by keeping the lawn mowed, removing leaf litter, and creating a barrier with wood chips or gravel between your lawn and wooded areas to restrict tick migration into recreational areas.

What to do if you find ticks

If you discover a tick on your body, clothing, or pet it's important to properly remove it right away. If you find a tick within your home or have a tick-infested yard, it's important to consider hiring a tick control professional. Attempting to tackle a tick infestation on your own can be challenging, given the resilient nature of these pests and their propensity to spread diseases. That's where Terminix steps in. Our technicians are well-versed in dealing with multiple types of ticks, using treatments designed to effectively remove these pests and prevent future occurrences.

Contact a Terminix expert to start protecting yourself from different types of ticks today!

¹Information on the number of tick species worldwide and in the United States provided by PestWorld.