Orkin Exterminator & Termite Control

Blacklegged Ticks

The blacklegged tick and western-blacklegged tick are primarily responsible for the transmission of Lyme disease. These ticks are prevalent in the northern United States, as well as along the Pacific Coast. Blacklegged ticks are also known as deer ticks.

Blacklegged ticks are hard ticks that are distantly related to both mites and spiders. They are smaller in size than other common ticks and tend to cling to leaves bordering trails. When mammals brush against these leaves, blacklegged ticks attach themselves to their hosts with their front legs.

Deer tick larvae prefer to feed on smaller hosts. They contract infections from small animals during their nymphal stages, which they then pass on to other hosts. Adult male blacklegged ticks rarely feed and females prefer to feed upon white-tailed deer. Humans bitten by female blacklegged ticks are known as accidental hosts.

These ticks feed by inserting their mouthparts into the skin of the host. If undetected, blacklegged ticks may feed for up to seven days. Prompt detection and removal are necessary for the prevention of Lyme disease. 

Characteristics of Black-Legged Ticks

Seeds Ticks

What Do Ticks Look Like

Tick Removal

Ticks and Leeches