Deer Tick Identification
Deer ticks, also known as the blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis) can sometimes be confused with other tick species. Like other ticks, their bodies are flattened and they possess eight legs. They appear particularly similar to brown dog ticks.
Deer ticks do not jump from plants to their hosts. They cling to the edges of leaves and transfer themselves with their front legs to the fur, skin or clothing of a passing host. Bacteria and viruses can be transmitted during the first 48 hours following a deer tick bite; therefore, early detection is imperative in the prevention of tick-borne diseases.
Deer Ticks and Lyme Disease in Animals