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Lone Star Tick

Amblyomma americanum[7][1]

The lone star tick is a very aggressive tick that readily bites people and pets across the Northeast, South and Midwest; its bite is linked to alpha-gal syndrome, a red meat allergy.[1][2][4]

Group
Arachnid
Order
Ixodida
Family
Ixodidae
US records
28 states
Sources
7 cited
Updated
2026-10-06
Adult female lone star tick with the white spot on its back
Adult female lone star tick with the white spot on its back. (c) Katja Schulz, some rights reserved (CC BY) — via iNaturalist, CC BY 4.0
On this page
  1. Identification
  2. Look-alikes
  3. Where it lives
  4. Biology
  5. Damage and signs
  6. Health risk
  7. Control
  8. Related profiles
  9. Common questions
  10. Sources

How to identify it

  • Adult females are reddish brown with a single white dot, the "lone star," on the back.[1][3]
  • Males have small white markings along the rear edge; mouthparts are long.[3]
  • Larvae ("seed ticks") can appear in large numbers in late summer.[2]

Look-alikes

Look-alikeHow to tell them apart
Blacklegged tickAdults have a reddish-orange body with black legs and black shield and no white spot.[3]

Where it lives

Widely distributed in the Northeast, South and Midwest, in woodlands and open areas with dense vegetation.[1][3]

US map: public records from 28 states since 1990 (GBIF).

Biology and life cycle

Active from about March through September; nymphs and adults in spring, larvae in late summer and fall.[2][3]

Lone star ticks actively chase their hosts and are often present in large numbers.[3]

Damage and signs

  • Saliva can cause itchy red bites that last two weeks or more; redness alone doesn't mean infection.[2][1]

Health risk

Can transmit ehrlichiosis, tularemia, Heartland and Bourbon viruses, and is associated with STARI rash illness; it is not known to transmit Lyme disease. It is the tick most often associated with alpha-gal syndrome, a potentially life-threatening allergy to red meat.[1][2][4]

Control

Prevention

Use an EPA-registered repellent (DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus, PMD or 2-undecanone) and treat clothing and gear with 0.5% permethrin; walk in the center of trails.[6]

Make the yard less tick-friendly: remove leaf litter, clear tall grass and brush, mow often, and put a 3-foot strip of wood chips or gravel between lawn and woods.[6]

Sanitation

After being outdoors, tumble dry clothes on high heat for 10 minutes, check gear and pets, shower within two hours, and do a full-body tick check.[6]

Traps and physical control

Remove an attached tick right away with fine-tipped tweezers, grasping close to the skin and pulling straight out with steady pressure; don't use petroleum jelly, heat or nail polish.[5]

Pesticides

Yard pesticide applications can reduce ticks, but you shouldn't rely on spraying alone to prevent infection.[6]

Common questions

Can a tick bite make me allergic to red meat?
Yes. Alpha-gal syndrome can develop after tick bites, most often from the lone star tick in the U.S.[4]
Does the lone star tick carry Lyme disease?
No, it is not known to transmit Lyme disease.[2][3]

Sources

  1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Where Ticks Live.” www.cdc.gov/ticks/about/where-ticks-live.html (accessed 2026-10-06)
  2. University of Kentucky Entomology, “ENTFACT-648: The Lone Star Tick in Kentucky.” entomology.mgcafe.uky.edu/ef648 (accessed 2026-10-06)
  3. University of Kentucky Entomology, “ENTFACT-618: Ticks and Disease in Kentucky.” entomology.mgcafe.uky.edu/ef618 (accessed 2026-10-06)
  4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “About Alpha-gal Syndrome.” www.cdc.gov/alpha-gal-syndrome/about/index.html (accessed 2026-10-06)
  5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “What to Do After a Tick Bite.” www.cdc.gov/ticks/after-a-tick-bite/index.html (accessed 2026-10-06)
  6. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Preventing Tick Bites.” www.cdc.gov/ticks/prevention/index.html (accessed 2026-10-06)
  7. iNaturalist, “Amblyomma americanum taxon page (order and family).” www.inaturalist.org/taxa/83744 (accessed 2026-10-06)

Updated 2026-10-06. Built from sourced records. Spot an error? Tell us.