Ticks: prevention, removal, diseases and yard control

Common U.S. ticks

Blacklegged Tick Ixodes scapularis The blacklegged tick, often called the deer tick, is widely distributed across the eastern United States and transmits the bacteria that cause Lyme disease along with several other diseases. Lone Star Tick Amblyomma americanum 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. American Dog Tick Dermacentor variabilis The American dog tick, also called the wood tick, is widely distributed east of the Rocky Mountains. Adult females are the stage most likely to bite people, especially in spring and summer, and adults commonly climb to the crown of the head. Brown Dog Tick Rhipicephalus sanguineus The brown dog tick is unusual: unlike most ticks, it can complete its entire life cycle indoors. It occurs across the United States, is met more often in the southern states, and can build up to high numbers on dogs and in homes and kennels. Gulf Coast Tick Amblyomma maculatum The Gulf Coast tick is a hard tick of grass prairies, coastal uplands and shrubby, recently disturbed ground with little or no tree cover. Adults bite people, and it is the principal carrier of Rickettsia parkeri, which causes a form of spotted fever, and of the parasite behind American canine hepatozoonosis in dogs. Rocky Mountain Wood Tick Dermacentor andersoni The Rocky Mountain wood tick is the tick most often found on people and pets in Colorado and Utah. It is most active in spring, then goes dormant as the weather turns hot and dry, and it is the vector of Colorado tick fever. Pacific Coast Tick Dermacentor occidentalis The Pacific Coast tick is one of the most widespread ticks in California and one of a handful that regularly bite people. It is the only tick known to spread Pacific Coast tick fever, and it can also carry spotted fever and tularemia. Western Blacklegged Tick Ixodes pacificus The western blacklegged tick is the West Coast relative of the eastern deer tick and the only tick that spreads Lyme disease bacteria to people in California. It bites people more often than any other tick in the state. Asian Longhorned Tick Haemaphysalis longicornis The Asian longhorned tick is an invasive tick first reported in the United States in 2017. U.S. females lay eggs without mating, which APHIS describes as essentially cloning themselves, so huge numbers can build up on livestock, pets and wildlife and in grass. Soft Ticks (relapsing fever ticks) Ornithodoros species (mainly O. hermsi and O. turicata in the U.S.) Soft ticks live in rodent nests, often inside the walls and floors of rustic cabins, and come out at night to feed briefly on sleeping people. In the U.S., infected Ornithodoros soft ticks spread soft tick relapsing fever. Winter tick Dermacentor albipictus The winter tick, also called the moose tick, is a hard tick that spends its whole life on a single animal and feeds through the fall and winter, when most ticks are inactive. Moose suffer most, but it also turns up on deer, elk, horses and cattle. Cattle fever ticks Rhipicephalus annulatus and R. microplus Cattle fever ticks are two closely related hard ticks, Rhipicephalus annulatus and R. microplus, that can carry the Babesia parasites behind cattle fever. Most infected cattle that have never been exposed to the disease die, so a find in Texas sets off a quarantine and supervised treatment. Spinose ear tick Otobius megnini The spinose ear tick is a soft tick whose larvae and nymphs live deep in the ear canals of cattle, horses and other animals, sometimes for months. The adults never feed. Heavy infestations irritate and inflame the ears and invite infections, though the tick isn't known to transmit any disease agents. Bat tick Carios kelleyi (formerly Ornithodoros kelleyi; iNaturalist: Alectorobius kelleyi) The bat tick, Carios kelleyi, is a soft tick that lives in the cracks and crevices of bat roosts in houses and other buildings. It feeds on bats, and people usually meet it only after the bats leave or are evicted and the hungry ticks start to wander in search of another meal. Groundhog tick Ixodes cookei The groundhog tick, also called the woodchuck tick, is a hard tick of eastern North America that lives in the dens and nests of groundhogs and other mammals. It bites people far less readily than the blacklegged tick, but it is the tick that keeps lineage I of Powassan virus circulating among groundhogs and weasel-family mammals. No photo yet Ixodes affinis Ixodes affinis Ixodes affinis is a hard tick of the southeastern coastal plain that looks so much like the blacklegged (deer) tick that researchers developed a DNA test to help tell the two apart. In Georgia and South Carolina it is considered an enzootic vector of the Lyme disease bacterium, helping to keep it circulating among wild animals, and it has been spreading north into Virginia.

How ticks find you

Ticks find hosts by sensing breath, body odor, body heat, moisture and vibration, and they pick waiting spots along well-used paths. While questing, a tick holds on to a leaf or grass blade with its back legs and stretches its front legs out to grab whatever brushes by. Some attach quickly; others wander to the ear or other places where the skin is thinner.^[6]

Once it settles, a tick can take from 10 minutes to 2 hours to start feeding. Its saliva has a numbing effect, so many bites go unfelt, and a tick in a sheltered spot on the body can go unnoticed. Depending on the species, it may stay attached for minutes to days.^[6]

Every tick goes through four stages: egg, larva, nymph and adult. Newly hatched larvae are smaller than 2 mm, and each active stage needs a blood meal before it molts or lays eggs. Most species feed on three separate hosts over their lives.^[4][5]

The ticks people usually meet are hard ticks, which carry a hard shield (scutum) on the back. Soft ticks mostly hide in caves and burrows and are seldom met. The types of ticks guide shows how to tell the species and life stages apart, with sizes.^[4]

The ticks that bite people, and what CDC says they spread

CDC cautions that finding a tick species in your region doesn't by itself mean the diseases it can carry are spread there. For full identification of each one, see the types of ticks guide.^[3]

• Blacklegged (deer) tick: across the eastern U.S. Spreads the germs of Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, babesiosis, hard tick relapsing fever, one form of ehrlichiosis and Powassan virus disease. Nymphs and adult females are the stages most likely to bite.^[3]
• Western blacklegged tick: along the Pacific coast, particularly northern California. Spreads anaplasmosis, Lyme disease and hard tick relapsing fever.^[3]
• Lone star tick: widely found in the Northeast, South and Midwest. CDC calls it a very aggressive biter and lists ehrlichiosis, Heartland virus, Bourbon virus and tularemia; STARI, a circular rash of unknown cause, sometimes follows its bite, and growing evidence links it to alpha-gal syndrome (red meat allergy).^[3]
• American dog tick: widely found east of the Rocky Mountains, with limited areas to the west. Spreads tularemia and Rocky Mountain spotted fever; adult females bite people most often.^[3]
• Rocky Mountain wood tick: Rocky Mountain states and southwestern Canada at 4,000 to 10,500 feet. Spreads Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Colorado tick fever and tularemia.^[3]
• Brown dog tick: found worldwide, with dogs as its main host at every stage, though it also bites people. Spreads Rocky Mountain spotted fever in the southwestern U.S. and along the U.S.-Mexico border.^[3]
• Gulf Coast tick: mainly the Southeast, with pockets elsewhere. Adults have been linked to Rickettsia parkeri rickettsiosis, a form of spotted fever.^[3]
• Asian longhorned tick: first reported in the U.S. in 2017; CDC's April 2024 list of states where it has been found runs through the East and into Arkansas, Missouri and Illinois. It appears less attracted to people than native ticks, and females can reproduce without mating, so thousands may turn up at once on grass or an animal.^[3]

Tickborne diseases and the symptoms to watch for

CDC lists these diseases from U.S. ticks: alpha-gal syndrome, anaplasmosis, babesiosis, Bourbon virus, Colorado tick fever, ehrlichiosis, hard tick relapsing fever, Heartland virus, Lyme disease, Powassan virus, Rickettsia parkeri rickettsiosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, soft tick relapsing fever, STARI, tularemia and 364D rickettsiosis.^[6]

Many of them look alike at first. All can cause fever or chills; headache, fatigue and muscle aches can occur, and Lyme disease can add joint pain. Lyme disease, STARI, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, ehrlichiosis and tularemia can cause distinctive rashes. If you develop these symptoms within a few weeks of a tick bite, see a health care provider.^[6]

Tick paralysis is different: a toxin in an attached tick's saliva causes weakness or paralysis that moves up the body. CDC says people typically regain movement within 24 hours of the tick being removed.^[6]

CDC's online Tick Bite Guide asks about attachment time and symptoms to help decide when to seek care. The guide on what to do after a tick bite goes disease by disease through symptoms and timing and explains why attachment time matters.^[2]

After you remove a tick

Remove an attached tick as soon as you find it rather than waiting to see a provider, since delay can raise the risk of infection. If the mouthparts break off, the skin will push them out as it heals; take them out with tweezers if that's easy, and leave them alone if it isn't.^[2]

CDC does not generally recommend sending the tick off for testing: the labs aren't held to clinical standards, a positive result doesn't mean you were infected, and a negative one can give false comfort. The after-a-tick-bite guide covers saving and identifying the tick instead. For a tick on a dog, see how to remove a tick from a dog.^[2]

• Dispose of a live tick by sealing it in a container or bag, wrapping it tightly in tape, flushing it, or putting it in alcohol.^[2]
• Clean the bite and your hands with soap and water, rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer, then check your body for more ticks.^[2]
• Examine pets and outdoor gear for ticks, too.^[1]

Preventing bites outdoors

Many people pick up ticks in their own yard or neighborhood, not just on hikes. Walking the dog, camping, gardening and hunting all bring people close to ticks.^[1]

• Avoid wooded and brushy areas with high grass and leaf litter, and walk in the center of trails.^[1]
• Look for an EPA registration number on the repellent label. Don't use products with oil of lemon eucalyptus or PMD on children under 3, and if you also wear sunscreen, put it on first and the repellent second. The guide to choosing an insect repellent compares the active ingredients.^[1]
• Permethrin goes on boots, clothing and camping gear and stays protective through several washings; factory-treated clothing is another option. See the permethrin clothing guide for how to treat gear and how long it lasts.^[1]
• Damp clothes may need more than 10 minutes in a hot dryer to kill ticks. If clothes need washing first, use hot water: cold and medium-temperature water won't kill ticks.^[1]

Ticks on dogs and cats

Pets can get tickborne diseases too, and they carry ticks indoors, where the ticks may later bite people. CDC calls dogs very susceptible to tick bites and tickborne diseases. Except for Lyme disease in dogs, there are no vaccines against them, so CDC advises a tick preventive product for dogs, chosen with your veterinarian.^[7]

Check pets that go outdoors every day and remove any tick right away. After a bite, watch for changes in behavior or appetite: signs of disease may not show for 7 to 21 days or longer. Cats are very sensitive to many chemicals, so don't use any tick product on a cat without asking a vet first. The guide on how to remove a tick from a dog covers the steps, full-body tick checks and the main kinds of preventives to ask about.^[7]

Ticks inside the house

Most ticks found indoors rode in on clothing, gear or a pet. They can drop off a pet in the house before feeding and attach to someone later.^[1][4]

The brown dog tick is the exception. Unlike other ticks, it can complete its entire life indoors, and CDC notes it can infest homes and kennels. It reaches the house on a dog. If you keep finding ticks indoors, see how to get rid of brown dog ticks in the house.^[4][7]

Making your yard less tick-friendly

Ticks rarely infest a mowed lawn; they live in the brushy, grassy and wooded edges, and their numbers depend on how much of that habitat there is and how many deer and white-footed mice visit. The tick control in the yard guide covers checking the yard with a tick drag, spray timing and rodent-targeted products.^[8]

• Keep the lawn and plants trimmed, and remove leaf litter and brush.^[1][8]
• Put a 3-foot gravel or wood chip border between the lawn and any overgrown natural areas.^[1]
• Move outdoor furniture and swing sets away from yard edges to open, sunny areas.^[1][9]
• Stack firewood neatly in a dry spot to discourage rodents, and clear out old furniture, mattresses and trash that give ticks a place to hide.^[1]
• Fences help keep deer, raccoons and stray dogs out. For deer, the University of Minnesota says a fence has to be about 8 to 10 feet tall.^[1][8]
• A pesticide can cut tick numbers in the treated part of a yard, but CDC says not to rely on spraying to prevent infection. Follow the label, and check with local health or agricultural officials on timing, product and local rules. Minnesota Extension says spraying large areas of woods, brush or grass isn't effective; treat the edges of wooded or brushy areas and paths instead.^[1][8]

When ticks are active

Sources differ on how cold stops blacklegged ticks: CDC says adults may look for a host any time winter temperatures are above freezing, and University of Kentucky entomologists say adults stay active above 40 degrees F.^[3][4]

• Blacklegged tick risk is highest in spring, summer and fall, but adults look for hosts any time winter temperatures are above freezing.^[3][4]
• Lone star and American dog tick adults and nymphs are active from about March through September; lone star larvae can appear in large numbers in late summer.^[4][5]

Common questions

Do all ticks carry Lyme disease?

No. Among the U.S. ticks CDC lists, the blacklegged tick and the western blacklegged tick spread Lyme disease bacteria. The lone star, American dog, Rocky Mountain wood, brown dog and Gulf Coast ticks spread other diseases.^[3]

Can ticks jump or fly onto you?

No. Ticks can't fly or jump. They wait on the tips of grasses and shrubs with their front legs held out and climb on when you brush past.^[6]

Should I send the tick to a lab for testing?

CDC generally doesn't recommend it. A positive result doesn't mean you were infected, a negative result can give false reassurance, and symptoms usually show up before results would. Watch for rash or fever over the next several weeks instead.^[2]

Will spraying my yard keep my family from getting sick?

Not on its own. CDC says pesticides can reduce ticks in treated areas but you shouldn't rely on spraying to prevent infection; repellents, tick checks, showering and landscaping still matter.^[1]

Sources

1. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Preventing Tick Bites (reviewed August 28, 2024).” www.cdc.gov/ticks/prevention/index.html (accessed 2026-11-10)
2. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “What to Do After a Tick Bite (reviewed June 9, 2026).” www.cdc.gov/ticks/after-a-tick-bite/index.html (accessed 2026-11-10)
3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Where Ticks Live.” www.cdc.gov/ticks/about/where-ticks-live.html (accessed 2026-11-10)
4. University of Kentucky Entomology, “ENTFACT-618: Ticks and Disease in Kentucky.” entomology.mgcafe.uky.edu/ef618 (accessed 2026-11-10)
5. University of Kentucky Entomology, “ENTFACT-648: The Lone Star Tick in Kentucky.” entomology.mgcafe.uky.edu/ef648 (accessed 2026-11-10)
6. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “About Ticks and Tickborne Disease.” www.cdc.gov/ticks/about/index.html (accessed 2026-11-10)
7. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Preventing Ticks on Pets.” www.cdc.gov/ticks/prevention/preventing-ticks-on-pets.html (accessed 2026-11-10)
8. University of Minnesota Extension, “Ticks.” extension.umn.edu/garden-and-home/yard-and-garden/yard-and-garden-insects/ticks (accessed 2026-11-10)
9. New York State Integrated Pest Management Program, Cornell University, “Managing Ticks in the Landscape.” cals.cornell.edu/integrated-pest-management/outreach-education/whats-bugging-you/ticks/managing-ticks-landscape (accessed 2026-11-10)