Black-legged Tick (or Deer Tick)

Natural Habitat

Wooded areas, tall grass, and leaf litter where moisture levels are high and hosts are frequent.

Diet & Feeding

Obligate hematophages; they feed exclusively on the blood of mammals, birds, and occasionally reptiles.

Behavior Patterns

They exhibit 'questing' behavior, where they climb to the tips of vegetation and wait for a host to brush by. They have a two-year life cycle consisting of egg, larva, nymph, and adult stages.

Risks & Benefits

Major public health risk as primary vectors for Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, and babesiosis. They provide little benefit to humans, though they serve as a food source for some birds and reptiles in the ecosystem.

Identified on: 3/11/2026