Dog Tick (American Dog Tick)

Found in areas with high grass or low-lying brush, particularly along woodland edges and grassy trails.

Hematophagous (blood-feeding); larvae and nymphs feed on small mammals, while adults prefer dogs and larger mammals, including humans.

They utilize 'questing' by climbing to the tips of vegetation and extending their legs to latch onto passing hosts; they undergo four life stages: egg, larva, nymph, and adult.

High risk as a vector for Rocky Mountain spotted fever and tularemia; they can also cause tick paralysis in both dogs and humans. They serve a limited ecological role as a food source for some birds and reptiles.