Dog Tick / Cattle Tick
Scientific Name: Rhipicephalus sanguineus (or similar species in the Ixodidae family)
Order & Family: Order Ixodida, Family Ixodidae
Size: 3mm to 5mm unfed; can swell up to 12mm or more when fully engorged.
Natural Habitat
Found in high grass, wooded areas, and domestic environments with animal hosts.
Diet & Feeding
Obligate hematophage (feeds exclusively on the blood of mammals, birds, and sometimes reptiles).
Behavior Patterns
The image shows a fully engorged female tick. Ticks find hosts through 'questing' or by living in host-adjacent structures. After a large blood meal, females drop off the host to lay thousands of eggs before dying.
Risks & Benefits
Significant health risks: Ticks are vectors for numerous diseases including Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Lyme disease, and ehrlichiosis. They have no significant ecological benefit to humans and are considered major pests.
Identified on: 1/7/2026