Community identification
Dog tick or hard tick
Dermacentor variabilis (or similar Ixodidae species)
- Order & Family
- Order Ixodida, Family Ixodidae
- Size
- 1 mm to 5 mm unfed; can expand up to 15 mm when fully engorged with blood.
Natural Habitat
Found in wooded areas, tall grass, and shrubs where they wait to attach to passing hosts.
Diet & Feeding
Obligate hematophagous, feeding exclusively on vertebrate blood across multiple life stages.
Behavior Patterns
Questing on vegetation to latch onto hosts, remaining attached for days while feeding.
Risks & Benefits
Poses a significant risk as a vector for various tick-borne pathogens including Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.