Community identification
Blacklegged Tick (Deer Tick) / Hard Tick
Ixodes scapularis (or general Ixodidae)
- Order & Family
- Ixodida, Ixodidae
- Size
- 1 mm to 5 mm (unfed larvae/nymphs/adults); up to 10 mm or more when fully engorged
Natural Habitat
Wooded and grassy areas, leaf litter, and brush where host animals range
Diet & Feeding
Hematophagous (feeds exclusively on blood from mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians)
Behavior Patterns
Engages in 'questing' by climbing to the tips of vegetation and extending legs to grasp passing hosts. Remains attached to skin while blood-feeding over several days.
Risks & Benefits
Risks: Vector for Lyme disease, Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis, Powassan virus, and other tick-borne pathogens. Bites can cause local inflammation or infection. Benefits: Serves as a food source for some birds and reptiles, but generally considered a health pest.