Community identification
Dog tick or similar hard tick species (engorged)
Ixodidae (family level)
- Order & Family
- Order: Ixodida, Family: Ixodidae
- Size
- Varies significantly from 3 mm up to 10 mm or more when fully engorged with blood.
Natural Habitat
Grassy fields, wooded areas, shrubs, and tall vegetation where they wait to latch onto passing hosts.
Diet & Feeding
Obligate hematophages; they feed exclusively on the blood of mammals, birds, and sometimes reptiles or amphibians.
Behavior Patterns
Questing behavior where they climb vegetation and wait for a host, attaching themselves securely to feed over several days before dropping off to molt or lay eggs.
Risks & Benefits
High risk of transmitting vector-borne diseases such as Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and anaplasmosis. They offer no notable benefits to human environments.