Dog Tick

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

Hematophagous; they feed exclusively on the blood of mammals, including dogs, livestock, and humans.

They are 'questing' parasites that wait on the tips of vegetation to latch onto passing hosts. They undergo a complex four-stage life cycle: egg, larva, nymph, and adult.

Significant risk as a vector for diseases such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever and tularemia. They can also cause tick paralysis in dogs and humans. They provide no known ecological benefits to humans.