Black-legged Tick (Deer Tick)

Scientific Name: Ixodes scapularis

Order & Family: Order: Ixodida, Family: Ixodidae

Size: Adults are approximately 3-5mm (1/8 to 1/4 inch) when unfed, but can grow significantly larger when engorged.

Black-legged Tick (Deer Tick)

Natural Habitat

Wooded areas, tall grass, leaf litter, and shrubbery, often near forest edges.

Diet & Feeding

Strictly hematophagous (blood-feeding); feeds on birds, mammals (including humans), and reptiles.

Behavior Patterns

They exhibit "questing" behavior, where they climb vegetation and hold their legs out to latch onto passing hosts. They have a two-year life cycle consisting of egg, larva, nymph, and adult stages.

Risks & Benefits

Significant risk to humans and animals as primary vectors for Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, and babesiosis. They provide no direct benefits to humans and serve as a food source for some bird and reptile species.

Identified on: 4/28/2026