AMERICAN DOG TICK

Identification, Facts, & Control

Latin Name

Dermacentor variabilis

Appearance

Medium brown with a white patterns on its back

American Dog Tick

The American Dog tick is also known as the wood tick. It is commonly found on dogs, but it also freely attacks horses, coyotes, raccoons, cattle and other animals including man. lt is seldom found in homes and A buildings other than when it is carried there by infested dogs or humans.

The immature stages (larvae and nymphs) feed almost exclusively on small rodents such as mice, rabbits, moles, shrews and certain small birds. They lie in wait in the springtime on grass and low vegetation for a host passing by.

After the adult female mates, and engorges herself on blood from the last host for about 10 days, she drops to the group where she later lays several thousand eggs, usually in masses of 800 or more. After this she dies.

The American dog tick complete life cycle takes anywhere from about 4 months to more than a year. Both the larvae and nymphs can live for more than a year without feeding, and the adults can live for more than a year without feeding.

Click on a species of ticks below to learn further information.

American Dog Tick