Ticks & Tickborne Diseases
Blacklegged Tick (Deer Tick)
Seasonality: Year round with adults active October-June and nymphs active May-August.
Habitat: Woodland and forested areas that have dense leaf litter on the ground floor.
Identification: Adults have a reddish-orange body with black legs and scutum. Nymphs and larvae have a translucent body with black scutum and legs. Mouthparts are long.
Diseases: Anaplasmosis*, Babesiosis, Lyme disease*, Powassan virus, and Relapsing fever.
Fun facts: Only ticks that belong to the genus Ixodes can transmit the pathogen causing Lyme disease. While most ticks undergo diapause during the winter month, blacklegged tick adults remain active when temperatures are above 40º F.
Lone Star Tick
Seasonality: Adults and nymphs active March through September, with larvae active in the later summer and fall months.
Habitat: Can be found in woodland and forest areas, and open areas with dense vegetation.
Identification: Reddish brown body color with a triangular scutum on adult females. Adult females also have one white dot on their dorsal side. Adult males have smaller white markings along the posterior end of the dorsal side at the end of their scutum. Mouthparts are long. Nymphs and larvae are reddish brown and have a circular body shape.
Diseases: Bourbon virus, Ehrlichiosis*, Heartland virus, red meat allergy*, Rocky Mountain Spotted fever*, Southern tick-associated rash illness (STARI), Tularemia*.
Fun facts: Lone star ticks are active questers meaning they will chase their host. This species is very common in Kentucky and is often present in large numbers.
American Dog Tick
Seasonality: Adults and nymphs active March through September. Nymphs and larval stages of this species are not commonly encountered by humans.
Habitat: Can be found along forest & trail edges, as well as in fields and meadows.
Identification: Brown body with an oval-shaped scutum on adult females. Adults have a complex white pattern on the scutum and short mouthparts. Nymphs and larvae are brown or tan.
Diseases: Rocky Mountain Spotted fever* and Tularemia*.
Fun facts: Adult American dog ticks can survive for up to two years without feeding.
Common Tickborne Diseases in Kentucky
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Apha-Gal Syndrome
Alpha-gal syndrome (AGS) is a serious, potentially life-threatening allergy to alpha-gal that can develop after a tick bite.
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Lyme Disease
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection spread to people through the bite of blacklegged ticks.
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Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) is a bacterial disease spread through the bite of an infected tick.
