Tick species identification
Lone star tick
What to look for
Reddish-brown. Adult females usually have one distinct pale dot on the back; adult males have pale markings around the body edge.
Known disease associations
- — Ehrlichiosis
- — Tularemia
- — Heartland virus disease
- — Bourbon virus disease
- — STARI
Finding this species does not mean the tick carried a pathogen or that transmission occurred.
Photos need context
Feeding, life stage, image angle, and damage can change how a tick looks. A useful identification weighs several visible traits together and states uncertainty when the photo does not show enough detail.
Reference: CDC tick information.