Tick identification deer ticks3/10/2024 ![]() Adults have an ornate brown-and-white mottling on the dorsal side. Very common in Missouri.Īmerican dog tick ( Dermacentor variabilis) - Newly hatched larvae are yellow. Males often have dots or white streaks on the edge of their bodies. Lone star tick ( Amblyomma americanum) - Females are easily identified by the white dot in the center of the back. Three species of hard ticks are commonly encountered in Missouri: During the larval, so-called seed tick stage, ticks have 6 legs and are about as large as a poppy seed. When engorged with blood, ticks may swell up to about 3/8 inch long and turn gray (especially the females). Adults (depending on species) are 1/16 to 1/4 inch long (ticks are often described as about the size of a sesame seed). In their adult forms, our three species of hard ticks have 8 legs, a small plate over the main body on the top side, and tough "skin" (making it hard to crush a tick). For up-to-date, detailed information about tick-borne diseases, consult the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. If you have a tick-borne illness, it is important to begin treatment as soon as possible. If you are experiencing possible symptoms of tick-borne illness or have questions about medical issues, please consult your doctor or other health care provider. It is not intended to diagnose tick-borne diseases or provide treatment information. Note: This field guide page is intended to supply basic introductory biology and natural history information about three Missouri species of ticks. ![]() ![]() Because they can carry serious, sometimes deadly diseases, it's important to keep up to date on tick-related health issues, and protect yourself from their bites. Ticks drink the blood of humans and other mammals.
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