One of the most frequently encountered
ticks is the American Dog Tick. The larvae and nymphs feed on small warm-blooded animals
such as mice and birds. The adult American dog tick will feed on
humans and medium to large mammals such as raccoons and dogs.
Unfed males and females are reddish-brown and about 3/16-inch
long. Females have a large silver-colored spot behind the
head and will become ½-inch long after feeding or about the size
of a small grape.
Males have fine silver lines on the back and do not
get much larger after feeding. Males are sometimes mistaken for
other species of ticks because they appear so different from the
female.
The American dog tick can transmit Rocky Mountain spotted fever,
tularemia and ehrlichiosis to humans.
