Bruno Pugh
Warm weather brings more than just sunshine—it also wakes up tiny, silent hitchhikers. Their bites are showing up more often across the U.S., sparking concern about health risks and outdoor safety. These small arachnids are active in grassy trails, wooded parks, and even backyards, often going unnoticed until symptoms appear. Explore the 10 common types of ticks to stay ahead of rising bite risks and spot early signs before they spread.
Blacklegged Tick: The Lyme Disease Powerhouse
The species is also called the deer pest and can carry Lyme disease, plus other sicknesses like anaplasmosis. These tiny pests are hard to spot—the babies are the size of poppy seeds—and can even stay active when temperatures rise above freezing.
Lone Star Tick: The Meat Allergy Maker
Known for aggressively biting people across the U.S., this little creature has a white dot on the female’s back. It can cause some diseases, yet it’s most known for creating a red meat allergy that can develop after a bite.
American Dog Tick: The RMSF Carrier
You can easily recognize female ticks by the large white patterns on their backs. Found throughout regions east of the Rockies, the American Dog Tick carries Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF), a serious bacterial infection that can cause fever, headache, and rash. Although it prefers dogs, this tick often bites humans too.
Brown Dog Tick: The Indoor Invader
Brown Dog Tick can complete its entire life cycle indoors, infesting homes and dog kennels nationwide. It rarely bites people, but it is a special threat because of its ability to live inside. The Southwest sees the highest risk of Rocky Mountain spotted fever from this vector.
Rocky Mountain Wood Tick: High-Elevation Threat
The Rocky Mountain wood tick thrives in high-altitude regions and primarily feeds on deer and livestock. It can transmit RMSF and, in rare cases, cause tick paralysis in humans—especially children—by releasing neurotoxins during prolonged attachment.
Gulf Coast Tick: Spotted Fever With A Twist
A single bite can leave a unique mark, like round patches of dead tissue. Found across the southeastern U.S., Gulf Coast ticks carry a milder form of spotted fever. The mark and the silver lines on the males’ backs help tell it apart.
Groundhog Tick: Powassan Virus Specialist
These small ticks turn up around the dens of groundhogs, skunks, and raccoons throughout the eastern U.S. They favor burrowing wildlife but occasionally target humans, making them a recognized source of the Powassan virus.
Western Blacklegged Tick: California’s Lyme Vector
Along the Pacific Coast, you’ll find a cousin of the deer tick. Western Blacklegged also spreads Lyme disease and anaplasmosis. Resembling their eastern relatives with only minor color differences, the young and adult females are the ones most likely to bite humans.
Pacific Coast Tick: California’s Hidden Risk
Stretching from Oregon to Baja California, this tick carries Pacific Coast tick fever, caused by Rickettsia philipii. Belonging to the spotted fever group, it can trigger fever, headaches, muscle aches, and a dark scab at the bite. Often mistaken for the American dog tick, it’s a serious concern.
Rabbit Tick: Rare But Rocky Mountain–Linked
The rabbit tick, common in brushy and wooded parts of North America, usually feeds on rabbits and ground birds. It rarely bites humans, but it can spread tularemia and RSMF. Its hidden role in wildlife disease cycles makes it an important focus for surveillance.