American Dog Tick
The American dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis), also known as a dog tick, most commonly inhabits the eastern part of the United States, starting from the Rocky Mountain region towards the eastern coast, and also a small segment along the west coast (California area). American dog ticks are easily recognized by their brown and red dotted bodies. The American dog tick favors environments in brushes and open pathways in forests, and they can also be found in open areas where tree cover is limited. American dog ticks are known to feed on dogs and also humans as well. An American dog tick’s life cycle is parallel to that of a deer tick; the adults will most likely engorge themselves on a larger sized mammal as a host. These ticks can live for a total of 2 years without feeding on a host at any life stage.
American dog ticks can transmit the following diseases: