What are some different types of ticks?


Quick Answer

The most common species of ticks include the black-legged dear tick, the American dog tick, the brown dog tick and the Rocky Mountain wood tick. There are nearly 900 different species of ticks that have been discovered all around the world.

Continue Reading

Full Answer

The black-legged deer ticks are known to live in forests, and are spread wherever their host, the white-tailed deer, travels and deposits them. These ticks are known to carry diseases, such as Lyme Disease. The black-legged deer tick takes 2 years to complete its life cycle fully from birth to death, and is characterized by its black legs and amber-colored body.

American dog ticks make their home on dogs and other mammals it may attach to, living in fields and areas that lack woods. They can survive up to 2 years at any stage of their life without a host, and transmit Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. They have dark brown and red bodies, with the females being marked by white sacks.

The brown dog ticks, characterized by their brown color and small bodies, are found worldwide and transmit diseases typically only to dogs. The Rocky Mountain wood ticks are tear drop-shaped with red legs, and can transmit diseases to humans, dogs and cats. They have a poison in their saliva that is known to cause paralysis.

Learn more about Bugs

Related Questions