General Information
Species Name: Ixodes scapularis
Also Known As: Blacklegged tick
Family: Ixodidae (Acari)
Life Cycle: Complete (Egg>Larva>Nymphs>Adult); life cycle takes two years to complete
Activity: Adults remain active as long as temperatures stay above freezing and overwinter; larvae emerge in the summer
Origin: Southeastern United States
Host Species: Nymphs and larvae feed on small rodents and mammals; adult ticks feed on medium to large mammals including deer, livestock, humans, and pets
Why Is It Invasive?
Adult and nymph deer ticks feed on the blood of mammal hosts, during which they can transmit diseases that are dangerous to wildlife, livestock, pets, and people. Diseases that can be transferred by deer ticks include Lyme disease, deer tick virus, anaplasmosis, babesiosis, and mycoplasmosis.
What Does It Look Like?
Adult
Adults can reach 1/4 inch in length. Adult females have an orangeish brown abdomen with a dark brown shield, whereas males have a pale tan abdomen with a larger dark brown shield.
Nymph and Larva
Nymphs are larva are similar in appearance. Nymphs are slightly larger than larva but are only about the size of a pinhead. Nymphs are considered the most dangerous stage of disease transmission in the deer tick as their small size makes them difficult to detect. Larva are not thought to transmit disease.
Eggs
Eggs are cream colored, sesame seed shaped, and very small.
Photos
Credit: Scott Bauer, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Bugwood.org
Adult female
Credit: Ansel Oommen, Bugwood.org
Adult male
Credit: Jim Occi, BugPics, Bugwood.org
Eggs, larva, nymph, and adults
Where Do They Live?
Deer ticks can be found throughout the United States but are most prevalent along the East Coast and into the Midwest. They can most often be found in woody or grassy areas. Hosts of deer ticks include birds and wildlife, livestock, domestic pets, and people.
How Do They Spread?
As with other ticks, deer ticks can be spread on migrating birds they use as hosts or during the transport of infested livestock and wildlife. They can also be spread via human activities by attaching to people, pets, clothing, and equipment.
How Do I Control Them?
Mechanical
It is best to prevent tick bites by taking some precautions before spending time outdoors during high tick-infestation times. Use EPA registered insect repellants containing DEET on exposed skin and clothing, following instructions carefully. Avoided heavily wooded or bushy areas and walk on trails.
Upon returning indoors, check yourself, pets, and gear for ticks and promptly remove them if necessary. Remove ticks with pointy tweezers, grasping near the tick's head at the surface of the skin and pulling straight out. Monitor bite site for several days afterward.
Cultural
Cattle and livestock owners should perform tick checks regularly, thoroughly inspecting animals for signs of tick infestation. Make sure pets are on a veterinarian approved tick preventative program.
Keep grasses on your property mowed, remove areas of full, high vegetation, and remove branch piles on your property promptly.
Insecticides
Please refer to the 2026 Guide for Weed, Disease and Insect Management in Nebraska.
What Do I Do if I Find Them?
If you find a deer tick on your body or on your domestic animal, safely remove it as soon as possible. Dispose of a live tick by submersing it in alcohol, placing it in a sealed bag or container, tightly wrapping it in tape, or flushing it down the toilet.
Report tick sightings to the Tick, Tag, Go Program.
References and More Information
Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services
Tick Research Lab of Pennsylvania
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
University of Rhode Island TickEncounter
Wisconsin Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases