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Related PicturesDeer Tick (Black-Legged Tick)
- The Deer Tick (black-legged tick) is between the size of a poppy seed (pin head) and an apple seed.
- The deer tick, Ixodes scapularis, is found on a wide rage of hosts including mammals, birds and reptiles.
- This tick can transmit Lyme disease, to humans and animals during feeding, when they insert their mouth parts into the skin of a host, and slowly take in the nutrient-rich host blood.
From the CDC's Public Health Image Library (http://phil.cdc.gov), ID#1669, in the public domain.
Content Providers: CDC / Michael L. Levin, Ph.D.
Deer Tick on Finger
- This Deer tick is about the size of an apple seed.
- The tick is flat and has not yet begun feeding.
Photo used by permission and courtesy of Lyme Disease Foundation, www.lyme.org.
Deer Ticks
Deer ticks in various stages of engorgement (swelling) from feeding. They are filled with blood.
Photo used by permission and courtesy of Lyme Disease Foundation, www.lyme.org
Dog Tick (Wood Tick)
- Picture of a female Dermacentor variabilis, American brown Dog Tick.
- The Dog Tick (wood tick) is the size of a watermelon seed and can sometimes transmit Rocky Mountain spotted fever and Colorado tick fever.
From the CDC's Public Health Image Library (http://phil.cdc.gov), ID#170, in the public domain.
Content Providers: CDC / Gary O. Maupin.
Dog Ticks and Deer Ticks
This photograph shows both Dog Ticks and Deer Ticks with a pencil for comparison.
- Dog Ticks: engorged female (A), female (B), male (C)
- Deer Ticks: larvae (D), nymphs (E), males (F), females (G), engorged female (H)
Photo used by permission and courtesy of Lyme Disease Foundation, www.lyme.org.
Erythema Migrans Rash
- It is thought that Lyme Disease can be prevented if the tick is removed within 24 hours of attachement.
- The majority of cases of Lyme disease start with a bull's eye rash ("erythema chronicum migrans") at the site of the tick bite. The rash can occur days to weeks (typically 7-10 days) after a tick bite.
- Treatment with antibiotics is indicated if this rash appears.
Photo used by permission and courtesy of Lyme Disease Foundation, www.lyme.org.
