Do Blacklegged Ticks Bite? Are They Dangerous?
Short answer: the blacklegged tick can cause medically significant bites, stings or disease. Blacklegged ticks transmit Lyme disease, anaplasmosis and babesiosis; remove attached ticks promptly.
Risk rating: Health risk
Blacklegged ticks transmit Lyme disease, anaplasmosis and babesiosis; remove attached ticks promptly.
Are blacklegged ticks dangerous to humans?
Blacklegged ticks transmit Lyme disease, anaplasmosis and babesiosis; remove attached ticks promptly.
On our four-level scale, the blacklegged tick is rated health risk, meaning it can cause medically significant bites, stings or disease. Blacklegged Ticks can bite, so it is worth handling them with care.
Are they dangerous to pets?
Blacklegged Ticks can bite or sting curious pets that paw at them or try to eat them. Watch for swelling, drooling or limping, and call your veterinarian right away if your pet has trouble breathing or a large reaction.
Can they damage your home or garden?
Blacklegged Ticks don't damage homes; the concern is bites outdoors.
What to do if you find an attached tick
- Use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible.
- Pull upward with steady, even pressure without twisting.
- Clean the bite and your hands with rubbing alcohol or soap and water.
- Write down the date and watch for a rash, fever or aches over the next 30 days.
Call 911 right away if someone has trouble breathing, swelling of the face or throat, dizziness or a racing heartbeat after a bite or sting.
Blacklegged ticks transmit Lyme disease, anaplasmosis and babesiosis; remove attached ticks promptly.
How to identify blacklegged ticks
Also called the deer tick, a small tick with a dark shield and, in adult females, a reddish-orange rear body. It waits on grass and brush to latch onto passing people and animals.
- Dark black legs and shield
- Adult females with an orange-red rear body
- Nymphs about the size of a poppy seed
| Scientific name | Ixodes scapularis |
|---|---|
| Group | Ticks, Mites & Other Arachnids |
| Size | 1–5 mm (up to about 0.20 in) |
| Colors | Black, Red and Brown |
| Legs | 8 legs |
| Wings | No (as usually seen) |
| Where found | Woods or trails and Lawn or grass |
| Most active | Spring, Summer and Fall |
| Bites | Yes |
| Stings | No |
| Risk level | Health risk |
When you'll see blacklegged ticks
Blacklegged Ticks are most active in spring, summer and fall. In spring, overwintering adults become active and many species lay their first eggs. Summer heat speeds up development, so populations can grow quickly. In fall, many bugs look for shelter, and some move toward or into buildings.
Typical places to check: woods or trails and lawn or grass.
About ticks, mites & other arachnids
The blacklegged tick is one of the ticks, mites & other arachnids. This group includes ticks, mites, scorpions and harvestmen. Like spiders, adults have eight legs and no antennae, though larval ticks and chiggers have only six. Ticks and some mites feed on blood or skin, while scorpions hunt insects and harvestmen scavenge.
Ticks move through larva, nymph and adult stages, and each stage needs a blood meal. Nymphs are tiny and active in late spring and summer, which is when many tick-borne infections happen.
How to avoid problems with blacklegged ticks
- Use permethrin-treated clothing and DEET or picaridin on skin
- Do a full-body tick check after time outdoors
- Keep grass short and a wood-chip border between lawn and woods
Frequently asked questions
Do blacklegged ticks bite?
Yes. Blacklegged ticks transmit Lyme disease, anaplasmosis and babesiosis; remove attached ticks promptly.
Do blacklegged ticks sting?
No, blacklegged ticks do not sting.
Are blacklegged ticks poisonous?
The blacklegged tick can cause medically significant bites, stings or disease. Blacklegged ticks transmit Lyme disease, anaplasmosis and babesiosis; remove attached ticks promptly.
Where do blacklegged ticks live?
Blacklegged Ticks are usually found in woods and along trails and in lawns and grass, and are most active in spring, summer and fall.