American Dog Tick
(Dermacentor variabilis)
Characteristics of an American Dog Tick
The American Dog Tick, also known as the Wood Tick, is one of the three most common ticks in the Reynoldsburg, OH area. They are commonly miscategorized as being insects when they are in fact part of the Arachnid family, with spiders and scorpions. Typically a brown to reddish brown color with grayish markings on their backs, they are 3.6-5mm long unfed, and the females can be up to 15mm long fully engorged.
American Dog Tick Behaviors
Typically active during warmer months, the American Dog Tick can be found in tall grass and wooded areas looking for a small to medium-sized mammal to feed on, such as rodents, dogs, cats, and humans. They carry diseases such as Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Tularemia, which are spread when they attach themselves and feed on a host.
The feeding process of a female American Dog Tick can last up to 14 days until they drop off in order to digest the blood meal and develop an egg clutch. When she is ready to lay her eggs, she can lay anywhere from 4,000-6,500 eggs in tall grass or leaf litter in order to keep the eggs safe. After about 26 days, those eggs will hatch into Larvae and begin their cycle of growing into a Nymph and then Adult stages.
