Deer Tick Illustration
Deer Ticks (Ixodes scapularis): Male (in black),
colored pencil and watercolor
Commissioned by:
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
About deer ticks:
Deer ticks are also referred to as black-legged ticks or seed ticks. As the primary transmitters of Lyme disease, they are ectoparasites (external parasites). They eat the blood of animals, primarily deer and cattle. They are not able to jump onto animals but rather must transfer from plant to host by the host brushing up against the plant. They are generally found along forest paths and trails. Two natural forms of tick control are the Ichneumon wasp and Guineafowl. The two-year life cycle consists of the larva, nymph, and adult stages. When in the immature stages, they feed on rodents, which is where the tick acquires the spirochete that causes Lyme disease (see
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