Identifying Deer Ticks: A Guide to Lyme Disease Prevention

Among the many different types of ticks is the deer tick, which according to the Illinois Department of Public Health can carry Lyme disease. Knowing how to identify this tick is important, because the condition can cause serious neurological damage in humans.

Body Parts

• Ixodes scapularis, or the deer tick, has black legs and a body that ranges from dark brown to bright red in color, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. It may be difficult to identify immature ticks, which are typically shorter than 1/8 inch.

Mouth Parts

• The deer tick has long and narrow mouthparts which are visible when looking at the insect from above, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Distribution

• The deer tick lives in the northern United States and can bite from late spring to early summer, according to OldEnglishSheepdogs.com.