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 Only the adults which are slightly over l/8 inch
ticks. These infestations of larval ticks are easily
long are found on dogs and humans. The adult female
noticed and easily removed. Usually the larvae wander
is brown with a pearly-light anterior dorsal shield.
but do not attach; they can be showered off.
Lone Star ticks are associated with cattle and
Males are brown-backed with pearly streaks. Both
deer, therefore there is increased human risk around
sexes have eyes, or unpigmented light receiving areas,
large cattle and deer herds. When found on humans,
at the edges of the shield.
the ticks certainly should be removed and noted in
With a favorable food supply, American dog ticks
case RMSF symptoms develop.
can complete their life cycle in three months with the
female laying up to 6,500 eggs in late summer. Warm
springs promote early adult and larval activity and egg
laying.
Adult ticks, usually contact people on the lower
extremities and crawl upwards until they are stopped
by constricting clothing, such as belts or
TICK PEST MANAGEMENT
underclothing. Loose clothing worn by children allows
Where pest management services are being
ticks to proceed as far as the head hair. [This is
provided to an area such as a neighborhood, camp,
probably the basis for the false idea that ticks drop out
park, zoo, government installation, or similar facility,
of trees.] Because of possible communication of
it is important to know what kinds of ticks are present,
RMSF, any tick attachment should be noted and the
where they are most numerous, what the disease
victim observed for symptoms.
potential in the area is, and what the host and reservoir
populations are. Pest Management programs are
LONE STAR TICK
critical for effective management of tick species that
Amblyomma americanum
transmit Lyme disease or Rocky Mountain Spotted
The Lone Star tick lives in the southeastern
Fever.
quarter of the United States from Texas to Missouri
and east to New Jersey. It attacks birds and both wild
Inspection
and domestic mammals, including man.
Drag a flannel rectangle, 2x3 feet, using
a rope on a board at the front and a
strip of wood at the back for weight.
All stages of ticks attach to the flannel.
Collect them and take them to a
University Extension Service office for
identification. An office is located
in each county in the United States.
Small pieces of dry ice (CO,) placed in
the middle of cloth squares have also
been successful in attracting ticks.
Visit deer checking stations during
hunting season; trap mice and count
ticks. If governmental agencies or
regional health associations are
interested, they will test collected live
Females are brown with a white spot in their
ticks to ascertain their level of infection.
center (the Lone Star); males are mottled brown
Consult local veterinarians; they are the
without a white spot. Both sexes have pigmented eyes
first to see Lyme disease cases in an
at the front lateral edges of the scutum. Females are
area; positive disease diagnosis in dogs
prolific, often producing more than 6,000 eggs.
is a clear signal that human cases will
While it is rare to find larval ticks on humans, all
follow.
three stages of the Lone Star tick will attack man.
Interview game conservation agents to
When the solid brown larval tick infests humans, it is
learn host (mice, deer) prevalence. They
usually the result of an unwitting person sitting or
also have information concerning
disease prevalence in hunters and
laying on an aggregation of larvae; frequently, the
hunting dogs.
infestation amounts to many -- perhaps hundreds of
Module Two, Chapter 4, Pg 6
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