Lone Star Ticks, or Amblyomma americanum, are one of the more easily recognized ticks. This is because the female adults have a white dot on the center of their back, this make them easy to notice. Males tend to have white lines or streaks around the edge of the top of their body. However, the male’s marking is not as noticeable compared to the females. Adult females measure around 5mm in length and males about 3.6 mm. They can be mistaken for blacklegged ticks, one of the two vectors of Lyme disease. Lone Star Ticks are not known to transmit Lyme Disease.
The Lone Star Ticks are found across the U.S. and is primarily distributed throughout the eastern, southeastern, and midwestern portions of the country. They are mostly found in second-growth woodland habitats, especially where the white-tail deer populations are plentiful. Lone star ticks are three-host ticks, this means they take a blood meal from different hosts when in their larval, nymphal, and adult stages. After they are done feeding once in each of the three stages, the tick falls to the ground and molts or a fertile adult female lays eggs.
Domesticated animals such as cattle, dogs, horses, to not so domesticated animals like squirrels, racoons, white-tail deer, and coyotes are victims to the Lone Star Tick. However, don’t be fooled humans are also victims to them. They are primarily active in the month of May and June. Lone star ticks are able to transmit several tick-borne diseases; however, they do not transmit Lyme disease.
If you are noticing that you or a lot of animals around your property are having issues with the Lone star tick don’t wait. Give your friends a call at All Star Pest Control. We will make sure to stop the infestation before it become out of hand. Our trained professionals will make sure to get the infestation under control and get it taken care of the first time.
