Lone Star Tick
Amblyomma americanum · Arachnid, Invertebrate, Cold-blooded, Wild
Animal Family
Family Ixodidae, order Ixodida, class Arachnida
Animal Category
Insect/Arthropod
Breed / Variety
Amblyomma americanum
Conservation Status
Not Evaluated by the IUCN, thriving and actively expanding its geographic range.
About This Creature
Very small arachnid, measuring only a few millimeters depending on life stage and engorgement status. Females have a distinctive white dot on their dorsal shield, while males have scattered white ornamentation. Rounded, flat body shape before feeding.
Physical Characteristics
Eight-legged arachnid with no wings or antennae. Features a tough exoskeleton, mouthparts adapted for piercing skin and drawing blood, and simple eyes. Females possess a characteristic silvery-white spot on the back.
Behavior & Temperament
Questing behavior to find hosts by climbing vegetation and waiting for passing animals or humans. Active primarily in spring and summer. Highly aggressive biters.
Habitat & Diet
Origin Region
Southeastern, eastern, and mid-western United States, expanding into parts of Canada and Mexico
Habitat
Wooded areas, forests with dense underbrush, and areas with high populations of white-tailed deer; Terrestrial
Diet & Nutrition
Obligate hematophage (feeds exclusively on blood). Requires a blood meal at each life stage (larva, nymph, adult) to develop and reproduce.
Lifespan & Health
Typically completes its life cycle in about one to two years. Known vector for several pathogens causing diseases such as ehrlichiosis, southern tick-associated rash illness (STARI), and alpha-gal syndrome (meat allergy).
Special Characteristics
Infamous for transmitting alpha-gal syndrome, which can cause humans to develop a red meat allergy. Highly adaptable and aggressive towards a wide range of hosts.
Ecological Information
Functions as a parasitic consumer in woodland food webs, serving as a food source for small birds and reptiles, while acting as a vector that regulates host animal populations through disease.