Lone Star Tick
Pest Status:
Name:
Amblyomma americanum
Body Size:
The male species has streaks or white lines around its body edges, while the female has a white dock on her back. Also, the females are eight inches long, and the males are smaller.
A lone star tick is a three-host hard tick that’s found throughout the East of the U.S. Find out more about the lone star tick and its characteristics.
Facts, Identification, and Control
Below are some ways to identify lone star ticks.
Facts about Lone Star Tick
Where Do They Live?
The lone star tick is throughout the Midwestern, Eastern, and southeastern parts of the country. They love shaded areas, as they can’t survive prolonged exposure to the sun.
What Do They Eat?
These pests take a blood meal from various hosts when in the larvae, nymph, and adult stages. The three-host ticks feed on domesticated animals, humans, and ground-dwelling birds.
How Did I Get Lone Star Tick?
Lone star tick feed on human and mammal blood. If you have pets, they can bring ticks into your home or yard. Opossum, stray cats and raccoons cause tick problems in a crawl space. These ticks love shady areas with thick vegetation.
How Serious are Lone Star Tick Problems?
Lone star ticks can cause problems like:
Bites
A lone star tick bite is common. These bites are a concern due to the diseases they spread. The only way to prevent bites is to cover exposed skin. A lone star tick bite can cause people to develop an allergy to red meat.
Disease Transmission
Lone star ticks spread diseases like southern tick-associated rash illness and tularemia.
What Can I do about Lone Star Tick?
If you have a lone star tick infestation, you need to get rid of densely wooded areas or places with plenty of vegetation.
Signs of a Lone Star Tick Infestation
One visible sign of tick infestation is your pets scratching. Pets carry these pests to the house and drop off when fully engorged.
Lone Star Prevention and Control Tips
To prevent a lone star tick infestation, you need to:
Avoid Grassy Areas
Dense woodlands and grassy areas attract lone star ticks. Clear away any woodpiles, especially in the summer. Trim the bushes and any grass around your home.
Wear a Repellant
The Centers for Disease Control recommends wearing a repellant product on skin and clothing to prevent tick questing.
Talk to a Veterinarian
Cats and dogs spend most of their time outdoors, something that can make them a favorable host for lone star ticks.
Lone Star Tick Professional Pest Control
If you suspect a lone star tick infestation, you need to hire a professional exterminator as he has the skills, equipment, and experience to address this problem. A pest management professional will assess the problem and recommend the best solution for the lone star ticks infestation.
More information about lone star tick
https://acaai.org/allergies/types/food-allergies/types-food-allergy/meat-allergy
http://www.cvbd.org/en/tick-borne-diseases/about-ticks/tick-species/lone-star-tick/
https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/infectious-diseases-a-z-lone-star-tick-found-in-wisconsin-linked-to-meat-allergy/
