Tick Identifier
What kind of tick was it?
Answer three quick questions and we'll estimate the species, the diseases it can carry, and what to do next. No photo upload needed.
Where were you (or your pet) when you likely picked up the tick?
Reference gallery: common US ticks
Compare against these common species. (Illustration placeholders for now — real reference photos coming soon.)
Blacklegged (Deer) Tick
Ixodes scapularis
The primary carrier of Lyme disease in the eastern and midwestern US. Small and dark with no distinctive markings; nymphs are the size of a poppy seed and cause most bites.
Western Blacklegged Tick
Ixodes pacificus
The only Lyme carrier on the West Coast. Similar to its eastern cousin — small and dark — and found in California, western Oregon, and Washington.
Lone Star Tick
Amblyomma americanum
Aggressive and fast-spreading. The adult female has a single white dot on her back. Common across the Southeast and eastern US and linked to alpha-gal (red meat) allergy.
American Dog Tick
Dermacentor variabilis
Larger than blacklegged ticks, brown with white or gray mottled markings on the shield. Widespread east of the Rockies and along the West Coast.
Rocky Mountain Wood Tick
Dermacentor andersoni
Found at higher elevations in the Rocky Mountain states, with mottled markings similar to the dog tick.
Brown Dog Tick
Rhipicephalus sanguineus
Uniform reddish-brown, found nationwide but epidemiologically important in Arizona and along the US–Mexico border, where it drives severe spotted-fever outbreaks.
Gulf Coast Tick
Amblyomma maculatum
Found along the Gulf Coast and Southeast, with ornate markings. Carries a milder spotted-fever infection.
This tool provides an educational estimate, not a laboratory identification or medical diagnosis. When in doubt, treat any tick bite seriously and consult a clinician.