What types of ticks live in Arkansas?

Arkansas has the deer tick (blacklegged tick), which carries Lyme disease and is established across the state; the American dog tick, which is established; and the lone star tick, which is established and causes alpha-gal syndrome. County-level presence is shown in the table above.

Which Arkansas tick carries Lyme disease?

The deer tick, also called the blacklegged tick, is the tick that spreads Lyme disease in Arkansas. The American dog tick and lone star tick do not carry Lyme, though they can transmit other illnesses.

How can I tell these ticks apart?

Use size, color, and legs. The deer tick is small with a reddish-orange body, a solid dark shield, and black legs. The American dog tick is larger and brown with an ornate off-white mottled shield. The female lone star tick has a single white dot on her back. The chart above shows each one.

Tick Identification in Arkansas

The ticks you are most likely to find in Arkansas, with photos and the size, color, and markings that tell them apart. Only the deer tick carries Lyme disease. Below the chart, see which types live in your county.

Deer tick

Ixodes scapularis

Carries Lyme

Established in Arkansas

Size:: Small, a sesame seed (nymph: a poppy seed)
Look for:: Reddish-orange body, solid dark shield, black legs, no pattern
Carries:: Lyme, babesiosis, anaplasmosis, Powassan

Full deer tick guide →

American dog tick

Dermacentor variabilis

Established in Arkansas

Size:: Larger, an apple seed
Look for:: Brown with an ornate off-white mottled shield
Carries:: Rocky Mountain spotted fever, tularemia (rare)

Full american dog tick guide →

Lone star tick

Amblyomma americanum

Established in Arkansas

Size:: Medium, rounded
Look for:: Reddish-brown; female has a single white dot on the back
Carries:: Ehrlichiosis, STARI, alpha-gal syndrome

Full lone star tick guide →

Brown dog tick

Rhipicephalus sanguineus

Found nationwide, the one tick that infests homes and kennels indoors

Size:: Medium, narrow body that tapers toward the head
Look for:: Uniform reddish-brown, no ornate markings
Carries:: Rocky Mountain spotted fever, canine diseases

Full brown dog tick guide →

Gulf Coast tick

Amblyomma maculatum

A southern tick spreading north into the mid-Atlantic

Size:: Large, bigger than a lone star
Look for:: Silvery ornate markings on the shield, no single dot
Carries:: Rickettsia parkeri spotted fever

Full gulf coast tick guide →

Asian longhorned tick

Haemaphysalis longicornis

A newer arrival, established in the mid-Atlantic and spreading north

Size:: Small and plain, often found in large numbers
Look for:: Reddish-brown with no markings
Carries:: Mainly a livestock threat; human disease risk under study

Full asian longhorned tick guide →

Arkansas establishment is shown for the three ticks CDC tracks by county; the others carry a regional range note. Source: CDC tick surveillance (ArboNET Tick Module), 2025. County surveillance is coarse: “not established” is a lack of records, not proof a tick is absent.

Deer, dog and lone star ticks by Arkansas county

These are the three ticks CDC maps county by county, not the only ticks in Arkansas: the brown dog, Gulf Coast, and Asian longhorned ticks are in the chart above. Tap a county for its daily tick-risk detail.

County	Deer tick	American dog tick	Lone star tick	Gulf Coast tick
Arkansas County	Not established	Reported	Established	Reported
Ashley County	Established	Established	Established	Reported
Baxter County	Established	Established	Established	Reported
Benton County	Established	Established	Established	Reported
Boone County	Established	Established	Established	Reported
Bradley County	Established	Established	Established	Reported
Calhoun County	Reported	Established	Established	Reported
Carroll County	Reported	Established	Established	Reported
Chicot County	Not established	Not established	Established	Reported
Clark County	Established	Established	Established	Reported
Clay County	Not established	Established	Established	Reported
Cleburne County	Established	Reported	Established	Reported
Cleveland County	Not established	Established	Established	Reported
Columbia County	Reported	Reported	Established	Reported
Conway County	Reported	Reported	Established	Reported
Craighead County	Not established	Established	Established	Reported
Crawford County	Established	Established	Established	Reported
Crittenden County	Not established	Reported	Not established	Reported
Cross County	Not established	Established	Not established	Reported
Dallas County	Reported	Established	Established	Reported
Desha County	Not established	Not established	Established	Reported
Drew County	Established	Established	Established	Reported
Faulkner County	Established	Reported	Established	Reported
Franklin County	Established	Established	Established	Reported
Fulton County	Established	Not established	Established	Reported
Garland County	Established	Established	Established	Reported
Grant County	Established	Established	Established	Reported
Greene County	Not established	Established	Established	Reported
Hempstead County	Established	Established	Established	Reported
Hot Spring County	Not established	Established	Established	Reported
Howard County	Reported	Established	Established	Reported
Independence County	Not established	Reported	Established	Reported
Izard County	Reported	Established	Established	Reported
Jackson County	Not established	Established	Established	Reported
Jefferson County	Reported	Established	Established	Reported
Johnson County	Reported	Established	Established	Reported
Lafayette County	Reported	Reported	Established	Reported
Lawrence County	Established	Established	Established	Reported
Lee County	Not established	Established	Established	Reported
Lincoln County	Established	Established	Established	Reported
Little River County	Not established	Not established	Established	Reported
Logan County	Reported	Established	Established	Reported
Lonoke County	Not established	Established	Established	Reported
Madison County	Established	Established	Established	Reported
Marion County	Established	Established	Established	Reported
Miller County	Not established	Established	Established	Reported
Mississippi County	Not established	Established	Established	Reported
Monroe County	Not established	Reported	Established	Reported
Montgomery County	Reported	Established	Established	Reported
Nevada County	Reported	Established	Established	Reported
Newton County	Established	Established	Established	Reported
Ouachita County	Reported	Established	Established	Reported
Perry County	Reported	Established	Established	Reported
Phillips County	Not established	Established	Established	Reported
Pike County	Reported	Established	Established	Reported
Poinsett County	Established	Established	Established	Reported
Polk County	Established	Established	Established	Reported
Pope County	Established	Established	Established	Reported
Prairie County	Established	Established	Established	Reported
Pulaski County	Reported	Established	Established	Reported
Randolph County	Reported	Established	Established	Reported
Saline County	Established	Established	Established	Reported
Scott County	Reported	Established	Established	Reported
Searcy County	Established	Established	Established	Reported
Sebastian County	Established	Reported	Established	Reported
Sevier County	Established	Established	Established	Reported
Sharp County	Reported	Established	Established	Reported
St. Francis County	Not established	Not established	Established	Reported
Stone County	Established	Established	Established	Reported
Union County	Established	Established	Established	Reported
Van Buren County	Reported	Established	Established	Reported
Washington County	Established	Established	Established	Reported
White County	Not established	Established	Established	Reported
Woodruff County	Not established	Not established	Established	Reported
Yell County	Reported	Established	Established	Reported

Lone star ticks and alpha-gal syndrome

The lone star tick is established in Arkansas, including Arkansas County, Ashley County, Baxter County, Benton County, Boone County, Bradley County, Calhoun County, Carroll County, Chicot County, Clark County, Clay County, Cleburne County, Cleveland County, Columbia County, Conway County, Craighead County, Crawford County, Dallas County, Desha County, Drew County, Faulkner County, Franklin County, Fulton County, Garland County, Grant County, Greene County, Hempstead County, Hot Spring County, Howard County, Independence County, Izard County, Jackson County, Jefferson County, Johnson County, Lafayette County, Lawrence County, Lee County, Lincoln County, Little River County, Logan County, Lonoke County, Madison County, Marion County, Miller County, Mississippi County, Monroe County, Montgomery County, Nevada County, Newton County, Ouachita County, Perry County, Phillips County, Pike County, Poinsett County, Polk County, Pope County, Prairie County, Pulaski County, Randolph County, Saline County, Scott County, Searcy County, Sebastian County, Sevier County, Sharp County, St. Francis County, Stone County, Union County, Van Buren County, Washington County, White County, Woodruff County, Yell County. Its bite can cause alpha-gal syndrome, an allergy to red meat.

Do not overlook the tiny ones

Nymph deer ticks are the size of a poppy seed and cause most Lyme cases in Arkansas because they are so easy to miss. When you check for ticks, look for the small ones too, especially in June and July.

Arkansas tick risk by town

A daily 0–100 tick-risk score for every town in Arkansas.

See Arkansas →

Tick identification chart

The national chart, plus identification for other states.

All states →

Frequently asked questions

What types of ticks live in Arkansas?: Arkansas has the deer tick (blacklegged tick), which carries Lyme disease and is established across the state; the American dog tick, which is established; and the lone star tick, which is established and causes alpha-gal syndrome. County-level presence is shown in the table above.
Which Arkansas tick carries Lyme disease?: The deer tick, also called the blacklegged tick, is the tick that spreads Lyme disease in Arkansas. The American dog tick and lone star tick do not carry Lyme, though they can transmit other illnesses.
Are there lone star ticks in Arkansas?: Yes. The lone star tick is established in Arkansas, including Arkansas County, Ashley County, Baxter County, Benton County, Boone County, Bradley County, Calhoun County, Carroll County, Chicot County, Clark County, Clay County, Cleburne County, Cleveland County, Columbia County, Conway County, Craighead County, Crawford County, Dallas County, Desha County, Drew County, Faulkner County, Franklin County, Fulton County, Garland County, Grant County, Greene County, Hempstead County, Hot Spring County, Howard County, Independence County, Izard County, Jackson County, Jefferson County, Johnson County, Lafayette County, Lawrence County, Lee County, Lincoln County, Little River County, Logan County, Lonoke County, Madison County, Marion County, Miller County, Mississippi County, Monroe County, Montgomery County, Nevada County, Newton County, Ouachita County, Perry County, Phillips County, Pike County, Poinsett County, Polk County, Pope County, Prairie County, Pulaski County, Randolph County, Saline County, Scott County, Searcy County, Sebastian County, Sevier County, Sharp County, St. Francis County, Stone County, Union County, Van Buren County, Washington County, White County, Woodruff County, Yell County. It causes alpha-gal syndrome, a red-meat allergy.
How can I tell these ticks apart?: Use size, color, and legs. The deer tick is small with a reddish-orange body, a solid dark shield, and black legs. The American dog tick is larger and brown with an ornate off-white mottled shield. The female lone star tick has a single white dot on her back. The chart above shows each one.