What types of ticks live in Louisiana?

Louisiana 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 Louisiana tick carries Lyme disease?

The deer tick, also called the blacklegged tick, is the tick that spreads Lyme disease in Louisiana. 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 Louisiana

The ticks you are most likely to find in Louisiana, 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 Louisiana

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 Louisiana

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 Louisiana

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 →

Louisiana 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 Louisiana county

These are the three ticks CDC maps county by county, not the only ticks in Louisiana: 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
Acadia County	Not established	Established	Not established	Established
Allen County	Established	Reported	Not established	Established
Ascension County	Not established	Not established	Not established	Established
Assumption County	Not established	Not established	Not established	Established
Avoyelles County	Established	Not established	Established	Established
Beauregard County	Not established	Not established	Not established	Established
Bienville County	Established	Not established	Reported	Established
Bossier County	Established	Not established	Established	Established
Caddo County	Not established	Not established	Not established	Established
Calcasieu County	Not established	Not established	Established	Established
Caldwell County	Established	Not established	Established	Established
Catahoula County	Reported	Not established	Not established	Established
Claiborne County	Reported	Reported	Established	Established
Concordia County	Established	Not established	Established	Established
De Soto County	Reported	Not established	Established	Established
East Baton Rouge County	Reported	Not established	Established	Established
East Carroll County	Reported	Not established	Established	Established
East Feliciana County	Established	Not established	Not established	Established
Evangeline County	Not established	Not established	Established	Established
Franklin County	Not established	Established	Reported	Established
Grant County	Established	Not established	Reported	Established
Iberia County	Not established	Established	Not established	Established
Iberville County	Established	Not established	Not established	Established
Jackson County	Established	Not established	Reported	Established
Jefferson County	Not established	Not established	Not established	Established
Jefferson Davis County	Reported	Not established	Not established	Established
Lafayette County	Reported	Not established	Not established	Established
Lafourche County	Not established	Established	Reported	Established
LaSalle County	Not established	Reported	Not established	Established
Lincoln County	Established	Not established	Reported	Established
Livingston County	Not established	Not established	Not established	Established
Madison County	Reported	Established	Established	Established
Morehouse County	Established	Not established	Not established	Established
Natchitoches County	Established	Not established	Reported	Established
Orleans County	Not established	Not established	Established	Established
Ouachita County	Reported	Not established	Established	Established
Pointe Coupee County	Reported	Not established	Reported	Established
Rapides County	Established	Not established	Established	Established
Red River County	Not established	Not established	Not established	Established
Richland County	Not established	Not established	Not established	Established
Sabine County	Reported	Established	Established	Established
St. Helena County	Not established	Not established	Not established	Established
St. James County	Not established	Not established	Not established	Established
St. Landry County	Reported	Not established	Not established	Established
St. Martin County	Reported	Not established	Not established	Established
St. Mary County	Reported	Not established	Not established	Established
St. Tammany County	Reported	Not established	Reported	Established
Tangipahoa County	Established	Reported	Not established	Established
Tensas County	Established	Established	Reported	Established
Terrebonne County	Not established	Not established	Reported	Established
Union County	Established	Not established	Established	Established
Vermilion County	Reported	Not established	Not established	Established
Vernon County	Established	Not established	Established	Established
Washington County	Reported	Not established	Not established	Established
Webster County	Not established	Established	Not established	Established
West Baton Rouge County	Not established	Not established	Not established	Established
West Carroll County	Not established	Not established	Not established	Established
West Feliciana County	Established	Established	Established	Established
Winn County	Reported	Not established	Established	Established

Lone star ticks and alpha-gal syndrome

The lone star tick is established in Louisiana, including Avoyelles County, Bossier County, Calcasieu County, Caldwell County, Claiborne County, Concordia County, De Soto County, East Baton Rouge County, East Carroll County, Evangeline County, Madison County, Orleans County, Ouachita County, Rapides County, Sabine County, Union County, Vernon County, West Feliciana County, Winn 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 Louisiana because they are so easy to miss. When you check for ticks, look for the small ones too, especially in June and July.

Louisiana tick risk by town

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

See Louisiana →

Tick identification chart

The national chart, plus identification for other states.

All states →

Frequently asked questions

What types of ticks live in Louisiana?: Louisiana 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 Louisiana tick carries Lyme disease?: The deer tick, also called the blacklegged tick, is the tick that spreads Lyme disease in Louisiana. The American dog tick and lone star tick do not carry Lyme, though they can transmit other illnesses.
Are there lone star ticks in Louisiana?: Yes. The lone star tick is established in Louisiana, including Avoyelles County, Bossier County, Calcasieu County, Caldwell County, Claiborne County, Concordia County, De Soto County, East Baton Rouge County, East Carroll County, Evangeline County, Madison County, Orleans County, Ouachita County, Rapides County, Sabine County, Union County, Vernon County, West Feliciana County, Winn 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.