What types of ticks live in Mississippi?

Mississippi 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 Mississippi tick carries Lyme disease?

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

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

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 Mississippi

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 Mississippi

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 →

Mississippi 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 Mississippi county

These are the three ticks CDC maps county by county, not the only ticks in Mississippi: 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
Adams County	Established	Reported	Established	Established
Alcorn County	Established	Not established	Established	Established
Amite County	Reported	Reported	Reported	Established
Attala County	Established	Reported	Established	Established
Benton County	Established	Reported	Reported	Established
Bolivar County	Established	Not established	Established	Established
Calhoun County	Established	Reported	Reported	Established
Carroll County	Reported	Reported	Established	Established
Chickasaw County	Established	Reported	Established	Established
Choctaw County	Reported	Reported	Established	Established
Claiborne County	Established	Reported	Established	Established
Clarke County	Reported	Not established	Established	Established
Clay County	Reported	Reported	Established	Established
Coahoma County	Reported	Established	Reported	Established
Copiah County	Established	Established	Established	Established
Covington County	Reported	Reported	Reported	Established
DeSoto County	Established	Reported	Reported	Established
Forrest County	Reported	Established	Established	Established
Franklin County	Reported	Reported	Reported	Established
George County	Reported	Reported	Established	Established
Greene County	Reported	Reported	Reported	Established
Grenada County	Established	Not established	Established	Established
Hancock County	Reported	Reported	Reported	Established
Harrison County	Reported	Established	Reported	Established
Hinds County	Established	Established	Established	Established
Holmes County	Established	Reported	Established	Established
Humphreys County	Established	Not established	Established	Established
Issaquena County	Reported	Not established	Reported	Established
Itawamba County	Reported	Reported	Established	Established
Jackson County	Established	Established	Established	Established
Jasper County	Established	Established	Reported	Established
Jefferson County	Established	Reported	Established	Established
Jefferson Davis County	Reported	Reported	Reported	Established
Jones County	Reported	Reported	Established	Established
Kemper County	Reported	Not established	Established	Established
Lafayette County	Established	Reported	Established	Established
Lamar County	Reported	Established	Reported	Established
Lauderdale County	Reported	Established	Established	Established
Lawrence County	Reported	Not established	Reported	Established
Leake County	Established	Reported	Established	Established
Lee County	Reported	Not established	Reported	Established
Leflore County	Established	Not established	Established	Established
Lincoln County	Reported	Not established	Established	Established
Lowndes County	Reported	Reported	Established	Established
Madison County	Established	Reported	Established	Established
Marion County	Reported	Reported	Reported	Established
Marshall County	Established	Established	Established	Established
Monroe County	Reported	Not established	Established	Established
Montgomery County	Reported	Not established	Not established	Established
Neshoba County	Reported	Reported	Established	Established
Newton County	Reported	Not established	Established	Established
Noxubee County	Established	Reported	Established	Established
Oktibbeha County	Established	Established	Established	Established
Panola County	Established	Reported	Established	Established
Pearl River County	Reported	Established	Established	Established
Perry County	Established	Established	Established	Established
Pike County	Reported	Reported	Established	Established
Pontotoc County	Established	Not established	Reported	Established
Prentiss County	Reported	Not established	Reported	Established
Quitman County	Reported	Not established	Established	Established
Rankin County	Established	Established	Established	Established
Scott County	Established	Not established	Established	Established
Sharkey County	Reported	Not established	Reported	Established
Simpson County	Established	Not established	Established	Established
Smith County	Established	Reported	Established	Established
Stone County	Reported	Established	Established	Established
Sunflower County	Reported	Not established	Reported	Established
Tallahatchie County	Established	Not established	Reported	Established
Tate County	Established	Reported	Established	Established
Tippah County	Established	Reported	Established	Established
Tishomingo County	Established	Established	Established	Established
Tunica County	Established	Not established	Established	Established
Union County	Established	Not established	Established	Established
Walthall County	Reported	Not established	Reported	Established
Warren County	Established	Established	Established	Established
Washington County	Reported	Established	Established	Established
Wayne County	Reported	Reported	Established	Established
Webster County	Reported	Reported	Established	Established
Wilkinson County	Reported	Reported	Established	Established
Winston County	Established	Reported	Established	Established
Yalobusha County	Reported	Not established	Established	Established
Yazoo County	Established	Reported	Established	Established

Lone star ticks and alpha-gal syndrome

The lone star tick is established in Mississippi, including Adams County, Alcorn County, Attala County, Bolivar County, Carroll County, Chickasaw County, Choctaw County, Claiborne County, Clarke County, Clay County, Copiah County, Forrest County, George County, Grenada County, Hinds County, Holmes County, Humphreys County, Itawamba County, Jackson County, Jefferson County, Jones County, Kemper County, Lafayette County, Lauderdale County, Leake County, Leflore County, Lincoln County, Lowndes County, Madison County, Marshall County, Monroe County, Neshoba County, Newton County, Noxubee County, Oktibbeha County, Panola County, Pearl River County, Perry County, Pike County, Quitman County, Rankin County, Scott County, Simpson County, Smith County, Stone County, Tate County, Tippah County, Tishomingo County, Tunica County, Union County, Warren County, Washington County, Wayne County, Webster County, Wilkinson County, Winston County, Yalobusha County, Yazoo 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 Mississippi because they are so easy to miss. When you check for ticks, look for the small ones too, especially in June and July.

Mississippi tick risk by town

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

See Mississippi →

Tick identification chart

The national chart, plus identification for other states.

All states →

Frequently asked questions

What types of ticks live in Mississippi?: Mississippi 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 Mississippi tick carries Lyme disease?: The deer tick, also called the blacklegged tick, is the tick that spreads Lyme disease in Mississippi. The American dog tick and lone star tick do not carry Lyme, though they can transmit other illnesses.
Are there lone star ticks in Mississippi?: Yes. The lone star tick is established in Mississippi, including Adams County, Alcorn County, Attala County, Bolivar County, Carroll County, Chickasaw County, Choctaw County, Claiborne County, Clarke County, Clay County, Copiah County, Forrest County, George County, Grenada County, Hinds County, Holmes County, Humphreys County, Itawamba County, Jackson County, Jefferson County, Jones County, Kemper County, Lafayette County, Lauderdale County, Leake County, Leflore County, Lincoln County, Lowndes County, Madison County, Marshall County, Monroe County, Neshoba County, Newton County, Noxubee County, Oktibbeha County, Panola County, Pearl River County, Perry County, Pike County, Quitman County, Rankin County, Scott County, Simpson County, Smith County, Stone County, Tate County, Tippah County, Tishomingo County, Tunica County, Union County, Warren County, Washington County, Wayne County, Webster County, Wilkinson County, Winston County, Yalobusha County, Yazoo 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.