What types of ticks live in New York?

New York 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 New York tick carries Lyme disease?

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

The ticks you are most likely to find in New York, 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 New York

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 New York

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 New York

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 →

New York 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 New York county

These are the three ticks CDC maps county by county, not the only ticks in New York: 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
Albany County	Established	Established	Established	Not established
Allegany County	Established	Not established	Not established	Not established
Bronx County	Established	Established	Reported	Reported
Broome County	Established	Reported	Established	Not established
Cattaraugus County	Established	Not established	Established	Not established
Cayuga County	Established	Not established	Not established	Not established
Chautauqua County	Established	Reported	Established	Not established
Chemung County	Established	Reported	Reported	Not established
Chenango County	Established	Not established	Reported	Not established
Clinton County	Established	Reported	Reported	Not established
Columbia County	Established	Established	Established	Not established
Cortland County	Established	Not established	Reported	Not established
Delaware County	Established	Reported	Established	Not established
Dutchess County	Established	Established	Reported	Not established
Erie County	Established	Reported	Established	Not established
Essex County	Established	Established	Reported	Not established
Franklin County	Established	Not established	Not established	Not established
Fulton County	Established	Reported	Not established	Not established
Genesee County	Established	Not established	Reported	Not established
Greene County	Established	Established	Reported	Not established
Hamilton County	Established	Not established	Reported	Not established
Herkimer County	Established	Not established	Reported	Not established
Jefferson County	Established	Reported	Reported	Not established
Kings County	Established	Established	Reported	Reported
Lewis County	Established	Not established	Not established	Not established
Livingston County	Established	Not established	Reported	Not established
Madison County	Established	Not established	Reported	Not established
Monroe County	Established	Reported	Established	Not established
Montgomery County	Established	Reported	Reported	Not established
Nassau County	Established	Established	Established	Reported
New York County	Established	Reported	Reported	Reported
Niagara County	Established	Reported	Reported	Not established
Oneida County	Established	Not established	Reported	Not established
Onondaga County	Established	Established	Not established	Not established
Ontario County	Established	Not established	Reported	Not established
Orange County	Established	Established	Reported	Not established
Orleans County	Established	Not established	Not established	Not established
Oswego County	Established	Not established	Reported	Not established
Otsego County	Established	Not established	Established	Not established
Putnam County	Established	Established	Not established	Not established
Queens County	Established	Established	Reported	Reported
Rensselaer County	Established	Established	Established	Not established
Richmond County	Established	Reported	Established	Established
Rockland County	Established	Reported	Reported	Not established
Saratoga County	Established	Established	Established	Not established
Schenectady County	Established	Established	Established	Not established
Schoharie County	Established	Established	Reported	Not established
Schuyler County	Established	Not established	Reported	Not established
Seneca County	Established	Not established	Not established	Not established
St. Lawrence County	Established	Not established	Reported	Not established
Steuben County	Established	Not established	Reported	Not established
Suffolk County	Established	Established	Established	Reported
Sullivan County	Established	Established	Established	Not established
Tioga County	Established	Reported	Reported	Not established
Tompkins County	Established	Reported	Reported	Not established
Ulster County	Established	Established	Established	Not established
Warren County	Established	Established	Established	Not established
Washington County	Established	Established	Reported	Not established
Wayne County	Established	Not established	Not established	Not established
Westchester County	Established	Established	Established	Not established
Wyoming County	Established	Not established	Reported	Not established
Yates County	Established	Not established	Not established	Not established

Lone star ticks and alpha-gal syndrome

The lone star tick is established in New York, including Albany County, Broome County, Cattaraugus County, Chautauqua County, Columbia County, Delaware County, Erie County, Monroe County, Nassau County, Otsego County, Rensselaer County, Richmond County, Saratoga County, Schenectady County, Suffolk County, Sullivan County, Ulster County, Warren County, Westchester 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 New York because they are so easy to miss. When you check for ticks, look for the small ones too, especially in June and July.

New York tick risk by town

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

See New York →

Tick identification chart

The national chart, plus identification for other states.

All states →

Frequently asked questions

What types of ticks live in New York?: New York 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 New York tick carries Lyme disease?: The deer tick, also called the blacklegged tick, is the tick that spreads Lyme disease in New York. The American dog tick and lone star tick do not carry Lyme, though they can transmit other illnesses.
Are there lone star ticks in New York?: Yes. The lone star tick is established in New York, including Albany County, Broome County, Cattaraugus County, Chautauqua County, Columbia County, Delaware County, Erie County, Monroe County, Nassau County, Otsego County, Rensselaer County, Richmond County, Saratoga County, Schenectady County, Suffolk County, Sullivan County, Ulster County, Warren County, Westchester 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.