What types of ticks live in North Carolina?

North Carolina 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 North Carolina tick carries Lyme disease?

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

The ticks you are most likely to find in North Carolina, 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 North Carolina

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 North Carolina

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 North Carolina

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 →

North Carolina 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 North Carolina county

These are the three ticks CDC maps county by county, not the only ticks in North Carolina: 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
Alamance County	Established	Established	Established	Reported
Alexander County	Established	Not established	Established	Reported
Alleghany County	Established	Reported	Not established	Reported
Anson County	Reported	Established	Established	Reported
Ashe County	Established	Reported	Not established	Reported
Avery County	Reported	Not established	Not established	Reported
Beaufort County	Established	Established	Established	Reported
Bertie County	Established	Established	Established	Reported
Bladen County	Established	Reported	Established	Reported
Brunswick County	Established	Reported	Established	Reported
Buncombe County	Established	Established	Not established	Reported
Burke County	Established	Reported	Established	Reported
Cabarrus County	Not established	Reported	Not established	Reported
Caldwell County	Established	Established	Established	Reported
Carteret County	Established	Reported	Reported	Reported
Caswell County	Not established	Reported	Reported	Reported
Catawba County	Reported	Reported	Not established	Reported
Chatham County	Established	Established	Established	Reported
Cherokee County	Not established	Reported	Reported	Reported
Chowan County	Established	Reported	Established	Reported
Clay County	Not established	Reported	Not established	Reported
Cleveland County	Not established	Reported	Not established	Reported
Columbus County	Established	Reported	Established	Reported
Craven County	Established	Established	Established	Reported
Cumberland County	Established	Established	Established	Reported
Dare County	Established	Established	Established	Reported
Davidson County	Established	Reported	Reported	Reported
Davie County	Not established	Reported	Not established	Reported
Duplin County	Established	Established	Reported	Reported
Durham County	Established	Established	Established	Reported
Edgecombe County	Established	Reported	Reported	Reported
Forsyth County	Established	Reported	Established	Reported
Franklin County	Not established	Reported	Established	Reported
Gaston County	Not established	Not established	Not established	Reported
Gates County	Established	Established	Established	Reported
Graham County	Not established	Reported	Not established	Reported
Granville County	Reported	Not established	Established	Reported
Greene County	Established	Established	Reported	Reported
Guilford County	Established	Reported	Established	Reported
Halifax County	Established	Reported	Reported	Reported
Harnett County	Established	Reported	Established	Reported
Haywood County	Established	Reported	Reported	Reported
Henderson County	Reported	Reported	Reported	Reported
Hertford County	Established	Reported	Reported	Reported
Hoke County	Established	Reported	Established	Reported
Iredell County	Reported	Established	Established	Reported
Jackson County	Not established	Reported	Not established	Reported
Johnston County	Established	Reported	Reported	Reported
Jones County	Established	Reported	Established	Reported
Lee County	Not established	Not established	Established	Reported
Lenoir County	Established	Established	Reported	Reported
Lincoln County	Not established	Established	Not established	Reported
Macon County	Not established	Reported	Not established	Reported
Madison County	Established	Reported	Not established	Reported
Martin County	Established	Reported	Established	Reported
McDowell County	Reported	Not established	Not established	Reported
Mecklenburg County	Reported	Established	Established	Reported
Mitchell County	Established	Not established	Not established	Reported
Montgomery County	Not established	Not established	Reported	Reported
Moore County	Reported	Reported	Established	Reported
Nash County	Established	Reported	Reported	Reported
New Hanover County	Established	Established	Established	Reported
Northampton County	Not established	Reported	Established	Reported
Onslow County	Established	Established	Established	Reported
Orange County	Established	Reported	Reported	Reported
Pamlico County	Established	Established	Reported	Reported
Pasquotank County	Established	Reported	Established	Reported
Pender County	Established	Established	Established	Reported
Perquimans County	Established	Reported	Established	Reported
Person County	Not established	Reported	Not established	Reported
Pitt County	Reported	Not established	Reported	Reported
Polk County	Not established	Not established	Not established	Reported
Randolph County	Reported	Established	Established	Reported
Richmond County	Not established	Not established	Not established	Reported
Robeson County	Established	Reported	Established	Reported
Rockingham County	Established	Reported	Not established	Reported
Rowan County	Established	Reported	Not established	Reported
Rutherford County	Reported	Not established	Established	Reported
Sampson County	Established	Reported	Established	Reported
Scotland County	Established	Reported	Not established	Reported
Stanly County	Not established	Not established	Established	Reported
Stokes County	Established	Not established	Not established	Reported
Surry County	Established	Reported	Established	Reported
Swain County	Not established	Not established	Established	Reported
Transylvania County	Not established	Established	Not established	Reported
Tyrrell County	Established	Reported	Reported	Reported
Union County	Not established	Not established	Reported	Reported
Vance County	Established	Reported	Established	Reported
Wake County	Established	Established	Established	Reported
Warren County	Established	Reported	Reported	Reported
Washington County	Established	Reported	Established	Reported
Watauga County	Established	Not established	Not established	Reported
Wayne County	Established	Reported	Established	Reported
Wilkes County	Established	Reported	Reported	Reported
Wilson County	Not established	Not established	Not established	Reported
Yadkin County	Reported	Not established	Reported	Reported
Yancey County	Established	Not established	Not established	Reported

Lone star ticks and alpha-gal syndrome

The lone star tick is established in North Carolina, including Alamance County, Alexander County, Anson County, Beaufort County, Bertie County, Bladen County, Brunswick County, Burke County, Caldwell County, Chatham County, Chowan County, Columbus County, Craven County, Cumberland County, Dare County, Durham County, Forsyth County, Franklin County, Gates County, Granville County, Guilford County, Harnett County, Hoke County, Iredell County, Jones County, Lee County, Martin County, Mecklenburg County, Moore County, New Hanover County, Northampton County, Onslow County, Pasquotank County, Pender County, Perquimans County, Randolph County, Robeson County, Rutherford County, Sampson County, Stanly County, Surry County, Swain County, Vance County, Wake County, Washington County, Wayne 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 North Carolina because they are so easy to miss. When you check for ticks, look for the small ones too, especially in June and July.

North Carolina tick risk by town

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

See North Carolina →

Tick identification chart

The national chart, plus identification for other states.

All states →

Frequently asked questions

What types of ticks live in North Carolina?: North Carolina 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 North Carolina tick carries Lyme disease?: The deer tick, also called the blacklegged tick, is the tick that spreads Lyme disease in North Carolina. The American dog tick and lone star tick do not carry Lyme, though they can transmit other illnesses.
Are there lone star ticks in North Carolina?: Yes. The lone star tick is established in North Carolina, including Alamance County, Alexander County, Anson County, Beaufort County, Bertie County, Bladen County, Brunswick County, Burke County, Caldwell County, Chatham County, Chowan County, Columbus County, Craven County, Cumberland County, Dare County, Durham County, Forsyth County, Franklin County, Gates County, Granville County, Guilford County, Harnett County, Hoke County, Iredell County, Jones County, Lee County, Martin County, Mecklenburg County, Moore County, New Hanover County, Northampton County, Onslow County, Pasquotank County, Pender County, Perquimans County, Randolph County, Robeson County, Rutherford County, Sampson County, Stanly County, Surry County, Swain County, Vance County, Wake County, Washington County, Wayne 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.