TickZone

Tick Identification in Ohio

The ticks you are most likely to find in Ohio, 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.

Female deer tick (blacklegged tick) on a green leaf, with a reddish-orange body, dark shield, and black legs, no white markings

Deer tick

Ixodes scapularis

Carries Lyme

Established in Ohio

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 →
Female American dog tick with an ornate off-white and brown mottled shield behind the head

American dog tick

Dermacentor variabilis

Established in Ohio

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 →
Female lone star tick on a green blade of grass, reddish-brown with a single bright white dot in the center of its back

Lone star tick

Amblyomma americanum

Reported in Ohio

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 →
Female brown dog tick, uniform reddish-brown with no distinct markings

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 →
Female Gulf Coast tick with an ornate silvery patterned shield

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 →
Female Asian longhorned tick, small and uniform reddish-brown with no markings

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 →

Ohio 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 Ohio county

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

CountyDeer tickAmerican dog tickLone star tick
Adams CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Allen CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Ashland CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Ashtabula CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Athens CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Auglaize CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Belmont CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Brown CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Butler CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Carroll CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Champaign CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Clark CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Clermont CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Clinton CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Columbiana CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Coshocton CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Crawford CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Cuyahoga CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Darke CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Defiance CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Delaware CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Erie CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Fairfield CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Fayette CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Franklin CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Fulton CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Gallia CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Geauga CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Greene CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Guernsey CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Hamilton CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Hancock CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Hardin CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Harrison CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Henry CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Highland CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Hocking CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Holmes CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Huron CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Jackson CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Jefferson CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Knox CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Lake CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Lawrence CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Licking CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Logan CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Lorain CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Lucas CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Madison CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Mahoning CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Marion CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Medina CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Meigs CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Mercer CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Miami CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Monroe CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Montgomery CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Morgan CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Morrow CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Muskingum CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Noble CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Ottawa CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Paulding CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Perry CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Pickaway CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Pike CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Portage CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Preble CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Putnam CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Richland CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Ross CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Sandusky CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Scioto CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Seneca CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Shelby CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Stark CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Summit CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Trumbull CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Tuscarawas CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Union CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Van Wert CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Vinton CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Warren CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Washington CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Wayne CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Williams CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Wood CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported
Wyandot CountyEstablishedEstablishedReported

Lone star ticks and alpha-gal syndrome

The lone star tick is reported in Ohio. 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 Ohio because they are so easy to miss. When you check for ticks, look for the small ones too, especially in June and July.

Ohio tick risk by town

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

See Ohio →

Tick identification chart

The national chart, plus identification for other states.

All states →

Frequently asked questions

What types of ticks live in Ohio?
Ohio 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 reported and causes alpha-gal syndrome. County-level presence is shown in the table above.
Which Ohio tick carries Lyme disease?
The deer tick, also called the blacklegged tick, is the tick that spreads Lyme disease in Ohio. The American dog tick and lone star tick do not carry Lyme, though they can transmit other illnesses.
Are there lone star ticks in Ohio?
Yes. The lone star tick is reported in Ohio. 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.