What types of ticks live in West Virginia?

West Virginia 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 West Virginia tick carries Lyme disease?

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

The ticks you are most likely to find in West Virginia, 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 West Virginia

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 West Virginia

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 West Virginia

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 →

West Virginia 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 West Virginia county

These are the three ticks CDC maps county by county, not the only ticks in West Virginia: 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
Barbour County	Established	Reported	Not established	Reported
Berkeley County	Established	Established	Reported	Reported
Boone County	Established	Established	Established	Reported
Braxton County	Established	Reported	Reported	Reported
Brooke County	Established	Reported	Reported	Reported
Cabell County	Established	Established	Established	Reported
Calhoun County	Established	Reported	Not established	Reported
Clay County	Reported	Established	Not established	Reported
Doddridge County	Established	Established	Not established	Reported
Fayette County	Established	Established	Not established	Reported
Gilmer County	Established	Established	Not established	Reported
Grant County	Established	Established	Established	Reported
Greenbrier County	Established	Established	Reported	Reported
Hampshire County	Established	Established	Established	Reported
Hancock County	Established	Reported	Not established	Reported
Hardy County	Established	Established	Reported	Reported
Harrison County	Established	Established	Not established	Reported
Jackson County	Established	Established	Established	Reported
Jefferson County	Established	Established	Reported	Reported
Kanawha County	Established	Established	Established	Reported
Lewis County	Established	Established	Not established	Reported
Lincoln County	Reported	Established	Established	Reported
Logan County	Established	Established	Established	Reported
Marion County	Established	Established	Not established	Reported
Marshall County	Established	Established	Not established	Reported
Mason County	Reported	Established	Established	Reported
McDowell County	Not established	Established	Not established	Reported
Mercer County	Established	Established	Not established	Reported
Mineral County	Established	Established	Not established	Reported
Mingo County	Established	Established	Established	Reported
Monongalia County	Established	Established	Reported	Reported
Monroe County	Established	Established	Reported	Reported
Morgan County	Established	Reported	Reported	Reported
Nicholas County	Established	Established	Reported	Reported
Ohio County	Established	Established	Not established	Reported
Pendleton County	Not established	Reported	Reported	Reported
Pleasants County	Established	Reported	Not established	Reported
Pocahontas County	Established	Reported	Not established	Reported
Preston County	Established	Established	Not established	Reported
Putnam County	Established	Established	Established	Reported
Raleigh County	Established	Reported	Not established	Reported
Randolph County	Established	Reported	Not established	Reported
Ritchie County	Established	Established	Not established	Reported
Roane County	Established	Established	Not established	Reported
Summers County	Established	Established	Not established	Reported
Taylor County	Established	Reported	Not established	Reported
Tucker County	Established	Not established	Reported	Reported
Tyler County	Established	Established	Reported	Reported
Upshur County	Established	Established	Reported	Reported
Wayne County	Reported	Reported	Established	Reported
Webster County	Established	Reported	Not established	Reported
Wetzel County	Established	Established	Not established	Reported
Wirt County	Established	Not established	Not established	Reported
Wood County	Established	Established	Established	Reported
Wyoming County	Not established	Reported	Not established	Reported

Lone star ticks and alpha-gal syndrome

The lone star tick is established in West Virginia, including Boone County, Cabell County, Grant County, Hampshire County, Jackson County, Kanawha County, Lincoln County, Logan County, Mason County, Mingo County, Putnam County, Wayne County, Wood 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 West Virginia because they are so easy to miss. When you check for ticks, look for the small ones too, especially in June and July.

West Virginia tick risk by town

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

See West Virginia →

Tick identification chart

The national chart, plus identification for other states.

All states →

Frequently asked questions

What types of ticks live in West Virginia?: West Virginia 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 West Virginia tick carries Lyme disease?: The deer tick, also called the blacklegged tick, is the tick that spreads Lyme disease in West Virginia. The American dog tick and lone star tick do not carry Lyme, though they can transmit other illnesses.
Are there lone star ticks in West Virginia?: Yes. The lone star tick is established in West Virginia, including Boone County, Cabell County, Grant County, Hampshire County, Jackson County, Kanawha County, Lincoln County, Logan County, Mason County, Mingo County, Putnam County, Wayne County, Wood 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.