The Lone Star Tick in Massachusetts
The lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum) is the most aggressive human-biting tick moving into Massachusetts. It is now established on Cape Cod and the Islands, and it is the tick behind alpha-gal syndrome, the tick-bite allergy to red meat.
Where it's established in Massachusetts
The lone star tick was first documented on Cape Cod in 2015. Its established range is coastal and moving north.
County status from CDC lone star tick surveillance and peer-reviewed Massachusetts studies. County-level; updated as new data is published.
How to identify it
- The white dot. Adult females have a single silvery-white spot in the center of a reddish-brown back. Males have scattered white streaks around the edge.
- Seed ticks. Larvae are tiny and can attach by the dozens or hundreds in late summer.
- It hunts. Unlike the deer tick, which waits on vegetation, the lone star tick actively pursues hosts.
When it's active
Active from spring into fall, peaking in late spring and summer. All three life stages bite people, and larval “seed ticks” can emerge in swarms from July through September, a later-season pattern than the deer tick. That late shoulder is why a model built only on the deer-tick calendar can understate risk in lone star country.
Diseases it carries
- Ehrlichiosis
- Alpha-gal syndrome (a red-meat allergy)
- Southern tick-associated rash illness (STARI)
- Tularemia
- Heartland and Bourbon viruses (rare)
It does not transmit Lyme disease, that is the deer tick.
How to protect yourself
Use an EPA-registered repellent, treat clothing and gear with permethrin, stay to the center of trails, and do a full tick check and shower after grassy, brushy, or wooded areas, especially on the Cape and Islands in summer. Prompt removal of an attached tick lowers the chance of illness. This is general information, not medical advice.
Alpha-gal syndrome: a red-meat allergy from a tick bite
Massachusetts made it a reportable condition as of April 1, 2026, and Martha's Vineyard cases have climbed sharply. See how it works and where the risk is highest.
Frequently asked questions
- Is the lone star tick in Massachusetts?
- Yes. The lone star tick is established, with documented breeding populations, on Cape Cod and the Islands: Barnstable, Dukes (Martha's Vineyard), and Nantucket counties. It has been reported and is expanding along the South Coast in Bristol County. It was first documented on Cape Cod in 2015 and its range is moving north.
- Does the lone star tick cause Lyme disease?
- No. Lyme disease is spread by the blacklegged (deer) tick, not the lone star tick. The lone star tick carries different illnesses, including ehrlichiosis, STARI, tularemia, and alpha-gal syndrome, a delayed allergy to red meat.
- What does a lone star tick look like?
- Adult females have a single silvery-white dot in the center of a reddish-brown back, which gives the tick its name. Males have scattered white streaks around the edge. Larvae, sometimes called seed ticks, are tiny and can attach in clusters in late summer.
- When are lone star ticks most active?
- From spring into fall, peaking in late spring and summer. All three life stages bite people, and larval seed ticks can emerge in swarms from July through September, a later-season pattern than the deer tick.