Identification
A The Bronx tick has a capitulum for a head, and an oval-shaped, and compressed body. Adult ticks and nymphs have 8 legs, whereas the larvae only have 6.
The scrotum, which is a whitish hardened plate, is found on the dorsal surface of hard ticks. It is also one of their distinguishing features. It covers one-third of a female tick’s body and the entire dorsal surface in males.
The mouthparts are composed of chelicerae and hypostome and are present on the head (capitulum). They are used to infiltrate a host’s body. Ticks secrete specialized substances during feeding, which help them to attach to a host firmly.
- Brown Dog Tick
It is one of the most abundant species of ticks on the planet. It infects a wide variety of hosts. The domestic dog is its most-loved host in the United States.
It spends its entire lifespan on the different sections of the dog’s body. The adults attach themselves to the toes and ear, whereas the nymphs and larvae occupy the hair on the back. Brown dog ticks are found in large numbers in outdoor environments during the entire year, and especially in summers. Most scientists believe that this species cannot survive in the intense cold. It has a characteristic red-brown color, which isn’t found in any other tick.
- American Dog Tick
Adult American dog ticks primarily infest dogs but also nest on other larger animals. The larvae and nymphs reside on wild rodents, such as rats. Newly hatched larvae are yellow and have distinct red spots around their eyes.
Larvae are similar in appearance to nymphs but have 8 legs instead of. Adults assume a slate-gray color when fully engorged. This is one of the species that is responsible for tick paralysis and carried the pathogenic organism that causes Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
- Groundhog Tick
The nymphs and adults of this species are very much capable of attacking humans and are commonly found in places with groundhogs.
- Common Fowl Tick
Also known as the blue bug, the common fowl tick is commonly found in places swarming with poultry. It may cause fatalities to chickens, and transmit diseases in humans.