Types of Ticks in Virginia

Virginia is home to several types of ticks, each with different characteristics and potential risks. These are some of the most common species you may encounter.

Blacklegged Tick
Ixodes scapularis

Can transmit Lyme disease (Borrelia burgdorferi and B. mayonii), Anaplasmosis, B. miyamotoi (a form of relapsing fever), Babesiosis (Babesia microti), Powassan virus, Has been shown to potentially transmit Ehrlichiosis and Alpha-gal Syndrome in other states.

Lone Star Tick
Amblyomma americanum

Is associated with Alpha-gal Syndrome (Red Meat Allergy) and can transmit Ehrlichiosis, Tularemia, Heartland Virus, Bourbon Virus, and Southern Tick-Associated Rash Illness (STARI). May also transmit Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever in some places.

American Dog Tick
Dermacentor variabilis

Can transmit Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Tularemia.

Gulf Coast Tick
Amblyomma maculatum

Can transmit Rickettsia parkeri rickettsiosis, a form of spotted fever. Found mainly along the coastal and southeastern parts of the state.

Asian Longhorned Tick
Haemaphysalis longicornis

Not known to transmit disease to humans in the United States to date, but studies show this tick has the capacity to transmit disease.

Ticks Can Be Active Year-Round

While tick activity peaks in the warmer months, some species, such as the black-legged tick, which can transmit Lyme disease, are commonly active in the cooler months, including winter. This makes it important to stay vigilant year-round. Whenever you spend time outdoors—especially on milder winter days above 40°F —check yourself, your family, and your pets for ticks.

Local urban tick surveillance conducted in Central Virginia (2019–2022) across trails, parks, sports fields, and playgrounds found that tick species and life stages were present throughout the year. Findings were consistent with annual patterns reported by the Virginia Department of Health.

How to Identify Ticks

Knowing the type of tick can help determine which diseases may be associated with that exposure and what signs and symptoms to monitor in the days and weeks that follow.

TickSafety.com offers free tick identification services and provides detailed information on how to identify a tick, including images of when they are engorged. You can submit a picture or text a picture to 703-828-4343 for free identification.

You can also use this tick identification chart from the Virginia Department of Public Health to determine both the type and life stage of a tick. Certain life stages, particularly nymphs, are more likely to transmit disease. Keep in mind that nymphs and larvae are very small and can be difficult to distinguish without magnification.

Not All Ticks Carry Diseases, But Some Can Carry Many!

Get tips on how to prevent tick bites or learn more about the tick-borne diseases most common in Virginia.

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