10 Types of Ticks for You and Your Pets to Avoid

These ticks are infamous for spreading Lyme disease, which can cause fatigue, joint pain and neurological issues. You'll find them mainly in the eastern United States. They prefer wooded or grassy areas and latch onto animals like deer and mice during their life stages.

Nymphs feed aggressively and are about the size of a poppy seed — easy to miss but full of potential danger.

Despite the friendly name, this tick can transmit ehrlichiosis and alpha-gal syndrome, a condition that makes people allergic to red meat.

They're mainly found in the southeastern and eastern U.S., and adult female ticks are easily spotted thanks to a white "lone star" dot on their backs. These ticks bite humans at all life stages, which makes them especially concerning.

Also called the wood tick, this species spreads Rocky Mountain spotted fever and tularemia. They're big enough to spot more easily than other ticks, and adult ticks feed on large mammals, including humans.

These ticks thrive in grassy areas and are common in the eastern U.S., though they only occur in limited areas along the Pacific coast.

This tick species prefers dogs but will bite humans if their preferred host isn't around. Unlike many other ticks, brown dog ticks can complete their entire life cycle indoors, making infestations especially tricky. They're known to spread Rocky Mountain spotted fever in the southwestern U.S. and Mexico.

Found along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts, this tick can transmit Rickettsia parkeri rickettsiosis, a spotted fever similar to RMSF. Adult ticks feed on deer and other large animals, but they don't mind latching onto people either. They hang out in coastal grasslands and scrubby vegetation.

As the name implies, this tick lives mostly in the Rocky Mountain states. It can transmit Colorado tick fever virus, Rocky Mountain spotted fever and tick paralysis. The adult female is the main biter of humans, and the tick is most active in spring and early summer.

This West Coast cousin of the deer tick is also a carrier of Lyme disease and anaplasmosis. Known scientifically as Ixodes pacificus, it shares similar habitats with its eastern counterpart, favoring forests and leaf litter. Nymphs feed in late spring, while adult ticks feed in fall and winter.

Unlike the hard-bodied ticks you've probably seen, soft ticks have a leathery, wrinkled look. These ticks don't have a hard shield and tend to live in rodent nests or rustic cabins. Some soft ticks can transmit tick-borne relapsing fever, especially in western states.

This invasive tick species reproduces without mating and is rapidly spreading in the U.S. It can carry heartland virus disease, Powassan virus disease, and Theileria, a parasite that affects livestock.

Adult ticks feed on a variety of hosts, and their ability to spread germs and infest areas quickly has disease control experts on high alert.

Also known as Ixodes cookei, this tick prefers groundhogs and skunks but will bite humans, especially when their primary hosts are scarce. It's a known carrier of Powassan virus, a rare but serious disease that affects the brain.

We created this article in conjunction with AI technology, then made sure it was fact-checked and edited by a HowStuffWorks editor.