Introduction

The Life cycle of blacklegged tick or a deer tick. It is an extremely small spider-like creature that is known for giving Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, and babesiosis by its bite. These dangerous parasites are the reason for most of the infection cases with Lyme disease in 14 states in the northern part of the country. Ticks are carriers of the infectious agents and they are distributed to humans by a bite of the parasites during the absorption of human blood by the latter.

Life Cycle of Blacklegged (Deer) Tick

The Life Cycle of the blacklegged (Deer) tick, Ixodes scapularis, takes place during two or even three years and consists of the four stages:

1. Egg Stage-

In early spring, after feeding on a host, adult female blacklegged ticks lay thousands of eggs in moist, sheltered spots near animal trails or under leaf litter.

These eggs are tiny, often red-brown in color, and almost invisible to the naked eye. Laying eggs in such strategic locations ensures the next generation will have easy access to passing hosts.

2. Larva Stage-

The eggs hatch into six-legged larvae, sometimes known as “seed ticks.” These larvae are really tiny-no larger than a grain of sand-hungry and thirsty for their first “blood” meal.

The most delicious dishes for the newborn ticks are small mammals, such as a mouse or a bird such as a sparrow. They don’t spread the diseases while in the larvae stage, biting an unhealthy animal, they can acquire bacteria that cause Lyme disease.

 After three days of sucking, the larvae leaves the host, transforms into nymphs, and are often to be found in the hiding place.

3. Nymph Stage-

The following spring, nymphs are out and now with eight legs and a little bit bigger than their former size, approximately poppy seed in size.

The danger with a Tick Life Cycle is its very next phase, i.e. nymphs.

They are active at the period between May till July and are mainly responsible for the transmission of pathogens that cause tick-borne-diseases.

The main reason is due to the fact that they are small, difficult to see and also they can pick up the infection from their larval feeding. The nymphs fall off the host after feeding, and molt once more to become adults.

4. Adult Stage

Adult blacklegged ticks are most likely to be seen in the fall and will continue being active throughout the winter if it never gets too cold. Adults are easier to spot due to their larger size. Females are easily identifiable by the red-brown body and black legs they have. This is the time the ticks move towards bigger hosts like deer, dogs, or even humans.

Females need another full blood meal for reproducing, but males only mate and shortly thereafter, they die. Once the female has mates, she will lay eggs in the spring, and the Tick Life Cycle will begin again.

Features of the Blacklegged (Deer) Tick–

Host Switching- One of the features that distinguish Life Cycle of Blacklegged (Deer) Tick is that blacklegged ticks usually have a different host at every stage. This increases their exposure to a wide range of animals and thus the possibility of disease transmission. For pet owners, it means that the dog is likely to be exposed to ticks. He has been on wildlife before and were carrying dangerous pathogens.

Conclusion: Life Cycle of Blacklegged (Deer) Tick

The Life Cycle of Blacklegged (Deer) Tick is a process that starts with an egg and ends with an adult tick. Each stage being a chance for the tick to acquire a host and transmit disease. This article has explained the Tick Life Cycle and the best ways to avoid the tick seasons. This ensures that your dear pets do not fall sick from tick-borne diseases. It is important that you provide vet-approved products for tick prevention and make sure that your yard is always clean. It is worth noting that with knowledge and care, you can still enjoy your outdoor activities. Have fun with your pets in a safe, and a no-tick environment!