Species:  Dermacentor variabilis

Caution: Can cause tularemia and Rocky Mountain spotted fever in people and pets, anaplasmosis in ruminants and cytauxzoonosis in cats. 

Notes: This is the most commonly encountered tick in Ohio and can be found in every county. They prefer habitats that border old field meadows and mixed forests but are also often found along trails and roadways. 

For details about tick distribution and pathogens in Ohio, visit the Ohio Department of Health “Ticks in Ohio” page and search each tick species for county specific information.

Species: Ixodes scapularis

Caution: Can cause Lyme disease and anaplasmosis in people, pets, and horses, as well a hard tick relapsing fever, ehrlichiosis, babesiosis, and Powassan virus in people. 

Notes: Another commonly encountered tick in Ohio, they are active year-round whenever temperatures are above freezing, but risk is highest during spring, summer, and fall. Lyme disease cases are reported in every month of the year in Ohio. Blacklegged ticks prefer wooded or bushy areas and are often found along trails and where lawns meet wooded areas. They've been found in nearly every county in Ohio. 

For details about tick distribution and pathogens in Ohio, visit the Ohio Department of Health “Ticks in Ohio” page and search each tick species for county specific information.

Species: Haemaphysalis longicornis

Caution: Research is ongoing to determine if these ticks can make people or pets sick, but this tick does cause theileriosis in cattle. 

Notes: An exotic tick introduced to the United States between 2010-2017, Asian longhorned ticks can be found on pets, livestock, people, and wildlife. This tick appears to be less attracted to humans. They reproduce without mating, so populations can explode rapidly. ALHT use a wide variety of habitats including open pastures, turf, shrubby brush, and wooded areas. They’ve primarily been found in southeastern and central Ohio but are quickly spreading to new counties.

What you need to know about the ALH tick from the CDC.

For details about tick distribution and pathogens in Ohio, visit the Ohio Department of Health “Ticks in Ohio” page and search each tick species for county specific information. Read the 2019 USDA monitoring report from the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Veterinary Services Cattle Health Center. 

Species: Amblyomma maculatum

Caution: Can cause R. parkeri rickettsiosis, a form of spotted fever in people and blood disorder, hepatozoonosis, in pets. 

Notes: While not as invasive as the Asian longhorned tick, this tick can significantly impact hoofstock production value. Feeding on the animal's ears causes a painful condition of drooping, swollen, and deformed ears called “gotch ear.” Gulf coast ticks prefer open grassland habitats and bordering mowed areas. For now, they’re primarily found in southwestern Ohio. 

For details about tick distributions and pathogens in Ohio, visit the Ohio Department of Health “Ticks in Ohio” page and search each tick species for county specific information. Or visit the CDC.

Species: Amblyomma americanum

Caution: Can cause ehrlichiosis in people and pets, and tularemia, Heartland virus, Bourbon virus, and Southern tick-associated rash illness (STARI). Causes an allergy to mammalian meat in people as well as blood disorder, cytauxzoonosis, in cats. 

Notes: Typically, the female and nymph bite humans. In contrast to ticks that lie and wait for a host to walk by, like the blacklegged tick, lone star ticks actively pursue hosts they sense are nearby. They prefer wooded areas and habitats that border woods. Lone star ticks can be found anywhere in Ohio but are most common in the southern half of the state. 

For details about tick distribution and pathogens in Ohio, visit the Ohio Department of Health “Ticks in Ohio” page and search each tick species for county specific information.