Pacific Coast Tick

The Pacific Coast tick is a hard-bodied tick species from the family Ixodidae. Like other ticks, it feeds mainly on the blood of mammals and occasionally attaches itself to humans. The Pacific Coast tick lives on all continents except Australia. The tick is a vector of various diseases, including Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Pacific Coast tick fever, and equine piroplasmosis. Pacific Coast ticks can also inject a neurotoxin that causes tick paralysis in cattle, deer, and horses. 

Pacific Coast Tick Species, Types, and Scientific Name

The name Pacific Coast tick refers to ticks in the Dermacentor genus. This arthropod is a type of hard-bodied tick which means it belongs to the family Ixodidae. This is a broad family of ticks (order Ixodida) known for possessing a rigid shield or scutum as opposed to the soft-bodied varieties with no scutum (family Argasidae). 

The hard tick family consists of over 700 species, which means they’re more common than the soft tick family, with just 193 species. As of 2019, about 41 species have been identified in the Dermacentor genus. The American dog tick, Dermacentor variabilis, is the most famous member of this genus. 

Appearance — How To Identify the Pacific Coast Tick

The Pacific Coast tick has a flat, oval shape for which ticks are typically known. They are anywhere between 0.08 and 0.6 inches in size, depending on whether they’re engorged or not. Their most distinctive feature is the scutum or dorsal plate on their back. This feature helps to distinguish between the hard ticks and the soft-bodied ticks. 

Both male and female Dermacentor ticks have a dark-brown body with whitish markings. However, the female’s scutum tends to have a mottled off-white appearance compared to the males. Males, on the other hand, tend to have a more “spotty” appearance.  

The larvae form of this arachnid has six legs. However, their appendages increase to eight when they grow into nymphs or adults. 

Habitat — Where To Find Pacific Coast Tick

Dermacentor ticks are found in all continents except Australia. They are well distributed in the Pacific Coast region of the United States, which is why they’re called Pacific Coast ticks. Their range in the country includes the regions of California, Oregon, and Washington. The only exceptions in this region are the extremely arid parts of the Central Valley area and the desert southeast of California. 

Pacific Coast ticks prefer locations with little to no tree cover. They’re most commonly found in tall-grassy fields with low-lying shrubs and trees. The ticks stay on vegetation close to walkways and paths where animals frequent. They may also get transported into people’s homes when they get attached to pets. Pacific Coast ticks are exceptionally hardy and can go without food for two to three years without dying.

Evolution and History

The timeline of tick evolution is quite unclear, and scientists are still trying to unravel it. Experts think they may have evolved sometime during the Late Silurian Period. This would mean that ticks are the earliest lineage of land-dwelling arachnids to have ever evolved. Other scientists propose a later date. According to some researchers, ticks evolved from mite-like creatures some 400 million years ago, during the Devonian. 

Others suggest an even later date for tick evolution. The most recent time proposed for the organism’s evolution is 100 million years ago (Cretaceous Period). Many questions remain about how the blood-sucking arachnids evolved. One such question concerns the evolutionary relationships between hard and soft ticks. Scientists are unsure whether these two main tick families evolved together from a common ancestor or independently. 

A much bigger question about tick evolution is how they adapted to a blood-sucking diet. Scientists think the ancestors of modern ticks were scavengers that fed on dead arthropods and that ticks only evolved a blood-feeding habit about 120 million years ago. The different tick families evolved this behavior independently. The interactions between the ticks and their hosts influenced their evolution over the years. 

Diet — What Do Pacific Coast Ticks Eat?

Ticks are parasitiformes, meaning they feed on the blood of mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. Different tick species may have specific preferred hosts. For the Pacific Coast tick, they prefer livestock and larger animals. They may also be found on humans, but this does not happen often. While males need to attach and feed for a brief time to start sperm production, females require six to 10 days of feeding before abandoning their host and depositing eggs. 

What Eats Pacific Coast Ticks?

There are so many species that feed on ticks that getting rid of them is much simpler than you might think. Some of these creatures are natural predators who feed on ticks because they are essential to their survival. But there are also other species that eat ticks because they do not have other food sources. Several kinds of creatures are known to be natural enemies of the Pacific Coast tick. These animals include frogs, lizards, chickens, squirrels, opossums, guinea fowl, wild turkeys, and fire ants.

Prevention — How To Get Rid of Pacific Coast Ticks

The Dermacentor tick has several potentially harmful effects on animals and people. In addition to causing irritation due to their feeding activities, they’re active pathogens of several diseases. All stages of this tick spread a disease known as Rocky Mountain spotted fever which affects humans. Other diseases this tick spreads to humans and pets include Pacific Coast tick fever and tularemia. 

Farmers consider Pacific Coast ticks as pests because they spread diseases like bovine anaplasmosis by either nymphs or adults. Cases of tick-bite paralysis in cattle, deer, and horses have also been linked to these ticks. Therefore, it is crucial that you invest some effort in preventing and getting rid of this tick. 

People use organic oils and spray such as cedar oil, eucalyptus oil, and neem oil as repellents to get rid of this tick. Diatomaceous earth is another natural repellent that works for them. This is a powder derived from fossilized diatoms. Diatomaceous earth is harmless to people and pets but lethal for insects because it dehydrates their skin. Simply sprinkling diatomaceous earth in areas where you’ve seen Pacific Coast ticks eliminate these pests effectively. You can also apply it around your home to separate grassy areas from more forested ones. 

Permethrin is among the most effective pesticides for eliminating Pacific Coast ticks. Choose a permethrin insecticide spray suitable for the best results on the surfaces and plants you intend to treat. Before applying, read the label carefully and always wear safety gear.

Related Animals 

• Wood Tick
• Dog Tick
• American Dog Tick

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