10 Ticks in Delaware

Written by Kristen Holder
Published: June 13, 2022
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Ticks are a nuisance across most of the United States, and Delaware is no exception. Delawareans venturing out into the great outdoors, especially in the summer months, need to know how to identify at least 10 of the ticks found in Delaware.

Ticks carry diseases that are harmful to humans. They go through a life cycle, and as they get bigger, they feed on bigger things. Their middle stage, nymphs, feed on populations of rodents or birds that are known disease reservoirs.

These nymphs then turn into adults that feed on larger species like deer and humans. The blood-to-blood contact via the tick from mammal to mammal is what spreads disease. Delaware is one of the top 10 states in the US to contract Lyme disease, which is the most concerning tick pathogen in America.

Finding an attached tick as quickly as possible gives any bloodborne pathogens less of an opportunity to take hold. Which ticks should you watch out for in Delaware, and where do these ticks live? We’ll discuss ten of the most common ticks in Delaware and some details, so you know how to identify them.

10 Ticks in Delaware

These are 10 of the ticks in Delaware:

  1. Lone Star Tick
  2. Asian Longhorned Tick
  3. Deer Tick
  4. American Dog Tick
  5. Gulf Coast Tick
  6. Brown Dog Tick
  7. Winter Tick
  8. Rabbit Tick
  9. Groundhog Tick
  10. Squirrel Tick

1. Lone Star Tick in Delaware

Lone Star Tick (Amblyomma americanum) on a white background.

Lone star ticks are the most common ticks in Delaware.

©iStock.com/epantha

Out of our 10 ticks, the lone star tick is the most common in Delaware. It’s a known vector of the alpha-gal syndrome, which causes the development of an allergic reaction to red meat. This tick also spreads ehrlichiosis and other diseases that affect humans, dogs, and cats.

Females are easily identified by the white spot on their backs. Lone star ticks are most prevalent in Sussex and Kent Counties, though there are some in New Castle County.

2. Asian Long-Horned Tick in Delaware

Asian Longhorned Tick

New Castle and Kent Counties in Delaware play host to Asian longhorned ticks.

©Public Domain

Asian longhorned ticks are less of a nuisance to humans than they are to livestock or pets. They’re not known to transmit any disease in the United States, though they’re known harbingers of pathogens in Asia. Kent and New Castle Counties play host to these ticks.

3. Deer Tick in Delaware

An adult female deer tick crawling on a piece of straw.

Deer ticks spread Lyme disease in Delaware.

©Steven Ellingson/Shutterstock.com

Deer ticks are also known as black-legged ticks. They spread Lyme disease and anaplasmosis. These ticks are in New Castle, Kent, and Sussex Counties. They’re found all over the state in any forested area. Ninety-eight percent of the ticks found on white-tailed deer are deer ticks.

Dog ticks are often misidentified as deer ticks. The main difference between the two is that the deer tick is twice the size of the dog tick.

4. American Dog Tick in Delaware

American Dog Tick sitting on a green leaf waiting for a host.

American dog ticks prefer habitats with tall grass.

©iStock.com/nechaev-kon

American dog ticks prefer tall grass and adult dogs. They’re among the most concerning species on our list because they are the main vectors of Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

These ticks commonly feast on pets and humans, and their propensity for existing near hiking trails and other spaces that humans traverse makes them a common bite culprit.

5. Gulf Coast Tick in Delaware

The Gulf Coast Tick

Delaware’s wetlands and meadows are habitats for the Gulf Coast tick.

©iStock.com/cturtletrax

Gulf Coast ticks are found in the wetland areas of Delaware. They also like to hang out in meadows. These ticks are also commonly mistaken for deer ticks, but their legs are red instead of black.

Gulf Coast ticks are known vectors of Rickettsia parkeri and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. They don’t feast on humans often, though, so they’re not as threatening of a pest as some of the others on our list.

6. Brown Dog Tick in Delaware

Close up female rhipicephalus sanguineus on recycle paper. They get their common name from its overall reddish brown color.

Brown dog ticks mostly live indoors.

©7th Son Studio/Shutterstock.com

Brown dog ticks are notoriously disgusting because they live readily indoors. Most ticks have to spend most of their lives outside, but this tick is an exception.

Brown dog ticks love dog kennels, as their favorite foods are dogs and coyotes, but they’ll readily bite humans as well. They’re responsible for a lot of recorded bites because of their proximity to humans in dog bedding.

7. Winter Tick in Delaware

Winter tick

Winter ticks are most common during Delaware’s winters.

©iStock.com/VladK213

While winter ticks are common, they don’t have a taste for human blood. These ticks are unique because they only parasitize one host their entire life. They’re called winter ticks because they’re most active in winter.

Winter ticks like large animals like bears, moose, and deer. Hunters usually find them in the fall months, but they pose little risk and are not known vectors of Rocky Mountain spotted fever and Lyme disease.

8. Rabbit Tick in Delaware

Rabbit ticks rarely bite humans.

©CBG Photography Group, Centre for Biodiversity Genomics / Creative Commons – License

Since rabbit ticks prefer grouse and rabbits, they’re called rabbit ticks or grouse ticks. They rarely bite humans, and when humans encounter them, it’s usually on the ears of a rabbit.

These ticks are common throughout North and South America. They prefer any kind of forested environment. They are vectors for Rocky Mountain spotted fever and tularemia in their nonhuman hosts, but their tendency to steer clear of people makes them relatively harmless.

9. Groundhog Tick in Delaware

The Groundhog Tick

Groundhog ticks feast on small mammals.

©iStock.com/jonnysek

As the name implies, groundhog ticks like the blood of small mammals like groundhogs. They’re also found on foxes, dogs, birds, and raccoons. They transmit the Powassan virus, but they aren’t vectors for Lyme disease.

The Powassan virus is asymptomatic in a lot of people, but for those it affects severely, the consequences are devastating. It may cause encephalitis, and it also causes weakness, slurred speech, headaches, and seizures.

Groundhog ticks hardly ever bite humans, so they’re not much of a concern compared to some of the other ticks found in Delaware.

10. Squirrel Tick in Delaware

Squirrel ticks are paler than other ticks, which makes them easy to identify. These ticks are larger than most other ticks on our list. They’re not known vectors of any disease.

Squirrel ticks hardly feed on humans. Their preferred hosts are raccoons, rabbits, foxes, mice, and rats. They’re most commonly found in their bedding. These ticks are in their southern range in Delaware and are found all the way north to Maine.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Steven Ellingson/Shutterstock.com


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About the Author

Kristen Holder is a writer at A-Z Animals primarily covering topics related to history, travel, pets, and obscure scientific issues. Kristen has been writing professionally for 3 years, and she holds a Bachelor's Degree from the University of California, Riverside, which she obtained in 2009. After living in California, Washington, and Arizona, she is now a permanent resident of Iowa. Kristen loves to dote on her 3 cats, and she spends her free time coming up with adventures that allow her to explore her new home.

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