Dermacentor variablis
a.k.a. Dog tick or Wood tick

Range: This tick is widely distributed east of the Rocky Mountains and also is found in limited areas on the Pacific Coast.

Hosts: Dogs and medium-sized mammals are the preferred hosts of this tick, although it feeds readily on other large mammals, including humans.

Habitat: This tick is found in grassy, brushy, wooded and shaded areas.

Health risks: This is the tick most commonly responsible for transmitting Rickettsia rickettsii, the agent of Rocky Mountain spotted fever. It is also known to transmit tick paralysis and Colorado tick fever.

Management: Keep grass well-clipped, remove brush and prune trees to allow more sunlight to penetrate to the soil surface. Apply Talstar® products according to label rates.