Page 108 - Florida Pest Control Examinations

AMERICAN DOG TICK BROWN DOG TICK

Photo Courtesy of UNIVAR Photo Courtesy of UNIVAR
1.Antenna- none 5.Wings- none
2.Eyes- on dorsal shield 6.Thorax- none (unibody) TICK 8
3.Head-protruding mouth parts, 7.Petiole- none 4
anteriorly, capitulum 8.Abdomen- wide, oval, can swell
4.Legs- adult has 8 9.Color- whitish to black
10.Other- vector of diseases
Life Cycle
Females drop to the ground after feeding, and it is there that they lay their eggs. The
eggs take from several days to weeks to hatch. In the different tick varieties, between
1000-5000 eggs can be produced in one season. After the larvae hatch, they look for a
suitable host, and eventually develop into nymphs. They can live for long periods before
finding their suitable host. The nymphs also feed upon blood, and can also survive long 3
periods without having a host. They are known as a 3 host insect. Once they feed three
times, they molt and develop into adult ticks which are capable of reproducing. Photo Courtesy of UNIVAR

HARD TICKS Actual size 1/4”

The major tick problems in Florida are caused by Hard ticks—especially the Brown Dog tick.
American dog ticks are also a major problem in the state. Gulf Coast, Lone Star, and Black
legged ticks also cause problems. A soft tick, the Relapsing Fever tick, is also found here.
Ticks have sucking mouthparts and require blood meals to complete their life cycle. Some ticks
can be a serious problem for humans, so take precautions when walking in tick infested areas.

1.Antenna- none 5.Wings- none
2.Eyes- on dorsal shield 6.Thorax- none (unibody) 4 BROWN DOG TICK
3.Head-protruding mouth parts, 7.Petiole- none
anteriorly, capitulum 8.Abdomen- wide, oval, can swell
4.Legs- adult has 8 9.Color- whitish to black 8
10.Other- vector of diseases
Life Cycle
An adult Brown Dog Tick will feed upon the host for about a week, then drop off and find a place
to lay eggs. The female can lay up to 5,000 eggs over a period of up to two weeks, and their
development is widely dependent upon temperature. They can tolerate a wide variety of condi-
tions as they develop. The adult female then dies after finishing laying the eggs. Newly hatched 3
ticks require a blood meal between each stage of development— larva, nymph, and adult. At
each stage the tick is getting larger in size. The cycle can be completed in around two months in
warmer weather, but each stage can be as much as five months long. Photo Courtesy of UNIVAR

BROWN DOG TICK Actual size 1/8”

The Brown Dog Tick is the most prevalent tick in Florida. It is commonly found in yards, ken-
nels, and in homes—in fact, it can complete the whole life cycle while living indoors. While this
tick can rapidly multiply into a huge problem, it has not been found to carry or transmit any hu-
man diseases. The Brown Dog Tick is rather small, about 1/8th inch in size, and reddish-brown
in color. It can swell up to a half inch in size when engorged after feeding. As the name sug-
gests, the tick’s main host is dogs, but it can in rarer cases affect humans and other mammals.

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