The next spring, the larvae molt into nymphs. After feeding, they drop off and overwinter in the soil and leaf litter. Later in the summer these eggs hatch into larvae, which feed on many small animals. A blood-fed female lays eggs in the spring. They go through four life stages during this two-year cycle: egg, larva, nymph, and adult. The most common ticks biting people in Pennsylvania are "2 + 3," meaning they have a two-year life cycle and are three-host ticks. They are arachnids with eight legs and related to mites and spiders. Images courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Tick Biology and Life Cycle If you have questions about the identification of a tick, specimens can be preserved in the freezer and sent to the Insect Identification Laboratory at Penn State. It is important to remember that ticks can look different based on species, sex, life stage, and how long they have been blood feeding. The first two species are found throughout the state, whereas lone star ticks are currently limited to the extreme eastern and southern regions, although this distribution may be changing.ĭifferent tick species can transmit different pathogens. Three species of ticks are frequently encountered in Pennsylvania: blacklegged ticks, American dog ticks, and lone star ticks. This article includes basic information about ticks and how to protect yourself and your family from tick bites. It is possible to have multiple infections from different pathogens. Other pathogens may be carried by ticks and transmitted at the same time. The most recognizable of these diseases is Lyme disease, which is caused by Borrelia burgdorferi, a member of the family of corkscrew-shaped bacteria known as spirochetes, and transmitted by blacklegged ticks. Ticks can transmit pathogens that cause disease in humans and animals. The most common are black-legged (deer) ticks, American dog ticks, lone star ticks, and groundhog ticks. Many species of ticks occur in Pennsylvania.
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