Male ticks don’t become as engorged as females, who need the meal to lay over 4,000 eggs. Molting for these ticks lasts up to 2 weeks.įinally, as an adult, the brown dog tick quests for a host for its final blood meal and to find a mate. Once a nymph has fed, a 3-13 day process, it will repeat the cycle, dropping off the host to molt into an adult. Nymphs will often return to the same host as before, though not always. The larva then drops off its host and molts into a nymph. Once it hatches, a larva will quest for a host, where it can spend 5-15 days feeding. Like all ticks, the brown dog tick passes through egg, larva, nymph, and adult phases in its lifecycle. They’ve been known to attach to other mammals like cats and rodents on occasion. That shouldn’t stop you from checking every animal in your home, including yourself, for brown dog ticks. However, for a large number of these ticks to manifest in a residential home, usually a dog is necessary as a host. Once the larvae hatch and begin searching for food, however, they come out in the open on furniture, dog bedding, and baseboards.ĭogs are the preferred host for these ticks, but they will seek other mammals – including humans – if no dogs are available. Female ticks like to lay their eggs in above-ground cracks and crevices, so they might be harder to spot. Its preference for warm, dry environments allows it to thrive in residential homes, notably near dog kennels. The brown dog tick is unusual among tick species because it’s able to spend its whole lifecycle indoors. In Connecticut and northeastern states, they’re found almost exclusively indoors. In the United States, they’re prevalent in the southeast, notably Florida. These ticks are distributed all over the world but thrive in warmer climates. They will feed for up to 7 days for the needed nourishment then detach from its host for about 2 weeks to become a nymph.Īt any stage, the brown dog tick that is inside the house may be hiding anywhere it is not easily spotted.The brown dog tick, or Rhipicephalus sanguineus, is one of the most common tick species found on dogs. Just like the nymphs, ticks at this stage can last up to 9 months without a blood meal and are also active throughout the year. A nymph would need to feed for up to 10 days before it drops from its host to move to its next stage temporarily hiding from sight if inside the home. They feed on several mammals although top preference is canine and sometimes humans. Nymphs, just like an adult brown dog tick can go on without feeding for up to 9 months. An adult tick could survive months without a host or blood meal. The eggs, often laid in hidden areas of the house, take about 2 to 5 weeks before they are hatched. The female tick requires about 7 days of blood meal to become engorged and nourish eggs that could reach about 4,000. While they prefer dogs, their hosts could vary from other large animals to humans. You can find the adult male and female rhipicephalus sanguineus at any given time of the year. Its body shape is quite elongated and the area that attaches its head to the body has a hexagonal shape. It is relatively small, its color red-brown hence the name red ticks in some parts of the world. A dog that carried a single female tick carrying eggs with it inside the home can start an infestation.īecause it is a very commonly seen type of tick, identifying it can be easy even if it has no special markings. Able to survive the conditions indoors, these ticks are now known to exist in many parts of the world even in colder regions.īigger brown dog tick infestations are becoming a problem as they can happen in such a short time given the availability of a host. Just like other ticks species, this tick feeds on a wide variety of mammals but because most homes own a dog, canines have seemingly become a favorite target. It does not need any outside element for as long as its favorite host, the dog, is there. Not for this particular tick though because being able to survive the atmosphere inside the house, it can complete a whole life cycle from eggs to larvae to nymp to being an adult tick. Pets are known to be transporters of ticks from outside to the comforts of our homes but often, the ticks will not last being confined within. Ticks are known to live, exist and complete a life cycle in places where they are known to thrive: wooded, grassy and shrubby areas but this particular type can survive its entire life indoors. Among all known tick types, this is probably the oddest one.
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