Black-legged Tick
Ixodes scapularis
This record describes Ixodes scapularis (species). Recorded family: Ixodidae. Recorded order: Ixodida.
Identification and Appearance
| Other recorded terms |
|
|---|
Terms from the source record, grouped for readability. Broad terms such as size or location are not measurements or a confirmed range.
Classification
About Ticks: the wider group
Order-level background for Ixodida, the group containing Ixodes scapularis. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Ixodida (ticks) includes ~900 described species in two major families: hard ticks (Ixodidae, ~700 species) and soft ticks (Argasidae, ~200 species). Ticks can increase their body weight by 200-600× when engorged with blood.
Ecological role of the group
Ticks are obligate blood-feeding parasites at all life stages after hatching. A single female can lay 3,000-8,000 eggs. Ticks can transmit more different pathogens than any other arthropod group - including bacteria, viruses, and protozoa simultaneously.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Tick-borne diseases are the most common vector-borne illnesses in the U.S. - Lyme disease alone accounts for 82% of all tickborne disease reports (CDC). Annual cases more than doubled from 22,000 to 48,000 between 2004-2016. Tick-related economic losses in U.S. cattle alone exceed $3 billion annually.
Recorded sources for this group: CDC tick surveillance data, USDA veterinary entomology. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
