The Lone Star Tick is named for the distinctive single white spot on the female's back. It is an aggressive, three-host tick that actively quests for hosts by crawling to the tips of grass blades and waving its forelegs — unlike most ticks that passively wait. Its saliva can trigger alpha-gal syndrome in humans, causing an allergy to red meat that may last years after the bite.
Best time to see a Lone Star Tick
The best time to see a Lone Star Tick is April–June, when about 79% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 12,069 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
Not certain it is a Lone Star Tick? What bug is this? walks through what to check first and the lookalikes that catch people out.
Recent Lone Star Tick sightings near you
Live, research-grade observations from iNaturalist. Allow location to center the map on you.
Spotted a Lone Star Tick?
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