The Lone Star Tick in Kentucky

The lone star tick (Fig. 1) is an important nuisance pest across Kentucky and can be a vector of some diseases. Its most common hosts are wild mammals and ground-nesting birds but these aggressive ticks readily feed on humans and companion animals.

Lone star ticks are active from March through September (Fig 2). Each of its three active stages (larva, nymph, and adult) requires a blood meal.

Continue reading to learn more, written by Lee Townsend.

LAST UPDATED

March 11, 2025

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Lee Townsend

Professor

Lee Townsend is a profess of Emeritus at the University of Kentucky.

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