Description:

It is small, red-brown in color, uniform in color. Its mouthparts are easily seen when viewed from above. The body is flattened and shaped like a tear drop.

Habits:

Many tick species can be carried indoors on animals, but cannot complete their entire life cycle inside.

Dogs are the preferred host in the US . The adults attach to the ears and between the toes, and the larvae and nymphs are often found in hair along the back, however are not restricted to these parts.

Once an infestation occurs inside a home, it can grow very rapidly.
Typically, a few ticks are brought into the house or from an infested kennel, open field or other place where infested dogs have been located.

After the ticks have engorged on a blood meal, they drop form the host and seek some protected situation in the immediate surroundings.

For this reason, they may be found behind baseboards, under window and door moldings, in window pulley openings, or in furniture. All cracks and crevices in an infested premise must be treated for good control.

A home can become infest if the family dog picks up ticks from an infested residence, boarding kennel, open fields, or similar place where other infested dogs have been located.

Another infested dog may visit the residence, during which time some ticks may drop off. In this case, the home and yard may become infested even though a dog is not generally kept there.

Dogs do not become infested with brown dog ticks by direct contact with other dogs.

Ticks feeding on a dog drop off and molt before they will resume host-seeking behavior and attach to another dog.