How Do I Identify Male or Female Deer Ticks?

The deer tick presents a significant health hazard because of the Lyme disease it can carry and transmit. In late spring and early summer deer ticks present the greatest risk for people hiking and walking in wooded environments. Minimize the chances of encountering deer ticks by avoiding overgrown, brushy areas and using an insect repellent containing DEET (N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide) on clothing and skin. You can identify male and female deer ticks by their appearance.

Things You'll Need

• Small container (with lid)
• Green leaves

Instructions

1. Examine the deer tick carefully to determine its color. A completely black deer tick is a male and a black-and-red deer tick is a female.

2. Check the size of the deer tick. While both sexes are tiny, male deer ticks are slightly smaller than female deer ticks.

3. Confine a deer tick in a small container with 1 tsp. of water and several green leaves to see if it will lay eggs. A female deer tick may lay eggs within about ten days, after which it will die.

Tips & Warnings

• The size of deer ticks makes them difficult to notice at all and especially difficult to sex. Because they are approximately the size of a pinhead, you may have trouble determining their sex.

• Both male and female deer ticks can infect hosts with Lyme disease.

• If you receive a deer tick bite, consult your physician promptly.

References

• Catskill Mountaineer: Deer Ticks and Lyme Disease
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: The Insect Repellent DEET
• John Moran: Tick Pictures