Vector Surveillance

Ticks are a common pest that are encountered in the outdoors. Ticks are very efficient carriers of disease because once attached, they may go unnoticed for a period of time while they feed on their host. Ticks are commonly found on grass, weeds, and shrubs and will wait until a host moves by, when they will let go and climb onto the host. Ticks become more active when ground temperatures reach 40 degrees F, with peak activity occurring in the late spring and early summer months.

Ticks are found in two groups: “hard” ticks and “soft” ticks. As their name implies, hard ticks have a hard shield and are shaped like a flat seed when unfed. Soft ticks lack the hard shield and are shaped like a large raisin. The soft ticks generally feed on birds and bats.

Of the at least 15 species of ticks found in Illinois, only a few are likely to be encountered by people. Those species include: American dog tick, lone star tick, blacklegged (deer) tick, brown dog tick, and winter tick.