Amblyomma americanum (Lone star tick)

Amblyomma americanum, the lone star tick, is an aggressive three-host tick common in eastern North America with intense populations in the southern USA. Lone star ticks are sustained by feeding on white-tailed deer, ground-nesting birds, and a variety of other wild animals. These ticks also readily feed on humans and domestic animals, transmitting several pathogens. In apparent response to changes in habitat and host populations, the geographic distribution of this vector has contracted and expanded over the past century, spreading northward in recent decades, reclaiming its historic range. Strongly attracted to carbon dioxide and host movement, A. americanum actively hunt hosts in the environment. Seasonality is influenced by both temperature and photoperiod. Shifts in habitat and climate are expected to further bolster the ecologic success of this vector, allowing continued expansion northward and westward and presenting greater challenges to effective control.