As an adult, the western black-legged tick affects humans, pets, deer, and other large mammals. It's also a carrier of Lyme disease and anaplasmosis, which has symptoms similar to the flu: fever, headache, and chills. The western black-legged tick isn't as subtle as some others: When you're bitten, you'll know it.

Do Blacklegged ticks carry disease?

Blacklegged ticks are common species and the primary vectors for Lyme disease, Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis, and other illnesses.

Do blacklegged ticks spread Lyme disease?

The Lyme disease bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi, is spread through the bite of infected ticks. The blacklegged tick (or deer tick, Ixodes scapularis) spreads the disease in the northeastern, mid-Atlantic, and north-central United States.