Another Deer Tick Found

    Looks like deer ticks are here in SD for good (or bad). Another deer tick was sent to
me today (10-15-99). The tick shown in the picture above (click on the thumbnail for
a bigger picture) is an adult male of Ixodes scapularis, the main vector of Lyme disease
in the Midwest. Notice how small it is compared to a dime.

Adult deer ticks spend the winter on the host (mainly the white-tailed deer) thus are actually
warm, cozy, and active throughout the cold South Dakota winter. This tick was extracted from
a pet dog which had roamed around Codington and Deuel counties. Pete Bauman of Nature
Conservancy in Clear Lake found the deer tick from his pet dog. Hunters, don't forget to examine
your dogs after an outdoor excursion. If you see any tick on any animal or human host kindly send
the specimen to me for identification :

                                        Mike Catangui
                                        Extension Entomologist
                                        Plant Science Department
                                        Box 2207-A, SDSU
                                        Brookings, SD 57007

or the nearest county Extension Office. Put the specimen inside a vial or any container that will
not be flattened during the mailing process. Make sure to include the location and date when
the tick was collected.  Thank you for helping me survey this potential vector of  Lyme disease
in South Dakota.

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