Texas Pest Library
Ticks
Amblyomma americanum / Rhipicephalus sanguineus
Definity Pest Services · DFW
Ticks in Texas include the lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum), an aggressive human-biter recognized by a white dot on the female's back, and the brown dog tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus), unusual for completing its whole life cycle indoors and infesting homes and kennels. Both transmit disease to people and pets. Control combines yard treatment of tick habitat, exterior harborage treatment, and coordination with pet care.
Quick reference
Identification
Ticks are eight-legged arachnids that swell as they feed. The lone star tick female has a single conspicuous white spot on a reddish-brown body and bites people readily; nymphs are tiny and easy to miss. The brown dog tick is uniformly reddish-brown and is the one found crawling on walls, around kennels, and in cracks indoors. Both are most often picked up in tall grass, brush, leaf litter, and along wooded edges — or, for the brown dog tick, from an infested dog or structure.
Where it's found
- Tall grass and brush
- Leaf litter
- Wooded edges
- Kennels and dog bedding
- Cracks and baseboards (brown dog tick)
Risk level
- Transmits disease to people and pets
- Lone star tick linked to the alpha-gal red-meat allergy
- Brown dog tick can overrun homes and kennels
Signs of activity
- Ticks attached to people or pets after time outdoors
- Brown dog ticks crawling on walls and around kennels
- Ticks in tall grass and along wooded edges
How Definity treats it
- Treat yard habitat along wooded edges, tall grass, and brush lines
- Treat exterior harborage where ticks quest
- For brown dog tick infestations, treat indoor cracks, baseboards, and kennel areas
- Coordinate with the homeowner's veterinary pet care to break the cycle
How to identify ticks
Ticks are eight-legged arachnids that swell as they feed. The lone star tick female has a single conspicuous white spot on a reddish-brown body and bites people readily; nymphs are tiny and easy to miss. The brown dog tick is uniformly reddish-brown and is the one found crawling on walls, around kennels, and in cracks indoors. Both are most often picked up in tall grass, brush, leaf litter, and along wooded edges — or, for the brown dog tick, from an infested dog or structure.
Behavior & biology
Most ticks quest by climbing vegetation and waiting to latch onto a passing host, then drop off to molt or lay eggs in leaf litter and brush. The lone star tick thrives in wooded and brushy areas common around DFW properties. The brown dog tick is the exception: it can complete its entire life cycle indoors, hiding and laying eggs in cracks, baseboards, and kennels, which lets it build large indoor infestations centered on dogs.
Why ticks matter
Ticks transmit several diseases of concern in Texas. The lone star tick is associated with ehrlichiosis, tularemia, and the alpha-gal red-meat allergy, and its bites are common where people and pets use brushy or wooded areas. The brown dog tick transmits canine pathogens and can spread Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Beyond disease, heavy infestations stress pets and, in the brown dog tick's case, can overrun a home or kennel.
DIY vs. professional control
Spot-treating a pet or spraying once misses the habitat and, for brown dog ticks, the indoor cracks where eggs and stages hide. Professional control targets the yard's tick habitat — shaded edges, tall grass, leaf litter, and brush lines — treats exterior harborage, and for brown dog ticks treats indoor cracks and kennels, all coordinated with veterinary pet treatment to break the cycle.
How Definity treats ticks
Definity manages ticks by treating yard habitat along wooded edges, tall grass, and brush lines, treating exterior harborage, and — for brown dog tick infestations — treating indoor cracks, baseboards, and kennel areas, coordinated with the homeowner's veterinary pet care. Johnny Lockridge points out that the brown dog tick is the one that surprises people: it breeds indoors, so treating only the dog leaves the eggs in the baseboards to keep the infestation going.
Fast facts
- The brown dog tick is one of the few ticks that can complete its entire life cycle indoors, allowing it to build large infestations inside homes and kennels.
- The lone star tick — identified by the white dot on the female's back — is an aggressive human-biter in Texas and is linked to the alpha-gal allergy that can make people allergic to red meat.
Visual ID
What ticks look like
Real reference photos to help you identify ticks before they become a bigger problem.
How we treat it
Site Preparation
Prepping the ground for a precise exterior treatment — setting up long-lasting protection.
Questions, answered
Ticks FAQ
Where do people and pets pick up ticks around DFW?
Most often in tall grass, brush, leaf litter, and along wooded edges where lone star ticks quest for a host. Brown dog ticks are different — they're picked up from an infested dog or from a home or kennel where they've established indoors.
Why do I keep finding ticks inside my house?
That points to the brown dog tick, which can complete its life cycle indoors and lay eggs in cracks, baseboards, and kennels. Treating the dog alone won't fix it — the indoor harborage has to be treated to break the cycle.
Get help with ticks: General Pest Control
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