Hosts

Ixodes scapularis has been reported from at least 125 different species of hosts.
The adults appear to prefer medium to larger sized mammals and are only moderately host specific, as they have been recorded from at least 27 different mammalian and one lizard host species.
The white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) is the most commonly infested mammalian species. Populations of I. scapularis appear most abundant in areas where deer are also numerous¹.

The white-tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus, the most commonly infested mammalian species of the black-legged deer tick.

However, adult deer ticks have also been recorded from black bears, Ursus americanus, in Wisconsin; opossums, Didelphis virginiana, raccoons, Procyon lotor, and skunks, Mephitis mephitis, in New York and woodchucks, Marmota monax, grey squirrels, Sciurus carolinensis and red fox, Vulpes vulpes1.

Immature I. scapularis are less host specific. They have been reported from at least 41 mammalian, 57 avian species and 14 species of lizards. In some instances the immatures can be found on the same hosts as the adults; for example, both larvae and nymphs can be found on white-tailed deer.
However, in most instances the immatures prefer smaller mammalian hosts, as well as ground-nesting and ground-foraging birds.
The white-footed mouse, Peromyscus leucopus is an important host for larval I. scapularis¹.