Life Cycle

Adult male ticks are flat, about 1/8 inch long and uniformly re-brown with tiny pits scattered over the back. They do not enlarge upon feeding as do females. Adults are found most often in the ears and between the toes of dogs^1,2.

Before feeding, adult female ticks resemble the males in size, shape and color. As they feed, females become engorged and swell to 1/2 inch long and 1/4 inch wide. The legs, mouthparts and shield area behind the head remain red-brown, but the enlarged portion of the body becomes gray-blue to olive. The red-brown color is distinctive and no other tick normally encountered will be uniformly red-brown¹.

Adult male Brown dog tick

Adult female Brown dog tick.

Egg-laying begins about three days after the engorged adult female drops from the dog.
She may deposit as many as 5,000 eggs in places such as between boards, under plaster or carpeting, or in other cracks and crevices. The eggs usually hatch in about three weeks, although up to several months may be required under particularly cool or dry conditions.

After hatching, the larvae wait months while waiting for a host. Once on the host, the larvae feed for about three days and then drop off. Molting occurs about one week after the blood meal, and nymphs emerge to climb vegetation or vertical surfaces to again wait for a host.