How to identify a Deer tick nymph
Ixodes scapularis nymph
· Also called poppy seed tick, nymph deer tick, baby deer tick
People searching “what does a deer tick nymph look like” or “deer tick nymph bite” want a field ID, not a scare. Deer tick nymph (Ixodes scapularis nymph) is a ticks in this guide. Also called poppy seed tick, nymph deer tick, baby deer tick.
A black poppy seed on the sock in June is the tick this page is for.
What does a deer tick nymph look like?
Deer tick nymph is Poppy-seed size, under 2 mm. Colors people notice: black, brown. Field marks: Poppy-seed size; Dark, no white spot; Long mouthparts if you can see them.
Deer tick nymph is Poppy-seed size, under 2 mm. Colors people notice: black, brown. Field marks: Poppy-seed size; Dark, no white spot; Long mouthparts if you can see them. If the marks fail, open the look-alike pages before forcing this name.
Identification marks
- Poppy-seed size
- Dark, no white spot
- Long mouthparts if you can see them
Size: Poppy-seed size, under 2 mm
Colors: black, brown
Where: outdoor
What a typical deer tick nymph bite looks like
Often no itch at the time. Bull’s-eye or fever can follow weeks later. Fine tweezers, pull straight out Save the tick in a bag with the date
Often no itch at the time. Bull’s-eye or fever can follow weeks later. Fever, spreading redness, or trouble breathing needs a clinician.
If you were bitten
- Fine tweezers, pull straight out
- Save the tick in a bag with the date
- Watch 30 days for rash or fever
- Ask a clinician about prophylaxis if it was attached a long time in a high-risk area
Deer tick nymph vs Deer tick
Poppy seed, no white spot, leaf litter = deer tick nymph. White dot = lone star.
- Deer tick identification (Ixodes scapularis)
- Lone star tick identification (Amblyomma americanum)
- American dog tick identification (Dermacentor variabilis)
Range and season
Deer tick nymph is active late spring and early summer. Typical places: woods, yard, leaf litter. The stage that transmits most Lyme. Easy to miss. Same species as the deer tick page, called out because people search the nymph separately.
Leaf litter and trail edges in the Northeast and upper Midwest, late spring.
The stage that transmits most Lyme. Easy to miss. Same species as the deer tick page, called out because people search the nymph separately.
Late spring and early summer
Common questions
How small is a deer tick nymph?
About a poppy seed. That is why it is missed.
Nymph vs lone star?
A white spot is not a deer tick nymph. Lone star females have one white dot and are larger.