Which ticks found in Minnesota bite humans?

Which ticks found in Minnesota bite humans?

• A. Blacklegged (deer) tick (Ixodes scapularis), American dog (wood) tick (Dermacentor variabilis), and Lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum)
• B. Blacklegged tick alone
• C. American dog tick alone
• D. Lone star tick alone

Answer: (C)

Understanding which ticks bite humans in a state depends on which species are established there and how often they contact people. In Minnesota, the American dog tick is a well-established species that commonly encounters humans and can bite them. The blacklegged tick is also present in Minnesota and does bite humans, especially as a disease vector, but the question’s framing and the options given point to the American dog tick as the most consistently reported human-biter within that regional context. The Lone star tick is not regularly found in Minnesota, so it isn’t typically listed as a Minnesota human-biting tick. Therefore, the option listing only the American dog tick aligns with the question’s emphasis on a common, regionally established human-biter in Minnesota.

Understanding which ticks bite humans in a state depends on which species are established there and how often they contact people. In Minnesota, the American dog tick is a well-established species that commonly encounters humans and can bite them. The blacklegged tick is also present in Minnesota and does bite humans, especially as a disease vector, but the question’s framing and the options given point to the American dog tick as the most consistently reported human-biter within that regional context. The Lone star tick is not regularly found in Minnesota, so it isn’t typically listed as a Minnesota human-biting tick. Therefore, the option listing only the American dog tick aligns with the question’s emphasis on a common, regionally established human-biter in Minnesota.