Pacific Coast Tick

Dermacentor occidentalis

Ticks cannot jump or fly. To find a host, they perform 'questing'—clinging to vegetation with their rear legs while stretching their front legs out to grab onto passing animals.

Scientific name

Dermacentor occidentalis

Taxonomy

Animalia › Arthropoda › Arachnida › Ixodida › Ixodidae › Dermacentor

IUCN Red List status

Least Concern

Population trend

stable

Biome

forest

Habitat

Chaparral, coastal sage scrub, oak woodlands, and grassy trail margins.

Diet

Blood of mammals (such as deer, rodents, and humans), birds, and occasionally reptiles.

Range

United States (California, Oregon, Washington), Mexico (Baja California)

Size

1.5 mm to 6 mm (unfed), expanding up to 15 mm when fully engorged

Lifespan

2 to 3 years

Active

diurnal

Threats

Habitat destruction and brush clearing, though populations remain highly resilient and widespread.

Safe to approach?

Parasitic. Wear long pants tucked into socks and use EPA-approved tick repellent when hiking in brushy or grassy areas. Perform thorough tick checks after outdoor activities. If bitten, use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible and pull straight upward with steady pressure. Do not squeeze the body. Clean the bite area with rubbing alcohol or soap and water. Seek medical attention if you develop a fever or rash within a few weeks.

Dermacentor occidentalis , also known as the Pacific coast tick , is a species of wood tick in the arthropod family Ixodidae. This species is part of the coastal California biome. Host species include humans. When not engorged with blood, they measure about 4.5 millimeters long. The exoskeleton is a silvery-gray color.

Photo: no rights reserved, CC0, via iNaturalist

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