The common name blacklegged refers to their dark legs which are in contrast to the paler body and that of deer because the preferred adult host is the white-tailed deer; in the midwest, it is called the bear tick. This tick is of medical importance because it is an important vector of Lyme disease. Blacklegged ticks are found primarily in the northeastern, midwestern, and southeastern states in the United States, but extend into Mexico.Blacklegged/deer ticks climb grass and shrubs to wait for a passing host, and move very little laterally. They concentrate on such vegetation located in transitional areas/zones such as where forest meets field, mowed lawn meets unmowed fence line, a foot/animal trail through high grass or forest, etc. Because these transitional areas or edge habitats are where most animals travel sometime each 24-hour period, this is where the ticks are mostly likely to acquire a host. 
The other habitat most likely to harbor ticks is the den, nest, or nesting area of its host such as that of skunks, raccoons, opossums, but especially the white-footed mouse. The white-footed mouse prefers woody or brushy areas. It nests in any place that gives shelter such as below ground, in stumps, logs, old bird or squirrel nests, woodpiles, buildings, etc. A favorite feeding area for these ticks on humans is at the back of the neck, at the base of the skull; long hair makes detection more difficult. However, the ticks will usually wonder about for up to 4 hours or so before they attach. Then, a tick has to be attached for a period of 6-8 hours before a successful transmission can take place.

  Most ticks spend the bulk of their life on or near the ground, waiting for a suitable host animal.  Since they cannot run, hop, fly or move quickly, ticks must climb onto an appropriate object such as tall grass or weeds or up onto fences and siding of buildings.  It is from these advantageous positions that they wait for a suitable host to pass by.  When they detect vibrations and chemical cues such as host odors or exhaled carbon dioxide, ticks will fall from their perch or stretch out (holding on to their perch with only 2 or 4 of their rear legs) and hope to snag or attach onto a passing host (e.g., a mammal with a fur coat or pants and socks worn by humans.)   Ticks are also capable of detecting shadows cast by a passing host.  These tick behaviors are important to understand and recognize in order to make thorough and effective applications of acaricides, pesticide dusts or sprays labeled for eliminating ticks and other arachnids.  These behaviors also explain why ticks crawl up exterior or interior surfaces of homes and often lodge in cracks and crevices below shingles, clapboard siding, window molding, baseboards, etc.  In these latter cases, you must understand this aspect of tick behavior and carefully inspect and treat all these crack and crevices with a good insecticide dust.

1. Sanitation, consists of the following: (a) keep grass cut low including around fence lines, sheds, trees, shrubs, swing sets and other difficult to cut locations; (b) remove weeds, woodpiles, and other debris which are attractive to mice as nesting areas, and leaf litter which is attractive to ticks, especially the nymphs; (c) keep garbage can lids on tightly to discourage opossums, raccoons, and skunks from coming into the yard to raid garbage cans for food because these animals all harbor the ticks which transmit the Lyme disease pathogen; (d) discourage feeding birds because the seeds attract deer mice, the major reservoir host for the Lyme disease pathogen; and (e) install a chimney screen to keep squirrels, raccoons, and birds away.
    
2. Personal protection, consists of: (a) use deet or permethrin containing repellent and tuck pants into socks or boots when going into suspect areas; (b) check children for ticks when they come into the house because it takes up to 4 hours, possibly longer, for the tick to start feeding; (c) wear light colored clothing which makes spotting ticks easier; (d) pets which go outdoors may increase the chance of the occupant's encounter with these ticks, especially cats; and (e) encourage the vet to check any pet's blood to determine if they are carrying the Lyme disease spirochete.
    
3. Inspection, is done by performing a tick drag on a routine basis in areas where the ticks have been reported or for homes adjacent to heavily wooded or uninhabited areas. The drag consists of light colored heavy duty cloth, 7 feet long by 2 feet wide, which is securely weighted at both ends. A rope is attached to one end and this drag is walked around the suspect property.

  LYME DISEASE. The symptoms are usually divided into 3 stages, and they mimic several different commonly occurring diseases. Symptoms: Spreading rash, fever, flu-like symptoms, aches.

  The best way to remove a tick is by using special forceps. You can buy these in every drugstore. With these modified tweezers you can grab the tick by the head, as close to your skin as possible. With a rotating motion the tick can be pulled out. The special forceps make it much easier to rotate than normal tweezers. Make sure that no parts of the tick's mouth-parts break off and remain in your skin.