Western Black-Legged Tick

Feeds on: This aggressive species of tick feeds on mice and other small rodents, a variety of birds, deer and other larger mammals; adult and nymph stages readily bite humans.
Pathogens transmitted: Borrelia burgdorferi (Lyme disease), Anaplasma phagocytophilum (anaplasmosis), tularaemia, causes tick paralysis in dogs and other animals, and people can develop an allergic reaction to repeated bites. Bartonella henselae has been found in this species of tick, but more research is required to prove they are competent vectors of this disease in humans.