Ticks collected in late fall from hunter-harvested white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) heads in Pennsylvania, 2013–2015

Abstract

Despite studies indicating the presence of Dermacentor albipictus (Acari: Ixodidae) in Pennsylvania, no published studies confirm the prominence of the tick throughout the state. During the fall of 2013, 2014, and 2015, 9912 hunter-harvested white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) heads were presented at six chronic wasting disease sampling stations across Pennsylvania, where tick collection took place. A total of 2973 ticks, representing I. scapularis (n = 1990, 66.9%) and D. albipictus (n = 983, 33.1%), were recovered, reaffirming I. scapularis as the more prevalent tick in Pennsylvania and confirming the prominence of D. albipictus throughout the state.