Out of multiple tick species that are prevalent in the U.S., there are three that are most common in Missouri.
Lone Star Tick – Amblyomma americanum
Despite the name, this tick does not only exist in Texas. It is also quite common in Missouri and other eastern states. Lone star ticks are reddish-brown in color, but turn gray once full of blood. It is easy to differentiate between males and females because only females have the famous white star-shaped dot. The females are also larger than males, and can get up to 1/2 of an inch in size. Lone Star ticks will feed on blood through all 3 life stages, which contributes to their abundance in southeastern and northeastern states. Although these ticks do not transmit Lyme disease, their bites can cause a rash accompanied by flu-like symptoms. This condition is also called southern tick-associated rash illness, or STARI.
 Brown Dog Tick – Rhipicephalus sanguineusÂ
These ticks will only bite humans when they are desperate since they prefer to feed on domestic dogs. They can be found in all U.S. regions, favoring warm climates, which explains why we primarily see them in the spring and summer. Brown dog ticks are reddish-brown normally, then turn bluish-gray after feeding. They are only about 1/8 inches un-engorged and 1/2 inches engorged. It is difficult to spot a brown dog tick until it is actually on a dog or a person, but when they are not on a host, this tick can live completely indoors if it has the opportunity to invade by hitchhiking on its host.
 American Dog Tick – Dermacentor variabilis
This tick likes to feed from dogs, but it can still suck our blood and transmit harmful diseases. American dog ticks have hard exteriors that are generally brown with white-gray details, the female’s being more moon-shaped than the random splotches of the males. The adults have 8 legs that allow them to crawl to a more secure spot on their host and remain unseen. They are commonly found in gardens and the edge of secure wooded areas with greenery all around, as this is the prime spot for the females to lay their eggs.