This tiny woodland creature is a lonestar tick (Amblyomma americanum). It wants to drink your blood. It is a much more active and quick moving tick than the dog tick. Over the last decade or so it has become the most common type of tick here in central and eastern kentucky. They have always lived here, but i never really saw them back in the 80’s and 90’s, and now it is hard to go out in the underbrush without encountering one. . . . Like other ticks, it hosts a bunch of disease causing organisms, like various types of Ehrlichia (ehrlichiosis) and Borrelia (Lyme disease or STARI, which is basically ‘Lyme Lyte’). Although there are many herbal remedies that can help people who have these conditions, the best thing is if you can avoid them. Protrctive clothing and frequent tick checks are key. Essential oils or permethrin or other bug repellants may help some, but do not rely on them. . . #ticks #lonestartick #borrelia #lymedisease #tickbornediseases #creepycrawly https://www.instagram.com/p/BxvkRvrFVz2/?igshid=1cgyw6fs135rt
