Dermacentor variabilis -- female dog tick ? - Dermacentor variabilis

Looks like one to me.

Although my guide also shows the female Rocky Mountain wood tick (Dermacentor andersoni) as having a somewhat similar appearance. Their ranges are not supposed to overlap though.

If this tick was found in the Rocky Mountain area, you might want to check out what they look like. The charecter given to separate them was a little bit of a toughie and requires looking at the spiracular plates, so I'm hoping that location alone will do it.

The mottled pattern on the lighter part and the overall more reddish coloration looks more like a dog tick to me, though.

Interestingly, the male ticks of these species also have a somehwat similar appearance.

… L. M. Ames, 16 May, 2005 - 5:50pm

We are located on the eastern

We are located on the eastern edge of the rockies. However, since they extend from Canada to Mexico,that is one huge area. After checking a few other sites for Rocky Mountain Wood tick, I tend to agree with your observations. The mottled pattern and reddish coloration in my image are very close color tone to the actual tick. Thanks --

… David A Burke, 16 May, 2005 - 9:35pm