Does anyone know what this is? I found it crawling on my son’s leg after a walk in the woods. It looked like a tick… but that weird white spot really freaked me out. I’m kinda scared. Has anyone seen one like this before? Should I be worried? Check the 1st comment.

Let’s get familiar with the enemy. The lone star tick is named for the single white spot on the back of the female. That’s about as charming as it gets.

Unlike some ticks that wait for a host to pass by, this one actively hunts. Yes, it will seek you out—especially in grassy or wooded areas. That makes it even more important to recognize and remove it quickly.