Ticks are arthropods (relatives of insects) and belong to the order Acari, families Ixodidae (the hard ticks) and Argasidae (the soft ticks). The most commonly encountered ticks in Michigan are hard ticks. Tick habitat is usually associated with their animal hosts, especially in areas where woodlands and grasslands converge and where deer, raccoons, and other wildlife are abundant. They typically can be found in wooded or grassy areas, especially along the edges of trails, roads and yards. Dermacentor variabilis ticks (commonly called wood ticks or dog ticks) are most abundant in spring and early summer. Ixodes scapularis, (Black Legged ticks) are most abundant from spring through the summer, and into the warm months of the fall. However, ticks have been found on Michigan residents or their pets in all months of the year.

It is important to inform a physician if you are ill and have had recent exposure to ticks. This information can be crucial for accurately diagnosing disease..

Diseases carried by ticks to people and domestic animals are "reportable diseases"; physicians, veterinarians and laboratories that diagnose these conditions are required to report them to local health departments, and animal health regulatory officials, who in turn, report these conditions to the Michigan Department of Community Health.