Hi Kelly, thanks for using Ask Extension.

Based on the photos you provided, the three ticks represent two different species and multiple life stages. Here is what you found:

1. Smallest tick (next to the pencil)

This is a nymph‑stage blacklegged tick(Ixodes scapularis), often called the deer tick.

Nymphs are the life stage most often responsible for Lyme disease in Michigan. They are extremely small (about the size of a poppy seed), they do feed on people, and they often go unnoticed long enough for transmission to be possible. Lyme disease is typically transmitted only after a blacklegged tick has been attached for 36–48 hours, and because nymphs are so small, they are more likely to remain attached long enough for transmission to occur.

Nymphs are most active from late May through mid‑July in northern Michigan, which overlaps with peak outdoor activity.

2. Medium‑sized tick (from the elbow)

This is an adult female blacklegged tick(Ixodes scapularis).

Adult females can also transmit Lyme disease, but they are larger and more likely to be noticed and removed before transmission occurs.

3. Largest tick (found in the bathtub)

The largest specimen is a female American dog tick(Dermacentor variabilis).

Dog ticks are larger and have a patterned, lighter-colored scutum. This species does not transmit Lyme disease, though it can occasionally transmit other diseases at much lower rates in Michigan.

Check out the following links:

What You Need to Know About Michigan’s Ticks - Integrated Pest Management

Lyme_risk_map2020.pdf

I hope this helps.