Bugs Commonly Mistaken for Ticks: Identification and Precautions

Common Bugs Often Mistaken for Ticks

Ticks are very small arachnids that feed on the blood of mammals, birds, and reptiles. When fully engorged after feeding, they swell up to the size of a small bead. However, unfed ticks can be as tiny as a poppy seed, making them easy to miss or confuse for another insect.

Many different bugs share a similar appearance to ticks, especially in their juvenile stages. Here are some of the most common bugs people mistake for ticks.

Fleas

Fleas are wingless insects that get onto hosts like pets, livestock, and humans where they feed on blood. They look incredibly similar to ticks in size and shape when unfed. However, fleas tend to move very quickly and jump long distances compared to slower crawling ticks.

Bed Bugs

Bed bugs feed exclusively on the blood of humans and animals like bats and birds that share nesting areas with people. When engorged they swell up to an oval shape like ticks. However, adult bed bugs have a more reddish-brown flat oval body compared to round gray ticks.

Spider Beetles

Spider beetles are a variety of small black beetle with long spindly legs that resemble the legs on a tick. They are scavengers often found in bird and rodent nests. Spider beetles do not feed on humans or pets, but may bite if handled.

Carpet Beetle Larvae

The larval stage of carpet beetles, commonly known as woolly bears, are covered in tiny hairs and come in a variety of colors. They do not feed on humans, but the wandering hairs can cause skin irritation, leading people to think they were bitten.

Bat Bugs

Bat bugs look nearly identical to bed bugs and feed on bats. They will opportunistically feed on human blood if bats are unavailable. The main difference in appearance is bat bugs have longer hairs covering their body than bed bugs do.

Spider Mites

Spider mites are minuscule pests that infest plants and suck nutrients from leaves and stems. Their small round shape and coloring closely resembles ticks, especially straw itch mites that leave irritating bites on human skin.

Chiggers

Chiggers are the parasitic larval stage of harvest mites or red bugs. They crawl on grass and latch onto human skin where they inject enzymes that destroy cells. This causes intensely itchy welts that resemble tick bites.

How to Tell if You Have Ticks vs. Similar Bugs

Distinguishing ticks from look-alike insects requires paying attention to subtle differences in appearance, behavior, and habitat preferences of the bugs.

Look for Key Physical Differences

Study the specific bug you find closely under magnification for distinguishing details. Compare characteristics like:

• Body shape
• Coloration patterns
• Presence of wings or jointed legs
• Distinct markings
• Hairs, spines, or textures covering the body

Ticks have an oval body without any separation between the head and abdomen. They are wingless with eight legs and have no antennae.

Observe Movement Patterns

Watch how the insect moves. Ticks slowly crawl using their legs to feel their way along. They cannot fly or jump. Other bugs display faster or erratic movements like jumping (fleas), flying (bed bugs), or quick crawling (spider beetles).

Note What Surface It Was Found On

Pay attention to where on your body or in your environment you encounter the bug. Many tick look-alikes infest indoor items:

• Fleas and bed bugs on furniture or bedding
• Carpet beetles in carpets and clothing
• Bat bugs in attics and wall voids

Ticks require moist areas with leaf litter or vegetation to survive off hosts.

Have an Expert Identify

When in doubt about an insect bite or encounter, save the specimen if possible by trapping it in a sealed plastic bag or jar. Then have a knowledgeable pest control technician, veterinarian, or health department official positively identify if it is indeed a tick.

Diseases Caused by Ticks vs Look-Alikes

While many small bugs may resemble ticks, only true ticks spread dangerous illnesses like Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF), babesiosis, and ehrlichiosis. Other insects only cause nuisance bites.

Tick-Borne Diseases

Ticks transmit pathogenic bacteria, viruses, and parasites when they attach to animals and feed. Diseases ticks may spread through bites include:

• Lyme disease
• Anaplasmosis
• RMSF
• Tularemia
• Babesiosis
• Ehrlichiosis
• Tick paralysis

These cause fever, rashes, headaches, fatigue, facial paralysis, muscle pains, neuropathy, and potentially life-threatening symptoms if untreated.

Look-Alike Bite Effects

The bites or stings of other bugs that resemble ticks generally do not transmit infectious diseases. However, they can lead to other responses such as:

• Fleas - itching, hives, irritation
• Bed bugs - small itchy bumps, welts, anxiety
• Spider beetles - mild pinprick bite, rare skin infection
• Carpet beetles - dermatitis, itchy rash from larval hairs
• Chiggers - intensely itchy red welts
• Spider mites - mild irritation and bites

The reactions are more nuisance-related compared to the infections and illnesses triggered by tick-transmitted pathogens.

Precautions for Suspected Tick Look-Alikes

Although ticks spread certain dangerous diseases, their look-alikes still bite and sting. Follow these basic precautions if you suspect you encountered a tick-like bug just to be safe:

Carefully Remove from Skin

If discovered latched onto skin, carefully detach the insect using pointed tweezers without crushing it. This prevents potential infections and retains the bug for identification if needed.

Clean and Disinfect the Bite Site

Thoroughly scrub the area of any bite or sting with soap and water. Apply an antiseptic cream or solution afterwards to prevent potential skin infections.

Relieve Itching and Swelling

Take an antihistamine containing diphenhydramine (Benadryl) to relieve any itching or swelling from bites and stings of tick-like insects. Apply ice or hydrocortisone cream as well if necessary.

Monitor for Signs of Infection

Check bite sites closely over the next several days for expanding redness, irritated wounds, warmth, streaking red lines, pus, swollen nodes, or flu-like fever and body aches. Consult a doctor promptly for antibiotics if infection develops.

The Bottom Line

A variety of household bugs may be mistaken for ticks due to similar size, shape, and physical characteristics. However, ticks have distinct oval bodies without any separation between the abdomen and head. They also slowly crawl rather than jumping, flying, or quickly moving along surfaces.

While other tick look-alikes only cause nuisance bites

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.