Tick Identification
Ticks are ectoparasites that feed on the blood of mammals, reptiles, and birds. Often confused with insects, these pests are arthropods that belong to the arachnid family, making them related to mites, spiders, and scorpions.
- Family: Ticks belong to two different families, depending on whether they are hard ticks (Ixodidae) or soft ticks (Argasidae).
- Size: Adult ticks are small, typically no bigger than an apple seed or about 1/8 to 3/16 inch in size. After feeding, they become engorged and swell up to approximately 1/2 inch.
- Color: Brown to reddish-brown in color, ticks may become grayish or gray-blue after feeding.
- Legs: Like spiders, ticks have eight legs.
Types of Ticks
Signs of Ticks
Ticks can breed rapidly, leading to an infestation in your home or on your property. Knowing the signs can help you get ahead of the situation before it becomes a problem.
Spotting Ticks Without Spending Time Outdoors
If you don’t spend time outdoors and find numerous ticks on yourself, your family members, or your pets, you might have an infestation inside your home. Once inside a home, ticks can lay their eggs in dark cracks and crevices, including flooring, walls, and furniture.
Having Large Numbers of Ticks on Your Clothing or Body
Ticks love shady, protected areas like tall grasses, overgrown shrubbery, and debris piles. If you end up with many ticks after spending time outdoors on your property, you may have an outdoor infestation.
You or a Family Member Develop a Tick-Borne Illness
Many of the symptoms of tick-borne illnesses are similar to other conditions and can range in severity. If anyone in your home experiences symptoms like fever and rash and suspect you may have been exposed to ticks, it’s essential to see your doctor.
How Do I Get Rid Of Ticks?
The best way to get rid of ticks is to prevent them altogether. Treating clothing and gear with tick-repelling permethrin can help prevent these pests from latching on to victims. Other ways to eliminate ticks include:
- Always check yourself and your pets when coming indoors, paying attention to warm, moist spots like the groin, behind the knees, and areas on the head.
- Apply pesticides to outdoor spaces to treat vulnerable areas and reduce the tick population in the yard and garden.
- Eliminate tick hiding spots by mowing the grass regularly, clearing debris and brush, and creating a tick-proof barrier between wooded areas and recreational spots.
Tick Facts
Lifespan
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, ticks’ lifecycles typically span two to three years, depending on the species. Most go through four distinct life stages: egg, larva, nymph, and adult.
Food Sources
After hatching, ticks require a blood meal at each stage of their lives, or they die. Ticks can consume up to 100 times their own body weight. They typically only feed on the blood cells and return the water found in blood back to the host. Food sources include:
- Humans, dogs, and other mammals
- Birds
- Reptiles and amphibians
Reproduction
After adult ticks feed, they typically seek out their mates. Male ticks die after mating with one or two females. Female ticks lay eggs — thousands of them — typically in the spring before dying.
Risk of Disease
As they feed, ticks penetrate the skin’s surface with their feeding tubes. Many ticks secrete a substance to help keep them attached, and some secrete saliva that numbs the area to avoid detection. During the process, the tick can ingest any germs the host has in its blood. They can transmit those germs to their next host, often within 18 to 24 hours of becoming attached.
Some of the diseases ticks may transmit include:
- Lyme Disease
- Powassan Virus
- Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
- Babesiosis
- Anaplasmosis
- Tularemia
- Ehrlichiosis
- Alpha-Gal Syndrome
Where Are Ticks Found?
Ticks can be found in rural, suburban, and urban areas. They thrive in grassy areas, thick brush, and wooded areas. Rodents and wildlife can unknowingly host ticks and contribute to their spread.
When Are Ticks Active?
Ticks can be active year-round, including warm winter days when they come out of dormancy. However, they are most active during the warm weather months of April through November.
More Information About Ticks
Where Do Ticks Live?
When Do Ticks Become Inactive?
The Life Cycle of Ticks
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a tick bite look like?
Tick bites often go unnoticed, because they are small and often don’t become red and itchy. Everyone reacts differently. Some people get a tiny red bump, while others experience swelling or redness that extends an inch or two around the bite.
What does a tick look like?
Ticks are small with oval-shaped bodies and eight legs. Hard ticks feature a scutum, a hard plate on their upper backs, and a tapered bottom end. Soft ticks have broad, fleshy-looking bodies.
How to remove a tick?
Move any hair to reveal the skin, grab a clean pair of tweezers, and lightly grasp the tick around its head. Pull up using steady, even pressure without any twisting or jerking to ensure the mouth cleanly comes out of the skin. Clean the bite and your hands thoroughly with soap and water. Dispose of the tick by flushing it or placing it in a sealed container or bag.
What ticks carry Lyme Disease?
In the Northeast, the blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis), also known as the deer tick, can transmit Lyme disease. Along the Pacific Coast, the western blacklegged tick (Ixodes pacificus) is often the culprit.
Can ticks live in your house?
Yes. Most ticks can’t survive long-term indoors, but they can breed quickly, laying their eggs in cracks and crevices, including floorboards and walls.
How to get rid of ticks in a yard?
Eliminate their hiding spots by mowing the grass and eliminating debris. Adding a gravel barrier at least three feet wide between wooded areas and lawns and areas you frequently use can also be helpful.
How to prevent ticks?
Prevent ticks by treating clothing and gear with permethrin, remaining in the center of trails and paths, and performing a thorough body check after returning home.
