There are several reasons as to why no one would want to be around ticks.
They pose real threats because they suck on the blood of animals, including humans.
This is quite a concern because they are everywhere, and we do not know what microorganisms they carry.
There are 800 types of ticks all over the world and some of them look like bugs.
While bugs could also offer discomfort, they are not as deadly as ticks.
In this article
What are ticks?
Ticks are very small creatures that niche on leaf piles and in the ground.
They are native in north and midwest America, Canada, and across Europe.
They survive all year, but their most active seasons would be during summer and spring.
These creatures, however, are notorious as potent carriers of Lyme disease.
They attach themselves on a host, unnoticeably, and feed on their blood.
To spot a tick, here are some characteristics that you should know of.
They are pesky amongst lines of ash trees because they dry the sap causing wilting and tree death.
They are very tiny and are more comparable to deer ticks than the true ticks that feed on humans.
They are confused with ticks because of their rounded body and black color.
The only way to differentiate this from ticks is their six legs.
In the wild, they live in caves and literally feed on bats.
Like ticks,bat bugsalso have tube-like mouths.
They might not be as deadly as ticks, but their bites are extremely itchy.
They are reddish-brown in color, oval and flat and grow to 0.25-inches in length.
Unlike ticks, they feed on book cellulose instead of human blood.
They usually have a light, almost creamy brown color that darkens whenever they consume binding glues from books.
The eggs are greenish, ovate but flat and are at 0.5mm.
Compared to ticks, stink bugs only have six legs and do not have antennae.
As the term implies, they take their niche in walls and carpets.
They feed on carpet fibers, wooly textiles, and other fibrous household items.
They become most active during warm temperatures.
When you find small white spots across your carpet or textiles, they are most likely carpet beetles.
They are distinguishable for their red color and a semi-transparent body.
Compared to ticks, they only have six legs and they are not harmful to humans.
8.Clover Mites
They are common garden pests infesting your lawn or yard all summer long.
As the name suggests, they are endemic where clovers thrive; in dry, hot climates.
They might not attack humans but they can sure be dangerous to gardens.
They are found mostly in floorboards, in walls, and underneath beds.
10.Deer bloodsucker
This is a lookalike to many insects including fleas, ticks, and flies.
It is a hardy bug with its firm claws, fleshy legs, and powerful body.
It lives in woodlands, niching on shrubs and trees.
Its most distinguishable features would be its three pairs of limbs and almost translucent wings.
Its most common victims are elks, deer, cattle, and other animals.
When their location comes short of animals, they could enter homes and suck on peoples blood.
Like ticks, they could also carry Lyme disease and other illnesses.
11.Drugstore beetles
These bugs are real menace in the home especially in pantries and kitchens.
Aside from this, they are also attracted to light.
Their oval shaped bodies make them look like ticks.
They usually have wings but cannot fly and they have brown, hard outer shells.
At maturity, they have hard forewings and a colorful body (white, orange, and black).
13.Head Lice
Because they feed on humans too, they are comparable to ticks.
They are mostly found in human hairs, hence the name, but could also niche on birds feathers.
They are wingless, very tiny with a semi-transparent body and six legs.
Unlike ticks, they only have six legs and does not carry life-threatening diseases like Lyme disease.
But they make the head itchy though, causing displeasure especially during warm temperatures.
They are real pests for trees as it weakens the branches and could lead to tree death.
Compared to ticks, they can fly, and they never bite humans nor feed on their blood.
15.Spider beetles
These bugs feed on tree saps and not on human blood.
They are outdoor bugs found in grass turfs.
They are easily identifiable for their long, slender bodies, growing to 0.5-inches.
They are named as such because they have dark legs and thoraxes that look like spiders.
Aside from this, they are also distinguishable for their brown heads and oval shaped bodies.
16.Skin beetles
These bugs are voracious eaters.
They munch on almost everything including jackets, textiles, wood, boxes, books, everything.
It is identifiable for its black head and brown body.
When this happens, they leave red and itchy blisters on the skin.
17.Swallow bug
This bug is native to the warmer climates of southern USA and central America.
They are the most tick-looking bugs in this list, considered as almost identical to mature ticks.
Like ticks, they also bite humans but feeding on human blood is not established.
They breed inside homes during summer and can survive weeks without food.
Unlike ticks, they are flatter in shape and with a grayish brown color compared to ticks reddish-brown color.
18.Spider
Ticks and spiders are both arachnids, but they are highly distinguishable from one another.
Spiders have four pairs of limbs, an unstretched exoskeleton and a convex body.
They rarely bite on humans but if they do, spider bites can be itchy and swollen.
The most common indicator is the number of legs.
Bugs usually have six while ticks have eight.
Bugs can also be easier to spot compared to ticks because they are larger in size.
Most of all, ticks cannot fly or jump but bugs can.
They also do not have wings.
How do you tell if you have a tick in your skin?
Unfortunately, their bites are not itchy nor painful.
But when they finally release their grip, you would soon find red welts on the bitten part.
What does an embedded tick look like?
This is what makes ticks extra dangerous.
As such, it could be hard to distinguish an embedded tick from a normal skin bump.
Related:Water bug vs cockroach
Do all ticks carry Lyme disease?
Not all but most often than not, they would at one point in their life cycle.
Ticks feed on a variety of hosts in their entire life cycle.
This means that they could pick up a lot of diseases along the way, not just Lyme disease.
Where do ticks thrive?
While they usually prefer habitats that are moist and with much vegetation, they generally do require specific habitats.
In what season do ticks come out?
Tick season is basically during summer or when climates are warm.
They usually come out to find food after the dormant seasons which are during winter and fall.
In the US, the beginning of the tick season is in between March and April.
Can you tell how long a tick has been attached to the skin?
And as we have said, one bite from the tick can transmit more than one disease.
When should I worry about a tick bite?
This is useful for both dogs, humans, and other animals who have been bitten by ticks.
What can I do to control tick infestation?
Here are some simple remedies that you might do to control tick infestation in your home especially during summers.
