Male or Female Deer Tick?

I found this tick in my bed last night – can anyone help me identify the type of tick? Male or female? I have no signs of being bitten but have not been in the outdoors for 5 days.

Any advice appreciated. thanks.

Attachments:

1. 

   tick.jpg
   

The body shape looks a little off to be a tick and I’m not seeing enough legs. The best ways to tell if it’s a tick or not are to see if it has wings, antennae, and how many legs. Some ticks are difficult to identity in their youth stages.

Because ticks are a type of arachnid (like spiders and scorpions) they have 8 legs. If your bug has 6, it’s an insect and therefore not a tick.

Ticks don’t have wings or antennae. Poplar weevils, which are commonly mistaken for ticks, have both wings and antennae, but it’s hard to tell exactly from the photo.

They both enjoy our blood so I’ve never delved into that nether world of male or female tick identity. Honestly I’m not certain there is much visual difference between male and female ticks.

That looks to be a deer tick. The brown tick is somewhat larger and has some tiny tan spots around the perimeter on the back. The common brown tick is more round. Both can carry Lyme’s disease. I just finished a round of Doxycycline for a tick bite from this summer, a deer tick in fact. Tick bites are nothing to sneeze at anymore as Lyme’s Disease has really spread its range. I spray clothing and exposed hide anytime I am going to be where ticks are going to be and do a thorough tick check when I’m out of that environment. At the cabin, Ma and I do a tick check on each other twice a day. I mow at the cabin using a tractor type mower and get ticks from the chaff that blows in the wind so its really tough to stay completely out of their reach unless you stay on pavement. Plus ticks can live on clothing, or in your case perhaps bedding, for several days. Wash the clothes you’ve worn out in the grassy areas and woods right away when returning home and always do a tick check. And if you get a tick attached, get it removed immediately and call a clinic for advice.

That’s an insect, definitely not a tick.

Agree with Sharon, body is off, that’s not a tick imo.

I also concur, what is shown in the photo is NOT a tick.

After expanding the picture I see only six legs so my bad on the identity.

Thanks, all for the quick feedback! Makes me feel a lot better. It sure did look like a tick and I threw it out so cannot go back and look at its anatomy any closer.

Don’t look like a tick to me. Step on it if it squishes you know ticks are tougher then that.

its not lice is it?

It’s a bug. Look up strawberry root weevil.

I’m thinking troll…. looks like a picture of a bed bug to me. Im guessing Beth didn’t get the reaction she was going for. I don’t know anyone who cares about the sex of a tick. If I’m wrong sorry Beth.

Jeff mattingly wrote:

I’m thinking troll…. looks like a picture of a bed bug to me. Im guessing Beth didn’t get the reaction she was going for. I don’t know anyone who cares about the sex of a tick. If I’m wrong sorry Beth.

I think your correct. The back legs look exactly like bed bug

It’s odd how people end up here sometimes with a random though or question, never to return. Wouldn’t it have been easier to simply Google the bug? Or perhaps an entomology website would’ve made more sence than ending up here? Either way, sounds like she got her question answered and hasn’t logged in since.

Sharon wrote:

It’s odd how people end up here sometimes with a random though or question, never to return. Wouldn’t it have been easier to simply Google the bug? Or perhaps an entomology website would’ve made more sence than ending up here? Either way, sounds like she got her question answered and hasn’t logged in since.

Well it IS a fishing site. Throw something out there and see if there are any bites.

Hi Sharon M – I replied yesterday, you can see in my response above thanking everyone for the feedback. Did you miss that post? Might be worth double checking next time before getting accusatory and hostile for no reason.

Heh? I wasn’t being accusatory or hostile. I simply said it’s odd. And yes I saw your reply thanking people for the quick responses, which is why I said it sounds like you got your question answered.