How do domestic ticks and bedbugs look? - briefly
Ticks are oval, reddish‑brown arachnids with a hard dorsal shield; when engorged they become markedly larger and darker. Bedbugs are flat, tan to reddish insects about the size of an apple seed, with a distinct oval shape and visible antennae.
How do domestic ticks and bedbugs look? - in detail
Domestic ticks are small arachnids ranging from 2 mm to 10 mm in length, depending on species and feeding stage. Unfed individuals possess a flattened, oval body with a hard dorsal shield (scutum) that is typically brown to reddish‑brown. Engorged ticks expand dramatically, becoming spherical and changing color to a deep gray‑brown or black. Six legs are visible on larvae, eight on nymphs and adults. Mouthparts form a forward‑projecting capitulum equipped with chelicerae for piercing skin. The ventral surface displays a lighter coloration and a series of festoons—small rectangular plates along the posterior margin.
Key visual markers for ticks include:
- Scutum presence (hard shield) in adults.
- Distinctive “hour‑glass” pattern on the dorsal side of some species.
- Swollen abdomen after blood intake.
- Visible eyes on the dorsal surface of certain genera.
- Fine, hair‑like setae covering the body.
Bedbugs are wingless insects measuring 4 mm to 5 mm when unfed, roughly the size of an apple seed. Their bodies are flattened laterally, facilitating movement within tight crevices. Coloration shifts from a light brown in the newly emerged stage to a deep, reddish‑brown after feeding, often displaying a faint, oval white spot on the dorsal side where the abdomen expands. Antennae are short, composed of five segments. The head bears a beak‑like proboscis used for blood extraction. Legs are long relative to body size, ending in clawed tarsi that aid in climbing.
Distinctive characteristics of bedbugs comprise:
- Oval, flattened silhouette.
- Darkened abdomen with a pale central stripe post‑feeding.
- Pronotum (shield‑like plate) covering the thorax, typically darker than the abdomen.
- Six legs with visible spines on the tibiae.
- No wings, but a well‑developed, segmented rostrum for piercing skin.
Accurate identification relies on observing size, body shape, coloration changes after feeding, and specific anatomical structures such as the scutum in ticks and the pronotum in bedbugs.