How does a fully attached tick look? - briefly
A fully attached tick appears as a flattened, engorged body with its mouthparts firmly embedded in the skin, resembling a small, dark, oval or round disc. The abdomen expands as it fills with blood, making the tick noticeably larger than when unattached.
How does a fully attached tick look? - in detail
A tick that has completed its feeding cycle presents a markedly altered silhouette compared to an unfed specimen. The body becomes distended, often reaching two to three times its original length, and takes on a smooth, rounded contour without the visible segmentation seen in the pre‑attachment stage. The dorsal surface appears glossy and may exhibit a pale, amber hue as the engorged abdomen fills with blood. The ventral side is similarly expanded, with the legs splayed outward to maintain attachment to the host’s skin.
Key visual characteristics:
- Size: Length may exceed 6 mm in females and 4 mm in males; width expands proportionally, creating a barrel‑shaped profile.
- Color: Light tan to reddish‑brown; coloration can become more uniform as the cuticle stretches.
- Shape: Abdomen rounded and balloon‑like; the anterior capitulum remains visible as a small, darker structure near the mouthparts.
- Leg Position: All eight legs are extended and spread, often appearing flattened against the host’s surface.
- Surface Texture: Cuticle smooth, lacking the granular texture of an unfed tick; no visible scutum segmentation in females.
The mouthparts, including the hypostome and chelicerae, remain embedded within the host’s epidermis, anchoring the tick firmly. The overall impression is that of a swollen, soft-bodied parasite, easily distinguished from its earlier, flatter, and darker stage.