How does a tick look when it has bitten? - briefly
After attachment, a tick’s body swells into a balloon‑like shape and turns a lighter, gray‑brown color. The mouthparts stay embedded while the abdomen becomes noticeably rounded and enlarged.
How does a tick look when it has bitten? - in detail
A fed tick becomes markedly larger than when unfed. An adult female can increase from 2–3 mm to 8–12 mm in length, its body expanding into a balloon‑shaped, rounded form. The abdomen swells with blood, giving a glossy, gray‑brown or reddish hue that contrasts with the darker, hardened dorsal shield (scutum) that remains relatively unchanged.
The mouthparts, especially the capitulum, stay embedded in the host’s skin. They appear as a small, dark protrusion at the center of the tick’s back, often difficult to see without magnification. Leg positions may shift; the legs spread outward to accommodate the enlarged abdomen, giving the tick a more flattened, spread‑out silhouette.
Color changes accompany engorgement. Early in feeding the tick is a matte brown; as it fills, the cuticle becomes more translucent, allowing the underlying blood to give a pinkish or reddish tint. In some species, the ventral side turns a pale yellow or ivory.
Key visual indicators of a recently attached tick include:
- A clear, circular bite puncture surrounded by a red halo.
- A tiny, dark central point (the embedded mouthparts) within the puncture.
- Absence of a hard, raised nodule; the tick’s body appears soft and pliable.
- A smooth, uninterrupted border between the tick’s body and the skin, indicating it has not been detached.
After removal, the bite site may show a small scab or crust. The surrounding skin can remain slightly reddened for several days, but the tick’s engorged body is the most definitive sign that feeding has occurred.