What do a domestic bedbug and a domestic tick look like? - briefly
A domestic bedbug is a small, flat, reddish‑brown insect about 5 mm long, with a distinct oval shape and no wings; a domestic tick is a larger, rounded arachnid, typically brown to reddish, 3–5 mm unfed and expanding to several centimeters when engorged, possessing a hard scutum and eight legs. Both are nocturnal parasites, but the bedbug’s body is smooth and flattened, whereas the tick’s body is more robust with visible segmentation.
What do a domestic bedbug and a domestic tick look like? - in detail
The domestic bed bug, Cimex lectularius, is a small, flattened insect measuring 4–5 mm in length. Its body is oval, wingless, and reddish‑brown after feeding, becoming lighter when unfed. The dorsal surface shows fine, parallel ridges (striations) on each thoracic segment, and the antennae consist of six segments. Legs are short, ending in tiny claws adapted for clinging to fabric. The abdomen expands noticeably after a blood meal, giving a swollen appearance.
The domestic tick, Ixodes ricinus (common European tick) or Dermacentor variabilis (American dog tick), belongs to the arachnid class and measures 2–5 mm unfed, enlarging to 10–15 mm after engorgement. Its body comprises two main parts: the anterior capitulum (mouthparts) and the posterior idiosoma. The dorsal shield (scutum) is hard, brown to reddish, often bearing a pattern of light and dark patches. Legs are eight, robust, and each ends in a claw with a sensory pit. The ventral side shows a distinct anal groove and a pair of spiracular plates. Engorged ticks appear balloon‑like, with the scutum remaining a fixed size while the surrounding cuticle stretches.
Key visual differences:
- Taxonomic group: insect (bed bug) vs. arachnid (tick).
- Body shape: flattened oval vs. rounded, segmented idiosoma.
- Size range: 4–5 mm (bed bug) vs. 2–5 mm unfed, up to 15 mm engorged (tick).
- Appendages: six short antennae and three pairs of legs (bed bug) vs. eight legs, no antennae (tick).
- Dorsal surface: fine striations without a hard shield (bed bug) vs. a hardened scutum with patterning (tick).
- Color change: reddish‑brown after feeding (bed bug) vs. dramatic expansion and color darkening when engorged (tick).
Recognition of these characteristics enables accurate identification in domestic environments.