What do chicken fleas and ticks look like? - briefly
Chicken fleas are tiny, dark‑brown, wingless insects about 1–2 mm long, resembling small sand fleas with a flattened body; they move quickly by jumping. Ticks are larger arachnids, ranging from 2 mm to 1 cm, with a rounded, shield‑shaped body that expands after feeding, typically reddish‑brown in color.
What do chicken fleas and ticks look like? - in detail
Chicken fleas are small, wingless insects belonging to the order Siphonaptera. Adult specimens measure 1–3 mm in length, with a laterally compressed body that facilitates movement through the host’s plumage. The exoskeleton is dark brown to reddish‑brown, appearing glossy under magnification. Six short, bristle‑like jumping legs emerge from the thorax, each ending in a pair of claws that grip feathers. Antennae are reduced to tiny, sensory setae hidden beneath the head capsule. The abdomen is segmented, slightly rounded, and may display a faintly mottled pattern when engorged with blood.
Ticks that infest chickens are arachnids of the family Ixodidae (hard ticks) or Argasidae (soft ticks). Hard ticks are larger, ranging from 3 mm to 10 mm when unfed, and can expand to several times that size after feeding. Their dorsal shield (scutum) is a hardened, oval plate, typically brown to reddish‑brown, with a distinct, smooth outline. Legs are eight, long, and visible from a dorsal view, each ending in a claw that secures the parasite to the bird’s skin. Mouthparts form a beak‑like structure (capitulum) that penetrates the skin to draw blood. Soft ticks lack a scutum; their bodies are more rounded and leathery, measuring 2–5 mm unfed, and they often appear pale or reddish when engorged. Their mouthparts are concealed beneath the body, and legs are shorter relative to body size.
Key visual differences:
- Size: fleas 1–3 mm; hard ticks 3–10 mm (unfed), larger when engorged.
- Body shape: fleas laterally flattened; hard ticks oval with scutum; soft ticks rounded, scutum‑less.
- Legs: fleas six short legs; ticks eight longer legs (hard) or shorter legs (soft).
- Mouthparts: fleas concealed, small; ticks visible beak‑like capitulum (hard) or concealed (soft).
Recognition of these characteristics enables accurate identification and appropriate control measures for poultry health.