What does a detached tick look like? - briefly
A detached tick appears as a tiny, flattened, oval shell, usually light brown to gray, with a smooth, leathery surface and no visible legs. After feeding, it may be slightly enlarged and appear engorged, but the body remains a compact, rounded capsule.
What does a detached tick look like? - in detail
A detached tick is a small, oval‑shaped arthropod measuring approximately 2 mm to 5 mm in length, depending on its developmental stage and whether it has fed. The body consists of two main parts: the capitulum (mouthparts) and the idiosoma (main body). When the tick has not fed, the idiosoma appears flat, smooth, and light‑brown to reddish‑brown. After a blood meal, the abdomen expands dramatically, becoming rounded, engorged, and often a darker gray‑brown or bluish hue.
Key visual characteristics:
- Capitulum: Visible as a small, dark, protruding structure at one end; includes the palps and hypostome. In an unattached specimen, the capitulum may be slightly retracted but still discernible.
- Scutum: A hard shield covering the dorsal surface of the anterior portion. In females, the scutum occupies only a fraction of the back, allowing the abdomen to swell; in males, it covers most of the dorsal surface, limiting engorgement.
- Legs: Eight slender legs extending from the ventral side, each ending in a claw or hook. Legs are typically pale‑yellow to brown and may appear slightly splayed when the tick is alive.
- Coloration: Unfed ticks are generally uniform in shade, ranging from tan to dark brown. Engorged ticks display a gradient, with the anterior region remaining lighter and the posterior abdomen turning deep brown or black.
- Texture: The exoskeleton feels hard and dry on the scutum, while the engorged abdomen feels soft, pliable, and sometimes moist due to residual blood.
Additional observations:
- Size variation: Nymphs measure 1–2 mm, adults 3–5 mm when unfed, and up to 10 mm or more after feeding.
- Silhouette: When viewed from the side, an unfed tick forms a low, flattened profile; an engorged tick presents a pronounced, dome‑shaped silhouette.
- Movement: Detached ticks may exhibit slow, deliberate crawling motions, with legs alternating in a coordinated pattern.
Recognizing these features enables accurate identification of a tick that has separated from its host.