What does a newly attached tick look like? - briefly
A newly attached tick appears as a small, flat, gray‑brown oval firmly glued to the skin, often resembling a tiny speck. The capitulum at the front is visible, and the body may show slight swelling as feeding begins.
What does a newly attached tick look like? - in detail
A freshly attached tick presents a distinct set of visual features that differentiate it from unattached stages and from later, engorged forms.
The body is oval, flattened laterally, and measures approximately 2–3 mm in length for most species. The dorsal surface exhibits a pale, reddish‑brown hue, often with a subtle glossy sheen. The ventral side is slightly paler, revealing the inner plates of the scutum in some species.
Key identifiers include:
- Scutum: a hard, shield‑like plate covering the anterior dorsum; in larvae it is small and unornamented, while in nymphs it may display faint patterns.
- Legs: eight slender appendages, each extending outward at an angle of roughly 45°, allowing the tick to maintain a stable grip on the host’s skin.
- Mouthparts: a pair of chelicerae and a capitulum that protrude forward, appearing as a small, dark, cone‑shaped structure. The hypostome, equipped with tiny backward‑pointing barbs, is partially visible when the tick is newly attached.
- Engorgement level: minimal; the abdomen remains narrow and unexpanded, indicating that blood intake has just begun.
The attachment site often shows a small, circular puncture surrounded by a thin, pale halo. This halo results from the tick’s secretion of cement proteins that secure the mouthparts to the host’s epidermis. The surrounding skin may appear slightly erythematous but typically lacks swelling at this early stage.
In summary, a newly attached tick is a small, flattened arachnid with a pale dorsal shield, visible mouthparts, and unengorged abdomen, anchored to the host by a minute puncture and a thin cement layer.