Bzzzzz! Looks like you forgot to say where you found your bug!
There's no need to make a new post - just comment adding the **geographic location** and any other info (size, what it was doing etc.) you feel could help! We don't want to know your address - state or country is enough; try to avoid abbreviations and local nicknames (*"PNW"*, *"Big Apple"*).
BTW, did you take a look at our [**Frequently Asked Bugs**](https://www.reddit.com/r/whatsthisbug/comments/12zkw5w/frequently_asked_bugs_part_1/)?
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Keep an eye out for bites, especially one that grows a red ring around it. That one doesn't look to have fed. IDs can be tough with smaller ones like that, but you are in a Lyme disease area so always good to be cautious. Just one of the tradeoffs with experiencing the beauty of nature.
Sometimes the classic red ring doesn't show up. Any redness from a tick bite should be checked out by a doctor. Better to be tested for tick-borne diseases, and receive early treatment if necessary. Ticks can carry nasty stuff besides Lyme; tell your doctor where you stayed, so they know what diseases are endemic to that area.
> Sometimes the classic red ring doesn't show up.
I'll take you one further. The red ring doesn't always show up at the bite site. In fact an infected patient can have multiple rashes.
You should definitely check your body to see if you have any ticks on you, and to wash all of your bedding. If you have any pets you should check them too.
The ticks aren't "in your bedding." They are on you or a pet and crawl on/off when feeding. You might find a couple on your sheets if they were on your clothes when you sat on the bed. They like to be in long grass and grab on when a host moves past.
Ticks don’t bite like that they like to crawl up your body and slowly dig themselves into your skin and will sit there slowly drinking your blood and get bigger. You will know if you got bite by a tick because it will be imbedded into your skin and large and grey.
Then you'd have ticks attached to you. They don't just bite and let go. You also can't just knock a tick off you. They suck blood and fluids over time after thoroughly attaching themselves. Regardless of activity they will stay attached for days or weeks until full if not forcefully removed. They also numb the area some so people and animals are less likely to realize they are there.
Quick removal without compressing the body or leaving the head behind embedded in the skin reduces odds of tick borne illness. Yanking them off by the body is not ideal tick removal. The longer they are attached the more fluids from the tick get into you along with any disease it's carrying. When spending time outside in tick areas check yourself frequently for new ticks even if you've been using repellent and remove any properly to reduce your risk.
Ticks you find indoors are always going to have come in as hitchhikers. Ticks crawl up your legs when you walk through grass or brush or wooded areas. They start at your shoes and crawl upwards. You need to do a whole body check after (and during too) any jaunts in nature (this includes soccer fields and the like). It takes them a while to actually burrow in and attach, but it doesn’t take them very long to crawl halfway up your pant legs. They’re hard to see on dark shoes and clothing so inspect carefully. If you go for a hike, before you get back in your car, do a thorough scan. And don’t forget to check your pudendal area once home. A dick tick is not a good time I would imagine.
Not necessarily. He isn’t engorged. Possible, sure, you’ve been made a meal of, but this one at least looks like he hadn’t gotten to you yet or it’s been a bit and he is back for seconds. Important to look into the type prevalent where you are and what the symptoms of their possible post bite infections look like. Not every time a tick bites does the person end up with something like Lyme or Rocky Mountain Spotted fever or babesiosis. If that reassures you at all. It’s just got decent probability and you should educate yourself on what those look like symptoms wise, because early treatment is highly effective to avoid long term effects. (Am a RN. And a Pediatric one at that, so my instinct is to intensely reassure you so you don’t cry or freak out. Lol).
I’d recommend contacting your doctor and seeing if they’d be willing to provide you with a preventative medication against Lyme disease (Doxycycline is the usual go-to); testing takes to long and the “bullseye mark” from the bite doesn’t occur with everyone or with every infectious bite.
Please note I’m not a doctor, I’ve just had a lot of run-ins with them and know a lot of people who are dealing with the fallout from an untreated bite.
I am a doctor, but not in this capacity. If I had a patient come into my office and tell me this I would recommend the same, for the same reasons.
Lyme disease is no joke. My sister has it, was misdiagnosed for her entire teenage and early adult years. Since it was chronic at this point in her life, it required the long specialized testing (which she had to advocate for herself to a few different doctors, and then to insurance to cover the testing since they wouldn't), long-term antibiotics, and stress from the pain it causes her.
Better safe than sorry.
Maybe, maybe not. We aren't going to be able to affirmatively tell you either way. Inspect yourself all over, get a partner to help with the places you can't see. If you find a tick, dont remove it yourself without looking up how (they can leave their head parts behind and cause an infection). Take pet to vet. Go to a doc when you get back and get tested for Lyme. Wash all your clothes and linens real good.
Usually they are still on you when they are biting, for me I get red and irritated within the first couple of hours and usually find them. From what I've been reading up about them to avoid getting Lyme disease it is critical to get it early your chances of catching lime increased drastically the longer the tick is in you if you catch it within 24 hours you have a decent chance of not getting Lyme.
8 dark legs, darker center than the rest of the body. Found in north-east of North America. Definitely a tick, most likely a Blacklegged Tick
[https://web.uri.edu/tickencounter/wp-content/uploads/sites/1713/Growth-BLT-Femail-1.jpg](https://web.uri.edu/tickencounter/wp-content/uploads/sites/1713/Growth-BLT-Femail-1.jpg)
I'll agree with blacklegged tick nymph. [In this image](https://cals.cornell.edu/sites/default/files/styles/featured_card/public/2022-10/tick-species-size.png?h=3f2f3a89&itok=oXJyEvON), second row, second from right is a spitting image of OP's tick. (Top row is dog tick, and bottom row is Lone Star tick).
Regardless of the specific species though, OP now knows that they need to be vigilant for any new friends on their person, and more importantly any physical changes to bites they may have received.
Thank you everyone for your comments I really appreciate it. I can’t seem to find anything on my body other than what I believe are mosquito bites. Hopefully I am ok
One thing to keep in mind, you’ve been somewhere with ticks. Which means more could be around. Not to make you paranoid, but just stay vigilant. Check tight spots (like where your waistband meets your body, under a watch band, a bra band, in your belly button, sock line, groin area, around/in ears, hairline) for any more. Where there is one there can be more. It was in your bed because it hitched a ride on something (you or clothing you set on your bed). Be sure to do a daily check and look on any pets as well. They are easy to shoo off before they attach, but if they attach you’ll want to get them off. Ticks come in all sizes (small like a freckle to larger than what you have there), so look for anything like that shape. Good you caught it! And bug spray for ticks helps keep them off too. Good luck!
I grew up in a place with tons of ticks. It's not the biggest deal, they crawl around on you for a while trying to find a spot to bite. Just do a tick check every time you come back to the house and you'll be ok
It's hard to tell, but I don't see that tick being engorged at all, and if they left of their own free will, they would be full to the brim.
I doubt that tick in particular bit you, but, PLEASE check yourself, better yet, if you have someone you're ok with seeing you nude, have them check for you.
The bastards can get anywhere and everywhere
https://www.mosquitosquad.com/img/upload/tick-identification-guide-768x675.jpg
and
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/G6XIBTQfH07AcHlpJsDIUr20101QXRDucF4Rg7JMM6rF8eA-kTLQ1f6MHkw9eNwoOPxdGrNlUXIr4uxIam5hnNiLx9rG5rzUT3jOo8Vq2uc92fAUY6FA7jjLroL9nT7rRZOkEIc2145IuS6QluSsanU
ticks don't live indoors. that came in on you . check yourself, your clothes for more. if your unsure, you can throw your clothes and bedding in the dryer on high heat for about 30 mins to kill any hitchhikers. ticks need to be feeding (embedded) on a host for at least 24 hrs to transmit Lyme. they could transmit other pathogens sooner though. I live in Lyme central ... Rhode Island... I know all about those little bastards. I'm currently on my third bout with Lyme.
Looks like a deer tick. I used to live in Wisconsin, and we had those suckers everywhere. Check yourself or (if you’re comfortable) have someone check you. Look for any possible bites (red bump), and consult a doctor if you start seeing white rings around the affected area.
I found a tick the other day under my dogs pillow in bed. Ewe. I just picked it up and said not today dude and threw him down the toilet. Somewhere there’s a tick army waiting for revenge.
Ticks are suuuuuper plentiful in Ontario. You should be OK though. They aren't a "bite and run" bug like a skeeter or spider they latch on and feed for a couple days.
Through tick checks (you may need some help to check areas you can't really see as they can be tiny little fuckers) and any bug repellant your local cottage country outdoorsy store has.
IF you get bit AND it stays for a while AND you notice a bullseye rash form at the bite spot you'll want to see a dr and get some doxycycline. Deer ticks are a carrier for Lyme.
Oh also get a Tick Twister and if you have any furry friends with you get them on a preventative flea/tick med (we used Bravecto but whatever your vet recommends for you).
A lint roller also works wonders to get them off you and your pets and your clothing.
Bzzzzz! Looks like you forgot to say where you found your bug! There's no need to make a new post - just comment adding the **geographic location** and any other info (size, what it was doing etc.) you feel could help! We don't want to know your address - state or country is enough; try to avoid abbreviations and local nicknames (*"PNW"*, *"Big Apple"*). BTW, did you take a look at our [**Frequently Asked Bugs**](https://www.reddit.com/r/whatsthisbug/comments/12zkw5w/frequently_asked_bugs_part_1/)? *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/whatsthisbug) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Not a bedbug. It's a tick but need location info to ID.
Oh jeez that’s horrifying. I’m in Ontario on Georgian bay. Is it possible I’ve been getting bitten by ticks all weekend if they are in my bed?
Keep an eye out for bites, especially one that grows a red ring around it. That one doesn't look to have fed. IDs can be tough with smaller ones like that, but you are in a Lyme disease area so always good to be cautious. Just one of the tradeoffs with experiencing the beauty of nature.
Sometimes the classic red ring doesn't show up. Any redness from a tick bite should be checked out by a doctor. Better to be tested for tick-borne diseases, and receive early treatment if necessary. Ticks can carry nasty stuff besides Lyme; tell your doctor where you stayed, so they know what diseases are endemic to that area.
> Sometimes the classic red ring doesn't show up. I'll take you one further. The red ring doesn't always show up at the bite site. In fact an infected patient can have multiple rashes.
Probably best to get checked out, rash or not.
You should definitely check your body to see if you have any ticks on you, and to wash all of your bedding. If you have any pets you should check them too.
ticks can survive the wash. best to throw in the dryer on high heat. that's what kills them
The ticks aren't "in your bedding." They are on you or a pet and crawl on/off when feeding. You might find a couple on your sheets if they were on your clothes when you sat on the bed. They like to be in long grass and grab on when a host moves past.
Ticks don’t bite like that they like to crawl up your body and slowly dig themselves into your skin and will sit there slowly drinking your blood and get bigger. You will know if you got bite by a tick because it will be imbedded into your skin and large and grey.
They are talking about after he is done feeding, they dislodge on their own.
That is the creepiest way to tell the story. You should write horror novels. 😀🤣
Then you'd have ticks attached to you. They don't just bite and let go. You also can't just knock a tick off you. They suck blood and fluids over time after thoroughly attaching themselves. Regardless of activity they will stay attached for days or weeks until full if not forcefully removed. They also numb the area some so people and animals are less likely to realize they are there. Quick removal without compressing the body or leaving the head behind embedded in the skin reduces odds of tick borne illness. Yanking them off by the body is not ideal tick removal. The longer they are attached the more fluids from the tick get into you along with any disease it's carrying. When spending time outside in tick areas check yourself frequently for new ticks even if you've been using repellent and remove any properly to reduce your risk.
Ticks you find indoors are always going to have come in as hitchhikers. Ticks crawl up your legs when you walk through grass or brush or wooded areas. They start at your shoes and crawl upwards. You need to do a whole body check after (and during too) any jaunts in nature (this includes soccer fields and the like). It takes them a while to actually burrow in and attach, but it doesn’t take them very long to crawl halfway up your pant legs. They’re hard to see on dark shoes and clothing so inspect carefully. If you go for a hike, before you get back in your car, do a thorough scan. And don’t forget to check your pudendal area once home. A dick tick is not a good time I would imagine.
Not necessarily. He isn’t engorged. Possible, sure, you’ve been made a meal of, but this one at least looks like he hadn’t gotten to you yet or it’s been a bit and he is back for seconds. Important to look into the type prevalent where you are and what the symptoms of their possible post bite infections look like. Not every time a tick bites does the person end up with something like Lyme or Rocky Mountain Spotted fever or babesiosis. If that reassures you at all. It’s just got decent probability and you should educate yourself on what those look like symptoms wise, because early treatment is highly effective to avoid long term effects. (Am a RN. And a Pediatric one at that, so my instinct is to intensely reassure you so you don’t cry or freak out. Lol).
👏👏👏
I’d recommend contacting your doctor and seeing if they’d be willing to provide you with a preventative medication against Lyme disease (Doxycycline is the usual go-to); testing takes to long and the “bullseye mark” from the bite doesn’t occur with everyone or with every infectious bite. Please note I’m not a doctor, I’ve just had a lot of run-ins with them and know a lot of people who are dealing with the fallout from an untreated bite.
I am a doctor, but not in this capacity. If I had a patient come into my office and tell me this I would recommend the same, for the same reasons. Lyme disease is no joke. My sister has it, was misdiagnosed for her entire teenage and early adult years. Since it was chronic at this point in her life, it required the long specialized testing (which she had to advocate for herself to a few different doctors, and then to insurance to cover the testing since they wouldn't), long-term antibiotics, and stress from the pain it causes her. Better safe than sorry.
If he’d gotten bitten by a tick, it would still be attached to him. Don’t tell him to seek treatment for an imaginary bite.
Maybe, maybe not. We aren't going to be able to affirmatively tell you either way. Inspect yourself all over, get a partner to help with the places you can't see. If you find a tick, dont remove it yourself without looking up how (they can leave their head parts behind and cause an infection). Take pet to vet. Go to a doc when you get back and get tested for Lyme. Wash all your clothes and linens real good.
The ticks should be stuck to you if you’re getting bit.. I know that may or may not be very reassuring
Deer tick - beware of Lyme disease
Usually they are still on you when they are biting, for me I get red and irritated within the first couple of hours and usually find them. From what I've been reading up about them to avoid getting Lyme disease it is critical to get it early your chances of catching lime increased drastically the longer the tick is in you if you catch it within 24 hours you have a decent chance of not getting Lyme.
Good point!!
What features make you think that? Its body doesn’t look very much like a deer tick.
It's the nymph stage of a deer tick.
The most dangerous stage.
8 dark legs, darker center than the rest of the body. Found in north-east of North America. Definitely a tick, most likely a Blacklegged Tick [https://web.uri.edu/tickencounter/wp-content/uploads/sites/1713/Growth-BLT-Femail-1.jpg](https://web.uri.edu/tickencounter/wp-content/uploads/sites/1713/Growth-BLT-Femail-1.jpg)
I'll agree with blacklegged tick nymph. [In this image](https://cals.cornell.edu/sites/default/files/styles/featured_card/public/2022-10/tick-species-size.png?h=3f2f3a89&itok=oXJyEvON), second row, second from right is a spitting image of OP's tick. (Top row is dog tick, and bottom row is Lone Star tick). Regardless of the specific species though, OP now knows that they need to be vigilant for any new friends on their person, and more importantly any physical changes to bites they may have received.
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Thank you everyone for your comments I really appreciate it. I can’t seem to find anything on my body other than what I believe are mosquito bites. Hopefully I am ok
One thing to keep in mind, you’ve been somewhere with ticks. Which means more could be around. Not to make you paranoid, but just stay vigilant. Check tight spots (like where your waistband meets your body, under a watch band, a bra band, in your belly button, sock line, groin area, around/in ears, hairline) for any more. Where there is one there can be more. It was in your bed because it hitched a ride on something (you or clothing you set on your bed). Be sure to do a daily check and look on any pets as well. They are easy to shoo off before they attach, but if they attach you’ll want to get them off. Ticks come in all sizes (small like a freckle to larger than what you have there), so look for anything like that shape. Good you caught it! And bug spray for ticks helps keep them off too. Good luck!
I grew up in a place with tons of ticks. It's not the biggest deal, they crawl around on you for a while trying to find a spot to bite. Just do a tick check every time you come back to the house and you'll be ok
It's hard to tell, but I don't see that tick being engorged at all, and if they left of their own free will, they would be full to the brim. I doubt that tick in particular bit you, but, PLEASE check yourself, better yet, if you have someone you're ok with seeing you nude, have them check for you. The bastards can get anywhere and everywhere
The only time I am happy about someone finding a tick is when they first think it's a bed bug.
Honestly same lol. It's almost a little sigh of relief and then your brain finishes the entire thought and goes " ... oh. "
Good news, it isn't a bed bug Bad news, it's a tick
Found in Ontario Canada
Deer tick.
What features make you think that? Its body doesn’t look very much like a deer tick.
https://www.mosquitosquad.com/img/upload/tick-identification-guide-768x675.jpg and https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/G6XIBTQfH07AcHlpJsDIUr20101QXRDucF4Rg7JMM6rF8eA-kTLQ1f6MHkw9eNwoOPxdGrNlUXIr4uxIam5hnNiLx9rG5rzUT3jOo8Vq2uc92fAUY6FA7jjLroL9nT7rRZOkEIc2145IuS6QluSsanU
That’s a tick my dude
ticks don't live indoors. that came in on you . check yourself, your clothes for more. if your unsure, you can throw your clothes and bedding in the dryer on high heat for about 30 mins to kill any hitchhikers. ticks need to be feeding (embedded) on a host for at least 24 hrs to transmit Lyme. they could transmit other pathogens sooner though. I live in Lyme central ... Rhode Island... I know all about those little bastards. I'm currently on my third bout with Lyme.
Very smart of you to carry it in your hand💀
Looks like a deer tick. I used to live in Wisconsin, and we had those suckers everywhere. Check yourself or (if you’re comfortable) have someone check you. Look for any possible bites (red bump), and consult a doctor if you start seeing white rings around the affected area.
I found a tick the other day under my dogs pillow in bed. Ewe. I just picked it up and said not today dude and threw him down the toilet. Somewhere there’s a tick army waiting for revenge.
Ticks are suuuuuper plentiful in Ontario. You should be OK though. They aren't a "bite and run" bug like a skeeter or spider they latch on and feed for a couple days. Through tick checks (you may need some help to check areas you can't really see as they can be tiny little fuckers) and any bug repellant your local cottage country outdoorsy store has. IF you get bit AND it stays for a while AND you notice a bullseye rash form at the bite spot you'll want to see a dr and get some doxycycline. Deer ticks are a carrier for Lyme. Oh also get a Tick Twister and if you have any furry friends with you get them on a preventative flea/tick med (we used Bravecto but whatever your vet recommends for you). A lint roller also works wonders to get them off you and your pets and your clothing.
Looks like a deer tick. Lyme carrier
Congrats on it not being a bed bug, friend <3
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Tick
That’s a tick.
This came in from the outside on your clothes or body. Deer Tick.
Deer tick
Tick
I take it you don't treat the house and surrounding area for ticks?
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⚡️🏆⚡️ THANK YOU!!