Bugs that look like ticks

Tick ‘look-alikes’…

that’s what we call them. Bugs that sometimes fool our TickSpotters. Actually, about one in 20 (5%) crowdsourced submissions to TickSpotters is not a tick at all but a tick look-alike instead. The good news, there’s no risk for a tickborne disease from tick look-alikes! The bad news, in some cases, it’s just something else scary to worry about. Some people just don’t like bugs. Usually though it turns out to be no real worry at all. Here’s a collection of the most common “Not A Tick” images that people send in. If you’re in doubt about what you’ve encountered, check this gallery out before hitting the submit button to TickSpotters!

  • Your picture is definitely not a tick. We see 6 legs and 2 long antennae...that makes it an insect! This is some type of spider beetle, no worries from this.
    One of the most common tick look-alikes but can you see 6 legs and 2 long antennae…that makes it an insect! This is some type of spider beetle, no worries from this.
  • weevil
    It’s a common weevil that many people seem to mistake for a tick. We see 6 legs, 3 body regions, and a pair of clubbed antennae. Larger, adult stage ticks would have 8 legs, 2 body regions, and no antennae.
  • Carpet Beetle
    Carpet beetles are usually inside pests. They feed on keratin found in wool, fur, felt, silk, feathers, skins, and leather. Even accumulations of dog hair.
  • NOT A TICK... but it is a brown marmorated stink bug. In this tick look-alike picture, you can't count this bug’s legs or see it’s antennae but one clue is the tip of a wing you can see folded over the body. Ticks don’t have wings! This invasive pest has become common across North America, devouring crops and invading homes—worrying farmers and driving homeowners crazy.
    NOT A TICK… but it is a brown marmorated stink bug. You can’t count the legs or see antennae but one clue is the tip of a wing you can see folded over the body. Ticks don’t have wings! This invasive pest devours crops and invades homes—worrying farmers and driving homeowners crazy.
  • Ack!! That's NOT a tick but it IS a bed bug and sort of a tick look-alike. Getting rid of a bed bug infestation can be complex and costly. The EPA has a getting started guide for bed bug treatment: www2.epa.gov/bedbugs/preparing-treatment-against-bed-bugs
    Ack!! It’s a bed bug. Antennae, eyes and segmented abdomen are all things ticks don’t have. Getting rid of a bed bug infestation can be complex and costly. The EPA has a getting started guide for bed bug treatment: www2.epa.gov/bedbugs/preparing-treatment-against-bed-bugs
  • While it may be a tick look-alike (sort of)...that is definitely not a tick. It appears to be an immature aphid.
    Definitely not a tick. 6 legs, eyes, and a segmented abdomen. It appears to be an immature aphid.
  • Your picture is definitely not a tick. We see 6 legs and 2 long antennae... that makes it an insect! It's likely a type of harlequin bug in the order Hemiptera. Nothing to worry about this time.
    We see 6 legs and 2 long antennae… that makes it an insect! It’s likely a type of harlequin bug in the order Hemiptera. Nothing to worry about this time.
  • YIKES!!! That’s NOT a tick but it IS a crab louse (aka. pubic louse). Definitely not something you want to find on you or your "closest" friends. 3 legs on each side and antennae are the give-away. While you might catch crab lice from toilet seats or bed linens, it’s unlikely because these tick look-alikes can survive only a few hours off the host. Despite the urban legends, they’re not known to transmit any pathogens.
    YIKES!!! That’s a crab louse (aka. pubic louse). 3 legs on each side and antennae are the give-away. These tick look-alikes can only survive a few hours off the host. Despite urban legends, they’re not known to transmit any pathogens.
  • Another pseudoscorpion, on the move it appears. Still looks scary but definitely not a tick! They are harmless to you but are predators on other insects.
    YOW. A pseudoscorpion, on the move it appears. Still looks scary but definitely not a tick! They are harmless to you but are predators on other insects.
  • Good news...as scary as that looks, it's definitely not a tick! That's something called a pseudoscorpion. They are harmless to you but are predators on other insects.
    Another pseudoscorpion. Did you know that only the adult stages have large claws?
  • immature plant bugs in the stink bug family.
    Immature plant bug in the stink bug family.
  • immature plant bugs in the stink bug family.
    Immature plant bugs in the stink bug family.
  • immature plant bugs in the stink bug family.
    Immature plant bug in the stink bug family.
  • immature plant bugs in the stink bug family.
    Immature plant bug in the stink bug family.
  • immature plant bugs in the stink bug family.
    Immature plant bug in the stink bug family.
  • We're happy to tell you that, at least this time, what you've encountered is definitely not a tick. It's a common weevil that many people seem to mistake for a tick. We see 6 legs, 3 body regions, and a pair of clubbed antennae. Larger, adult stage ticks would have 8 legs, 2 body regions, and no antennae.
    It’s a common weevil that many people seem to mistake for a tick. We see 6 legs, 3 body regions, and a pair of clubbed antennae. Larger, adult stage ticks would have 8 legs, 2 body regions, and no antennae.
  • We see 6 legs and a pair of antennae. That's a hog louse (Haematopinus suis), NOT a tick. Note that its head is more than twice as long as it is wide, which is a key identifying feature of this louse. FYI, there are horse lice, cattle lice, hog lice...even human lice. Lice can be very host specific! Hog lice can ingest significant volumes of blood from their host, especially piglets, and the feeding sites can become irritated. However, there's little risk to you from this creepy bug
    That’s a hog louse (Haematopinus suis), NOT a tick. Note that its head is more than twice as long as it is wide, which is a key identifying feature. FYI, there are horse lice, cattle lice, hog lice…even human lice. Lice can be very host specific!
  • Bird mites can infest nests by the millions and some start to stray and wander especially once the young birds leave the nest. They can bite people but usually don’t.
    Bird mites can infest nests by the millions and some start to stray and wander especially once the young birds leave the nest. They can bite people but usually don’t.
  • That's not a tick! It's a head louse. Note the 6 legs (3 per side). Happily, there are very effective head louse treatments available over the counter. We recommend that you talk with a pharmacist but one excellent product is called Nix for lice.
    That’s not a tick! It’s a head louse. Note the 6 legs (3 per side). Happily, there are very effective head louse treatments available over the counter. We recommend that you talk with a pharmacist but one excellent product is called Nix for lice.
  • crab spider
    crab spider
  • clover mite
    clover mite
  • Your picture is definitely not a tick. We see 6 legs and 2 long antennae...that makes it an insect! This is some type of spider beetle, no worries from this.
    Spider beetle
  • weevil
    Weevil
  • Carpet Beetle
    Carpet beetle
  • NOT A TICK... but it is a brown marmorated stink bug. In this tick look-alike picture, you can't count this bug’s legs or see it’s antennae but one clue is the tip of a wing you can see folded over the body. Ticks don’t have wings! This invasive pest has become common across North America, devouring crops and invading homes—worrying farmers and driving homeowners crazy.
    brown marmorated stink bug
  • Ack!! That's NOT a tick but it IS a bed bug and sort of a tick look-alike. Getting rid of a bed bug infestation can be complex and costly. The EPA has a getting started guide for bed bug treatment: www2.epa.gov/bedbugs/preparing-treatment-against-bed-bugs
    Bed bug
  • While it may be a tick look-alike (sort of)...that is definitely not a tick. It appears to be an immature aphid.
    While it may be a tick look-alike (sort of)…that is definitely not a tick. It appears to be an immature aphid.
  • Your picture is definitely not a tick. We see 6 legs and 2 long antennae... that makes it an insect! It's likely a type of harlequin bug in the order Hemiptera. Nothing to worry about this time.
    Harlequin bug
  • YIKES!!! That’s NOT a tick but it IS a crab louse (aka. pubic louse). Definitely not something you want to find on you or your "closest" friends. 3 legs on each side and antennae are the give-away. While you might catch crab lice from toilet seats or bed linens, it’s unlikely because these tick look-alikes can survive only a few hours off the host. Despite the urban legends, they’re not known to transmit any pathogens.
    Crab louse
  • Another pseudoscorpion, on the move it appears. Still looks scary but definitely not a tick! They are harmless to you but are predators on other insects.
    Pseudoscorpion
  • Good news...as scary as that looks, it's definitely not a tick! That's something called a pseudoscorpion. They are harmless to you but are predators on other insects.
    pseudoscorpion
  • immature plant bugs in the stink bug family.
    immature stink bug
  • immature plant bugs in the stink bug family.
    immature stink bug
  • immature plant bugs in the stink bug family.
    immature stink bug
  • immature plant bugs in the stink bug family.
    immature stink bug
  • immature plant bugs in the stink bug family.
    immature stink bug
  • We're happy to tell you that, at least this time, what you've encountered is definitely not a tick. It's a common weevil that many people seem to mistake for a tick. We see 6 legs, 3 body regions, and a pair of clubbed antennae. Larger, adult stage ticks would have 8 legs, 2 body regions, and no antennae.
    Weevil
  • Bird mites can infest nests by the millions and some start to stray and wander especially once the young birds leave the nest. They can bite people but usually don’t.
    Bird mite
  • That's not a tick! It's a head louse. Note the 6 legs (3 per side). Happily, there are very effective head louse treatments available over the counter. We recommend that you talk with a pharmacist but one excellent product is called Nix for lice.
    head louse
  • We see 6 legs and a pair of antennae. That's a hog louse (Haematopinus suis), NOT a tick. Note that its head is more than twice as long as it is wide, which is a key identifying feature of this louse. FYI, there are horse lice, cattle lice, hog lice...even human lice. Lice can be very host specific! Hog lice can ingest significant volumes of blood from their host, especially piglets, and the feeding sites can become irritated. However, there's little risk to you from this creepy bug
    hog louse
  • crab spider
    crab spider
  • clover mite
    clover mite