Bugs that look like ticks

With the arrival of spring, bugs of different kinds also come out from hiding. They will again look for food, and some find a host they can attach themselves to. Ticks are one type of bug that is not just annoying, but they can also be dangerous. But how sure are you that what you are seeing are ticks and not other types of bugs? Here are some samples of bugs that look like ticks and how to tell them apart.

Ash Plant Bug

These bugs feed on the leaves of trees and have a round shape, black coloring, and are small in size, just like ticks. They do not bite humans or animals, though, and their only diet includes leaves. They also have six legs and not eight like ticks. These bugs can be eliminated by watering the plants they feed on.

Clover Mites

This bug has one thing in common with ticks which is their eight legs. Their shape is as small as ticks, sometimes even smaller. Clover mites have a bright red appearance which can differentiate them from ticks.

Clover mites get killed with pesticides, and products with bifenthrin, lambda-cyhalothrin and permethrin are the ideal products to have around to keep your garden safe from clover mites.

Harlequin Cabbage Bug

These bugs are a lover of cabbage hence the name. They will feed on your cabbage during the spring and summer months, and you will find your harvest of cabbage with some chew marks and some discoloration.

Harlequin cabbage bugs have the same shape and coloring as the tick but only have six legs compared to the eight ticks have.

If you are not bothered having these bugs in your garden, you can just let them be because they do not bite humans or pets.

Poplar Weevils

Same shape and color, but poplar weevils are in the beetle family. They pose a risk to poplar trees cause they infest the trees, which makes them annoying.

This bug has six legs and has wings that differentiate them from ticks.

Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs

These bugs have an obnoxious odor when squished. They are a major crop pest, particularly in North America, because of how they damage fruits and vegetable crops.

They don’t bite humans as ticks do. What sets them apart from ticks is their six legs, they can fly and have antennae.

Flea Beetles

Because of their similarity in size, flea beetles and ticks are often confused together. Both have round bodies that are broad, either with black or warm brown color.

That is where the similarity stops because flea beetles will only eat plants and they do not harm humans or animals. Flea beetles can also fly, which makes them different from ticks.

Carpet Beetles

There are varieties of Carpet Beetles. One is the Varied carpet beetles, Black carpet beetles, and Furniture carpet beetles. Each has its differences, such as the shape of its shells and overall size. But they are also mistaken for ticks, and Carpet beetles only eat natural fibers such as cotton, animal hair, silk, and wool and can fly, unlike ticks.

Bat Bugs

Naturally occurring in the attic and feed on bats. They also have the same tube-like mouths as ticks. At first glance, they look like ticks, but they are not ones to bite on humans or dogs.

Bed Bugs

It is comparable to ticks because of their parasitic nature. They feed on the blood of humans and can create extreme itchiness from the bitemarks.

Bed bugs may look like ticks because of the body shape but these creature moves quickly and can feed at night. Bed bugs, just like ticks, are annoying and bothersome. They are also hard to eliminate, like ticks.

Chigger

Also known as harvest mite or red bugs because of their distinguishable red color. They have six legs and do not harm humans. They are also related to spiders and scorpions.

How do you get rid of buts and pests?

Some bugs may not be harmful to humans but they can still feed on plants and trees and that makes them annoying. Here are some samples of bug killers that can eliminate these bugs and pests fast.