What is the difference between a tick and bed bug

Orkin has the most comprehensive pest treatment list in the industry, treating anything from termites and mosquitos to weevils, Jerusalem crickets, and rhinoceros beetles. Learn how to recognize bed bug infestations, what steps to take to get rid of them, and how to prevent them from entering your home in the first place.

Sugar ants are most prevalent in homes between March and September. Learn how to get rid of sugar ants naturally and chemically and prevent them from infesting your home. Do you have a spider infestation in your house? Here are a few natural and chemical solutions to get rid of spiders and prevent them from coming back. Learn signs that you may have a mouse problem, how to get rid of them using natural and chemical methods, and how to get rid of mice in your home altogether.

Moths in the home ruin can clothing and food and are often tricky to eliminate. Privacy Policy. Home Pest Pest Control Resources. Appearance Legs The key difference between ticks and bed bugs is the number of legs they have.

Size Ticks and bed bugs are roughly the same size dependent on their stage of life. Color Bed bugs are consistently a deeper shade of brown compared to ticks, and bed bugs also turn red after feeding.

Shape Ticks are typically narrower than bed bugs and will elongate after feeding. Feeding habits Bed bugs and ticks are both blood sucking pests. Host Generally, ticks will feed on animals while bed bugs are more likely to feed on humans.

Bites The way these two pests feed looks slightly different, which can make them easy to properly identify if you catch them in action.

Frequency While they may not follow a specific feeding pattern, ticks feed less often than bed bugs, sometimes feeding just three times in their life cycle. Habitat Bed bugs live, as you would expect, in beds. Lifestyle Ticks are independent creatures, while bed bugs are rarely found alone. Disease Both ticks and bed bugs can cause discomfort, itching, and a rare allergic reaction—though tick bites may have much more serious consequences. Prevention Even with knowing how to identify a tick or a bed bug, the best case is not having to identify any parasites at all.

Terminix Terminix offers a tick defend system and bed bug removal process that will identify and eliminate any growing infestations. Request a free quote from our 1 recommended pest control provider, Terminix.

Fleas can be carried into homes on pets as well as humans. Once inside, they remain close to the host. You may spot them in pet bedding, on the floor, and on furniture. One of the main concerns with these pests is their biting habits. Bed bugs, ticks, and fleas all require blood meals to survive. Each human or animal will respond differently to these bites, but there are common reactions.

Bed bugs prefer to feed on humans. These pests are active at night and usually bite when people are sleeping. Not all bed bug bites result in physical symptoms.

Some will experience clusters of red, itchy bumps. Tick bites are usually found when someone notices a tick still on them.

Ticks should carefully be removed with tweezers as soon as they are spotted. Fleas prefer to have cat or dog hosts. However, they will feed on humans if no other food source is available. Flea bites result in itchy, red bumps with a red ring around it. You may also find dark specks in their fur or near their bed. Dealing with biting pests is never an ideal situation.

Thankfully, there are things you can do to reduce your chances of encountering these pests. Unfortunately, bed bugs, ticks, and fleas will slip through the cracks and invade your space. Here are a few tips to help you get rid of these pests. Close search. Home About Us expand. They prefer feeding on humans and will inhabit areas where they can easily find a host, such as behind baseboards, mattresses, wallpaper or even inside cars.

Bed bugs are quick and will sneak into suitcases, shoes or boxes to get close to their food source. Both parasites can leave behind bite marks that may cause the skin to become irritated, swell or break out in rash. Often, both parasites will finish feeding and fall off without being detected. Bed bugs do not transmit diseases, but their bites can make the skin very itchy with a burning sensation. Although tick bites cause similar reactions, the reactions vary according to the people and their responses.

Some people will have little to no reaction, while others may contract disease pathogens and experience a rash, fever, headaches and muscle aches. Additionally, some ticks can transmit diseases, such as Lyme disease, tularemia and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. If you find a tick latched on to you, remove it quickly with a pair of pointed tweezers and drop the body in a container of rubbing alcohol. Avoid an infestation by contacting Terminix today for a free inspection. Bed bugs are travelers.

Before moving into your mattress or settling down in your nightstand, they may have lived in a hotel, office, school or other place where people gather. Because bed bugs can attach themselves to clothes, furniture, luggage and even your pets, they can also hitch a ride in your car, rental vehicle, taxi or rideshare.

This gives them easy access to anything you transport with you and a free ride to everywhere you go, including your home. But there's a reason why this saying is so old and so well known: bed bugs have been around for a very long time.

These pesky insects have recently seen a resurgence in population and now, it's more likely than ever that you or someone you know will eventually deal with some kind of bed bug infestation. Suddenly, that phrase takes on a whole new significance!