What are seed ticks and how to handle them

Key takeaways

• Seed ticks refer to ticks in their larval form.
• Tick larvae are extremely small and much more difficult to spot when compared to their adult counterparts.
• If you notice a seed tick on you, it’s best to remove it as soon as possible to prevent infection.
• Taking preventative measures, such as wearing long-sleeved clothing, avoiding tick-heavy habitats, and applying permethrin, can help protect against seed tick bites.

Jump to section:

• What do seed ticks look like?
• How harmful are seed ticks?
• What should I do if I have a seed tick on me?
• How can I prevent and control seed ticks?

Ticks, as part of their natural life cycle, hatch from their eggs as larvae, and this larval stage is when they’re known as seed ticks. These minuscule insects are barely visible to the naked eye, and they depend on their first blood meal to move onto their next stage.

Seed ticks, much like their adult counterparts, can transmit harmful and dangerous tick-borne diseases, but their small size makes them much harder to spot and much more difficult to fully remove from your body if they’ve already bitten you.

If you’re planning on being outdoors in known tick habitats, it’s vital that you can identify these larvae so you can better protect yourself from the harm that they can do. Here’s what you should know about seed ticks.

What do seed ticks look like?

When it comes to identifying tick larvae, here’s what you should keep an eye out for:

• Size: Seed ticks are exceptionally small, measuring around 0.02 to 0.06 inches in length.
• Color: You can expect a light brown or reddish color from seed ticks.
• Legs: Unlike nymphs or adults, tick larvae only have six legs as opposed to their eight.

Due to their small size, it can be difficult to know when a seed tick is present. From a distance, they can appear as small red or brown dots. A seed tick that’s recently fed will take on a swollen appearance and turn dark gray or black. When embedded in skin, they resemble small, pale, oval-shaped bumps.

Be extra aware when it’s tick season. You’re more likely to encounter these parasites from early spring through late fall, with tick activity peaking around April to September.

How harmful are seed ticks?

Seed ticks, just like adult ticks, have the potential to pose a significant health risk. They are more than capable of transmitting serious diseases like Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Lyme disease, babesiosis, and tularemia, and their bites can also cause skin irritation and allergic reactions.

How long will a seed tick stay on you?

Once a seed tick finds a suitable blood host, it’ll feed for about three days. However, depending on the species and the host’s immune response, some can stay attached for up to seven days. Of course, this is without accounting for external intervention. After a seed tick has fed, it will transition into its nymph stage.

What should I do if I have a seed tick on me?

As soon as you notice a seed tick attached to your skin, be sure to remove it as soon as possible. Do not wait until you can go to a healthcare provider, because delaying tick removal can increase your risk of contracting a tick-borne disease. Immediate action is vital. Here’s what you should do, according to the CDC:

1. Using clean, fine-tipped tweezers, grasp the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible. Regular tweezers or your fingers can also be used if fine-tipped tweezers are unavailable.
2. Pull the tick away. Steady, even pressure and movements will help ensure that the tick’s mouthparts do not break off and remain in your skin. Do not twist or jerk the tick.
3. If mouthparts remain in your skin, you can also use tweezers to remove them. However, if you cannot remove the mouthparts easily, leave them alone.
4. Dispose of the live tick by either placing it in a sealed container, wrapping it tightly in tape, flushing it down the toilet, or putting it in alcohol. Do not crush the tick with your fingers.
5. Thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with soap and water, rubbing alcohol, or hand sanitizer.
6. Do a careful tick check to ensure there are no other ticks on your body. If there are, repeat the above steps and remove them promptly.
7. Monitor the bite area for several weeks and watch for signs of infection such as increased redness, swelling, pain, pus, or warmth.
8. Contact a healthcare provider if you notice any more concerning symptoms, including expanding rashes or flu-like symptoms.

If you’re dealing with a cluster of seed ticks that have not yet been firmly attached, applying duct tape or a lint roller to the affected skin can lift unattached ticks. You can remove multiple unattached ticks at a time by pressing the tape firmly against the skin and then swiftly peeling it away.

It’s important to note that you should avoid using home remedies to remove ticks, such as petroleum jelly, heat, or nail polish. These could irritate the tick, releasing fluids within it, increasing the risk of infection. It's recommended that you physically remove the tick yourself.

How can I prevent and control seed ticks?

The easiest way to prevent ticks from becoming a problem is by reducing tick exposure. While staying indoors is one way to reduce exposure, staying aware and taking proper precautions before going outdoors can also help you prevent tick bites. Here are a few things you can keep in mind:

• Avoid areas with tall grass, dense brush, and leaf litter—especially in areas where ticks are known to be.
• Long sleeves and tucked-in pant legs create a barrier between you and tick bites.
• Light-colored clothing makes ticks easier to spot before they attach themselves.
• To provide extra protection against ticks, insect repellents and permethrin can be applied to clothing, gear, and exposed skin.
• Showering after outdoor activities can wash away unattached ticks.
• A dryer on high heat for 10 minutes kills any ticks on clothing brought in from outside.
• It is vital to perform careful tick checks after returning indoors. Be sure to check the hairline, scalp, ears, armpits, groin, and behind the knees—and check your children and pets, as well.

DIY tick control is also an option if ticks are taking up residence on your property. However, if you’re dealing with a serious tick problem inside your home, you don’t have to handle it alone. With targeted treatment plans and reliable service, Terminix is here to help.