Bed Bug vs Tick — What’s the Difference?

Quick Comparison: Bed Bug vs. Tick

• Bed bugs are insects with six legs. Ticks are arachnids with eight legs.
• Bed bugs live inside on beds, couches, and even in electrical outlets.
• Ticks live outside on the tips of plants, waiting to latch onto passing people/animals.
• Ticks can cause Lyme Disease, ehrlichiosis or Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
• Bed bugs and ticks leave different bite marks.

The Difference Between Bed Bug and Tick

They look similar and can bite, but start comparing them by counting the legs: bed bugs have six, ticks have eight. Plus, they have different habitats, behaviors and risks, as ticks can transmit serious diseases.

Bed Bug

• Appearance — flat, oval reddish-brown insects; six legs; the size of an apple seed.
• Habitat — prefers indoors near beds, couches, chairs, luggage, and fabrics.
• Behavior — they don’t jump or fly, but crawl onto people at night for blood feeds.
• Risks — not known transmitters of diseases, but their itchy bites cause complaints.

Tick

• Appearance — varies in size, appearing more rounded after feeding.
• Habitat — prefers outdoors on tips of grass, brush, leaf litter, and wooden edges.
• Behavior — latches onto passing people/ animals; remain on skin for hours/ days.
• Risks — can cause Lyme Disease, ehrlichiosis or Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

Signs of an Infestation

Bed bugs: you may spot small reddish/rusty brown stains on sheets/mattresses; or see itchy bite clusters, bed bugs in seams and eggs in crevices. Ticks: see them attached to people/animals; find tiny droppings on clothes/fur; feel bite rashes, aches or sudden fever after being outdoors.

Prevention tips

Bed bugs: Seal wall cracks; inspect second-hand furniture; use protective mattress covers; keep luggage up on racks away from walls when travelling.

Ticks: Wear long sleeves and tuck pants into socks when outdoors; apply EPA-registered insect repellents to skin and clothing; after being outside, check everyone for hitchhiking pests and shower within two hours.

Bed Bug vs. Tick Bites

While skin reactions vary widely and some people have no noticeable marks, here’s what most people see: Bed bug bites are itchy red welts in clusters or loose lines. Tick bites leave a small red dot and a ‘bullseye’ rash. Remove any tick still attached, with tweezers.