Need pest help? Save $50 on your first recurring service today with code GET50

Seed Ticks on Humans

What Are Seed Ticks?

Ticks develop through four life stages: egg, larva, nymph and adult. The larval stage is called seed ticks because of their very small, near poppy seed size.

Female ticks lay eggs in large numbers. For example, a pregnant Lone Star tick female lays an egg mass that can number into the thousands. Upon hatching from the egg stage, the tick larvae will wait for a suitable host to pass by.

How Do Seed Ticks Get On Humans?

If a host comes into contact with the waiting tick larvae, the seed tick gets on the host and begins searching for a place to embed into the host’s skin and proceed to take a blood meal.

Being the first mobile stage in the tick life cycle, seed ticks are very small and often look more like a freckle, small mole or poppy seed and may go unnoticed until their bites begin to cause redness and swelling and itching of the skin that occur as the response to chemicals produced by the feeding seed tick’s saliva.

While not always the case, seed ticks generally tend to feed on the lower parts of the human body. Since seed ticks may transmit some diseases in the process of feeding, it is very important to be familiar with tick bite prevention and removal procedures.

Exposure to seed ticks and the potential of them feeding on a person depends upon several factors. In general, the most important considerations are location and whether preventive measures are used.

Preventing and Removing Seed Ticks

Avoiding Tick Habitats

Ticks prefer habitats with low, scrubby vegetation located in wooded areas or the edge of wooded areas that are shaded for most of the day and near animals that are suitable, preferred hosts.

Wearing the Proper Clothing

When people are either working or involved in recreational activities such as hiking or camping, they should be sure to dress protectively. For example, a person wearing shorts, no socks, flip-flops or low cut sneakers is not very well protected against seed ticks.

However, someone wearing long pants, a long sleeve shirt and boots with the pant legs tucked inside high-top socks is much less likely to have seed ticks get on them when hiking through the woods.

Using Tick Repellents

Using tick repellents is a topic that is often discussed, debated and even sometimes questioned. Therefore, the best advice for using tick repellents is provided by your family doctor, other health care specialists and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Seed Tick Removal

This is another topic that includes lots of myths and misinformation. Therefore, the best answer for tick removal is also provided by medical professionals and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Resources

Ticks Home Protection

Ticks Pest Control Treatment & Removal Services

Brown tick image

Deer Tick Bite Identification | Lyme Disease and Ticks

How to Identify and Remove Asian Longhorned Ticks

Image coming soon

Where Are Brown Dog Ticks Found? | Tick Facts

How to Properly Remove Embedded Deer Ticks

Backyard tick treatment with dogs and children?

Q

Are tick treatments safe for children and pets? Does tick treatment need to be reoccurring?

What is the cost for getting rid of ticks?

Q

What does Orkin charge to inspect a two-bedroom apartment?

Fowl Ticks

Image coming soon

Deer Ticks

Deer tick illustration

Seed Ticks on Dogs

Connect with Us

Our customer care team is available for you 24 hours a day.

877-819-5061

Find a Branch

Our local Pros are the pest experts in your area.

Get a Personalized Quote

We will help you find the right treatment plan for your home.

THE BEST IN PESTS.™

SERVICES

Pest ControlTermite ControlPrevent and Protect

PEST LIBRARY

Browse All Pests

© 2023 Orkin LLC

Terms of UsePrivacyAccessibility StatementCareers