How to identify it
Work down these in order — the first one is usually enough on its own.
- Eight legs as an adult — an arachnid, so there are no wings and no antennae
- A flattened teardrop body that swells dramatically after feeding
- Mouthparts project forward, looking like a small dark head
- The lone star tick, common in Texas, has a single pale spot on the female's back
What it gets mistaken for
Most people arrive at a pest name by ruling things out. These are the ones that genuinely look similar, and the detail that separates them.
Where you will find it
- On pets, concentrated around the ears, neck and between the toes
- Tall grass, brush and the edges of wooded areas, waiting on vegetation
- Leaf litter and shaded ground cover in the yard
- Carried indoors on a dog, on clothing or on a person
Signs it is already there
You will nearly always see the evidence before you see the pest itself.
- A small dark bump attached to skin that was not there the day before
- Pets scratching at the ears or head
- Ticks found on clothing after time in tall grass or brush
Medically significant. Can cause injury. Seek medical attention if you are bitten or stung.
Why it is harder to deal with than it looks
Ticks are picked up outdoors and carried in, so treating the inside of the house achieves very little. They also attach and feed unnoticed for days, which is why yard habitat and a routine check after time outside matter far more than anything sprayed indoors.
What actually works
Keep grass short, clear leaf litter, and keep a dry gravel or mulch strip between lawn and wooded edge. Keep pets on a veterinarian-recommended preventative. Check people and pets after time in brush. Where the yard is treated, the target is the shaded perimeter where ticks actually wait, not the open lawn.
Common questions
How do I tell a tick from a bed bug?
Bed bugs have six legs and antennae, never stay attached, and live in furniture rather than on skin or pets.
How do I tell a tick from a cat flea?
Fleas have six legs, are flattened side to side and jump. A tick crawls slowly and latches on.
Where are tick usually found in a home?s
On pets, concentrated around the ears, neck and between the toes Tall grass, brush and the edges of wooded areas, waiting on vegetation Leaf litter and shaded ground cover in the yard.
Is a tick dangerous?
Ticks can transmit disease. In Texas the lone star tick is also associated with alpha-gal syndrome, a red-meat allergy. Remove an attached tick promptly with fine-tipped tweezers, pulling straight out, and seek medical attention if a rash or fever follows.
Identification guidance only. Under Texas law, applying pest control treatments for hire requires a licence from the Texas Department of Agriculture. This page describes what a pest looks like — it is not a diagnosis of your property or a treatment recommendation for it.