is this a bed bug?

June 14, 2015 2:04 PM

I found two of these guys crawling on me during a 2 night hotel stay, but couldnt find any more in the bed, or any other evidence of bedbugs, no bites that i can find.. What do you think? http://imgur.com/a/d0KUP
posted by PercussivePaul to Science & Nature (9 answers total)

No. Bedbug legs are way shorter than that. Bedbugs look more or less like sesame seeds. Very inconspicuous legs. And they bite the hell out of you. What you have there is too big and has long legs. Some sort of mite or tick, I think.
posted by fingersandtoes at 2:09 PM on June 14, 2015 [1 favorite]

Not a bed bug! Those have eight legs. Bed bugs only have six. Is it a tick?
posted by monkeymonkey at 2:09 PM on June 14, 2015 [1 favorite]

Eight legs, looks like a tick. (bed bugs have six legs)
posted by HuronBob at 2:10 PM on June 14, 2015 [1 favorite]

Look like a tick.
posted by dontjumplarry at 2:10 PM on June 14, 2015 [1 favorite]

Some sort of tick, not bedbug.
posted by Gneisskate at 2:32 PM on June 14, 2015 [1 favorite]

Definitely a tick. You should check the rest of your body (and any other people or pets who were with you) to make sure there aren't more. They like to hide and latch on to you. If you have any that have already attached, be careful when you pull them off. You want to make sure the head doesn't get left behind.
posted by Weeping_angel at 2:33 PM on June 14, 2015 [7 favorites]

That's a tick, and if you find any latched onto you do not try the folklore method of applying a hot match head to the tick so it will "back out." That will just cause it disgorge its stomach contents into the wound.

this happened to, um, a friend
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 3:37 PM on June 14, 2015 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Thanks everyone.
posted by PercussivePaul at 9:53 PM on June 14, 2015

Nthing it's a tick. Please watch yourself for symptoms of Lyme disease. It is NOT FUN and you will want to get to a doctor, get tested, and get on strong antibiotics ASAP if you start showing any symptoms.
posted by Jacqueline at 10:24 AM on June 15, 2015