Difference Between A Tick and Crabs

by Sal
(TN)

How do you tell the difference between a tick and crabs?

I am a male. I found what appears to be a tick burrowed into my pubic area and then was questioning whether it could be a crab!

---

Hi Sal,


There are some particular differences between a tick and crabs.


A tick will burrow it's head into your skin and suck your blood until it's body is really bloated with your blood.


Crabs bite, but don't really burrow. Their bite causes an allergic reaction that really makes you itch. Crabs lay their eggs attached to your pubic hair, much like head lice on your hair.

Types of Ticks

Body Crab

Although ticks and crabs may seem to look a bit similar, upon closer inspection, you'll notice some differences.


First of all, they both have 8 legs, but you can see that body crabs have a pair of legs coming off of their head section. It really does look "crab-like."


Secondly, if you notice the crab is wider near the head and tapers more narrowly toward the back.


The tick is just the opposite. The tick is narrower near the head and gets wider as it goes toward the back.


Those are the most noticeable differences between a tick and crabs.


Was this critter actually burrowed into your skin or just burrowed into your hair? If its head was burrowed into your skin, it was most likely a tick.


If the head wasn't embedded in your skin, that doesn't rule out a tick. It may have just not bitten you yet, but considering the area where you found it, that's not very likely. It would have been there long enough to get comfy and start sucking your blood. :)


Is that any help in identifying your little culprit for you? I hope so.


~Angie