Seed Ticks: What They Are and What to Do

Quick answer

Seed ticks are tick larvae, the first and smallest stage after hatching. They have six legs instead of eight and often show up in groups, because thousands hatch from one egg mass at the same time. Newly hatched larvae are not born with Lyme bacteria. Tape them off, remove any attached ones with tweezers, and watch for rash or fever.

What the guidelines say

CDC says female ticks infected with Lyme disease bacteria do not pass the infection to their offspring. Larvae can pick up the bacteria later by feeding on an infected animal, usually a rodent, and keep it as they grow into nymphs.
To remove an attached tick, CDC advises grasping it close to the skin with fine-tipped tweezers and pulling up with steady, even pressure, then cleaning the bite and your hands.
If you get a rash or fever in the days to weeks after a tick bite, CDC says to see a healthcare provider and mention the bite.

What seed ticks are

“Seed tick” is a common name for a larval tick. A tick’s life goes egg, larva, nymph, adult. Larvae hatch with six legs; nymphs and adults have eight (University of Maine Tick Lab). They are the smallest stage, smaller than a nymph, which CDC compares to a poppy seed.

Why do they come in crowds? TickEncounter at the University of Rhode Island explains that one female’s egg mass can hold 3,000 or more eggs that hatch at about the same time. So instead of one tick, people tend to walk into a cluster, sometimes called a tick swarm.

Which ticks bite as larvae

TickEncounter names larval blacklegged (deer) ticks and lone star ticks as the larvae people meet most, mainly in late summer, especially August and September.

Lone star larvae typically latch on by the hundreds, according to TickEncounter. It notes they are not known to spread disease to people, but their saliva can still trigger an allergic reaction where they bite.
Blacklegged larvae can pick up Lyme bacteria when they feed on an infected animal, usually a rodent (CDC). They keep it as they molt, which is why the next stage, the nymph, is the bigger Lyme risk.

Not sure what you found? See our tick identification guide, or send a photo to a free service such as TickSpotters.

Can seed ticks give you Lyme disease?

The risk from seed ticks is low. CDC says infected female ticks do not pass Lyme bacteria to their eggs, so a larva that has just hatched has not had a chance to pick it up. TickEncounter says larvae mostly hatch germ-free.

There is one known exception: Borrelia miyamotoi, a relative of the Lyme bacteria that causes hard tick relapsing fever. TickEncounter notes it can pass from an infected mother tick to her eggs, so some larvae can carry it. That is why “low risk” is not “no risk,” and why symptoms after any tick bite are worth taking seriously. More on other tick germs: Lyme co-infections.

How to get seed ticks off

Before they attach: TickEncounter suggests pressing sticky duct tape on skin or clothing to lift larvae off quickly. Lint rollers also work, though it says duct tape is stickier.
If any are attached: follow CDC’s method. Use fine-tipped tweezers, grasp the tick as close to the skin as you can, and pull upward with steady, even pressure. Don’t twist or jerk. If the mouthparts stay in the skin, leave them; the skin usually pushes them out as it heals.
Clean up: wash the bites and your hands with soap and water, rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer.
Skip the home remedies: CDC advises against petroleum jelly, nail polish or heat, and against crushing a tick with your fingers.
Check everywhere: CDC advises checking your body for other ticks. Check children too.

When to see a doctor

See a healthcare provider if you get a rash or fever in the days to weeks after tick bites, and tell them when and where you were bitten (CDC). Step-by-step help: tick bite guide and the first 72 hours.

What patients tell us

We are collecting real experiences about run-ins with seed ticks from people who have lived it, shared with their permission. As stories come in, they will appear here, clearly marked as personal experience rather than medical advice.

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Avoiding seed ticks

Seed ticks are part of the same prevention picture as any tick: know where ticks live and check yourself after time outdoors, especially in late summer. Our guides to hiking and ticks, tick-proofing your yard and keeping kids safe from ticks have practical steps. Prevention is Step 1 of how to beat Lyme.

Frequently asked questions

Are seed ticks baby ticks?

Yes. “Seed tick” is a common name for tick larvae, the stage that hatches from the egg. They later molt into nymphs and then adults.

How many legs do seed ticks have?

Six. Nymphs and adult ticks have eight legs.

Do tick larvae carry Lyme disease?

Newly hatched larvae are not born with Lyme bacteria; CDC says infected female ticks do not pass it to their offspring. Larvae can pick it up when they feed on an infected animal, and then carry it as nymphs.

How do you get rid of seed ticks on your skin?

TickEncounter suggests sticky duct tape or a lint roller to lift off larvae before they attach. Remove attached ones with fine-tipped tweezers, pulling steadily, then wash the area.

When are seed ticks most active?

TickEncounter says late summer, especially August and September, is when people most often run into larval ticks.