Red Bugs Without Wings: 10 Types
These are the 10 most common red bugs without wings found in North America.
Quick list
How to narrow it down
Narrow it down with three quick checks. Count the legs: insects have six, spiders and ticks have eight, and centipedes and millipedes have many more. Check for wings, even folded ones. Then compare size against a coin: a US penny is 19 mm across. Our bug identifier tool does this filtering for you.
The 10 bugs
Black Widow Spider
Black Widow SpiderLatrodectus mactansA shiny black spider with a red hourglass on the underside of its round abdomen. It builds messy, tangled webs in woodpiles, sheds, meter boxes and outdoor furniture.
Tell-tale sign: Glossy black, globe-shaped abdomen. Risk: Females have venom that can cause severe muscle pain and cramps; seek medical care after a bite.
Blacklegged Tick
Blacklegged TickIxodes scapularisAlso called the deer tick, a small tick with a dark shield and, in adult females, a reddish-orange rear body. It waits on grass and brush to latch onto passing people and animals.
Tell-tale sign: Dark black legs and shield. Risk: Blacklegged ticks transmit Lyme disease, anaplasmosis and babesiosis; remove attached ticks promptly.
Lone Star Tick
Lone Star TickAmblyomma americanumAn aggressive, reddish-brown tick of the Southeast and East; adult females have a single white spot on the back. All life stages bite people.
Tell-tale sign: Single white dot on the back of adult females. Risk: Lone star tick bites are linked to ehrlichiosis and alpha-gal syndrome, a red meat allergy.
Red Imported Fire Ant
Red Imported Fire AntSolenopsis invictaA small, aggressive reddish-brown ant that builds dome-shaped mounds of loose soil in sunny lawns and fields across the southern US. When disturbed, workers swarm and sting repeatedly.
Tell-tale sign: Mixed sizes of copper-red workers in one colony. Risk: Fire ant stings burn, form white pustules, and can cause severe allergic reactions in sensitive people.
Bed Bug
Bed BugCimex lectulariusA flat, oval, apple-seed-sized insect that hides in mattress seams, bed frames and furniture and feeds on human blood at night. Infestations spread through luggage, used furniture and shared walls.
Tell-tale sign: Flat, oval, reddish-brown body without wings. Risk: Bed bug bites itch and cause stress and sleep loss, but bed bugs are not known to spread disease.
Chigger
ChiggerTrombiculidae familyThe nearly invisible red larva of a harvest mite that attaches to skin in grassy, brushy areas. Chiggers feed on skin cells, not blood, and cause intensely itchy red bumps.
Tell-tale sign: Microscopic red or orange specks, barely visible. Risk: Chigger bites itch for days, but in the US chiggers don't transmit disease.
Velvet Ant
Velvet AntDasymutilla occidentalisNot an ant at all but a wingless female wasp covered in bright red, velvety hair. It runs across sandy ground in summer and lays eggs in the nests of ground-nesting bees.
Tell-tale sign: Dense, bright red or orange fuzz with black bands. Risk: Its sting is famously painful, earning it the name cow killer, but it is not deadly and it isn't aggressive.
Carpenter Ant
Carpenter AntCamponotus pennsylvanicusA large black ant that nests in moist or damaged wood, including window frames, decks and wall voids. It doesn't eat wood but excavates smooth galleries and pushes out sawdust-like debris.
Tell-tale sign: Large ant with an evenly rounded, single-arch thorax. Risk: Carpenter ants can deliver a painful bite and weaken wood over time, but they do not carry disease.
Clover Mite
Clover MiteBryobia praetiosaA tiny, red-brown mite that crawls by the thousands onto sunny walls and windowsills in spring and fall. Crushed mites leave red stains.
Tell-tale sign: Pinhead-size red to brown dots moving on walls. Risk: Clover mites don't bite people or damage homes; they're a staining nuisance.
Spotted Orbweaver
Spotted OrbweaverNeoscona cruciferaA round, hairy orb weaver that builds a new web each evening on porches, eaves and shrubs. By day it hides in a curled leaf or a nearby corner.
Tell-tale sign: Large, round, hairy abdomen, often reddish or orange. Risk: Spotted orbweavers are harmless and help control flying insects.
Which ones should you worry about?
7 of the 10 bugs in this guide can bite or sting. The ones to take seriously are black widow spider, blacklegged tick, lone star tick and red imported fire ant. The rest are harmless or simply a nuisance.
Comparison at a glance
| Black Widow Spider | Blacklegged Tick | Lone Star Tick | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group | Spiders | Ticks, Mites & Other Arachnids | Ticks, Mites & Other Arachnids |
| Scientific name | Latrodectus mactans | Ixodes scapularis | Amblyomma americanum |
| Size | 3–13 mm | 1–5 mm | 3–6 mm |
| Colors | Black and Red | Black, Red and Brown | Brown, Red and White |
| Legs | 8 legs | 8 legs | 8 legs |
| Wings | No | No | No |
| Bites or stings | Bites | Bites | Bites |
| Risk | Health risk | Health risk | Health risk |
| Key feature | Glossy black, globe-shaped abdomen | Dark black legs and shield | Single white dot on the back of adult females |
Frequently asked questions
What is the most common one?
Among the bugs in this guide, the black widow spider and blacklegged tick are the ones people ask about most.
Which of these are dangerous?
Black Widow Spider, Blacklegged Tick, Lone Star Tick and Red Imported Fire Ant can be medically significant.
How can I identify a bug I found?
Use the free bug identifier tool: choose the number of legs, wings, main color, size and where you found it, and it will list the closest matches.