What is a Tick?

A tick is a tiny, blood sucking mite. Ticks usually live on blood and attach themselves to animals such as deer or dogs as well as humans. There are 2 types of ticks, nymphal and larval. Deer ticks often hide in shaded areas of trees, in tall grassy areas as well as wet soil. Ticks will normally inhabit areas where white footed mice live. These mice are the preferred hosts for a tick.

Deer ticks do not fall from trees nor can they fly or jump. The host, usually dogs, deers, birds and humans, get ticks by brushing against a tick habitat such as tall grass or bushes. As soon as the tick attaches itself to a human it will try to find a creased area of the body, most times the groin, armpit, back of the neck or knee and the groin area. It will then begin to insert its teeth or mouth-parts into the host skin until it finds blood.

Precautions for avoiding Lyme Disease

It is best to avoid piles of leaves and wet soil as much as you can. If you are an avid outdoors person and you enjoy hiking, camping or hunting it is best to be able to tell the difference between ticks. Here a few tips on how to distinguish the difference:

Judging the ticks size and color is the best way to tell the difference between deer tick larva and nymph, or adult deer ticks. Below you can see the difference between the ticks.

There are also 2 other tick species, the dog ticks and Lone Star ticks. Neither of these types of ticks are know to cause Lyme Disease.

While following the above precautions also consider the following:

• Tucking your pants into your shoes or socks can help. Ticks will climb towards exposed skin to be sure to check your clothes frequently.
• Once you are finished with you outdoor activity, you should run your clothes in the dryer for 20 minutes to destroy and unnoticed ticks. Heat will kill the ticks.
• If you are using a bug spray containing DEET, be sure not to use it in high concentrations.
• Taking a shower will remove any unattached ticks however it will have no effect on a tick that has already attached itself. Be sure to inspect children and pets carefully after outdoors activity. A good thing to remember is nymphal ticks are small; about the size of a poppy seed and adult ticks are around the size of an apple seed.

When having contact with any type of vegetation, even the grass in the backyard, you can pick up ticks so it is vital to inspect yourself and children for ticks after each exposure to vegetation. If the temperature is less than 44 degrees F ticks are generally not active. Even still, preforming a nightly check is the best way to identify engorged ticks and help to prevent Lyme Disease. Learn more about Lyme Disease symptoms.

Found an Attached Tick? Do I have Lyme Disease?

There is no reason to freak out if you find a tick has attached itself to your skin. Not all tick species transmit the bacteria that cause Lyme Disease. If a tick has attached itself, remember, it takes 36 to 48 hours for the tick to transmit the spirochete, the bacteria that causes Lyme Disease. If you catch it in time you lessen your risk of being infected, which is why doing a nightly check is so important.

If you do find a tick attached, follow the steps below to remove it.

1. Using tweezers, grab the tick as close as you can to its head. Be sure to use a pair of tweezers that have the tips aligned. Whatever you do, do NOT grab it by its body as you will risk squirting any infected blood into the wound.
2. Pull the tick firmly, try not to jerk it. Do not twist it or use any petroleum jelly, alcohol, a hot match or any other type of substance.
3. Dispose of the tick by pouring alcohol on it.
4. Apply disinfectant to the tick bite.

After the tick removal, be sure to keep an eye on the infected area. The first Lyme disease symptom that will appear is a rash on or near the bite. If you notice a rash, seek a treatment immediately.

Lyme Disease prevention and ticks can be handled in the following ways:

• Keep your lawn and edges mowed.
• Clear all brush and tall grass around your home.
• If you have cut wood for fires, stack them neatly and store in a dry location and keep the stack off the ground.
• Treat your lawn twice a year by hiring a professional service to eliminate ticks.

See more pictures of ticks and Lyme Disease.