With the spring season upon us and a prediction from the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) of a larger tick population this year, it’s a good time to revisit some helpful tick truths and tips.
Three female Blacklegged ticks-By: NPMA
- Ticks are not insects. Ticks are actually arachnids like spiders, scorpions and mites. Unlike insects, all members of this group have 4 pairs of legs as adults, and haven’t any antennae.
- There are about 200 species of ticks in the United States, only a few of those ticks are more commonly found in Wisconsin: the American dog tick, the brown dog tick, and the Blacklegged tick. The Lone Star tick is also becoming more prevalent in Wisconsin.
- Ticks do not fly or jump. They will crawl onto grass or brush until they find a host to crawl up and attach to. It is thought that ticks also have the ability to wait on higher ground and drop onto a host.
- Ticks need blood to survive. Ticks will bury themselves deep within a host and can stay attached for days to eat.
- A quick tick check after being outdoors and a prompt removal of a tick is important. For ticks to successfully transmit a disease, such as Lyme disease, they typically need to be feeding for 24-48 hours.
- Ticks transmit a wide array of disease-causing microbes. In Wisconsin several tickborne illnesses have been reported such as babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, anaplasmosis, spotted fever rickettsiosis and Lyme disease. Lyme disease is the highest reported illness in Wisconsin.
- Ticks are easiest removed by using a fine-tipped tweezers or there are tick removal tools on the market that are said to work well. When using tweezers, grasp the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible, pull upward with steady, even pressure. Do not twist or jerk the tick; doing so can cause the mouth-parts to break off and remain in the skin. If this does happen, try to remove the mouth-parts with your tweezers. If you are unable to remove the mouth easily with tweezers, leave it alone and let the skin heal. Once the tick is removed, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol, an iodine scrub, or soap and water. *
- To prevent tick encounters avoid known tick-infested areas. When you are outdoors, keep to the center on cleared walkways and trails and try to avoid brushing up against vegetation and tall grass.
- Wear protective and lighter-colored clothing such as long-sleeved shirts, long trousers, boots or sturdy shoes when you think you may be encountering a tick-infested area. As an added extra ounce of protection, tuck your pants into your socks. Tape the area where pants and socks meet so ticks cannot crawl under clothing. The CDC recommends using insect repellent with at least 20% DEET if you plan to be in a tick infested area. Plan to do a tick check every couple of hours on yourself and your loved ones, and YES, check those furry loved ones too!
Call our knowledgeable staff now in Muskego at 262-679-4422, in Oshkosh at 920-385-0412 or toll free at 800-956-0800 to request a free estimate and ask us about our 4 Tier Mosquito Program, which also targets ticks. Visit us on the web at www.safewaypest.net.
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