Hunters need to take care to protect themselves from tick-borne diseases when spending time in the woods. Here are the top 10 facts you need to know about ticks, courtesy of www.tickencounter.org.
(Lisa Barron photo)
10. Ticks crawl up
Ticks don’t jump, fly, or drop from trees onto your head and back. If you find one attached there, it most likely latched onto your foot or leg and crawled up over your entire body.
9. All ticks (including deer ticks) come in small, medium and large sizes
8. Ticks can be active even in the winter
That’s right! Deer Ticks in particular are not killed by freezing temperatures, and will be active any winter day that the ground is not snow-covered or frozen.
7. Ticks carry disease-causing microbes
Tick-transmitted infections are more common these days than in past decades. With explosive increases in deer populations, extending even into semi-urban areas in the eastern and western U.S., the trend is for increasing abundance and geographic spread of deer ticks and Lone Star ticks; and scientists are finding an ever-increasing list of disease-causing microbes transmitted by these ticks: Lyme disease bacteria, Babesia protozoa, Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, and other rickettsia, even encephalitis-causing viruses, and possibly Bartonella bacteria. Back in the day, tick bites were more of an annoyance but now a bite is much more likely to make you sick.
6. Only deer ticks transmit Lyme disease bacteria
The only way to get Lyme disease is by being bitten by a deer tick or one of its “cousins” found around the world.
5. For most tick-borne diseases, you have at least 24 hours to find and remove a feeding tick before it transmits an infection
Even a quick daily tick check at bath or shower time can be helpful in finding and removing attached ticks before they can transmit an infection. Lyme disease bacteria take at least 24 hours to invade the tick’s saliva.
4. Deer tick nymphs look like a poppy seed on your skin
And with about 1 out of 4 nymphal deer ticks carrying the Lyme disease spirochete and other nasty germs in the northeastern, mid-Atlantic, and upper mid-western U.S., it’s important to know what you’re really looking for. They’re easy to miss, their bites are generally painless, and they have a habit of climbing up (under clothing) and biting in hard-to-see places.
3. The easiest and safest way to remove a tick is with a pointy tweezer
Using really pointy tweezers, it’s possible to grab even the poppy-seed sized nymphs right down next to the skin. The next step is to simply pull the tick out like a splinter.
2. Clothing with built-in tick repellent is best for preventing tick bites
An easy way to avoid tick bites and disease is to wear clothing (shoes, socks, shorts or pants, and shirt) with Insect Shield® tick repellent built-in. http://www.insectshield.com/
1. Tick bites and tick-borne diseases are completely preventable
There’s really only one way you get a tick-transmitted disease and that’s from a tick bite. Reducing tick abundance in your yard, wearing tick repellent clothing every day, treating pets every month and getting into a habit of doing a quick body scan are all great actions for preventing tick bites.
Insect Shield Tick Repellent Apparel
Insect Shield’s EPA-registered technology converts clothing and gear into effective and convenient insect protection. The repellency is long-lasting and appropriate for use by the entire family with no restrictions for use.
Quick Facts:
– Repellency is in the clothing and gear – not on your skin
– Lasts through 70 launderings
– No restrictions for use
– Appropriate for the entire family
– No need to re-apply
– Repels mosquitoes, ticks, ants, flies, chigger and midges including those that can cause Lyme disease, malaria and other dangerous insect-borne diseases.
The Women's Outdoor News, aka The WON, features news, reviews and stories about women who are shooting, hunting, fishing and actively engaging in outdoor adventure. This publication is for women, by women. View all posts by The WON
Good article, but unfortunately, some false information:
6) Not only deer ticks, but many other ticks, and fleas, mosquitoes, biting flies, lice and others actually transmit Lyme/co-infections. Think about it, if a mosquito bites an animal or person carrying the infection, then bites another person, the infected blood is now a part of that person who was just bit.
This is a much wider spread pandemic than most people realize, or confess to for those who know what’s going on but are putting their dampers on this issue for their own agenda, money.
Also, 5) Infection can be transmitted immediately from a tick bite. NEVER wait to get correct, adequate treatment for the bite, regardless if it’s with/without Lyme/co. NEVER WAIT. Go to your PCP, the ER, or wherever, just GO and request, and then demand if shooed away, immediate treatment.
Plus, make certain you get the correct high dosage and the correct length, meaning at least 2 months or MORE.
Please, research and get the real facts surrounding this awful, debilitating, life threatening illness. Educate yourself and stay healthy.
Getting this illness is hell in itself, not to mention trying to get the correct diagnosis AND the correct treatment. This is a travesty and nothing short than medical malpractice.
Very useful article, got some new info ahead of my hiking season – thanks for posting!
Thanks, Janna. Good luck with your hikes and hope you can stay tick-free!
Definitely getting an Insect Shield clothing for my children for our next trip. Thanks for the tip. =)