As many of you know, I’m an avid gardener which means I am outside in the yard a lot. I also walk my dog through the woods nearly every morning of the year. Both of these important parts of my life mean that I am exposed to ticks.
Warmer weather brings additional opportunities for all of us to get out, but there are some risks from these parasitic arachnids to be aware of. There are three types of ticks here in Massachusetts and the rest of New England. All of them can bite humans, but the black-legged tick, also known as the deer tick by many measures, is the most dangerous.
Ticks have definitely increased across the area over the past several decades. Ticks carry multiple types of diseases, the most common of which is Lyme Disease, which is spread by the black-legged tick. The number of Lyme cases has increased dramatically across the United States over the past several decades.
Nationally, the data tracked by the EPA shows that Lyme disease cases nearly doubled between 1991 and 2018. And New England states have seen the largest increases in cases.
Deer ticks have a two-year life cycle and spring and autumn tend to be when many of us end up getting bitten by either the larvae, nymphs or adults. The larvae and nymphs are very small and often go unnoticed, almost looking like a freckle. Since I’m outside so much, I check for ticks every evening and it’s a good idea to have somebody check the parts you might not be able to see easily such as your back.
Ticks feed on the blood of mammals, birds and reptiles and they’re one of the most common vectors for transmitting human pathogens, from bacteria to protozoa to viruses and rickettsia. There is also Alpha-gal syndrome (AGS), which is an allergic condition spread primarily by the lone star tick. AGS is also called alpha-gal allergy, red meat allergy and causes some people to no longer be able to eat red meat.
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Not killed by cold weather, ticks instead just become less active. This is why in a mild winter, like the one we just had, you can find ticks even in January.
Most ticks need a different host during their life cycle. This is why as we are walking through the woods, raking our yards, or even just playing with the dog we are susceptible to becoming a host. This is another reason why checking your animals for ticks before you cuddle with them is important.
There are, of course, tick prevention measures you can take. There are tick prevention medicines for dogs and cats as well as a vaccine for dogs against Lyme Disease. Wearing long pants and using insect repellents with DEET or Picaridin are both effective ways to repel ticks as well as other insects.
In your yard you can limit exposure to ticks by creating tick-safe zones. The CDC image below outlines where ticks are likely and tips on limiting tick habitats.
The warmer weather is a gift we all can enjoy. Getting bitten by a tick isn’t inevitable, but if you do, remove it immediately and watch for a rash. Keep in mind, it may or may not look like a bulls-eye. Being judicious about ticks will limit your exposure and let you enjoy the outdoors many of us love so much.
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