9 Tick Facts We Think You Should Know

The arrival of June means the school year has finally finished and summer has officially begun! When most people think of summer, they think about swimming, sunshine, outdoor activities, and vacation. What they often forget about are the pesky little creatures that come with all of our favorite activities. An awareness of ticks is likely not something we enjoy having on our radar, but being a resident of New Jersey, we need to understand the issues that come with having these little buggers around.

We’ve put together a list of tick facts we think you should know below.

9 Tick Facts You Should Know

Even though they are tiny, ticks can cause severe issues for humans and animals. By educating yourself on these facts, you can better protect yourself and your family from these dangerous pests.

1. Only certain ticks spread disease.
   Most of us know that ticks can spread diseases, but not all ticks carry disease. The deer tick is the biggest concern for New Jersey residents, which is very prominent in the northeast. Deer ticks are known to spread Lyme Disease, which can cause severe joint pain and inflammation in humans and animals. While a bullseye rash is a common first sign of Lyme Disease, approximately 20-30 percent of individuals infected don’t get a rash. Other symptoms include joint pain and arthritis.
2. They are not insects.
   Ticks are considered to be a part of the arachnid family, which means they are more related to spiders than other common insects we encounter daily. In fact, ticks don’t have antennae and have four sets of legs just like spiders.
3. Ticks need blood to survive.
   Ticks bite animals and humans because they need blood to survive. They have four life stages for which blood is required at every stage. Some tick species can take as long as three years to develop fully, so if they’ve not found an adequate host before this time, they’ll likely never make it to adulthood.
4. They don’t leave right away.
   Unlike other pests, once a tick bites, it usually stays for two to three days. Often, you won’t realize there is a tick on you until it burrows under the skin.
5. The sooner you remove a tick, the better.
   Ticks are known for spreading diseases, but it doesn’t happen immediately. The sooner a tick is removed, the less likely you will contract Lyme or other tick-affiliated diseases.
6. Ticks also contract diseases.
   Ticks can also contract diseases from the animals they feed on. If a deer has Lyme disease, a healthy tick can contract it and then spread it to its next feeding host, picking up a second disease before moving on.
7. They can survive without air.
   Several online remedies recommend suffocating the tick to kill it. However, these won’t work because ticks can survive a long time without air.
8. Tweezers are the best way to remove a tick.
   The best and only recommended way to remove a tick is with a good pair of tweezers or a tick removal device. Grab ahold of the tick as close to the skin as possible and pull it out slowly, so the body doesn’t break off.
9. Tick checks should occur every 2 hours.
   Conduct tick checks every two hours during the summer time when you are outdoors and before returning indoors to catch ticks before they bite.

For more information on how to control ticks in your backyard, contact Perennial Lawn Care today for more information on pest control.

Posted on June 22, 2019 by Perennial Lawn Care