Ticks

By Katie Finch, Senior Nature Educator

I often write or talk about the wonder and beauty of nature. But nature can also be uncomfortable and risky. Dangers that first come to mind may be large predators such as bears and mountain lions. But it’s the little things that we are more likely to encounter, specifically ticks.

These small arachnids have always been a risk in my outdoor adventures. They’ve been on my mind more this year because they seem to be more prevalent. I’ve seen more ticks and heard more tick stories from others than in in the past. The start of the summer season is a good time to remind ourselves what precautions we can take against ticks but also learn more about why we have to take precautions in the first place.

Ticks are a parasite. To survive, they need another living organism on which to feed. And when they feed, the tick benefits and their host is harmed. Ticks feed on the blood from a variety of mammals, such as mice, deer, dogs, or us. But birds, amphibians, and reptiles are also hosts for ticks.

Ticks have four stages in their life cycle — egg, larva, nymph, and adult. Once hatched from the egg, they feed off a host at each stage to transform to their next. If they make it through their whole life cycle, they feed three times in their life over a two- or three-year period.

There are several hundred species of ticks worldwide. In our region, the most common species are American Dog Tick, Brown Dog Tick, and Black-legged Tick, also called the Deer Tick. While the tick bite can be irritating, it is the threat of disease transmission that is the bigger issue. Several different species of ticks can spread different diseases. It is the Black-legged Tick that can spread the bacteria that causes Lyme disease in humans.

Nature is full of complex relationships. For example, Black-legged Ticks don’t always carry Lyme disease. There are more connections. They pick it up from a host when they feed as a larva. Rodents, particularly mice, are the reservoir of this bacteria. Ticks then transmit this disease to their other hosts, including humans, as they feed the second and third time as a nymph or an adult. White-tailed Deer are a common host of adult Black-legged ticks, leading to the tick also being called the Deer Tick. But deer do not infect ticks with the bacteria.

When we understand these connections, we may be able to act. For example, there is some evidence that reducing deer populations would, over the long term, reduce the spread of Lyme disease. If a female tick can’t find a host for a blood meal, it can’t lay eggs. Ticks can lay up to 2000 eggs. And those eggs don’t have the chance of becoming larva or nymphs, that spread Lyme from rodents to humans.    

But while the scientific community collects more evidence and debates the benefits and consequences of any action to reduce the prevalence of tick-borne illnesses, there are things we can do every day to reduce the risk to ourselves. 

First, know where ticks live. They prefer grassy, brushy areas. When they sense chemicals or odors from the host they stretch out their front legs in a behavior called “questing”. They can’t jump or fly, so the host has to come in physical contact with the tick to climb on.  

But sometimes you can’t avoid brushing up against plants for many reasons. That’s where insect repellent is helpful. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has a searchable database of repellents, what they repel, and how long they last. Go to https://www.epa.gov/insect-repellents for more information.

If a tick does crawl on you, it may crawl around looking for a warm, dark place to bite. If you wear taller socks and tuck your pants into your socks, they can’t crawl under your pant legs as easily. As a teenager, I would have advised against this for fashion reasons. But now, protection outweighs fashion and I do this when I know I’m going to be in tall grass or brush.    

Checking for ticks on your clothes and your body after being outside is a must. Putting clothes in the dryer for 10 minutes on high heat can kill ticks on your clothes. But also check your body for any crawling or biting ticks too. Keep in mind, nymphs can be as small as a poppy seed.

If there is a tick that is bitten you and is attached to your skin, you can remove it with tweezers. Grasp it as close as you can to the skin and gently pull upwards. It may take up to a minute for two for the tick to release its mouth parts. Once you dispose of the tick, pay attention to how you feel for the next few weeks. Talk to your doctor if you feel ill. For more information visit https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/after-a-tick-bite/index.html.

Ticks are most active during warmer months, April – September. But they can be active on days that are above freezing in the winter. In below-freezing temperatures, they are able to pause their body functions but not freeze, until it becomes warmer again.

Nature is both beautiful and not. Ticks are one of those subjects that can make even the most avid outdoor-person wary. But we take risks every day. And we do things to mitigate these risks.  For example, driving or riding in a car is risky. But seatbelts and airbags help reduce the risk and harm to us. And we consider the benefit of driving worth the risk.

This summer is a good reminder to be aware and take precaution against ticks. At the same time, also remind yourself why going outside, despite this risk, is worthwhile.

Audubon Community Nature Center builds and nurtures connections between people and nature. ACNC is located just east of Route 62 between Warren and Jamestown. The trails are open from dawn to dusk and birds of prey can be viewed anytime the trails are open. The Nature Center is open from 10 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. daily except Sunday when it opens at 1 p.m. More information can be found online at auduboncnc.org or by calling (716) 569-2345.

Katie Finch is Senior Nature Educator at ACNC.