By: Alyssum Flowers
“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” said Benjamin Franklin, almost 300 years ago. His sage advice is certainly applicable to disease prevention from tick bites. Each year, approximately 300,000 cases of Lyme disease are reported in the USA alone, according to CDC. Other diseases have afflicted people as well as pets and livestock, many of whom suffered for months or years afterward. The range of dangerous ticks continues to spread and many of us spending time outside may be so consumed with our bees that we may not take proper precautions to prevent ticks from climbing on us, riding home to our family and pets and potentially biting and inflicting us with multiple pathogenic diseases.
In the Midwest, we are used to the American dog tick and brown dog tick. We may even be familiar with the lone star tick, all of which can carry several serious diseases; however the black legged tick (deer tick) has spread from the Northeast throughout the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic states. Another tick discovered in 2017, the longhorned tick, is in many eastern states and is a serious pest of animals and livestock. No doubt as we continue to edge out wildlife and “urbanize” wild areas, encounters with new species of ticks will continue to be discovered.
The key is to take preventive measures for ourselves and our animals to keep ticks off and to take action if an engorged tick is discovered. Note that ticks and the varroa mite are closely related and all can vector diseases.
Top Ticks
American dog tick, Dermacentor variablis (Say)
Asian longhorn tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis),
Brown tick, Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Latreille).
Blacklegged Tick (Deer Tick), Ixodes scapularis
Lone Star tick, Amblyomma americanum (Linnaeus)
Western blacklegged tick, Ixodes pacificus
Winter tick, Dermacentor albipictus
Life Cycle
Ticks have four developmental life stages: egg; a six-legged larva (called seed tick); an eight-legged nymph; and eight-legged adult. Ticks require a blood meal before molting to the next stage and most feed on different host species as they develop. Normally, eggs hatch in early Spring and the ticks crawl onto grasses and quest (search) for small warm blooded hosts (mice, chipmunks, raccoons). They will grab onto an animal as it passes and climb up to find a safe place to feed. The mouthparts of a tick consist of the chelicerae which cut through the skin and a saw-like barbed hypostome which penetrates the skin. Some ticks produce a cement-like substance which helps to glue the tick’s mouthparts to the host.
Ticks feed about three to four days until they become engorged. At that point, they drop from the host to molt. The larger tick then climbs onto bushes at a higher vantage point to catch a larger host (ground hog, dog, deer, human). At any one-time, overlapping generations may occur with peak adult and nymphal activity occurring from March through May and again in July and August. It often takes up to three years for a tick, like the lone star tick, to complete its life cycle.
By Fall, the female will feed again until engorged, then drop off to produce clusters of thousands of eggs, then die. Usually, the female will dig under the leaf litter so that the eggs are protected from freezing temperatures. Males die soon after mating. The Brown dog tick is often brought indoors, so that in late Winter the eggs hatch and small nymphs are found inside the home. The black legged tick differs from other ticks in that the nymphs can be active all Winter.
Prevention
Ticks can be found anywhere that animals may wander. Ticks can be in woods, fields, trails, front or backyards, near ponds, rivers or around animal resting places. Don’t think that spraying a yard or walking trail will stop ticks from occurring because they are being carried on animals and can be dropped off at any point. The best strategy is to keep ticks off you and your pets by using the best repellent for the situation and checking yourself, children and pets after being outside.
Wear light colored clothing so that ticks can be seen and tuck pants into your socks or boots. Insect repellents are available either to apply on skin or clothing. Spray the shoes/boots, legs and waist area before heading outdoors. In general, products meant to be applied to skin should not be used on infants. Follow label directions before using. Products labeled for clothing should not be placed directly on skin. Since products vary in efficacy, make sure to have the repellent available to reapply after the recommended period of time. Pre-treated clothing can be purchased which may be handy to store in the vehicle.
After being outdoors, check thoroughly for ticks. If possible, remove outside clothes in the garage and place clothes directly into the wash or a plastic bag. Remember that the ticks may be in the vehicle as well. Different ticks tend to settle in specific areas but in general, check the back of knees, private areas, back, armpits, the hairline, ears and scalp. Check your pets carefully and make sure that they are properly protected. Treat them with products that repel ticks before feeding or products that kill the ticks with the first bite. Products sold in stores are usually not as effective as those purchased with a veterinarian’s prescription. Dogs are susceptible to many tick-borne diseases and both dogs and cats can die from anemia.
If you find an attached tick, using tweezers, pull the tick straight out and place in a bottle of alcohol. If the tick is still alive, put it in a bottle with ventilation and some grass. If the bite spot continues to be inflamed or if a rash develops anywhere, contact a doctor as soon as possible. Several states will test ticks for pathogens but it is more important to talk with a doctor about being bitten and being treated appropriately.
Below are the repellents recommended by the EPA. Remember that although DEET can tolerate freezing temperatures, bottles and cans of repellent should be protected from extreme temperatures and have an expiration date. Make sure that you and your loved ones are properly protected and safe!
- DEET
- Picaridin (known as KBR 3023 and picaridin outside the U.S.)
IR3535 - Oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE)
- Para-menthane-diol (PMD)
- 2-undecanone
Note that natural insect repellents (repellents not registered with EPA) may not have the desired efficacy.
Tick testing
https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/removal/index.html
https://www.tickreport.com/
https://www.dshs.texas.gov/animal-safety-zoonosis/animal-bites/tick-submission-testing
https://www.ticklab.org/test-my-tick
References:
https://extension.psu.edu/common-ticks-and-tick-borne-diseases-in-pennsylvania
https://texasinsects.tamu.edu/lone-star-tick/
http://www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/tickkey.htm
https://portal.ct.gov/DPH/Epidemiology-and-Emerging-Infections/Ticks
https://www.fs.usda.gov/visit/know-before-you-go/ticks
http://www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/tickkey.htm
