Ticks
Ixodida
General Information
- Ticks will climb up long grass blades or low brush and attach themselves to animals or people as they pass by
- Ticks are often seen crawling on or under clothing, on bare skin, or in hair
- Ticks tend to move upwards on people, looking for a hidden place to start feeding
Size
Less than 1.59 and up to 6.35 millimetres long
Colour
Brown | Reddish Brown | Tan
Commonly mistaken for
Additional details
- Many tick species love cool woods and grassy areas where they “Perch” and have their best chance of finding dinner as it passes by (animal blood)
- Other ticks like the Dog Tick are found anywhere pets rest and play – this includes lawns, kennels, along the edges of woods, and fields
- Ticks survive on blood, which means they attach to and then bite animals that pass by
- Ticks prefer wild animals such as rodents and deer, however, they will bite humans opportunistically
- The vast majority of tick-bite incidents take place between April and September, their period of greatest activity
- Ticks are known to transmit many different types of diseases including Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever
- People are encouraged to take preventative action against ticks because the risk of disease is high in many areas – spraying infested areas and wearing a personal repellent labeled for tick protection is highly encouraged in these areas
- If you are bitten by a tick and cannot remove it yourself, contact your physician for removal and treatment
- Do not use alcohol, nail polish, hot matches, petroleum jelly, or other materials to remove ticks – instead grasp the tick firmly as close to where it is attached as possible and then gently pull until the tick releases
- Wear light-colored socks and pants that will easily reveal ticks when they crawl on you
- Tuck pant legs into socks to reduce the risk of ticks getting to skin
- Wear close-toed footwear
- Examine yourself and your children daily for ticks when in infested areas
- Check clothing, gear, and pets often during tick season
- For your yard, keep grass, weeds, and brush trimmed low to eliminate ideal tick hiding spots