When it Comes to Ticks – The Best Defense is a Good Offense

Source: flickr/bvcphoto

Ticks are everywhere these days.  From soccer fields, to deep wooded areas.  From golf courses to outdoor picnics. From backyards to school yards.

“The Best Defense is a Good Offense.”

They travel from one host to another making their habitat widespread.  They prefer wooded areas and deep grassy areas. However, they are also found at the edge of wooded areas.  They seek hosts in over grown grass, leaf litter and low growing shrubs.  Ticks are most active in the early morning and early evening.  They tend to be less active in the heat of day.

Because ticks tend to dislike the heat, they are most active in shaded areas rather than direct sunlit areas.  They are more active on days after rain than during droughts.  You can easily find them walking up tall wet grasses to get out of the water stricken areas.   The Larvae are most active in fall (September-October).  The Nymphs are most active in summer (June- early September).  The Adult ticks are most active in Spring (March- early May) and Fall (September- early November).

Before going outside, protect yourself.  Use a repellant.  A repellant containing DEET  is most effective.  Many people are concerned about the chemical DEET.  My opinion, and it strictly my opinion, is this:  I have been bitten by a tick(s) that infected me and changed my life drastically.  There is a chance I will die from this disease.   The use of a repellant containing DEET could have saved me from all this.  Now I have numerous medications – ALL CHEMICALS- going into my body to save my life.  I’m not afraid of protecting myself with a repellant.  Not only that, the repellant can be worn on the outside of the clothing.  It does not have to be sprayed or worn on the skin.

Wear light-colored clothing so hitch hiking, crawling ticks are easily noticed.  If you find a tick crawling on you, DO NOT simply brush it off, allowing it another chance to prey on someone else.  Destroy it.  DO NOT flush them down the toilet.   They can live in the water for a period of time.  I put my ‘captured’ ticks between two pieces of scotch tape and then tape it to a piece of paper, as shown below:

After returning from a hike, playing in the leaves, working in the gardens,  or being in a possible tick infested area, perform a thorough tick check of your body.  Remove your clothes and place them in the clothes dryer.  Set the temperature on HIGH and press START!  Do not simply think that washing the clothes will destroy the ticks.  It won’t.  Again, they can live in the water.  The heat from the clothes dryer will kill them.  Check ALL parts of your body and look CLOSELY.  Remember, the nymph deer ticks are as small as the period at the end of this sentence.  Have someone examine your back and scalp for any hidden ticks.  I remember finding a tick in my belly button years ago.  These nasty vampires will  hide on you, embed themselves into your skin without you even feeling the bite, then  feed on your blood, all the while possibly infecting you with Lyme Disease and other Co-Infections.

Know the proper way to remove a tick if one has embedded itself into you,  someone you know or your pet.