TICKS - OH MY !

Jul 03, 2011 Ticks are one of the most serious outdoor pests, since they bite and may carry diseases. Ticks are arthropods, more closely related to spiders. Adult ticks have eight legs, while insects have six legs. Ticks are ectoparasites, which means they must have a host for each stage of their life cycle to survive and reproduce. Types of ticks The American dog tick is the most common tick in Alabama. Larvae, nymphs and adults are commonly found on dogs but rarely on humans. The body length of an unengorged adult is about 1/8 inch, but can extend to 1/2 inch when fully engorged after a blood meal. The American dog tick is the most common carrier of the disease-causing agent for Rocky Mountain spotted fever. The Lone Star tick is a confirmed carrier of human ehrlichiosis. Sixty-eight percent of all ticks recovered from humans are Lone Star ticks. While the Lone Star tick species is a known carrier of disease, each individual tick is not infective. This concept is true for other tick species that have been confirmed to carry disease-causing agents. The black-legged tick, commonly called the deer tick, is associated with Lyme disease. The preferred host for the adult ticks is white-tailed deer. The bite from a nymphal stage tick is most often associated with Lyme disease, because the nymph is small and may go undetected. Lyme disease is primarily a problem in the Northeast and upper Midwest United States, but has been found in Alabama. Tick bites can also result in prolonged itching. How to avoid ticks Minimizing your exposure to tick bites is the best way to avoid tick-borne diseases: • Wear light-colored clothing in wooded areas or places that ticks are known to infest. Ticks are easier to see on light colors so you can remove them before they attach. • Tuck pant legs into socks, boots or shoes to prevent ticks from crawling up under clothing. • Apply an insect repellent containing DEET to boot or shoe tops, around the waist and on exposed skin. • In heavily infested areas, you may want to use permethrin on clothing. Permethrin is not for use on skin. Make sure that clothing treated with permethrin dries for at least two hours before use. Most insect repellents for mosquitoes usually work well against ticks. • Examine yourself carefully for ticks after leaving the woods or tick-infested areas. Check especially the hair, shoulders, armpits, waist and inner thighs. How to remove a tick Normally, ticks must attach for several hours before a disease agent is passed from tick to man. Therefore, if you remove ticks promptly, you greatly reduce your chances of getting Lyme disease or Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Check your pets, especially dogs, for ticks as often as possible. Outside pets can pick up ticks and bring them into the home. Remove attached ticks carefully. Using a pair of fine tweezers, firmly grasp the tick at the point closest to where it is attached and pull with a slow steady motion. You should hear a “pop” as the tick’s mouthparts are pulled free. Disinfect the bite with rubbing alcohol or iodine. Avoid removing ticks with bare fingers. If the tick is crushed, you could introduce the disease agent through cuts or abrasions in your skin. Remove ticks from pets in the same way you remove ticks from yourself. Spraying for ticks There are several products labeled for controlling ticks in the yard, among them carbaryl, permethrin, lambda-cyhalothrin and tralomethrin. Most general lawn insecticides mention whether they will control ticks. You may elect to simply treat a specific area, such as a portion of your yard just before a picnic. Be sure to always follow the label directions and allow sufficient time for the product to dry before allowing people and pets to enter the area. Applications at two- to four-week intervals may be necessary to eliminate ticks. Frontline and Top Spot are recommended for controlling ticks on pets. It is important to treat pet areas on the same day that you treat the pet to avoid re-infestation. Read more: Anniston Star - On Gardening The ABCs of controlling ticks