Checking for Ticks

Checking for Ticks

The weather is warming up which means it’s prime time for outside activities.  Among the fun that can be had in the great outdoors there are also some concerns.  One being TICKS.  Ticks are found in high vegetation areas, usually in tall grass.  They await a host (human, dog, deer, etc) that they can latch on to and consume a blood meal.  Checking for ticks is important if you’ve recently spent time outside.

Ticks have 4 life stages, egg, larva, nymph, and adult.  To go from one life stage to another they have to get blood from a host.  Most ticks need 3-4 hosts to complete their life cycle.

Once a tick is fully engorged, weighing 200-600 times what it did before the meal, they drop off the host, digest, molt, and then find another host to feed off of.

Ticks bites can cause irritation to the skin of people and pets.  In some instances they can cause allergic reaction, transfer Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, babesiosis, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.  If you, your kids, or your pets have spent time outdoors it is important that you thoroughly check for ticks on the body, especially the hair.

For more information on ticks:

https://www.callnorthwest.com/learning-center/identify-your-pest/ticks/

https://www.callnorthwest.com/tag/ticks/