How To Avoid Tick Bites
Getting bitten from ticks is a risk we run every time we are outside in our yards. Ticks can be transported from wildlife such as squirrels, deer, mice, cats, dogs and birds. Pretty much any type of wildlife that crosses through your yard can bring ticks along with them. With the CDC now reporting over 300,000 new cases of Lyme disease every year this is a risk that we should take very seriously. Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and humans get it through the bite of infected blacklegged ticks. The blacklegged tick or deer tick as it is commonly called is a very small tick that is spread throughout the Northeast. In fact the earlier stages of this insect are about the size of a grain of pepper and can still spread disease through its bite. So what can we do? A lot has to do with awareness especially when were coming back in or when were out and about in yards and fields. It also requires us to be vigilant with our pets because they can succumb to Lyme disease as well. If you live in an area that is known to have tick problems it is best to keep your lawn cut short, leaf litter cleaned up, and especially around the perimeter of the yard any areas with overgrowth should be trimmed back. It also pays to use insect repellents wear shoes and socks and tuck your pants into your socks if you’re going to be in really high level tick infested areas and check yourself often. I know that a lot of people do not like utilizing insect repellents but if used according to the label and not applied directly to the skin they are quite safe and much better than the alternative of getting a tick borne disease from a tick bite. Here is a video showing you how to properly remove a tick from your skin.
Many people believe that due to the harsh winter that the insect levels this year will be lower than normal especially when it comes to tick populations. Unfortunately this is not the case as due to the excessive amounts of snow these insects were protected from the elements by a snowy blanket of insulation. In fact we are already getting reports of high levels of texts being brought in by dogs and cats in New York, northern New Jersey and Northeast Pennsylvania.. One option you may want to consider is getting a tick spray early spring (that is now) as well as one late fall. This will greatly reduce the tick population during two key times. You should also be aware that there are many organic products using different types of plant oils that are very effective in killing not only ticks but mosquitoes and other disease carrying insects that are safe to use around children and pets.
