Ticks are a nuisance because they are generally very small and difficult to predict where they will be. Although they can’t jump or fly, they can move from a leaf onto your body and then crawl across your skin, looking for the best place to latch on.
Once they’ve bitten you, they will stay there, feeding on your blood, until they are engorged. At this point, they will fall off by themselves and complete the reproduction process.
However, ticks are known to carry several different diseases, including Lyme disease and even Rocky mountain fever.
Although ticks generally target pets first, they can just as easily make themselves at home on you. If you think you have an issue then you need to click here and get in contact with a pest control expert.
Knowing You’ve Been Bitten
In most cases you won’t feel the tick biting you, you may not even feel it crawling on your skin. This is why it is very important to visually inspect yourself after any walk in the long grass.
Ticks are usually small and black and, once attached, you won’t easily be able to flick them off your skin. In fact, it is important that you remove them with tweezers or a tick removing tool. You need to remove all of the tick, if you leave any part of it in your skin it could become infected.
After you’ve removed the tick you’ll need to put some anti-bite cream on and keep an eye on the area. If you’ve picked up a disease the area around the bite will start to look red after just a few days.
Preventing Tick Bites
Perhaps the easiest way to prevent yourself from being bitten by a tick is never to go outside. However, for most people, this isn’t and should be an option.
Instead, you should prevent tick bites through the following methods:
Know The Area
If you speak to a local expert you’ll discover the areas near you that are most likely to have ticks in them. You can then choose to avoid those areas or wear appropriate protection before you venture into them.
It is worth noting that ticks can attach to pet fur and then fall off in your vehicle. You may need to click here to speak to a professional regarding your vehicle and how to verify ticks are not an issue. You can always get it serviced at the same time!
Use Sprays
There are a number of sprays on the market that deter ticks from jumping onto humans. Make sure you coat any bare skin in these sprays and choose one that has DEET, permethrin, or similar in.
Wear Lots Of Clothes
Covering your skin completely will help to stop ticks from getting to you. Using lighter colors is also a good idea as the ticks will find you less appealing and you’ll be able to spot them easier.
However, wearing lots of layers and making sure you’re completely covered doesn’t mean a tick won’t go n you, simply that it won’t be able to get on your skin. Check your clothing for ticks before you get into the car or home, then you’ll be leaving them outside where they belong.
If you do find a tick after your daily inspection, don’t panic. Just remember to carefully remove the whole thing; It can take 36 hours for any bacteria to transfer from the tick to your body, if you’re inspecting daily you shouldn’t have an issue.