Numerous warnings are being issued now we are in tick season. Sure, right off the heels of black-fly season, let’s toss another plague into the mix. Unfortunately, ticks can actually spread disease anytime the weather is above freezing. It isn’t as common, so let’s focus more on keeping ourselves safe this summer rather than being afraid of ever leaving our homes. (It’s me. I’m trying to convince myself.)

According to a 2023 U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention blacklegged tick surveillance study, ticks are listed as established in every county of New York state. With temperatures rising, knowing someone with a tick bite is becoming more common. Please keep in mind that deer and dog ticks are not the same pest, though both can carry disease. A dog tick is twice the size and has white markings on its shield.

I have compiled this tick information list before, but since learning of a friend of my child’s recent bite — some issues need repeating.

1. Ticks don’t jump. They grasp a piece of grass with their hind “legs” and reach out in a movement called questing. They are ready to climb aboard when their next victim brushes through leaf litter, grasses, and reeds.

2. A deer tick completes its life cycle in two years. There are four stages of growth: egg, larval, nymph, and adult. The egg and larvae stages don’t pose a threat of infecting humans with Lyme Disease. The tick lays eggs in spring, and the larvae hatch in summer.

3. The larvae, which are the size of a speck of dirt, attach to a small host animal such as white-footed mice or chipmunks. The engorged larvae fall off their host and molt into nymphs in autumn. Ticks are not born with Lyme; they receive it from an infected host.

4. The nymph and the female adult tick are responsible for transmitting Lyme. The following spring, nymphs actively search for their next blood host, most commonly the white-tailed deer. A nymph is the size of a poppy seed and can attach to humans, but due to its size, it may go unnoticed. An unfed adult female deer tick is about 1/8″ long with a reddish-orange body and black shield (scutum) behind its head. A male tick has one long shield, which limits its feeding capability.

5. If you are bitten but find the tick within 24 hours, the chance of infection is minimal. The tick doesn’t transfer the disease immediately. The tick cuts into its host to eat, inserts a feeding tube, and commences to fill up on its blood meal. As it feeds, small amounts of saliva and regurgitated blood can be transmitted back into the host. If the tick is infected, that regurgitation enters the host’s bloodstream, spreading the bacteria.

6. If bitten, getting the tick off your body as soon as possible is essential. Please do not touch or squeeze the embedded tick with your bare hands. You could cause the tick to regurgitate blood and disease into your body. The CDC states several tick removal devices are on the market, but fine-tipped tweezers will work. It is crucial to make sure the tick’s embedded head is removed. Monitor your health over the next few weeks and seek medical attention if a rash or fever develops.

Prevention is the key. Make tick checks part of an outdoor routine. Just like reapplying sunscreen and bug repellent, teaching children to check frequently for ticks is a good habit to instill. If you’re in a high-risk area like a field or hiking trail, wear light colors. I’ve even worn double-sided tape around my socks. Do I look ridiculous? No. I look like I don’t want to get Lyme. Please don’t let fear of a tick bite stop you from enjoying plenty of outdoor summer entertainment. It’s just a matter of being careful and aware. Have fun!