Ticks

Be on the lookout! Northwest Connecticut woodlands are infested with these disease carrying arachnids. Ticks sit on branches, leafs and trees and wait for a host to brush up against them, they latch onto the host and look for a warm, hidden area to start feeding.

What to watch out for: Deer ticks (Ixodes scapularis) Pictured below is the life stages of deer ticks. The ticks carry and transmit Lyme disease and various other health concerning illnesses. If you are bitten, use correct methods of removal (explained below).After removal, watch for swelling and the signature Lyme disease bulls eye bruise. Not ALL Lyme disease bites leave a bulls eye!

Tick removal:
Do - After locating the bite, quickly locate tweezers. Apply pressure on the head of the tick and lift the tick slowly upward. Eventually the tick will release. Then effectively wash the area with antiseptic or rubbing alcohol. The faster you remove and disinfect the area the less chance a disease will transfer. If the tick breaks in half during removal, make sure to fully remove any broken legs or head parts from your skin.

Don’t use chemicals and gasoline
Don’t attempt to burn the tick off
Don’t squeeze on the body of the tick, this will force all the fluids in the tick, into you.

A good tip is to spray your legs, ankles and shoes with bug spay to deter them.

Health, D. P. Ticks. Retrieved July 01, 2017, from http://www.ct.gov/dph/cwp/view.asp?a=3136&q=528408

Photos taken from:

http://www.turfmastersct.com/pages/tick-control/deer-ticks.php

http://www.childrenslymenetwork.org/children-lyme/lyme-disease-symptoms/