By Catie Keller
(Image above: Eastern blacklegged Tick, courtesy Tick Research Lab of Pennsylvania)

After a long winter, Western New Yorkers were itching to get outside. But mammals aren’t the only ones crawling out of hibernation – when the weather warms up, the pests come out, too.

While Western NY has fewer confirmed cases of tick-borne illnesses in comparison to the rest of the state, tick activity and emergency room visits have been on the rise since the beginning of the season. 

Our local parks have signs posted if there are ticks present, yet they are most frequently found in tall grass and leaf litter off the beaten path, so stick to the tried-and-true trails to reduce your chances of encountering these pests. 

Nowadays, boot-brush stations are being installed more frequently at park entrances, so be sure to take a few seconds to brush off any critters that may have hitched a ride.

Hiking Safety

Ticks thrive in humid temperatures and are most prevalent in areas with high concentrations of deer and rodents. Be sure to avoid leaf litter, dense bush and wooded edges of trails, as those are typical hangouts for ticks. They can’t jump or fly, but they can attach themselves to humans and animals when brushing against tall grass and shrubbery. Avoid “shortcuts” and bushwacking while hiking and stay on the official trail.

To prevent ticks from latching on, there are lots of effective sprays like 20-30% DEET that can be used, and some EPA-approved repellants are safe for pets as well. 

Some other options include permethrin-treated clothing & spray, as well as products containing picaridin, IR3535, para-menthane-diol (PMD) or 2-undecanone. Always be sure to apply insect repellant after sunscreen.

Alternative and natural sprays made of essential oils may repel ticks for a little bit, but will need to be reapplied multiple times throughout an excursion to maintain its effectiveness.

Wearing light or bright colors, long socks, pants and boots can help reduce tick bites and make them easier to find. Minimizing exposed skin is the best approach, especially from the waist down, since ticks tend to crawl upwards.

Don’t wait until the end of the hike to inspect yourself – periodically check yourself throughout for extra precaution. Examine yourself and any children or pets that accompanied to ensure there are no bites. 

After returning from the hike, do a full body check. Key areas to inspect include under the arms, in and around ears and hair, inside the belly button, between the legs, back of the knees, ankles and around the waist.

Inspect, wash and dry clothes on high heat when returning from hiking, along with taking a warm shower. 

Tick Removal

If you happen to find a tick bite, do not touch the tick directly. Wear protectant gloves and use disinfected, fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick by its mouth, as close to the skin as possible, and pull slowly and steadily upwards without twisting. The goal is to keep the tick intact without leaving the head, legs, or any secretions in the skin. Do not squeeze the body of the tick or attempt to dig out any remaining parts, as this may increase the risk of infection.

More importantly, do not discard the tick. Use gloves when handling them to save for lab testing. Tape the tick to an index card, or put the tick in a sealed container or Ziploc bag with a small, slightly damp piece of paper towel, then write the date and the location of where you were bitten. Bring this with you when you go to the doctor so they can identify the tick and test for Lyme disease and other illnesses.

Afterwards, thoroughly wash hands and clean the bite area with soap and water or rubbing alcohol. It’s important to remove a tick within 36 hours of being bitten, as it can reduce the risk of catching Lyme disease. Watch the bite site for at least three to 30 days afterward to see if a rash develops.

Lyme Disease Facts 

The deer ticks contract Lyme disease from white-footed mice. Deer are often the carriers, although any animal can have ticks attached to them. Young ticks are often difficult to spot after a day outdoors, as they are incredibly tiny, hardly bigger than a poppy seed.

Lyme disease symptoms can occur days or weeks after being exposed and can include fatigue, fever, headaches, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes, uncommon exhaustion, stiffness or persistent joint pain, particularly in knees. Lyme disease can be very treatable with antibiotics when detected early, but the longer a diagnosis is delayed, the symptoms can escalate to fatal complications.

Tick Tips

Thankfully, there are some other small actions that can be taken to reduce the tick population around your home.

• Rake leaves into piles for compost
• Increase the amount of shade around your home (awnings, canopies, etc.)
• Put out rat bait traps around the perimeter of your home
• Install biodiverse lawns with a variety of native plants, like citronella, garlic, geranium, lavender, oregano and rosemary, that naturally repel ticks

Finally, don’t fret if you see other animals around the property. Animals like wild turkeys, raccoons and birds who eat mice do an amazing job of eliminating ticks.

For more information on deer ticks and Lyme disease, check out the Erie County Health Department’s info page.

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Catie Keller writes about hiking and the outdoors for The Buffalo Hive.