Ticks: What to Know

It’s that time of year – tick season is here!

We have spotted ticks here at the Tollgate farm, but there is no need to panic. Ticks are a very common pest that might also be found in your backyard or neighborhood park, and there are some easy methods to cope with them. Being aware of ticks and following these guidelines from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will help ensure that you and your child remain tick-free while enjoying the summer camp experience.

American dog ticks and brown dog ticks are known to exist in Southeast Michigan. Ticks can feed on mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. Most ticks prefer to have a different host at each stage of their life cycle.

Avoiding Ticks and Preventing Tick Bites
Reducing exposure to ticks is the simplest way to avoid catching a tickborne illness such as Lyme disease or Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. There are several methods that can be effective in protecting yourself and your family.

• Wear bug repellant with 20-30% DEET on exposed skin and clothing for protection that lasts up to several hours. Always follow product instructions. Parents should apply this product to their children, avoiding hands, eyes, and mouth.
• Bathe or shower after camp (preferably within two hours) to wash off and more easily find ticks.
• Conduct a full-body tick check using a hand-held or full-length mirror. Parents should check their children for ticks under the arms, in and around the ears, inside the belly button, behind the knees, between the legs, around the waist, and especially in their hair.
• Examine gear and pets. Ticks can ride into the home on clothing and pets, then attach to a person later, so carefully examine pets, coats, and day packs.
• Tumble clothes in a dryer on high heat for an hour to kill remaining ticks. (Some research suggests that shorter drying times may also be effective, particularly if the clothing is not wet.)

Removing a Tick
If you find a tick attached to you or your child’s skin, there are several easy methods to remove it. The simplest is to use a pair of clean tweezers.

1. Use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible.
2. Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Don’t twist or jerk the tick; this can cause the mouth-parts to break off and remain in the skin. If this happens, remove the mouth-parts with tweezers. If you are unable to remove the mouth easily with clean tweezers, leave it alone and let the skin heal.
3. After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol, an iodine scrub, or soap and water.
4. Dispose of a live tick by submersing it in alcohol, placing it in a sealed bag/container, wrapping it tightly in tape, or flushing it down the toilet. Never crush a tick with your fingers.