True or False? Central Massachusetts Ticks Are Active in the Winter

As fall has arrived, Central Massachusetts residents look forward to bidding adieu to the mosquitoes, gnats, flies and other insects that are one of the only downsides of summertime in the Bay State. One of the few exceptions to this rule is ticks.

Central Massachusetts ticks actually stay very much alive in winter. As long as there is not snow on the ground and temperatures are above freezing, adult ticks can be out and about, questing for a blood meal.

How to Protect Yourself From Ticks in Winter

While we don’t spray for ticks during the winter months, I know that through a intensive tick control program you can limit the number of ticks on your property for the entire year. Have your property sprayed with a barrier tick spray every 2-3 weeks all summer long to eliminate adult ticks that are questing for blood meals. To further limit the tick population, broaden those treatments with twice per year tick tube drops. Tick tubes eliminate larval and nymph ticks when they are nesting with rodents. This combination results in a lower tick population year round, and the results are exponentially better the longer you are with us.

Tick Protection During Outdoor Winter Adventures

If you are an active outdoors person during the winter months, chances are you spend time in untreated outdoor areas during that time. To protect yourself from active adult ticks when hiking or spending time in nature it is important that you dress appropriately and conduct a tick check upon returning indoors. This is an easier task during cold weather, but the advice warrants repeating.

Tuck your pants into your socks to keep ticks out. When you arrive home, remove all of your clothing and put it in the dryer on high for 30 minutes to dry out the ticks. Follow our instructions for a full body tick check to make sure there are no ticks hiding on your body, enjoying a delicious blood meal undetected. And don’t forget to check your dog for ticks if your canine companion came along on your outdoor adventures.

While ‘Id love to say ticks are a seasonal problem in Central Massachusetts, it is unfortunately not true. Ticks can quest during the winter for a blood meal, so vigilance needs to be maintained as long as the ground is not covered in snow and temperatures are above freezing.

Dave Macchia, tick control enthusiast — Dave Macchia, Tick Control Enthusiast

Middlesex County: A Babesiosis Hot Spot?

You most definitely know what Lyme disease is if you live in Central Massachusetts. Transmitted by deer ticks, you may not have experienced Lyme directly, but the epidemic proportion to which this disease exists within our area has created broad public awareness.

What you may not be aware of are the other tick-borne diseases that are transmitted in Middlesex County and Worcester County. Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis, Powassan Virus and Rocky Mountain spotted fever to name a few.

Babesiosis in Middlesex County Mass

Among the plethora of tick-borne diseases spread by deer ticks is Babesiosis. While relatively rare, this disease is mostly found in the Northeastern and the Midwestern United States. So much so, that the CDC reports 95% of Babesiosis cases in the US in 2013 occurred in only seven states; including Massachusetts. While Massachusetts reached an all-time high with 520 confirmed and probable cases of Babesiosis in 2014, we still have had a large number of cases of Babesiosis in 2015 with 445 confirmed and probable. Middlesex County was among the top 5 counties in the state with 65 cases of Babesiosis in 2015.

While there is some growth in awareness of Babesiosis in our area, there is a great deal of important data the public needs to be reminded of to help prevent Babesiosis and recognize it. Disclaimer before reading further: anyone can become sick from Babesiosis during any month of the year.

Seasonality of Babesiosis in Central Massachusetts

Tick-borne diseases have a predictable peak season due to the tick life cycle. For most tick-borne diseases, larval and nymph ticks have to have their first blood meal to become infected. The known exception is Borrelia Miyamotoi which can be passed from a tick mother to her offspring. For Babesiosis, this first blood meal is essential to becoming infected, making June, July, and August more common for the spread of the disease than other months of the year.

2015 Babesiosis by Month 2015 — Massachusetts Department of Public Health

Health Dangers of Babesiosis

Babesiosis is a parasite transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected deer tick. Many people who have Babesiosis feel fine and have no symptoms. Others experience flu-like illness or severe, life-threatening illness if Babesiosis infects the red blood cells. The variety of symptoms felt can also be tricky, Massachusetts Department of Public Health reported the symptoms of 2015 Massachusetts’ cases as:

72% fatigue
68% fever
58% depression
50% muscle aches
49% chills

Babesiosis is Discriminatory

While anyone can become ill from Babesiosis, clinical illness from Babesiosis is more common among a certain portion of the population. Those age 60 or older are at the greatest risk for clinical disease. Also, those without a spleen, weakened immune system, or those with other serious health issues such as liver or kidney disease. Note the chart below; there is a clear age discrimination for the onset of clinical illness from Babesiosis in Massachusetts 2015 cases. If you are within this high-risk category, you should be taking extra precautions to avoid deer ticks, especially during the peak seasons as shown above.

2015 Babesiosis mass — Massachusetts Department of Public Health

I am committed to providing you the best most up-to-date information on the threat of tick-borne diseases in Central Mass. Stay tuned for the latest on ticks in the area. Be sure to follow the 6 C’s tick control to make certain your yard is not inadvertently attracting ticks.

Central Massachusetts Faces Increasing Threat from Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever

Rocky Mountain Spotted fever (RMSF) is so far not as common in Massachusetts as Lyme disease. This can make it extra dangerous as physicians and patients do not readily know the risks, signs, and symptoms.

Usually, RMSF is spread by the dog tick, but it can also be spread by the wood tick and lone star tick. With the lone star tick recently spreading into the Northeast, Massachusetts residents have more chances for transmitting the potentially fatal illness.

What is Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever?

The bacteria Rickettsia rickettsi causes the illness known as Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF). Transmitted by the bite of an infected tick, symptoms are non-specific and can include fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, muscle pain, lack of appetite, red eyes, and a characteristic rash. It is important to remember that the combination of these symptoms will vary from case to case.

According to the CDC, about 90% of people with RMSF will have some type of rash, but some do not develop it until late in the illness – after treatment should have already begun. Diagnosing RMSF can be delayed if you are waiting for the rash to appear. The CDC recommends that physicians administer treatment with antibiotics if RMSF is suspected. Early treatment is vital to limiting long term effects and avoiding potential death.

Late diagnosis and treatment can result in long-term health problems. The infection affects the cells that line the blood vessels. Damage to those blood vessels can cause bleeding or clotting in the brain or other vital organs. A loss of blood flow to the extremities can also occur leading to potential amputations of fingers, toes or limbs. Long-term permanent neurological effects and damage to internal organs can occur if this type of vascular damage occurs.

RMSF Can Be Deadly if Not Treated – Tick Control is Essential

Case fatality rates for Rocky Mountain Spotted fever are improving. It is suspected that improved recognition and diagnostics have led to quicker treatment and the decline in death rates. The CDC reports a 28% case fatality rate in 1944 that has lowered to approximately 1% in 2001. Children under 10-years-old, American Indians and those with compromised immune systems are at an increased risk for a fatal outcome from RMSF. The National Center for Biotechnology Information says “a delay in administration of doxycycline, the recommended drug of choice, has been shown to increase the likelihood of [a] fatal outcome.”

A recent story in the Cape Cod Times chronicled the story of a 6-year-old girl who came all too close to losing her life as she and her family struggled to get a diagnosis of her severe ailment. First diagnosed as a sinus infection and then an allergic reaction to the treatment, it wasn’t until Alaina was sent by MedFlight to Boston Children’s Hospital that she was finally diagnosed with RMSF after a few days. Suffering from meningitis and meningoencephalitis, Alaina has recovered, but it was a long road.

This is a great summation of why I work diligently to educate our community. Simply knowing the risks for exposure and the variety of symptoms to watch for can save a life. Can save many lives. Make sure you know the symptoms of RMSF and tell your doctor immediately if you suspect it.

Why is it so Darn Difficult to Remove a Tick?

Living in Massachusetts, Charlton residents certainly know a thing or two about deer ticks. Tick populations are at epic proportions, making us experts in finding and removing ticks whether we like it or not.

As we all know, deer ticks can’t simply be brushed off; they have to be removed with great and careful effort. Just what is it about ticks that make them hang on so tight?

See: How to remove a tick

Ticks are Built to Hang On – How can we remove a tick?

While it may seem just like any other insect bite, a tick bite is a multi-step process. Telescoping barbed mouth parts are why a tick is so difficult to remove. Reliant on its ability to latch on to a host for a several day’s long blood meal, ticks depend on the proper function of this barbed appendage. If they were easy to remove it would make it impossible for them to get a full meal as a change of clothes would cause them to fall. The anatomy of a tick’s mouthparts is where a great deal of the magic happens that allows them to feed successfully for days on their host. The Scientific American recently published a fantastic story explaining exactly how these very specific mouthparts function.

Charlton Ticks Bite

By studying ticks under a microscope during the process of embedding into a mouse ear, scientists have been able to learn a great deal about their successful feedings. Think about this microscopic process next time you get a tick bite:

Ticks burrow into their host’s skin with “two telescoping, barbed structures called chelicerae.”
Next, they spread their chelicerae apart like two arms doing the breast stroke.
When they spread the chelicerae a “spikey, swordlike appendage” called the hypostome, sinks into the host.
The hypostome forms a tube for the process of withdrawing blood from the host.

With anatomy made specifically for their long-term blood meal habits, a tick bite is an efficient feeding process. While the little blood they take doesn’t seem to do us so much harm, the bacteria and viruses ticks can spread during the process is something to cause concern. With Lyme disease, Anaplasmosis and Rocky Mountain Spotted fever being spread so easily, avoiding ticks and tick bites is the best option for staying healthy.

Charlton tick control is essential.

I am committed to providing you the best most up-to-date information on the threat of tick-borne diseases in Tewksbury. Stay tuned for the latest on ticks in the area. Be sure to follow the 7 C’s of tick control to make certain your yard is not inadvertently attracting ticks.

Also read: Where do ticks live?

Babesiosis in Central Massachusetts: A Danger to Dogs & Humans

Much of the discussion about tick-borne diseases in Central Massachusetts is centered around Lyme Disease. While Lyme is certainly a worthy subject, we would be remiss to not share with you important information about other dangerous tick-borne diseases which could be transmitted in Chelmsford, Cambridge and the surrounding area.

Babesiosis is the disease in question. A dangerous disease for humans and their furry best friends, dogs.

Babesiosis in Central Massachusetts Dogs

Currently, there is a large outbreak of Babesiosis in dogs in the United Kingdom, which serves as a reminder that it could happen here too. The Babesia canis vogeli, Babesia gibsoni and the Babesisa conradae are the three parasites that can cause Babesiosis illness in our canine friends. These parasites are transmitted to your dog through the saliva of an infected American dog tick, sometimes known as the “wood tick”. Removing an infected tick safely and promptly can prevent the transmission of parasites and other pathogens.

According to the Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC), symptoms of Babesiosis in dogs can include hemolytic anemia, anorexia, depression, fever, a pale complexion, an enlarged spleen or bounding pulse. Infected dogs can usually be treated successfully with an antiprotozoal medication, although late or undiagnosed cases could lead to death. If you suspect your dog has Babesiosis illness, see your veterinarian right away. The CAPC recommends treating your pets with tick control medication year round to lower your dog’s risks. As with all dog medication, follow your veterinarian’s advice closely.

Babesiosis in Central Massachusetts Humans

Babesiosis illness in humans is usually caused by the parasite Babesia microti. Human Babesiosis is spread by deer ticks (black-legged ticks) rather than the American dog tick. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Babesiosis in humans can range “from asymptomatic to life-threatening.” Massachusetts happens to be among the 7 states that account for 95% of the cases of Babesiosis reported in 2013.

While many people infected with Babesia microti never experience any symptoms, those who do may feel flu-like. Symptoms can include a headache, body aches, fever, chills, sweats, loss of appetite, nausea or fatigue. Some cases can cause hemolytic anemia which can lead to jaundice. Babesiosis can be severe and even life-threatening, especially in people who do not have a spleen, have a weakened immune system, the elderly or those with another serious health condition such as liver or kidney disease.

Babesiosis can be effectively treated with a 7-10 day combination therapy of antibiotic and anti-parasitic drugs. Be sure to see your doctor immediately if you suspect you may have transmitted Babesiosis.

Stay tuned for the latest on ticks in Central Mass. Be sure to follow the 6 C’s of tick control to make certain your yard is not inadvertently attracting ticks.

Ticks in Massachusetts will do anything but jump to get their next blood meal

Ticks in Massachusetts, such as deer ticks are fascinatingly smart about how they find their next food source. They don’t crawl, jump, or fly for their survival. They don’t have to!

They don’t crawl into your Central Mass home, sneak into your bed and wait for you at night. They don’t climb above your swing set and jump on your children’s heads as they swing. And they don’t jump from trees or vegetation if you walk near them. Ticks in Massachusetts waste no energy, but lay in wait for the perfect host to just brush on by them.

What is questing?

Questing is what a tick does when it needs a new host for its next blood meal. The deer tick will climb to the very tip of a blade of grass, a leaf of a shrub or a plant stem. Hanging on with their third and fourth pairs of legs, the tick will stretch out its first pair waiting to grab onto any host that brushes by. When this happens they use those front legs to grab ahold. Once there, they quickly climb upwards to find a dark, moist hidden place to latch on for a blood meal.

How high do deer ticks quest?

In normal conditions a deer tick will climb vegetation that is the perfect height to grab a hold of the host they are after. For instance, when a tick is in the larva stage they prefer small rodents and will choose to quest in the low vegetation and underbrush where those critters have left evidence of past travels. Nymph (teenage) and adult ticks will find taller vegetation, up to knee height so that they can grab a hold of bigger mammals and human hosts who brush by. Ticks do not normally climb higher than knee height, nor do they jump down on your head from a tree branch. The reason you find a tick on your head or neck is either 1.) you were bent down, sitting or lying in a place where they were able to climb on or 2.) (most likely) they latched on at knee level or lower and quickly climbed upward.

Unpredictable tick infestation behavior

While ticks normally do prefer cool shady places that are low to the ground for their questing, there are some definite variations in their behavior. When ticks get to the infestation levels they are currently at in Central Massachusetts some abnormal questing behavior can be observed. I’ve seen ticks on hot black top in the blazing sun, I’ve seen them climbing up the side of a house and will continue to see these abnormalities as long as the tick population remains at this high infestation level.

The good news is ticks won’t live long out in the sun where the humidity is low. The bad news is they might find their way to you in unpredictable new ways. Finding you means biting you, and that could result in Lyme Disease. Eliminating ticks on your property to lower your exposure is the best way to protect your family and pets from dangerous tick-borne disease, such as Lyme disease.

With a traditional tick control barrier spray ticks and mosquitoes are eliminated on contact. With the addition of tick tubes the tick life cycle is interrupted by eliminating tick nymphs before they become adults looking for a deer or human host.

Can ticks climb up the toilet?

If you flush a tick down your toilet you can consider it gone. Dead? Not necessarily, but it is for all intents and purposes gone from your home for good.

I have heard and read about people who wondered and/or were worried about ticks holding their breath for days and days as they swim back up your pipes and climb up your slippery porcelain bowl and latch right on for a blood meal. So, I searched and searched and searched and could find no instance of ticks crawling back up the toilet once flushed, or up the toilet on their own accord. Since we could not find reliable evidence of this actually happening we dug a little deeper and here is what we found:

Ticks cannot swim or hold their breath.

According to tick encounter, ticks definitely do not swim. However, they have observed ticks submerged in water for 2-3 days that still lived, but there has been no formal research on whether they can actually hold their breath.

Since they do NOT swim, they can’t swim up your drain and climb out if you have indeed flushed them down. If you decide to flush them, just make sure they actually go in the water and down the hole. It is important to note that when ticks latch on to a host they typically climb up looking for a nice warm hiding spot to latch onto for their blood meal. It is understandable to assume up is the direction they would crawl if they did happen to land on the porcelain and not go down the pipes. That is if the porcelain is not too slippery.

While I don’t want to be accused of defending ticks, it is important to clear up myths and misinformation about our buddy the tick. So I would like to classify the “tick climbing out of the toilet” story as an urban legend.

I would also like to note that putting a tick into a sealed container with a cotton ball soaked in alcohol is a great way to hang on to a tick for further testing should symptoms of a tick-borne illness present themselves.

What CAN climb up the toilet?

During my research I found some things that absolutely can find their way into your pipes and climb right up and out of your toilet. Water loving amphibious creatures like frogs, lizards, and snakes have been known to find their way up toilet pipes. It was also surprising to read headlines of a baby opossum and a squirrel ending up in the porcelain throne, which I am confident fall under the category of rare and “oops I crawled in the wrong hiding spot”. But the big winner is rats. Rats are the most common thing crawling around in the sewer pipes. What is the strangest thing you’ve seen in your Central Massachusetts commode?

Reduce the likelihood of an up-close and personal tick encounter with Merrimack tick control.

It doesn’t take much more than a phone call to your trusted tick control professionals to reduce you chances of seeing a tick around your home. A little tick protection goes a long way in preventing tick-borne illnesses.

Also read: Should I see a doctor about a tick bite?

You didn’t see the tick. You didn’t see the rash. You didn’t see it coming – Lyme Disease

Is it possible that you have Lyme Disease if you didn’t see a tick and didn’t see a rash? Avril Lavigne just learned that the hard way. Here are two truths that make this scenario not only possible but also not all that uncommon.

You won’t hit the bullseye every time

Utter the word Lyme Disease and people shudder. They should. It’s a disease that seems to be way too easy to catch. If ticks are in our grass and our plants and our leaves, how are we supposed to enjoy our lives without giving up on being outdoors? The nice thing is if you do somehow get bitten by a diseased tick, you will know right? Many people look for the bullseye rash to confirm they have Lyme Disease. But, about 20% of the time, Lyme Disease does not present with a bullseye rash. Unfortunately, the lack of such a rash cannot spell relief 100% of the time – only 80% of the time.

Nymph ticks are about the size of a poppy seed. Would you notice a nymph tick if it crawled on you?

Poppy seed sized ticks

If you think you have all the symptoms for Lyme Disease – fever, chills, sweats, muscles aches, fatigue, nausea & possibly joint pain but you never pulled off a tick, you may not be out of the woods.

In fact, nymph ticks are only about the size of a poppy seed which almost completely ensures that you won’t see a nymph tick that crawled on you. It’s so small, you likely won’t know if it bit you either.

Recently Avril Lavigne publicly announced that she has been suffering from Lyme Disease. She doesn’t know how or where she caught it and it took a very long time to come to a Lyme disease diagnosis.

The best protection is protection at home. Your yard is where you spend the majority of your outdoor time. A seasonal tick protection includes regular spraying that both eliminates adult ticks in your yard and continues to eliminate them based on our microencapsulated timed release system.

Fall Is The Best Time To Eliminate Ticks And Mosquitoes in MA

Summer is officially over, kids are back in school, winter is coming, so it’s time to think about Thanksgiving and forget about ticks and mosquitoes, right? Not exactly. Mosquito and tick protection is a year-round concern!

Ticks and mosquitoes are doing their own planning. In short, they’re planning to be in your yard next spring in even larger numbers. Now is the best time to eliminate ticks and mosquitoes. Here’s why.

If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you know by now that October and November are breeding season for ticks. Mosquitoes breed on average every 4 weeks during their 2-3 month life cycle. Cold weather will kill off a few species but most mosquitoes will simply go dormant in cold weather. Eggs laid this fall won’t hatch until next spring when the weather warms.

Blacklegged ticks are most responsible for Lyme Disease and are commonly called Deer Ticks for a reason. Now is the time of year female ticks hitch a ride and drink a blood meal necessary to make eggs. The white-tailed deer is the best resource to provide that last blood meal. They are large enough to supply fully-grown ticks with the necessary blood meal they need to lay eggs. The eggs laid this fall will hatch next spring into larvae. The male ticks don’t need a blood meal since their life is over as adults but they hitch a ride on the deer to simply mate with the females. One deer can nourish thousands of female ticks with their last blood meal before they lay their eggs.

The females will leave most of these tick eggs in the nests of white – footed mice. These mice are prevalent around Central Mass homes and in every state where Lyme Disease is endemic. The newly hatched eggs will become larvae in the spring. The larvae ticks will need a blood meal to move onto the nymph stage later in the spring. Their first blood meal is often taken from the mouse that provided them a home during the winter.

As for female mosquitoes, they will deposit their eggs in damp soil, tree knotholes and anywhere that spring rains will allow the eggs to hatch when the weather turns warm. Like ticks, cold will not kill mosquito eggs. Predation is their main enemy but there are few bugs or other insects out during the winter, so few eggs will be eliminated.

By eliminating adult ticks and mosquitoes in the fall, you can reduce their numbers in your yard next spring and summer. October and November are the peak months for female ticks to get their last blood meal and lay their eggs. You can learn more about the tick life cycle at the American Lyme Disease Foundation website discussing Deer Tick Ecology.

Even if you’re not currently using a tick and mosquito perimeter spray, you can still reduce ticks in your yard next spring. A tick tube program is a highly effective method for eliminating the tick population in your yard before spring. It is specifically designed to eliminate nymph ticks now that will be adults late next summer. A one-time application a barrier spray now will reduce the adult population of both insects, thereby reducing the number of eggs they can lay in or near your yard. Now is the best time to begin protecting your family and pets from infectious bites next spring.

Westminster Tick Control – Break the 2-Year Life Cycle of Ticks

You might think the fall is the end of tick season and that you will soon be protected from tick bites with the approaching colder weather. If so, you are partially correct.

Ticks in Central Mass will begin to go dormant in weather below 45 degrees F. by hiding in the nests of white-footed mice. No amount of cold will eliminate ticks and there’s one other fact you need to know about the fall and ticks.

A tick’s life cycle is usually 2-years long. Ticks that were eggs last fall are now nymphs. They have taken two blood meals to reach this stage in their life cycle. Because of these two blood meals, often taken from several small animals or birds infected with Lyme Disease, they are now the most infectious to humans. Next spring these nymphs will leave the mouse’s nest. They will be the size of a poppy seed, making them difficult to see on our clothes and skin. After their third blood meal next spring, they will become larger during mid-summer and be adults in the fall of next year. At this last stage of their life cycle, the males will fertilize the females and the females will produce a new generation of ticks in your yard.

Westminster tick control is available now, to protect you next year.

Now is the time of year to interrupt the tick’s life cycle in your yard and reduce your exposure to nymph ticks next spring. By using a tick tube program, you can eliminate ticks around your home even before next spring. The tick tubes are placed out now will provide nesting material, treated with tick insecticide, the white-footed mouse will use to build its nest this winter. This nesting material will eliminate ticks in the nest without harming the mice. The net result is fewer ticks in your yard next spring and a head start at eliminating your family’s exposure to ticks all summer long.

When you sign up for Westminster tick control spray treatments next summer, it will eliminate 85-90% of the ticks in your yard all summer long. Treatments are scheduled at your convenience every 21 days. The spray will eliminate newly hatched ticks, nymph ticks and adult ticks in your yard. Ticks brought into your yard by any animals such as squirrels, raccoons, fox and deer will be eliminated by the spray. Using the tick tube program now and the barrier spray next spring through next fall will reduce your exposure to tick-borne infections.

The town of Westminster has posted an online document explaining the Steps You Can Take in preventing ticks in your yard. The document highlights the importance of using a licensed applicator in treating your yard to prevent ticks. A link to a Tick Management Handbook published by the Centers for Disease Control and prevention is also in this informative document.

A licensed Westminster tick control spray applicator will be fully trained and qualified in providing the tick tube and barrier spray services you need to protect you, your family and pets.

Author: Dave Macchia