Do ticks bite in the fall?

Can you get a tick bite in October? November?

Do ticks bite in the fall? As you might know, ticks are not yet ready to go into their cold-weather dormancy. You can be bitten by a tick in October and November. You can even get a tick bite beyond the fall season. Ticks can quest any time of year, weather permitting. Typically, adult ticks will retreat to their winter hideaways when temperatures are consistently below 45°F. However, it is not unheard of for a tick to be found out and about on a warm winter’s day. It is rare, but possible to receive a tick bite in the winter, even in Central Mass.

Which ticks bite in the fall?

Adult deer ticks are at peak activity in the fall. Larval ticks will molt during the fall and winter, and emerge as nymphs in the springtime. Nymph ticks will grow into adults over the winter, emerging to feed and mate in the spring. If you are spending time outdoors in October and November, you should still be performing tick checks.

You can control ticks in the fall and winter too.

fall and winter tick control There is no reason to stop your tick control efforts with the change of season. There are a lot of reasons that you should never halt tick control around your home and property. To name a few: Lyme disease, Babesiosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Powassan disease, Tularemia.

Reputable tick control companies offer year-round tick control via tick tubes. Tick tubes are unlikely heroes in the fight against rising tick populations. By treating your property for ticks through the fall and winter, you are essentially interrupting the entire tick life cycle. Treated cotton that originates in the tick tubes will be carried by ground rodents to their nests, where ticks can come in contact with it. This tick treatment will eliminate any tick species in any phase of its life – ensuring that the number of ticks that emerge around your home in the springtime are less than they would otherwise have been.

Dave Macchia, tick control enthusiast — Dave Macchia, Central Mass tick control enthusiast

There is no reason to avoid going outdoors in the beautiful fall weather. Be sure that your yard is protected from the threat of ticks all year long, and do not skip the tick check process when you come back inside.

How fast do ticks move?

Perhaps you know that ticks do not jump or fly. Ticks quest. They lie in wait for their host, legs outstretched, ready to latch.

But how fast do ticks move? Do they move at a slow pace due to their “lazy” questing nature? Do they run in search of cover or a host, or when they are on your body? The truth is, ticks are faster than you might think!

Can ticks move as fast as ants?

Perhaps they do move as quickly as some insects, like ants, but they certainly do not move as fast as the fastest ant. Back in 2019, the Saharan silver, was clocked at the equivalent of 360mph! Ticks are no slowpokes, though. When you see a tick out in the open or moving around your body, you will note that it does not move at a snail’s pace. Ticks will scurry in search of a fine place, where they can become attached to have their blood meal.

See this brown dog tick on the move!

Where do ticks like to move on your body?

Ticks inherently see the protection of warmth and darkness. In nature, they will lie on the forest floor, out of direct sunlight. When they are on a person, they will move to places like the armpit, groin, or scalp. They will often move to our pets’ ears. For this reason, a thorough tick check will include hidden areas on ourselves and our pets.

ticks move inside dogs' ears — Ticks move inside dogs’ ears.

Reduce your odds of encountering a tick with Sudbury tick control.

If you are looking for effective Sudbury tick control, consider your professional options, like Mosquito Squad. They offer an EPA-registered tick control spray, as well as an all-natural formula. Once tick barrier protection is applied to your property, your family can enjoy time outdoors with a lot less stress. Their traditional tick control spray works for about 21 days, and the all-natural spray works for about 14 days. The best part is, the same solution works to control mosquitoes around your home too!

Will a snowy winter mean less ticks this spring?

Snow is beautiful to some, a pain to others. How does snow affect ticks?

I have written before about how ticks lie dormant in wintertime temperatures below 45°F. When we see a large snowfall, we tend to rejoice that it could result in fewer ticks and mosquitoes in the springtime. We equate snowfall with harsh winter conditions, but snow will not kill ticks.

snow will not kill ticks — Snow will not kill ticks.

Extremely cold temperatures kill ticks.

Consider this. We know that ticks become inactive in sustained temperatures below 45°F, but do not die. The atmospheric temperature must only be below freezing in order for snow to fall. That’s 32°F, as we all know. This is not what would be considered extreme cold. What’s more, if snow has fallen atop dormant ticks, it will provide a measure of insulation. According to JCLonline.com, one foot of snow offers the same protection as a 2″ x 4″ insulated wall. The reason this happens is because the heat absorbed from sunlight before a snowfall, dissipates much slower than air temperatures. Therefore, any heat stored in the earth will be further protected by a blanket of snow – it is called a blanket after all.

exremely cold temperatures kill ticks — Snow will blanket ticks, providing insulation.

The temperature required to begin killing ticks is about 10°F. The catch is, there must be sustained temperatures at or below 10°F for many days. With warmer winters everywhere, this is not as common as you might think in today’s times.

Protect yourself this spring, because ticks will emerge.

We will likely not have a harsh winter, which will help reduce the ticks that emerge this spring. That is not to say all is lost. There are simple methods of protection that will help keep ticks at bay. If you love being outdoors, hiking or camping, be sure to use personal tick protection, such as DEET or Picaridin. For added protection, wear long sleeves and choose pants over shorts – even in summertime temperatures. Adding a barrier between blood-thirsty ticks and yourself is highly recommended. Perhaps most importantly, perform a thorough tick check each time you return from outdoor adventures.

ticks will emerge in spring — Tick protection will remain essential this spring.

At-home tick control.

Central Mass tick control — Professional tick control in Central Mass is essential.

Tick protection at home is also essential. You can choose from multiple methods of professional protection formulas, including all-natural Cohasset tick control and EPA-registered barrier sprays. All-natural formulas are applied like barrier sprays, covering your property, applied to all vegetation thereon. For about two weeks, all natural formulas will repel about 85% of the ticks from your yard. EPA-registered insecticides will not only eliminate ticks on the spot, but will work longer and better – eliminating about 95% of the ticks in your yard for up to three weeks. Reputable Central Mass tick control companies also offer special event sprays for outdoor weddings, family reunions, or other gatherings. Special even tick control will be applied a day or so in advance, and will help protect your loved ones from the threat of potentially dangerous ticks.

For the best protection available, choose year-round tick control with the use of tick tubes. Tick tubes are placed around your property in the late fall. They have an insecticide-treated cotton filling, which mice carry to their nests, where many ticks live. This added method of protection can literally break the 2-year tick life cycle, resulting in fewer ticks emerging in the spring.

Dave Macchia mosquito conrol and tick control enthusiast — Dave Macchia
Central Mass enthusiast for effective season-long mosquito and tick protection

Engorged Ticks: What happens when a tick becomes engorged?

With the prevalence of ticks and tick-borne illnesses in our area, you might be familiar with engorged ticks.

tick life cycle Lyme transmission Tick Encounter — Tick life cycle and Lyme disease transmission information

But do you know what engorged ticks are up to? Why do they seek blood in the first place? Ticks must feed on blood during each stage of their life in order to live to the next stage. Their goal in life is to live to adulthood and procreate. As adults, ticks will seek their final blood meal in order to mate. What happens when ticks become engorged? Do ticks fall off when they are engorged? What happens after a tick mates?

Do ticks die when they become engorged?

engorged tick on dog — Engorged tick on a dog

When an adult tick feeds on human or animal blood, they are doing so prior to mating. Male ticks will feed, but do not usually become engorged like females. Once a female tick becomes engorged with blood, she will detach from her host to seek a mate. Once she mates, she can lay thousands of tick eggs. After laying her clutch of eggs, she will die. Once an adult male tick mates, he too, will die. So, while a tick does not immediately die after becoming engorged on blood, they will die after taking a blood meal and mating.

female tick laying eggs — Female ticks lay thousands of eggs before dying.

Where will the tick go to mate? Ideally, when a tick falls off, they would need to be outdoors to mate. It is reported that the brown dog tick can live and mate indoors, where they might lay their eggs in carpet, or somewhere protected inside a home. I think the likelihood of this happening is very small. Tick prevention for your pet is one great way to prevent this.

How long does it take a tick to become engorged?

do ticks die when they are engorged — Engorged tick

A tick will need to remain attached to its host at least 36 to 48 hours to take a complete blood meal. This goes for nymph and adults, alike. More often, nymph ticks are responsible for the spread of disease. It will take at least 24 hours of attachment before Lyme disease is spread to the host. Nymph ticks are so small, they are often not found until they begin to get engorged with blood. This is why they transmit most tick-borne illnesses.

The best way to prevent encountering ticks is with full-scale tick control.

Professional Central Mass tick control is a top priority for the health and safety of your family. Full-scale efforts require barrier tick protection, applied to your property from springtime through fall. In the late fall and winter, those efforts continue with innovative tick tubes. This method of tick control is the best form of tick-borne illness prevention, as it literally stops the tick life cycle in its tracks. With year-long protection, you will notice a greatly decreased number of ticks that emerge in the springtime.

What happens if you get bitten by a tick?

Do all tick bites cause infection? Have you ever wondered what happens if you get bitten by a tick?

Not all ticks carry infectious diseases. Most tick bites are harmless. Depending on where you live, more than 50% of ticks can carry harmful diseases. Lyme disease is the most prevalent tick-borne illness. The lesser-known Powassan virus is one potentially fatal tick-borne disease. No matter where you live, some form of tick control could be a matter of life and death. Let’s assume for the purpose of this article, that your tick bite is from a non-infectious tick.

What happens if you get bitten by tick? — What happens if you get bitten by a non-infectious tick?

What happens if you get bitten by a tick that is not a disease carrier?

remove tick with tweezer — Remove the tick with tweezers.

If a non-infected tick latches onto your skin, the most damage it can cause is irritation or infection of the bite site. This often happens if you attempt to get the tick out, but the head or mouth parts remain in your skin. What can you do to remove a tick head or its mouth parts? According to one source, you can attempt removal the same way you would if you had a splinter.

Wash thoroughly with soap and warm water.
Apply rubbing alcohol to the bite area.
Use a sterile needle to gently lift the skin above the lodged tick parts.
Gently remove the tick parts from your skin.

If you cannot get the tick parts out of your skin, they might work themselves out over the next few days. Keep an eye on your tick bite. If you notice pain, redness, or swelling, it could be infected. At that time, seek medical attention to treat the infection and have the tick parts removed.

It is very important to remember the proper methods of tick removal when removing any tick. Often, petroleum jelly or a match is recommended by the masses. Do not use either of those methods for removing a tick. Spend two minutes watching this video to see how to properly remove a tick.

Tick control is an essential element in remaining virtually tick-free.

All Central Mass residents are aware of the threat of ticks. With rising tick populations, homeowners are wising up to proper tick protection. Hiring a reputable tick control company is essential in the fight against tick bites. These companies offer barrier tick control, as well as protection in the fall and winter with tick tubes.

What to Do if You Find a Tick on You

So, you found a tick. It’s embedded in your flesh. What do you do now?

This is an all-too-common scenario in Central Massachusetts. Growing tick populations see us trying to avoid ticks every trip outdoors, even in our own backyards. The good news is, there are many ways to protect ourselves from ticks. Personal tick repellent and protective clothing are recommended when hiking, camping, or going to the beach. Professional at-home tick control will keep you safer at home. Even so, our efforts can never achieve 100% protection against ticks. Here is what to do if you find a tick on you or a family member.

What if you find a tick on you? — What to do if you find a tick on you.

Remove the tick.

Contrary to popular belief, heating the tick or slathering it in peppermint oil are not proper methods of tick removal. All that is required for tick removal is a pair of tweezers. According to the CDC, fine-tipped tweezers should be used to grasp the tick as close to your skin as possible. Pull up with even pressure, and do not twist the tweezers. Choose your method of disposal, but do not crush the tick with your fingers. Wrap it tightly in tape, soak it in alcohol, or flush it. Be sure to clean the bite area thoroughly with alcohol and follow up with warm soap and water.

Should you keep the tick to have it tested?

While you can save the tick to have it tested for disease, the CDC also does not recommend it as a standard practice. Stating that lab tests are often erroneous, and might not be helpful in determining your risk for disease, they recommend disposal instead.

What should you do after the tick is removed and disposed of?

watch for Lyme symptoms after tick bite — Not all cases of Lyme disease have a bull’s eye rash.

Watch for symptoms of illness for the next 30 days. For Lyme disease, this could be the telltale bull’s eye rash, but many cases of Lyme do not present with the rash. You should also watch for other symptoms, such as extreme fatigue, body aches, fever, and joint pain. Seek medical help at the first sign of any symptom you believe might be related to your tick bite.

You must be bitten by a tick to become infected with Lyme disease or other tick-borne illnesses. If you find a tick crawling on your skin, you are not susceptible to infection. If you do find a tick embedded in your skin, know that most times, unless a tick has been attached for at least 36 hours, you likely will not get Lyme disease. Be vigilant anyway.

Do you need an antibiotic after a tick bite?

The CDC also does not recommend antibiotic treatment for everyone after a tick bite. Speak with your physician. Your doctor might recommend a dose of doxycycline as a preventive measure.

Also read: Is DEET better than picaridin for hiking?

Even though we are coming to the end of high “tick season” there are steps you can take to make your yard safer all year long and next spring. Call your Central Mass tick control professional to ask about tick tubes for ultimate tick protection for your family.

Is a tick a spider?

A tick is not a spider, a spider is not a tick, but both ticks and spiders are arachnids.

Arachnids are defined as wingless, antennae-less carnivores in the Arachnida class of invertebrates. Neither ticks or spiders are insects. Insects are made up of three body parts. They have a head, thorax, and abdomen. Insects also have three sets of legs. Spiders are made up of two body parts – a cephalothorax and abdomen. Ticks’ bodies are not segmented. Spiders and ticks have four sets of jointed legs. This is probably the most commonly-known comparison between the two.

Are ticks and spiders deadly?

Ticks and spiders are some of the most dangerous invertebrates on the planet. A bite from a tick or a spider can cause a reaction, illness, or eventual death. The most toxic spider in the world is the funnel web spider. A bite from this spider can cause death within a day’s time. No one has died from this spider’s bite since 1981. Ticks carry dangerous diseases, which can be passed to humans, pets, wild animals, and livestock. Powassan virus is a potentially deadly tick-borne illness. Though rare, Powassan can cause encephalitis. Severe cases have a death rate of 10%.

Other notable arachnids.

Ticks and spiders are in good company as arachnids. Other well-known arachnids are daddy long-legs, mites, and scorpions. Scorpions are probably feared more than spiders for their alleged deadliness. Did you know that of the 1,500 species of scorpions only 25 are considered toxic enough to kill humans? Even so, the most dangerous scorpions actually can’t kill healthy adults. They are dreadful-looking, though!

a tick is an arachnid like a scorpion — Ticks, spiders, and scorpions are all arachnids.

See more tick and Lyme disease questions and answers:

Prevent tick-borne illness with tick control.

With growing numbers of ticks and cases tick-born diseases, we must remain vigilant in our known methods of prevention. There are no vaccines for illnesses, such as Lyme disease and Powassan virus. There are limited cures or treatments for those afflicted with dangerous tick-borne diseases.

tick control Andover MA — Professional Central MA tick control

We must practice personal tick protection while out of doors, away from our homes. Use tick repellent spray, or wear tick repellent clothing. Wear long sleeves and pants, rather than shorts, while hiking. At home, our best prevention is hiring a trusted tick control company to treat our yard and all the areas around our homes. Central Mass tick control companies even offer tick control in the winter, which will help lower the number of ticks that emerge in the spring. An ounce of tick prevention is definitely worth a pound of cure!

What do ticks look like? Can they swim?

Ticks are common in Central Mass, and most of our residents have come in contact with one at one time or another.

In many ways, ticks elude us. What do ticks look like? Do ticks have wings? Can ticks swim? Even though ticks are rampant in our area, many of us still have questions about tick habits and physical traits. Folks still wonder if they fly. How they survive winter. Here is a common list of tick questions and answers.

what do ticks look like?

What do ticks look like?

Ticks are arachnids, just like spiders. This means they have four sets of legs. They are in the sub class Acari, along with mites. Their coloring can range from light gray-ish white, brown, black, yellow, and brownish-red. Ticks are a flat, oval shape when not engorged with a tasty blood meal.

How big are ticks?

Ticks have three distinct life stages throughout their two-year life cycle. Larvae ticks are very small, and can be unnoticeable. In this stage of life, they are about the size of a grain of sand. In their next stage of life, nymph ticks have grown to the size of a sesame seed. Adult ticks are similar in size to an apple seed.

Do ticks have wings?

Ticks do not have wings. They do not fly or jump. Ticks quest by attaching themselves to plants or limbs. They hold on to leaves and grass with two sets of their legs, and outstretch their other legs awaiting a host to pass. If you are wondering how ticks cover so much territory, it is because they are transported by their hosts – animals and humans. The sheer number of ticks in Central Mass might make it seem like they are fast travelers. This is untrue without a host. Ticks are just – everywhere!

Can ticks swim?

This is an interesting question, and a common one! While ticks do not swim, they can survive submerged in water for two to three days. Do not try to kill ticks by drowning them in the bathtub or swimming pool. The only surefire method of destroying a tick in water, is by flushing them down the toilet.

Also read: What repels ticks naturally?

Do ticks die in the winter?

Do ticks die in the winter? No, they do not! Even in cold Central Mass winter temperatures, ticks are resourceful and will survive in nests of other animals or even underground. Ticks will lie dormant in winter, waiting for warm weather to return, so they can invade our favorite outdoor spaces.

Can a tick bite kill you?

Tick bites can result in illnesses, such as Lyme disease, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever, which can make us very sick. Powassan virus is another tick-borne illness, which can cause a deadly brain infection. Even people, who have lived through Powassan can remain ill, or even die from the effects. Recently in North Carolina, former US Senator, Kay Hagan, died three years after contracting Powassan, which resulted in Encephalitis. She remained ill for three years before passing away.

Ticks are not just a nasty nuisance in Central Massachusetts. They are effective questing insects, who live for their next blood meal. The single best way to protect your family is with year-round Central Mass tick protection, which includes tick tubes in the winter.

Monster Hyalomma tick spotted in the Netherlands

Central Mass ticks and tick-borne illnesses are a hot topic. Between dog ticks, black-legged ticks, and deer ticks, we have enough to worry about with regard to tick-borne diseases. This monster tick will make you glad that you live in Central MA!

The Hyalomma tick is said to have originated in Iran or the southern part of the former Soviet Union, and it’s making its way throughout parts of Europe, which have not before seen it. Two Hylomma ticks have recently been identified in the Netherlands. I call it a monster tick for a few reasons.

montster tick — *Can you imagine a monster lurking in the Central MA woods?*

Reason #1 the Hyalomma tick is a monster

The size of the Hyalomma tick is literally monster-size! This thirsty blood-sucker is about twice the size of more common ticks in the Netherlands – measuring 1/5″ until it feeds, at which time it measures over 1/2″. We have discussed some nymph ticks that are native to our area, which are about the size of a poppy seed. Can you imagine encountering this big guy?

Hyalomma tick vs sheep tick size — *Take a look at the size difference in a Hyalomma tick versus the sheep tick.*

The second reason I call this tick a monster

Since the Hyalomma tick is native to regions with harsh-desert environmental conditions with few hosts available on which to feed, it has adapted in a truly unusual way. This monster tick will literally chase its host to get its blood meal!

Found in woodlands, dunes, gardens, and meadows, Hyalomma ticks sense body heat, vibrations, or scents of hosts when nearby, and run towards the host to feed on their blood. It is said that they will stalk their hosts for up to 10 minutes, and travel hundreds of feet.

The third reason these ticks are monsters

As with our Central MA native ticks, the Hyalomma tick is a disease carrier and spreader. Most commonly, they spread spotted fever to humans and Equine Piroplasmosis (EP) to horses. Though, they have tested negative for Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, common to agricultural workers in eastern Eurpoe, the Mediterranean, parts of Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.

Protect your family from Central Mass ticks and the diseases they carry with effective tick control measures

While we have not yet be invaded by the monster Hyalomma tick, the ticks that are commonly found here in Central Mass are still monstrous in their own rights. They threaten the health of our families with nasty tick-borne illnesses, such as Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and Babesiosis. As always, your best bet at protection is with total professional Central Mass tick control.