How to Remove and Dispose of a Tick

How do you properly remove a tick? Once removed, how do you dispose of a tick? There are a lot of theories floating on the Internet.

Listening to people discuss their methods of disposing removed ticks can range from hilarious to frightening. If you’ve heard these discussions, you may begin to ask yourself if others feel about ticks the same way they feel about werewolves or other monsters. Many ideas for disposing of a tick seem both inhuman and punitive to the tick. That’s probably why we never see protestors demanding an end to cruel and unusual punishment against ticks.

Ticks don’t need to be feared. Yes, they will suck your blood. Yes, they can give you a disease, actually several very nasty ones. Scientists believe though that they need to be on your skin drinking your blood between 24-48 hours before your risk of infection becomes significant.

So before you get your flame thrower out or fire up the grill to make a funeral pyre for a tick you find this summer, let’s look at some creative methods of eliminating ticks others have used. On wikiHow.com, there are five methods listed. Readers have added even more. Some of these are comical. You’ll see our recommendation down below but this list was so interesting, we had to share.

Do not remove or dispose of a tick any of these ways!

First, there is fire. You may have heard of using fire to burn a tick on your skin in order to make it release its grip. That’s a bad practice for several reasons, including risk of burning yourself. It’s also a perfect way for the tick to dump its infectious bacteria quickly into your blood before it releases or dies. So, remove first and dispose of second.

Next, there is the flush. Once the tick is removed, the suggestion is to wrap it in toilet paper and flush it down the toilet. You may fear the tick won’t go all the way down or that it will crawl back up if it has only been partially flushed down the drain. Although no cases have been reported, you imagine “Tick Terminator” coming back for revenge. This is another not so good idea. It’s not likely your tick will return but you may need the tick for reasons we will explain later.

Third is the microwave. I don’t know about you but the idea of using something I warm my food in as an insect crematorium makes me want to eat cold food all summer long. The website points out there may be issues with putting the tick in a plastic bag and then placing it in a microwave. It mentions tick blood and juices inside the bag may get inside the microwave, if the bag explodes. YUCK!”

The first defense in tick protection is total tick control – call on a Central Mass tick spray professional!

Fourth is alcohol. This may well work but may also will take some time. Ticks can hold their breath a long time so you may want to get a cold drink and rent a movie if this is your method of tick termination. But again, remove the tick first and dispose of second.

Fifth is my favorite. It involves releasing the tick harmlessly. I knew my fellow animal lovers wouldn’t fail me. This is the catch-and-release version of insect control. The recommendation is to release the tick “a long way from your house”. Releasing the tick into say, your neighbor’s yard, will likely mean you won’t see that tick again. Ticks don’t crawl very far and have a limited home territory so you’re probably safe from that one. Unfortunately, the newborn ticks that the released tick makes will probably find their way on your property within a year. By then your neighbor may not be speaking to you and you’ll need to find another drop-off point to practice catch-and-release.

How to remove and dispose of a tick.

So what’s the actual best way to dispose of a tick? First, before terminating it, you need to remove it from the skin properly. Removing it properly will reduce your risk of infection and remove all the infected tick parts. Follow these tick removal instructions!

Once removed, the next step is to seal the tick tightly in a clear plastic bag or an old prescription bottle. Skip the microwave part. Observe yourself for symptoms for at least the next 30 days. It can take many tick disease symptoms, including Lyme Disease, that many days to appear. Keeping any tick you remove from your skin in a sealed plastic bag will allow it to be tested. Testing the tick, is the best way for your doctor to know what tick disease you may have. Even partial ticks missing their head, legs, etc. can be tested for diseases.

Save your matches, microwave and grill for lighting fires and cooking this summer. Ticks don’t need to be tortured for being ticks. More importantly, removing and preserving your tick properly can go a long way to you receiving a correct diagnosis and being treated quickly.

Also read: Do not remove a tick with peppermint oil!

Dave Macchia Mosquito Squad square 2 — Dave Macchia, Tick Control Enthusiast

Would You Like to Know the Risk Level of Lyme Disease in Your Zip Code?

What if you could input your zip code and out would pop the percentage of ticks that tested positive for Lyme disease and other tick borne diseases? Well, guess what? YOU CAN!

Tickreport.com lists 19 tick-borne illnesses and the percentage of ticks that tested positive for those submitted in the given area. Let me show you some examples. If I take the zip codes for Lakeville and Manchester and search for the positive cases of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, which is the group of bacteria that causes Lyme disease, this is what I get:

Lakeville 02347: 2 ticks tested, both tested positive. 100%

Methuen 01844: 5 ticks tested, 1 tested positive. 20%

Gloucester 01930: 14 ticks tested, 2 tested positive. 14.29%

Manchester 01944: 14 ticks tested, 5 tested positive. 35.71%

I realize this is limited information, but it’s a wonderful tool. The key is getting more people to actually get their ticks tested. $50 may seem like more than you want to pay, but take just a minute to consider what you are contributing to. Not only will you know for certain if a tick you’ve removed from you or a family member is carrying disease that requires treatment, but you are also contributing to valuable research. Research that can lead to better information for forming the right kind of tick protection in your area and also research that could ultimately lead to vaccines for tick-borne illness. It’s hard to overlook the chance to be that helpful, isn’t it?

Be Sure to Remove the Tick Safely – Then Send It In

There are some silly old tales out there about nail polish and match sticks when it comes to removing ticks. What worked for Granddad is NOT a good idea today. Follow our guideline for safe tick removal to ensure you remove all parts of the tick. Send it into tickreport.com and in 3 days you’ll know just what you are dealing with. This is such a quick and easy process for a huge step towards peace of mind when it comes to your family’s well-being.

Professional tick control in Central MA is critical to your family’s health and safety.

A reputable tick control company can eliminate 85-90% of all ticks in your yard for the season with an EPA-approved barrier spray eliminates ticks and continues to work with its time released formula. Our tick tube system goes further by eliminating the ticks in their youngest stages. That not only protects you during this season but also gets a jump on the next!

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.

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.

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.

Now Is The Time To Reduce Ticks In Your Yard Next Summer

You may think that ticks die off with cold weather in the winter. A very cold winter means more ticks die off.

Many people still seem to have this notion but it’s not true. Ticks become dormant in the winter but don’t die off. Like most of nature, they are survivors and know how to do it very well.

During a tick’s 2-year life cycle, they go from an egg to a larva in their first year of life. Late in their first year, before winter, they are molting into nymphs. In order to grow from larvae to nymphs they need their first blood meal. Most will make this transition inside a white-footed mouse’s nest where they have warmth and an available blood supply to complete their transition into the nymph stage. Birds may also make a suitable blood meal for them before seeking the warmth of the mouse’s nest for winter.

The following spring they will be fully developed nymphs and begin looking for their next blood meal. It is at this time of the tick’s life that they are most likely to transmit Lyme Disease. The time of year is usually May through mid-July in MA.

Their very small size and need for a blood meal will require both male and female ticks to get that meal anywhere they can. They are able to hitch along on a mouse or human and continue to search for that blood meal until they have enough to molt again into an adult. Nymphs will quest at this time by reaching out from grass and bushes hoping to attach to a warm-blooded mammal like your dog, coyote, fox, raccoon, their friend the white-footed mouse or you.

In many areas, the white-footed mouse population is 85-90% infected with the Lyme bacteria. Taking a blood meal from an infected mouse in their nest guarantees the larvae tick or nymph tick is also infected with the bacteria. Voles, squirrels and other rodents may also serve as meals and many carry the Lyme bacteria.

Scientists have been working on how to interrupt this cycle of the larvae becoming infected in the mouse’s nest and eliminating them at that point, before they become nymphs in their second year. One effective method to do this is with tick tubes. Each fall, mice look for nesting material to build or refresh their nests. They need soft, lofty material in order to stay warm during the winter. Ticks need a place to hide and stay warm as well and the thick material and mouse’s body heat make an ideal winter home for them.

Reduce ticks in your yard now with tick control tubes.

Tick tubes are designed to provide the nesting material for the mouse. The cotton material contains an insecticide that rubs on the mouse’s fur as it moves around in the nest. This insecticide is not harmful to the mouse. However, when a nymph tries to attach to the mouse for their blood meal it is prevented by the insecticide on the mouse’s fur. The tick dies and the mouse is unharmed. The net result is you have fewer ticks to deal with in your yard next spring and summer.

Using both a perimeter spray and tick tubes are a double whammy to your yard’s tick population. Ticks that survive the winter, or are brought onto your property by other animals like raccoons, coyotes, fox, opossum, etc., are eliminated by the perimeter spray. An EPA-approved professional tick control barrier spray will be 85-90% effective against ticks. Adding tick tubes to your tick prevention program drops the total number of ticks down even before the spray is even applied the following spring. In the end you, your family and your pets have a lower risk for tick-borne infections while enjoying your yard next summer.

Tag: tick bites Central Mass