Tag: Tularemia

Ticks Are Everywhere in Central Mass and They’re Out for Blood

Tick bites can be harmless, or they can infect you with diseases like Lyme disease or spotted fever.

Even though not all ticks carry infection, it’s best to try to prevent tick bites or to find them early. You would be best advised to take preventive action all year long with the one-two punch for Shrewsbury tick control.

Deer ticks are all around you!
Deer ticks are all around, looking for blood.

Many of us may have thought they die off in the winter after the first hard frost. Unfortunately, they do not. The adult black-legged deer tick, which spreads Lyme disease begins its prime feeding activity just about the time of the first freeze. The reason being is that their main host animals are deer and deer are actively moving around in the fall. If deer aren’t around, black-legged ticks will attach to people or pets anytime the weather starts getting warmer.

Exactly What Are Ticks?

Ticks are parasites that feed on warm-blooded hosts by biting them. A tick bite can infect humans and animals with bacteria, viruses and protozoans (organisms made up of one cell) that can cause diseases.

Some of these tick-borne illnesses can be very serious and may include:

  • Lyme disease
  • Tularemia
  • Ehrlichiosis
  • Rocky Mountain spotted fever
  • Anaplasmosis
  • Babesiosis

Other conditions spread by ticks include:

  • Colorado tick fever
  • Powassan virus
  • Southern tick-associated rash illness (STARI)
  • Tick paralysis
  • Spotted fever
  • Relapsing fever
  • Heartland virus

Also read: How can I protect my dog from Lyme disease?

Why Are Ticks Such A Problem In Shrewsbury?

The biggest reason? They are so small. Ticks are typically small and difficult to see until they have been attached for some time. They feed on your blood and become larger and easier to see.

Tick species most commonly found here include:

  1. American Dog Tick: This varmint will attach to animals including dogs, cattle, deer, raccoons and humans if given the chance.
  2. Brown Dog Tick: These invasive pests usually attach to dogs, occasionally feeding on people and domestic cats.
  3. Black Legged Deer Ticks: These harbingers of dread attach primarily on deer, cattle and other large animals and people. Deer Ticks are carriers of Lyme Disease transmitting it through bites. And if for no other reason than this alone, Shrewsbury tick control is an extremely smart way to protect yourself and your property.

Also read: Can you get Lyme disease in the winter?

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

 

 

 

Central Mass Ticks: American Dog Tick vs. Deer Tick

Central Mass ticks have one thing in common.  They want to feed on your blood.

What do ticks look like?The main goal of all female ticks is to get their next blood meal, grow to adulthood, and reproduce.  It’s their driving force.  Both the American dog tick and deer tick are common in Central Mass.  We know how they are the same.  How do they differ?

Central Mass tick: deer tick

Also known as the black-legged tick, this Central Mass tick is the main spreader of Lyme disease.  Most Lyme cases result from the bite of a female nymph deer tick.  It takes 36 to 48 hours for a deer tick to transmit Lyme disease.  Nymph ticks are so small that they are often missed until they become engorged with blood.  The biggest threat for a bite from a deer tick in Central Mass is springtime, summer, and fall.  Though, ticks live in winter in Central Mass.  According to the CDC, adult deer ticks could be out questing for their blood meal in temperatures above freezing.  Deer ticks in Central Mass might also transmit Anaplasmosis, Powassan virus, and Babesiosis.

Central Mass ticks: deer tick

Central Mass tick: American dog tick

Another nasty tick common to Central Mass is the American dog tick, also known as the wood tick.  This tick is not only common in our area, but is prevalent east of the Rocky Mountains.  According to the CDC, the dog tick has limited populations on the Pacific coast.  Adult females are the most likely to deliver a bite to their host, and they are responsible for some serious tick-borne illnesses.  The American dog tick is the most common vector of Rocky Mountain spotted fever and Tularemia.  Dog tick bites tend to be mostly in the spring and summer.

Central Mass ticks: American dog tick

Now is the time for Central Mass tick control.

tick control MassachusettsWarm weather has arrived.  We are spending more time outdoors.  Central Mass ticks are on the prowl.  They are hanging on low-lying vegetation in your backyards and your favorite outdoor areas, like playgrounds, hiking trails, and even the beach.  You can help prevent tick-borne illnesses, like the ones above, by hiring a reputable Central Mass tick control company to spray all the areas around your home.  Barrier tick sprays are available to keep your family safe at home, and should be professionally applied to your yard about ever three weeks throughout “tick season,” springtime, all the way through autumn.  Don’t wait until you find a tick on yourself, a family member, or the family pet.  An ounce of prevention is worth all the cure in the world!  And let’s not forget, some tick diseases, like Lyme disease, cannot be cured.

Also read: What is the most common tick?

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