Ticks
Ticks will become active with warm weather and a very mild winter.
Nashville, Ark. – The tick species that survive winters in leaf litter, soil, or other areas become active and search for a host after the weather warms up. The ticks and chiggers have come out already this year. I was surprised last week when I had to pull a tick off of myself.
The abundance of ticks is influenced by habitat, environmental conditions, and availability of suitable hosts. Most of the important tick species in Arkansas are three-host ticks, meaning they require a different host at each stage of their lifecycle. This is a very important factor in tickborne disease transmission. The pathogens that cause disease are usually picked up by a previous stage feeding on an infected host.
How to protect yourself from ticks
Ticks can be avoided in many ways. Stay out of tick hideouts such as wooded, brushy areas. Wear light-colored clothing, long-sleeve shirts, and long pants tucked into boots if you have to go into tick territory. This will help you spot any ticks you pick up before they latch on to you. You can also use skin-safe repellents containing DEET. Once you are inside, check yourself for ticks – parents should carefully inspect children. These tips, along with others will help you avoid potential tickborne disease exposure.
Proper way to remove ticks
There is a proper way to remove ticks. Use sterilized tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible. Pull upward with steady pressure. Do not jerk or twist the tick. If the mouth parts of the tick remain in the skin after it was removed, remove them with sterilized tweezers as well. Thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol, or soap and water. Dispose of the tick by submerging it in rubbing alcohol, placing it in a sealed container, or flushing it down the toilet.
For more information about ticks and prevention, visit our website at www.uaex.uada.edu or call the Howard County Extension Office at 870-845-7517. The Cooperative Extension Service is part of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.
By Dawson Bailey
County Extension Agent - Agriculture
The Cooperative Extension Service
U of A System Division of Agriculture
Media Contact: Dawson Bailey
County Extension Agent - Agriculture
U of A Division of Agriculture
Cooperative Extension Service
421 N. Main Nashville AR 71852
(870) 845-7517
dbailey@uada.edu
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