Warmer weather calls for safeguards against ticks

Mar. 12—As the weather continues to warm up, conservation experts are advising lovers of the outdoors to take precautions to protect themselves from ticks.

There are several native species of ticks in the area including the American dog, lone star and deer ticks.

Kelsey Gillenwater, Buchanan County conservation agent, said ticks are common in this area of the United States for many reasons.

"They like to live are places that are grassy, bushy wooded areas where you commonly find people this time of year, mushroom hunting, going on trails, camping. That's very common that you'll see when you're out in the woods, possibly crawling on your clothing or on your skin," Gillenwater said.

Tick bites can be itchy and annoying, but they can also cause other health issues. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 476,000 people contract Lyme disease each year in the United States.

Lyme disease is an illness caused by the bite of an infected black-legged tick. The side effects can range from fever to facial paralysis.

For residents out enjoying the mild weather temperatures, there are little things they can do to prevent tick bites. The first thing is using products that contain Permethrin.

"You can spray it on your clothes beforehand and it can stay on your clothes for several washes," Gillenwater said.

Clothing can make a difference in several ways when it comes to protecting yourself from ticks.

"Tuck your pants into your socks, wear longer socks or taller boots, and tuck your shirt into your pants and wear a belt," Gillenwater said. "This makes it harder for that tick to crawl in and get to your skin as easy as if those were free-flowing."

She also advises people who have longer hair to put it in a bun so it's harder for ticks to latch onto hair. It is also advised to wear hats.

For pets, there are various flea and tick guards that owners can choose from. Whether it's a pet or a person, checking for ticks is a must since they aren't the easiest insects to find.

"It's very important to thoroughly check yourself, your children and your pets. Any time you spend a great amount of time out in the outdoors doing anything," Gillenwater said. "They like (to hide in) the hard-to-reach places, the places that are cool, creases in your skin, anywhere they can hide."

There are also certain preparations that residents can do around the house. Gillenwater said that keeping the law mowed and ridding the yard of any debris is a good start.

Riley Funk can be reached at riley.funk@newspressnow.com.

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