When it comes to pests, there isn’t a whole lot quite as unsettling as coming home and finding a tick somewhere on your body. After all, ticks are parasites that can spread all sorts of harmful illnesses and blood-borne diseases as they feed on a number of hosts.
As such, it is important to know the steps you should follow should you find a tick somewhere on your body. That includes knowing how to remove the tick and knowing what signs and symptoms you should keep an eye out for to know if you need to seek medical attention.
While not all tick bites are dangerous, some can be. Therefore, ticks should never be taken lightly. Here’s what you need to know about ticks around your Bronx property.
Ticks Common To The Area
While there are over 700 tick species in the world, here in the Bronx, we only need to worry about a couple. Two of the most common tick species in the area are black-legged deer ticks and lone star ticks. Black-legged deer ticks have flat oval-shaped bodies and grow to be about 1/8th of an inch long.
They are primarily orangish-brown in color and, as their name might suggest, have dark-colored legs. Lone star ticks can grow to be up to � an inch long and are typically reddish-brown in color. They derive their name from the lone silvery spot that can be found on the backs of the females.
Both black-legged deer ticks and lone star ticks have flat bodies that will swell up after they have fed on a blood meal. Ticks are unable to jump. Instead, they lay in wait on blades of tall grass or brush for hosts to pass by. Then, when the host brushes up against them, they latch on.
Threats Posed By Ticks
As ticks feed on a variety of hosts, humans and animals alike, they can spread many harmful blood-borne illnesses. Some illnesses that ticks have been known to spread include Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, tularemia, tick-borne relapsing fever, ehrlichiosis, anaplasmosis, babesiosis, and more.
What To Do If Bitten By A Tick
If you find a tick somewhere on your body, don’t panic, but act with a sense of urgency to remove it. When removing a tick, you should avoid jerking or twisting it.
Furthermore, avoid crushing the tick as this can squeeze the blood back into your body. As such, it is best to use a pair of fine-point tweezers when attempting to remove a tick.
After it is removed, you should monitor the bite mark and your overall health for side effects. This is also true if you think you have been bitten by a tick but you did not find a tick on your body.
When To Seek Medical Attention
After being bitten by a tick, you must monitor the bite mark and your overall health for adverse side effects. If the bite mark swells, becomes infected, or begins to rash (sometimes in the shape of a target), seek medical attention immediately. Furthermore, if you experience aching, paralysis, nausea, fevering, or hot flashes, you should seek medical attention.
How To Control Tick Populations Around Your Bronx Property
To limit your exposure to ticks and all the blood-borne illnesses that they bring with them, you should take the proper precautions to lower the tick population around your Bronx property. That means contacting the professionals here at Hello Pest Control for assistance.
Not only will we effectively eliminate any tick from around your property, but if you opt for one of our ongoing treatment plans, we will ensure your property remains tick and pest-free all year long. Don’t let ticks threaten the health and safety of your family. Give us a call now.
