/ TICKS

TICKS

9 articles

What are ticks?

Ticks are arthropods (invertebrates with external skeletons and jointed legs), but they’re neither insects nor spiders. Ticks belong to a special group of mites; all ticks are mites, but not all mites are ticks. The term ‘tick’ is also used bota...

Where do ticks live and when are they active?

Of the many kinds of ticks that occur throughout the U.S., just a few regularly are pests of people and pets. The kinds of ticks that you may encounter (https://identify.us.com/idmybug/ticks/tick-species/index.html) depend upon your geographic l...

How did the tick get on me or onto my pet?

Ticks are well equipped to crawl and climb, but they neither can fly (as they never have wings) nor jump. Ticks utilize various strategies to find their host, and these differ depending upon the kind of tick and its stage of development. Some ti...

Do ticks really cause harm?

Ticks can cause direct injury as a result of their bites. The mouthparts of a tick are composed of two retractable hooked appendages that pull the skin over a single fixed harpoon-like structure that, itself, anchors the tick to the skin during ...

Do ticks transmit infections?

Although most ticks merely cause minor irritation when they bite, some ticks may also serve as vectors (transmitters) of diverse infectious agents that may result in disease. Lyme disease (https://identify.us.com/idmybug/ticks/tick-testing/lyme-...

How do I remove a tick?

The sooner you find and remove a tick, the better the chances that you will reduce the risk of tick-borne infection. Grasp the tick as close to the skin surface as possible, and pull it directly straight out. There’s no need to twist it. Do not ...

What should you do with a tick that has been removed?

You can reduce your chances of infection by searching for, and removing, attached ticks. We suggest that you retain (save) the tick and then learn more about it. Why? Because gaining insight about your tick can be useful to you. It is often i...

How can I reduce my risk of tick borne infection?

Ticks are an integral part of the outdoor environment. Although there’s no way to eliminate them completely, you can take certain steps to reduce your risk. So, enjoy nature, but tread with care. Practice avoidance: Learn about the biology of...

Ticks and resistance to DEET

My wife and I just returned from a camping trip to Bankhead National Forest in Alabama. While we were there we had a continuing problem with tick bites in spite of using DEET based repellant. We used both Deep Woods Off, and an extra ...