DWELL has partnered with TickEncounter to create this resource on tick awareness and prevention. The information on this page was adapted with permission from their web resources. For more detailed information, visit the TickEncounter Website.
TOP 5 ACTIONS
Worrying about ticks does not have to be a source of anxiety. With these 5 simple steps, you will know how to keep yourself, your family and your friends protected from ticks.
- KNOW
- There are many kinds of ticks out there. Knowing which ones are active where you live throughout the year will help you identify any tick you may find, and whether or not they potentially carry diseases.
Ticks can be identified in different stages of their life: larva, nymph, adult, partially fed and fully fed. Learn more about identifying ticks by clicking here!
- PERFORM
- Performing daily tick checks is an essential action for preventing tick-borne diseases. Tick checks, especially below the belt for tiny nymph ticks, can significantly lower your chance of getting tickborne diseases. Be sure to also check places like the back of your knee, around wristbands, under armpits or any other constricted places. Have a friend or family member check hard to see places like your back and neck as well.
- TURN
- The clothing you wear plays a huge role in tick prevention. Wearing tick repellent clothing can give you peace of mind while spending time outdoors. While some clothes are naturally tick repellent (long pants, high socks, long-sleeve shirts), you can turn any of your favorite clothing articles into tick repellent items! Tick repellant (also known as permethrin), is an EPA registered chemical that is invisible and odorless. Treating your clothes with this can remain effective through 70 washes!
- TREAT
- Treating your yard with insecticides can be a great way to make sure your property does not become a hotspot for ticks. Blacklegged (deer) ticks commonly come into contact with people in yards, perennial beds or trails in the woods. Doing perimeter sprays of an area are an eco-friendly way of treating these areas by limiting the amount of pesticides being applied.
- PROTECT
- Pets are important members of your family. Protecting them from ticks can be a challenge, especially if they are harboring extra fluff. Using products with rapid kill or knock-down can be great ways to prevent ticks from latching onto your furry companions.
Learn more about these actions on the TickEncounter site by clicking the link below!
TICK SPOTTERS
Have you found a tick recently? TickSpotters can help! The TickSpotters program provides users with accurate and timely tick identification information, as well as science–based risk assessments tailored to each tick. You can submit a tick photo with the link below for a free tick ID from an expert, along with guidance on best next actions to lessen your risk of future tick bites and tickborne disease.
Click the link below for more information!
PROTECT YOURSELF
Here are some simple ways to protect yourself and loved ones from ticks if you are planning a trip to the North Woods:
- Tick-repellent clothing
Having clothing treated with permethrin is an easy and effective way to repel ticks while outdoors. Permethrin is odorless, invisible, and when done commercially, can last through 70 washes. Insect Shield in Greensboro, NC is a leader in the field of repellent clothing – safe and effective, it’s the tick repellent you and your whole family will love to wear!
- Tick-protective dress
What you wear outside could reduce your chances of tick bites. Remember: Ticks start low and crawl up; ticks do not jump, fly or drop from trees, they are down on the ground or low shrubs and after latching on, they crawl up until they hit a roadblock, like a skin fold, waistband or other clothing restriction, which then becomes a good spot to attach. Tucking pant legs into socks is a good way to keep ticks on the outside of clothing where they may be seen or get brushed off.
- Daily tick checks
The simplest way to protect yourself is to remove a tick before it has a chance to transmit disease-causing pathogens. Ticks can attach anywhere, in particular, they will find spots like: the back of your knee, around waistbands, under armpits or any other constricted place. Anytime after you have been in tick habitat you should thoroughly check your entire body and remove attached ticks immediately. Once attached, ticks do not wash off easily in the shower.