How to identify and treat deer ticks

Don’t you hate the feeling of something crawling on your skin? That’s a common occurrence when you’ve been out hiking or walking in tall grass in deer tick country!

Deer ticks are sneaky little arachnids that hang out in grass, brush, or the woods, patiently waiting for a warm-blooded animal to pass by. While they prefer white-tail deer for a blood meal, a wandering hiker will do just fine, too.

These ticks are also known as black-legged ticks, named for their dark legs as larvae and mature adults. Deer ticks go through four life stages: egg, a tiny larval stage, then a nymph stage, and finally a mature adult stage. This often takes 2-3 years to complete, as each stage requires a blood meal in order to develop into the next stage.

Deer ticks are notorious for spreading Lyme disease to human hosts. The bacteria is usually picked up by a wild host, like a rodent, and then can be transmitted to a human after biting them. While the ticks are found throughout the Eastern half of the US, the disease has only been recorded in the New England area, along the Great Lakes, and in a few areas along the Pacific coast.

Deer ticks, also known as black-legged ticks, are tricky to spot due to their tiny size. Adults are no bigger than a sesame seed, with a distinctive reddish-brown body and a darker shield on their lower back.

Like all ticks, they have a pancake-flat body that expands as they feed. Larvae have only six legs, while nymphs and adults have eight.

If you or your pets start to experience unusual fatigue, rashes, or fevers after spending time outdoors, it might be a sign of a tick bite. Spotting these symptoms early is crucial to get medical treatment in time.

How big are deer ticks?

Adults can grow up to 1/8 inch long.

What other pest looks like a deer tick?

Deer ticks can look very similar to dog ticks and lone star ticks. However, they don’t have any white markings on their backs and are smaller in size.

The best way to prevent deer ticks from entering your yard or property is to reduce their habitat. This includes keeping your grass short and removing shrubs and brush in wooded areas.

Additionally, you can use tick tubes filled with permethrin-soaked cotton. Mice steal the cotton to make their nests, killing any ticks that live in their nests.

• Prevention is also important when headed into tick-infested areas, including:
• Wearing love sleeves and pants when walking or working in tall grass
• Using tick repellant
• Checking for ticks on clothes and body after coming home
• Immediately washing clothes in hot water after coming inside

Additionally, you can use an insect barrier spray around your property to prevent ticks from crawling into your yard or home. Pestie offers a pro-grade solution that you can apply yourself in just a few minutes. You can keep deer ticks out of your yard by spraying in and around your home.

Deer ticks are commonly found in the northeastern, north-central, and Pacific coastal parts of the United States. They prefer living in wooded areas, tall grasslands, and on underbrush.