Outdoors in Land O' Lakes: Ticks

Aug 30, 2012

By Steve Blight

A couple of weeks ago there was an article in the Ottawa Citizen about the increasing number of ticks being seen in the Ottawa area. This will come as no surprise to many people who spent time outdoors in the Land O’Lakes area, who have been seeing this unpleasant little creepy crawly for a few years. As our climate warms and winters become less severe, the deer tick (also known as the blacklegged tick) has been gradually moving north from its principal range in the United States and has now become a permanent resident in our area.

Ticks are arachnids, members of the same family as spiders, mites and scorpions. They have eight legs – a feature that helps to quickly distinguish them from six-legged insects. Deer ticks have a complex 2 year life cycle during which time it passes through three stages: larva, nymph, and adult. The tick must take a blood meal at each stage before maturing to the next. Adult deer ticks latch onto a host and drink its blood for four to five days. The following spring, the female lays several hundred to a few thousand eggs in clusters. In our area the adult ticks are more numerous in early to mid spring and then again in the fall.

About 3 years ago we had our first experience with ticks when we found a funny little bump on our dog’s neck. It was October, and she had spent the previous weekend chasing chipmunks at our cottage on Bobs Lake. By mid-week the “bump” had become the size of a small pea. We looked closely at it and realized that it was no ordinary bump – it was a partially engorged tick. I found some tweezers and pulled it off, being careful to grasp the tick right by the dog’s skin to ensure I didn’t leave the tick’s mouthparts attached to the dog. Legs wiggling in protest, I disposed of the tick in such a way that that this particular individual was not going to bother anything ever again. Period.

The same fall I found a tick on my neck after spending a few hours in the bush, and since then every spring and fall my wife and I find a few of the little beggars crawling around on either our clothes or on our skin. We regularly remove three or four ticks from our dog after a spring or fall romp in the woods. Immature ticks, known as nymphs, are much smaller and also actively search for a blood meal in May through July so one needs to be on the lookout for them as well.

If being bitten was the only nasty thing about this critter, it wouldn’t be so bad. After all, there are gazillions of biting flies in this area. Unfortunately deer ticks are the principal way that a bacterial infection called Lyme disease is transmitted to people. Known as a “vector” in the bug business, ticks often have the species of bacteria that causes Lyme disease living in their gut. They pass on the bacteria to mice and deer that they normally feed on, giving ticks that come along later the opportunity to pick up the bacteria when they feed on the infected mammal. And so on.

Lyme disease is named after the town of Lyme, Connecticut, where a number of cases were identified in 1975. Early symptoms may include fever, headache, fatigue, depression and a characteristic circular skin rash, described by some as looking like a target. Left untreated, later symptoms may involve the joints, heart, and central nervous system. The good news about Lyme disease is that in the large majority of cases the infection and its symptoms are eliminated by antibiotics, especially if the illness is treated early.

Two other facts about Lyme disease and ticks are worth noting. First, recent research suggests that it takes a few years for Lyme disease to build up in a population of ticks. The Citizen article supports this, noting very few cases of Lyme disease in the city this year. However, it’s a safe bet to assume that it is coming, and the delay will give the medical community time to learn about prevention, diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease. Second, the probability is very low that a tick passes on the bacteria to a person if the tick is found and removed before 24 hours.

Fortunately the internet is jam-packed with sites dedicated to helping people deal with ticks and Lyme disease. The best advice I have found can be summarized as follows:

Wear light coloured, long sleeved shirts and pants when working in the woods or brushy areas. The light colour makes the ticks more visible and thus easier to find and remove.

Tuck pants into socks. I know it looks goofy, but it prevents the ticks from getting underneath your clothing. Some people wear rubber boots, but they can get hot.

Use insect repellent on sleeves and cuffs and socks. Repellents containing DEET are known to be effective.

Do full body checks after spending time outside, using mirrors and if you so desire, the help of a willing partner. Remember, removing ticks before 24 hours is key.

Use tweezers to carefully pull off any embedded ticks, being careful to grasp the tick very close to the skin and pull it out, mouth parts and all. There are also special tick removers of different designs available but I haven’t tried them out.

If you plan to contact your local public health agency about testing the tick for Lyme disease, place the tick in a baggie. Wash the bite site thoroughly and treat it with alcohol.

If you do find an embedded tick on your skin, watch the site carefully for any signs of an expanding red rash. A small reddish bump at the bit site is normal, but a large spreading rash is not.

If you have any doubts at all, contact your local public health authority. The tick I removed from my neck was tested for Lyme disease, and fortunately it came back negative.

For people who are interested in reading more, by far the best reference I have found is available at the following link. It’s very thorough and covers more than just deer ticks, but it’s relatively easy to read and understand.

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/lyme/resources/handbook.pdf

Ticks are here for good, so the best defense is a good offence. By learning to recognize them, taking a few steps to avoid them, and knowing what to do when you find one, we can minimize the risks. I know that I’m not letting ticks spoil my time in the woods!

Please feel free to report any observations to Lorraine Julien at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  or Steve Blight at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.