I heard a person ask a man with multiple children if he had a favorite child. He said, “No, I don’t have a favorite, but I re-rank my kids each week.”

I guess you could say that I have that same feeling about the different seasons of the year, but spring can be a great time to get outdoors. The temperatures can be milder and the humidity can be low this time of year.

It can be a great time for people that enjoy hiking, playing sports, outdoor exercising, gardening or other landscape activities. This time of year, I will be active on the farm, mowing a lot of lawn grass and working in the raised vegetable beds. These type of outdoor activities can put us in high tick populated areas thus a greater chance of finding ticks attached to our bodies.

Today, I will share basics on how to protect yourself from ticks while enjoying your favorite outdoor spring and summer activities. I will be sharing information from a UGA publication by Dr. Elmer Gray, UGA Extension Entomologist.

By way of introduction, there are many reasons to be concerned with tick issues including having ticks that we can find attached our bodies or to others in the family. The first issue is the ability of ticks to transmit diseases to humans. I will not go into great detail, but most people have heard about Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever or Lyme disease.

These are the most common tick transmitted diseases in Georgia, but there are more. Ticks per our information is one of the most important groups of arthropods in Georgia simply due to the ability to transmit disease. If that is not important enough, it can be costly to control ticks in our home landscapes and also when treating our pets. Finally, if the word gets out that a particular park or recreation area has a high tick population, you may see a reduction in people using those outdoor resources.

There are three tick species more associated with humans in Georgia. They are the Lone Star tick, American dog tick and the black-legged tick. My suggestion is to do your homework and look up images of these ticks to help in identification. All three tick species develop by way of a similar life cycle. Each stage of tick development must have a blood meal for ticks to mature to an adult tick with the ability to lay eggs.

Ticks survive easier in high grass or brushy areas that can be home to many of their hosts. Ticks needs a high level of moisture for survival also. Our information states that bottom lands where you have high humidity, thick vegetation and high deer populations are normally preferred tick habitats. On the flip side, tick dehydration from hot and dry weather combined with short grass with little to no mulch can cause ticks to die. Note, all three stages of the Lone Star and black-legged tick will feed on humans and other large animals. The American dog tick feeds on humans only in their adult stage.

There are several tips to help protect yourself if you find yourself in situations where tick populations can be high. First, the best option to avoid ticks is to stay in areas where the vegetation is open or where the vegetation is kept below ankle height. Again, many people like to hike in the woods or more brushy areas that may also have high grass. In these situations, it is important to try to avoid allowing vegetation to touch your body especially the legs. Also, when in tick populated areas, wear long pants.

I will admit that this time of year, I normally wear shorts to constantly do outdoor chores or work on the farm. Ideally, when in prime tick habitat, you need to wear long pants and also tuck the pant leg into your socks and tuck your shirt under you belt. I know this is not fashionable, but the goal is to keep ticks from getting under you clothing. Ticks will move from your lower body to your head area. As the tick travels, it can be easily detected when seen on the outside of your clothing.

Another tip is to consider the use of tick repellents. There are many brands and formulations of tick repellents with many containing “DEET” or some form of insecticide. If repellents are an option for you, read the label of any tick repellent for directions on how to apply or use that particular product. Again, read the label completely so you are using the repellent safely and properly. Another tip is to check yourself for ticks at least twice per day. The longer an infected tick is attached to your skin, the greater the chance of a disease transmission. The earlier you can remove an attached tick the better.

There is a correct procedure in removing an attached tick. You should remove ticks with either forceps, cloth or paper wrapped around the tick as close to the point of attachment as possible. When removing, use a firm and steady pull. Never jerk or twist the tick because this can cause the mouth part of the tick to break off in the skin and lead to infection. Do not use unprotected fingers. When the tick is removed, apply an approved disinfectant to the site and then wash your hands with hot and soapy water.

For more information, contact UGA Extension-Gordon County at 706-629-8685 or email Extension Agent Greg Bowman at gbowman@uga.edu.

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