Plant shrubs and flowers that are not attractive to deer.Relegate woodpiles that can harbor mice to the back of the property.Discontinue feeding the birds during the spring and summer or move the feeders to the edge of the property beyond the sunny, tick-free, zone.Screen areas under porches and decks to keep mice and other animals out.Seal up entry holes in the house, garage and sheds so mice cannot enter.For the latest insecticide recommendations visit the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station Tick Management Handbook.Mow regularly and keep weeds as low as possible.Keep the area next to woods and fields well-maintained.Use mulches or gravel wherever possible.Keep these areas free of weeds, brush and leaf litter.Clear any brush and trim tree branches to let in more light.Mailboxes, picnic tables, children’s swing sets or sandboxes and vegetable garden areas should be located in full sun as much as possible.Up to 70% of ticks on residential lawns are found within 9’ of the edge of a wooded area so the key to keeping ticks out of your yard is to provide a buffer zone between these wild areas and gardens or where the kids play. They will desiccate in the middle of a hot, sunny lawn. They need the humidity provided by natural wild areas to survive. When thinking about the home landscape keep in mind that ticks live in woods and fields.Seek medical attention if you develop any symptoms of tick-borne diseases.Do a thorough tick check after arriving home.See the CDC’s site Preventing Tick Bites for suggestions.Permethrin may be used on clothing but not on skin.Additional repellent recommendations may be found at the CDC's site.The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends the use of repellents containing 20-50% DEET on exposed skin and clothing.Consider using a repellent at least around the bottoms of pants.Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants tucked into boots or socks.Wear a hat and light colored clothing so ticks will be more visible.When walking in wild areas, keep to the center of paths and avoid brushy or grassy areas.Visit the Connecticut Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory or the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (no charge) for the latest information on tick testing. When full of blood, the tick drops off and prepares for its next life stage. They may feed for several days and during this time they may also secrete saliva into the bite that contains pathogenic organisms such as Lyme disease. They can also secrete saliva with anesthetic properties that numb their bite. It is often difficult to pull off a tick since some species secrete a cement-like substance that keeps them well attached. They first grasp the skin, cut into it and insert their feeding tube. Once on their host, some ticks attach themselves immediately while others search for parts with thinner skin such as a dog’s ears. They can also sense body warmth, moisture, and vibrations from movement. They can detect animal breath and body odors. The nymphs or adults will climb to the tips of grasses and perennials or out to the ends of shrub or young tree branches and wait in the questing position where they hold on to the plant with their third or fourth leg pair leaving their first pair of legs outstretched and ready to grab on to any bypassing animal. Ticks cannot jump or fly, instead they have a behavior called questing. Young larvae will often feed on ground-dwelling rodents while the nymphs and adults search out larger animals including humans. Ticks usually feed on different hosts during their various life stages. We, of course, are concerned when they feed on us, our pets and any livestock. These parasites can feed on the blood of mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians. Ticks have 6 legs in the larva stage and 8 in the nymph and adult ones. The life cycle of these ticks consists of 4 stages: eggs, larvae, nymphs and adults. They can be active any time the temperature is above 30☏. Late spring through summer is typically the time of year for greatest human exposure to Lyme and other tick-borne diseases. Both carry diseases but it is the black-legged one that can transmit Lyme disease, human babesiosis and human granulocytic anaplasmosis. The two species of ticks most likely to be encountered in Connecticut are the wood or American dog tick ( Dermacentor variabilis) and the smaller black-legged tick (Ixodes scapularis and Ixodes pacificus) often called the deer tick as white-tailed deer are a favored host.
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