Ticks:
Intro:
Ticks like to live in wooded, grassy areas that tend to be high in elevation. With that being said, it’s safe to say that there are quite a lot of ticks in mountainous Idaho. They could be at places like Settlers Park, or in your own backyard! The type of ticks in Idaho are called Wood Ticks, and they can latch onto any unsuspecting warm body. Wood ticks can often times be seen in forest areas but can also end up in your own backyard. Call us, Get Lost Pest Control, to be your local Meridian tick exterminator!
Identification:
- Wood ticks have flat bodies that are a wide, oval shape
- They are normally reddish-brown in color, but can also have flecks of gray or silver
- They grow to 3/16 of an inch long
- Wood ticks have a black lower back, while Deer ticks have a red lower back
Dangers:
Wood ticks can carry bacteria that can be responsible for giving disease to humans. These diseases can include Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Tularemia.
Prevention:
- Wear light-colored protective clothing
- Tuck pant legs into socks
- As much as you can, avoid tick infested areas
- If you do end up in an area with ticks, check yourself, your children, and your pets daily
- Gently remove any ticks that you find as soon as possible
Treatment:
To treat for Wood Ticks on your body, first use fine tip tweezers to carefully remove it. After that, check the bite site to see if you left any of the tick’s head or mouth parts in the bite. If so, remove those. Clean the bite site with water and apply an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, rubbing alcohol, or iodine. Once you’ve removed the tick, submerge it in rubbing alcohol to make sure it died. Next, tell you Doctor about your tick bite, including where and when it happened.
To treat for Wood Ticks in your yard, you would want to remove any piles of leaves you have laying around. You would also want to clear any tall grass or brush you have around your house. Also, make sure to mow the lawn frequently. These measures can all help with reducing ticks around your house, but the professionals at Get Lost Pest Control have the tools and product you need to significantly reduce your risk of ticks! As your Meridian tick exterminators, we are here to help, so give us a call!
