Tick safety how to remove a tick

The female deer tick has a tear drop shape with a reddish orange abdomen and solid black dorsal shield. The male is smaller and a uniform black in color. The nymph also has a tear drop shape, but is a dark brown to black in color

The female lone star tick is more roundest and has single, white spot in the center of it's body. The male, also round, has a chestnut brown color with no distinguishing markings. The nymph is a uniform light brown color and round in comparison to the deer tick.

The female dog tick is oblong with white markings on the dorsal shield. The abdomen is dark brown. The male has white markings over the entire body. The nymph is oblong and a solid dark brown in color.

Female and nymphal ticks feed and can transmit diseases.

Male ticks do not feed and do not transmit diseases.

Removing a deer tick within 24 hours greatly reduces the likelihood of Lyme disease transmission.

Not all ticks are infected. On average 20-40% of deer ticks are able to transmit diseases.

As long as temperatures are above freezing, deer ticks are active the entire year. Peak activity months are May to June (Nymphs) and October/November and again in April (Adults).

Remove ticks with tweezers only (bent, "needle-nose" tweezers are best). Apply steady backward force until the tick is dislodged. Do NOT use alcohol, nail polish, hot matches, petroleum jelly or other methods to remove ticks. These methods may actually traumatize ticks, causing them to regurgitate their gut contents, which may include the Lyme disease bacterium.

Lyme Disease At A Glance

Lyme disease is a bacterial illness that is spread by tick bites.

Lyme disease can affect the skin, joints, heart, and the nervous system.

Lyme disease occurs in phases, the early phase beginning at the site of the tick bite with an expanding ring of redness.

Lyme disease is diagnosed based on the patient's clinical signs of illness and the detection of Lyme antibodies in the blood.

Lyme disease is treated with antibiotics.

The number of cases of the disease in an area depends on the amount of ticks in an area and how often the ticks are infected with the bacteria. In certain areas of New York, where Lyme disease is common, over half of the ticks are infected. Lyme disease has been reported most often in the Northeastern United States, but has been reported in all 50 states as well as China, Europe, Japan, Australia and the parts of the former Soviet Union. In the United States, it is primarily contracted in the Northeast from the state of Maine to Maryland, in the Midwest in Minnesota and Wisconsin, and in the West in Oregon and Northern California.

Lyme disease is transmitted by ticks attaching to the body, it is important to use tick bite avoidance techniques when visiting known tick areas. Insect repellant spray containing deet onto exposed skin can help. Wearing long clothing can protect the skin. Clothing, children and pets should be examined for ticks. Ticks can be removed gently with tweezers and saved in a jar for later identification. Bathing the skin and scalp, and washing clothing upon returning home might prevent the bite and transmission of the disease.

The number of cases of Lyme disease has doubled in the United States since 1991 and these numbers are probably underestimated.