Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Tis the season for ticks
Tis tick season! Deer ticks and wood ticks aka American Dog ticks are the most common, both of which are annoying blood sucking pests, however, the deer tick , also known as the black legged tick, is a whole other issue as they’re a vector for Lyme Disease and other diseases. U of MN tick information.
Both of these ticks are common in grassy fields and the underbrush. Risk of bites from these ticks in the Upper Midwest is highest during spring, early summer, and fall months.
Tickborne diseases have been increasing each year in Minnesota and in areas of hardwood and mixed hardwood forests, a favorite place for deer ticks. This tick can only transmit disease to humans through a bite, not just by crawling on you. Even when biting, a blacklegged tick must stay attached for at least 24 to 48 hours to transmit Lyme disease (12 to 24 hours to transmit human anaplasmosis). More information on ticks in Wisconsin.
The good news is ticks aren’t too fond of lawns which means they generally aren’t hanging around the neighborhood.
Of course the best defense is a good offense and that means, while trekking through tick town, wear light colored pants, tuck them into your socks and use DEET for your skin and clothes and Permethrin for your clothing only. Follow all directions on the labels. And don’t forget tick check!
If even thinking about ticks gives you the creepy crawlies, remember this: The superstition that these ticks crawl up trees and drop down on humans and animals is not true.
https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/tickborne/ticks.html