In the dark woods there are tiny critters, some as small as the head of a pin. They like to sneak under your trousers and creep up your legs towards the warm dark places where the sun seldom shines, said the Maine State entomologist.
Once in place, they can strike, boring their tiny barbed noses into your skin to suck your blood.
No, they are not mini-vampires. They are ticks, a tiny bug that usually lives on animals.
“If you go out in the garden or in the woods, you will get ticks,” said Dr. Stephen D. Sears, the state entomologist.
Scientists say there are 14 species of ticks. Two are most common in Maine. The big ones, dog or wood ticks, are found in lawns and at the edge of forests and on your dog or leg. Usually, they are an annoyance.
The tiny ticks, deer ticks, can be a problem – a real problem. These bugs carry another teeny tiny bug that causes Lyme disease, and that is a problem for humans.
In recent years, officials have seen deer ticks moving north into the middle of Maine.
Deer tick attacks can cause a rash that looks like a bull’s eye in a target. The rash, which can grow to 12 inches, can appear within three to 30 days. Other symptoms include fatigue, chills and fever, according to National Centers for Disease Control.
If caught early, Lyme disease can be easily treated with antibiotics, said Dr. Sears. “In later stages, it can cause more trouble.”
In 2009, there were 970 cases of Lyme disease reported in Maine. There were 45 cases in Lincoln County, said Dr. Sears.
The teeny, tiny deer tick that usually lives on animals is found in the forest where they like shade and damp. They come out in the spring.
They are here, right now, lurking on bushes ready to jump on your pants leg and creep up your leg.
Once they have been on your leg for 24 hours, they enter your world and feed – on your blood.
Dr. Sears says the best way to stay healthy is to check your clothing and body after you visit the forest. “Don’t get ticked off. Pick them off,” he suggests.
If you find one, just flush it down the “facility.”
Many experts like to take a shower after a walk in the woods.
All suggest if you find one, get rid of it, but be careful. There are a series of folk remedies that people think can be used to remove a tick, like using heat. Experts say don’t bother with them.
Instead, if one is embedded, carefully pull it out with tweezers rotating it slightly to free it, said Chuck Lubelczyk field biologist at the Maine Medical Center and an expert on the sneaky critters.
Ticks are not like mosquitoes. A mosquito stinger is a sharp instrument. It slides right in.
The tick has a barbed beak, like a fishhook. If you find one that is engorged (filled up with blood) don’t squish it. You will just regurgitate blood and containments back into your body, said Lubelczyk.
One way of preventing tick attacks is to use a chemical bug repellant containing 20 percent DEET.
Lubelczyk prefers another chemical. “I use Permethrin. There are several commercial brands on the market. I spray it on my pants in the afternoon and let it dry overnight. It will stay on your clothing for 5 or 6 washings,” he said. “It works pretty well.”
As an added precaution, Lubelczyk tucks his pant legs inside his socks and he likes to wear light colored trousers so he can easily see the ticks.
In addition to humans, dogs are at risk for ticks. Veterinarians are good sources of advice on the best course of prevention. Dogs are at risk for Lyme Disease too so it is a good idea to check with a vet.
Lubelczyk says ticks like dark wet places, so, if you keep the yard brush free, and keep your grass mowed, it will help keep the tick population down, he said.
“Ticks don’t like it where the sun and wind can dry them out.” he said.
