Tick season is here: How to avoid them, what to know
LANSING — Ewwww, ticks.
They fed on dinosaurs, and they've evolved to feed on dogs, deer and other forest critters, and human beings, causing illnesses like Lyme disease and anaplasmosis that mean fevers and headaches.
In the last decade, they've become so established in Michigan that Michigan State University's Howard "Bug Man" Russell and his colleague Jean Tsao, an MSU fisheries and wildlife associate professor who has been studying ticks since the '90s, said we might as well get used to the prehistoric-looking arthropods if we want to enjoy the best of Michigan's outdoors.
"The ticks are getting established and they're increasing in population size," said Tsao, who has survived tick bites. "They have established and they will become firmly rooted as well in the future."
Russell has gathered the ticks he's discovered on his dogs, his person and his belongings, meaning occasional collections of about 20 of the critters that feed on blood and can require trips to a veterinarian's office or an emergency room.
Feb. 17 was a first, though, when he found a tick in his home, which is south of Mason, off of Barnes Road.
"It's pretty common for us. It's not a big deal anymore," he said. "Of course, it’s disgusting when you find one kind of on your face or trying to attach. We’re not as disgusted as we once were. We're getting used to them. You just have to be aware that they’re out there and it depends on to what degree you want to protect yourself."
How common are ticks?
Ticks are so common in Michigan, the state's Department of Health and Human Services devotes a web page to these creatures that "are closely related to insects and spiders."
According to the web page, there are 20 known tick species feeding on Michigan's wildlife, endangering others since their bites could mean bacteria, viruses and parasites.
Michigan's five most common ticks are the American dog tick, blacklegged tick, Lonestar tick, woodchuck tick and brown dog tick.
Are all ticks worrisome?
"Not all ticks carry diseases, but tick-related diseases such as Lyme disease do occur in Michigan and can be serious or fatal if not properly diagnosed and treated," the web page says.
A 2019 Michigan map showed most counties in the western Upper Peninsula and along the shores of Lake Michigan have known risks for Lyme disease because of blacklegged ticks. More southeastern counties with known risks include Ingham, Clinton, Livingston and Calhoun counties.
On the eastern shore of the state, Lyme disease is prevalent and a known risk in Huron County at the tip of the thumb, and in Iosco and Alcona counties along Lake Huron.
Most Michigan counties have a potential risk for Lyme disease because they border a known-risk county.
What can we do?
Russell and Tsao offer similar advice for those trying to avoid ticks and their bites.
Tsao said people should be aware of surroundings where ticks may be. Unfortunately, the mere presence of deer are indicators. So is leaf litter found among woods.
“It dries out easily,” she said of the Blacklegged tick. “It has to be found where the leaf litter and the vegetation is thick enough that they can dive down there and rehydrate when they need to.
"Then they come above the leaf litter and attach to hosts.”
Gardeners, she said, should avoid brushy, bushy areas and consider tick tubes for killing purposes and tick repellants and tick repellant clothing for preventing bites.
Hikers should stay on the path and also consider repellant use.
“For those of us who love nature, we’re not going to stay inside,” Tsao said.
And when we do go inside?
Tsao and Russell recommend frequent checks on your body once you get home and, to easy any worry, showers and baths within two hours. Look for ticks and feel for bumps.
Since ticks tend to dry out, toss your clothes in the dryer on high heat for about 10 minutes.
"They will die," Tsao said.
If you find a tick on you...
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises tweezers for removing attached ticks, pulling up firmly and with steady pressure rather than twisting, and then cleaning the bite area with rubbing alcohol or soap and water. Keep the tick to show to medical personnel if you start to feel symptoms.
If you develop a rash or fever within several weeks of removing a tick, see your doctor and tell them about your tick bite, including when and where it most likely occurred, according to the CDC.
How bad will this tick season be?
Russell expects this year will be a little worse than last year.
"People shouldn’t be intimidated about the possibility of getting a tick on them," he said. "They should just go out and enjoy their property or their outdoor recreation activities. Think about ticks in terms of they’re a possibility but they shouldn’t limit our activities."
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Tick season in Michigan is here: How to avoid them, what to know
