Preventing Ticks at Your Fieldon, IL Home or Business
Many people in this area love to enjoy the outdoors as spring and summer get going. However, there’s a danger lurking out there that everyone should be aware of – ticks! Yes. These tiny creatures are actually a major health risk, feeding on your blood and possibly spreading serious diseases such as Lyme Disease. With this in mind, it’s important to know how you can avoid ticks and tick bites as the seasons for it arrive. Take a look at these tips below to help you, your family, and anyone you know stays safer from ticks and tick bites this season!
Know Where They Live
The first order of business is to understand where ticks live and where you should avoid them. Ticks live outside, that much is a give, but they love to hide and wait in safe spaces where they can jump and attach to a host. Popular tick hotspots include brush piles and piles of leaves, dead tree stumps, and other decomposing outdoor materials. You’re likely to find ticks walking in the woods, hiking, and in other places like that.
Wear Proper Clothing
Another prevention tip is to wear proper clothing for whatever you’re doing. While it may be a hot day when you go out to do some brush clearing, it’s still better to wear long pants, sleeves, and closed-toed shoes that will prevent ticks from attaching to your skin right away. You may even want to put on a hat to protect your head.
Use Protection
This means that you should be covering your body with insect spray if you intend to go into the woods or anywhere else where ticks may be lurking. Bug spray products with DEET in them are the best at repelling harmful ticks.
Self-Inspection & Cleaning
Even if you’ve been outside with the proper protection and clothing, it’s important to give yourself a self-inspection and take a bath quickly after coming indoors. This will help you find ticks faster and also prevent diseases if indeed you are bitten.
Check Animals
If you take a dog with you, make sure they’re up to date on their flea and tick medication and be sure to check them thoroughly upon returning home. Ticks will actually hitch a ride on your animals and jump over to you when the meal is over and they are ready for more.
Remove Ticks Quickly
If you are bitten, the key is to remove ticks soon after they’re found. Ticks will feed until they can’t anymore and they can hold quite a bit of blood. If you find a tick, take a pair of tweezers and grab the tick by the head, as close to the skin as possible. Then, pull straight outward to completely detach the entire tick from your skin.
