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Tips to prevent ticks as the weather gets warmer

Posted at 3:40 PM, Apr 18, 2019
and last updated 2019-04-18 15:49:03-04

Going outside is great as the weather gets warmer but there are some creatures you need to watch out for while spending time outdoors.

May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month and the dangerous disease is spread by ticks.

There are ways to keep yourself safe and healthy though. Nancy Troyano, Ph.D. is a Board Certified Entomologist with Ehrlich Pest Control and she provided some information that can help keep you, your family and your pets safe from ticks.

Just because your yard isn’t near a wooded area doesn’t mean it will be tick free.

So what can you do to protect yourself?

  • The most effective protective actions you can take against ticks are to wear an EPA-approved insect repellent when you spend time outdoors – even in your own yard.
    • Also, wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and socks when you are working in your yard, hiking, or in wooded areas.
  • After being outside, do a head-to-toe check for ticks. Adults should also do this check on children.
  • Manage Vegetation: Barrier treatments of yards, especially those in areas susceptible to tick activity. Barrier treatments include the application of a low-impact product to vegetation around the perimeter of your yard to repel ticks. These treatments need to be repeated multiple times throughout the tick season to remain effective.

If you do get bitten by a tick some symptoms of Lyme disease will usually appear a few days after the bite. The most well-known and identifiable symptom of Lyme disease is a target-shaped rash around the area where the bite occurs. However, there are other symptoms that include fever or chills; aches, pains, or stiffness; and joint pain, Troyano said.

Click here for more information on Lyme disease and tick prevention.

Related: ODU research team ramps up research on new tick species across Hampton Roads