Ticks are tiny, spidery vampires! These infamous arachnids must feed on blood to survive. They feed on many different kinds of animals like deer, squirrels, mice, household pets, and, yes, YOU!
In the Midwest, you might have an infestation of ticks living outside your home. Ticks love wooded and grassy areas, so anywhere you have trees, bushes, dead leaves or logs on your property, these blood-sucking pests may wait for a chance to have a meal. Ticks could invade the inside of your home, too. Especially if you have dogs or nature-loving kids who have been climbing trees.
If you enjoy hiking in the woods, ticks can hitch a ride on you or your pet. It’s good, well-known advice to wear a hat and to check for ticks on everyone after a hike. It is also a great idea to check your family, friends, and pets for ticks after time at a park, playground, lake, or outside, especially during warm months. Many tick species lay eggs in soil, so it is important to check yourself after gardening, too. However, ticks can lay eggs indoors, perhaps by dog bedding or rodent bedding within your walls. They might even lodge in laundry or boxes.
Ticks are more prevalent during spring and summer months because they like warmer weather. However, some species are active all year. For example, deer ticks, which threaten the health of Midwesterners, have been observed in the colder months.
According to The Midwest Center of Excellence for Vector-Borne Disease, there are three big species of ticks in the Midwest. These are:
- The Blacklegged Tick (aka Deer Tick)
- The American Dog Tick (aka Wood Tick)
- The Lone Star Tick
These ticks are mostly active between March and November (mcevbd.wisc.edu). One of the biggest threats of a tick bite in the Region is Lyme disease.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Lyme disease is reported from the northern regions of the Midwest. The signs of an infected tick bite are a red rash that resembles a bullseye and flu-like symptoms. If you think that you have been bitten by a tick, it’s best to seek medical advice right away.
Lyme disease is just one of the many health threats posed by ticks. If you are hunting, camping, or hiking in other states, you might be exposed to different species of ticks.
If you found a bug and you are worried it is a tick, save the specimen in a plastic baggie. Call your friends at Affordable Bio Control Pest Management to help you identify what you have and what treatment options are available to you. Feel free to fill out our contact form here, or give us a call at:
219-608-4286. We look forward to serving you!