Spring is here and summer is on the way. That means a lot more time outdoors with all sorts of ways that we can experience the lush forests and hiking trails of New Hampshire. But there’s another thing that happens here when the warmer weather arrives. Ticks become a significantly bigger worry and this year the Granite State is poised to see more than ever.
As the weather in New Hampshire gets warmer, it’s enticing to spend all of our time outside. We plan on doing that, but we also plan on remembering that tick season is no joke and this year is shaping up to be one of the worst.
ohpapercut / Flickr
Nymph season begins early in the spring, around April. By May they’re out in full force. This time of year is particularly dangerous because nymphs are nearly impossible to see until they’ve been attached long enough to transmit Lyme and other diseases.
fairfaxcounty / Flickr
A few things have impacted the tick survival rate over the winter in New Hampshire.
akahodag / Flickr
Less snow meant warmer temperatures, which kept them dormant for a shorter period of time. When the snow did fall, the accumulation kept them nicely insulated to emerge early when the cold was gone.
off-the-road / Flickr
There are more than a dozen types of ticks in New Hampshire, but you’ll see deer and dog ticks most commonly.
John Tann / Flickr
These ticks look very similar, but only the deer tick carries Lyme and other illness-causing bacteria.
nagamori / Flickr According to modernpest.com, Female deer ticks are brown or reddish-orange, with a dark brown or black area just behind the head. Female dog ticks have an intricate hexagonal dark area above the head of a female.
It’s important to remember that outdoor pets can carry ticks. Even if they’re treated with anti-tick medication.
tyleruk2000 / Flickr Because the medication doesn’t kill the tick immediately, there’s time for them to be brought into the house and dropped only to find their way to your skin.
Now that the snow is melted and warmer temps are here, ticks have emerged from their hiding places and are resuming their regular activity.
blmoregon / Flickr
Many people mistakenly believe that a bullseye rash is the best way to determine if you’ve contracted Lyme, but in reality only 30% of cases show up with this indication.
Hannah Garrison [CC BY-SA 2.5 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5)] You should always get checked by a doctor’s blood test if you find one. Don’t assume you’re in the clear if no rash appears. And, the best prevention is simply not allowing ticks to reach you.
When you go outside, be sure to tuck your pants into your socks, put your hair into a hat and spray your clothes with Permethrin if you can.
Justin Meissen / Flickr
If you do find a tick embedded, be sure to remove it carefully with a set of tweezers.
usfwsmidwest / Flickr Burning them will cause them to release their diseases. Also be sure to get the head as well. Pulling the tick off, but leaving the head can also lead to the release of disease.
This may sound scary but the best thing you can do is prevent tick bites before they happen. There are a few ways to protect yourself from ticks and the illnesses they carry. Remember that ticks not only carry Lyme Disease, but also a variety of other diseases. These can lead to co-infections along with Lyme. Always tuck your pants into your socks when you go outside and put your hair into a hat. When you get back inside, take a hot shower. Check your hairline, groin and behind the knees and elbows. Click here for more ways to prevent tick bites and information on what to do if you’ve found a tick. If all this business about ticks has you afraid to step outside, get yourself back into the right mindset by looking at these photos of New Hampshire’s wildlife. It might be just what you need to remember why being outside in the Granite State is worth the risks.
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ohpapercut / Flickr
fairfaxcounty / Flickr
akahodag / Flickr
off-the-road / Flickr
John Tann / Flickr
nagamori / Flickr
According to modernpest.com, Female deer ticks are brown or reddish-orange, with a dark brown or black area just behind the head. Female dog ticks have an intricate hexagonal dark area above the head of a female.
tyleruk2000 / Flickr
Because the medication doesn’t kill the tick immediately, there’s time for them to be brought into the house and dropped only to find their way to your skin.
blmoregon / Flickr
Hannah Garrison [CC BY-SA 2.5 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5)]
You should always get checked by a doctor’s blood test if you find one. Don’t assume you’re in the clear if no rash appears. And, the best prevention is simply not allowing ticks to reach you.
Justin Meissen / Flickr
usfwsmidwest / Flickr
Burning them will cause them to release their diseases. Also be sure to get the head as well. Pulling the tick off, but leaving the head can also lead to the release of disease.
This may sound scary but the best thing you can do is prevent tick bites before they happen. There are a few ways to protect yourself from ticks and the illnesses they carry. Remember that ticks not only carry Lyme Disease, but also a variety of other diseases. These can lead to co-infections along with Lyme. Always tuck your pants into your socks when you go outside and put your hair into a hat. When you get back inside, take a hot shower. Check your hairline, groin and behind the knees and elbows.
Click here for more ways to prevent tick bites and information on what to do if you’ve found a tick.
If all this business about ticks has you afraid to step outside, get yourself back into the right mindset by looking at these photos of New Hampshire’s wildlife. It might be just what you need to remember why being outside in the Granite State is worth the risks.
