Timely tips for dealing with ticks
Last week, not surprisingly, I felt called out into the garden by the unseasonably warm days that were more like April than March. It was nothing I’d planned. On Monday I’d already been on two hourlong walks, one with my husband and one with a friend, so I thought I was done being outside. But when my son called later in the afternoon, I popped in my AirPods and headed back out.
I figured that I’d just pick up some of the branches that had come down on those really windy days we’d had recently. I didn’t plan to even set foot in my vegetable garden but found myself somehow drawn there. I had a lovely time, picking up sticks, pulling some early spring weeds, raking leaves that had piled up against the fence, and fluffing up the contents of one of the raised beds. It was bliss.
Well, that is until I came back to myself and realized where I was and what I was doing: standing and working shindeep in dead leaves. “Uh-oh,” I thought. In the joy of being outside unencumbered by jacket, hat, or mittens, I hadn’t connected with the fact that the 60-degree temperature that was inspiring me to work in the garden was just the thing to stir ticks into action. Luckily, I found no ticks on me, but I realized that it was time for a refresher on tick safety.
I checked information from the Centers for Disease Control and at lymebasics.org (formerly the Lyme Disease Association of Southeastern PA) to see if there was any new/updated information. I found the basics of prevention of tick-borne diseases pretty much the same. They’re worth reviewing.
I don’t want to go into the really bad effects that people can experience with Lyme disease or with any of the other diseases ticks can carry. Obviously, whether in the woods, lawn, or garden, it’s important to take precautions against ticks. To help you stay safe, here’s a checklist I compiled, gleaned from numerous websites over the years:
• Wear light-colored clothing to make it easier to detect ticks crawling on you.
• Wear long pants and long sleeves.
• Tuck socks into shoes and shirt into pants.
• Wear a hat; keep long hair tucked up under.
• Treat gardening/outdoor clothing including shoes and gloves with Repel or other permethrin-containing product. (Permethrin products are generally considered more effective than DEET.)
• Check legs/pants frequently while out of doors.
• Back inside, get out of your clothes as soon as possible and check your skin and hair for ticks.
Gather up all your clothing and put into a hot clothes dryer for 15 minutes to kill any ticks. (http://www.tickencounter.org/ticksmart/tips)
Stay alert to changes in your physical health and go to your doctor immediately if you suspect Lyme disease may be the cause. The signature bulls-eye rash only appears in 80% of cases, and you won’t see it if the bite is on your scalp. Antibiotics are most effective when started early.
Familiarize yourself with the symptoms of other tick-borne diseases, e.g., Borrelia, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSP occurs throughout the continental U.S. and most cases occur outside of the Rockies), and Babesiosis, which has spread from its first known outbreak in Rhode Island about fifty years ago to all of New England today.
Note: On its website, the Centers for Disease Control points out that tick exposure can occur year-round, but ticks are more active during the warmer months (April-September). As winters become warmer, I imagine that window will enlarge. At this point, in our area, I would say that March-October is already a more realistic time frame.
Pam Baxter is an avid organic vegetable gardener who lives in Kimberton. Direct e-mail to pamelacbaxter@gmail.com, or send mail to P.O. Box 80, Kimberton, PA 19442. Pam’s nature-related books for children and families are available at Amazon.com/ author/pamelabaxter.