Blacklegged ticks live for about two to three years. During their entire lifetime, they will only have up to three blood meals. The picture below shows that the life cycle begins when the female lays eggs. As the egg matures, it develops into a larva right-middle , then a nymph top-middle and finally, an adult male or female bottom-right. In the spring of their first year, eggs hatch into larvae.
Larvae prefer to feed on blood from small mammals, like mice and birds. Larvae have one feeding then molt into nymphs and rest until the next spring. During this first meal, the larva may pick up a disease agent like the bacteria that causes Lyme disease while feeding on a small mammal, such as a white-footed mouse.
Late in the spring of their second year, nymphs take their second feeding. At this time, if the nymph is infected with a disease agent then it could spread the disease agent to a human or animal that it feeds on. In the fall of their second year, nymphs that have had a blood meal will molt into an adult male or female tick. Adults prefer to feed on large mammals, such as white-tailed deer or humans.
The females find a host to feed, mate with an adult male tick, lay hundreds to thousands of eggs, and then die. The males attach to a host to find a female mate and then die.
If there is little to no snow cover and temperatures rise above freezing, it is possible to find an active adult tick searching for a host on a warm winter day. In Minnesota, adult ticks will usually emerge right after the snow melts and reach peak spring-time activity during the month of May.
The adult ticks will typically stay active throughout June. Adults will also become active again in the fall, usually by the end of September and through October, until temperatures drop below freezing or snow covers the ground. Blacklegged tick nymphs start to become active in mid-May and reach peak activity at the end of May through the month of June. Nymph activity tapers off slowly, and they are much less active by the end of July.
Larvae are typically most active in June. This picture shows each of the life stages of the blacklegged tick: adult female, adult male, nymph, and larva. It also shows the relative sizes and patterns of the blacklegged tick, lone star tick, and American dog tick.
Blacklegged ticks thrive in wooded and brushy habitat like this. Permethrin products can cause eye irritation, particularly if label directions have not been followed. Animal studies indicate that permethrin may have some cancer-causing potential. Permethrin is effective for two weeks or more if the clothing is not washed. Keep treated clothing in a plastic bag when not in use. If you decide to use any kind of repellent, carefully read and follow all label directions before each use.
Children may be at greater risk for adverse reactions to repellents, in part, because their exposure may be greater. When thinking about using a repellent, consider a combination of things, including where you are, how long you will be outside and how bad the bugs are, and if those bugs carry disease.
Every situation is different. Use the following questions to make a "profile" that fits your situation - this may help you decide if you want to use a repellent, and if so, which kind.
Ticks may be more difficult to repel than mosquitoes. Repellents provide some protection against ticks, as does wearing lightcolored, long-sleeved shirts and long pants, with bottoms tucked into socks and boots. Some pests are more active at certain times. For example, some mosquitoes are most active between dusk and dawn. Ticks may be active at any time of day. Some places are more likely to have higher activity too.
Mosquitoes generally live in areas with brush and trees. Ticks prefer areas with tall grass, brush and trees. Are you doing some gardening, going on a hike, camping for a week? The longer you are out, the more protection you may need. Some people exposed to high numbers of ticks and mosquitoes for long periods of time use a two-part approach. With this approach, about 33 percent DEET in a controlled release formula is applied on exposed skin, and clothing is treated with permethrin.
If, on the other hand, you are going to do some yard work or have a picnic during mid-day when mosquito activity is low and you decide to use an insect repellent, DEET concentrations as low as five percent may provide sufficient protection from mosquito bites for up to about four hours. If you decide to use a repellent, use only what and how much you need for your situation.
Lyme disease is not limited to humans. Veterinarians have reported Lyme in both dogs and cats. Just as with humans, it is important for animals to avoid tick bites and receive prompt treatment for Lyme disease. Symptoms of Lyme disease in animals are similar to the symptoms in humans.
Although you will not see a skin rash on your pet, they can experience a range of symptoms:. As with humans, animals are generally treated for Lyme disease with certain antibiotics. However, you should consult your veterinarian about proper treatment of your pet. Navigation menu. What is Lyme Disease? Who gets Lyme disease? How is Lyme disease transmitted? What are the symptoms of Lyme disease? When do symptoms appear?
Early symptoms usually appear within three to 30 days after the bite of an infected tick. Does past infection with Lyme disease make a person immune? What is the treatment for Lyme disease? What can I do to prevent Lyme disease? In tick-infested areas, your best protection is to avoid contact with soil, leaf litter and vegetation. However, if you garden, hike, camp, hunt, work, or otherwise spend time in the outdoors, you can still protect yourself: Wear light-colored clothing with a tight weave to spot ticks easily.
Wear enclosed shoes, long pants and a long-sleeved shirt. Tuck pant legs into socks or boots and shirt into pants. Check clothes and any exposed skin frequently for ticks while outdoors and check again once indoors.
Consider using insect repellent. Follow label directions. Stay on cleared, well-traveled trails. Avoid contacting vegetation. Avoid sitting directly on the ground or on stone walls. Keep long hair tied back, especially when gardening. Tick Life Cycle Deer Tick Life Cycle The deer tick passes through four life stages egg, larva, nymph, adult , over a two year period Egg to Larvae Eggs are fertilized in the fall and deposited in leaf litter the following spring.
Larvae to Nymph During the spring and early summer of the next year the nymphs end their dormancy and begin to seek a host. Nymph to Adult Over the next few months the nymph molts into the larger adult tick, which emerges in fall, with a peak in October through November.
Tick Facts Ticks can only crawl; they cannot fly or jump. How to Remove a Tick You find a tick attached to you or your child!
Now what? Remove the tick promptly and properly: Using tweezers, grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible. Gently pull the tick in a steady, upward motion. Wash the area with a disinfectant. DO NOT squeeze the body of the tick as this may increase your risk of infection.
DO NOT put a hot match or cigarette on the tick in an effort to make it "back out. Creating a Tick-Free Zone Around Your Home While deer ticks are most abundant in wooded areas, they are also commonly found in our lawns and shrubs. Keep grass mowed. Remove leaf litter, brush and weeds at the edge of the lawn. Restrict the use of groundcover, such as pachysandra in areas frequented by family and roaming pets.
Remove brush and leaves around stonewalls and wood piles. Discourage rodent activity. Clean up and seal stonewalls and small openings around the home. Informational Alert. Tick Bite. Is this your child's symptom? A tick small brown bug is attached to the skin A tick was removed from the skin Symptoms of a Tick Bite A tick bite does not cause pain or itch.
So, ticks may not be noticed for a few days. After feeding on blood, ticks get swollen and easier to see. Ticks fall off on their own after sucking blood for 3 to 6 days. After the tick comes off, a little red bump may be seen. The red bump or spot is the body's response to the tick's saliva spit. While it's sucking blood, some of its spit gets mixed in. Causes of Tick Bites The wood tick dog tick is the size of an apple seed.
After feeding, it can double or triple in size. Sometimes, it can pass on Rocky Mountain spotted fever or Colorado tick fever. The deer tick is the size of a poppy seed. After a feeding, it can triple in size. Sometimes, it can pass on Lyme disease.
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