When going out to camp and enjoy all that “mother nature” has to offer, we have to face the reality that one of her offerings are all the many critters and creatures which we have, for the most part, effectively eliminated from our homes. Some of these critters and creatures are nice and pleasant to view while others can only be termed as pests and often present a serious health hazard. One of these dangerous pests is the tick.
Although there are several types of ticks, “tick” is the general name given for one of the small arachnids found in the superfamily Ixodoidea, that, along with other mites, constitute the Acarira. Ticks are ectoparasites, which means they attach to the external, rather than the internal, body of their prey and live on the blood of mammals, birds, and occasionally reptiles and amphibians. These small pests are known carriers and transmiiters of a number of diseases, the best known of which are Lyme Disease and Rocky Mountian Spotted Fever.
Ticks can be found throughout New Jersey in the woodlands and fields and although they do not fly or jump, they lay in wait on brush, grasses and trees for a host to venture past. The host, generally warm blooded, can be man or animal, brushes against the plant while hiking and/or siting near the plant. The tick then senses the increase in temperature (from man or animal) and thus crawls over, finds a warm secluded body part, attaches and begins to feed. On a human the best “lunch bars” seem to be any area with hair such as the arm pits and head and often the waist bands or other close fitting areas of clothing.
In New Jersey there are four common types of ticks:
LONE STAR TICK
Although Lone Star Ticks may be found along coastal areas of some northeastern states, central New Jersey marks the northern extent of significant inland populations of this species. It is found as far south as Florida and west to Texas. Throughout its range, the lone star tick may be quite abundant and, coupled with its aggressive behavior, is considered a serious pest to humans, livestock and wildlife. In New Jersey, it is common in wooded rural and suburban areas from Monmouth to Cape May Counties.
BLACKLEGGED TICK or DEER TICK
The Blacklegged or Deer Tick is found throughout the eastern portion of the United States and several upper mid-western states. Despite its extensive geographical distribution, most Lyme Disease cases are found in coastal northeastern and mid-atlantic states. In New Jersey, the Blacklegged Tick and the diseases it transmits are most common in rural and suburban wooded areas.
AMERICAN DOG TICK
The American Dog Tick, often erroneously called the wood tick, is found throughout much of the eastern United States. In New Jersey, it is found in rural as well as suburban areas but is more common in overgrown fields and wooded edges than in forests. In urban areas, American Dog Ticks may be locally abundant in vacant lots, rights-of-ways,
or similar areas where vegetation is not maintained. This tick is the primary carrier of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.
BROWN DOG TICK
The Brown Dog Tick is found throughout much of the United States. Although occasionally biting humans, this species differs from the other three host ticks of medical or veterinary importance as it normally is found on domestic dogs in all active life stages. In more northern climates, this tick can become established indoors and is often found associated with kennels, households and other areas frequented by dogs. Under ideal conditions, the Brown Dog Tick can complete its life cycle within 1 year.
Campers can help protect themselves from ticks by wearing light colored clothing (so you can easily see the tick) with long sleeves and long pants that can be tucked into socks. Additionally, bug repellants which contains Deet or Permethrin applied to clothing seems to work well for many campers. Of course, in the middle of the hot summer, in areas know to be heavily infested with ticks, it is always better to try not to brush up against plants and trees by sticking to the middle of the trail and staying out of heavy brush whenever possible. Be sure to do a “tick check” of your body after your hike or before turning in for the night and don’t forget to check your pets. This should become a daily routine as an infected Deer Tick must feed for at least 24 hours before it can begin to transmit Lyme Disease to its human host.
If, during your “tick check”, you do find an imbedded tick or even if it is just crawling and not yet imbedded, it should be removed and disposed of with care. Removal should be done by grasping the tick with pointed tweezers NOT THE FINGERS. Grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible and gently pull backward until the tick becomes dislodged. Be sure to remove the entire tick even if it means removing a small portion of the skin. Any attempt to remove an attached tick with noxious chemicals or by burning will not work and may cause injury to the skin. After the tick has been removed, wash the skin area and your hands thoroughly. We will discuss “what to do with the tick in a moment”. Next, disinfect the bite area with rubbing alcohol or providone iodine to avoid infection. Monitor the bite area and consult a doctor if necessary.
It is important to save the tick for identification. This is done by using the tweezers to place the tick in a small container of alcohol. Record the date the bite occurred, as well as the location where the tick was acquired in case it is needed for a medical follow-up. You should now thoroughly wash and disinfect the tweezers and your hands to avoid any cross contamination.
Although much of the information in this article may be found on the website www.twpfreehold.nj.us/tbde/default.asp there are many other sources on line and your local camping stores are always eager to help. Happy camping and avoid the bugs!
Till Next Time
Tags: camping basics