When people think of ticks, they often think of a dog, but they also infect humans and can be quite dangerous. Once they are hatched, they need to eat blood at each life cycle stage to survive. They generally complete an entire life cycle in three years if they succeed.
Ticks can transmit many diseases to humans, therefore preventing them from invading your home, office, yard, or workplace is essential. Most commonly discussed in correlation with them is Lyme Disease, which can cause symptoms like rash and fever and lead to serious illness, joint pain, heart problems, and nervous system issues if not treated. Some can carry Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF), causing headaches, muscle aches, fever, and rash. It can potentially be fatal if not treated with antibiotics quickly enough.
Although dogs and other mammals are usually their hosts of choice, they can transmit diseases to humans. Brown Dog Ticks are the common ones associated with pets, and they are prevalent worldwide. The American Dog Tick is also prevalent in Tennessee. These are most aggressive in the spring and summer and can transmit Tularemia (also known as Deer Fly Fever) and RMSF.
Ticks choose their hosts using several abilities to sense moisture, heat, vibrations, and odors. They tend to sit in shrubs or grass, just waiting for a host to pass so they can feed. Their “waiting” position is known as questing, as they can neither fly nor jump. They hold onto the grass or shrub by their 3rd and 4th pair of legs and outstretch pair number one to climb onto a host and attach. Regarding humans, they generally prefer thinner skin, such as faces or hands.
The feeding process varies, but it generally takes them between 10 minutes and up to two hours after attaching to a host to insert the “feeding tube” and start sucking the blood. They secrete an anesthetic-like substance that numbs the attachment area so the host may not feel it, and some secrete a substance that helps them stay attached to the host. They can feed on their hosts for several days and contract and transmit infections throughout the process. Overall, they are not something you want to be around.
The team at Defender Pest Control can work with you to eliminate any issues you are having with ticks and provide you with tips and tricks you can use to avoid them from coming back. Whether you need residential or commercial pest control assistance, we can help you resolve your issue with ticks and other pests to keep them from infiltrating your space.