Spring into Action: Essential Tips for Tick Prevention
By Kaleigh Schmidt
Imagine waking up to a balmy, spring Saturday morning: The birds are conversing, and the branches are blossoming. The shadows of majestic trees dance in the sun’s radiance. You crave the smells of nature and scenes of a new season, and you can’t contain the urge to sit inside another minute. You quickly slurp your tea, tie up your boots, and jump in the car—you’re off to the trails.
You arrive at your favorite nature preserve and put the car in park. It’s then that you realize the forgotten repellant on the countertop. You can’t contain the excitement, but you want to be safe. Afterall, how harmful could one tick bite really be? Is it worth it to drive all the way back home?
Once you know the potential risks ticks carry, you’d likely decide it’s best to go back and get that tick repellent for your outdoor adventures. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of those risks, precautions you should take, and more.
Tick Facts You Should be Aware Of
Many people underestimate the importance of tick prevention measures, such as tick repellant. According to a recent study, 51% of people do not routinely take preventive steps against tick bites in warm weather.
Why does this matter? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that approximately 476,000 people are diagnosed with Lyme disease each year. Lyme disease is transmitted through the bite of an infected blacklegged tick.
In Illinois alone, nearly 40% of deer ticks are positive carriers of Lyme, according to data from the Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS) Medical Entomology Lab. The rate may be even higher in Northern Illinois counties, leaving outdoor enthusiasts with plenty of opportunities to come in contact with disease-carrying ticks.
Other facts about Lyme and ticks in Illinois include:
Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne illnesses in Illinois, caused by the bite of a blacklegged tick infected with the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi.
The 5 species of ticks most tracked by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) include:
American dog ticks,
blacklegged ticks
Gulf Coast ticks
Lone Star ticks,
Asian longhorned ticks
Some tick-borne diseases in Illinois include alpha-gal syndrome (AGS), Anaplasmosis, Babesisos, Borrelia miyamotoi, Ehrlichiosis, Lyme disease, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
Ticks tend to thrive in grassy, brushy, or wooded areas but can also live in your own yard, neighborhood, or nearby parks.
Precautions You Should Take
The best way to protect yourself from a tick bite is by taking precautions when enjoying activities that bring you in close contact with ticks. These activities may include walking your pet, gardening, hiking, hunting, fishing, and camping.
Ticks can be active any season or time of year as long as the ground temperatures are about 45 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.
Anyone is susceptible to and can become infected with Lyme or tick-borne diseases. The following are some critical tick prevention strategies:
Applying Tick Repellant
One way to avoid contact with ticks is by applying an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered tick repellant according to instructions on the product. This step is crucial in protection against tick bites. EPA-registered repellents include:
DEET
picaridin
IR3535
oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE)
para-menthane-diol (PMD)
2-undecanone
Insect repellents that are applied to the skin are most beneficial because they help repel ticks, which is ideal for any outdoor activity.
Checking for Ticks
Frequent tick checks not only help in early tick bite detection, but they also contribute to your overall well-being and the prevention of Lyme and tick-borne illnesses.
Infected ticks that are attached for 24 hours or longer are more likely to transmit diseases, but some pathogens may be transmitted in a matter of minutes. Prompt tick removal may reduce the transmission of tick-borne diseases.
Therefore, it’s important to perform tick checks after spending time outside. Some ticks are very small. For example, nymphal ticks are about the size of a poppy seed; they may pose a larger threat because of their small size, which can make them hard to detect.
In contrast, adult female ticks are about the size of a sesame seed. They are more likely to be noticed and removed because of their larger size.
To reduce your exposure to ticks, check your clothes and body for them after being outside. Use a small hand-held mirror or full-length mirror to view different parts of your body.
Be sure to check under the arms, in and around the ears, inside of the belly button, the back of the knees, in and around hair, between the legs and around the waist.
Where to Learn More
At the end of the day, the time is always right to protect yourself against tick bites. Learning the facts about ticks as well as some tick prevention strategies helps you become tick aware to safely enjoy your outdoor passions. With a few simple steps, your time outdoors will be more serene and peaceful for the perfect spring weekend adventure.
For additional information on Lyme and tick-borne disease in Illinois, visit:
For additional tick prevention tips, read Be Aware of Ticks with These 5 Tick Prevention Tips.
Sources:
Common Ticks. Illinois Department of Public Health website. https://dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/environmental-health-protection/structural-pest-control/common-ticks.html
Hook SA, Nelson CA, Mead PS. U.S. public's experience with ticks and tick-borne diseases: Results from national HealthStyles surveys. Ticks Tick Borne Dis. 2015 Jun;6(4):483-8. doi: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2015.03.017
Lyme Disease Surveillance and Data. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/data-research/facts-stats/index.html
Statewide Tick Surveillance Highlights Widespread Establishment of Ticks and Pathogens. Prairie Research Institute Factsheet. (2024). https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5f6a55cc288a4713e5464577/t/67eb1fddb8329a10b469b343/1743462369738/INHS_tick-disease-factsheet-FINAL+%281%29.pdf
