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New Port Richey Ticks: Overview
Ticks are a common problem in Florida. And unfortunately, with the weather heating up year by year, they’re getting worse. These insects are vectors for all sorts of bloodborne diseases, with some being so bad as to make you allergic to red meat. So let’s touch on some of the ticks you’ll find in Florida today and how to identify them if you spot one on you.
Black legged tick
These ticks are primarily found in the eastern side of the U.S. Also known as deer ticks, these are often mistaken for dog ticks. They’re named after their habit of feeding white-tailed deer, but these pests will feed on most other large animals as hosts. And yes, that includes humans. Humans can get Lyme from black-legged ticks.
These ticks are brown in color but are known to turn rusty or reddish-brown after feeding and gorging on a blood meal. The adult males are smaller than the females. They’re almost always uniformly brown in color. Females are larger with that reddish hue we talked about earlier.
Deer ticks are found in many locations where their preferred host, the white-tailed deer, dwells. They are present throughout the majority of the eastern United States and tend to live in wooded areas and along trails in forests.
Deer ticks live on the tips of grass and leaves along these trails, enabling them to crawl directly onto the skin or fur of a passing host. Some of these trails may be found in suburban areas where forests meet subdivisions. Deer and other animals are often active in these areas.
American Dog tick
Also known as the wood tick, these ticks are common wherever you find domestic animals or livestock. They also thrive in locations where humans walk through tall grasses and bushes. They can be found in grassy areas and may be referred to as Rocky Mountain wood ticks.
These ticks have four pairs of legs and are mottled grey in coloration. Females are a darker shade than the males and are completely gray behind their heads. They’re found all over north America, especially along forest edges with little tree cover. Adults prefer medium sized hosts, including racoons, skunks, cats, dogs, and other mammals. Nymphs prefer prey such as mice, voles, rats, and chipmunks.
The lone star tick
Now, we’re going to treat this tick with a level of importance. Lone star ticks are one of the more easily recognized ticks since the female adult has an easily noticed white dot on the center of her back. Males of the species have white lines or streaks around the edges of the top of their body, but these markings are not as noticeable as the markings on the female. This tick should have you running for New Port Richey Ticks help!
These ticks take different blood meals from different hosts. And that ‘s most determined by what stage of its life cycle the tick is in. But no matter their life stage, these ticks have a wide range of prey. You can find them feeding on humans, domestic and wild animals of all kinds.
These ticks are found throughout the U.S. but are newer in Florida. But what’s really bad about these ticks are their disease vectors. A condition associated with these ticks is a red meat allergy called alpha-gal syndrome. Common allergic reactions include hives and swelling. Individuals prone to severe allergic reactions can experience symptoms of anaphylaxis such as vomiting, diarrhea, drop in blood pressure, and difficulty breathing. But now cases has been found in most states in the south.
Gulf Coast tick
These ticks normally can be found in grassland prairies and on the edges of wooded areas. The range of this tick is historically described to be contained around the gulf of Mexico and southern Atlantic coast. This tick is very closely related to the Lone Star tick and can transmit tick paralysis and Ricksettsia parkeri.
This tick is most commonly active between June and September. The females are super breeders as well, capable of laying between 10 to 13 thousand eggs. Their range is rapidly expanding North and have now been reported in parts of MD, NJ and NY.
New Port Richey Ticks: Prevention Tips For Florida Ticks
Finding a tick on your body is never a pleasant experience. But since you have all this new knowledge about tick diseases, I’m sure you’d like some tips to keep yourself protected from these blood sucking pests. So, let’s get into some of those now. For one, make sure to wear protective clothing when you’re walking through areas that ticks are known to frequent. If you’re walking through the woods, grass fields, or any kind of swampy, rural area, you need to protect yourself from New Port Richey ticks.
Tick repellent can be helpful as well. Use an EPA-registered insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus (OLE), para-menthane-diol (PMD), or 2-undecanone. Always follow the product instructions and avoid using products containing OLE or PMD on children under 3 years old.
And when coming inside, make sure to immediately check for ticks. Tumble dry your clothes in the dryer on high heat for ten minutes. That will kill any hitch-hiking ticks caught in your clothes. Examine gear and pets. Ticks can ride into the home on clothing and pets, then attach to a person later, so carefully examine pets, coats, and daypacks. Shower soon after being outdoors. Showering within two hours of coming indoors has been shown to reduce your risk of getting Lyme disease and may be effective in reducing the risk of other tickborne diseases. But at the end of the day, if you have a real tick problem, be sure to reach out to a local professional.
