In our last blog post, we touched a little bit about how dangerous ticks can be, and the unfortunate part is that they are commonly found in the backyards of Sacramento homes. With as often as they are found, it’s surprising how little people know about these pests. For that reason, our team is going to spend a little bit of time talking about ticks, how to recognize them and their bites, and what to do in the case that you, your child, or your pet winds up with a tick bite this spring or summer.
What is a Tick
One of the smaller insects that you need to worry about during the warmer months here in Sacramento are the ticks. These pests are relatively three to five millimeters in size. While they are small in size, they are a severe hazard to people that they bite. The primary reason is because they feed on the blood of those that they bite. Known for hanging out in and around trees, these pests become a serious concern for individuals who have lots of trees in their backyard or who are spending significant amounts of time outdoors.
With as small as they are, it can be challenging to notice these pests until long after they’ve bitten their victim. It’s this factor that makes it all the more important for people to know what to look for. Aside from that, ticks are known for transmitting Lyme disease, which causes joint pain and weakness in the body. That being said, you want to make sure that you’re able to recognize a tick.
Identifying a Tick Bite
In most cases where an individual or a pet is bitten by a tick, it can take hours or days to recognize it. As we mentioned earlier, these pests are small, but the reason that bites are so difficult to notice is that they’re painless. When a tick attaches to the skin, it injects an anesthetic into the skin, which is what makes the bite painless. Once it’s done that and is now undetectable, it begins to feed. In most cases, people don’t even remember being bitten by a tick.
When it comes to bites, most of the time you’ll be able to identify them because their head is burrowed in the skin while their bottom half is still sticking out. The skin around will often be red because of the inflammation to the skin as well as the reaction. Depending on how long the tick has been feeding, the size will vary.
Various insects bite, and if there isn’t a tick still attached to the skin, it can be challenging to identify if it was a tick. One of the best ways to determine if it was a tick that bit you is by looking at the area of the bite. Ticks are known for loving warm, moist places where blood is known to flow. Often times, you can find tick bites at the nape of the neck, under the arms, in the groin, or in hair. Knowing that these are the most common places that they bite, you should hopefully be able to narrow down whether or not the bite you’re seeing was from a tick.
Removing a Tick
In the case that the body of the tick is still burrowed in the skin, it’s absolutely necessary that you remove the tick because the longer that it remains in the body, the more likely the transmitting of Lyme disease is. Luckily, the removal process is pretty easy. If you’re able to preserve your skin, do so. This is one of the only ways that your doctor will be able to determine whether or not a tick was carrying a transmittable disease.
So, the best way to tackle the removal of a tick is with your trusty tweezers. Grab the tick with the tweezers, close to the skin where it is burrowed. Do not squeeze it too tightly, because this could squeeze some saliva out of the tick, and into your body. When you have a good hold of the tick, pull upwards gently. You don’t want to be too forceful when pulling the tick out so that no part of the tick breaks off. Once you’ve removed it, clean the skin and sanitize it with alcohol. If you notice any rash or irritation, schedule a visit with your doctor immediately.
Contact Earthwise Pest Management
The team at Earthwise Pest Management understands just how dangerous these pests can be. We also understand how frequently they’re found here in Sacramento. If you notice that you are having problems with ticks around your home, it’s best to call the professionals.
Our pest control company uses an integrated pest management approach to provide our customers with safe, long-term solutions. Let us be the ones to help reduce the chances of you coming across a tick! Contact us today to get a free quote on the services that you need.