THE TERRIBLY, TROUBLESOME

TICK Created by: Stephanie Dalrymple and Stephanie Whitley

What is a Tick?

A tick is an arachnid. The tick is a parasite that lives off of the blood of mammals, birds, and sometimes reptiles and amphibians.

Are there different kinds of Ticks found in Indiana and Kentucky?

Brown Dog Tick

American Dog Tick

Where do you find a Tick?

What is a Tick’s habitat?

Ticks love a warm, humid climate. They also like to live in areas that have a lot of animals so that they are able to eat. We often find ticks in grass and wooded areas in the summer.

What do Ticks like to eat?

Ticks can feed on

mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. Most ticks like to enjoy a different host animal at each stage of their life.

What is the Life Cycle of a tick?

1) egg  A ticks life starts as a

very small egg.  2) larva A larva only has six legs

instead of eight. 3)  nymph Nymphs already have

eight legs.4) adult Females look different

from males because they are larger.

Sizes of ticks

Can Ticks hurt you?

In the United States, some ticks carry pathogens that can cause human disease, including: Anaplasmosis is transmitted to humans by tick bites primarily from the blacklegged tick

(Ixodes scapularis) in the northeastern and upper midwestern U.S. Babesiosis is caused by microscopic parasites that infect red blood cells. Most human

cases of babesiosis in the United States are caused by Babesia microti. Babesia microti is transmitted by the blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis) and is found primarily in the Northeast and upper Midwest.

Ehrlichiosis is transmitted to humans by the lone star tick (Ambylomma americanum), found primarily in the southcentral and eastern U.S.

Lyme disease is transmitted by the blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis) in the northeastern U.S. and upper Midwestern U.S. and the western blacklegged tick (Ixodes pacificus) along the Pacific coast.

Powassan encephalitis Powassan (POW) virus is transmitted to humans by infected ticks.

) Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF) is transmitted by the American dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis), Rocky Mountain wood tick (Dermacentor andersoni), and the brown dog tick (Rhipicephalus sangunineus) in the U.S.

STARI (Southern Tick-Associated Rash Illness) is transmitted via bites from the lone star tick (Ambylomma americanum), found in the southeastern and eastern U.S.

Tularemia is transmitted to humans by the dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis), the wood tick (Dermacentor andersoni), and the lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum). Tularemia occurs throughout the U.S.

How can I get rid of a Tick?

How to remove a tick Use tweezers to grab the tick as close to the skin's

surface as possible. Pull upward. Don't twist or jerk the tick; this can

cause the mouth-parts to break off and remain in the skin. If this happens, remove the mouth-parts with tweezers. If you are unable to remove the mouth easily with clean tweezers, leave it alone and let the skin heal.

After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol, an iodine scrub, or soap and water

How can I keep Ticks away from me?

Remember, ticks like warm and humid areas. Be extra careful in warmer months (April-September) when ticks are most active.

Avoid Direct Contact with Ticks Avoid wooded and bushy areas with high grass and leaf litter. Walk in the center of trails.

Repel Ticks with DEET or Permethrin Use repellents that contain 20% or more DEET (N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide)

on the exposed skin for protection that lasts up to several hours. Always follow product instructions. Parents should apply this product to their children, avoiding hands, eyes, and mouth.

Use products that contain permethrin on clothing. Treat clothing and gear, such as boots, pants, socks and tents. It remains protective through several washings. Pre-treated clothing is available and remains protective for up to 70 washings.

Photos of Ticks

More information about Ticks…

www.tickencounter.org www.tickinfo.com www.cdc.gov/Features/StopTicks www.pestworldforkids.org/ticks www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tick www.kidshealth.org/kid/watch/o

ut/tick.com