Finally, deter stray and wild animals with fences or makeshift barriers.Ĭlothing Counts. If your home borders the woods, keep recreational areas as far from the trees as possible, and consider a 3-ft barrier of wood chips or gravel to prevent ticks from making their way to your lawn. Stack wood tightly and in dry areas to discourage rodents (and therefore ticks). Keep your grass routinely mowed and free of leaf debris. The good news is that ticks are largely avoidable with the right precautions. The warmer months when we typically spend more time outdoors are when ticks are most active in our region. Having pets that can bring the ticks into your home.Working or spending time outdoors in grassy areas where the blacklegged deer tick or Western blacklegged deer tick is found.Factors that can increase your risk for getting Lyme disease include: April through October is generally the most active tick season. Lyme disease is a year-round problem in many parts of the U.S., including certain areas in Northern Michigan. While it cannot be passed from person to person, it does lead to serious health problems such as joint pain and flu-like symptoms if it goes untreated (typically with antibiotics). Lyme disease is a tick-borne bacterial infection. Though not as common as other Michigan ticks, this tick can survive indoors and carry Rocky Mountain spotted fever. The woodchuck (or groundhog) tick rarely bites humans but is typically found on pets throughout Michigan and transmits Powassan virus disease.īrown dog tick. Its painless, often unnoticed bite rarely leaves a mark – but it can cause a temporary red meat allergy. Known as an aggressive biter, this breed has recently become more prevalent in Michigan, feasting on both animals and humans. Especially prevalent along the West Coast of Michigan, including many Northern Michigan counties, the blacklegged tick can transmit Lyme disease as well as other notable infections such as Anaplasmosis and Babesiosis. Though rare, the American dog tick can spread diseases like Rocky Mountain spotted fever.īlacklegged tick. Despite its name, this tick will bite both pets and humans. Michigan’s five most common ticks include:Īmerican dog tick. Of the 800 species of ticks, only a small fraction is known to transmit diseases to humans. While hard ticks will attach and feed for several hours or even days, soft ticks often feed for less than one hour, transmitting diseases more quickly. It’s the microbes in their saliva that travel into the bloodstream and carry illnesses such as Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Tick bites themselves aren't usually cause for concern. Common Michigan Ticks and Diseases They Spread
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