Information On Ticks
During our time in the wilderness, students are instructed how to do a proper tick check, as well as the necessary steps to be taken once home. Please remind your child to do a thorough tick check before bed (this is typically best done as part of bath and/or shower routines). A link below will go into detail as the best way to do this, both for yourself and your child.
What:
Ticks are tiny arachnids (spiders) that normally feed on the blood of mammals and reptiles. They can range anywhere from the size of a poppy seed to the tip of a pen and are commonly eaten by Opossums and Woodrats. When a tick is finished feeding on its host, it can leave behind a bacteria that carries diseases, such as Lyme disease. Without prompt treatment, this can leave one with fevers, migraines, rashes and body aches among other symptoms. Not all ticks carry Lyme disease, however.
Where:
Ticks typically feed on our local Black-tailed Deer and can be found where deer spend most of their time, being open fields with tall grass. There are various types of ticks, most of which are fairly common all across the states. Lucky for us, however, we have the Western Fence Lizard, a common reptile whose blood is known to neutralize the Lyme disease found in the bacteria injected through tick bites.
When:
Adult ticks can be active all year-round, though generally go into hiding during cold, wet days as they tend to prefer warm, sunny days and though less active at night, they can still be active if the temperature is warm enough.
How:
If a tick has been found crawling on you, removing it is as simple as pinching it off with your fingers and letting it go on it's merry way. However, if a tick has bitten you and is in the process of feeding, care must be taken in removing the tick.
For tips on how to remove ticks properly, please take a quick look at this brief, informational video that provides a visual of what this process looks like.
Resources:
- Tick facts & Bay Area Lyme information
Thanks! Happy trails!
