Ticks Are Terrifying – What You Need To Know

Disclosure: In any review for a product or service, products or compensation may have been provided to me to help facilitate my review. All opinions are my own and honest. I am disclosing this in accordance with FTC Guidelines. Please see “Disclose” and "Terms of Use" tabs for more information.

Ticks are sweeping the nation – migrating into new areas, booming in population, and spiking Lyme disease concerns nationwide.

Facts:

• The CDC reports that the number of blacklegged ticks – the type responsible for transmitting Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, and babesiosis – has more than doubled in the past 20 years.
• Research has shown that the number of US counties now reportedly at high-risk for Lyme disease has risen by over 300%.
• According to FAIR Health, the diagnosis of Lyme Disease rose 185% in rural areas between 2007 and 2016. Lyme disease rose by 40% in cities (Mintel report 2018).

Did you know?

• You can contract multiple diseases from one tick. The tick brought in from your pet or clothes can then bite you and spread disease.
• Good news: Ticks don’t start transmitting disease right away. This usually takes around 24-48 hours.
• Removing ticks within the first 24 hours is crucial and drastically reduces your chances of disease, especially Lyme disease.
• Mosquito repellents can repel ticks, but not all are created equally. 
  • Check out the comparison chart attached to learn more:

Why the Rise in Ticks / Lyme?

Pest control expert and CEO/Founder of EarthKind, Kari Warberg Block, weighs in:

• “We are in closer contact with wildlife, namely deer, mice and ticks themselves. This is due to land clearing, reforestation and urbanization, and when the deer and mice populations increase, which they have been, so do the ticks. Globalization is certainly another culprit, as ticks are easily spread to different countries, but climate change may be the most alarming contributor of all.”

• “Climate change can affect the way diseases are spread, where ticks inhabit, and the longevity of tick season. Warmer, shorter winters mean ticks are dormant for a much shorter time-span and can thrive in new locations. The influx of Lyme disease is also influenced by the weather, as bacteria itself thrives in warmth, making Lyme disease more prevalent in certain areas”