Every year the number of Lyme disease cases continues to grow. The CDC says that there are 30,000 cases reported each year, and that number is expected to rise as the deer tick season and its habitat spreads. The warmer weather associated with global climate change seems to be lengthening tick season, expanding the number of Lyme disease cases in the Northeast, and overall increasing deer tick activity.
The Risk of Warmer Weather
The spring is an especially dangerous time of tick season. The likelihood of encountering a deer tick nymph is at its highest. Adult deer ticks will also be out in search of a host, starting in May and June, but the real danger is from the much smaller deer tick nymph. For deer tick nymphs, the season begins in June, peaks in early July, and comes to an end in August. The small nymphs, actually smaller than a sesame seed, are difficult to see. Plus, their bites are painless. Unless you are doing thorough and daily tick checks, it’s very possible to miss a deer tick nymph.
It takes 36 hours for the Lyme pathogen to be transmitted to humans. If the tick is found and removed during that window, it is unlikely Lyme disease will be developed. However, due to the small size of the nymph, it’s easy to walk around with an undiscovered tick for days.
The risk tends to diminish in August, once the deer tick nymphs are gone. By this point in the tick life cycle, the larvae are hatching. The larvae are practically microscopic and rarely attach themselves to humans. They are also not infected with the Lyme bacteria.
Other Factors
In addition to the size of the deer tick nymph, there are also other factors at play that make spring and summer prime tick season. People do many more outdoor activities as the weather warms up. That, combined with the habitat expansion of the deer tick, makes spring and summer particularly high risk in contracting Lyme disease.
Prevention
By far, the best method of avoiding Lyme disease and a deer tick bites in general, is prevention. If you plan on being outdoors, dress properly. While the weather is warmer, you’ll still want to wear clothes that cover your arms and legs. Deer ticks like to sit in bushes and trees about knee-high and attach to hosts that may brush by.
Also, the woods aren’t the only place that you can have an encounter with a deer tick, your backyard is also at risk. Make sure you keep your yard maintained. Keep debris to a minimum and trim down grass and bushes.
It’s a good idea to consider pet and people friendly tick elimination methods for the upcoming tick season. Human intervention is your best bet to keep deer ticks out of your yard and off of your family.