June is Great Outdoors Month!

by Jennifer Smith June 15, 2018

June is a special time of year that everyone celebrates. Not only is June 21st the first day of summer, but this month has nationwide events for Garden Days for gardeners to learn new gardening techniques and see an abundance of new flowers for their gardens. Because June is the kick-off to outdoors season, it's only fitting that June is declared to be Great Outdoors Month. Gardeners will be spending a lot of time outside tending to their garden; which is why we must review how to spot a tick easily on clothes and how to remove a tick, if necessary.

How to spot a tick

Ticks are highly visible in the grassy and wooded areas; which is why gardeners must beware of ticks this season. While not all ticks carry Lyme Disease, or tick diseases at all, the chance of being infected by a tick is 50/50. Is this a risk worth taking?

While gardening, try to wear bright clothes. While summer is toasty, it's best to wear long-sleeved clothing; but if the thought of long-sleeves in the summertime turns you off, try applying tick and insect repellent to the skin. Be sure to apply repellents around the ankles as well as above the arms. (Remember, ticks crawl from the ground up - they do not fly or jump.)

When Bit By a Tick

If bit by a tick, gardeners will need to stay calm but pluck the tick out as quickly as possible to avoid possible tick disease transmission. Do not remove the tick by hand or burning it off your skin. Instead, remove the tick with a tick removal tool, pulling straight up on the tick. Do not twist the body; and make sure all pieces of the tick are no longer embedded in the skin. After the infected area is cleaned with soap or rubbing alcohol, the tick will need to be taken to a doctor for identification. Individuals with a tick bite may request a Lyme Disease test.

If individuals see a red blotchy 'Bulls Eye' marking around the infected area, they may have Lyme Disease.

Other Lyme Disease symptoms include:

Headache
Fever
Muscle Aches
Swollen Glands
Unsteadiness

Tick diseases can affect all warm-blooded mammals including adults, children and pets. Know the signs of Lyme Disease and remember these tick tips throughout the summer season.

Follow the conversation on @DeerbustersCanadaDeerFence Facebook using hashtag #GreatOutdoorsMonth.