Ticks can spread disease from animals to humans through their bites. Ticks live in wooded areas with underbrush and open areas with tall grass. They’re most active during spring and summer months.
Once a tick bites, it can be difficult to remove.
If you’re heading outdoors during tick season, it’s important to know how to prevent tick bites.
About ticks
Ticks are parasites that feed on the blood of people and animals. They might look like insects but they’re actually arachnids, like spiders and mites.
Adult ticks have 8 legs. To feed, they bury their mouths and head into the skin of people and animals and suck blood.
Ticks travel! You can pick up a tick almost anywhere outside. But it’s most common when you brush against grass or shrubs in natural areas.
Ticks wait on the ends of grass and leaves. They use their outstretched legs to grab onto passing animals, including humans!
Prevent tick bites
- Wear clothing that covers your arms and legs.
- Tuck your shirt into your pants, and tuck your pants into your socks and boots.
- Use an EPA-registered repellent that contains DEET, picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus.*
- Stay on trails and out of brushy areas when possible
*Pure lemon eucalyptus oil or essential oil is not formulated for use as insect repellent.
Check for ticks
Ticks can hitch a ride home on a person or pet. After leaving an area where ticks might live, complete a tick-check on yourself, kids and pets.
Ticks usually don’t bite right away. It can take up to several hours to a day for them to find a place to bite.
- Shower after your come home to find and wash off unattached ticks
- Check all over your body
- Check coats and day packs
Ticks prefer warm moist areas like head and hair, behind ears, armpits, backs of knees and groin.
Once a tick bites, it can take up to 24 hours for it to transmit disease. Ticks may become swollen as they feed and are easier to see. They drop off when they're done.
Remove ticks right away
If you find a tick attached to you, don’t panic! It’s important to remove it right away.
Do
- Sanitize the area and your tweezers or tick remover.
- Use tweezers to grip the tick as close to its head and mouthparts as possible. (Or follow instructions for your tick remover.)
- Steadily and firmly pull up so the tick’s mouthparts don’t break off in your skin.
- Dispose of the tick—stick it to a piece of tape, fold it over securely and throw it away
- Wash the area and your hands with soap and water.
- Watch the site of the bite for infection or swelling.
- Keep it clean until it heals.
If you don’t use tweezers or a tick remover and just pull on the body, the tick’s mouthparts could get stuck in the skin and cause infection.
Don’t
- Twist or jerk the tick
- Squeeze the tick
- Attempt to burn the tick off
- Attempt to suffocate the tick (using wax, oil, grease, nail polish or Vaseline)
These methods can increase your risk for tick-borne disease and infection.
What ticks look like
These are the ones to watch out for in Oregon:
- Western black-legged tick
- American dog tick
- Pacific Coast tick
- Rocky Mountain wood tick
Ticks go through 4 life stages. Their size and appearance can look different at each stage:
- Egg
- 6-legged larvae
- 8-legged nymph
- Adult
Larvae, nymph and adult ticks can all spread disease. Larval and nymph ticks are tiny and can be difficult to see.
When to see a doctor
Ticks carry germs that cause diseases. If you have a fever, body aches or flu-like symptoms after a tick bite, see a doctor. Symptoms may appear between a few days, or several weeks.
Diseases ticks can spread:
- Lyme disease
- Rocky Mountain spotted fever
- Colorado tick fever
- Anaplasmosis
- Tularemia
- Soft tick relapsing fever
- Hard tick relapsing fever