With the weather starting to cool off, now is a good time to get out and enjoy nature. Ticks will still be active but there are easy ways to protect yourself, your children, and pets.
· Wear long sleeves and pants, with pant legs tucked into socks (lighter clothing will make it easier to see any ticks),
· Use bug repellant – 25-30% DEET, 20 % Picaridin, oil of Eucalyptus, or IR-3535 (Merck 3535).
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· Walk in the center of paths to avoid tall grass and vegetation where ticks like to hide waiting for their next meal.
· Check yourself, your children and pets for ticks every few hours or when coming in after being out in potentially tick-infested areas. Removing ticks within a few hours of attachment will sharply reduce the potential of disease transmission.
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· Putting your clothes in a hot dryer for 20 minutes will kill any ticks on them.
· Consult with your vet on appropriate tick prevention for pets.
Spraying of pesticides is ineffective against ticks, which reside in the leaf litter, but will harm pollinators and other beneficial insects.
Enjoy the fall!
To learn more about ticks, check out this article by Extension Master Gardeners: Protecting Yourself from Ticks…Without Harming Pollinators and other resources at https://mgnv.org/mosquito-and-tick-control/ and https://armn.org/mosquitos-and-ticks/ For more information and help with identifying ticks: Contact the Virginia Cooperative Extension Help Desk by email mgarlalex@gmail.com.