We’re all enjoying the outdoors this year, especially as the weather gets warmer and sunnier. We want you to be aware that this year is an active year for ticks, which are picked up outdoors. They are more prevalent in grassy, wooded areas, but can also be found in urban areas. In the Niagara Region, the American Dog Tick is the most common tick found – this tick does not carry Lyme disease. However, there are also Black-legged, or Deer Ticks found here, these ticks can carry Lyme disease.
It is important that you examine yourself and your pets after being outside, to ensure that you do not have a tick on you.
The Niagara Region provides some tips for protecting yourself against picking up ticks. These include:
- Wear light-coloured clothes to spot ticks. Wearing high socks and tucking in your pant legs keeps insects away from your lower legs while walking in grassy areas.
- Use insect repellents that have DEET or Icaridin (always follow the instructions)
- Conduct daily full body checks on yourself and pets after coming in from the outdoors.
- Cut your grass and dispose of leaf litter.
- Outdoor workers should shower or bath within two hours of being in forested or long grass areas.
For more information from Niagara Public Health, including removal of ticks, where to submit a tick for identification, and statistics about the prevalence of ticks in the Region, visit Niagara Region Ticks and Lyme Disease.
