Keeping those ticks off

Ticks. The dreaded little arachnids that drop from the sky or hitch a ride on innocent passerbys and dig in and get a little too personal with humans and animals alike. Most people hear the word “tick” and their bodies quiver and the they start to get a little too aware of any little tickle on their bodies. 

This reaction really is an understandable one: ticks are responsible for some gnarly illnesses and their appearance, full of blood or not, is disgusting. They are kind of greasy-looking, their eight, tiny legs creep along slowly and their heads aren’t very visible, giving us the perception of being headless. They look like a shield-plated creature of pure creepiness and revulsion. 

Well, guess what folks? It’s tick season!

Let me share some experiences I’ve had with these little guys, in hopes of helping others be more aware of our unfriendly neighbors out in the wild. 

Two weeks ago, while on a day trip to the Bitterroots to go climbing, I found exactly 20 ticks on me. Not all at once, thank goodness, but throughout the day. 

Yes, 20, creepy, crawly, creatures of disease! But guess what? I wasn’t grossed out. I barely even cringed as I pulled one after another out of my thick head of hair, carefully tearing each one in half before returning it to the rock, ensuring that they would not bite another day. 

Surprisingly enough, this isn’t even the largest number I’ve had on me in a 24-hour period. If you take that number, 20, and multiply it by two, then you’ve got the exact number. Yes, 40… gross. 

But really, I’m not too grossed out by ticks anymore. I’ve had enough exposure to them that they have become a part of my outdoor lifestyle and I have learned to deal with them.

So, at this point you may be asking yourself, “Elliott, your stories are gross. What is the point of this article?”

Well, what I really want to do is share some facts with you that may help you prevent any tick bites and tick-borne illnesses this year and maybe help you get as comfortable as me. 

First let’s talk about what ticks we have in our great state. The Rocky Mountain Wood Tick is the most common one, creeping it’s way slowly across all trees, shrubs, and grasses around Montana. The Soft Tick was also found recently, but tends to be confined to cabins that are infested with rodents and rodent dens in particular.  

Second, let’s identify some diseases that ticks can carry in our neck of the woods. 

We have Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF) with four cases reported per year, Colorado Tick Fever (CTF) with one case reported per year, Tickborne Relapsing Fever (TBRF) with one case reported per year, and Tularemia or Rabbit Fever with four reported cases per year. We do not have any documented cases of Lyme disease occurring from a tick bite happening in Montana. There have been reported cases of Lyme disease, but each person had recently returned from a trip to the Northeast part of our country where they received a tick bite. 

RMSF, CTF, and Tularemia are all associated with with the Rocky Mountain Wood Tick while the TBRF is associated with a bite from the Soft Tick. 

Third, protection! But you may be asking, “What can protect me from one of these ultra-shielded creepy-crawlies?” Well, according to the CDC and Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, when you are out and about in the tall grass and trees, it’s a good idea to wear long sleeves, long pants, and use a liberal amount of bug spray to detract any possible riders from digging their tiny heads into your skin. Also ticks like to dig in spots that are warm and moist and easy to get to. Some popular spots include your hairline, armpits, upper legs, and lower back. They really like your waist band area also! So, tucking in your shirt and pulling your socks over your pants are great ways to prevent the little-buggers from getting directly onto you skin. You may look a little like Steve Erkel for an afternoon, but skipping a day of impressing your crush or significant other might be worth it to save yourself from a tick bite. 

Another thing to be sure to do is check yourself periodically throughout the day, running your fingers through your hair searching for any abnormal bumps or unfamiliar objects and checking armpits, legs, and your waist band. 

Finally, let’s talk about what to do if you do find an unwelcome rider making you dinner! 

Never pull the tick out with your fingers alone: you could tear off their head, leaving it in your skin which can lead to infection at the bite-site. Instead, take a tweezers and grasp the bugger as close to your skin as you can, pulling upwards. Don’t twist or jerk or spin or do anything too crazy with the tick, this could also cause some issues with its head attachment. Don’t paint the tick with nail polish or use a lighter or match to try and heat it up to pull it out. These “remedies” could end with more serious injury or not work at all. 

After the tick is removed, clean the bite and go on with your day! 

Ticks are gross, but with some good prevention, some deep breaths, and a little patience, we can all get through this season without any adverse effects. 

So the next time you see a tick, don’t scream or shiver, just grab it and flick it away (unless it’s embedded then see three paragraphs previous). They may not be fun to deal with but they are a natural part of every spring. Just use the prevention steps and stay dedicated to your outdoor lifestyle… you can’t let a little bug ruin your spring!