Are ticks out already? ASK THE HORT AGENT
Question Are ticks out already?
Answer Ticks are “out” nearly year round in North Carolina. Hunters already know that deer ticks (aka black-legged or winter ticks) crawl around during the winter. I’m sure they crawl a lot slower in January, but they are still “out.” These ticks are not typically found around managed landscapes, unless deer hang out in your yard.
As we enter April, hummingbirds have shown up. Snakes are crawling around. Geese are laying eggs, and ticks are looking for blood. The dog and lone star ticks are mobile during warm weather. Spring has sprung enough to get them moving.
Researchers have unveiled some astounding findings relating to picking up ticks. First, a person walking is less likely to pick up ticks than a person sitting on a log. Are you as shocked as I am? This research is more complicated than it seems. While walking, people (and pets) can pick up ticks. This is primarily done the way fighter jets snag aircraft carriers. Think of the ticks as the planes and your clothes as the aircraft carrier. The little hooks on their feet snag your clothes and snatch the tick off the leaf onto you.
This type of system is hard to defend against. Wearing plastic or no clothes (with shaved legs) may give the ticks less to snag. However, the drawbacks may be worse than the ticks. Plastic will be really hot and nakedness will lead to sunburn and multiple scratches.
We have known for many years that ticks are attracted to animals that emit carbon dioxide. Therefore, it makes sense that people pick up more ticks by sitting on logs, laying on the grass or standing in the weeds. Now it is official. Research shows that a person can pick up more ticks by slowly crawling on their hands and knees for 30 seconds than walking for half a minute. http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2001/010905.htm
The second bit of tick research IS actually surprising. Like grass stains, ticks don’t come out in the wash. The majority of warm season ticks survived all the water (hot/cold) - detergent combinations with no obvious side effects. The dryer is actually the key to tick-free clothes. Take your clean ticks out of the washing machine and put them in the dryer. One hour on high heat will kill ‘em all. Drying your clothes on a clothes line is more environmentally friendly, and is also advisable if you are taking part in a “catch and release” program. http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2007/071005.htm
For more info on tick management, visit http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/ent/notes/Urban/ticks.htm If you don’t have internet access, call me at 910-893-7533 or email me at gpierce@harnett.org
Believe it or not, snakes, birds and other animals also have to deal with ticks. You never know where a tick’s little mouth has been. The only thing worst than getting bit by a tick is getting bit by a tick that just let go of a possum’s lip, buzzard’s foot or a skunk’s tail.
Gary L. Pierce
Horticulture Extension Agent
Harnett County | 
