With the newly discovered Zika virus you may be asking yourself what is next? It seems like every year a new disease is discovered that is worse than the last that is transferred by mosquitoes and ticks. We find ourselves moving further and further inside our homes to protect from the dangers of enjoying the outdoors.

Although mosquitos do carry some deadly diseases, they are generally more of a nuisance than a concern. Ticks have been a concern for many people for a long time due to the diseases they can carry. Lyme’s disease has caused problems for years. This disease is caused by the deer tick which have a peak season in June and can multiply fast. Generally, what people do not know is that a tick needs to be attached for 24-48 hours to transfer most diseases. Although this may seem like a long time, deer ticks are the size of a sesame seed or smaller. Therefore, they easily go unnoticed long enough for the tick to transfer Lyme’s.

If you are bitten by a tick, you will usually notice a red spot that may itch and is the size of a quarter. This is normal, because the saliva of a tick causes this reaction. If you start to experience symptoms like fever, chills, muscle pain, headache, tiredness and/or weakness, contact your doctor.

If bitten by a tick, here are important tips to remember:

1. Always use a tweezers to remove the tick. Pinch the tick with the tweezers as close to the mouth and head to avoid pieces of the mouth breaking off. Never pinch the body.
2. You should clean the bite spot with alcohol, iodine, or soap and water. To properly dispose of the tick, submerse it in alcohol, put them in a sealed bag and then wrap tape around it. Do not flush it down the toilet. Flushing a tick down the toilet doesn’t kill it and allows the possibility of it crawling out and biting someone again.

When entering tick infested areas, help prevent ticks by:

1. Keeping your clothes tucked in and prevent access.
2. Using light colored clothing to help identify tick crawling on you.
3. Make sure when you have been in an area that ticks are prevalent to do a thorough check on your body, and especially on your children.

Tick bites are preventable if you take the necessary precautions. Enjoy the outdoors this summer; just make sure to check for ticks!

Alexander Horn is a veteran of the Minnesota Army National Guard and the owner of the Northwest Metro Mosquito Shield Franchise. His mosquito control business is committed to protect yards from mosquitos and ticks without having adverse effects on kids, birds, or other pets. They are also pollinator conscious, as Alexander and his father continue to raise honey bees while also effectively controlling mosquitos.

If you are looking to protect your yard from mosquitos and ticks, make sure to not only go with a mosquito company that is good at mosquito control, but one that cares about a little more than that. Don’t hesitate to contact Alexander Horn at (763) 251-6000, and visit the Mosquito Shield website.