Expect an Iowa Tick Explosion Due to Fairly Mild Winter

My wife and I recently took one of our usual hikes to one of our most frequented places, White Water Canyon, just outside of Cascade in Bernard, Iowa. It's a really beautiful area where my family does most of its foraging; blackcap raspberries, blackberries, gooseberries, morels, and golden oysters abound. On this particular hike, we were simply taking in the overlook and trying out our new hiking poles. Along the way we saw loads of insect life, despite it still being fairly chilly. I counted some honey bees and wasps, spring butterflies & moths, loads of gnats and mosquitoes, and my least favorite of them all; a tick.

Yup, these guys are the reason for the post today. We were hiking along the area of White Water Creek when my son felt something crawling on his leg. Unfortunately, this is not my family's first experience with ticks here. In fact, I myself have brought 3 ticks out of those woods on me just last year.

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More bad news, it seems ticks could potentially be worse this year due to the effects of a mild winter. Mild winters can fail to suppress tick populations effectively, allowing them to thrive and reproduce more abundantly. Additionally, mild temperatures can lead to earlier and more prolonged activity for ticks, extending their season of activity and increasing the likelihood of encountering them during outdoor activities. With more ticks present and active for longer periods, the risk of tick bites and transmission of tick-borne diseases will be heightened. Therefore, individuals need to be extra vigilant in protecting themselves and their pets against ticks this year.

You know, it's almost impossible to feel these little devils crawling up your leg. It gives me the hebbie-jebbies just thinking about it. Yes, it is tick season, and with it comes the ever-needed lessons on how nasty they can be and how to avoid them. Unfortunately, environmental and human factors have created a near “perfect storm” over the past 20 years leading to a population explosion of ticks throughout North America.

1) Ticks can carry and transmit a number of diseases including;  Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis, Borrelia miyamotoi Disease, Colorado Tick Fever, Ehrlichiosis, Heartland and Bourbon Virus Diseases, Lyme Disease, Powassan Virus Disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Rickettsia parkeri Rickettsiosis, Tickborne Relapsing Fever, and Tularemia.

None of these diseases is pretty and some can be life-threating, in most instances, unless caught early. We are very familiar with Lyme Disease here and it's most frequently reported from the Upper Midwestern and northeastern United States. It causes the infamous bullseye pattern after a bite occurs, along with flu-like symptoms, and is spread by the black-legged ticks also known as "deer" ticks.

2) Ticks are most active when we are most active. Ticks are most closely related to arachnids, like spiders or mites, and remain inactive during the winter months, becoming active again with the warmer spring weather. This is also when females will lay their eggs.

If adult females cannot find a suitable host during the fall, they will turn dormant and survive in leaf litter until the next spring. This is why it’s important to conduct tick checks after being outside in the woods, no matter what season it is.

3) Preventing tick bites is key. They are generally found near the ground, in brushy or wooded areas. They can’t jump or fly. Instead, they climb tall grasses or shrubs and wait for a potential host to brush against them. When this happens, they climb onto the host and seek a site for attachment. When going for a walk always stay in the center of the path/trail when possible.

Watch out for tree branches that hang above your head as ticks like to drop from trees and shrubs. Avoid leaf litter and piles of branches or leaves. Always conduct a tick check on yourself, your children, or your pets after coming home from an outdoor adventure. You can also treat clothing and gear with products containing 0.5% permethrin. Permethrin can be used to treat boots, clothing, and camping gear and remains protective through several washings.

4) Which brings me my next point, make sure to check thoroughly for ticks. Check inside and behind ears, in body creases or cracks, and anywhere that hair grows.

For animals, search ears, in between paw pads, inner thighs or other areas that may touch the ground or brush, and in any folds of skin. Ticks like to hide in these places since they are warm and humid. Another great way to remove ticks, before they get a hold, is simply by showering after being outdoors.

5) Uh-oh, we've been bitten, so now what? Well, if you find a tick attached to your skin, removing it as soon as possible is key. The longer ticks stay attached, the more likely a disease they carry will be transmitted to the host. Once a tick has been attached for 36 hours or more, it is more likely a disease was transmitted.

There are several tick removal devices on the market, but a plain set of fine-tipped tweezers works very well. First, grasp the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible and pull upward with steady, even pressure. No twisting as we do not want to leave the tick's head embedded in the host. After removal, clean the bite and your hands with rubbing alcohol, or soap and water. If flu-like illness or issues like rashes develop on the skin, a trip to the doctor is necessary.

In addition, avoid folklore remedies like, “painting” the tick with nail polish, covering it with petroleum jelly, or using heat to make the tick detach from the skin. Your goal is ALWAYS to remove the tick as quickly as possible.

6) Kill that tick. I don't think I have to tell you this, but smashing a tick between your fingers is NOT the way to kill them, that is unless you would also like to be bitten. Instead, dispose of a live tick by drowning it in rubbing alcohol. Wrap it tightly in tape. Send it down the toilet or drain. On the farm growing up, we always burned them with a  small torch or matches, or smashed them with a heavy stone. You can also place the tick in a sealed bag/container to take to a vet or doctor if you are concerned or need it tested due to an apparent bite.

Stay safe on the trails this year and avoid those annoying little hangers-on. We've already seen them, and unfortunately, it seems there will be a whole lot of them this year, just like last. If you're looking for more information on our tiny, blood-sucking terrors visit the CDC website.