Tick sightings rise with spring’s arrival
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) -- As the weather warms up and brings many outdoors, people are reminded to keep an eye out for a less-welcome sign of spring -- ticks.
Ticks are always outdoors, but starting in April they become more prevalent. Erin Woodiel, a media specialist with the Missouri Department of Conservation, said the creatures are often found in grassy and woody areas.
"The way they look for a host is they climb to the top of grasses or try to get as tall as they can and reach out to latch on to humans or other mammals as they walk by," Woodiel said.
Ticks are not picky parasites and will hitch a ride with any host they can. Conservation department officials encourage people who have been outside to check themselves for ticks to avoid becoming infected with diseases.
"If a tick is on you for a longer period of time, it has more opportunity as it is continuing to feed to then transmit potential diseases back into the host," Woodiel said. "The sooner a tick can be removed, the lower the chance is that one of those diseases will catch."
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, illnesses transmitted by ticks include Anaplamosis, Lyme disease, Tularemia and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
When removing a tick, it is important not to squeeze its belly.
"You don't want to pinch them in the body because that is where the blood that they've already consumed is sitting," Woodiel said. "You don't want what is inside the tick to be pushed back into the person. We recommend pinching as close to the bite source as you can."
