Visiting our gardens

When we usually enter our gardens we go there with a specific intent or reason. These reasons vary depending on the season, the garden’s immediate needs at the time, or our own enjoyment. These reasons vary from the weeds need pulling, to seeing the first bloom on the rose you recently planted.

A war in the garden

While we go in our gardens to enjoy or work on them, there are hundreds of other creatures there waging war against each other, the plants in the garden, and us. The topic of the creatures waging war against each other (as well as against the plants there) is for another day. Today’s blog is about the creatures in our gardens waging war against us. And, more specifically, the blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis and Ixodes pacificus – more commonly known as a “deer tick”). These pests made us innocent victims – nothing more than prey and a meal.

We are prey in our gardens

Here in Southern New England we don’t have a lot of large predatory animals that feast on large mammals such as humans. Large predatory animals such as pythons, mountain lions, wolves, etc. can be a nuisance and do kill people every year. But, we do have some very small animals that carry deadly diseases such as rabies, West Nile virus, and Lyme disease. While instances of rabies and West Nile virus are not very common occurrences here in Southern New England, attacks related to tick bites and Lyme disease is quite a different story.

How common is Lyme disease?

According the CDC, it is estimated that over 476,000 Americans fall ill each year to Lyme disease. Yale University estimates that the disease is a very old disease, and is some 60,000 years old (long before humans inhabited the continent). Lyme disease was first documented in Lyme, Connecticut back in 1976, and it is the most common vector-borne disease in North America.

My experience with Lyme disease

I have seen Lyme disease change from an anomaly that very few people were diagnosed with – something that almost seemed to be an afterthought, to five of my very close family members contracting the disease and suffering life-changing and long-lived problems associated with the disease.

While I personally have not been the recipient of an infected tick bite, I have seen these family members suffer greatly for many months/years after being bitten by infected ticks. With the amount of time that I work outside and go camping, the fact that I haven’t been bitten/infected amazes me.

Symptoms of Lyme disease

Symptoms of Lyme disease vary from person to person and may/may not include:

• Rash (usually in the form of a “bull’s-eye” some 12”+ wide radiating from the site of the tick bite)
• Facial paralysis
• Arthritis
• Chills
• Headache
• Stiffness
• Fatigue
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Dizziness
• Shortness of breath
• Numbness
• Etc.

Symptoms can take many months and sometimes years to appear. Lyme disease can be difficult to detect in some patients. It is not uncommon for someone to test negative for Lyme disease for many years before being properly diagnosed. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, it is imperative that you contact a doctor for proper diagnoses/treatment.

Where can you find deer ticks

Deer ticks are found in the 48 contiguous states, Canada, Mexico, and Alaska. They are very small (1/8”) and can be very hard to detect. They can bite any area of your body including:

• Ears
• Nose
• Armpits
• Scalp
• Groin
• Legs
• Etc.

What types of animals do ticks infest?

Ticks infest mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. Our furry pet friends are common hosts for ticks, and it is a good idea to check them each and every time they come indoors after being outside. Ticks can be found in any and every place on their bodies. If not removed, they may jump (or fall) off your pets and reattach themselves to you and your family. Ticks are active whenever the temperatures are above 45 degrees. This includes ALL twelve months of the year. However, they are most active from March to November.

Ticks and their life cycle

Ticks inject an anesthetic as they bite, and the victim usually doesn’t feel it. They burrow their head under the skin of their victim and start feeding on the host’s blood. Once fully engorged, they fall off, mate, lay eggs and die. Ticks have four life cycles. The cycles are egg, larva, nymph, and adult. It can take up to three years for a tick to complete its entire lifetime, and they must feed during the larva, nymph, and adult cycles.

Which ticks infest their victims and treatment?

Female ticks are the ticks that transmit pathogens to their victims. It takes about 36-48 hours for Lyme infections to occur after the bite happens. Treat Lyme disease early with antibiotics. Antibiotics treat most people successfully, but any possible long-lasting effects alters one’s lifestyle and overall health dramatically. Deer ticks and their host pathogens pose extreme danger to you, and people must take them seriously, especially by those who spend large amounts of time outdoors (and in gardens).

Preventing ticks from attacking

To prevent ticks from attaching themselves to you, I recommended wearing long sleeve shirts and pants. Tuck your pants inside your socks to avoid ticks penetrating the skin. Apply an insect repellent containing permethrin or picaridin to keep them away.

The CDC recommends using Deet for repelling ticks. Showering after being outside and having a family member check you for ticks is also very effective against tick bites.

For more information . . . 

For more information, on deer ticks, their danger to humans, and how to prevent getting bitten by them, I would recommend researching them on the internet or visiting the CDC website.

Epilogue

This story is a reminder of how important it is to be aware of ticks and their danger to us all. Hundreds of articles/stories explain the dangers ticks pose to people who spend a great deal of time outdoors. It is intended to be a reminder to us ALL that the danger is indeed real, and MUST be taken seriously. Our guard should never be let down when it comes to battling ticks and the pathogens within. Not even for one second.

Ticks infest people from all walks of life. They don’t care if you have a million dollar yacht, or a multimillion-dollar home. If you are warm-blooded and alive, you are a target for their latest meal.

While Lyme disease is not the only disease spread by ticks, it is the most common. There are a plethora of other tick-borne diseases that effect mankind. One of the most dangerous is the Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (Rickettsia rickettsii) spread by dog ticks throughout the Southeastern United States, Canada, Central America and South America. If you think that you have been infected with Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, you should contact a doctor for immediate treatment.

Epilogue to the Epilogue

This story was the first story that was composed on my “new” wooden fountain pen my wife gave to me as a Christmas present. I rediscovered it after I left my usual pens at home by accident one day. It is handmade beauty, made of some type of exotic wood and was in a box nearly forgotten until a few weeks ago. I’m not sure where she got the pen, but it is a beautiful pen that writes extremely well. I’m very happy with her gift, and have used it constantly since I rediscovered it.

Recent happenings with me and some unwanted eight-legged friends (aka ticks) inspired this story. My first encounter with a tick was after sandblasting the old ’67 Dodge Dart with my daughter’s fiancé. I took a shower and shampooed my hair not long after we finished. I discovered a tick in my hair the following morning, and removed it right away. 

The second tick that I discovered was crawling on my leg after checking the R. arkansana beside the road while researching my July 5th blog. I walked in and out of the field (only a dozen yards or so) only to feel a tick crawling on my leg a few minutes later as I drove away. I immediately removed the tick and let it fly out the window doing 65 miles per hour. She didn’t have a chance to do any real damage to me.