Although thoughts of ticks tend to wane as the summer comes to an end, they shouldn’t. This time of year ticks can be very active so regular tick checks should still be a part of your daily routine.

Along with daily tick checks, there are many other things you can do to minimize a tick bite. First, and foremost, however, is to know where they are located. Unfortunately, they are no longer just in the woods like we have been told for years. Instead, they can be along golf courses, parks, in schoolyards, and in your own yard. Anywhere there is shade and moisture, they can potentially be found.

If you wear light-coloured clothing you can see any ticks before they find skin. Carrying a small lint roller helps to pick them off your clothes and skin before they have a chance to attach. When doing yardwork, or similar, you can wrap two-sided tape on boots or pants to trap them on their upward journey.

Of course, an insect repellent, made especially for ticks, is helpful. If it includes picaridin/icaridin, even better as it’s less harmful than DEET.

Although more for those that spend a lot of time in tick environments, permethrin treated clothing is the way to go. Mark’s sells a small assortment of pretreated clothes, with some others available on-line or in the US.

If you do find an attached tick, don’t panic and pull it off with your fingers. The following is a video by the federal government on how to properly remove a tick – https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/video/lyme-disease-properly-remove-tick.html. Remember, you don’t want to squeeze it’s body, pull it out too quickly, or use any of the methods that are frequently seen on-line where you cover the tick with a substance such as Vaseline.

Take ticks seriously and stay safe!