Tick bites. If you spend time in the wilderness, you probably worry about these bites. Ticks are somewhat notorious pests as they are known to spread diseases. They are a variety of tick-borne illnesses, and some can be severe. But, you might have questions about how to tell if you have a tick bite.
When ticks bite, they attach their heads to the skin of their host and slowly drink blood until they become enraged. Then, they drop off to wait until they need to eat again. Unless you see the tick on your body, it can be challenging to know where the strange bite mark on your body came from.
Our Monmouth County pest control experts at Alliance Pest Services have put together this guide to identifying tick bites to help you protect yourself from illnesses.
What Does A Tick Bite Look Like?
If you can put it that way, the good news is that ticks can remain on a host for up to ten days. At first, it’s more difficult to spot the tiny tick, but as they drink and get bigger, they are easier to see. While most ticks are a reddish-brown or black color, their bodies look greenish-blue as they swell up.
If you’ve been spending time outside, it’s good to check certain body areas for ticks. Ticks seek out warm, sweaty places on your skin, so they will most likely migrate to the armpits, groin, or knees. But, it’s also possible to find a tick nearly anywhere on your body. The biting process is generally painless, so you won’t be able to rely on the feeling to identify a tick bite.
Three Ways To Identify A Tick Bite
Now that you know some basics about tick bites, you can look for three main ways to identify a tick on your body.
Here are three of the best ways to determine if a tick in Monmouth County has bitten you:
- Check Your Entire Body: It can be hard to inspect every inch of your skin, but it’s essential if you’ve been somewhere where ticks usually live.
- Look For Other Symptoms: The side effects of tick bites vary greatly depending on the diseases the tick has spread. And, most ticks don’t spread any serious illnesses. But, it would help if you still watched out for signs of rash or fever.
- Reach Out To A Doctor: Reactions to tick bites are different for each person. Some bites only look like a tiny mosquito mark, while others have more redness and swelling. If you’re unsure about any bump on your skin, it’s best to reach out to a healthcare professional.
If you are worried about finding ticks around your yard, the best way to prevent tick bites is to work with a Monmouth County pest control expert for tick protection.
Do All Ticks Carry Diseases?
While ticks do act as vectors for many diseases, you can feel some relief knowing that most ticks aren’t going to make you sick. However, it’s still wise to be cautious. Ticks will eat from human and animal hosts so that they can transmit pathogens between hosts. Some of the most common tick-borne illnesses include Lyme disease, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and anaplasmosis. Remember that a bulls-eye pattern rash is a common sign of Lyme disease but not necessarily for the other tick-borne illnesses.
Tick Control In Monmouth County Made Easy
If you’ve spotted ticks around your yard, the best way to remove them is with professional pest control from Alliance Pest Services. We can prevent and remove ticks as we focus on deterring the wildlife and rodent species that bring ticks with them. Contact our Monmouth County tick control team today to get started on our effective home pest control and commercial pest control services.