Coming across ticks in Lake Macquarie was part of growing up, especially during the warm months. As a kid, after playing outside, Mum would check us over to see if she found any. I dreaded the sound mum made when she did. The thought of it burrowing into me didn’t exactly make me want to sit still. My mum would grab the tweezers and try to remove every part of the tick. Dad would be heading out to the shed for the metho. The latest advice for tick removal makes a lot more sense, to be honest.
Paralysis ticks in Lake Macquarie
With over 70 species of ticks in Australia, it’s not hard to believe that many of them are located along the east coast. Over 95% of tick bites in our area are from the paralysis tick, commonly known as a bush tick, grass tick or seed tick. So, what does a paralysis tick look like? Well, that is dependent on what stage of life it’s in, and whether it has started to feed.
The life of a tick
Paralysis ticks grow from an egg to a larva, and at this stage, they are brown and about one millimetre long. They then reach around 2 millimetres at the brown nymph stage. As they head into adulthood, the blood-sucking tick can grow as big as five millimetres.
When ticks start feeding, they will swell in size up to one centimetre and become a grey-blue colour. When ticks are in the very young stage, and they land on your skin, they can look like a black dot.
Can ticks jump?
Ticks can’t jump, and they can’t fly, so how do they land on you?
Ticks need blood to live and grow, and they aren’t fussy where it comes from. It could be yours or your pets. They’ll hang around indefinitely after climbing up a long piece of grass or hiding out on a twig in a bush, waiting for you to walk by. Once you, or your pet, is underneath them, they drop, find a soft piece of skin, inject you with a substance that stops your blood clotting, and commence feeding, yuck! Ticks will also climb up your body if their landing is off, and can easily crawl up to your head.
How do you know you’ve been bitten?
It’s always advisable to check yourself, your kids, and your pets if you have been out for a walk or a play, especially in bushland. Don’t forget to check behind your ears. Some of the symptoms of a tick bite include swelling or redness around the bite. This can also feel itchy. Avoid the urge to scratch. If you’re suffering from tick paralysis, you may get a headache, a rash, flu-like symptoms, a fever, sore glands, weak limbs, a paralysed face, walk unsteadily, or not be able to cope with bright light. Well, that sounds fun….not!
Allergic to ticks?
Some people are allergic to ticks. Symptoms such as a swollen throat, difficulty breathing, or even collapse can happen in a severe reaction. If symptoms are severe, dial 000 immediately. If you’re experiencing an allergic reaction, you need to head straight to your Doctor or the Emergency Department at the hospital. Make sure you always have your EpiPen at hand.
New recommendation for tick removal
If you’re not allergic to a tick bite, make sure you remove the tick as quickly as possible once you find it. The latest recommendation is to apply products that freeze the tick. The chemist is your best place of purchase. These include products like Wart-Off Freeze, Aerostart, or Elastoplast Cold Spray. The tick should then die and drop off after about five minutes. Don’t use tweezers. If you are unable to remove every part of the tick, you should head to a doctor for help.
Take steps to avoid a tick bite
- Keep your skin covered if you’re heading somewhere that ticks are likely to hang out. Wear long trousers, tucked into your socks, and long sleeves when going bush.
- Always wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Avoid heading into long grass or bush, especially after rain, as this is when you’re most likely to encounter a tick.
- You can also use insect repellent that has DEET or picaridin as an active ingredient.
- If you want to spray your clothes, use an insecticide containing permethrin.
- Check yourself and your clothes when you get home.
- You can throw your clothes into a hot tumble dryer for 20 minutes, and this will kill any ticks.
References:
Health Direct: Tick bites – symptoms, treatments and prevention | healthdirect {Accessed November 2020}
Government Health: Department of Health | Tick bite prevention {Accessed November 2020}
