As a land guy I get bit by ticks all the time no mater what preventative methods I put in place. People ask me a lot of tick questions. Here are the most common questions I am asked about ticks in Pittsboro, NC.
Does Pittsboro NC have ticks?
Yes. In Pittsboro and all across North Carolina we have 4 or 5 types of ticks. The most common in Pittsboro are Dog Ticks, Lone Star Ticks, and Seed Ticks.
When do the ticks come out?
As soon as the temperature hits 70 degrees, the ticks are out. More come out at 80, and by the time we’re at 90 degrees, the ticks are out in full force.
Do tick bites hurt?
Often the initial bite goes undetected. You will usually find them when your skin starts to get irritated, or you will feel a bump in the shower.
Do ticks fall out of trees?
Ticks hang out on the ground, on the end of branches and leaves and wait for their victim to come walking by and grab on. They love denim. Once they are along for the ride they quickly go hunting for a nice quiet place on your body.
I usually get bit in the leg or torso, but ticks can bite ALL parts of your body.
How do you prevent ticks?
For property:
Some land owners buy guinea fowl. Some people keep the grass cut low. There are many organic ways to reduce the tick population. Unfortunately, when it comes to this insect, nothing works quite like insecticide on your property. Some people grab Spectracide or their favorite insecticide at Lowe’s, others call in a pest control service, and others buy their chemical of choice online, such as Conquer.
For people:
Some people wear tall rubber boots. Some wear shorts and can feel them on their leg. Some people tuck their pants in to their shoes and tape them off. Others treat their clothing with something like Permethrin.
How do you remove a tick?
Do not burn the tick; this causes his insides to enter your blood stream, including any diseases the tick has. Most people prefer tweezers, and grab by the head of the tick and gently pull straight out. Other people flip them onto their back and snap them out although there is an art to this.
Do ticks hurt?
Everyone is affected differently. Some people get a bump and itch for weeks. Other people just pop them out without even thinking about it.
Will a tick bite cause a disease?
Over 99% of the time a tick bite is not going to cause any sort of infection or disease. Some people are bit hundreds or even thousands of times with no problem. If you have been bit and see a rash developing around the bite, especially a circle, go to the doctor immediately; they will proactively give you antibiotics. Many tick borne diseases can not be tested for until you have been infected for over 6 weeks and you do not want to wait 6 weeks. That said, most bites are harmless.
Tick borne diseases found in Pittsboro include Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Lyme Disease, and a strange illness that makes you allergic to meat (see references below).
Do ticks bite dogs?
Ticks love 4 legged animals of all shapes and sizes. Dogs get bit by dog ticks in addition to the ticks people get bit by. Most people are bit by seed or lone star ticks.
Tick pics
Lone Star Ticks are the most likely to bite you here in Pittsboro. Females have a spot on the back, males do not. Seed ticks are actually baby lone star ticks.
Seed Ticks look like little pieces of pepper. These suckers are in colonies. Stand on a pile of these and you can easily walk away with over 200 ticks on you. Skin So Soft is amazing at removing this specific tick.
Dog Ticks are most likely to be found on your dog. They inflate like a water balloon as they get full / engorged.
All ticks come in a variety of sizes.
Occasionally there are other ticks in the area.
Tick References
- Wikipedia’s page on Lone Star ticks.
- Ticks making people allergic to meat.
- NCSU on tick diseases
- CDC page on tick diseases
- North Carolina Public Health on tick diseases
