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Art Lander’s Outdoors: Warm temps bring out ticks early, and these bloodsuckers don’t social distance

When temperatures spiked into the upper 70s in early April, grasses and clover hit a growth spurt, flowers bloomed and trees began to bud out.

Our early spring was welcomed during this mentally challenging time, but the fast warm-up brought ticks out a little earlier than normal. While doing yard work, bank fishing around ponds and streams, gardening, hunting wild turkeys or just taking the dog for a walk, be tick aware.

These bloodsuckers don’t practice social distancing.

A walk in the woods, or wading through chest-high dried grass and weeds at the wood’s edge, brushing up against low-hanging tree limbs or string trimming, is all it takes to pick up a tick.

Almost anywhere in rural Kentucky or along the suburban/rural interface where there are deer and high numbers of small mammals, ticks will be present.

Once they are on a host — human, a dog, or wildlife — ticks crawl around until they find a capillary close to the surface of the skin, painlessly pierce the skin and begin sucking blood.

Read the full article on Northern Kentucky Tribune's website here.

LAST UPDATED

May 5, 2022

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Northern Kentucky Tribune

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A signature project of The Ky. Center for Public Service Journalism, The Tribune is an online-only, comprehensive newspaper focused on Northern Kentucky.

A signature project of The Center, The Tribune will give Northern Kentucky its daily newspaper back. An online-only, comprehensive newspaper will focus on local issues, people, schools and business in ways that will build community and encourage civic engagement.

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MEDIA MENTIONS

A 20% DEET Premium Controlled-Release Lotion will work well against mosquitoes, but Dr. Zimring says he prefers the 20% Picaridin lotion since it also protects against ticks, gnats, chiggers, and flies. (In both instances, he recommends Sawyer brand.)

Rachel Schultz
Editorial Director

MEDIA MENTIONS

Part of spending time outside means battling ticks, mosquitoes, and other biting insects. For this, Nelson swears by permethrin.

Wirecutter

MEDIA MENTIONS

And out of the products we tested, Dr. Zeichner highly recommends Sawyer Products 20% Picaridin Insect Repellent.

Samson McDougall