A Primer on Ticks in the Outdoors Andrew Hebda, Curator of Zoology , Nova Scotia Museum Most of us have not encountered ticks in our daily lives but they have been our companions on the journey of life on this planet since time immemorial. It is with the appearance of possible tick-borne diseases that could have significant health consequences that it is probably a good idea to know a bit more about what ticks are, how they make their living, and what that means for us. Knowing what they are, and what to do when you encounter them allows all of us to keep enjoying our great Maritime outdoors safely. What is a Tick? Ticks are Arachnids, which means they are related to spiders, scorpions and mites. They differ from insects in that, as adults, they have 8 legs (as larvae they only have 6) and do not have a distinct head or thorax. They are not very large until they feed, so a larval tick may be the size of a poppy-seed, a nymph may be the size of a sesame-seed, while an unfed adult may be the size of a piece of rolled oats. Why are they considered pests? Ticks require a blood meal from a warm- blooded vertebrate in order to transform into each successive stage (larva to nymph and nymph to adult). As well, the adult females require a blood meal to ripen the eggs. It is because of these meals (one individual tick feeding on three separate hosts during its life cycle) that they may transmit disease from one host to the next. In Eastern Canada, the Black legged tick (a.k.a. deer tick) is an example of this - a potential vector for Lyme disease. In Southern and Western North America, other diseases, such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever may be transmitted. Since larvae and nymphs usually feed on small animals such as mice and squirrels, we humans tend not to encounter these stages often. That means that we are more-likely to encounter the adult stages, which have a higher chance of being carriers of such diseases. How do we pick up ticks? A tick, which usually lives on the ground or in the leaf litter, finds its food by climbing to the tip of a blade of grass or low branch on a shrub where it hangs on to a leaf or twig by the small claws on its hind legs. As a person (or any other animal) passes by and dislodges it, the tick grabs on the first thing it contacts - pant leg, sock etc. It then starts its journey to a good feeding spot on the body. Most animals (including people) are usually unaware that they have even picked up a hitch-hiker. How Does it Feed? Once it reaches its feeding spot (different ticks like different parts of the body) it pierces the skin and inserts a small scaled probe and a pair of palps through the hole and locks in place for feeding. Feeding may take up to 48 hrs. An interesting point is that it uses an anaesthetic when it makes the hole, so that you do not even feel it is there. The second point is that as it feeds it can expand to many times its original size. Because of this it has a special arrangement of breathing structures that allows it to keep breathing while feeding. Once it has fed, it pulls the palps and feeding apparatus out, and drops off in order to transform into the next stage or ripen the eggs. It may go through this whole process without you even noticing. What ticks do we find in Nova Scotia? We have 14 species of ticks in Nova Scotia. Some were probably here before human settlement. Wood (Dog) ticks were introduced into South West Nova Scotia in the mid 1890s, and have now spread throughout about 1/3 of the Province, including the Halifax/Dartmouth/Bedford/Sackville area. Eastern Black-legged ticks (a.k.a. deer ticks or BLTs) have been, sporadically, brought in by migrating birds, but have only become established in two parts of the Province within the last several years. How do I minimise picking up ticks? Since the main place one pick up ticks is in tall grass or in shrubby habitats, avoiding such areas will avoid the ticks. If you are a golfer - play good golf and stay out of the rough or the woods. That will also reduce the chance of flushing out black flies or encountering mosquitos or other biting flies. While hiking, sticking to cleared trails is the best strategy. In addition, most approved commercial insect “Repellants” also dissuade ticks from hopping on board and feeding. You can check with your local health authority or with Health Canada for specific recommendations. If you do go into heavy tick-habitat, (off trail) then long trousers, tucked into your socks and appropriate “repellants” would be the order of the day. As well, when returning from a hike in an area noted for ticks, a careful check to see if you have picked up hitch-hikers would be a wise approach. It usually takes a day or two before your new friends have traveled up the body to their preferred feeding spot, so they won’t be fixed on you for a while. Wearing light-coloured clothing makes it easier to spot ticks if they have climbed aboard. As well, you should check all parts of the skin. Another common source of ticks is pets that have been in suitable (tall-grass- shrub) habitat. A quick brushing of their fur over a light coloured sheet will tell you whether they have picked up any hitch-hikers while prowling around. Better to check for ticks this way than finding them in your bed after your cat has napped there for the afternoon. What do I do if I find a tick? If you find a loose tick, then put it in a vial, with date, locality collected and contact information, and in Nova Scotia, drop the off at the nearest office of the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources or Nova Scotia Museum. The ticks will be identified, and as appropriate, forwarded for further testing. This is part of an on-going program following the spread and distribution of ticks throughout the Province. If you find one embedded in the skin, then you have two choices. You can consult your nearest health service provider, who would remove it and treat, as appropriate, or you could remove the tick yourself. This can be done by grasping the tick with tweezers, as close to the skin as possible, and gently (and slowly) pulling it out without twisting or jerking. In this case, you would be best advised to consult your physician for advice on course of treatment and, at the same time, record the date and location of the bite and forward the tick for identification (as noted above). Our use and enjoyment of the outdoors has always been a tradition in the Maritimes. Encountering ticks (or any other animals) may be part of that experience. Knowing that these animals are only trying to make a living, and are not “out to get you”, and knowing what to do when you do encounter a tick will keep the outdoors an important and enjoyable part of our daily lives. For further information on this ticks and disease, contact your local Public Health Office, or, in Nova Scotia, the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources, Nova Scotia Museum or http://www.gov.ns.ca/hpp/ocmoh/Lyme_Brochure.pdf