#tickencounter

12:42 PM (40 minutes ago)

to me

Thanks for your TickSpotters report and for sending a picture.

Funny story...and brilliant job with your tick id. Your tick is, indeed, a female blacklegged (deer) tick. These ticks typically become very abundant after the first frost and remain active all winter whenever temperatures are above freezing. While it appears this tick was loose and wandering, you might be interested in checking our hyperlink to see how much ticks canchange their appearance the longer they're attached and feeding.  

It’s important to correctly identify any tick found biting since different species transmit different diseases. In the northeastern, mid Atlantic, and upper mid-western USA, about 50% of adult female deer ticks are carrying the Lyme disease bacteria.

Somewhat less commonly, they also could be carrying the agents that cause babesiosis, anaplasmosis, miyamotoi relapsing fever, and an encephalitis-causing virus (more rarely).

Transmission risk from an infected tick increases the longer they are attached and feeding.

If your tick is infected and was attached and feeding, it

may have transmitted the Lyme bacteria or one or more of the other infections, too, but the risk for some pathogen transmission would be low even if infected. You still might want to have this tick tested for peace of mind and as a way of guiding your next steps, like discussing disease and prophylactic treatment options with your primary care

provider.

Blood testing will not likely reveal much until antibodies to an infection have time to develop--about 3 weeks post tick bite. Now you can see why we say it's important to always do a daily tick check to stay TickSafe.

We encourage you to wear tick repellent clothes when working or playing outdoors, in your yard or other recreational area. Did you know that you can have some of your own favorite clothes treated commercially and the treatment lasts through an incredible 70 washes. Find out more about treating your clothes with the most effective tick repellent by clicking this hyperlink.

We have an extensive FAQ section that may help you further but w

e’ll be happy to hear from you again should you have questions or encounter another tick.

If you do encounter another tick, we hope you'll submit your information to TickSpotters along with a picture. Every submission is helping us track tick trends across America.  

Also, please help others by sharing any of this information with your friends.