If you spend time outdoors or have pets that go outdoors, you need to beware of ticks. Ticks are small bloodsucking parasites that can transmit dangerous diseases to animals and people. Some ticks are so small they can be difficult to see and you may not know that a tick has crawled on you. Ticks may get on you if you walk through areas where they live, such as tall grass, leaf litter or shrubs. With that in mind, we at A-Tex Pest Management would like to take the opportunity to elaborate on ticks in Texas.
What Kind of Disease Can You Get from Ticks?
Before we touch on the fundamentals, we want to emphasize that ticks are highly likely to transmit diseases and illnesses such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Tularemia, Lyme disease, Ehrlichiosis, Relapsing fever, Babesiosis, and Colorado tick fever. If you find a tick has attached to your, or a loved one, or a pet, remove the tick right away and seek medical attention right away.
Are Ticks Common in Texas?
In Texas, American Dog Ticks, Blacklegged Ticks, and Lone Star Ticks are the most common. Ticks are classified in the arachnid family, having 8 legs. They host on different animals, including people, to feed off the blood. As larvae, they have only 6 legs but as they evolve into each lifecycle they will detach from their host, molt and cycle to nymph and then adult. Each time they evolve the will attach to a new host. Ticks do not have incredible abilities to jump onto their victims, but they do have exceptionally fine-tuned climbing skills, where they climb up the edges of tall grass and ambush their unsuspecting host. After mating, the females will drop to her lay her eggs as well.
Are there Lyme Disease Ticks in Texas?
American dog ticks are among the larger species in the area, where the males are nearly 1/8” and the females are slightly larger. After a female is engorged from eating, she can measure approximately ½” long. Blacklegged ticks, or commonly referenced as deer ticks, are only about half the size of an American dog tick. We know that Texas has the Lyme disease carrying tick AKA the blacklegged tick, and that a few to dozens of people contract the disease from outdoor activity in Texas every year. Lone star ticks have unique markings; the females have a distinct white dot or star-shape on their back where the males typically have multiple spots on theirs.
Tick Pest Inspections, Treatment, Control, Removal & More in Austin, Round Rock, Leander, Pflugerville & Cedar Park Texas
Ticks usually stick to the outdoors, feeding on the wild animals. However, when the wild animals come down looking for food or hikers and their pets go up into the woodlands, the ticks can become attached to domestic or farm animals as well as people. If they make into your home or property, it is important that you have a professional treat your home and grounds to ensure all ticks and their viable eggs are destroyed. Call A-Tex Pest Management today if you or any of your pets have had an issue ticks and we will efficiently get your home and property treated.
