UF/IFAS Okeechobee County Extension Service

458 Highway 98 North

Okeechobee, FL 34972-2578

Phone: (863) 763-6469

E- mail: indianco@ufl.edu 

May 28, 2003

Feature Article - for release the week of June 1, 2003

Dan Culbert - Extension Horticulture Agent

The Time for Ticks is Today

As spring moves into summer, one of the creatures found in Florida begins to really get under our skin - the tick. These insect-like pests can suck our blood and that of our pets and livestock, and are known to transmit various diseases among animals and people.

Today’s column will cover some of the basics on these creatures, and what you can do about them. It comes from information provided by University of Florida Entomologists Phil Koehler and Cynthia Lord.

Ticks are not insects, and are closely related to the spiders. Adult ticks have eight legs. All ticks are parasitic, feeding on the blood of animals. Female ticks lay thousands of eggs which hatch into very small larva called seed ticks. At each stage of the life cycle, ticks will require a blood meal from host animals. They increase in size dramatically while feeding; engorged ticks are considerably larger than those just waiting for their next meal.

Ticks can be found along roads, paths, and trails, on grass, and on other low vegetation in a "waiting position." As an animal passes by, the tick will grasp it firmly and soon start feeding on its host. Some ticks can live for a year or more without feeding, just waiting for its host.

There are five common ticks found in Florida: the Gulf Coast tick, the Lone Star tick, the American Dog Tick, the Brown Dog tick, and the Black Legged or Deer Tick. Most ticks are found only on wildlife and are rarely found on humans or domestic animals.

The Brown dog tick seldom attacks animals other than dogs. It is most likely found where dogs are kept in or around the house. The brown dog tick is not known to transmit diseases to humans but may transmit disease among dogs.

The American dog tick is also a common pest of pets and humans in Florida. The adult ticks are encountered by sportsmen and people who work outdoors. Dogs are the preferred host, although this tick will feed on other animals. Because nymph stages of the American dog tick usually only attack rodents, this is not considered a household pest.

Deer or Blacklegged Ticks are important vectors of the Lyme disease. Human exposure to blacklegged ticks is greatest during the summer months, with peak activity in August, when larvae feed on a wide variety of birds, mammals and white-footed mice.

To keep ticks off of yourself, avoid tick habitats in peak seasons of tick activity. Taking precautions when you must enter high risk areas. Socks pulled over the cuffs of the trousers, wearing light-colored clothing, walking in the center of trails, frequently checking clothes, application of repellents such as DEET containing products and examination of body at the end of the day are advised. DEET does repel ticks, but may not be practical for infestations inside a house.

To keep ticks off of your pets, use approved pesticides on the animals and in their quarters. Use treatments with fipronil (in sprays and spot-ons), amitraz (often in flea and tick collars), permethrin (sprays and shampoos) and deltamethrin (shampoos). Check with your vet on the proper use of these products.

It may be necessary to treat the house or kennel, paying particular attention to cracks and crevices. Be careful about treatments used on cats - some tick and flea treatments for dogs will be poisonous to cats. Don’t use pesticides that are labeled for outdoor use or premises treatment on your pets. Use all pesticides according to label directions.

If you need additional information on ticks, call or stop by our office at 458 Hwy 98 North. The University of Florida has many bulletins on Ticks, and can refer you to several internet websites for detailed recommendations. Our phone number is 763-6469, and you can email us at okeechobee@ifas.ufl.edu.

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Trade names, where used, are given for the purpose of providing specific information. They do not constitute an endorsement or guarantee of products named, nor does it imply criticism of products not named. The Florida Cooperative Extension Service - Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer authorized to provide research, educational information, and other services to individuals and institutions that function without regard to race, color, sex, age, handicap, or national origin.  Florida Cooperative Extension Service / IFAS / University of Florida.  Millie Ferrer-Chancy, Interim Dean.  Last update: 03/20/2012.  This page is maintained by Dan Culbert  

 

References

Koehler, P.  and Castner, J. L.  Fleas and Ticks [SP-95].   Gainesville: UF/IFAS Extension Service, January 2012. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in009 

Koehler, P. and Oi, F.  Ticks  [ENY-206].  Gainesville: UF/IFAS Extension Service, 2003.  http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ig088 

Lord, Cynthia. Ticks in Florida (Buzzword Newsletter archive.)  Vero Beach: UF/IFAS Florida Medical Entomology Lab, 2008.  http://fmel.ifas.ufl.edu/buzz/clticks.shtml

Patnaude, Michael R.  and  Mather, Thomas N..  Blacklegged Tick or Deer Tick, Ixodes scapularis [EENY-143]. Gainesville:  UF/IFAS Extension Service, December 2011.  http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in300

Stamp out ticks!