By admin 
Summer invites many different kinds of critters into your backyard in South Carolina, but you might not want to welcome every bug that takes refuge on your property.
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One of the most notoriously annoying pests people encounter are ticks, which are common arachnids, close cousins of spiders, usually found in tall grass, wooded areas and bushy shrubs.
They might be small, but they are definitely troublemakers. According to the CDC, more than 31 million Americans get bitten by ticks every year. Most tick bites don’t result in anything more than personal frustration, but they can also transfer severe diseases, such as Lyme disease, which can be very serious if not treated early.
Current data suggests that between 1% and 5% of tick bites result in the transfer of Lyme disease, according to the American Lyme Disease Foundation.
In South Carolina, there are six main tick species to look out for, and each carry their own set of diseases, the Department of Public Health says. Here are the ticks and what they can transfer to humans and pets:
Lone Star Tick
The Lone Star Tick is an invasive species that was first identified in SC in 2020, according to Clemson’s Public Service and Agriculture Department.
“These ticks are of great concern as females can replicate quickly without males, a process called parthenogenesis, and can infest the environment in a short time,” Clemson said.
They can carry Ehrlichiosis, Heartland virus, red-meat allergy, Southern Tick-Associated Rash Illness (STARI), spotted fever group rickettsiosis and tularemia.
Gulf Coast Tick
The Gulf Coast Tick is only found in the Southeast and is usually spotted near the coast. They can carry Ehrlichiosis, spotted fever rickettsiosis and tick paralysis.
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American Dog Tick
The American Dog Tick is found in the eastern half of the country and is large and hard-bodied compared to other ticks. They can carry Ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF), tick paralysis, and tularemia.
Blacklegged Tick
The Blacklegged Tick obviously has black legs and is smaller than your average tick. They can carry Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis, Lyme disease, Powassan virus disease, and red-meat allergy.
Brown Dog Tick
Brown Dog Ticks are small, reddish-brown and have no distinct markings. They can carry Ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and tularemia.
Asian Longhorned Tick
The Asian Longhorned Tick is an invasive pest that poses a threat to livestock. They can carry Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Heartland virus disease, Powassan virus disease, and cattle theileriosis (Theileria orientalis Ikeda strain).
Tips to prevent tick bites
Here are some tips provided by the SCDPH to prevent tick bites, especially when you’re out near wooded areas and tall grass:
- Use Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellents containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus, para-menthane-diol, or 2-undecanone
- Wear protective clothing tucked in around the ankles and waist
- Shower with soap and shampoo soon after being outdoors to reduce the possibility of tick attachment
- Stay in the center of paths when hiking or walking through woods
- Check for ticks daily, especially under the arms, in and around the ears, inside the belly button, behind the knees, between the legs, around the waist, and on the hairline and scalp
If you have been bitten by a tick, you should never squeeze the tick or use heat, solvents, nail polish, petroleum jelly, or other material to make the tick detach from the skin. That can make the tick push fluid into the bite, increasing the possibility of disease transmission.
Use fine-tipped tweezers to remove attached ticks by grasping the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible. Make sure to wash the infected area with soap and water.
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You can find all additional information about the diseases ticks carry here.