If you’ve gone your entire life without seeing a tick, your luck might run out this year.
Summit Metro Parks officials said mild winters have resulted in a “small explosion” of the little arachnids, which can cause pain, possible illness — or merely creep you out with their parasitic diet of warm blood.
“One of the best things we can do for the public is make them aware, so they can be prepared,” park biologist Rob Curtis said.
The park district has been sharing information about ticks on social media, in park kiosks and on its website, summitmetroparks.org.
Ticks can be picked up on low-growing vegetation anytime temperatures are above freezing, though they are most active in the spring and fall.
Ohio has three types of hard-bodied ticks, two of which reside in Northeast Ohio.
The most common is the American dog tick, which is brown with a light ornamentation or pattern on its back. They prefer grassy areas like meadows and prairies.
Meanwhile the blacklegged tick, often called the deer tick, is black and often has a rust-colored crescent. It’s about the size of a sesame seed, prefers woods, and can be active year-round.
The third Ohio species, the lone star tick, is generally only found in southern Ohio.
Ticks are blood feeders. They look for a host, take a bite, then drink their meal.
They need to feed for at least 24 hours before disease transmission to the host is possible, so the best way to prevent illness is to prevent ticks from even getting on you or your pet, or making sure they are removed promptly (and completely).
Curtis said that while cold winters don’t kill ticks, warm winters allow them to be more active and reproductive.
“I was picking up ticks all through the winter,” said Curtis, who said he brushes several off most days as an occupational hazard.
Munroe Falls and Cascade Valley Metro Parks appear to be getting the most activity because of their proximity to the Cuyahoga River, although the nuisances can be found in any park.
Ticks don’t leap or fall onto their victims, so staying on park trails reduces the risk of encountering one.
But just as mosquitoes home in on humans using carbon dioxide or body temperature, ticks have their own system of figuring out where to lie in wait, Curtis said.
When a human, dog, deer or other mammal brushes up against vegetation, ticks instinctively are attracted to that location out of expectation that another meal will come along, he said.
In addition to staying on trails and avoiding brushing against vegetation, Metro Parks staff suggest these ways to reduce tick encounters:
• Use a bug spray containing at least 25 percent DEET.
• Wear a long-sleeve shirt and long pants tucked into your boots or socks.
• Wear light-colored clothing to help you spot and remove the dark bugs. Tumble dry clothing or gear on high heat for an hour to kill any ticks you may have missed.
• Keep pets leashed and on trails during walks. (Leash laws apply in the Metro Parks anyway. The maximum length is 8 feet.)
If you or your pet are bitten by a tick, remove it by grasping it near its head with a pair of tweezers. Using even pressure, pull the tick straight out until it is no longer attached. Make sure its head came out, too.
Afterward, wash the area with soap and water.
And don’t throw the tick away. Place it in a plastic bag, and stick it in the freezer or a container with rubbing alcohol. That way if you need to go to the doctor, you can give her the tick that bit you.
Paula Schleis can be reached at 330-996-3741 or pschleis@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/paulaschleis.