Benzie/Leelanau public health
Ticks have already made several appearances this year, so protect yourself to reduce the risk of a bite and possible disease transmission.
- Use a repellent that contains 20 percent or more DEET, picaridin, or IR3535 on exposed skin for protection that lasts several hours, or Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus (OLE) – care should be taken to avoid eyes and mouth.
- Wear clothing that has been treated with permethrin.
- Be extra vigilant in warmer months (April – September) when ticks are most active. However, ticks can be active anytime the temperature outside is warmer than 40° F.
- Stay on well-groomed trails and avoid high grass, brush, and fallen leaves.
- Before going back indoors, check & remove ticks from your clothes and pets.
- Look for ticks on your body, especially the scalp, ears, armpits, belly button, waist, and groin.
- Put your clothes in the dryer on high heat for 60 minutes to kill any remaining ticks.
- Take a shower as soon as you can after coming indoors.
- If you find an embedded tick, immediately remove it, as it typically requires 36 to 48 hours to transmit Lyme disease. Then, use tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible and pull upward.
- Report any embedded ticks to the FOSBD immediately through the safety report link: https://friendsofsleepingbear.org/safety-report/
To Learn More: https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/safety-injury-prev/environmental-health/topics/mitracking/ticks