How to spot, avoid, and remove ticks in Texas

With summer here and Texans spending more time outdoors, the risk of tick bites—and the diseases they could carry—is up across the state. The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service offers tips on how to spot, avoid, and remove ticks found in the state, whether you’re hiking, camping, ranching, or gardening.

The following advice is from Dr. Pete Teel, Texas A&M AgriLife Research entomologist and regents professor at the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Department of Entomology.

COMMON TICKS

“There are two common ticks in Texas: the Lone Star tick and the Gulf Coast tick,” Teel said. 

Lone Star ticks are most active in late spring and through the summer. However, the Gulf Coast species is active year-round, especially in South Texas. Thus, these tick species are most active when outdoor activities are at their highest.

“Perhaps the most iconic human biting tick for Texas is the Lone Star tick, which gets its name from a single iridescent spot on the back of the adult female,” Teel said.

This tick has a wide host range, including many wildlife species and humans.

“You’ll most often encounter ticks when you enter their natural habitats,” Teel said. “This includes hiking, camping, trail riding, or even ranching.”

See more species and get helpful information via the Texas A&M AgriLife tick app.

PREVENTION AND DETECTION

Ticks are surprisingly good at finding their next host. 

“They can detect heat, carbon dioxide, shadows, and vibrations,” Teel said. 

Ticks are hatched from eggs and enter the larval stage. The six-legged larvae, which can swarm in big groups, might leave tiny red spots that are so small they go unnoticed. 

Nymphs and adults are eight-legged and slightly larger than larvae, making these stages easier to see. However, they can still transmit disease-causing pathogens if they are not removed.

Teel recommends the following preventive steps to spot, avoid, and remove ticks:

• Wear light-colored clothing to help spot ticks.
• Tuck pants into boots or socks when walking through tall grass or brush.
• Consider using masking tape barriers made by folding tape lengthwise and wrapping it around your tucked pant legs with the sticky side facing out to trap ticks as they crawl.
• Apply an EPA-approved tick repellent. 
• Conduct inspections for attached ticks.
• Properly remove attached ticks (see below) and keep them for expert observation and pathogen testing.

“Always perform a tick check after outside activities. This can be for humans and your furry loved ones,” Teel said. 

He explained a proper tick check inspection includes behind the ears, on the scalp, around the waistline, and under the arms.

HOW TO SAFELY REMOVE A TICK

“When removing a tick, it is important to not twist, jerk, burn, or douse with chemicals because this may cause the tick to spit pathogens into the bite, causing a tick-borne illness,” Teel said.

Instead, he recommends following these steps:

1. Use fine-tipped tweezers or a tick-removal tool to grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible.
2. Pull straight out with a steady, even pressure.
3. Clean the area with an alcohol swab or antiseptic after removing the whole tick.

Teel said once the tick is removed, consider placing it in a closed bottle or bag and saving it. Ticks removed from Texas residents can be submitted for identification and for tick-borne pathogen testing for free to the Texas Department of State Health Services.

“Awareness and prompt action go a long way in preventing a tick-borne illness,” Teel said. “Know how to avoid ticks and how to properly remove them.”

TICK-BORNE ILLNESSES

Lone Star tick

• Bourbon virus
• Ehrlichia chaffeensis and Ehrlichia ewingii, which can cause ehrlichiosis
• Heartland virus
• Tularemia

Gulf Coast tick

• Rickettsia parkeri rickettsiosis, a form of spotted fever

SEE WHERE TICKS LIVE

To learn more about ticks, the disease-causing pathogens that they carry, and where they live across Texas and the United States, visit this Centers for Disease Control and Prevention webpage.

editor@thepicayune.com