Lone Star Ticks In Louisville Can Ruin Your Meat & Potatoes Diet

Along with deer ticks, lone star ticks are one of the most prevalent in Kentucky. Named because of the white dot on their backs and their native Texas, these ticks are a small and fierce predator. Only the size of a sesame seed they are known for their speed and great vision, both qualities that make them different from other tick varieties. They have long mouths that make their bites very painful and they tend to swarm against their victims. In the Cape Cod Times, Entomologist Larry Dapsis compared being attacked by a swarm of lone star ticks to stepping into a mound of fire ants. Mosquito Squad of Louisville reminds you to protect yourselves against these painful tick bites when in untreated outdoor areas by wearing protective clothing and always using bug repellent.

Painful Lone Star Tick Bites Lead to Bigger Issues

Annoying? Yes, but lone star ticks also carry disease. The Entomology Department of the University of Kentucky says that Southern Tick Associated Rash Illness (STARI), human ehrlichiosis, and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever can be spread by the lone star tick here in Kentucky. All of these can be dangerous, but when detected and treated quickly, full recovery can be expected. However, a lone star tick bite can also create an allergy that you won’t recover from. . . an allergy to red meat.

Tick Bite Can Cause a Red Meat Allergy

Say goodbye to your favorite steak! Tamara Sluss, an associate biology professor at Kentucky State, found that she had contracted an allergy to red meat. The State Journal reports that after several unexplained outbreaks of hives, some severe stomach pains and some research, the professor was able to make the association between her tick bite and what was becoming an obvious allergic reaction. Unlike most food allergies there seems to be a delay between the ingestion of the food trigger and the symptoms, making it hard to diagnose. The symptoms can range from hives, headaches, sneezing, stomach issues, to the much more severe and sometimes fatal anaphylaxis, which is difficulty breathing. The symptoms may be different each time you come in contact with a trigger (red meat or pork), so you can’t assume that because you’ve only had hives in the past that anaphylaxis isn’t possible. This red meat allergy isn’t something that is safe to simply manage by treating allergy reactions. Avoidance of red meat will have to be the new lifestyle.

Don’t Throw Out Your Meat Lover’s Cookbook Quite Yet!

Of course, the best thing to do is stay away from these yucky pests! We can help with that. If you want to enjoy the outdoors without mist and without having to wear pants and long sleeves in the heat of summer, tick mist for your property is a must. Mosquito Squad of Louisville has the solution to all your tick control needs. We provide a 100% satisfaction guarantee with our barrier tick mist and tick tube systems, which will eliminate 85-90% of these pests activity in your yard. Let us find the plan that best suits your family’s needs. Call us today and keep that grill fire burning!