Do tiny ticks carry Lyme disease?

Yes. Tiny black-legged ticks, known as nymph ticks, are the most prolific spreaders of Lyme disease bacteria.

If you are bitten by a nymph tick for at least 24 hours, you could get Lyme disease. If you find a tick attached to your skin, it should be removed immediately. The best method of removal is with pointed or angle-tipped tweezers. Grasp the tick as close as possible to your skin and pull up at an angle, being sure you have gotten the head out of your skin. After removal, you can dispose of the tick in a solution of rubbing alcohol in a zipped sandwich bag just in case you need to identify it later. Watch for symptoms of Lyme disease for the next couple of weeks. This could mean a bulls-eye rash and flu-like illness, such as fever, body aches, and joint pain. If you have been unsuccessful in removing the tick’s head, you could even develop a skin infection at the tick bite site. Seek immediate medical attention if you believe you have been bitten by a tick that could have given you Lyme infection.

Why do tiny ticks spread so much Lyme disease?

There are a couple of main reasons that tiny ticks spread Lyme disease. In the life stage prior to becoming nymphs, ticks are in their larval stage. Larval black-legged ticks feed on small mammals, many of which are the white-footed mouse. These mice very often have Lyme bacteria in their bloodstream.

Secondly, when a larval tick becomes a nymph tick, it is about the size of a sesame seed, which makes it very difficult to detect when it attaches to your skin. Nymph ticks often found at the state of engorgement, which could indicate that they have passed Lyme bacteria – to you, your family member, or even your pet.

How do we prevent tiny ticks from spreading Lyme disease?

The dictum of prevention versus cure applies here. Prevention is key. What does this mean concerning Lyme disease prevention? Tick control. The great news is, Mosquito Squad of Nashville offers year-round tick control to aid in the prevention of ticks making their way into your yard. In the springtime, when hungry nymph ticks emerge looking for their next blood host, Mosquito Squad of Nashville offers regularly scheduled barrier protection sprays. In the late fall and winter, we deploy tick control tubes, which will kill larval ticks where they live, preventing untold numbers of nymph ticks from invading your property in the spring!

Trust Mosquito Squad of Nashville for all your tick control needs, no matter the season. Contact us at 615-492-3662.

Also Read: Is a tick with a white dot bad?