We Do Have Ticks!

Ticks and Lyme disease are terrible in the northeast. We hear about this a lot, almost to the point that it seems as if we might not have it to deal with here in Northeast Florida. Unfortunately, that is not the case…. there are ticks in Florida.

According to Dear Gardener Gal in the Citrus County Chronicle, most of them are in the central and northern part of the state. In her column, she tells a newcomer to Florida from the northeast that she hasn’t escaped Lyme either as we are 20th in the 50 states for the disease.

Lyme Disease is on the Rise in Florida

A second article, in the Tampa Patch, confirms that tick-borne disease is on the rise in Florida and across the country. Between the years of 2004 and 2016, there were 1,848 tick-borne disease cases in Florida. The CDCrecently issued a report stating that cases of illness from ticks, mosquitoes, and fleas have tripled from 2004 and 2016. The CDC Lyme disease table shows 34 cases in Florida in 2006 and 132 confirmed cases in 2016 with a possible 84 more.

The numbers don’t lie. Lyme disease is a growing problem. Lyme is the most prevalent of tick diseases, but others are growing too. Anaplasmosis, babesiosis, Rocky Mountain Spotted fever, and rickettsioses are all in the rise. Ticks are also on the move. According to the study, due to environmental and temperature changes, ticks find themselves able to survive in areas that they were not able before. The growth of the number and type of ticks as well as the diseases they carry are likely to continue to rise here in Florida.

We are not sharing this to create fear, simply to reinforce the idea that protection is no longer an option. Putting on bug repellent when going outdoors in untreated areas has got to become as second nature as sunscreen at the beach. Tick checks need to become a part of your routine as well. Remember they like to hide in the warm damp spots like armpits and of course they are known to hide in hair. Protect your pets as well with the flea and tick treatment your vet recommends.

At Mosquito Squad of Greater Jacksonville and Ponte Vedra, we would like to help you take protection a step further at home and the best part is we want to do the work. Our tick control system is a guaranteed way to eliminate ticks that carry disease from your yard. It’s safe, it works on contact, and it gives you the peace of mind to use your yard with purpose… family and fun! Call us today!